Homecoming

[bluebrook3]

Hollyleaf walked into camp with Mountainfur in the leader with Taintedkit in his mouth,Flamestreak padded beside her for support and Tempeststorm padded in last with Featherkit. She looked around at the strange clan that was now her home.

[Brambleclaw]

Mountainfur smiled as he glanced quickly around at all the cats. They smiled at him, nodded, and then gave puzzled stares at the rest of the parade. Soon, however, everyone was gathering around and trying to greet the newcomers, and the newly returned warrior.
"I need to speak with-" He was cut off by a million questions. He tried to silence everyone, but it just kept coming. He sighed, trying to round everyone off to the nursery. After what seemed like a moon, he was inside it's comforting shelter. He set down Taintedkit.
"Okay, you guys get some rest. I need to talk to Magicheart." He smiled and quickly tried to leave the den. No cats would let him as they fought to get inside.
"Okay, maybe he can wait." Mountainfur sighed, shaking his head.

[bluebrook3]

Hollyleaf laid down and nosed her two kits to her belly, then she looked up at Mountainfur. "They don't like they hate me yet, so thats a good thing, huh?"

[Brambleclaw]

[Hehe, I love Mountainfur's stupidity. It's Streakwater, you idiot, Streakwater!!!!!]


"Every Clan loves kittens and queens, so you're lucky. And they already love me." He laughed, flicking his tail. "They'll love you like I do." He said with a smile, and felt the warmth and love between the two cats. Suddenly, a voice rang above the others.
"Mountainfur!" The familiar ring was both horrifying and comforting. He peeped around the throng of cats all trying to see what was going on, and saw Streakpaw.
"Oh, Streakpaw!" He called, hurrying her inside.
"Stop calling me that." She sighed. Mountainfur suddenly felt red-hot embarrassment.
"Sorry." He apologized to both his mate and his friend. "Hollyleaf, I guess I keep forgetting. Streakpaw's been Streakwater for four moons now..." He shook his head, feeling instantly apologetic. He just kept thinking of her as the fun-loving apprentice who helped him settle in and find his place. Four moons and the air-headed tom, just like his father, couldn't remember the name of the cat who had helped him realize his place in WIndClan. Four moons and she's still Streakpaw to me!
"Hey, Mountainfur, who's she?" Streakwater asked Mountainfur, cutting deep into his thoughts.
"She's my mate, Hollyleaf. And these are my kits Taintedkit and Feather-" Suddenly, Streakwater's eyes grew wide in shock and fear. She shook her head, backing away slowly.
"No... no... It can't be... Oh, oh my... oh dear... Oh, no... No..." She seemed so awestruck and terrified. She turned and pelted out of the den, streaking away like her name dictated.
"I didn't know she'd take it that harshly. Hollyleaf, may I go talk to her?" He asked his mate with a sigh. He didn't want to lose Streakpaw, no, Streakwater, as a friend. But for Hollyleaf, he'd do anything. With a nod of approval from his mate, he set off.

He found Streakpaw... oh, darn him! He'd done it again. He found Streakwater! where he had often met Hollyleaf, only as an apprentice then. Streakwater had followed him once to see him dismissing Hollyleaf as the light began to trickle into the dawn clouds. He had caught her, and sworn her to secrecy. Quietly, but not on purpose, he crept toward the beautiful she-cat. She was muttering to herself.

"Once, only once. Once and now we're stuck like this. Oh, help me StarClan. He'll e so upset when he finds out I'm-" Suddenly, her ears perked up. She turned around.
"Have you been spying on me!?!" She demanded angrily.
"I heard the whole 'Only once' stuff but that was it. What's wrong?" She met his gaze as if he was a complete bile-brain. And he was, for several reasons. One, he kept calling her Streakpaw. It was Streakwater! Two, he just didn't get it. He didn't! Three, he had always been kind of an airhead. It'd be easier now, though, if he could just get it!

Taintedfall watched this, his mate sitting right next to him.
"He'll be very unhappy."
"He could never be angry at Streakwater." His mate nodded.
"Oh, but Hollyleaf will be mad at him." Taintedfall smiled a little, and then sighed. This was getting overly complex. He was glad his lie had been easier, even if he had never gotten to really meet his cat.

"You don't get it, really, you don't. And you'll hate me when I tell you. You know I love you."
"Streakpaw-"
"Streakwater." She corrected pointedly.
"Streakwater." He nodded. "I could never hate you. And I love you too, as a friend. Why can't you tell me?" She shook her head numbly, her eyes beginning to water, stifling back a wail of insanity.
"Look, Streakpaw-"
"Streakwater."
"Streakwater."
"See? You can't even remember my name!" She turned her back on him, trying to hide her fear and panic, her sadness and embarrassment. Poor Hollyleaf, she thought, because now she'd have something to hate her mate over.
"Your name is Streakwater, you are sixteen moons, you are beautiful. And if Hollyleaf ever dies, you'll be my next mate choice."
"Thanks." She meowed sarcastically. "I don't want to be second to Hollyleaf! What's so special about that ugly silver cat?"

"She's not ugly!" Mountainfur disagreed. "And she's my mate. I love everything about her, good and bad."
"But not for me."
"I could never be shared, and I had to choose one. Not that I love her more... Err... Okay, I do love her a little more. But I've known her longer, and she loves my good points and bad."
"And you think I don't?"
"What is wrong with you?" He shot back with a frown, worried.
"I am going to have kits."
"That's great!" Mountainfur exclaimed, relieved. "Who's the lucky dad?" Streakwater gazed at him in mute shock. Suddenly, two little wires clicked. For a brief instant, Mountainfur got it. Got everything. He gasped.
"But how... ?" Mountainfur was truly puzzled.

"That one, wonderful night, I told you I loved you. You said you loved me too. You said we could be mates! It was exactly three moons ago. Guess you choose against that. And then, just half a moon ago, I got really sick and, well... suddenly I was pregnant."
"Medicine Cat checked?"
"Yes, Mountainfur, the Medicine Cat checked." She sighed, curling her tail around her paws. "You were gone so long I couldn't tell you, but now... now you know the truth. Want me to leave?"
"No, Streakwater, I still love you as a friend. We'll tell Hollyleaf, err, well, I will tell Hollyleaf. It's my bad. You can just relax a while and then join her in the nursery. Okay?"
"Okay." Streakwater sighed, relieved. Now for the hardest part. Telling Mountainfur's mate that he accidentally was about to have kits with another she-cat. I mean, it wasn't on purpose, right? It was only one time, and what are the odds of that? Besides, neither of them had wanted kits. Mountainfur hurried back to camp, Streakwater took it a little slower. She was going to enjoy the world as it was, perfect, with Mountainfur looking out for her and taking the brunt of it. Did he really still care, even a little, of her? Was he slightly, even just a hairs-width, glad she was having his kits?

Mountainfur reached camp all too quickly.
"Excuse me, Flamestreak, Tempeststorm, Hollyleaf and I need to have a private talk." He waited till the cats had gone before speaking.
"Hollyleaf, promise that no matter what you'll always love me? And know I'll always love you more than anything on this earth, or above? I would kill myself for you, sell my soul for you, anything for your love. But I've made a grave mistake that needs forgiving." With a sigh, he prepared for the anger and the yelling that would surely follow. "Promise?"

[Brambleclaw]

[sorry it's so long... I got carried away! xD]

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

OOC: Holy crud scones... O.O

BIC: Tempeststorm settled the little she-kit beside Hollyleaf. She watched Mountainfur leave with grave blue eyes. Something about the she-cat's face had tore through her chest. She is... The grey she-cat's eyes became sad. She was so lucky to have such a devoted mate like Dragonstar. Just thinking of him caused a lonely feeling to rise up in her heart. She dug her claws into the earth and stared at the kits nestled in the curve of Hollyleaf's belly. Flamestreak made sure she was well settled, and when she was satisfied the white-and-ginger she-cat sat down beside Tempeststorm. She was restless, though, and soon went outside. She looked around, her pale blue eyes taking in the faces of the cats around her.

"Hello there, stranger." She turned and saw a silver she-cat staring at her with calm eyes.

"Greetings." Flamestreak murmured, frowning some.

"What is your name?" The cat asked, examining her from nose to tail-tip.

"Flamestreak." She replied.

"That is a Clan name, is it not?" The cat asked, seemingly curious.

"Not that I know of..." Flamestreak murmured uneasily. She had always been teased by the other loners and kittypets for her strange title. Her mother had been so set on it though.

"My name is Streamstone." The cat meowed.

"It's nice to meet you..." Flamestreak smiled. Streamstone smiled back.


Tempeststorm turned as soon as Mountainfur returned. She blinked as he requested to speak with Hollyleaf alone. A knowing glimmer entered her eyes, and she brushed his shoulder with her tail.

"Good luck." She murmured under her breath. She padded into the clearing and stood with her back to the nursery. Her fur blew in the wind, revealing her swollen belly. It was so hard to tell because of her long, strange-textured fur. But now she was revealed for what she was; a pregnant she-cat with the scent of a strange new Clan on her. Her eyes wandered over the faces of her father's Clan. Had he felt horrible because of what had happened? Had he regretted her birth? She felt the need to hide herself from the cats around her. To hide her kits. Would they suffer? Would they have a good life? Tempeststorm hoped so.


The grey tom sat with his tail curled over his paws, slightly in the shadows of the camp. He was as interested as any cat as to the happenings of the camp, but he prefered not to show it. Closing his eyes, Boulderclaw blew a soft sigh. He wondered what all this drama was about. The scent of TrueClan was so interesting... his eyes flashed open. This was the smell of the Clans united. It wasn't a bad smell. The thought surprised him. Boulderclaw watched Mountainfur return, wondering what could be going on in his head...?

[Brambleclaw]

[xP Crud Scones? Those sound gross!]

[bluebrook3]

(I didn't know you played Streakwater too. lol)

Hollyleaf turned her head to Mountainfur, she blinked. "Yes, I promise...so whats wrong?" She asked him. The kits began to squirm at her belly.

[Brambleclaw]

[Shadow was inactive, so I adopted her for the plot.]


Mountainfur swallowed hard. He suddenly felt like he could be sick. He tried to relax, breath, but he was tense and uncomfortable. He gulped a second time and began.
"Three moons ago, I told Streakwater we could be mates... Because you were gone, and I did not know what had happened to you. I saw you, and never got to tell her that you were my mate." He took in a deep breath, which had no calming effects whatsoever. He felt dizzy sick, and was about to not tell Hollyleaf. But when he scented Streakwater again, he sucked up his pride and fear and finished.
"She is going to have my kits. I promise you, none of this is intentional. Neither of us are happy. I wish I could do something about it." He nearly collapsed, but held himself up, trying to force away the fear and unhappiness he felt. Right outside, Streakwater waited for Mountainfur to bring her in.

[Brambleclaw]

[BUMP?]

[bluebrook3]

"Well alteast you told me the truth..." Hollyleaf sighed licking each of her kits head, she turned toward the nursery entrance, she smelt Streakwater. "Is she wanting to come in?"

[Brambleclaw]

"Yes." Mountainfur sighed with relief. "Maybe she can better explain what happened. I'm off to fetch some prey for you, Hollyleaf." He hurried out of the den, wanting the be away from the both of them for awhile. Streakwater entered.

-

Streakwater felt very uncomfortable in the same den as Hollyleaf.
"We had no idea. Trust me, I'm probably worse off from you." She sighed, shaking her head. "But he really broke my heart. He told me we... we could be mates and all. And then you came along. Friends?" Streakwater did not want to be enemies with the she-cat, but jealousy was a horrible, horrible setback. Maybe they could be friends, and that would be okay. Maybe.

[bluebrook3]

"Yes, I would love to be your friend and put this all past us." Hollyleaf meowed looking at Streakwater.

[Brambleclaw]

Streakwater sighed, grateful to the she-cat. Hollyleaf was a good mate for Mountainfur - she was pretty and young and sweet, and apparently had no place for a grudge. That made Streakwater a little more comfortable around her.
"So, what are your kits names?" She asked, settling down beside Hollyleaf.

[bluebrook3]

"The pale grey she-cat is Featherkit and the brown tom with grey is Taintedkit..."Hollyleaf meowed and sighed. "...my third kit, Boulderkit, Didn't make it. He was just too small." Hollyleaf started to cry thinking about her kit she had to leave.

[Brambleclaw]

Streakwater was instantly just as sad as Hollyleaf was.
"It must've been so hard to lose your kit. I can't imagine it." Streakwater sighed unhappily. She hoped her kits would be okay and well. With a sigh, the she-cat began to build a small nest in the corner of the Nursery for herself.

[bluebrook3]

Hollyleaf closed her eyes.

[Brambleclaw]

Streakwater took that as a 'yes'.
"Well, I should shut up about that." She tried to think of something else to say. "You're a very lucky cat. I'd give my life, all of my kit's lives, to be with Mountainfur." She sighed, placing her head on her paws.

[bluebrook3]

"Mountainfur is a great tom but sometimes he makes me wonder if he even cares about anything but himself..." Hollyleaf looked at Streakwater. "I don't think he even wants me as a mate. I just think he did it because I had his kits and he don't want to lose them, but I'm sure he cares about you. How could he refuse you; your very beautiful, Windclan born, and having his kits, all the things he loves..."

[Brambleclaw]

"But how could he refuse you?" Streakwater countered - suddenly, she wished that Mountainfur hated her. Because Hollyleaf was his mate, not herself. She could not deny them that. She stood in protest.
"You are beautiful, and you loved him even in a different Clan. And you put up with him. You're also having his kits, and you've been his love longer than me. You're kind and gentle and you are okay with me, you are the perfect cat for him. Heck, if it means that much to you, I'll pack my things and head on over to TrueClan - they accept outcasts like me." She smiled encouragingly. She did hope that Hollyleaf would see, and so would Mountainfur, that the two were meant together. That Streakwater was nothing in the equation.