Warrior Cats: SkyClan Returns #2

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Here's some tansy,"

Goldcloud called. Her ginger mentor looked over to her. Suntail's jaws were already full of marigold, coltsfoot and chervil. He nodded in approval. Goldcloud snipped a few stems of tansy off with her teeth.

"Now I just want to find some poppy,"

Suntail meowed around a mouthful of herbs. Goldcloud's whiskers twitched in amusement. He rolled his eyes, obviously aware of how silly he sounded.

They trekked through the unfamiliar territory. Birdsong sounded overhead, and the smell of prey was strong. Sleekfur stopped.

"Poppy,"

He murmured through a jaw full of horsetail and water mint. Goldcloud looked to where Sleekfur was facing. Two bright red flowers stuck out of the grass. Not many, she thought. But it'll do for now. Goldcloud picked the flowers, so that she could dry them back at camp.

"Let's go,"

Goldcloud meowed, walking back in the direction of the camp. Sleekfur slid in between the two medicine cats. A look of worry was spread across the black warrior's face.

"Is something wrong?"

Goldcloud asked, careful not to crush the precious herbs in her mouth. Sleekfur held juniper berries, borage and yarrow in his mouth. Goldcloud was impressed with the amount of herbs they had managed to find.

"It'th Fernpelth,"

Sleekfur tried to say around the plants.

"I'm worried she'th sthick,"

He meowed. Goldcloud nodded.

"I'll be sure to check when we get back,"

Sleekfur nodded thankfully. Suntail exchanged a glance with Goldcloud.

They soon made it back to the new camp. Wow, Goldcloud thought. A large bramble wall stretched around the clearing, but she couldn't spot an entrance. Fernpelt, Hazelpaw and one of the ThunderClan apprentices came out of a fern-laced tunnel. Oh, there it is.

"Fernpelt, wait!"

Goldcloud meowed. The cream she-cat halted, looking confused.

"Come to the medicine den with me,"

She ordered. Fernpelt dipped her head, nodding to the apprentices, who continued where they were going. The patrol padded through the entrance. Now, Goldcloud thought. Where is the medicine den?

Fernpelt lead them into a narrow cave in the cliff face. The green-leaf sun only just reached the depths of the cave. Goldcloud purred. A cat had already carved out small holes to separate the herbs. She smelled a familiar scent on them. Her whiskers twitched. Thanks, Greybird! The patrol dropped their herbs and padded out of the den. Goldcloud noticed two nest in the front of the cave.

"I'm going to talk to Sandystar, if she's back,"

Suntail murmured. Goldcloud nodded, before turning to Fernpelt.

"Now-,"

Goldcloud cut off as Lilypatch padded into the den. A wide grin spread across the queen's face. Goldcloud looked at her mother inquisitively.

"Lilypatch! Is something wrong?"

She asked. Lilypatch shook her head.

"I'm expecting kits!"

Lilypatch meowed. Goldcloud let out a loud purr. I'm going to have little siblings! Fernpelt purred as well.

"That's great! Once I see to Fernpelt, I'll check you over. Make sure you're okay,"

Goldcloud meowed. Lilypatch dipped her head, still purring. Goldcloud diverted her attention back to Fernpelt.

"What's wrong?"

She asked. Fernpelt shifted her paws uncomfortably.

"Well, I've been vomiting in the morning. I just feel really tired all the time. Hungry, too. And I feel too uncomfortable and tired to hunt properly,"

Fernpelt admitted. Goldcloud tilted her head to the side. I've never heard of any disease like that. Unless... She ran her paw along her older sister's belly. Then switched, doing the same to Lilypatch, who gave her a knowing glance. Goldcloud let out a purr of relief.

"Fernpelt, I don't think you're sick. Quite the opposite, in fact,"

Goldcloud told her. Confusion clouded Fernpelt's green gaze. Lilypatch walked over to her cream-coloured daughter and licked her ear.

"I don't get it,"

Fernpelt meowed. Lilypatch stroked Fernpelt's belly with her tail.

"Dear, I think you may be carrying kits,"

Lilypatch meowed. Fernpelt's jaw dropped open.

"A-are you sure?"

She stuttered, glancing at Lilypatch, then back to Goldcloud. The two she-cats nodded.

"About three moons to go, I would think. Same as me,"

Lilypatch meowed. Fernpelt's eyes were wide, half shocked, half happy.

"I'll get you two some borage, so that when your kits come, you'll have plenty of milk,"

Goldcloud said, picking up the borage they had gathered earlier, splitting it evenly between the two queens. Fernpelt lapped hers up quickly. She wants to tell her mate, Goldcloud realised.

"Go on,"

She purred to the cream warrior.

"Go and tell Sleekfur,"

Fernpelt got up and left the den, heading toward to half-made warrior's den, where the black tom was fixing up the bush with tendrils of ivy. She pressed her cream muzzle into his cheek. Sleekfur's eyes lit up as he looked toward the medicine den. He mouthed the words 'thank you' to Goldcloud, who dipped her head happily.