Эрин Хантер - Legends of the Clans

Finally, he reached his den in the Highrock, pushing through the lichen that hung over the entrance. But the cave was dark and deserted, and Thunderstar felt a pang of disappointment. He came back to the entrance and looked around the clearing, searching for Violet Dawn.

Morning Fire and Hazel Burrow were play-fighting in the center of the clearing. Gooseberry and Yew Tail were sharing a vole near the warriors’ den, and Owl Eyes had joined Lightning Tail in the ash tree. Shivering Rose and Blue Whisker were sharing tongues, while Pink Eyes had settled down to nap in the sunshine. Through the walls of the nursery thornbush, Thunderstar saw black-and-white fur: Leaf had gone to visit Milkweed and their new kits.

He finally glimpsed a familiar dark gray pelt in the fern tunnel that led to the recently built medicine cat’s den. Thunderstar twitched his ears thoughtfully. Why was Violet Dawn visiting Cloud Spots’s den? Is she sick? She seemed fine this morning.

He crossed the clearing again and ducked to fit himself through the tunnel of fragrant ferns. He found Violet Dawn and Cloud Spots in the den at the end of the tunnel, and both turned to look at him, startled.

“Hi,” Thunderstar said, suddenly feeling awkward. He shifted from one paw to another. “Everything okay?”

Cloud Spots glanced at Violet Dawn questioningly, and Thunderstar’s heart sped up. What did that look mean? Cloud Spots didn’t look upset, exactly… more like he knew something he didn’t want to say.

“I’ll leave you two alone for a moment,” the long-furred tom murmured. He slipped past Thunderstar, but Thunderstar didn’t watch him go. His attention was fixed on Violet Dawn.

“What is it?” Thunderstar asked, pressing himself against his mate’s side and inhaling her sweet scent. She was reassuringly sturdy against him, and she rubbed her cheek affectionately against his.

“It’s nothing bad,” she said softly, her amber eyes warm. “Quite the opposite, really.”

Thunderstar stared at her. Violet Dawn looked away shyly, but her tail stroked against his side. “Do you mean…”

Violet Dawn pressed closer to him. “I’m going to have kits.”

Thunderstar froze, his mind whirling. A warm glow sparked in his chest, spreading through his whole body.

He was going to be a father.

That night, Thunderstar couldn’t sleep.

Violet Dawn was curled against him, breathing slowly and steadily. Her tail twitched slightly as she dreamed. Thunderstar buried his nose in her fur and shut his eyes, then opened them again and flexed his claws irritably. Rolling onto his back, he stared at the rock ceiling above him. Finally, he got to his paws and padded out into the clearing. Maybe if he went for a walk, it would be easier to sleep when he returned.

The camp was quiet. He could hear Pink Eyes’s snoring, but no other cat was stirring. Thunderstar slipped across the clearing, his pelt prickling in the cool new-leaf breeze. Lightning Tail was standing guard by the gorse tunnel, heavy-eyed and sleepy-looking, and he flicked his tail in greeting as Thunderstar approached.

“You’re up late,” he meowed. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t sleep.”

Lightning Tail cocked his head curiously. Thunderstar sighed. “Violet Dawn is going to have kits.”

Lightning Tail’s eyes lit up. “That’s amazing! Congratulations!” Then he looked at Thunderstar more closely. “You’re not excited?”

Thunderstar stiffened. “Of course I’m excited,” he answered indignantly. “It’s just…” He scuffed his paws against the earth of the clearing.

“Why don’t we go out of camp?” Lightning Tail suggested. “Not every cat here needs their claws in your prey.”

Thunderstar followed his friend through the gorse tunnel and out of the ravine. When they emerged into the forest, he breathed deeply. The scents of trees and grass and the rustle of small prey in the dark were soothing.

The two toms faced each other. Lightning Tail waited expectantly.

“I am excited, but I’m worried, too,” Thunderstar confessed. “I couldn’t sleep, thinking of having my own kits, and how I’ll have to protect them.”

“This is a good time to have kits,” Lightning Tail mewed seriously. His eyes, reflecting the moonlight, gleamed at Thunderstar in the darkness. “The Clans are at peace and the forest is full of prey. By the time your kits are born, it’ll be greenleaf. They’ll grow up healthy and strong, Thunderstar.”

Thunderstar’s shoulders slumped. “But what if the Clans turn on each other? What about hawks and foxes? Greencough. Whitecough. Redcough. Remember the fire when we were young and how Moon Shadow died? Remember how Turtle Tail was killed by the Twoleg monster?” Suddenly it was difficult to catch his breath as a wave of panic shot through him. “I’m sure there’s so much more I don’t even know to worry about yet. How can I protect them from everything ?”

Sometimes Thunderstar felt like he was barely hanging on by his front claws, trying to keep his Clan united and happy, trying to take care of every cat who depended on him. Was he really ready for kits, too?

Lightning Tail draped his tail across Thunderstar’s back reassuringly. “You can’t predict what’s going to happen. But you’ll have a whole Clan looking out for your kits. And you protect all of us already. I know you and Violet Dawn can do this.”

Thunderstar’s mew caught in his throat. “What if I’m a bad father? Clear Sky—Skystar—didn’t even want to look after me when I was a kit. What if I’m like him?”

Lightning Tail’s whiskers twitched. “You’re worried about becoming a father because of Skystar? Skystar might be your father, but Gray Wing raised you. And he was the best father a cat could have. You’ve already learned everything you need to know from him. You’ll see.”

Thunderstar thought again of Gray Wing, who had taught him to hunt, fought to protect him, given him a home. Through all the moons of his kithood, wise, gentle Gray Wing had guided him. “Gray Wing was pretty great.”

“You will be too,” Lightning Tail told him. “And even if you’re not, Violet Dawn and I will make sure the kits grow up right. I’m honorary kin as well as their Clanmate, you know.”

Thunderstar blinked at his friend fondly, his heart feeling lighter. Maybe Lightning Tail was right. Maybe everything would be fine. “Of course you are. I know I can depend on you.”

“I’m just hungry all the time now,” Violet Dawn said wistfully, staring out at the rain from under the thornbush by the warriors’ den.

Milkweed purred in amusement. “That’s totally natural. In the moon before these kits were born, I didn’t want to do a thing except eat. Your body is making sure your kits are big and strong.”

Her small ginger-and-black tom-kit, Patch Pelt, threw himself at his pale ginger littermate, Beech Tail, and knocked her over. “I’m the biggest and strongest!”

Scrambling to her feet, Beech Tail bared her tiny teeth at him. “I’m stronger than you! You’re no bigger than a vole!”

The kits began to wrestle, and Milkweed swept her tail over them lovingly. “Hush, kits,” she said fondly. “You’re kicking up mud.”

Thunderstar looked at Violet Dawn’s swollen sides, a familiar curl of anxiety beginning in his chest. Was she getting enough to eat? It had, as expected, been an easy newleaf, with plenty of prey. But these last few days had been gray and rainy, and prey had been much harder to find. Every cat was hungry.