|Shadows Born|--A Warriors Fanfic--|

Chapter 14- Aw... Spottedpelt ships.

Maplelegs's eyes widened.

"We need to get ride of Sunstar quickly." A deep growl rolled in Icepetal's throat.

Cold realization surged through Maplelegs. Of course Icepetal would want Sunstar dead, she's the deputy of SnowClan. Meaning if the current leader died, Sunstar, she'd become the leader. Wouldn't Icepetal want to go to war with GlacierClan then? Or all the Clans? Maplelegs couldn't listen to any more of Icepetal's and Jaygaze's conversation, he turned and pelted back to camp. Fog racing past him as he sprinted to the safety of his camp. Maplelegs's eyes were wide and his thoughts wild.

"No prey?" Sedgestorm asked as Maplelegs entered camp.

Shaking his head, and trying to remain his cool, Maplelegs meowed, "fogs too dense." With that short explanation. Maplelegs walked into the Warriors den. Sighing into his nest, Maplelegs contrived to think if he should break his vow and tell Sunstar. But if he did, would Sunstar even believe Maplelegs?

Maplelegs eyes Pansypetal, her white pelt looked silver in the moonlight. He noticed how she shivered and her breathing was fast, like she was trying to get warmer. Picking himself up, Maplelegs rested next to the she-cat, lying in the nest. Soon Maplelegs could feel Pansypetal's breathing turn to normal and ease. He licked Pansypetal's ear and he could feel himself falling asleep. 

And yet, the bad thoughts on his Clan medicine cat and deputy stayed.

"Maplelegs, wake up!" Halfburn hissed in the sleeping tomcat's ear. 

Scrambling up, Maplelegs hissed in alarm. "What? Did something happen?" Glancing at Pansypetal, Maplelegs let out a sigh of relief and his fur turned slick against his back.

"No," Halfburn rolled his eyes, "you're on the dawn patrol. Every cat's waiting for you." He explained, padding out of the Warriors den.

Forming his mouth into a long, wide yawn, Maplelegs followed Halfburn outside.

"Finally!" Flyhawk, a pale gray sh-cat with darker flecks, exclaimed. "What took you so long, you slow, sleepy slug?"

"He was sleeping with Pansypetal." Halfburn answered, his meow teasing.

Maplelegs fluffed up his long, tortoiseshell fur, storming past the cats. "Let's just hurry up with the patrol," he grumbled.

"Suuure." Flyhawk smiked, followed Maplelegs out camp.

Maplelegs huffed, his long paws heading in the direction of the border closest to the Gathering tree. It's going to be a long day...

Stepping into camp, hare in grasp, Maplelegs glared swiftly across the misty clearing. Dropping the white hare into the Fresh-kill pile, a family she-cat's voice called to him from the edge of camp.

"Maplelegs! I saved you some thrush!" Spottedpelt smiled.

Joining his sister and littermate, Maplelegs rested next to Spottedpelt and her prey. Biting into the half-eaten thrush, Maplelegs was relieved it was still fresh. "What's the special occasion?" He eyed his literate, suspiciously as he swallowed a mouthful of fresh-kill. He recalled one of his earliest memory's of his mother, Fawnheart: 

Fawnheart licked Maplekit's head, tickling the spot in between his ears. 

Sageleaf walked into the Nursery, her sleek, calico pelt shined. "Here you go, Fawnheart. Make sure you take that comfrey before you eat the squirrel." She dropped a leafy plant and the red squirrel.

Fawnheart smiled weakly and coughed, pushing the squirrel to Maplekit and Spottedkit. "Here, take your first bite of squirrel." She meowed to her kits.

Spottedkit's brown tabby fur was messy from sleep as she yawned. "Nooo... I'm sleepy..."

Maplekit pushed his littermate aside and took his first bite into squirrel. His eyes lit up as he swallowed. "It's the best thing I've ever tasted!"

Fawnheart laughed affectionately and she flicked her white-tiped and spotted tail, which was brown with white patches, at Maplekit's mouth. "Chew with your mouth closed, prey always lasts longer when you eat it slowly." 

Maplekit nodded, his mouth full of squirrel flesh. 

Fawnheart smiled and licked her white chest, her brown-and-cream pelt stood out nicely with her white flecks. "I love you, Maplekit." She touched noses with her kit.

"I love you too," Maplekit meowed, he chewed with prey in his mouth.

"Ugh, you're so good at finding out what I want." Grumbled Spottedpelt. "But anyway! How's Pansypetal?"

Maplelegs rolled his eyes and his fur pricked up. "So that's what you wanted to talk about."

"Yep, so tell me!" 

"Look, I don't know how she feels about me." 

Spottedpelt finished the thrush. "But do you care if she does?"

Maplelegs narrowed his eyes. "I do not care."

I do care.

Spottedpelt sighed with exaggeration. "I'm good at this too, you're lying."

"I'm not!"

I'm too!

"Sure," Spottedpelt rolled her eyes, "but you should tell her how you feel." She advised.

What does Spottedpelt know about love? Maplelegs asked himself. But maybe she's right, I should tell Pansypetal. Worry wormed in Maplelegs belly, what would she think? "Maybe I will tell her..." He grunted softly.

"Really? Spottedpelt chirped. "Finally! Now go! I'm going to rest here without you." She meowed, pushing Maplelegs away. She giggled softly, her eyes bright.

Slowly walking to the Warriors den, Maplelegs realized no cat was in there except Pansypetal. On Silverpelt's stars I'm unlucky. He sighed, lying on his belly in his nest, Pansypetal stopped her grooming.

"Are you alright? You look so worried." She asked, frowning. 

"I'm fine," Maplelegs meowed.

I'm not fine.

Pansypteal huddled closer to the tomcat, her pelt brushing against his. "It's okay," she soothed, her tongue licking his ear.

"Thanks," Maplelegs whispered. Now or never. StarClan help me. He pleaded to himself. "I love you, Pansypetal." Maplelegs blurted out. Staring into clear blue eyes, Maplelegs waited for Pansypteal's response.

"I love you, too." She purred at last. Touching Maplelegs's muzzle with hers, Pansypetal's pelt shivered with excitement.

Slowly nodding, bubbles of excitement filled Maplelegs. His head was full of stars. "Thank you." He mumbled.