Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-One

"Sweetscent," a hushed whisper roused the deputy from her slumber and she opened her eyes. What greeted her was the face of Flameheart. "Sweetscent, I need to talk to you." The she-cat whispered, ducking out of the warriors' den and sitting down.

Sweetscent stretched and followed the urgent sounding she-cat outside and looked at her. "What's wrong?" She asked, gazing at the ginger tabby with confusion and worry.

Flameheart looked uncomfortable as if she suddenly didn't want to speak to the deputy. Taking a deep breath, she meowed. "I'm expecting kits," she mewed out of the blue.

"That's great, Flameheart!" Exclaimed Sweetscent, feeling happy for her friend. "Who is the father?" She asked, eager to know who the father of her kits is going to be.

Flameheart shifted her paws and looked down. "Sparrowgorse is the father." She mumbled, making Sweetscent squeal in delight.

"My son is going to be a father!" She purred, tail flicking in happiness. Her joy was short lived as the ginger tabby she-cat went on.

"Sweetscent, he doesn't want kits of his own." Flameheart meowed, eyes somber. "What am I going to do?" She asked, desperate for comfort.

Sweetscent's jaw dropped but she quickly regained herself, flicking her tail across her shoulders. "I'll help you raise them, whether my son likes kits or not." She meowed, eyes soft.

Flameheart nodded slowly and padded off into the warriors' den, leaving Sweetscent alone with her thoughts.

**********

Sweetscent stalked through the undergrowth, her tail flicking back and forth as she led her Clanmates behind Larchstar towards the Gathering. Rain pelted down like hail on the fur of all the traveling cats.

Lightning struck the ground beside Smallraven, making him yelp in surprise and fear and stick close to Pearpelt who was at the front of the group.

Larchstar lifted his tail and the cats behind him froze. "I heard something," he warned, glancing around.

Sharppaw snorted and padded forward. "Hearing things, Larchstar?" He sneered, padding in front of the group and past the black tom. "Who's th-" The apprentice cut off as he was tackled by a strange shape and yowled in pain.

Sweetscent snarled and leaped at his attacker, claws striking flesh as she tore the cat off the apprentice and tossing them to the ground. Dodging a blow to the cheek and instead, taking it on the shoulder, Sweetscent sent the strange cat away with a bite to the shoulder and a slashed chest.

Sharppaw looked scared when Sweetscent glanced at him. "That's why you stop when your leader tells you to stop, Sharppaw." She scolded, her wounds starting to sting.

Sharppaw lowered his head in submission and sulked back to where he was trotting with Podpaw. He didn't talk much during the Gathering where Strikestar announced sadly that Tumbletiger had been viciously killed by rogues and Tigerspeck, Jaggedstrike, and Barkflame retired to the elders' den. He also reported Blackstrike and Goldenfall delivered a litter of kits each.

Larchstar looked happy at his report but hid it well, despite Sweetscent catching joy in his green eyes. Starlingstar announced that Raggedspots had too retired to the elders' den following a bout of Whitecough that weakened him.

After Froststar announced that Fallowhawk gave birth to two healthy kits, Bluekit and Wildkit, the Gathering came to a close and all the Clans left to their respective territories. But little did the cats of FireClan know what lay in their camp when they returned.