Warriors: Pebblescar's Reality

Chapter 21

"Have you gone to see Minnowfrost's kits yet?"

"It's been a half-moon now. Almost everybody in the Clan has."

Pebblescar watched, his gaze trained intently on the two warriors. They'd come out to hunt together. He'd heard from other patrols, which had gossiped about them proclaiming themselves as mates any time now, but he hadn't cared much about the information except that it meant they'd be alone, compared to normal patrols, which had been increased in size. He let a grin creep onto his face. All because of him.

Lakestrike sighed in response to Pikenose's answer. "What with the things those kits had to go through before being born, it's only expectable."

The creamy brown tom nodded as he raised his head and dropped his jaw to taste the air for prey. "It's quite a pity."

The she-cat made as if to reply, but Pikenose's expression morphed and he abruptly cut her off. "Is that scent - Pebblescar?"

Pebblescar held his breath as he watched. He'd rolled in some unknown but especially vile-smelling substance to cover his odor and he only hoped that they were smelling the trail that he'd purposely made and not him.

"I smell it too," Lakestripe said, her tone stripped of its lightness and now filled with seriousness. She shared a glance with Pikenose. "Do we get more cats and follow him, or should we go after him ourselves?"

"I-" Pikenose cut himself off, staring in the direction of the trail. "I want to, but you saw-" His voice trembled and he broke off once again, before finally continuing. "You saw what he did to Gartooth, Featherlight, and Ripplefoot."

"I remember," Lakestripe said, her voice tight. "It's not something that I can ever forget." She turned. "Let's go."

Pikenose followed her, casting one last glance through the gaps in the trees to where the trail led.

---

Two sundowns later, Pebblescar observed carefully through the reeds as the excitement and playing of Minnowfrost's - no, his - kits slowly died down and they eventually fell asleep in a pile of small bodies.

Minnowfrost watched wearily from the side, a small smile that spoke volumes of contentedness and tiredness at the same time covering her face, finally getting and retrieving them once all were silent, taking each one to her nest. Reedkit awoke and began to wail before Minnowfrost shushed him, and he drank her milk for a moment before lapsing back into sleep.

"Minnowfrost," Hailtail's voice came, and she stepped out from the shadows on the other side of the den.

"Yes, Hailtail?" the gray she-cat lifted her head and raised her gaze to Hailtail. Pebblescar's heart gave a pang at the sight of her beautiful, clear blue eyes.

"You should really eat something. Trout, perhaps? Water vole if you're feeling otherwise?" the medicine cat asked, some unidentifiable expression playing over her face. "Come along with me, and we can share something."

"I-" Minnowfrost glanced down at her kits and back again at Hailtail. "Well - I don't think - could you possibly grab something from the pile for me? I'm sorry to trouble you, but-"

"But what, Minnowfrost?" Hailtail took another step forward, a mask of no expression falling over her face barely a moment after Pebblescar was able to make out the concern. "But what? I noticed. I noticed you, muttering in your sleep, the way you flinch when some cat abruptly calls you out, how you bring your kits closer to you when they stray too near the entrance to the den."