the r//isingclan .s.ecret

[Bluerage]

<sub>Perfect. Just perfect... War was on the horizon, and this had to happen. Of all the other days she could have allowed this, and she chose the time period just a heartbeat before the battle of the clans. She slipped into the Nursing Den. Perhaps to the common eye, she was growing rounder, more rotund in the past few weeks. However, it was indeed Green Leaf, and needless to say prey was abundant.

But she knew. Oh yes, she felt this moment coming like an attack. However she treasured kits and always wanted some of her own, not now when her clan needed her most, when Crisp needed her...

She slipped unseen into the small cavern, crouching so as to appear her stomach were large on her own doing. She told nobody of her little secret, her tiny little secrets, not even to her dear Crisp. What they would say when she told them she bore kits on the eve of this war! Her eyes were glazed sadly. She was torn between two duties... Those to her clan, to Kestrel, to her Crisp... The other? To the small lives that she carried within her. She flicked her tail as she examined the small den.

In all truthfullness, she had never really seen the nursing den from the inside. Risingclan never had any kits to celebrate to her knowledge, and she had never a reason to visit this place so sacred. Well, she thought, now there was, whether they were ready or not.</sub>

[Bristleclaw]

<sub>"Bluerage?"

Crisp's deep voice echoed throughout the camp; where was Bluerage, his mate, his first love, his only love? He caught her scent amongst the billion others - the fresh-kill, other cats, Juniper's medicinal herbs...and followed it into the nursing den. The black tom poked his head inside. "Bluerage?" he meowed again. The pretty blue tabby was crouching there. He had noticed her belly growing, but his had been too, as it was greenleaf. "What are you doing in here?" Crisp murmured, resting his muzzle on her head as he padded over to her.

It reminded him of that one night...that beautiful night. And then he realized it. "Bluerage...!" he mewed, surprised, the glanced at her belly. "Are you...?" He didn't finish the sentence, only stared at her in shock. He was happy, he was surprised...he was angry she hadn't told him! But he couldn't stay angry at her for more than a heartbeat.</sub>

[Kestrel]

[ brick me if this thread is private, hokay? xD ]

A silvery she-cat looked up, alerted by movement nearby. A moment ago, she had felt the gentle warmth of the waning sunlight trickling into the den; now, the warmth had been warded off. Obviously, someone stood just inside the den, blocking the entrance.

Kanji scented the air curiously. Bluerage.
She sat up, turning her wide, clouded blue eyes in the direction of the warrior. Kanji, the blind nursery-watcher, looking rather similar to Kestrel; the pretty, sharp features, the alert, intelligent aura--but she lacked her half-sisters' intensity.

"Bluerage," Kanji mewed in welcome, her accented voice making the word sound more like 'Bluelage.'

She thought she scented Crisp nearby. She opened her mouth slightly, tasting the strong scents in the air...
And something odd struck her.

Kanji tilted her head, jerking her nose in the direction of Bluerage.
The warrior's scent had changed. It was subtle, and no other cat in RisingClan would likely catch it, but Kanji's blindness had sharpened her senses.

Both she and Crisp spoke at the same time.
"Koneko!" Kanji cried in her native tongue. "You are pregnant!"
Her english had inproved slightly. Slightly.

[Bluerage]

<sub>Bluerage's ears snapped up as she heard her name called. She would join him momentarily when she made sure this place was suitable. Bluerage? Damnit! She pretended to be busy, sniffing carelessly at a few stones before turning to greet her mate with a swish of her long tail. She gave him a careful sniff of the cheek and licked his chin before continuing to look bored with the place. However, Kanji, was it? The leader's half sister, Bluerage had seen her before. She was a blind nursery hand, but a kind soul nonetheless. She greeted the she with a kind nod. "Evening Kanji!"

"Am I what?" She asked distractedly. Of course, her heart stopped as she hit this roadblock. It appeared he knew... But she had to continue to act innocent. She couldn't tell anybody, nobody could no until she could honestly keep it a secret no longer. However, the secret remained so for only a few more heartbeats before she froze and she turned, fear stricken on her face as she faced Kanji.

"How... How did you know?" She choked out, her voice taut and stiff, the mere vocals to how she really did appear standing there.

[Nonono absolutely not! Go right ahead and post!! As for me, well, I apologize, I had to simply add things. -is distracted- >>;]</sub>

[kasaiace]

<sub>Crisp backed up a few steps, slowly. She was, oh StarClan, she was! What was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to shriek with pride and happiness, or be shocked...or what? He thought quickly and rushed to her side, nuzzling her cheek fondly. "Oh Bluerage," he murmured. She didn't seem very happy about this...But Crisp knew Bluerage, and she loved kits. "What's wrong?" the black RisingClan warrior whispered, hoping Kanji wouldn't hear - but then, the blind's other senses were apparently hightened. He crouched down beside her, pressing his body against hers in hope of comforting her.

Suddenly Crisp realized that Kanji had helped in 'getting it out of Bluerage'. He blinked gratefully at the nursery hand, then realizing for maybe the billionth time that she couldn't see, gave a wordless mew to her. The black tom leaped to his paws. The thought suddenly struck him that he was going to be a father! A father! "A father..." he breathed. Crisp glanced from Bluerage to Kanji and back. When would Bluerage tell Kestrel? Or would Kanji go do that for her? Would Bluerage be angry if Kanji told the leader and not the blue tabby herself? Crisp sighed. This was all too confusing!</sub>

[Bluerage]

<sub>Her poor mate seemed to be having a mental breakdown, with so many thoughts running through his head and crashing right there on the spot light of thought. How odd, since she took the fact she was having kits in stride, save for the fact she seemed angry. Well, perhaps not angry, persay, but worried would be one. She was not worried of being a bad mother, or Crisp being a bad father; Bluerage knew in her heart that together they would make good parents. However, she was worried indeed that Kestrel would be mad.

... But neither Kanji nor Crisp seemed bothered by her news. In fact, they seemed happy, if not joyful, of her recent additions. She sighed. "I worry that war is on the way, and therefore.. I must have the kits, to save from hurting them, and not participate in the war, to serve my clan," She mewed, loud enough for Kanji not to have to listen hard. Nothing would escape her senses, of course. Why bother making it harder?

She sighed. "I suppose.. We must go tell Kestrel of this news," She murmured quietly. Even if Kanji told Kestrel without her knowing, for one she would not be angry. Kanji would just be doing her duty. And as for Bluerage not knowing, she was not worried that it would remain a secret over her head. It would come back to her eventually, the news. She WAS the one pregnant, after all!</sub>

[Kestrel]

Kanji watched the pair with a curiously tilted head, her wide, clouded gaze turned in their general direction. "You get kits off milk early," she suggested helpfully, "and I watch them while you fight in war. Nothing should be more important than beating back BoneClan, so the kits can have good life."

Her english was accented and splintered, but she managed to make herself quite understood despite this.

"You should tell Kestrel," Kanji added a moment later. "Your and Crisp's kits, your job to tell her."

[Life]

[glow=black,3,500]Life was older now, bigger then he previously remembered. He no longer had to worry about the grass, he was just as able to weave through it as the other apprentices now. He liked that sort of freedom.

Chasm was a good mentor, often taking his apprentice hither and tither for whatever lesson he had in mind. Life appreciated that. It kept his mind off the nightmares that had haunted his sleep. It kept him thinking about tomorrow, instead of moons ago.

And now? He was enjoying a finch, removing the feathers and eating the tender meat underneath. Lunch break. One of his favorite times of the day. Finishing his meal, he noted a lot of commotion occuring in the previously empty nursing den.

Curiousity overcame the cat, and the brindle feline, jumped up and trotted to the den's entrance, his tail held oddly in an smooth sweeping arch behind his working haunches. At his journey's end, his eyes went huge. Bluerage was FAT! Crisp was there, so was Kanji (A close friend of Kestrel, and one of the cats Life took a particular interest in.) Sitting down, the apprentice, lowered his head, obviously a bit unsure to the welcoming he may or may not recieve. "Hey guys..."[/glow]