Chapter 14

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Blossom waited nervously by the pond, pacing around quickly. She did not know if the tom would ever show up, and negative thoughts spread through her. What if he's dead? What if he won't come?

Suddenly, a bright orange figure came into view, running to her.

"Emberpaw!" she exclaimed, happiness surging through her.

Emberpaw stopped, catching his breath. "The clan-huff-is gone. They-huff-think I'm-huff-dead."

Blossom ran to the tom. "Oh, Emberpaw, I'm just glad you're okay," she purred, licking him. It was obvious she was madly in love with him, and seeing him alive made her even more lovesick.

Emberpaw stared at her blankly. "I never received my warrior name," he sighed, glancing down at his paws. "I think Coalpaw and Icepaw ran off, though Icepaw looked like she had deadly wounds."

Blossom sighed. Her sister was probably dead by now, but she held her gaze with Emberpaw.

"Blossom, would you give me my warrior name?" he asked.

Blossom nodded slowly. She still thought of Icepaw and Coalpaw though, and how they most likely not escape. It was a horrible thing, but she was with Emberpaw now, and that's all that mattered.

Remembering the old ceremony as she once saw, she began to say, "Emberpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as..." She paused, thinking of what his name would be. "Embertail!"

Embertail smiled. "Thank you, Blossom," he spoke. He licked her cheek, his green eyes gleaming. "But you're still a kittypet. Is there anywhere I can hide? And can you meet me everyday?"

"Everyday?!" Blossom exclaimed. She had no idea how she could possibly meet him everyday, but then she stopped. "There-there is the old, abandoned twoleg house."

"Perfect," Embertail spoke, beginning to walk with her through the forest. They walked in silence, for they had to be sure no DarkClan warrior would catch them. The battle was surely over, but still, DarkClan could still be spread out around the forest.

They walked by Blossom's home, and Blossom kept her gaze down, hoping Snickerdoodle would not notice her walking with Embertail. Snickerdoodle was not sitting on his fence though, and Blossom sighed in relief as she padded past her house, walking towards the end of the street.

She watched as the old house came into view. The paint was chipped and peeling, the wood burnt and dry. The windows were shattered, the roof falling apart. "It was burned many moons ago," Blossom said, turning to Embertail. "It is your home now."

Embertail smiled, licking Blossom's cheek. "Visit me each day when the sun first starts to rise."

Blossom nodded slowly, beginning to pad off. "I'll try," she spoke, padding away.

A few weeks had passed since Embertail had taken shelter in the abandoned house, and Blossom's stomach had grown, and she knew her kits would come soon. She had managed to meet Embertail at sunrise every day, but this day she couldn't.

Snickerdoodle and Sammy had instructed her to stay inside, knowing her kits would arrive any day. As much as she wanted to visit Embertail, she knew she had to listen to her father and "mate." The last thing she wanted were her kits getting injured.

She sat in her nest, groaning. Something felt...different today. She had gotten used to the feel of her stomach now, but today, her belly ached. Suddenly, a large shard of pain flew through her. She yowled. Her kits were coming!

She looked, seeing Snickerdoodle and Sammy outside. At the sound of her yowl, they both ran inside, running to Blossom's side. The twolegs came fast to Blossom's aid, getting some towels to prepare for the newborn kits.

Snickerdoodle and Sammy stood from a side, watching as the twolegs took care of Blossom as she gave birth. Awhile passed, and Blossom gave birth to one kit.

"She's beautiful," Snickerdoodle breathed.

Blossom nodded. She had given birth to a lone she-cat, and it was the most beautiful kit Blossom had ever seen. She was a calico she-cat. Her only kit.

The twolegs looked at the kit, giving her the name of "Tulip". Though Blossom would have rather name her kit, she liked the name the twolegs gave her.

Snickerdoodle licked Tulip, nuzzling Blossom. "She's beautiful, but as not beautiful as you," he purred.

Guilt filled Blossom. She no longer loved Snickerdoodle, and she felt horrible that he thought Tulip was his kit. "T-Thanks," she stammered.

That night, Blossom slept in her nest, Tulip curled up beside her. She held Tulip close to her heart, whispering, "Mommy loves you."

She hoped Embertail wasn't worrying. Surely he knew that she was close to giving birth and that's why she hadn't come earlier. It didn't matter though. She would visit the next day with the kit. It would go just as she planned.

The next day she slept soundly, dreaming of Embertail. His green eyes, his ginger pelt, his lovely mew. A mew from her kit suddenly woke her up. Tulip had opened her eyes already. They were a deep blue, almost like Sammy's.

A suddenly yowl from one of her twolegs startled her. They were looking over Sammy who lay in his bed. What were they yowling about? He was just resting.

Blossom slowly left Tulip in her bed, the kit mewling for her mother. Blossom ignored her kit's calls, curiously creeping over her father. "Sammy," she spoke, nudging him. The tom was limp, and his body...ice cold. He was dead. His cold body pierced her pelt, and she stood aside, scared to see her father's body.

Blossom held back the tears. She did not want to cry in front of her kit. Her father, her only family member left...dead. Of course, there was still a spark of hope that Icepaw was alive, but it was a tiny spark, one that would soon die out.

A sudden sound coming from the cat door made Blossom spin around. She turned, seeing Snickerdoodle. Her twolegs welcomed him in always, so he could basically enter the home whenever he wanted.

Snickerdoodle gasped, realizing by Blossom's watery eyes and the twoleg's yowls that Sammy was dead. He ran to her, nudging against her. "It's okay, it's okay," he whispered, attempting to comfort her. For once, Blossom felt that same connection she had felt to Snickerdoodle before. She felt like she loved him again.

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