SWEETSTAR SAW NOTHING BUT DARKNESS IN her dream. She felt frightened, but she tried to stay calm. Where am I?
It was a half moon after Sweetstar appointed Oakpaw an apprentice. Where was Nightheart when she needed him? She then remembered that one night she let Nightheart in her den, three days after they found Cobaltpelt’s body.
“Nightheart,” Sweetstar had said, “I have never felt so depressed.”
“It’s all right,” Nightheart had mewed. “You still have me. I love you.”
This was when Sweetstar really had feelings for her deputy. She was so choked with emotions, and she was filled with deep sadness. But, when she felt Nightheart’s pure black fur against her pelt, her spirits were lifted. “I love you, too.”
Sweetstar press her muzzle against Nightheart’s. She wound her body around his, as he rubbed his muzzle along her jaw. …
That was a moon ago. Since then, Sweetstar hasn’t been feeling herself. She didn’t know how to describe it. She felt so drowsy when she trained Owlpaw, and she was very hungry. Just standing there in her dream made her hungry.
As she walked through the darkness, her paw steps echoing as she walked, a familiar scent wreathed around her. In front of her, she saw a blue-gray tom in front of her. His triangular muzzle and his fiery green eyes were all too familiar to her.
“Cobaltpelt?”
Sweetstar stared in shock at the StarClan form of her brother. He’s the medicine cat before Snowdapple. She was filled with memories of their kit hood as he walked. She then remembered when she found Cobaltpelt’s dead body and shuddered. But her brother’s body was perfect, not torn by a badger, or rotting like crow-food.
“My dear sister,” I’ve come to bring you news.”
“What kind of news?” Sweetstar panicked. There’s an invasion? A bitter leaf-bare? Forest fire? She didn’t want any danger coming to her Clan.
“Don’t question why I’m telling you this,” her brother sighed, “but you’re having kits.”
Sweetstar gaped at Cobaltpelt’s StarClan form. I’m expecting kits? She knew that Nighheart was the father. But I’m the Clan leader!
“I knew that she-cat Clan leaders don’t usually have kits,” Cobaltpelt mewed, answering Sweetstar’s thoughts. “The father isn’t my most popular choice, either, Sweetstar.”
Sweetstar purred. He doesn’t think any of the toms in our Clan are his popular choice.
Cobaltpelt padded to her side. “Sweetstar, one of your kits will be gifted by StarClan with a special power.”
Sweetstar looked at him questioningly. “What kind of special power?”
“That, I can’t say,” he replied, “but all I can say is that one of your kits will save the Clan with whatever power they were gifted with.”
Sweetstar no longer felt worried about having kits and being the Clan leader. She felt wonderful now that she was going to be a mother, and that one of her kits will be a hero or a heroine.
Cobaltpelt pressed his muzzle to Sweestar’s belly. “As your uncle,” he mewed to the unborn kits, “I will watch over you from StarClan. And whoever is destined to save the forest, StarClan will guide you.”
Cobaltpelt then pressed his triangular muzzle to Sweetstar’s cheek. “Best of luck for you and Nightheart. StarClan blesses you both.”
Sweetstar stared longingly at her brother’s StarClan form as he left her in the eerie darkness. Cobaltpelt’s scent faded away as well.
Sweetstar is going to have kits, and one of them will save the Clan one day. Nightheart will be so pleased! Sweetstar thought. But I’m still doubtful. What will the other Clans think when I announce this at the Gathering? Will they think ThunderClan is weak? Would they plan to attack? Cobaltpelt, help me! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!
Never had Sweetstar had to face this. Because of the fact that she had her Clan and now her unborn kits to think about, she has to work twice as hard. The darkness was now broken by a ball of light as brilliant as the moon den. Then she found herself dizzy with upcoming consciousness. …
Sweetstar jerked up her head. It was sunhigh when she awoke. Did I really sleep that long? She yawned deeply, stretching her paws out.
Sweetstar looked around in her den, and realized that everything looked different to her. She had been leader for many moons, but she felt like she was reborn. Thank you StarClan, she mouthed to herself, for giving me this blessing.
Sweetstar licked the fur on her belly, protectively. She had to tell Nightheart. She was sure he’d be pleased to hear such news. Weight heaved her paws, as she padded out of the Leader’s Chamber. She clumsily leaped off the walkway to get to the lower floor. Her fur bristled with fear, as she almost slipped.
That was close, she breathed. Unsheathing her claws, she slowly took steps to the Deputy’s Chamber. The Siamese she-cat shyly padded to Nightheart’s nest. The black tom was sleeping soundly, his flank rising and falling. Probably taking a nap. Sweetstar pressed her muzzle to her mate’s head. Nightheart fidgeted in his sleep, stretching his legs. He then yawned and looked towards Sweetstar.
“Hello, Sweetstar,” Nightheart rasped drowsily. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’ve never felt better,” Sweetstar mewed.
Nightheart got up from his nest. “Do you have something to tell me?”
The Siamese she-cat nodded. She sat down. “Yes, I do have something to tell you. It will make you very happy, I hope,” she added, softly. She lowered her head.
“I’m sure it will, Sweetstar,” Nightheart pressed. “So, what is it?”
Sweetstar took a deep breath. “Nightheart, I’m going to have kits.”
There was silence for a few heartbeats. Nightheart was then stifled with purrs. His eyes were filled with joy.
“This is wonderful news!” he meowed. “Wait until you tell the Clan!”
“That’s the thing, Nightheart,” she replied. “I’m not sure how the Clan will take this. She-cat leaders don’t usually have kits, so this will be quite a shock. I mean, who will lead the Clan? I couldn’t possibly, not while I’m expecting kits.”
“It will be okay,” Nightheart rasped. “I will help with the leader duties, if you’d like. I will be there for you faster than you can say, ‘crow-food.’”
Sweetstar purred. “Thank you, Nightheart. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Nightheart pressed his muzzle against hers. “I love you, Sweetstar. I’ll love being the father of our kits.”
“I love you, too,” Sweetstar whispered.
Sweetstar looked down towards the main root, where she’d stand at this meeting.
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather at the foot of the Great Tree!” she yowled loud enough to echo across the Great Tree.
She heard the commotion of several cats around the Great Tree’s main root. She realized that she had to go down now and tell her Clan. Sweetstar padded slowly toward the edge of the deputy/warrior walkway. She looked down below her, suddenly afraid to jump. Her unborn kits might get hurt.
“Nightheart?” Sweetstar mewed.
“Do you need help getting down?” the deputy questioned.
“Please?”
Nightheart pressed his muzzle against hers. “Of course.”
Sweetstar started in a crouch to leap off the walkway. Nightheart stayed right beside her. Whenever she’d leap off the walkway, he was never a fraction of a whisker-length away. Soon enough, they made it to the foot of the Great Tree. Weight heaving her paws, she stood at the top of the main root.
“I know I can’t keep this from you all,” Sweetstar sighed. She lifted her head towards the canopy light. “Cats of ThunderClan, I have a very important announcement.”
Several cats gazed at eachother, bewildered. “What could this important news be?” Sweetstar heard Fawnwhisker question.
Sweetstar felt the kits fidget inside her. “I’m expecting kits. I will be moving into the nursery.”
There were gasps among the Clan mates.
“ThunderClan has no leader!” Brindlestem snapped.
“That is not true!” Sweetstar yowled. “Just because I’m having kits, doesn’t mean that I’m resigning from being Clan leader!”
“But no she-cat Clan leader has ever had kits in Clan history!” Heatherstripe retorted.
“Then I guess I’ll be the first,” Sweetstar looked down at her swollen belly.
“Sweetstar,” Nightheart mewed. “You cannot let them treat you this way!”
“I don’t know what to do,” Sweetstar cried, overwhelmed with thoughts.
Nightheart padded up to the edge of the main root. “Sweetstar is the Clan leader!” he yowled. “Don’t lose respect for her just because she’s having kits! She just said that she’s sleeping in the nursery, and she didn’t say that she’s not performing her leader duties!” He then looked at Sweetstar, his icy blue eyes filled with love and determination. “I will help you. After all, I am your deputy,” he then added softly, choked with emotion. “and the father of our kits.”
Nightheart pressed his muzzle against hers, then rubbed his muzzle along her jaw. Sweetstar twined her tail with is. There were murmurs with awe from the Clan cats, and she couldn’t help purring.
“Either way,” Russetwind meowed, “I wish you both congratulations.”
There were mews in agreement. Sweetstar licked the fur on her chest. She then went to Snowdapple, who was leading her to the nursery.
“This is wonderful news, Sweetstar,” Snowdapple purred, “but how are you going to perform your leader duties?”
“I don’t know,” the Clan leader replied. “I was thinking that I would still go to Gatherings until the kits are born. Anything else, I will stay in the camp.”
Snowdapple went into the nursery, gathering up moss and bracken to weave the nest. “How did you know you were having kits? You didn’t come to me, and I didn’t know that you were expecting.”
“Cobaltpelt came to me in a dream last night,” she explained. “He said that one of them will save the Clan one day.”
“That is interesting,” Snowdapple agreed. “StarClan hasn’t come to me about this.”
Sweetstar shrugged, helping Snowdapple. When the nest was finished, Sweetstar laid down, settling herself for several moons of sleeping in the nursery.
It was a half moon after Sweetstar appointed Oakpaw an apprentice. Where was Nightheart when she needed him? She then remembered that one night she let Nightheart in her den, three days after they found Cobaltpelt’s body.
“Nightheart,” Sweetstar had said, “I have never felt so depressed.”
“It’s all right,” Nightheart had mewed. “You still have me. I love you.”
This was when Sweetstar really had feelings for her deputy. She was so choked with emotions, and she was filled with deep sadness. But, when she felt Nightheart’s pure black fur against her pelt, her spirits were lifted. “I love you, too.”
Sweetstar press her muzzle against Nightheart’s. She wound her body around his, as he rubbed his muzzle along her jaw. …
That was a moon ago. Since then, Sweetstar hasn’t been feeling herself. She didn’t know how to describe it. She felt so drowsy when she trained Owlpaw, and she was very hungry. Just standing there in her dream made her hungry.
As she walked through the darkness, her paw steps echoing as she walked, a familiar scent wreathed around her. In front of her, she saw a blue-gray tom in front of her. His triangular muzzle and his fiery green eyes were all too familiar to her.
“Cobaltpelt?”
Sweetstar stared in shock at the StarClan form of her brother. He’s the medicine cat before Snowdapple. She was filled with memories of their kit hood as he walked. She then remembered when she found Cobaltpelt’s dead body and shuddered. But her brother’s body was perfect, not torn by a badger, or rotting like crow-food.
“My dear sister,” I’ve come to bring you news.”
“What kind of news?” Sweetstar panicked. There’s an invasion? A bitter leaf-bare? Forest fire? She didn’t want any danger coming to her Clan.
“Don’t question why I’m telling you this,” her brother sighed, “but you’re having kits.”
Sweetstar gaped at Cobaltpelt’s StarClan form. I’m expecting kits? She knew that Nighheart was the father. But I’m the Clan leader!
“I knew that she-cat Clan leaders don’t usually have kits,” Cobaltpelt mewed, answering Sweetstar’s thoughts. “The father isn’t my most popular choice, either, Sweetstar.”
Sweetstar purred. He doesn’t think any of the toms in our Clan are his popular choice.
Cobaltpelt padded to her side. “Sweetstar, one of your kits will be gifted by StarClan with a special power.”
Sweetstar looked at him questioningly. “What kind of special power?”
“That, I can’t say,” he replied, “but all I can say is that one of your kits will save the Clan with whatever power they were gifted with.”
Sweetstar no longer felt worried about having kits and being the Clan leader. She felt wonderful now that she was going to be a mother, and that one of her kits will be a hero or a heroine.
Cobaltpelt pressed his muzzle to Sweestar’s belly. “As your uncle,” he mewed to the unborn kits, “I will watch over you from StarClan. And whoever is destined to save the forest, StarClan will guide you.”
Cobaltpelt then pressed his triangular muzzle to Sweetstar’s cheek. “Best of luck for you and Nightheart. StarClan blesses you both.”
Sweetstar stared longingly at her brother’s StarClan form as he left her in the eerie darkness. Cobaltpelt’s scent faded away as well.
Sweetstar is going to have kits, and one of them will save the Clan one day. Nightheart will be so pleased! Sweetstar thought. But I’m still doubtful. What will the other Clans think when I announce this at the Gathering? Will they think ThunderClan is weak? Would they plan to attack? Cobaltpelt, help me! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!
Never had Sweetstar had to face this. Because of the fact that she had her Clan and now her unborn kits to think about, she has to work twice as hard. The darkness was now broken by a ball of light as brilliant as the moon den. Then she found herself dizzy with upcoming consciousness. …
Sweetstar jerked up her head. It was sunhigh when she awoke. Did I really sleep that long? She yawned deeply, stretching her paws out.
Sweetstar looked around in her den, and realized that everything looked different to her. She had been leader for many moons, but she felt like she was reborn. Thank you StarClan, she mouthed to herself, for giving me this blessing.
Sweetstar licked the fur on her belly, protectively. She had to tell Nightheart. She was sure he’d be pleased to hear such news. Weight heaved her paws, as she padded out of the Leader’s Chamber. She clumsily leaped off the walkway to get to the lower floor. Her fur bristled with fear, as she almost slipped.
That was close, she breathed. Unsheathing her claws, she slowly took steps to the Deputy’s Chamber. The Siamese she-cat shyly padded to Nightheart’s nest. The black tom was sleeping soundly, his flank rising and falling. Probably taking a nap. Sweetstar pressed her muzzle to her mate’s head. Nightheart fidgeted in his sleep, stretching his legs. He then yawned and looked towards Sweetstar.
“Hello, Sweetstar,” Nightheart rasped drowsily. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’ve never felt better,” Sweetstar mewed.
Nightheart got up from his nest. “Do you have something to tell me?”
The Siamese she-cat nodded. She sat down. “Yes, I do have something to tell you. It will make you very happy, I hope,” she added, softly. She lowered her head.
“I’m sure it will, Sweetstar,” Nightheart pressed. “So, what is it?”
Sweetstar took a deep breath. “Nightheart, I’m going to have kits.”
There was silence for a few heartbeats. Nightheart was then stifled with purrs. His eyes were filled with joy.
“This is wonderful news!” he meowed. “Wait until you tell the Clan!”
“That’s the thing, Nightheart,” she replied. “I’m not sure how the Clan will take this. She-cat leaders don’t usually have kits, so this will be quite a shock. I mean, who will lead the Clan? I couldn’t possibly, not while I’m expecting kits.”
“It will be okay,” Nightheart rasped. “I will help with the leader duties, if you’d like. I will be there for you faster than you can say, ‘crow-food.’”
Sweetstar purred. “Thank you, Nightheart. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Nightheart pressed his muzzle against hers. “I love you, Sweetstar. I’ll love being the father of our kits.”
“I love you, too,” Sweetstar whispered.
Sweetstar looked down towards the main root, where she’d stand at this meeting.
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather at the foot of the Great Tree!” she yowled loud enough to echo across the Great Tree.
She heard the commotion of several cats around the Great Tree’s main root. She realized that she had to go down now and tell her Clan. Sweetstar padded slowly toward the edge of the deputy/warrior walkway. She looked down below her, suddenly afraid to jump. Her unborn kits might get hurt.
“Nightheart?” Sweetstar mewed.
“Do you need help getting down?” the deputy questioned.
“Please?”
Nightheart pressed his muzzle against hers. “Of course.”
Sweetstar started in a crouch to leap off the walkway. Nightheart stayed right beside her. Whenever she’d leap off the walkway, he was never a fraction of a whisker-length away. Soon enough, they made it to the foot of the Great Tree. Weight heaving her paws, she stood at the top of the main root.
“I know I can’t keep this from you all,” Sweetstar sighed. She lifted her head towards the canopy light. “Cats of ThunderClan, I have a very important announcement.”
Several cats gazed at eachother, bewildered. “What could this important news be?” Sweetstar heard Fawnwhisker question.
Sweetstar felt the kits fidget inside her. “I’m expecting kits. I will be moving into the nursery.”
There were gasps among the Clan mates.
“ThunderClan has no leader!” Brindlestem snapped.
“That is not true!” Sweetstar yowled. “Just because I’m having kits, doesn’t mean that I’m resigning from being Clan leader!”
“But no she-cat Clan leader has ever had kits in Clan history!” Heatherstripe retorted.
“Then I guess I’ll be the first,” Sweetstar looked down at her swollen belly.
“Sweetstar,” Nightheart mewed. “You cannot let them treat you this way!”
“I don’t know what to do,” Sweetstar cried, overwhelmed with thoughts.
Nightheart padded up to the edge of the main root. “Sweetstar is the Clan leader!” he yowled. “Don’t lose respect for her just because she’s having kits! She just said that she’s sleeping in the nursery, and she didn’t say that she’s not performing her leader duties!” He then looked at Sweetstar, his icy blue eyes filled with love and determination. “I will help you. After all, I am your deputy,” he then added softly, choked with emotion. “and the father of our kits.”
Nightheart pressed his muzzle against hers, then rubbed his muzzle along her jaw. Sweetstar twined her tail with is. There were murmurs with awe from the Clan cats, and she couldn’t help purring.
“Either way,” Russetwind meowed, “I wish you both congratulations.”
There were mews in agreement. Sweetstar licked the fur on her chest. She then went to Snowdapple, who was leading her to the nursery.
“This is wonderful news, Sweetstar,” Snowdapple purred, “but how are you going to perform your leader duties?”
“I don’t know,” the Clan leader replied. “I was thinking that I would still go to Gatherings until the kits are born. Anything else, I will stay in the camp.”
Snowdapple went into the nursery, gathering up moss and bracken to weave the nest. “How did you know you were having kits? You didn’t come to me, and I didn’t know that you were expecting.”
“Cobaltpelt came to me in a dream last night,” she explained. “He said that one of them will save the Clan one day.”
“That is interesting,” Snowdapple agreed. “StarClan hasn’t come to me about this.”
Sweetstar shrugged, helping Snowdapple. When the nest was finished, Sweetstar laid down, settling herself for several moons of sleeping in the nursery.
