Swanfeather Story WIP

#### Warriors

Swanfeather- white she-cat with a black muzzle, black ears, black paws, a black tail, and bright blue eyes

Rippletail- gray tom with amber eyes

#### Queens

Brightsky- golden she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Gorsekit and Heatherkit)

#### Elders

Sandyflower- light ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

## Chapter One

A black-and-white she-cat rushed into the camp, carrying a rabbit.

A kit bounced out of the nursery. "I want a rabbit!" She exclaimed. Her brother slid out of the nursery and sat down next to her.

A golden she-cat came out of the den, "Heatherkit, Gorsekit, back in the nursery!" scolded their mother.

The black-and-white she-cat glared down at the kits, "Get your own rabbit." She swished her tail irritably.

Poppybounce, the Clan’s deputy, whipped around, her light ginger fur catching the sun, "Swanfeather!"

Heatherkit and Gorsekit ducked behind their growling mother, Brightsky, whimpering.

"What?" Swanfeather asked incredulously. "There are plenty of rabbits in the fresh-kill pile, they can use their legs and get some."

Honeystar finished the rabbit she was eating and stood up, "That may be, but we do not talk to kits that way," she growled.

Gorsekit peeked out from behind Brightsky's legs.

Swanfeather rolled her eyes. "It's ridiculous! I've been out hunting all day, and now I just want to sit here and eat my rabbit in peace! Is that too much to ask?"

Rippletail came out of the warriors' den, "What's going on over here?" All four she-cats ignored the tom.

Sandyflower looked up from washing her paws, "I can't believe you all don't know why she's acting this way."

"Because she's just a naturally grumpy cat?" Poppybounce suggested.

Sandyflower rolled her eyes, "Brightsky, you of all cats should know!" Brightsky blinked large blue eyes at her. "She's expecting kits!" Sandyflower huffed. Swanfeather glared at the elderly she-cat. Sandyflower snorted, "Well, aren't you?"

"Is this true?!" Rippletail whispered. "Am I going to be a father?"

Swanfeather sighed, "Yes." She licked her chest fur.

Honeystar purred. "This is great news for the Clan. New warriors."

"They're not warriors yet," Brightsky reminded her.

Swanfeather said nothing, and instead laid down and bit into her rabbit.

Rippletail stared at his mate, shocked.

Brightsky's ears twitched, "You hadn't told the father?"

"No," Swanfeather replied, looking up from her prey. “I wanted to make sure before I told him." She bent back down, chewing the rabbit’s hind leg.

"How can you be sure?" Poppybounce asked.

"You wouldn't know. You've never had kits," Sandyflower told her daughter. She looked over Swanfeather again. "She has at least three more moons."

"Shouldn't we check with Softwing?" Brightsky asked.

"Seeing as we don't have a medicine cat yet, that does seem fitting," Poppybounce said.

"I didn't know if I was having kits, or I was just getting fat on these rabbits," Swanfeather sighed and started to pad towards the warriors’ den.

"Swanfeather, you come back here," Honeystar said.

Swanfeather looked over her shoulder, "Yes?" She flicked her tail.

"You're going to go see Softwing," Honeystar told her.

"I don't want to." Swanfeather told her crossly.

"You're going," Honeystar repeated. "With Poppybounce and Rippletail."

Swanfeather padded back over, "Fine."

## Chapter Two

Poppybounce crossed the fallen tree, and stepped onto the Gathering island.

Swanfeather trailed behind Rippletail, “You know, any day now would be nice. These kits are getting heavy.”

Poppybounce didn’t turn around and kept walking, “You still have three moons.”

Swanfeather sighed, “I know, I know.”

Rippletail bounced on his toes.

“Great StarClan!” Poppybounce hissed, “Calm down!” She muttered to herself, “And I’m the one called ‘bounce’.”

“I will never stop!” Rippletail yowled, and raced in front of the two she-cats.

Swanfeather groaned, “Why do I even like him?”

Poppybounce swished her tail, “Don’t ask me.”

A pale gray she-cat popped out of a bush, “Poppybounce! I thought I scented you!” She touched her muzzle to her sister’s cheek.

Poppybounce purred her greeting.

“Hey Softwing,” Swanfur waved with her tail.

“Hello, Swanfeather,” Softwing looked over the two she-cats, “What brings you here?” She flicked her tail at Rippletail, who was running in circles around several trees. “And what’s up with him?”

“He’s…” Swanfeather watched her mate for a moment. “I don’t really know.” She watched him race around a large oak tree. Swanfeather shook her head, “That’s the father of my kits.”

“Kits?” Softwing purred.

“Yes,” Swanfeather replied, “I have three moons left to go.”

“Do you now?” Softwing asked.

“That’s what Sandyflower thinks,” Poppybounce told her.

Softwing nodded thoughtfully, “She has been to more kittings then I have.”

“Really?” Poppybounce asked.

“No one was having kits during my time as SkyClan’s medicine cat, during The Blood-filled Wars,” Softwing pointed out.

“I suppose that’s true,” Poppybounce nodded.

“Except for Coppermist, of course,” Softwing said, recalling the ginger queen.

Rippletail raced over to join the conversation, “Hello Softwing!” His flanks heaved.

“You are such a mouse-brain,” Swanfeather cuffed his ear affectionately.

Softwing turned to Rippletail purring, “So, the father finally calms down?”

“It would appear so,” Swanfeather said. “Although, I can almost gaurantee it will only be temporary.”

“Agreed,” Rippletail nodded.

“I also agree,” Poppybounce added.

Softwing turned her clear blue eyes toward Swanfeather, “Isn’t the mother more excited? This is your first time, isn’t it?”

“I would be more excited if it didn’t feel like I was lugging around an extra cat,” Swanfeather replied. “But yes, this is my first time.”

Softwing purred, “Lay down, I can tell you how many kits you’re going to have.” Swanfeather lay on her side. Softwing prodded her belly, “Three, or maybe four.” She arched her back in a stretch. “You’ll need to stay here, Swanfeather.”

Swanfeather sat up, her tail twitching irritably, “What, why?”

“HoneyClan doesn’t have a medicine cat,” Softwing pointed out, “And I don’t need you overexerting yourself and harming your kits.”

“And Rippletail will stay here,” Poppybounce told the black-and-white queen. “I don’t need him worthlessly pacing the camp worrying about you.”

“I don’t care, I’m coming back to camp,” Swanfeather said stubbornly, “I still have three more moons of kit-free life, and I’m not spending them waiting around here.”

Softwing narrowed her eyes, “You will stay here. Poppybounce will return to camp,” she said firmly. “You can hunt here, on the island, with Rippletail until I say. I want to watch you, your Clan doesn’t have a medicine cat.”

Swanfeather flattened her ears against her head, “You can watch me while I’m leaving.” She glared at the pale gray Prophetess. “I am not staying here and being useless!”

“Staying healthy, and providing healthy kits, is not worthless. You will do what Softwing says,” Poppybounce growled.

“You can still hunt here,” Softwing soothed the angry queen. “You will stay here until I deem you fit enough to return to HoneyClan with your kits.”

“Send Rippletail when she’s about to kit, I’ll send Sandyflower and Brightsky,” Poppybounce told her sister, who nodded in agreement.

Swanfeather hissed.

“None of that,” Softwing told her. “Come, we’ll gather some bracken to make a den for you and your mate.”

Poppybounce dipped her head, “I’ll be going now.”

“May StarClan be with you,” Softwing said.

Poppybounce touched her tail to her sister’s flank, “And you, sister.”

Swanfeather groaned.

Poppybounce waved goodbye with her tail, and crossed over the log, heading towards HoneyClan territory.

Rippletail bounced around excitedly.

Softwing touched her tail to Rippletail’s back. “Calm down. I have some thyme if you need it.”

“Swanfeather, come with me,” Softwing told her. “Rippletail, go find some bracken.”

Swanfeather padded after Softwing, “What are we doing?”

“I just think you two need to take a little break,” Softwing said breezily.

“Why’s that?” Swanfeather asked.

“He just needs to calm down,” Softwing commented.

Swanfeather sighed, “I agree. I’m glad he’s happy, but he’s a bit too excited.”

Softwing purred, “All toms are like that with their first litter.” Her ears twitched. “Be ready for him to want to shut you up in your den and never let you out.”

Swanfeather growled, “He better not, or I’ll kick him all the way to Silverpelt.”

Softwing purred, “You’ll need to be ready, they’re always protective.”

Swanfeather let out a mrow of laughter, “So what are we doing here again?”

“We’re going to wait here, for Rippletail,” Softwing reminded her.

Swanfeather opened her mouth to argue.

“And when he gets back, we will all build the temporary nursery,” Softwing continued. “Including you.”

“Fine,” Swanfeather grumbled.

## Chapter Three

“Rippletail, quick!” Softwing yowled. “Go get Sandyflower and Brightsky!”

Rippletail leaped to his feet, gave his mate a quick lick on the head, and raced away quickly to fetch Brightsky and Sandyflower.

Brightsky licked the top of her kit’s head as a gray tom-cat came sprinting into HoneyClan’s camp.

“Quick! Come with me!” Rippletail panted. “Swanfeather is having her kits!”

Brightsky jumped to her paws, “It’s time?”

Sandyflower fluffed out her fur, “We need to go.”

“I’ll tell Honeystar!” Heatherkit said, racing towards the leader’s den.

The three cats started racing towards the Gathering island, Sandyflower lagging behind.

“Has she started?” Sandyflower asked Softwing when they arrived.

“Just started,” Softwing told her.

Swanfeather groaned in pain.

Rippletail shoved past Softwing, “It’ll be okay, my little dove! Think of how beautiful our kits will be!”

“I’m--” Softwing panted. “Not--your--dove.” She convulsed in pain.

“They’ll be smart, and sharp tongued, just like you,” Rippletail murmured, licking his mate’s head.

“And handsome--just like you,” Swanfeather whispered, shuddering in pain.

Sandyflower and Brightsky sat down beside Swanfeather.

“You’re doing great,” Sandyflower soothed. She turned to Softwing, “She needs a stick.”

“Oh right!” Softwing looked over at Rippletail. “Go fetch her a stick! Not rotten, young and strong.”

Rippletail dashed away to find a stick, and Swanfeather yowled in pain.

Moments later, Rippletail burst back into the clearing. “I’ve got it!” He gave the stick to Softwing.

Softwing pushed the stick towards Swanfeather. “Bite down on this when the pain comes,” she told the panting queen.

Swanfeather held the stick lightly in her jaws.

“Is she going to be okay?” Rippletail asked, nervously pacing back and forth.

Brightsky stood up and walked over to the anxious tom, “She’ll be fine. Kitting is the most natural thing in the world,” she murmured.

Swanfeather began to yowl.

Sandyflower placed one paw on her belly, “One’s coming.”

Rippletail anxiously bounced on his toes.

“Rippletail, come with me,” Brightsky padded out of the nursery.

“Swanfeather, push!” Softwing cried.

Rippletail followed Brightsky out of the nursery, casting one last look at his mate.