Overshadowed

Innocent Lives

Chapter 8

When Grayshadow woke, she felt uncomfortably heavy, and she heaved herself to her paws, tottering for a little while. Snakewhisk woke from her movements, yawning. He purred, "Stay here, I'll go get something to eat for us." She nodded, feeling drowsy. She put her head on her paws, yawning with sleepiness. Snakewhisk had a fat trout in his jaws, and beckoned for her to step outside. She padded outside, licking her lips. She settled down awkwardly onto her stomach, trying to not be too rough. She took a bite from the trout, relishing the taste. It wasn't as good as a mouse or squirrel but it was still good. Snakewhisk mumbled, "You should move to the nursery soon."

She scoffed, "I just found out yesterday! I can keep up with my warrior duties for at least half a moon." Snakewhisk snorted, but stayed silent, flicking his tail. They finished their meal, and she got to her paws, starting to scrape a hole in the dirt. She pushed the remains in, and scraped the dirt back over the hole. Graceflower padded out of the medicine cats den, and padded toward her, herbs clamped in her jaws. She dropped the herbs by her paws and mewed, "These are borage leaves, they'll help you with milk." Grayshadow nodded, chewing and swallowing the bitter leaves. She curled her lip at the taste and fuzzy texture. She got to her paws, this time not stumbling. She felt awkwardly heavy, and lashed her tail slowly. She padded out of the camp entrance, heading toward the Great Birch. She stumbled over a root, hissing. The bracken raked her sides, and she was dimly aware she was getting plumper. She saw the tall tree through the branches, and swallowed down her fear.

Once she reached it, her heart was thumping loudly, and the blood roared in her ears. She looked around quickly, and found what she wanted to get. There were large clumps of rose bushes, and she quickly padded toward one. She flattened her ears, and bit off a few of them. There were two colors, white and red. Gently, she picked up three of the white roses, careful to not cut her tongue on the thorns. She scanned the clearing, her gaze settling onto a smooth stone. Quietly, she stepped toward it, and set down the flowers, ears still flat. She picked up three more, and placed them by Darkflower's resting place, right next to Frostheart's. She felt exhausted by the time she went back and grabbed the remaining ones. Bunching her muscles, she started to run, glad to know she was still light on her paws. She reached the river, skidding on the pebbles. She panted heavily, and the thorns had scratched her muzzle, but she quickly found the old and nicked rock of Petalwhisker's grave and set the flowers down, dipping her head as low as she could. She rose to her paws after that, and turned to head back to camp, her paws were sore and throbbing with pain once she reached the camp.

She sat down, licking her grazed pads and pulling out a few sharp stones that got stuck in. She settled down to rest when a loud shriek split the air. It came from the nursery, and she guessed Feathermist had started her kitting. Graceflower shot out of her den, herbs clamped in her jaws. Grayshadow felt worry worm into her, would Feathermist hate any of her kits like with her? She trotted over to the nursery, peeking inside. Her heart dropped; next to Feathermist were two kits, both a dull gray like her. But Feathermist still had more kits.

Graceflower snapped, "Stay outside, Grayshadow!"

She jumped, "Sorry!" She pulled her head out, fur tingling. She paced around the camp until her paws were sore and swollen again. There were pained shrieks ringing around the hollow. Grayshadow shivered, did kitting really hurt that much? Windheart's kitting happened while she was out of camp, so she couldn't know.

She settled down by the massive boulder that had fallen, and tried to sleep.

Grayshadow guessed she slept, because when she opened her eyes, it was nearly sunset; and Graceflower had stepped out of the nursery, fur ruffled. Grayshadow stepped inside the nursery to look at the kits, and she frowned at what she saw. Three of Feathermist's kits were pushed to the edge of the nest; two were black like Flinteyes, but with a few small gray flecks, and the other a small light gray. Two others were nestled by her belly, sleek silver tabby she-kits. Her other kits were mewling with hunger, but Feathermist flat-out ignored them and kept her eyes on her two silver daughters. Grayshadow spat at her, and picked up the tiny kits she had left to a spare nest, settling down. She felt grateful for the borage Graceflower had given her earlier, because the three hungry kits scented milk immediately and latched on, suckling and kneading with their paws. Snakewhisk padded into the den, looked at her with a puzzled face. Grayshadow flicked her tail to the three suckling kits and then at Feathermist.