Dark Skies- Book #2 in Sunrise

                                                                                   Chapter 19
Jadeheart knew she was going to have her kits soon, and she was no sitting in the nursery with Twitchheart and her kit, her head in her paws. Dawnkit scrambled over Twitchheart in a flash, trying to catch her tail. With paws outstretched, her claws latched onto her tail and she tried to grab it with her mouth.

Dawnkit let out a yelp of pain and struggled to unhook her claws from her tail unsuccessfully. Dawnkit was always playing games like this since her littermate, Foamkit, had died at three moons old. A pang of grief hit her as she remembered the gray tom and how he used to play with Jadeheart constantly.

The whole Clan was devastated at his death, but, Twitchheart had been the first to push past her grief to care for Dawnkit. Jadeheart was jolted back to reality when Dawnkit barreled into her, still grappling with her tail. "Jadeheart," Dawnkit squeaked. "Jadeheart, help!"

Gently, Jadeheart pried Dawnkit's claws off of her tail. Dawnkit's tabby pelt brushed against hers, sending small vibrations against Jadeheart's flank as she purred as loud as the small kit could. Twitchheart's tail tip flicked happily against her bedding rythemically, her eyes content.

Suddenly, the entrance to the nursery shook, causing Jadeheart to tense. Blurpaw burst into the nursery, his gray fur ruffled from running. He panted heavily, dropping two scrawny mice on the ground, one by Twitchheart and one in front of Jadeheart. "Look what I found!" The tom exclaimed proudly, pawing Twitchheart's mouse closer to her.

"Thank you," Jadeheart breathed. "That must've been hard to find." Blurpaw nodded, his whiskers twitching with excitement. "Oh, it was. I was with Beechnose." He shook out his fur and lowered himself to the ground. "The forest was silent, and it seemed empty. Beechnose was giving up hope of finding prey today, and he suggested we head back to camp.

"And I was like, 'no way!' And he was all like 'we have to,'. But I stood my ground, sensing a mouse in a berry bush. I dove underneath an-" "Blurpaw!" Goldenstrike hissed. "I'm sure they would rather not hear your ridiculous storytelling," Goldenstrike meowed harshly, ushering him away from the nursery.

"No, I like it!" Dawnkit mewed. "Oh, you do now?" Blurpaw's meow softened to a light whisper. Dawnkit's head bobbed up and down. "Come on, I'll tell you the rest of the story!" As Dawnkit scrambled out of her nest, Twitchheart rolled her eyes at them, exasperated.

Jadeheart let out a soft laugh, standing up to bask in the dim sunlight. Outside of the nursery, Jadeheart could see Sunray curled up next to Fireclaw and Bristlefur, each of them taking turns telling their tales. "Hello, Jadeheart!" Sunray meowed cheerfully, waving his tail in the air. Jadeheart padded towards him and sat.

Fireclaw's fur puffed out. "....and that's why Riverrush is always so crumpy!" "What did you just call me?" Riverrush rasped, his blue-gray pelt glistening in the sun, giving it the appearance of water. "He called you crumpy," Fallenpaw hobbled by, her expression revealing her aggravated feelings.

Before Fallenpaw could pass her, Jadepaw lay her tail on Fallenpaw's shoulders without a word, signaling to her that they would talk after the elders were done doing so. "What in StarClan's name is crumpy?" Riverrush looked confused, his blue eyes clouded with age.

Fireclaw stuttered. "Yeah, er, crumpy, um....it means delightful." Riverrush rolled his eyes. "I don't know if you think I'm a dull old furball or not, but I'm certainly not a mouse-brain!" Sunray laughed lightly. "It means cranky and grumpy." "Is that so, Fireclaw?" There was a breezy tone in Riverrush's voice, but he sized up on Fireclaw.

The frail elder looked into Fireclaw's eyes, and Fireclaw blew out a puff of air. "Sorry," he meowed in a mock-annoyed tone. Fallenpaw glanced at Jadeheart, confused. As Jadeheart steered the young apprentice away, she began talking. "What's wrong?"