It's been a moon since Ripplewave has seen Lionstrike. She's felt uneasy and sick most of the time, so she headed over to the medicine den to see Thistlewhisper. I hope it is nothing serious... she thought as she padded into the den, Thistlewhisper now looking up from her nest with a smile. "Hello, Ripplewave!" she meowed, then stretched herself out before getting up.
"Hi." she mewed back, sighing.
"Something wrong? Are you hurting somewhere? Did you step on a sharp stone?" Thistlewhisper meowed, looking all around the white-furred she-cat's body to make sure she didn't have any injuries.
"It's just that I've been feeling uneasy and sick and I don't know why... I've been feeling heavy recently too..." she meowed and sighed.
"Hmm... Could you lay on your side for me?" Thistlewhisper asked.
"Sure thing!" Ripplewave replied, doing as the medicine cat said.
Thistlewhisper padded back to the front of the she-cat and put a paw on her belly and rubbed it slowly. Ripplewave couldn't help but give a purr as the Driftclan medicine cat rubbed her paw on her belly. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the rubbing. A few heartbeats later, Thistlewhisper stopped and gave a smile. "Well, Ripplewave." she started.
"Hmm?" she opened her eyes. "Why'd you stop? I was just enjoying that!" Ripplewave exclaimed and smirked.
"Eventually you'll be expecting kits."
Ripplewave's eyes widened. I'm what?! she thought, nearly hopping up onto her paws. "I'll be what?" she repeated to Thistlewhisper.
"You'll be having kits!" Thistlewhisper meowed, now smiling.
Ripplewave gave a fake smile. "I'm so excited!" she lied.
"Who's the lucky one that you'll be having kits with?" the medicine cat said, her tail lashing.
Ripplewave got up. I have to go tell Lionstrike... the white she-cat thought, then padded towards the entrance. "Ripplewave!" she then turned around when Thistlewhisper called for her.
"Please be careful and come back more often please. Eventually, you will be in the Nursery." she meowed.
Ripplewave nodded, then quickly headed out of the den. She needed to get to Lionstrike as soon as possible. Ripplewave padded over to Shellstar's den. She peeked her head in. "Shellstar?" she meowed.
The light gray-furred tom lifted his head and looked at Ripplewave. "Yes?"
"I need to go to Vertexclan to see if a cat is okay."
"Huh? What happened to them?" Shellstar mewed.
"They nearly drowned in the ocean yesterday and I saved them. I just want to make sure they are okay," she lied to her leader.
"Well, you may go, but I might send another warrior with you."
"Why? Aren't both clans at peace with each other? I'll be careful, Shellstar." she meowed back, her ear twitching.
Shellstar stared at Ripplewave for a moment before heaving a sigh. "Alright, I trust you know what you're doing, Ripplewave, don't stay there too long. If you do, I will send another warrior to get you." he meowed and stretched himself out.
Ripplewave nodded. "I will." she said and then ran out of the leaders' den.
She saw Mistfall in front of her as she ran towards the entrance. "Hey, Ripplewave!" he meowed as he watched her zoom past him.
"Can't talk right now! I'll be back!" she called back to him as she left the camp.
*
A while later, Ripplewave padded up the steep path that leads to the entrance of Vertexclan camp. How do they go up and down this all the time? It's so tiring! She thought as she made it to the entrance, panting a little. The Driftclan she-cat waited for a little while before she saw a cat look over at her. It was a grey tom, Ripplewave remembered who that was, Buzzardgaze, the Vertexclan deputy. He made his way over to the entrance and smiled. "Are you from Driftclan?" he meowed and smiled.
"Yes, I need to see Lionstrike for a moment, please." she meowed.
"Sure thing!" Buzzardgaze meowed and padded off.
A few heartbeats later, Lionstrike ran up to the entrance and came up in front of Ripplewave. "What happened?" he meowed.
"Your litter is in my belly, Lionstrike."
"I... What? That's great!" he exclaimed and purred.
"I-It's not... I didn't want to have kits.." Ripplewave looked away, not wanting to meet the toms' gaze.
"Huh?" there was a hint of hurt in his mew. "I thought you loved me?"
"I do... It's just that I didn't expect this to happen. If either of our leaders find out, we'll be in big trouble."
"Live in Vertexclan with me," Lionstrike said. He was serious now.
"What?"
"Live in Vertexclan with me! We'll be able to raise our litter here and still be able to love each other!" he suggested.
"Lionstrike, you know I can't do that."
"Why?"
"I want to stay in Driftclan with my kin. I wouldn't feel right if I just left them like that," she meowed, looking up at Lionstrike now to see the hurt in his green eyes.
Lionstrike frowned. "But we're mates, right? Aren't I kin too?" he meowed back.
"I don't know if we can be mates anymore, Lionstrike." Ripplewave said, tears nearly falling from her eyes. She turned around and padded away. She was now heading back to Driftclan.
Ripplewave looked back at the Vertexclan warrior. His gazed seemed to darken as she got farther and farther away from him. She turned back around and sighed.
I only did what was best for the both of us, Lionstrike.
YOU ARE READING
Warriors: Retribution (Book 2)
Fantasy(Book #2 of the Uprising series.) (If you haven't read Warriors: Uprising first, I highly suggest you do that!) - It's been two moons since Shredflash had killed three cats and ran away from his clan. Cats in Starclan are bewildered that the prophec...
