Unexpected

With nightfall coming over the valley, Featherstep finds herself just barely able to untangle herself from a mess of five small, squirming bodies curled up beside her. Exhaustion weaves itself into her limbs as she pushes herself up, carefully ensuring that she doesn’t disturb any of the little bodies beside her. When she’s successfully moved away fully from the bunch of kits, Featherstep offers a glance to the other side of them, where there should be a warrior sized bundle of red fur. But to her surprise, there isn’t. 

Fortunately for Featherstep, it doesn’t take much looking to find the missing warrior. Leopardfern is sitting near the entrance of the Nursery, his back turned toward their denmates. The cream-furred molly blinks in surprise, and then moves herself closer to the tomcat as quietly as she can. She would very much like to avoid disrupting any of the other kits or family’s in the newly expanded den, especially considering the side glances that she and Leopardfern had been given previously at their casual reunion. 

The lineage of the litter was not well hidden — or, hidden at all, really. Featherstep had been very forward of who her kits sire was, and from her understanding, Leopardfern had been very open about her own status as their mother. Not only this, but the pair were still very open and warm with one another. Even if their relationship was only one of friendliness, Featherstep couldn’t help but appreciate having Leopardfern in her corner, even now. 

So she approaches his side carefully and sits beside him, quiet as a mouse. She watches his gaze flicker toward her in a side glance, and then a smile graces his muzzle. Featherstep can’t help but smile back at the tomcat, curling her tails over her paws before glancing outward to the camp. It feels strange, seeing so many cats gathered around her home — even with a good chunk of Lynxclan not being present, it still looks so… 

“Feels kind of cramped in here, doesn’t it?” Leopardfern questions from beside her, his voice respectfully quiet. She’s glad that he sees no reason to disrupt anyone and ruin the moment of peace. “Yeah,” Featherstep mumbles in reply, the word far from the gracefulness she always attempted to display. “It’s… Strange, seeing everyone gathered around here like this.” Featherstep pauses, furrowing her eyebrows together before glancing down at her paws and tail tips. “But it must be even stranger for you, to not be home.” She couldn’t imagine how the kits were feeling — nor could Featherstep bare to think of their reactions when they would have to leave again. 

Would they even leave? What was going to happen? Her stomach twists at the thought. Surely the fire wouldn’t spare either of the clan's camps, and it showed no sign of stopping … What did that mean for everyone’s futures? Would it come to Ravenclan next, and they’d all have to leave behind everything that they knew? Her and Leopardfern’s kits — they don’t even know what normalcy looks like. Featherstep can’t help but worry that they’ve both done the litter wrong. A worry that’s lingered on her mind since before their arrival. 

“It’s definitely a change.” Leopardfern agrees quietly, and Featherstep can feel his gaze burn holes against her pelt. “But we’re together again, for however long this all goes on for… So at least there’s that.” She feels his pelt press against hers, and appreciates the weak purr that sounds from the tomcat beside her as he tries to assure her, even though he’s the one going through such terrible changes. He’s taken this all in stride, and Featherstep has been nothing short of an internalized mess. 

“Have you always been so disgustingly optimistic?” Featherstep retorts with a scoff, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her own negative thoughts and attempt to lighten the mood. She doesn’t need to make Leopardfern feel worse, when he’s the one leaving his home behind. Leopardfern snorts from beside her. “Probably not,” He states. “But one of us has to be pretty but scary, and the other one’s gotta be hopeful.” 

“Shut up.” Featherstep grumbles, but it’s hard not to smile at her friend’s words as she brushes her tail against his with a heavy sigh. The weight of the world still feels as though it’s weighing down on her shoulders, but Featherstep forces the feeling away in favor of continuing the light-hearted discussion. A distraction is much better than trying to focus on the problem, anyways. “You know, the kits didn’t swear until you all got here.” 

“Really now?” Leopardfern retorts, his ears perking up as interest fills his tone. Featherstep nods affirmatively. “Strangely enough, though, it seems to have been a Snakeclanner’s fault.” The molly had only picked up bits and pieces of conversation from those around her about what exactly occurred, but she was also very aware that Dripdroop was part of the problem — her lips curl into a grin at the memory of that calico Lynxclan queen trying to climb the tree to get him. Leopardfern chuckles, rolling his shoulders. 

“Are you sure they didn’t pick it up from your side?” Her eyes rolled again. “No, but I’m sure they picked up their volume from their dear old Uncle Kinkbite.” Featherstep grumbles, casting her gaze to the ground. Leopardfern makes a humming sound in response. “I think… I think I met him?” He blurts out, taking the warrior by surprise. Her brother was an aggressive tomcat — even their leader had recognized that — so the fact that Leopardfern didn’t sound… Irritated, was impressive. 

“Really now? He didn’t start a fight with you, did he?” She questions with worry, relieved when Leopardfern shakes his head ‘ no ‘. “No, just said something ‘bout wanting to spar. I was more focused on getting the kits settled in and finding the four of you, though.” Her smile comes back, warmed by the sentiment that Leopardfern expressed for her. But she’s also relieved that her idiotic brother wasn’t foolish enough to start a fight with the other clans — his confrontation against Dripdroop was a completely different story, however. A warranted reaction in her eyes. 

“Good.” Featherstep mews, lifting her gaze back up toward her friend before looking back out to the swarm of Ravenclan and Snakeclan cats within the camp. “I’m impressed you were allowed to stay.” 

“Well… Foxkit and Gingerkit are Lynxclan cats… Someone’s gotta keep an eye on them. I’m sure a queen could have, but… Well, I worry.” Leopardfern mumbles, tilting his head to look over in the direction of their temporarily reunited kits. Featherstep follows his line of sight, nodding her head with understanding. “Well, I’m  glad they let you stay.” Another pause. “How were they, in Lynxclan? Fox and Ginger?” 

“They were just fine, Feather.” Leopardfern confirms with a chuckle, a large paw brushing against her foreleg in an attempt to comfort her. “Gingerkit… Well, they seemed fine until it was time to move over here. I don’t think Foxkit really — well, I don’t think he really minds much. He’s just very… Loud.” Although it’s an update that she wasn’t really expecting to receive now, and it isn’t to the level that she initially thought it would be, Featherstep is contented by Leopardfern’s words. “Okay, good.” 

“How about the lil’ trio?” Featherstep huffs out a breathy laugh, her head shaking at the mention of the troublesome three. “They’re… Doing well. As you bore witness to, earlier.” The twin-tailed warrior has to suppress a shudder at the memory of the day; having to stop her kits from repeating swears, followed by comforting them when they were distressed over a worm named Dirt Muncher ( that’s creative, she could give them that much ), and then cleaning dirt off of Coalkit while Mosskit wandered off was not very ideal. The warrior hadn’t been aware of just how much chaos young kits could cause. 

“For the most part, they’re good kits, though. Settling into camp just fine. I’m sure they’re not doing too great with all this change, but… I’m sure they’ll be okay.” The end of her sentence is more to soothe her own concerns over Leopardfern’s, but it does do its job in bringing her comfort. Leopardfern nods again, and there’s another beat of quiet. It allows Featherstep to focus on the quiet of the night, the sound of shifting bodies and subtle breathing. The wind is warm, although it does signal the ending of the season they’re in. 

It feels nice, it feels peaceful to be by Leopardfern’s side right now. “Are you okay, Leopard?” She asks, hoping to bring the tomcat the same peace that she felt now. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. It’s a lot to take in, and of course I’m worried about the kits, but… You’re important too.” Leopardfern purrs, glancing back toward Featherstep with an appreciation that makes her heart leap into her throat. “I’m… Just glad that everyone’s okay, for now. … I think I’m okay, but I’m not really sure, honestly.” 

Featherstep cracks a grin at the tomcat before crinkling her nose as a waft of something… Not very pleasant. “Are you sure? You smell like a wet badger.” The molly states, keeping her nose crinkled with disgust as she eyes the red-furred warrior up and down, her eyebrows raised. Leopardfern scoffs, and nudges her with a probably filthy paw. Featherstep allows it, this time. “I’m doing much better than I smell, I can tell you that much.” 

“Thank Starclan.” Featherstep snickers, her tails curling with amusement. Leopardfern chuckles alongside her, moving his paw away from her leg before inspecting the queen in a similar way to the way that she inspected him earlier. “How about you?” He asks, finally. 

“Tired of this shit.” The queen grumbles in return, a yawn following her words to place emphasis on her exhaustion. “Just… Trying to get through the day, keep the kits alive. And hopefully all of this… Mess will finally come to a halt.” Featherstep continues to explain, feeling as though her explanation is a little long winded — but she’s getting her point across, for the most part. Hopefully. Leopardfern nods, understanding settling between the pair. 

“I know we aren’t supposed to be close, Feather,” Leopardfern mumbles. “But… You’re always going to have me to lean on for support, no matter what happens in this valley.” Her smile returns, and Featherstep can’t help herself. She props her head against the tomcat’s shoulder, a purr of appreciation settling in her chest. “Thanks, Leo.”