Warriors short story: Firefern's Secret

Chapter 1

   The sounds of night surrounded Firefern as she hurried through the dark forest. 'Please be there' she begged, her paws stirring the leaves as she raced for the Frostclan border. Her heart pounded with fear as she pricked her ears for any sign of Aspenfall. The Frostclan deputy had agreed to meet her by the river tonight, but there was no sign of him.

   Slowing on the Featherclan side of the border, she began to pace, her tail flicking anxiously. 'Maybe he can't come tonight' Firefern fretted. 'But he has to!' She froze at a rustling behind her, then relaxed as a water vole slipped out of the ferns and into the water.

   "Firefern?" a soft mew came from the other side of the river. Firefern looked up as Aspenfall stepped out of the reeds on the Frostclan bank. Relief flooded through her as Aspenfall slipped into the water, swimming towards her. She stepped back as the dark tabby pulled himself on the shore in front of her. Aspenfall looked at Firefern, his green eyes soft. "I'm so sorry I'm late" he apologized. "Owlstar has sent out extra patrols since that fox moved into our territory"

   Firefern nodded, looking down. Now that her mate was here, it was even harder than she expected to talk to him. "Firefern?" Aspenfall asked, looking at her. "I can tell something is wrong. Tell me"

   Firefern took a deep breath, looking into his eyes. "I'm expecting kits" she mewed softly. Aspenfall stared at her as if he couldn't quite understand. "Kits?" he echoed, staring at her swollen flanks.

   Firefern nodded, staring at the tom. Aspenfall was quiet for a long time. "What are you going to do?" he asked finally. Firefern sat down heavily. "I don't know" she meowed. "My clan will never accept half clan kits. I'll get banished"

   Aspenfall's eyes lit up. "Then come join Frostclan!" he meowed. "I'll be clan leader soon, so it'll be ok" Firefern thought about it. It would make things easier if she and Aspenfall were in the same clan. But then she thought about her father, Flamestar. He had lost so much recently: his mate, his father, his kits. He would be heartbroken if Firefern joined another clan.

   "I can't" she choked out. Aspenfall flattened his ears. "Can't, or won't?" he growled. Firefern flinched. "I can't just switch clans like that" she protested. "Have you forgotten about Frostclan stealing our prey?" Aspenfall lashed his tail. "We never stole anything!" he hissed. "I can't believe you'd think I'd lie!" he added as he saw the doubt in Firefern's eyes.

   "Aspenfall...I can't join Frostclan" Firefern whispered. The dark brown tabby tom was already turning away. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me" he meowed over his shoulder.

   Firefern watched helplessly as Aspenfall leapt into the river and began swimming back to his territory. She watched him until the reeds swallowed up him up. She was completely alone with her kits. She could feel them squirming inside her, as if they had heard the argument. 'Oh little ones' she thought with despair. 'I love you so much. What are we going to do?'