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“Excuse me?” Bubblestream looked at Willowtuft in shock and horror.
“Aren’t you excited?! You’re going to have kits!” Willowtuft gave her some poppy seeds and looked up in confusion.
“I don’t want kits!” Bubblestream wailed, “I want to be leader!”
“Oh, Bubblestream,” Willowtuft crouched down to Bubblestreams’ level, and a soothing whisper came to Bubblestreams’ ear, “Trust me. When you see those kits, you won’t regret a thing.”
Bubblestream sighed. “Thank you Willowtuft”
Willowtuft nodded, and continued, “You need to step back from warrior duties until you’ve kitted. And are you going to tell Shiningmoon? Because we need to move you into the nursery”
“I’ll go tell him now” Bubblestream hesitated to get up, but Willowtuft pushed her out with her tail, and Bubblestream left.
She went to tell Mosspuddle, her best friend. She saw her and Kestrelfoot sharing tongues in front of the highrock.
“Hey, Bubblestream!” Mosspuddle looked up
“Er- I’m going to go talk to Sparrowstar '' Kestrelfoot looked at Mosspuddle, and she nodded absentmindedly and continued talking to Bubblestream.
“What's wrong?” Mosspuddle asked
“I’m-” Before Bubblestream could finish her sentence, Mosspuddle gasped. Bubblestream looked confused until she noticed Mosspuddle looking at her belly.
“You’re-you’re kitting!” Mosspuddle cried
“Shh! Stop yelling! What if Shiningmoon showed up when you said that!”
“You’re so paranoid. How are you going to tell him?”
Bubblestream flopped down next to Mosspuddle, and rolled on her back in a comfortable position.
“I don’t know. I have to move into the nursery, but I’m not going to until Shiningmoon knows.”
Mosspuddle gasped
“What?! What happened?!” Bubblestream shrieked, and scrambled up
“I have….an idea!” Mosspuddle said
Bubblestream flopped back down in the satisfying sun
“So, here's the idea” Mosspuddle started to explain, and Bubblestream pricked her ears to let Mosspuddle know she was listening
“We should move you into the nursery now-” Bubblestream lashed her tail, but Mosspuddle continued, “Hear me out! So, then, Shiningmoon will come back from hunting patrol and ask me where you are. I’ll tell him you’re in the nursery, and then run away, and he’ll come and be happy when he sees you in the nursery!”
“That's not a bad idea…” Bubblestream thought out loud
“Ok, let's do it” Bubblestream told her ambitious friend
Later, Shingmoon came in from the hunting patrol carrying a fat rabbit. He was trotting over to Mosspuddle to ask where Bubblestream was, but Fernsky came up to him first.
“Hey Shiningmoon…” Fernsky purred, and she nuzzled him and wrapped her tail around him
“Hi Fernsky. Look I really need to-” Before he could finish, she covered his mouth with her tail.
“Shh. I have a little idea. Why don’t we spend the night in a little place I found…together”
“Fernsky-”
“No. It's ok. Bubblestream doesn’t have to know”
“Fernsky! I have a mate! And I love her! So stop!” Shiningmoon stormed off to Mosspuddle without looking behind him.
“Where’s Bubblestream?” He huffed
“Nursery” She sqeaked, then ran away
Why would she be in the nursery? She doesn’t usually bring prey to queens. Wait. What if she is-
At that moment Shiningmoon stopped and sprinted to the nursery and saw Bubblestream surrounded by cats and queens telling her congratulations
“Here's the father! Congratulations, Shiningmoon!” Quailstrike said
“Congratulations on what?” Shiningmoon said, confused
“I am expecting kits!” Bubblestream’s eyes shone
Shiningmoon ran over to Bubblestream and nuzzled her.
“This is the best day ever!” Shiningmoon cried
“I’m glad” Bubblestream purred
That night, Shiningmoon slept with Bubblestream. He was quite uncomfortable, so he went outside to get some fresh air. Miraculously, he didn’t wake up Bubblestream. He padded over to the highrock and sat beside it. He was thinking about Fernsky. How could she suggest that? Soon enough, he got tired and lied down. Suddenly, pawsteps were approaching him. He turned around and instead of seeing nothing, he saw Kestrelfoot. Relieved, he nodded hello. Kestrelfoot nodded back and sat down.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Kestrelfoot asked
“Yep. You?”
“Mosspuddle is talking in her sleep. So, naturally, I couldn’t sleep and I came out here. How are you?”
“Good. I’m excited for the kits. I also…had a question.”
“Hm?” Kestrelfoot looked at Shiningmoon, “What is it?”
“Bubblestream said something about how you were acting weird when you guys smelled the scent Raggedflame didn’t recognize”
Kestrelfoot stiffened, “Yeah, um, it just….uh….scared me?”
Hm…
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Shiningmoon sat up and looked Kestrelfoot in the eye.
“I-uh- I have to go!” Kestrelfoot winced like something was hurting him, then ran back into the warriors den. As soon as he left, Shiningmoon laid down on the ground. He heard pawsteps coming up to him again, but then he heard Fernsky’s soft mew.
“What, Fernsky?” Shiningmoon was tired and just wanted to sleep
“I can’t believe you rejected me,” Fernsky huffed, “I’m the most pretty cat in the entire clan”
“Not to me. I’m going to be a father. I can’t just go prancing around with other she-cats” He remarked
“So if you weren’t having kits, would you be fine?” Fernsky smirked
“No! Fernsky, if you’re going to be like this, go away!” Shiningmoon turned so he wasn’t looking at her.
“Fine,” Fernsky said, and stalked back to her den.
At last, some peace and quiet. Shiningmoon fell asleep.
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