Looming Darkness

Chapter 13

Echoheart watched Jasminekit opening her eyes. It had been a quiet half-moon since Whispersong's and Bumblefrost's daughter had been born. And in that half-moon, every cat in DawnClan seemed to have finally accepted Bumblefrost and Whispersong. The birth of a new DawnClan kit, and seeing what a great father Bumblefrost was, had finally proven to DawnClan that Bumblefrost could belong in this Clan. Yes, some cats were still wary and skeptical of having a former DayClan warrior and his half-Clan kit in DawnClan, but no cat let that show. Jasminekit would be DawnClan through and through; she'd never second guess her loyalty to her Clan
Jasminekit let out a squeak of happiness as she saw her mother's face. Whispersong purred. "Mother's here." Jasminekit half-giggled, half-squealed.

Echoheart smiled. Jasminekit looked exactly like Whispersong: silver tabby fur with thin stripes and a long, thin tail. But she did have the subtle, muscled build of her father; long, strong legs meant for chasing prey over the grasslands.

Meadowheart's kits, now just over two and a half moons old, were watching Jasminekit in wonder.

"Over here, Jasminekit!" Pansykit squealed, trying to get the small kit to look at her.

Jasminekit giggled again, letting out a small squeal, then rolled onto her back clumsily. She looked upside down at Meadowheart's kits, batting at them.

"Hey!" Acornkit mewled in surprise.

Cricketkit and Pollenkit laughed.

Whispersong was smiling wider than Echoheart had seen in awhile, which made Echoheart smile.

Jasminekit tried to stand up again, but wobbled and fell, then proceeded to crawl awkwardly toward Whispersong. Whispersong licked her daughter affectionately on her tiny head.

Just then Bumblefrost stepped inside the den, a small vole in his jaws. Jasminekit let out an excited squeal as she saw her father, and Bumblefrost's pale green eyes lit up. He dropped the vole then touched noses with Whispersong and licked Jasminekit's small head.

Bumblefrost meowed, "I caught this for you on the hunting patrol."

"How was it?" Whispersong asked.

Bumblefrost shrugged. "Getting better. Rustypelt still won't talk to me, but he's not being mean or glaring at me, so that's an improvement. And all the apprentices are warmed up to me, even Cherrypaw and Lilacpaw. The older warriors are still a little wary of me, but Eveningstar, I think, has finally accepted me."

Whispersong nodded and smiled.

"But they still won't let me near the DayClan border; not that I want to anyway. Eveningstar says it's just to keep DayClan from becoming provoked if they see me. I mean, I understand his reasoning; you can't trust some of the DayClan cats' judgement, not since Rainstar brainwashed them. Although, I suppose it's better now that Nettlestar is leader..." he sighed and shrugged. "But it doesn't even matter. I don't even want to go near DayClan. They'd punish me for betraying them, just like R—" he cut off, shook his head and looked away, then mumbled, "Nevermind."

"I'm sure it will all calm down eventually," Echoheart meowed. "Every cat will accept you are now a DawnClan cat, and when you go to Gatherings—"

"I don't want to go to any Gatherings," Bumblefrost meowed quietly, still looking away at the den entrance, a distant look in his eyes.

"You don't have to," Whispersong murmured.

"I want to go to Gatherings!" Pollenkit squealed from behind Meadowheart, bouncing up and down beside his siblings, who nodded vigorously in agreement.

"You will," Meadowheart assured them. "In time." The tortoiseshell queen glanced at Whispersong, then meowed, "Come on, let's go outside."

Jasminekit was fast asleep, pressed up against Whispersong. Whispersong's eyes were closing. She must not have gotten much sleep last night.