ThunderClan's Loyalty, Book One

Chapter Twenty

-September 8th-
-Cloudpaw is 7 moons old-
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Cloudpaw was in the nursery, watching little Squirrelkit and Barkkit tussling beside their nest. Due to their young age, they were only tumbling around aimlessly, but they were both strong kits and their squeaks of laughter filled the den and could brighten anyone's spirits. Cloudpaw couldn't help but smile like a mousebrain at them.

   “Any discomfort or pain?” Icetail asked Lizardstorm from where he sat beside her.

   Lizardstorm tilted her head. “Well I can't say having a belly full of kits is very comfortable, but it's nothing new from what it was like before. Though, this time I can feel twice as much movement than when I was carrying Nightpaw,” she answered.

   Cloudpaw looked down at the queen's belly. That means there's probably more than one this time! she thought in excitement. Lizardstorm was due to kit any time now, so Icetail and Cloudpaw were keeping a close eye on her by checking up on her every day.

   “Alright then, I guess we're done here. Come on Cloudpaw, Bluebreeze needs some more tansy, we don't want her cold getting any worse,” Icetail said.

   Cloudpaw jumped to her paws, glancing back at the kits one last time. Amberspark and Smalltalon were watching them, clearly amused by their antics.

   Back in the medicine den, Bluebreeze was waiting by the entrance for them. “You told me to come back for more herbs?" she asked. Her nose was running and her eyes looked shiny.

   Icetail nodded. “Cloudpaw, grab the tansy,” he ordered.

   Cloudpaw wasted no time and picked out a couple stems from the herbstore, remembering where they were kept.

   She brought them to the blue-gray tabby she-cat who lapped up the flowers without complaint. “Thank you! I've been miserable all day,” she admitted.

   Cloudpaw scooped up a maple leaf in her paw and nudged it to her.

    Bluebreeze dropped to her belly, held the leaf between her paws, and blew into it a few times. She smiled kindly at Cloudpaw then up at Icetail. “I'm glad we have capable medicine cats to help. I don't know how I'd survive this without your herbs,” she joked before getting to her paws.

   “Well, you certainly wouldn't get better if we weren't here. Now go get some rest, and make sure you stay away from any of your companions; we need to keep sickness low in this season,” Icetail replied, turning away and disappearing inside the herbstore.

   “Sorry about him,” Cloudpaw purred.

   Bluebreeze shook her head. “Oh, it's no big deal. With cats like him around, you learn to tune it out,” she rasped.

   Cloudpaw saw her out and joined Icetail in the herbstore. “Ugh, we're out of lavender!” her mentor exclaimed in a huff. “And we may need it for Lizardstorm when her kits come. Some queens need lavender to soothe nerves. It also helps with fevers, and kits get them often in colder weather!” He groaned as she approached. “We'll have to travel to WindClan's territory to find some easily.”

  Cloudpaw bristled. “But that would be trespassing!" she mewed.

   Icetail huffed again, rolling his eyes. “As medicine cats, we are allowed safe passage through any rival Clan's territory either for gathering herbs or speaking with other medicine cats. If anyone tries to stop us it's their mistake, not ours,” he explained.

   Cloudpaw tilted her head. “Really? Even RiverClan's territory when we're so out of sorts with them?” she asked.

   Icetail shrugged. “We may have trouble with their warriors if we did, but Clan rivalries are something medicine cats take no part in. Anyway, it's not like we're going there today. Better to leave sooner than later, come on.”