Tales From The Broken {COMPLETE}

Squirreltail's Darkness -Chapter 5-

Squirreltail woke up feeling incredibly sickly, she dragged herself from her nest to get some fresh-air. She had been tossing and turning all night, and being surrounded by all of SunClan's warriors wasn't helping. She even had to break away from Brackenpelt during the night in hopes of cooling off. I hope I'm not getting sick. Squirreltail thought as she rasped her tongue over her pelt. I know I haven't been getting out much but surely that won't make me sick?

Squirreltail shook her worries away, she would eat some prey and if she didn't feel better then she would go see Pebblestep. She didn't want to get sick, not in the middle of newleaf. Forcing herself to stand up, Squirreltail padded over to the fresh-kill pile and sniffed out a mouse.

She sat down beside the drinking pool and took a bite. Instantly, her stomach began to churn at the taste. It didn't taste wrong or rotten, but Squirreltail's body was not having it. She forced herself to swallow the piece before drinking out of the pool. What in the name of StarClan is wrong with me. She gagged thinking about the mouse, she had no choice but to push it away from her.

"Hey there." Squirreltail heard Redclaw's voice not far from her. "You doing alright?" He questioned.

"No," Squirreltail responded. "I'm not feeling the best, and I couldn't eat this mouse. It tastes fine but it made me feel sickly. Guess I just don't have much an appetite lately."

"Could've fooled me." Redclaw mewed teasingly.

"What does that mean?" Squirreltail's pelt bristled slightly. Is he calling me fat?

"I mean," Redclaw chuckled. "You still look great, but I think you not being able to hunt or fight is starting to show."

Squirreltail hissed at him. "Please, it doesn't work like that." She placed a paw on her belly, shocked to find out how much it had grown. "What?" She said quietly. In that very moment, everything clicked in Squirreltail's head. I feel sick, the mouse made me feel worse and I've gained weight. Squirreltail jumped to her paws. "I need to talk to Pebblestep, don't worry about me." Squirreltail assured her brother. "Go ahead and finish that mouse for me!"

Without waiting for a response from Redclaw, Squirreltail turned on her paws and ran towards the medicine cat den. I've only felt this way once before. She poked her head into the den. "Pebblestep?" She could hear the medicine cat fussing with herbs.

"Yes, Squirreltail?" The medicine cat spoke, Squirreltail could her her paws as she turned to face Squirreltail. "Is everything okay?"

"Kind of." Squirreltail stepped inside. "I woke up feeling sick, I tried eating a mouse but it just made me feel even worse and I don't know if you've noticed but I've put on some weight."

"Well I could give you---" Pebblestep stopped mid sentence. "Ohhh." She approached Squirreltail and Squirreltail could feel the medicine cat placing a paw on her belly. "You appear to be correct. You're expecting kits."

Squirreltail had already figured it out for herself, but hearing the news out loud sent a flurry of emotions through Squirreltail. The first emotion was excitement, she was overcome with joy at the thought of having new kits. The second biggest emotion to her was doubt, she wondered how hard it would be to take care of new kits when she couldn't see? She would never be able to see her own kits...

"It appears," Pebblestep mewed, pulling Squirreltail from her intrusive thoughts. "That you will be expecting more than one this time, with how big you already are. I would say you're just about a moon along."

"That's good news." Squirreltail shoved away her doubts and fears, she had to focus on the positive. She was going to have more kits! New kits to love and to take care of. "I should go tell my family." She told Pebblestep.