Lilypool's Lullaby

Chapter 12 What?!?

I woke up to find Nightclaw sleeping next to me peacefully his longish black fur keeping me warm. I rested my head on my paws and soon here rustling coming from outside my den. I get up and walk out to see Eaglepaw practicing his pouncing on a leaf. I smile at h im warmly and he follows me out if camp. "Today we will continue practicing your battle moves." I say and he looks at me excitment bubbling in his eyes but keeping his composer calm like I taught him to.

I suddenly turn around and knock him over with a powerful, but not damaging, blow to him. He lays on the floor for mear seconds before hoping to his paws and looking at me bewildered. "One, always be ready for an attack." I inform before racing torward him and jumping, turning in air reaching out my paws and hitting him on the head. He suddenly turns, eyes locked in me and charges for me. I jump and he roles under me and completely misses my legs. "Next time don't look at where your going to attack and also. Try something your enemy wont expect." no sooner than i said this he jumped flipped and used both hind legs to kick my face which made me back away giving him enough time to charge and knock my feet out from under me. I fall to the floor kand think of what to tell him without getting up. "Lilysta-pool?"he pants. I look at him and stand up. "Excellent work Eaglepaw! Your learning fast." I say. Suddenly I feel a weird sensation in my underside, not a good one at that.

I wince and turn away. The feeling intensafying. "Lilypool? Did I hurt you?" he asks worridly. I shake my head "I'm fine. A quick visit to Barkface and-..(pain strenghtens) ..... Nightclaw! Just ask Nightclaw to train you today and you and Nettlepaw can practice battle moves while he watches." I order and he reluctantly obeys, stalking off to find Nettlepaw and Nightclaw. I walk off trying to ignore the pain and finally make it to Barkface's den. I call out and he comes walking out he sniffs the air then sniffs me. "Barkface, I feel a pain in my underside that has started while training Eaglepaw and has not gone away."I explain and he nods going to work telling me to lay down and sniffing and examining me. He nods to himself and goes into his den returning with poppy seeds. He nudges them to me and I pick them up and head to my den. When I get there I may in my nest and eat the seeds. The pain evaporates into nothingness and I get up.

I wonder how Ralph is doing. I get up, leave my den and walk out of camp. I catch a breif glance at Nettlepaw and Eaglepaw pretending they're in battle and Nightclaw observing and correcting every paw step taken wrong. I smile inwardly and continue to head to Ralphs. I smell another cat that isn't me or Ralphs another she-cat has been visiting him. I jump on the fence and crounch in the leaves and branches of an overlapping tree catching sight of Ralph talking and rubbing pelts and noses with a Siamese cat. Who is staring at her paws sadly. I creep along the fence and out of the protective cover of the tree and stare curiously at them. The Siamese looks up at me and whispers something and Ralph turns and smiles when he sees me. He flicks his tail for me and I jump down and walk dignantly torwards the two cats. I see the strange cats eyes widen smelling the forest scent I carry on my pelt.

"Hello Lilypool."Ralph says. I feel my pelt prickle with discomfort, cats that are outside the clan MUST call me by my Starclan name. "Acctually. It's Lilystar."I correct his eyes widen. "Your clan leader now! Oh and this is my sister Snip." he says. I stare at her and she dips her head in greeting to me properly as leader to regular cat. I nod in return and focus on Ralphs wonderouse and hopeful stare " Lilystar, is it posible you could take my sisters kits when they are born?." he askshis gaze turning hopeful and pleading. I stand my composer still and eyes emotionless. But inside my mind is racing and I don't know what to do. I nod and Ralph bounces excitedly and relifingly. "Thank you so much I promise they will be great and you will take good care of them!" Snip blurts. "Wit! Hold on a second! What do you mean me?!?" I ask shoked. Snip leans in so only I can hear her. "Well I don't know if anyone else noticed but that bulge in your underside tells me you are expecting kits as well." Snip whispers. I stare dumbfounded and then say "WHAT! But who? What? When? How? I never even? Kits!" she just looks at me and smiles. "Come back in 8 moons."

I get up and race up the fence and down into the forest. I don't have to run long before clumsily barreling into Nightclaw. "Lilypool?" he say from his position under me. I squeal jump to my paws and race to camp and come skidding into my den. I lay in my nest and stare thinking about everything. I hear paws approach and hear Nightclaw meow. I givee a muffled mew back. He enters and I blurt out everything Au knew and he just stared and then walked over to me and sat and licked my ears affectionately. I also mentioned that he was the father I felt him smile and just rest his head on the noticable bulge on my stomach and purr. I will go back in 8 moons.