Super Edition: Briarsong's Renascence

Chapter 19

Briarsong and Ivybranch were relaxing in the Medicine Cat den after a particularly hard night of training their apprentices when Fernwhisper peeked her head inside.

"Hello," Fernwhisper announced herself.

"Hello." Ivybranch drew herself back up onto her paws. "How can we be of help?"

"I think I'm with kits." Fernwhisper made direct eye contact with Briarsong who was so surprised her jaw hung open.

"That is wonderful." Ivybranch purred. Briarsong felt a tail lay across her paws and knew Ivybranch was warning her to stay neutral. "Would you like me to feel around you belly?"

"Yes." Fernwhisper padded into the den and lay on her side for Ivybranch to push around on her belly.

"It is still early, but I would hesitate a guess and say you are probably with kits." Ivybranch announced after a few tense moments. 

"Aren't you going to ask me who the father is?" Fernwhisper sneered. Briarsong tightened her jaw and felt her claws digging into the dirt floor of the den. Ivybranch sat on Briarsongs tail to try and keep the situation under control but Briarsong already knew the name based on the sneer of triumph on Fernwshipers face. 

"I am sure whoever the father is he will be very happy to celebrate with you privately." Ivybranch said sternly. Fernwhisper glared at her and then met Briarsong's gaze before saying.

"They are Sully's kits."

"Why are you doing this?" Briarsong blurted. Ivybranch tried to grab her but she was already up and in the she-cats face. "He's a lot older than you and he's not even going to be staying here in Moonclan."

"This is for getting both my parents killed." Fernwhisper growled. "Payback for all the heartache and loneliness you caused me and my siblings when you didn't get to Sunheart fast enough, and then dropped Cinderstar to her death. It's because of you we were orphaned. Now you feel the pain of loss."

Briarsong was so shocked she took a few paw steps backwards. 

"I think its time for you to leave." Ivybranch escorted the she-cat out of the den. "Briarsong," she whispered. "they might not be Sully's. Fernwhisper has a reputation around camp for going after any tom who is even a little bit nice to her. There are still a few single toms in camp, it could be any of them."

"I didn't know she hated me." Briarsong squeaked out. "Do all of Cinderstar's kits hate me?"

"No." Ivybranch licked her mentors shoulder. "Fernwhisper just has a lot of issues of her own. She's a terrible hunter, failed her Apprentice test three times, and was turned down by Voletail multiple times. She is just spiteful and wants to feel in control. I highly doubt they are even Sully's kits."

"I need to know for sure." Briarsong didn't let Ivybranch stop her as she left the den to find Sully. She was lucky and found him asleep in the Warrior den after looking around camp for a little while. She nudged him awake and pulled him to a private spot next to Dawnstar's den where a large branch stuck out and gave them a little privacy. He was still very sleepy and kept yawning.

"It is true?" Briarsong hissed in a low whisper after they were situated. 

"Good to see you too." Sully gave her a light hearted smile. "Its been a long time since we could talk just the two of us. Now I'm not mad, I know you are super busy being important. But I have missed you and I am so glad you came and found me."

"Fernwhisper just came to see us in the Medicine Cat Den," Briarsong shot at him. Sully looked genially confused. "She is with kits."

"Good for her. Who is the lucky tom?"

"She says its you." Briarsong felt her heart beating so fast she was worried Sully could hear it. Sully's eyes grew wide and he stiffened. 

"Me? That can't be true." He shook his head. 

"You are together a lot." Briarsong challenged. "I see you walking out of camp together to hunt, and I see her hanging all over you."

Sully narrowed his eyes and flicked his ears. "I'm sorry I made friends. Its not like you are available to go hunting or hang out with." 

"Friends? Appleblaze is a friend, Cloudpelt is a friend. Fernwhisper says she is carrying your kits."

"Okay so maybe she is a little flirty." Sully admitted with a shrug. "But she doesn't mean any harm by it. She's just a young she-cat with a lot of energy and emotions. I'm just being friendly."

"Look me in the eyes and tell me she isn't carrying your kits." Briarsong said with a fear that bore into her very soul. Sully met her eyes with his usually warm and inviting ones. She remembered the many afternoons laying in the sun together, the many evenings they waited for Brody and the Farmer together. He had taught her how to catch mice and had been there for her when she was afraid and sad. He had never pressured her to love him in return but had allowed her to be who she was.

"I don't think she is carrying my kits." Sully said very slowly and very deliberately.

"What do you mean think." The two cats stood looking at each other for a few moments and Sully didn't reply at first.

"There is a very small possibility they are mine. But its very small and I don't think they are."

"How could you?" Briarsong couldn't hold back the rage that was blazing inside her.

"How could I? I've loved you since you would sit in the window at the twolegs and we would talk all night long. I've been patient and I've been your friend for a very long time but when you brought me to this unfamiliar place with all these strangers and then disappeared to go train, I got confused and lonely."

"I didn't force you to come here." Briarsong spat back. "I never begged you to come."

"You wouldn't have would you? You would have easily just left me behind if I didn't come." Sully snapped. He was mad too. "I give you my love, my friendship, and you would have just easily left me behind."

"I would have only left you to protect you from the dangers of clan life." Briarsong defended herself. "I didn't know you would fit in so easily. I was worried they would pick on you."

"Cats who love each other don't leave each other behind. They brave the dangers of the unknown together because they are stronger together than apart."

"It doesn't matter if I love you if they end up being your kits." Briarsong said softly, feeling defeated and exhausted all of a sudden. "We'll know in two moons for sure."

"I don't think they are mine." Sully was practically in tears but Briarsong couldn't meet his gaze for fear that he could be wrong. "Please don't shut me out." be begged. 

"I need to focus on training the new Medicine Cats. When Fernwhisker has her kits we will talk again." Briarsong pushed passed him and back out into camp where she scurried back to the Medicine Cat den.