Lillyheart's Secret

Chapter Eleven

Lillyheart sat next to Murkfall, their pelts brushing. She shifted away as Leopardkit and Snakekit tumbled towards them, her smile growing wider. "Lillyheart!" Leopardkit squealed, he calico fur fluffed out. "Lillyheart, will you play with me?"

Lillyheart chuckled, and looked at Murkfall. "I'll be back." She got up, and playfully cuffed at the kit. "Of course I'll play!" The two kits got up, and raced around her paws.

Snakekit batted at her tail. "Can we have a badger ride?" His yellow eyes blinked innocently.

"Sure," Lillyheart purred. She crouched down, wincing as the kits scrambled up. "Hold on!" She stomped around, tilting and shaking.

"Faster!" Leopardkit clutched to Lillyheart's fur, her tiny claws unsheathed. Lillypaw looked at Murkfall, a question in her eyes. He shrugged, and she shrugged back. She loped across the camp, frequently checking on the kits on her back.

She slowed down next to the nursery, where Creekstar was chatting with Fallowsong. Fallowsong rubbed her head against Creekstar's, then wandered to the fresh-kill pile. Creekstar purred at the sight at Lillyheart playing with the kits. "Are you having fun, Leopardkit?"

The tiny calico nodded. "Yes Momma! Lillyheart gave us a badger ride! I almost fell off!"

Creekstar gave a small mrow of laughter. "Well, I'm sorry to say so, but you two need your nap. Hurry up into the den, I'll be there in a minute." Ignoring their mews of annoyance , she ushered them inside. She came back out, and sat next to Lillyheart. "Kits sure are sweet, aren't they?"

"Yes," Lillyheart answered wistfully. "They are amazing. Was I really that small when I came here?"

Creekstar nodded. "Oh yes, you were. Judging by the way certain relationships are going, I think there'll be another queen in here soon."

Lillyheart blushed. "We're not that close."

Creekstar laughed. "Lillyheart, everybody sees that he likes you. The question is, when will you acknowledge that?"

Lillyheart blinked. "I uh... I need to go hunt." She left the nursery and trotted across the camp.

Murkfall saw her, and his face lit up. "Lillyheart can we-"

"Busy." She left without even looking at him, and he sighed. She left the camp and started to run, going as fast as she could. Tears seeped into her fur, but she had no idea why she was crying. She stopped at the lake, and took a deep breath. That's odd, it smells like Thunderclan over here. She narrowed her eyes. A breeze ruffled her fur, and the Thunderclan scent grew stronger, with Windclan mingled in. She turned away, and padded into the long grass. A snap came from behind her, and she tried her hardest not to turn and look.

She saw a tail waving in the air, and she called to the cat. "Nettlesmoke! What are you doing?"

The grey tom looked up, and hissed crossly. "I was trying to hunt, but you scared my shrew away."

Lillyheart shifted. "I thought I smelled something. I wanted to know if you did too..." She trailed off. Two green eyes stared out from the grass, and she stiffened. "I... I'm going back to camp. Sorry about your shrew." She pushed across the territory, her ears flicking. When she saw the camp, she trotted in, searching for Creekstar.

The calico she-cat found her first. "Lillyheart? Are you okay? You rushed out of here pretty fast."

The young warrior fluffed up her fur. "I smelled Windclan and Thunderclan down be the lake. I... I think they might be invading."

Creekstar stared at her. "Are you sure? I mean, it's been moons since any kind of attack happened, and it's unlikely they'd attack now." She narrowed her eyes. "I think you should go rest. You've been on your paws for a while, and you might have just confused the Windclan scent for something else."

Lillyheart ducked her head. "Yes Creekstar." Annoyance flared deep within her, but she stamped it down. Creekstar knows best, and I am feeling a bit tired. She ducked into the warrior den, and curled up in her nest.

Sleep did not come, and a growing uneasiness dug into Lillyheart like a thorn. She cracked one eye open, and saw Emeraldleaf sitting near her. "Emeraldleaf?"

The she-cat turned to look at her. "What is it, Lillyheart?"

Lillyheart sat up. "Has anything happened?"

Emeraldleaf shook her head. "No, why?"

Lillyheart looked away. "No reason." She stepped out of her nest, and padded into the camp clearing. A hush fell over the clan, as if it was holding its breath. Siltfur stared intently at the entrance, and Lillyheart's breath hitched. Murkfall stalked into the camp, and let out a screech as Siltfur bowled him over. The two brothers scuffled for a bit, and Lillyheart watched, a purr rising in her throat.

The peace was shattered as a deafening yowl filled the air. Nettlesmoke raced into the camp, tail fluffed. "Windclan is attacking! Thunderclan is too!" Frightened meows erupted in the clearing, and cats jumped to their paws.

A wave of cats burst into the clearing, claws unsheathed. Soon, writhing bodies crowded the camp, and the scent of blood grew thick in the air. Lillyheart found herself by the nursery, and she heard a squeal inside. Echokit! She pushed in the nursery, and gasped. A black tom stood over the bloody body of the kit, his eyes glittering.

Ooo, I finally updated... Um, I need a name for a little kit, thank you. And uh... *checks note cards* please vote and... Who wrote this thing? The handwriting is horrible! *squints* Please vote and comment. Thank you.

Brindleshine ❤