Violets Are Blue//Ferncloud and Daisy (Warriors)

||Chapter One||

Daisy felt the skin beneath her fur prickle with anxiety. She didn't feel comfortable with her three kits running around such a big place. Sometimes the cream wished her kits and herself had stayed at the horseplace. She watched her kits tussle and play with the other three kits, Larchkit, Hollykit, and Birchkit.

She heard a purr from beside her, and looked down at the gray speckled she-cat laying beside her. Daisy curled her tail around her body and turned her attention back to the kits. It is a pretty day for the kits to be out and about, the feline thought, But I do smell rain coming along.

The queen grew quite uncomfortable with the silence that hung between Ferncloud and her. So, she striked up a conversation. "So...who's your mate?" Daisy asked, cringing on the inside afterwards.

Ferncloud flinched. "I don't have one," the speckled she replied,  then she lowered her voice, "because he was killed."

Daisy gasped. "By who?"

"Let's keep that secret, shall we? I didn't like him much anyway." The feline winked at her and Daisy stiffened. Was this cat a murderer? No, surely not. Ferncloud was too nice to kill any cat, let alone battle them.

Ferncloud noticed the shock from the long-haired quedn and chuckled. "Oh, don't you worry. He just fell off a cliff...with a little help," the other cat said.

Daisy shifted, and saw Mousekit, Hazelkit, and Berrykit rush towards her. "Mamma!" they all cried.

Daisy got to her paws and sat down in front of her kits. "What's the matter?" she asked softly.

Mousekit hid between her forelegs while Berrykit and Hazelkit climbed on to her back. "The ugly cat scared us!" Mousekit wailed.

Daisy looked up and saw Brightheart standing two mouse-lengths away. The white-and-ginger she-cat was looking straight at the queen, her green eye. The feline scolded her kits, "Now, you be respectful! What have I told you about looks?"

"That looks don't matter," Berrykit muttered, hanging his head.

Daisy nodded, "So I thought. Now, I believe it's your sleep time." Her kits whined and complained as she shuffled them into nursery.

The feline noticed that huge, gray clouds had started to drift over towards the sun, shadowing parts of camp. The queen hurried her kits into the nursery as the scent of rain became stronger.

      ○        •     •    •        ○

Daisy huddled next to Ferncloud as the nursery started to flood with rainwater. The cream she-cat's coat was drenched and heavy. The storm had been more intense than she had expected. Water seeped into the once-strong woven walls of the nursery. Thunder cackled in the distance, and she heard the kits whimper.

Ashfur poked his head through the nursery. Water dripped off of his chin, and his pelt was drenched like Daisy's and Ferncloud's. "Firestar wants you two in his den!" the young warrior shouted over the rain.

The three felines each grabbed two kits by their scruffs and carried them to the Highledge. Wind and rain slowed Daisy down, and the water that flooded the camp reached her belly fur. Daisy squinted and followed the scents of Ashfur and Ferncloud. She couldn't quite see past the thick sheet of rain. Her kits' wails were drowned out by the pouding of the rain.

The queen followed her Clanmates up the rocky ledge, and she lost her balance. Mousekit almost fell to his possible death, but Ferncloud had caught the little kit just in time. Daisy thanked her, took Mousekit back, and continued the climb up Highledge.

When they reached the top, the three cats rushed into the cave that made up the leader's den. Daisy set Mousekit and Berrykit down on the stone ground, and Ashfur set Hazelkit next to her brothers. Ashfur stepped out of the cave and disappeared into the rain.

Daisy curled up around her three kits and started grooming their fur backwards to warm them up. Ferncloud laid on the other side if the queen, telling her kits a story in a hushed, gentle voice. Daisy listened to the story as she groomed her kits.

"And then I ran as fast as I could and dived into the bushes," Ferncloud said, "I was so scared that the dogs would dive into the bush after me, but luckily your uncle, Ashfur, diverted their attention...."

The sound of the rain and Ferncloud's voice drifted Daisy off into sleep.