Warriors: Rising Tide

Chapter 53: Sagelight

I dropped off the two mice in the dwindling fresh kill pile. I sighed and turned to Plumpaw, who had been unable to catch anything.

"Should we go out and hunt again mom?" My little daughter asked. I shook my head.

"There should be another patrol heading out soon, if Cardinalrush even set one up"

"O-ok..." Plumpaw looked around confused. "Wha-what should I do than?"

"Why don't you go relax?" I offered. I glanced back at the fresh kill. Other than my two mice, there was a small squirrel and another mouse. "I'll take the squirrel to the queens, see if they ate today"

"I'll go take a mouse to Ravenclaw" Plumpaw chirped. She grabbed one of my fresh mice and bolted to Ravenclaw. She sent wet mud flying everywhere as she raced across the clearing. Seeing her energetic sent waves of worry over me as she reminded me of Screechpaw. Where did my mouse brain daughter run off too? Sparrowscar and a few others are looking while I keep an eye on my other three. But still... I grabbed the squirrel and headed off to the queens. I pushed through the entrance and entered the much drier nursery.

"Ooo! Look mom! Sagelight brought a squirrel for you!" I heard Elmkit declare as he raced over. "Wow! It is had big as me!"

"That's cause your really small" Heatkit mocked from where her mother was curled up in a nest.

"I am not small! Your just fat like a Riverclan cat!"

"Elmkit! Heatkit! Stop insulting eachother" Orchidfrost scolded. Nightrain chuckled a little.

"They sound like me and Slatefoot when we were kits" Nightrain commented. "Hi Sagelight!"

"Hi guys" I mewed through the squirrel. I placed it between the two queens and they began to slowly munch on it.

"Guess it's still muddy outside" Orchidfrost guesses from my mud covered paws and underbelly.

"Yeah, I am gonna be cleaning my pelt for moons" I grumbled.

"Aww... that means we can't go outside and play" Heatkit grumbled.

"There is still plenty of room to play in here" Nightrain commented.

"Will you play with us Nightrain?" Elmkit asked. The dark speckled she-cat laughed.

"I can try, but let me eat first"

"Hows your kits taking apprentice life?" Orchidfrost asked earnestly. I pinned my ears back at the question and the two queens saw my disheartening expression. "Kits why don't you go and visit Ravenclaw? I bet he has plenty of stories to tell you"

"But Nightrain was gonna play with us" Elmkit protested. Heatkit grabbed his scruff and yanked a little.

"Elmkit that doesn't matter! Mom is letting us go outside!" Heatkit squealed as she scurried out of the nursery. Elmkit chased after her calling out.

"Wait up Heatkit!"

"What's wrong Sagelight?" Orchidfrost asked as soon as her kits left the nursery. Nightrain and her watched me with anxious eyes. I sighed and confessed my worries.

"I am worried about all my kits" I mumbled. "I woke up this morning to see Eaglepaw heading to the medicine at den with a new scratch. I haven't seen Screechpaw all day, and so now their are warriors looking for her, which is terrifying me. Plumpaw is doing okay, but I can see she isn't happy being a warrior apprentice. And Ashenpaw is trying to act like a warrior when she should try and focus on training" I wanted to cry. "I feel useless...."

"Have you tried talking to Cardinalrush about Eaglepaw?" Orchidfrost asked, which Nightrain scoffed at.

"No offense Orchidfrost, but talking to Cardinalrush is like trying to befriend a badger" Nightrain commented, "She would scratch your face off than take criticism"