Warrior cat fanfic!! :)

Chapter 4

It was newleaf, and the last cold shards of leafbare slowly floated away, leaving Claret's den warm. She arched her back and headed out. The thunderpath was as disgusting as always, and he held her breath as she streaked across, the wind ruffling her sleek pelt. She had barely eaten in the past few days. As she approached the farmhouse that had been there for many generations, she saw three mice scamper around a corn field. Immediately, she crouched low, keeping her tail down. As she got closer, a twig snapped under her paw and the mice scattered. Scowling to herself, Claret streaked towards two of the mice and killed them with satisfying crunches of her fangs. The other mouse was still wandering around and seeming lost, as if he was looking for his companions. Too bad he won't find them in time. She thought to herself before throwing herself on the prey and snapping its neck with one quick bite. She meowed triumphantly and dragged the three mice to the farmhouse, her chest puffed up proudly at her great catch. She slotted a hind leg between the door slats and dragged herself through, biting onto the mice. Then she hurried up the ladder and onto the dusty panel of hay. Then she climbed up a second ladder onto a cleaner floor, in which her friends stayed. "Latte! Butter! Zebra!" she called to the three former kittypets, Latte padded out, her copper coat shining against the sunlight. Butter stepped out next alongside Zebra, who's black and white splotchy pelt was matted back. Butter shook off his yellow pelt and licked his chops.

"Mm! Mouse! Delicious!" He took one from the pile and split it with Zebra, who used his fangs to slice it right down the middle. Then he sliced a second mouse in half and gave one to each cat.

"So, anything new?" asked Claret, her belly feeling full and her mouth full of mouse.

"Yes!" mewed Latte, "Zebra and I are expecting kits!" She raised her forepaws so Claret could see how her mainly slender frame bulged massively at her belly.

"How about you?" Claret turned to Butter. "Any news on Copperear?" Copperear was a stray who liked to visit the barn every half moon.

Butter nodded. "I asked her to be my mate," he said. "Our nest is in the back." he purred at the thought of the long furred copper and white she-cat.

Claret grinned and fluffed out her now larger belly. "That was very filling!" She mewed, before bidding her friends goodbye and heading down a ladder. Suddenly, a cry rose up. Claret hurried back up to see Latte writhing in pain on the wooden panels of the floor.

"she's kitting!" Meowed Zebra, as Latte convulsed and pain seemed to grip her as she yowled again.

trying to be useful, Claret circled around and placed a hawthorn twig between her friend's jaws, before instructing her to bite down. Latte bit down and the wood flew out of her mouth. Convulsing again, Claret guided a small membrane bundle out of its mother. She sliced the membrane open and a white kit purred, blindly walking around. Full of confidence, Claret got two more kits out safely, before the fourth membrane pouch tumbled out and when it opened a tiny kit came waddling out, her paws tucked under her spiky tail. Purring, she nuzzled her mother's cheek and jumped back in alarm as another convulsion gripped her mother and, yowling in pain, a final kit was born. Smiling weakly, Latte nuzzled all five of her kits. Three of them were Tom-kits, two were she-kits. One kit had a honey colored pelt and a spiky tail, and the other had a star shaped patch of fur on her belly. She ruffled her black and white fur and began meowing, kneading her mother's belly. The first born Tom-kit had a beige pelt and specks of white. He snuggled deep into his mother's belly fur. The other two Tom-kits both had copper pelts, but one had a splotch of black on his belly fur.

Purring with delight, Latte cradled her kits, lapping at their tiny heads gently. Zebra padded over, eyes burning with love as he saw his newborn kits. "They're beautiful!" he purred, nuzzling their heads.

Nodding, Claret scampered off, knowing she would not be of any use to them at the moment. She realised she was still hungry. She spotted a plump rabbit darting out of a bush and purred in delight before leaping for it and killing it with one bite.

The mouth-watering scent of blood filled her chest and she held back from eating as she ran back to her camp, feeling proud of herself.

"This is all you caught?!" snapped Mudshell, slashing Claret's muzzle.

"Sorry." Claret turned away, her muzzle burning.

"Sorry won't fill hungry bellies! And if it is all you caughtm how come you stink of mouse!?" he hissed, before looking away and sheathing his claws. "Snoweye would be a better mate than you."

Fury blazed through Claret and she turned and raked her unsheathed claws down Mudshell's spine. He yowled but she didn't hear as red rimmed her sight and she hissed furiously, scratching at his muzzle. "Then why would you do this?!" she screeched, backing away from the bloodied cat. Mudshell raked his claws down her pelt and left, heading for Snoweye's den.

Hurt flashed through Claret and she bounded out of camp. "Where are you going?!" her littermate, Cardinal, yowled. Blood stained Claret's pelt, but she still looked majestic as she entered WarClan's camp.

A flurry of friendly faces met hers as the cats came out to greet her. Curtclaw stormed out of his den. "Who are you?!" he hissed, his eyes sparkling withg hostility,

"Cla-cl-" she barely maneged to mew before her knees buckled and her vision faded to black.