{{Cherry Clan}}

[D a R K - R a H]

The mouse was probably the best thing she'd ever tasted. There was nothing like months of little food to put everything back in perspective. She ran her pink tongue up one front paw, wincing occasionally as the kits moved about again and again. A low, rumbling purr escaped her, despite the pain. This was probably the most comfortable she'd been since leaving the old forest.

Her peace was disrupted, though, with the return of her brother. "Firestone!" she exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise. He was soaked! "What did you do, find some underwater?" Her ears fell back, annoyed and concerned. "You're a medicine cat, you should know better!" Still looking slightly angry, the queen leaned over and licked the water from his left shoulder, her tail flicking lightly behind her.

Once again she froze. The kits moved more furiously than they had previously, and Brackenpaw gasped aloud, grinding her teeth together and clamping her eyes shut. As it began to pass, she leaned quickly down and chewed at the chamomile.

[Raven-chan]

Firestone sighed at Brackenpaw's annoyance, uncaring that she was mad at him. He opened his mouth to explain what had happened, but at Brackenpaw's visible wince, it finally hit him. The kits! They were coming! There was no way that their movements and her pain could be attributed to mere restlessness. No, they were coming...

Finally, He thought inwardly, closing his mouth and lightly pushing Brackenpaw's head back down. An inward sigh of relief was released, and he meowed gently to her,

"Good, eat the chamomile. I think that you'll be a mommy soon. Just try and relax." His eyes danced soothingly, and he gently licked the top of her head, soothingly, tenderly. His tail twitched involuntarily, trying to dry off, but Firestone wasn't even aware of the cold that was seeping into his body, he was solely focused on Brackenpaw.

[Hawky]

^{Redstorm watched the unfolding events with solid silence, making sure that everything was going to plan as much as it could. Ravenflight returned with the others, making sure that the fresh-kill went straight to Brackenpaw before anyone else. He didn't seem the least bit hostile toward Redstorm, but he was still going to keep an eye on him. There was no way that feelings between the deputy and himself could have have changed so quickly, but he kept his trademark silence as he watched Brackenpaw eat the mouse that Ravenflight had laid in front of her. Soon after, Firestone bounded up, some plant that Redstorm didn't recognize in his mouth. He was no medicine cat, so he figured that anything he would be bringing would be to help Brackenpaw. Redstorm looked concerned at Firestone's wet state, but Brackenpaw's was more urgent. His dark eyes wandered over the scene, and widened as he heard Firestone's words. "The kits are coming now?" He kept his voice level, but inside his heart was racing. They couldn't come now, they were still out in the open! They had nowhere to go, and no where to seek shelter. Gaining his nerve again, he searched the camp for more warriors that could go out and seek shelter. There were precious few that were ready to leave, and those he had already sent out on hunting missions just now. They needed to find something soon. There was no waiting till dawn, no waiting to see what the other clans did. Cherryclan needed a home, as soon as possible. Scanning the few remainding available warriors, Redstorm called out thier names. "Ravenflight, take Sorrelfoot and Ashenpaw, and start scouting the area. I have no idea if the other clans have started to settle in yet, but we need to find a place to settle. We will move as soon as possible, hopefully before Brackenpaw has her kits. If not, then as soon as she and her kits are able after that, but we need to get settled as soon as possible." Redstorm wanted Sorrelfoot's tiny and lithe body when they needed to get into the smaller areas, and Ravenflight's bulky strenght when they needed to get past a barrier. Either way, there would be a cat to carry out the current issue. Ashenpaw was just there to help in any way possible. He needed as many cats out there looking as possible. "I'll stay here with the medicine cats to keep an eye on Brackenpaw and the kits. Report to me before sundown." He realized he wasn't giving them much time, but surely they realized the urgency of the situation. They couldn't waste any time, and he didn't want his warriors out in the middle of an unknown territory at night, where there could be anything. He nodded his head swiftly at his deputy, hoping he would just do as he was asked, but still wary of a spiteful answer.}[/sup]