The place to do stuff discussion

Silverpool sat near the warriors den, washing herself.

Reedtail sat in the clearing, washing his whiskers.

Brightstar came out of the nursery. Her belly was humongous with the weight of her kits.

My kits, htought Reedtail, purring. What great warriors they'll make!

"How do you feel?" he asked as she waddled closer.

"Fat." Her eyes glimmered with amusement and warmth. "But mostly just very, very happy."

"Your kits ought to be due soon."

((g2g. meep, check out the riverclan charries topic!))

"True," she agreed, settling down beside Reedtail. "Would you mind going over to the fresh kill pile and grabbing me that big fat trout over there?"

He picked up the trout and a couple of minnows for himself. He looked up and saw Lightningfoot giving orders to the sunset patrol.

"Lightningfoot is a good deputy," remarked Brightstar as Reedtail sat down beside her.

"Oh, yes?"

"Oh, yes. He's young and has much to learn, but he is thoughtful and logical."

Reedtail nodded an agreement. Then he sat down beside her and tucked in to his minnows.

Silverpool got to her paws, and padded out of camp to go fishing.

He had just finished his meal when Reedtail heard Lightningfoot call him.

"Reedtail!" called the RiverClan deputy. "Could you lead a hunting patrol down towards Sunningrocks? We need more fresh-kill!"

((we are by Sunningrocks, right?))

"Sure," responded the dark brown tom, rising to his paws. "Is it okay if I take Darkears, Dapplefur, and Minnowpaw?"

((Minnowpaw is his apprentice))

Lightningfoot nodded. "Oh, and keep an eye out for ThunderClan," he warned. "They've been awfully agressive lately. We must try to avoid border skirmishes."

Reedtail nodded back. Then he brushed his tail over his mate's flank. "Get some sleep," he told her.

Brightstar rubbed up against his shoulder. "You be careful."

"Sleep well, my beloved," he answered softly.

He walked into the clearing, where the rest of his patrol was waiting for him.

"Come on!" exclaimed his apprentice, Minnowpaw, excitedly. "Let's go!"

Soon the patrol was skirting along the edges of the river.

"Okay," mewed Reedtail. "Let's split up. That way we'll be able to find more prey."

The other cats murmured their agreement, then spread out along the river's edge. Reedtail remained where he was, waiting for a fish to come by him.

Suddenly he saw a shimmer of silver scales. FLASH! He whipped his paw out and snagged the fish, flipping it onto the bank and nipping its neck to finish it off.

He had hooked up three other fish that way by the time that it was time for his patrol to return back to camp.

Suddenly, Reedtail heard a loud yowling from the direction of the clearing. It was the cry of a cat in pain. It sounded like... Brightstar!

Clamfoot padded out of the warriors den.

((Tis, me silverstream on my friends account))

Lightningfoot looked around.

"Come on!" he hollered at the rest of the patrol. "Get back to camp!" They raced through soggy leaf litter into the entrance to camp.

Reedtail threw his four fish at a surprised-looking Robinwing, who was guarding the camp. "Take them to the fresh-kill pile!" he yowled, racing into the nursery.

Brightstar lay in a patch of moss, her flank heaving. The RiverClan medecine cat, Berryheart, was sitting beside her.

"What's going on?" asked Reedtail frantically. "What is happening to Brightstar?"

"Her kits are coming," replied the medicine cat, sweeping her tail over her leader's haunches.

"Already?"

As if in response, a tiny wet bundle slid out on the floor, squealing. Berrynose licked it all over until it was dry.

Then a second bundle came. Reedtail cleaned it up and rested it against its mother's belly.

"That's all," said Berryheart.

Reedtail stared at the two squirming kits, warmth spreading throughout him. One was a light brown tabby tom; the other, a tortoiseshell she-cat.

"They're beautiful," whispered Reedtail.

Brightstar swept her tail over the tortoiseshell she-cat. "I want to call this one Willowkit," she murmured. "And her brother will be Birchkit."

The kits mewed loudly, then latched themselves onto their mother's belly, suckling her milk.

((now I feel all lovey-dovey-cuddly because I wrote that scene))

"They will be great warriors one day," assured their father, rubbing his muzzle against the RiverClan leader's flank. "I can't love them any more than I do now."