Dawnstar's Trouble {COMPLETE}

Chapter 37

 Dawnfire had grown used to sleeping in a smaller den, as well as being woken up by roudy kits. Mostly Earthkit demanded Mudkit and Rosekit to play. However, she enjoyed the company of Fawnheart and Squirreltail, but Applespots hadn't gotten over the loss of her kits, and was still angry that Flowerstar had given up the battle. She refused to return to her warrior duties and remained in the nursery. Dawnfire felt sorry for the queen, after learning her mate had betrayed the entire Clan then stole her kits away from her, it couldn't be easy.

Dawnfire's own mate was recovering slowly in the medicine cat den. He could walk to and from the fresh-kill pile, medicine den and dirt pile but not much else. Pebblestep restricted his movements to that alone so his wound could heal properly, Lionclaw hated nothing more than that but Dawnfire visited him as often as she could. While Dawnfire had moved to the nursery, she still kept her deputy duties; sending out patrols but not joining them. She was still deputy, just didn't leave the camp. She was about a moon along and her belly was getting rounder everyday.

She could feel the kits growing inside her and while sometimes she was uncomfortable, she was more than excited to meet her kits. She imagined everyday what they would look like, and how many there would be. There was hardly a time where she wasn't thinking of her kits, she knew Lionclaw was excited as well; constantly asking how she felt and if she was in pain. He would talk about teaching his kits to be the best warriors, and how they would be so incredible. Dawnfire loved to see how happy he was too, it gave her a lot of hope for the future of her kits.

Even the threat of Thornstar hadn't gotten under her pelt in quite a few days, she felt like she could do anything and would do anything. She had even more to protect now, soon there would be kits looking to her for protection and she would do everything to make sure they were safe. Dawnfire would like to see Thornstar or Echoheart take this away from her, Echoheart had almost ruined everything and she was going to pay; but for now Dawnfire was focusing on her kits and the life she would be living after they would be born. She assumed she would still do what she does now, giving the deputy orders but focusing on her kits.

The days had been easy and peaceful, AshClan hadn't started any more trouble, but Dawnfire did wonder how Applespots's kits were doing, she did worry for their wellbeing and the way they would end up under Thornstar's rule; especially Thrushkit.

Dawnfire was sunning herself outside, lying on herself so she didn't lie on her belly. Earthkit was wrestling with Mudkit as Rosekit cheered her on. Dawnfire enjoyed watching them play, and soon there would be even more kits. If only there were three others; Dawnfire did truly miss the three kits and the camp seemed dimmer without them.

Dawnfire was just about to doze off when some cat let out an angry yowl, Dawnfire's eyes shot open and she saw Cinderflame, Yarrowtail and Pebblestep facing their father, Rockfur whose pelt bristled. Cinderflame's eyes burned with anger, while Yarrowtail and Pebblestep's showed pure shock. Flowerstar exited her den, Dawnfire rose to her paws with a heave. "What's going on?" She asked.

"We found Rockfur talking to Thornstar!" Cinderflame spat, gasps rang out through the camp, Dawnfire stared at the dark gray tom.

"I was simply having a conversation with an old friend!" Rockfur spat at his daughter, but took a step back from her.

"On SunClan territory!" Cinderflame stepped after him, lashing her tail. "You invited Thornstar onto our territory and told him SunClan secrets!" Flowerstar stepped forward before Cinderflame could yell more.

"Cinderflame, what was he saying?" Flowerstar asked calmly.

Instead of Cinderflame, it was Yarrowtail who replied. "He told him about Lionclaw and that Dawnfire is expecting kits and that she couldn't be a proper deputy anymore."

"Then Thornstar told him it was his turn to be deputy of SunClan." Cinderflame added sharply. "He's been talking to Rockfur this entire time!"

Flowerstar closed her eyes for a moment then turned to Rockfur, flicking her tail. "Rockfur, is this true?"

Rockfur opened his mouth but Cinderflame growled. "Don't even try to deny it!" Flowerstar hushed her harshly.

"Cinderflame, please." Flowerstar turned back to Rockfur. "Well?" The dark gray tom looked terrified and angry, then lashed his tail.

"Yes! It's true!" Rockfur spat, Dawnfire and the rest of the SunClan were taken aback. "I've been visiting Thornstar ever since he became leader of AshClan, he wants nothing but the best for SunClan ahd Dawnfire is not it!"

Dawnfire flattened her ears. "It's not Thornstar's place to say whether I'm a good deputy or not." She stood her ground.

"What kind of deputy leaves her position to have kits?" Rockfur demanded, eyes burning like embers.

"It wasn't exactly planned!" Dawnfire hissed, Flowerstar raised her voice.

"Silence!" She stared down Rockfur. "Rockfur, I refuse to allow treason in my Clan. If you are still loyal to SunClan, I will allow you to prove yourself but under strict restrictions, but if you are loyal to AshClan and Thornstar over SunClan and myself; then leave and do not return." Flowerstar clearly didn't want another situation with Thornstar to play out.

Rockfur hesitated then spun on his children. "I can't believe you've done this to me!" He spat. "I have never been so disappointed. Dovetail believed you were all so perfect, but you're all failures!" He faced Yarrowtail. "You've always been small and weak, nothing but a pathetic warrior." His hatred turned to Pebblestep. "And you, you let your own mother die!" Pebblestep winced, she had been keeping her silence; this whole ordeal had clearly shocked her. "Even you," He spun around to face Cloudspots who had been watching from the sidelines, he wasn't littermates with them but they were still his siblings. "You had a pathetic excuse for a mentor and now you're a pathetic excuse for a warrior." Cloudspots's eyes showed genuine hurt. Finally, Rockfur turned back to Cinderflame. "You were the one kit I had hopes in, you were strong brave and the perfect warrior...but now I see you're nothing but a failure."

"You're the failure!" Cinderflame lashed out, pain and betrayal smoldering in her amber eyes. "You failed SunClan, you failed the warrior code and you failed my mother! She believed in you, she loved you and you threw it all away! I want you to leave! I want you to leave so I never have to see you again! You will never be my father!"

SunClan let out gasps, even Rockfur seemed shocked by her words. Cinderflame shoved past her father to the warriors den, not looking over her shoulder. Yarrowtail and Pebblestep shared a concerned look and quickly joined their sister, Cloudspots followed shortly after; leaving the Clan in a dead silence.

"Well, Rockfur?" Flowerstar demanded. "Will you leave? Or will you stay?"

"This Clan has nothing more for me." Rockfur said under his breath; something had changed after Cinderflame's words. He wasn't angry, he didn't seem to be showing any emotion whatsoever.

"Very well, Snakewhisker and Bramblepelt; please escort Rockfur to the AshClan border. Snakewhisker and Bramblepelt nodded and the three cats left without another word. SunClan was silent, no cats knew what to do about what had just happened.