Waging War Book 3: Blood Red Moon {COMPLETE}

Chapter 9

The cold, bitter air made Owlpaw shivered as she stepped outside. It bit at her lungs and made her let out a cough. My cough hasn't been an issue as of late. She thought with slight worry but pressed forward through the camp. Each day was getting colder and colder, she glanced up towards the sky where she saw pale gray clouds. Snow will be coming soon. Owlpaw knew this as she had heard both Pebblestep and Honeyfrost talking about it.

She turned her attention to the nursery where she was headed with a jawful of herbs. She poked her head inside and was very pleased with the warm den she stepped into. The nursery was very crowded now, especially since Petalbreeze gave birth to Ivykit and Lightkit.

"Good morning, Owlpaw." Dovepool was the first to greet her and her tiny little kits barreled towards Owlpaw.

"Are those for us?" Squeaked Doekit. "I don't like eating leaves."

Owlpaw let out a quiet purr and set the herbs down. "No, these are for your mother and aunts." She waved her tail.

"Why don't you ever bring things for us?" Mintkit pouted. "I want stuff."

"Well all I have is bitter herbs." Owlpaw laughed softly. "I don't think you want what I have." Mintkit let out a snort, he was clearly not convinced. "If I see your father I'll ask him to bring you something."

That seemed to brighten up their spirits. "What do those herbs do?" Acornkit questioned, his eyes full of curiosity.

"These help queens produce milk to keep you little ones fed." Owlpaw explained.

"What is it called?"

"It's called borage."

"Why do they need it? Can they not make milk on their own?"

"No they can, but this helps them produce more. Especially for Sedgefern and Dovepool who are nearly finishing nursing you."

"What about Petalbreeze?"

"Petalbreeze just had her kits a few days ago so she has plenty of milk, I just want to make sure that she's making enough for Lightkit and Ivykit."

"Why haven't Ivykit and Lightkit done anything? All they do is sleep."

"When kits are just born they need lots of sleep, getting born is just as exhausting for them as it is for the mother."

"When will they start to play?"

"Probably in about a moon, you lot have only recently started playing."

"Why--"

"Acornkit." Dovepool spoke up, looking exhausted. "That's enough, you're going to talk Owlpaw's poor ears off." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Owlpaw. He's just full of questions."

"It's alright." Owlpaw assured them, looking at Acornkit who looked annoyed to be silenced. While Acornkit had been questioning her Owlpaw finished handing out all the herbs. She looked around and couldn't help but notice that Heatherflight and Squirreltail were gone. "Where are the other two?"

"Squirreltail went to get some prey with her family and Heatherflight slept in the warriors den last night." Sedgefern asked, her own kits were napping at her belly. "I think she's struggling to sleep with all the active kits. Juniperkit didn't want to sleep at all."

I wonder if Heatherflight finally feels ready to move back into the warrior den. Owlpaw wondered. She had given birth to two stillborn kits before Owlpaw was even born but the emotional damage had kept her in the nursery grieving her lost kits. Maybe she's finally read to return to her warrior duties.