Embers

Chapter 30

"Ok, you're good to go," Cloudshine said to Emberstripe. She stood up and shook out her fur, thanking Cloudhsine. She had spent a while in the medicine den, and the sun was beginning to edge down the sky. Dustfur walked up to her through the snow.

"You fell chasing a squirrel?" He asked, then sighed. "Why do you have to be so close to killing yourself sometimes. You worry me so much,"

Emberstripe curled her tail around him. "You worry all the time, Dustfur. And besides, I didn't almost die this time, I only twisted my leg,"

"'This time'. Every battle you're the first to be rushed to the medicine den, and you're there for at least a day. You scare me when this happens," he looked down. She looked away guilty, then back at her mate, trying to disagree, then sighed.

"I guess you're right. I do almost get killed at lot," she mumbled. Dustfur looked up surprised. "What?"

"It's just that you didn't disagree. Usually you're so stubborn no cat could change your mind even if you knew you were wrong," he laughed. She swatted him on the ear, and he laughed again. She padded away to Stonefrost.

"Could I go on another hunting patrol?" She asked.

"Only if you're okay to go. I'm leading one right now," he said. "Go get Lightstorm,"

She padded over to the white she-cat and brought her to Stonefrost, who was waiting with Hazelwood, Appleclaw, Foxpaw, and Maplespots. They pushed through the snow and sniffed around.

"Let's hope we find anything in this snow," Maplespots mumbled under her breath. Lightstorm froze and crouched, making the rest of the cats freeze silently. She jumped, and cleanly caught a mouse in her teeth.

"Nice catch," Hazelwood said. The continued sniffing the air after the white she-cat buried her prey. The cold made her shiver and she fluffed out her fur. Her gaze fell on a shadow as Stonefrost caught a vole, and she stopped, seeing the faint outline of a cat through the frosty trees. She padded forward, and the shape disappeared. She shook her head, telling herself she was imagining things, and turned back to the patrol. Soon she finally caught a shrew, but she sighed, disappointed. The group of cats had only caught three pieces of prey, and they deposited their little catches into the prey pile, which was still small. She picked up two mice and gave them to Dawnbreeze and Madeline.

"Sorry there's so little prey," she sighed. Madeline looked up.

"It's not your fault Leaf-bare is so hard, Emberstripe," she said, then looked quickly at her kits, who were play fighting in the snow. "Smallkit, don't hurt Bluekit!"

The three kits looked up and trudged though the snow tothe side of the nursery, where she licked them clean. They began to eat their prices of prey and Madeline looked back at her sister. "Want to share?"

"No, I'm alright, but I'll sit with you," she said, and sat next to her sister. The kits were talking about warriors.

"Does Mothstar pick our warrior names?" Bluekit asked Emberstripe. She nodded at the tom. Swallowkit stood up and puffed out his chest.

"I want a cool name, a name like... Swallowclaw or Swallowheart!" He boasted. Emberstripe and Madeline exchanged a look, then Madeline took a breath.

"I'm sorry, little one, but you can't be named Swallowheart," she said kindly to him but he only looked at her.

"Why not? That's no fair," he said.

Madeline looked sideways, then back at him, and gathered Smallkit over with her tail. Bluekit padded over to Emberstripe and sat down.

"Because Swallowheart was your father," she said. Her eyes were heavy with emotion as she remembered how her mate had been killed.

"Was?"Smallkit asked softly. Madeline nodded.