Turtleheart's Path

Chapter 24

It had been two moons after Yellowwhiskers kits had their ceremony. Greencough had finally let Windclan go, it was now Newleaf. Yellowwhisker had fallen to the illness two sunrises after her kits had become apprentices. "Stoneclaw you have to eat the prey, Newleaf has brought fresh and plump prey." Turtleheart mewed, ignoring the pain in her belly. "No. The clan needs it." The elderly tom rasped. "The clan is fed, we could have a full feast and still have prey left over." She held back a hiss of annoyance. "No. Take it to Graytooth and her kits." He retorted. "Fine. Ill bring you herbs for your joints and pains." She rolled her eyes and went to find herbs to quench hunger. When she grabbed the herbs she padded back to the den with chamomile, daisy leaves and blackberry leaves for the bee sting that Stoneclaw had gotten on a walk to get to some water. She set the herbs down and grabbed the soaked moss before sitting down in the elders' den. "Eat these, it'll help with pain." She lied, sliding the chamomile towards him. "Pain? Wasnt Bramblestar given these for strength on her journey to the moonstone?" He grumbled. "No, that must have been another herb you are thinking of. Eat them, it will help." She said before chewing the daisy and putting it on Stoneclaw's hips and then the blackberry mixed with some water on the bee sting.
Her belly felt as if it was churning and the smell of herbs made her nausea worse. "Sparrowfeather, can I go out for a walk? I need some air." The tabby medicine cat shook his head. "We need to organize all these herbs, look at the amount of coltsfoot, poppy and dock leaves we left out to dry from the dew. What's the matter with you anyways? You've been queasy for days. Are you sickly?" Turtleheart shook her head. "No, just nauseous." She shrugged. "Why dont we finish these quickly so you can go walk." Sparrowfeather finally let off the questions and grabbed the coltsfoot, shook it out and began putting it in various places, some on the shelf and some in the hole they stored extras in. She did the same with the poppy and let him do the dock. "You can go now, but Turtleheart, be careful. You have extra lives to worry about now." Turtleheart froze, how could he know? "What do you mean?" She mewed. "I am a medicine cat, I know a queen when I see one. Is it that Riverclan tom?" He demanded. Turtleheart looked at her paws. "It is. Turtleheart, you are a medicine cat! You fool!" He growled before stepping back as tears formed in her eyes. "I will help you through this. The next step is to tell Bramblestar."
"Go on, you should tell her alone." Sparrowfeather whispered as they stood near the leader's den. Turtleheart took a deep breath and stumbled forwards into the den. "Bramblestar…?" She mewed. "Yes? What's the matter dear?" Turtleheart looked into her mothers eyes, tears forming. "I made a mistake… im expecting." Her voice shuddered. Bramblestar's jaw fell open, she remained silent. "I- i dont know what to say. Sparrowfeather knows, yes?" Bramblestar mewed. Turtleheart nodded, sniffling. Tears fell down her muzzle. "Dont cry, Turtleheart. We'll figure this out together." The windclan leader rubbed her muzzle on her shoulder. "Ill raise these kits, if you want. Name them and ill raise them. I'd like the clan to try and revolt against this. Ill punish all of them. But who is the father?" She sneered. "Well… promise you wont be mad?" Bramblestar nodded. "A riverclan tom… Brackentail." Bramblestar took a deep breath. "I… I was planning on attacking them tonight… as an end to the war.." The she-cat admitted. Turtleheart felt her heart drop. "My kits should not be a reason to not end the war-" She began before a sound interrupted them. "Riverclan has stolen my kits!" Graytooth shrieked. Bramblestar pushed from the den, her ears pinned and her tail fluffed. "Show me the evidence." She demanded. Graytooth stayed put. "I smelled three! I heard Dovekit whispering but i didnt think anything of it, i was so tired then i heard Littlekit's yelp and when i woke up they were gone. I saw black fur!" Turtleheart's legs tensed. "Raventuft!" She growled. Bramblestar hissed. "That rogue. Haresprint, Hawkgrowl, Sheepfur and Whiteclaw. Go after them. Waspear and Birdnose, head to outlook rock and watch them, join the fight if needed. If there is a battle patrol, fall back to camp." Bramblestar shouted orders. The cats scrambled from camp, their ears pinned and claws extended.
Turtleheart was organizing herbs for the battle-wounded cats when they poured into camp, shouting warnings. "Riverclan incoming!" Hawkgrowl's yowl sounded. She looked out of the den and saw Mumblejaw scramble to his paws while Bramblestar came from the nursery. "Form a line!" She yowled. Graytooth emerged from the nursery, joining the line. Sheepfur, Birdnose and Whiteclaw leapt into camp with large bundles of fur in their jaws. Haresprint and Waspear leapt into camp last with Riverclan cats at their heels.