The First to Fight the Storm

Chapter 21

Willowmoon couldn't believe her ears.

"What?"

"I'm not going back."

"No! I- I've been waiting for you! My mentor was Petalfire, Scorchpaw is now Scorchtail, great StarClan, Wolftail's my mate!"

Swallowtail paused for a moment and then spoke.
"Call me Sky Blood for one thing, also I'm sorry Willowmoon, I have missed out on so much. I love you, and MountainClan-"
"MountainClan isn't even a clan anymore! You don't understand!" Willowmoon pulled away, tears going down her face as she creamed at Sky Blood.

"What?"

"Silverpaw is Silverscreech. She's leader now and she's killing us all. Two kits and a bunch of warriors have died from her!"

"Willowmoon stop!"

"No!"

"No, seriously, someones coming!"

Willowmoon froze as Song Blood walked in with a squirrel but dropped it on the ground when she saw Willowmoon.
"No way. Sky Blood? Is this a clan cat?"

"No, she's a loner. Her name is ... Moon."

"Oh." Song Blood picked up the squirrel and walked up next to Sky Blood. "I brought this as an apology. We'll talk later." Then Song Blood turned to Willowmoon. "Nice to meet you, Moon. Are you interested in joining the Night Bloods?"

Willowmoon did not like being called a loner. She understood why

Sky Blood had done it though.

"No, I was just passing by." Willowmoon could feel a shock of annoyance at Song Blood though, when the black she cat curled her tail around Sky Blood's. Willowmoon was even more shocked when Sky Blood looked sweetly down at the cat.
"I'm just asking, are you two mates?"

Sky Blood raised an eyebrow at her, but then replied. "Actually, Song Blood had found me. When I decided to join, we became friends. After a while, it became more."

Sky Blood then put her paw gently on Song Bloods.

"Whose yours?" Song Blood asked.

"What?" Willowmoon was surprised. "How do you know I have a mate?"

"Well, I was guessing because you're expecting kits. Congratulations."

Who does this cat think she is? But Willowmoon looked nervously down at her belly. "I'm not-"

"Yes, you are, Moon." Sky Blood interrupted. "You definitely are. I hope to meet them one day." Sky Blood offered her a sad smile.

"Ah. Well, I have to get back to my home. I hope to see you again sometime." Willowmoon jumped up and headed towards the exit. Fear circled her.

"It was nice meeting you, Moon!" Called Song Blood from behind her.

"Stupid cats." Willowmoon muttered under her breath. "They are so wrong about me and my 'kits.' "

Willowmoon swiftly back to Star's Fall. Rain clouds raged above her head. Rain swept down and the river raged as Willowmoon longed to get back to Wolftail and her nest. She felt bad about the fight they had had that morning.

She spied a mouse out of the corner of her eye. She could catch it as an apology present.

She crouched down, into a hunter's crouch, and slowly stalked forward. The mouse had no idea she was coming.
She leaped, but right as she did a sharp pain came from her belly. She yelped as she hit the ground with a thud. The mouse ran off. Pain stabbed at her.
"I'll just go back. Forget hunting."

She reached the cave that she had stayed in the previous night a few minutes later.

"Willowmoon!" Wolftail came up to her with a worried expression. He was limping from the cut on his front leg, but he seemed mostly worried.

"They didn't hurt you, right?"

"Of course not. But Wolftail, I-"

"Willowmoon, did you find Swallowtail?" Redstar asked nervously from behind Wolftail.
"Yes, but-"

"She's coming back right?" Duskshadow cut in.

"No. but I-"

"What?! How dare she!" Redstar stalked off in a raging fit of anger.

"She has a mate in the Night Bloods."

"Who is it?"

Willowmoon had enough. She just wanted to talk to Wolftail privately.

"Listen! I want to talk to Wolftail for a second, but first I'm going to check something with Redstar."

She followed Redstars scent into a different tunnel.
"Redstar?"

Redstar turned around. "What is it?"

"You've seen expecting cats, right?"

"Yes... like you?"
"You know?"

"Of course. We all do. Except Wolftail."

Fear surrounded her again. "I don't want them." Lillyriver's two dead kits filled her mind.

"Willowmoon, that's what almost every queen says with their first litter. You'll be fine."
"I don't want them though! Silverscreech might kill them!"

Redstar's look of pity made her break down in tears. She was still a young warrior. She couldn't be a queen yet!

She ran out of the tunnel and over to the one that Wolftail and her had been staying in. She jumped into the nest and nestled herself in, but protecting her belly on instinct.

"Willowmoon?" Wolftail called. "Are you alright?"

She didn't answer as he came into the small room and laid down next to her. "If you're not ok, you can tell me. I'm your mate."

"Wolftail, I-" She ducked her head as tears came rolling down. "I'm having kits." She whispered.

There was a look of shock on Wolftails face before he snuggled into her. "It will be ok, alright? We'll take care of the kits. I promise. I'll be the best dad I can."

"I know you will."

Willowmoon felt a feeling of warmth deep down for the first time in a long time. She hadn't saved MountainClan, but she would save these kits.