The Shadow Glare

Chapter 23

Ashfall padded over to Windstorm and muzzled her. "Now we can be proper mates." He purred.

"Good," Windstorm mewed. "Our kits will have a father to be proud of, you know. Your such a brave, loving cat."
Then Ashfall flicked his ears as he spotted Emberglow and Shadowleap padding over. Emberglow was eyeing them with confusion in her eyes. "I better explain." Ashfall mewed in his mates' ear.

"Emberglow, Shadowleap, there's something I have to tell you," he admitted.

"What?" Emberglow asked.

"Windstorm is expecting my kits." He puffed his chest out proudly.

"Your kits?" Shadowleap explained. "But we were just made warriors! How long has this been going on?" She eyes Ashfall and Windstorm with cold eyes.

Ashfall shrugged. "A few days ago?" He glanced at Windstorm.

She looked back with loving eyes. "Yes. I suppose now that you're a warrior you're going to want me to go straight to the nursery?"

Ashfall purred. "Well of course! I don't want our kits, or you, to be hurt before they're even born!"
Ashfall nudged his mate before mewing again. "Come on. I need to talk to Blackwave and Riverpaw."

When they reached the medicine den, Ashfall paused, gesturing for Windstorm to go first. She looked at him, a playful glint in her blue eyes.

"Hello Blackwave, Riverpaw." Ashfall dipped his head.
His friend returned the gesture. "What do you need, Ashfall." She said his warrior name.

"Windstorm is expecting my kits." Ashfall raised his chin proudly.
Riverpaw flicked her tail in surprise. "Really? You just became a warrior!"

Ashfall stiffened, his light-grey pelt beginning to stiffen. "Is there anything wrong with that?" He growled.

Riverpaw shook her head. "No, no not at all! Kits are good for the Clan! It just surprised me!"

Ashfall leaned closer. "Well that's good."
Windstorm was twitching her whiskers beside him. Her pelt was spiked up, as though she was offended. Ashfall touched his tail to her shoulder. "It's ok," he whispered. "Riverpaw isn't a warrior. She wouldn't know what love for another cat is."

Riverpaw had obviously heard, because she hissed. "I love the whole Clan! Including you two!" She paused to shake her head. "I'm going to be the Medicine Cat on my own one day. Can you let me speak my mind?"

Ashfall shrugged. "I guess I was a bit harsh."

Riverpaw snorted. "A bit. Ha. So, what did you need me to do with Windstorm?"

Ashfall placed his tail protectively around Windstorm's shoulders. "I want you to check her over and tell her to go to the nursery."
Riverpaw flicked her ears, then turned to Windstorm. The light tabby was sitting quietly beside Ashfall, a dumbfounded expression on her face.
"Do you want to go to the nursery?" Riverpaw asked.

Windstorm shook her head wildly, eyes suddenly bright. "Of course not! I want to carry out my warrior duties as long as possible!"

Riverpaw frowned. "I think you should be ok to do her warrior duties . . . Let me go fetch Blackwave. She's treating Smallstep's pads. They're sore because he went on a long walk yesterday- he's not used to that. He usually stays in camp."

So that's why Blackwave isn't here.
The sky was turning dark as Ashfall and Windstorm padded out of the den. Windstorm's fur blew upward softly in the wind. Cloudswirl rushed to greet them. "Is everything ok?" He asked worriedly. Probably because Windstorm was his sister.

"Yes," Windstorm purred. "I'm expecting Ashfall's kits." She leaned into the light-grey warrior.
Cloudswirl opened his jaws as though to say something, then whisked away, quickly reappearing with Shadowleap.

"Shadowleap is expecting my kits . . ."
He announced.

Ashfall was immediately offended. "You go around telling us not to have kits as young warriors and now you are!"

Shadowleap shrugged her shoulders. "It was an accident."

Ashfall snorted, Windstorm following closely behind. "Come on, let's make you a nest in the nursery."

Windstorm sighed. "Fine."

Ashfall padded out of the camp and started to drag bracken from a bush. As he built up a pile of bracken in the clearing outside the nursery, while Windstorm collected moss. When they had collected enough, Windstorm began weaving the bracken into a nest. Ashfall clumped moss into the openings. Then, Windstorm lay moss down on top to make a comfortable bedding for her and the unborn kits.
Windstorm lay down and purred. "Comfy, she mrrowed.