Apprentice pregnancy

Chapter 2

Petalpaw was huddled inside the apprentice den, another wave of pain stabbing into her. She had woken up with terrible cramps and her belly was swollen and hard. Feathermist had come to check on her and said it was most likely bloating and too much gas had been trapped in her belly.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" Ruby, Petalpaw's mother, padded into the den and curled her body around her daughter's.

"Terrible. It really hurts." Petalpaw wailed.

"It just started this morning, right?" Ruby asked.

Petalpaw shook her head. About a quarter-moon ago, she had the same cramping in her belly when she was doing a dawn patrol. And it had been happening since. 

"It happened before, but this has been the worst." She mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell Feathermist or Snowshine?" Ruby sighed.

"I didn't want to worry anyone." Petalpaw screeched as pain stabbed into her again.

Ruby licked Petalpaw's ears soothingly and rubbed her bloated belly.

"Hi Petalpaw." Snowshine padded into the den. "Feathermist sent you some watermint. It might help with the bellyache."

"Okay." Petalpaw gingerly ate the herbs, grimacing at the taste.

Snowshine sat down next to Petalpaw and began to massage her belly for a moment.

Then he got up abruptly. "Call me if you need anything." He mewed and walked away.

"Oh Petalpaw." Ruby whispered.

"I hate being sick!" Petalpaw hissed. "The others are learning things before me!" 

"You'll be fine in a day or two. Treefur will make sure you catch up." Ruby stroked Petalpaw's belly. "The bloating will go down soon. I'm sure."

Petalpaw wasn't so sure. She had heard some cats whispering about her belly. 

"She could be pregnant." Needleleaf had whispered to Featherfur.

"Who's ever heard of an apprentice pregnant!" Featherfur had hissed back.

Could I be pregnant?

Petalpaw shook her head, clearing the thought.

"But I want to go out now!" Petalpaw wailed.

"Ruby!" Feathermist's voice sounded from outside the den. "Can we talk?" 

"Sure thing, Feathermist." Ruby got up and padded out.

Petalpaw pricked her ears curiously and tried to hear the two she-cats' conversation. She could just catch a couple words from them.

"Petalpaw...medicine den...stay...belly..." Feathermist was saying. 

Ruby must've agreed because a moment later, she padded in and told Petalpaw exactly what Feathermist said.

"But... I don't want to stay in the medicine den! I'll be perfectly healthy in a few days! You said so yourself!" Petalpaw protested.

"I'm sorry, but Feathermist wants to keep an eye on you." Ruby sighed.

Petalpaw flicked her tail angrily. "Fine! I'll go now!" She hissed and stalked off, ignoring the cramps in her belly.

"Hey Petalpaw!" Treefur, her mentor, called from where he was mending the nursery. "How are you feeling?"

"Not better." Petalpaw sulked, quickening her pace.

"Where are you going?" Treefur inquired.

"To..." Where was she going? Well, definitely not the medicine den. "The dirtplace."

"Okay." Treefur went back to his work.

Petalpaw slipped into the dirtplace tunnel and out into the fresh forest air. She found her paws moving towards the GrassClan border. As she neared the border, she caught the scent of GrassClan in SunClan territory. 

A twig snapped behind her. Petalpaw whipped around and saw a dark tom staring at her. 

"Petalpaw?" He asked.

"Darkfrost!" Petalpaw gasped. "What are you doing in SunClan territory?"

"Looking for you." Darkfrost leaned forward, his breath on her face.

"Leave me alone!" Petalpaw pulled away and unsheathed her claws.

"Let's talk, shall we?" Darkfrost mewed, a cold glint in his eyes.

Petalpaw turned and raced away. Brambles snagged her fur as she spotted a small tunnel, leading to the Stone Quarry. She could hear Darkfrost's heavy pawsteps thumping on the ground behind her.

Petalpaw squeezed into the tunnel. Lucky for her, she was small and she could wriggle through. 

"Great Starleaf, my belly has really gotten big!" She hissed as thorns scraped at her belly.

Finally, she reached the end of the tunnel and flopped down onto the rocky ground of the quarry. She gritted her teeth as the cramps started to come one after another. She tried not to scream.

"Petalpaw! Come out!" Darkfrost was calling. 

Never! Petalpaw peeked through the tunnel hole.

Darkfrost seemed to have given up because he gave a growl of frustration and stalked away.

Petalpaw let out a sigh of relief. The cramps had eased now. She stumbled weakly back through the tunnel and padded back towards the camp.

"Petalpaw!" Treefur yowled. 

Petalpaw spun around. "Oh Treefur."

"What's wrong?" Treefur murmured.

"My belly keeps cramping up and when it does, it's terribly painful." Petalpaw wailed.

"I was actually looking for you to tell you some... news." Treefur looked uncertainly at her.

"What?" 

"You're expecting kits."