Waterstar's Heart

Chapter 8

As the next several days came and went, leaf-bare had snuck up unexpectedly harder than they had guessed. Sagefur had began her kitting as Furzefeather had expected; she had a long birth that went till dawn.

ThunderClan had been worried about the sudden snow that coated the camp clearing, and the leaves that had frozen and died.

Scorchpelt and Flarejump were repairing the brambles of the warriors den, while Tanglewind and Tawnyleap followed Iceear and Ivytail to go on a hunting patrol.

Waterpaw stared at the small fresh-kill pile. It was scarily scarce. As he picked through the pile, he heard Webtooth's shivering voice. The tom was fluffed up next to Clovernose. "Great StarClan, it's getting colder every second!" He complained.

Clovernose fluffed up her pelt even more, a cloud billowing out of her mouth as she replied, "I know...I hope Sagefur has a warm enough nest for her kits." Clovernose perked up, looking at Waterpaw as he picked through the pile.

"Waterpaw! Go give Sagefur the plumpest piece of prey you can find, she'll need the energy." She shivered, pressing against Webtooth even more as a harsh breeze came through the camp.

The grey tom picked through the prey pile. There was a mouse, starling, and a couple of thrushes. The most filling, he thought, would probably be the mouse. Snatching it up with his jaws, he made his way towards the nursery. He shouldered through the brambles, shaking out his pelt of flurries.

Sagefur was lapping her tongue over the three kits that laid at her belly. She didn't even notice the tom walk in. The kits looked incredibly warm, which he was glad.

Waterpaw cleared his throat gently, the mouse still in his jaws. "Sawwfur." He muffled through the mouse.

Sagefur lifted her head, a smile emerging from her face. "Waterpaw, is that for me? Thank you." She dipped her head as the apprentice dropped the mouse at her paws.

Waterpaw glanced down at her belly. Those kits were so tiny...he was that tiny once. It was marvelous. "...Have you named them?" He questioned, his whiskers twitching.

The queen nodded, craning her neck to look back at the litter. She touched each kit with her tail tip, her purr rumbling loudly in her throat. "Honeykit is the golden she-cat, Snailkit is the sandy-grey tom, and Wrenkit is the brown she-cat." She mewed softy. The molly eyed Waterpaw's back. "Is your wound healing alright? Has Heathertail checked it?"

"They look strong and healthy." Waterpaw grinned softly. He took another glance down at the kits, and then turned to pad out of the den. He paused at the mention of his injury, his ears falling back. "Yes...I'll have a scar." The grey tom then continued out of the den. "I hope you enjoy the mouse, it was the only prey that was good enough." Sagefur turned back to the mouse. She sniffed it, and then took a bite. The dark brown molly nodded gratefully as the apprentice exited.

As Waterpaw pushed through the brambles of the nursery, he could see his father at the foot of the medicine den. The leader's tail was twitching, and his fur pricked slightly as he nodded along to Heathertail's words. The molly was shadowed by two rocks that split into the den, and the ferns that swarmed the den were iced over.

Waterpaw approached, curious.

What was he talking about? The snow crunched under his dark paws as he neared the two cats. Shadestar's ears flicked as the apprentice neared, breaking the gaze he had with Heathertail. He gestured his head towards his son, and Heathertail glanced at him. The molly gave him a nod before disappearing into the den.

Shadestar turned to face his son. His gaze was sharp, but also concerned. "Waterpaw, I'd like to talk to you." He meowed, his whiskers twitching.

The apprentice stiffened, a shiver of nervousness creeping through his pelt. He seemed really serious. "Of course." Waterpaw mewed, puffing as a breeze hit him.