Embers

Chapter 10

"The nursery is going to be a lot more full, won't it?" Emberstripe asked Madeline.

"Yes, it will be, but I  really enjoy talking with Hawkfire, and her kits are so kind, so I won't be bothered by it. I just hope Applekit, Nightkit, and Flowerkit will behave," she laughed. It had been a moon since Emberstripe and Dustfur had made up, and Emberstripe felt happier than ever. Madeline's kits were growing up fast, too. In a couple of days they would be apprentices.

"Hey, I have a question. Do you see me having kits?" She asked suddenly.

Madeline looked surprised. "Why? Have you found a mate?"

"No, but a while ago Smokeheart asked me if I thought I should have kits, and I've been thinking about it recently,"

Madeline purred at this. "Smokeheart, huh? I think he was hinting about kits and mates..."

"What? Does that mean something?"

"Yes, it means something! He wants to be your mate. Would you want to be mates with him?"

Emberstripe stopped and thought. "I-I don't know. Smokeheart is a great cat but, I'm just not so sure about him,"

"Well, no cat is forcing you to be mates with him," she said. "But do you like anyone else?"

"Where did all these question about my love life come from?" Emberstripe joked.

"I'm your sister. I'm going to ask these kind of questions," Madeline laughed. " But I think Smokeheart is waiting for you," she purred and walked away. She looked up and saw Smokeheart looking at her. When she met his gaze, he hurried over.

"Hey, want to go on a patrol with me later?" He asked. His white tail twitched nervously.

"Sure, I'd like to do that," she nodded. He walked away, and she saw how nervous he was since she saw him today. As she thought, a small white ball of fluff hit her leg.

"Oh, hello!" It was one of Hawkfire's kits, Lightkit. "Sorry!"

"Hello, Lightkit. Is today your first day out of the nursery?" She asked. Lightkit nodded, and another kit came running for her. Petalkit stopped and stared at Emberstripe, her blue eyes wide.

"And you must be Petalkit, right?"

The little kit nodded. "Are you a warrior?" She squeaked.

"Yes, I'm Emberstripe. Where's your brother?"

Lightkit spoke up. "He hasn't opened his eyes yet. He's taking forever. Stonefrost says he's going to have green eyes like Hawkfire,"

Emberstripe nodded, and the two kits ran off. She heard Cloudshine yelp in surprise as they raced into the medicine den, and then her scolding them about the mess they made. Petalkit and Lightkit then left the medicine den followed by Cloudshine.

"I've never known any kit that hasn't made a mess in the medicine den," Cloudshine shook her head.

"Kits will be like that," Emberstripe purred. "Let's just hope there won't be any more kits until Madeline's get apprenticed,"

"Maybe there will be some of your own in greenleaf," she purred, nodding towards Smokeheart.

"Why does everyone assume I'm going to have kits with Smokeheart?" She asked.

Cloudshine looked at her."Well, Smokeheart does like to be around you a lot,"

"I just don't know if I like him that way," she sighed.

"It's okay not to want to be mates with him, Emberstripe," Cloudshine said. She said goodbye, and retreated to the medicine den. Emberstripe looked to see that Smokeheart was gathering cats to go on patrol, and she went to join him. The patrol was easy and fast, and they got back at sunhigh. She went to the fresh kill pile to check to see if it needed restocking, when a yowl came from behind her. She turned, and saw Dawnpaw racing into camp.

"The rogues! They're here!"

Panic swirled inside her as the warriors heard the news. Mothstar quickly left her den and started giving orders for attack with Swallowheart.

"Warriors, into position! Dawnpaw, make sure the elders and queens are safe in their dens with their kits," Swallowheart ordered. As she left, Hazelwood, Elmpaw, and Smokeheart raced into camp barring scratches from the rogues. They were rushed into the medicine den when the rogues attacked.

The Thunderclan cats were outnumbered, but they had better fighting skills than the rogues. Nightwhisker fought two cats at once, while Oakpelt and Swallowheart clawed against three. A cat, a gray tom, hissed and lept at Emberstripe, but she was quicker, dodging to the left and running her claws down his side. He yowled in pain, but kept fighting, trying to claw at her ears, but she darted underneath him and flipped him over. He fell, and she started to tear at his ears until the blood washed over his eyes. The tom yowled in agony again, and sprinted blindly out of camp. She saw Maplespots fighting two, and she raced towards her, attacking one, a black and white she-cat. They rolled over, clawing at each other. The she-cat cut her face, barley missing her eye and blinding her, and leaving a long scratch across her face. Emberstripe hissed and started clawing at her stomach with her hind paws on her exposed belly. She felt warm blood underneath her paws and the she-cat crawled away, blood dripping from her belly. Two more rogues came and fought her, when Oakpelt came and started plummeting them with blows, making one rogues run. Oakpelt took over the one rogue, and Emberstripe looked around.  Terror sparked through her as she heard hissed from the nursery, and she pelted into the den. Inside was Crystal standing above Madeleine, who hissed at her, her kits hiding behind her. Anger filled Emberstripe's blood as she started clawing Crystal from behind. Crystal turned around, surprised, and started fighting Emberstripe. She lunged for her, but Emberstripe lept out of the way onto the wall, and bounced from it and lunged at Crystal, making on of the hardest fighting moves. Emberstripe pinned her down, and she struggled underneath her claws.

"What did I tell you about messing with Thunderclan," she snarled into Crystal ear. Her eyes went wide as she realized her fate. Emberstripe made her final blow on her neck, and Crystal's body fell limp to the ground. Applekit, Nightkit, and Flowerkit looked in terror as they huddled behind Madeline. Silently, she left the nursery, carrying Crystal's body. She dropped it when she saw Dustfur underneath two rogues, one had his jaw clamped around his neck.

"No!" She roared, lunging at the two cats. She fought them with every drop of blood until they both were covered in their blood. Just like the others, they retreated, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. Dustfur groaned and Dappledleaf hurried over to check him.

"We have to move him to the medicine den, quickly!" She snapped,  and Emberstripe and Smokeheart lifted him and placed him in one of the nests.

"You guys have to leave now, and I'll treat you outside," Cloushine said.

"I'm fine," Emberstripe said as she pushed past Cloudshine.

"No, Emberstripe. I need space to work," Dappledleaf ordered. Emberstripe growled and left the den, only to wait outside it. Cloudshine worked on all the other cats until Emberstripe was left. She let her treat her wounds, but she still sat by the medicine den. Night fell, and she still sat there outside the den, waiting to go inside.

"You need to sleep, Emberstripe," Smokeheart padded over to her.

"No, I need to stay right here. I need to know how Dustfur is doing," she snapped. Smokeheart looked at her for a moment, then turned and left, tail starting to droop. She stayed there until morning, when Dappleleaf walked out.

"You can see him now, but he's asleep," the medicine cat said. She nodded, her limbs sore from staying in one position all night. She walked into the dim den, and saw Dustfur,  his breathing even. She curled around him and started to lick his neck fur slowly. Soon exhaustion took her and she fell into a deep sleep.