The Secret Language of the Forest (A Warrior Cats Story.)

Chapter Eleven - A New day

Sootpaw rushes towards me, looking delighted to see me.

"Hey, Cedarpaw! I see you have survived!" She laughs, nuzzling me in a friendly manor. I laugh in return.

"Yeah." I sound more burnt-out than I intend, but Sootpaw does not seem to notice. SwiftStream glances casually in my direction.

"So I see you have finally decided to join us." She mews, smiling warmly. "I trust you are up for a round of training?" I nod enthusiastically.

"What are we going to be doing?" SwiftStream sits down looking thoughtful for a moment, before responding.

"Well, Sootpaw and I have just finished hunting, and we have already done patrol and battle training, so, you know what that leaves!" SwiftStream then grinned in a slightly sarcastic manor.

"What?" I ask, nervously inquiring what else SwiftStream could have planned for us.

"Gathering fresh bedding for WinterPool and the Elders!" Sootpaw and I groan simultaneously, and exchange a dread filled glance with each other. "Hey, it is either that or you can go and pick ticks off of EagleWind."

"Gathering bedding sounds great!" I reply, looking mortified at the prospect of having to spend the afternoon with a pile of mouse bile, digging through some grumpy Elder's fur in search of ticks. SwiftStream nods, holding a smug look in her eyes.

"That's what I thought. Now, run along you two!" As the two of us scamper into the woods to the mossy area, we laugh at our misfortune at being told to carry out such an undesirable task.

"Can you believe SwiftStream?" Sootpaw mews, shaking her head.

"I know! She should have made us spend the time doing something useful instead." I laugh.

"You know, I blame this one on you, Cedarpaw!"

"What? Why is it my fault?" I respond, holding back more laughter.

"If you had not asked, I could have suggested something more fun!"

We soon reach the moss-gathering place, and sigh in amusement. I begin to collect a large paw-full of soft moss, creating a bundle that is large enough to line at least two nests. Glancing over at Sootpaw, I see that she is collecting the leaves and small twigs. Once enough material has been gathered by the two of us, we pad back to camp, trotting confidently through the forest. After we slip into the camp, SwiftStream sifts through our supplies, nodding her head in approval.

"Nice job, these supplies will do wonderfully. Cedarpaw, you can go and tend to WinterPool's nest, and Sootpaw, I want you to do the Elder's nests." I nod in agreement before grabbing enough twigs and moss to make a nest, and scampering to the nursery.

As I reach the large, spacious den, I poke my head inside.

"WinterPool? I've got bedding to make you a new nest!" I call, padding inside slowly. To my surprise, I do not see her in the den's main compartment. Looking around, I call her name again. "WinterPool? Are you in here?" I then cock my head to listen for a response. There is none, however, I can hear faint sounds of pain coming from the back of the den. Feeling slightly curious, I pad in.

Heading closer, I hear the sounds grow louder as WinterPool's faint whimpering progress into yowls. "WinterPool? Are you alright?" I mew, cautiously padding even closer. The silver and white tabby cat is lying stretched out on her side. Her blue eyes dart frantically around the den as she exclaims

"Cedarpaw! Get HazelDawn, quickly!"

"Why? Is something wrong?" I mew, looking towards the exit.

"My kits are coming!" My eyes widen, and I scamper out of the nursery, dropping the moss and twigs on its dusty floor. As I run towards the medicine cat den, SwiftStream stops me.

"Done already? That was quick!" She mews. I shake my head and catch my breath.

"No, WinterPool's kits are coming!" SwiftStream gives a look of understanding.

"Oh, I see! In that case, you should get HazelDawn! I'll go and make sure she is alright until she comes." I nod, then scurry into HazelDawn's den. To my relief, she does not appear to be busy, and is only sifting slowly through a pile of herbs.

"HazelDawn! WinterPool's kittens are coming! She needs your help!" HazelDawn gives me a look of surprise, and then grabs a paw-full of herbs from a low shelf.

"How exciting! I shall be right there!" She starts to follow me out of the den, and then stops to call for her apprentice. "Badgerpaw, come and help me tend to WinterPool!" The black and white tom comes scurrying out in excitement.

By now, most of the clan has heard of the event, and has gathered around the den in anticipation. "Make way! Make way!" HazelDawn calls out, pushing her way through the crowd. Craning my neck to get a better view, I notice that SwiftStream has managed to get WinterPool out into the open. MossClaw, WinterPool's mate, is sitting by her side, whispering what I assume are words of encouragement to her. Smiling softly to myself, I think about how lucky their kits will be to have such loving parents.

As the first kitten starts to come out, WinterPool looks up at HazelDawn with fear and confusion.

"One is coming out! What do I do?" She mews, sounding frantic. HazelDawn smiles warmly.

"You'll be fine, just push." The clan seems to hold its breath as a small, black and white kitten slides out. HazelDawn then takes the kitten, and gently licks its short fur, cleaning it off. The kitten lets out a tiny, scared sounding mewl as it wriggles towards its mother. "It's a male!" HazelDawn exclaims.

WinterPool smiles, and licks her son lovingly. Then, she winces as another kitten starts to make its way into the world. The second one comes quicker than the first, and WinterPool starts to calm down, cleaning the little silver kitten off herself. Before she is able to finish, a third kitten is born. This one is has red fur, like MossClaw. Taking hold of the third kitten, MossClaw gently cleans it, licking its fur with his course tongue.

HazelDawn closely examines the three kittens. "One male and two females!" She smiles at WinterPool and MossClaw. "Congratulations!" Wrapping her long tail around the three tiny kittens, WinterPool looks at them with immense pride and joy. She then motions towards the black and white male.

"This one shall be named Patchkit, for the black patches in his fur." She then looks towards MossClaw, signaling for him to name the next one. MossClaw motions to the red colored she-kit.

"She shall be called Rowankit, for her fur is red, like the berries." WinterPool smiles in approval, then motions towards the last kitten.

"Finally, this one shall be named Spiderkit, for her fur is sliver like the cave spiders in the clan exit."

After all three kittens are named, the clan cheers in celebration. Many mews of

"How cute!"

"Congratulations on the new kittens!"

"They have such adorable names!" And,

"WinterPool and MossClaw are so lucky!" Ring out through the gathering of cats. OpalStar looks on silently from the side. For once, a smile is on her pale colored face, and she actually appears happy for the new parents. As Badgerpaw and HazelDawn pad away to resume tending to the wounded cats, I notice that Badgerpaw looks slightly saddened. When he looks up at me, his amber eyes are filled with longing.