Book Four, The Building Task

Chapter Eleven

Rosefall's POV.

Part of me couldn't believe Ivysong was deputy and with kits too! I wondered what Batstar would do. I mean I suppose when Sweetwish was deputy, she had kits as well.

It was the night of the gathering and I was lying next to Ivysong licking her head after the surprise "kit attack."

Ivysong looked incredibly shaken up. Poor thing.. my kitting wasn't a complete surprise for me like that. It sure was when I found out though!

"When can we play with them?" questioned one of Lily's kits, Barkkit. Barkkit sniffed at the small bundles next to Ivysong.

"Not for a little while yet, Barkkit, they are too tiny now!" I laughed.

One of my little kits, Flickerkit said, "What, are you bored of us already?" he teased lightly.

Barkkit lowered down into a play-crouch and the two of them scuffled among the bracken. "Kits!" I said exasperatingly, looking to Ivysong for a laugh.

Ivysong just forced herself to smile, then laid her head down. She must be exhausted... Overwhelmed.. becoming deputy only a few days before kits.

"Kits, now we must settle down okay? Ivysong is all worn out and we need to keep quiet so she can sleep." I rounded my kits up with my tail and stepped back into my nest. My kits settled down into the crook of my belly.

I groomed each of my kits, licking their heads and backs to clean them, picking bits of bracken out of their fur. "Rosefall stop!" Dapplekit protested. "Well you don't know how to groom yourself properly yet so I'll do it for you, now shush and keep still!"

Dapplekit didn't make any more noise and accepted the comforting licks across his flank. I took this time to reflect on how much my kits have grown. They no longer drink my milk, they're eating full prey now! Tears welled in my eyes as I remembered how they used to claw at my belly to get the milk moving.

In three moons they'd be apprenticed, where they could battle.. I thought anxiously. Thankfully no new apprentices are allowed to battle quite yet..

I sighed. I wanted to talk to Fallensky about my little ones. With ShadowClan's threatening attack, I was worried about my kits getting hurt.

I laid my head on my paws and quickly fell into a deep slumber next to my precious bundles.

I woke the next morning to a paw prodding my side. I lifted my head to see Fallensky staring anxiously down at me. "What's wrong, love?" I looked at him, worry filling my gaze.

"ShadowClan stated at the Gathering last night that they're going to attack," he sniffed each of our kits. "I think they may tonight."

My eyes widened. "They're surely in no state to fight us?" Rosefall remembered Ivysong reporting that ShadowClan was weak and battle-torn.

"They have the support of WindClan. WindClan also has stated that they need water and are willing to side with ShadowClan to get it." Fallensky growled, spitting his hatred.

I shifted nervously. "My kits are old enough to stay in the den while I fight out there.." I trailed off, thinking. What if either one of us gets killed out there?

"No," Fallensky replied firmly, sitting down and licking my head. "Our kits need their mother."

"And they need their father!" I hissed in an angry whisper. "I've trained the same as you, I am a warrior, Fallensky, you seriously cannot expect me to stay here while my Clan fights for our honor." I paused, lowering my tone even more as Lily shifted in her nest.

"It was different when I was expecting kits or caring for them when they were still drinking my milk." I softened my gaze. "They're weaned now, didn't you know?"

Fallensky looked at his paws. "I'm sorry, Rosefall." shaking his head he exited the den. "Love.." I started, then clamped my mouth shut. If he didn't think I was worthy enough to fight then he could go eat fox dung.

Next to me, Ivysong stirred. She opened her blue eyes. "Can't you cats go fight somewhere else? I can't get a wink of sleep with your squeaking." she meowed with a hard tone.

"Sorry, Ivysong," I muttered. Ivysong's new litter of kits started to squeal. Ivysong groaned under her breath, "StarClan's sake."

Angry at her newborns for being hungry? "Push them to your belly, Ivysong, they might be hungry," I commented, trying to help her.

"I've got it okay?" Ivysong snapped, whipping her head around to me with blazing eyes.

Ivysong shot up out of her nest, shaking her kits off of her as they cried and stormed out of the den.

"Oh, you poor things." Lily got up out of her nest and padded to Ivysong's. She lay down with the kits and they began to suckle.

Lily turned to me. "What was that about?" she questioned with eyes widened. "StarClan knows." I sighed angrily.

It was a good thing Lily's kits hadn't weaned yet even though they were getting so big. I pushed up out of my nest, careful not to wake my kits.

I padded into a very busy Clan. I suppose the news of the battle had spread like wildfire, and I didn't blame them. "Domino, I want the nursery fortified not lightly cleaned!" Ivysong barked to her apprentice. "Cinnamonsky, Quartzshine, go hunting. Stock our pile!"

I widened my eyes at her harsh tone. This isn't like her... I thought to myself urgently. What has come of her? Could it be the stress? Batstar padded up to Ivysong and whispered something in her ear. Ivysong looked reluctant but nodded and padded toward Rosefall.

Excitedly I hopped up to greet her but she shoved me away and padded into the nursery. Crestfallen, my paws happened to take me to Streamsight's den. I padded into the warm herb-scented den. "Rosefall?" Streamsight appeared from behind the curtain of lichen in her herb store.

"Hi, Streamsight," I nodded a greeting. Streamsight rushed to the other side of the den to a small pile of herbs and started mixing them.

"Have you seen Nightpaw?" Streamsight asked in a low, rushed tone. I begun to lick my paw nervously at her urgency.

"N-No," I stammered. "I just came to talk to you about Ivysong, she's been acting weird for ages."

"Ah.." Streamsight gave me a look of curiosity and apprehension. She sat down in front of me and I explained my concerns to her.

"Yes.. I've noticed that too," Streamsight responded, narrowing her eyes up at the den roof. "StarClan has sent me many dreams about Ivysong, however nothing they've explained has made any sense to me.." she trailed off, then closed her eyes for a moment, as if relishing in one of those dreams.

Streamsight then silently set a paw on mine, extending her claws slightly. I tried to pull away but she held me there, gaze burning into my eyes. "Ivysong is dangerous, Rosefall. Be mindful of your kits."

Streamsight let my paw back and I leaped away in alarm. "What?!" I exclaimed in utter bewilderment. But Streamsight simply nodded and went back to mixing her herbs.