Something Beautiful

[Seafeather]

Seastar

I was laying inside my den. Pine needles spread on the floor to make it warmer. It didn't help very much. The cool wind blew in from the north, right through the entrance. I had been feeling sick lately. Nausea would overwhelm me before I knew it, and leave the same way. Without warning or notice. My stomach felt warmer than it had before. Was it an illness? Surely I wouldn't go this way. I stood up and shook out my fur with a quick shiver and peeked out into the camp. It was bustling with activity. Warriors fixing the dens from any damage that was visible, warriors and apprentices alike coming back their mouths holding life giving fresh kill. It was smooth like a machine.

A nudge...I felt a nudge inside my stomach. I gasped in surprise. I had never felt anything on the inside of me before. It was an all new sensation. My head sunk towards my stomach, searching for something on the outside, knowing I wasn't going to find it. It can't be... I felt my cheeks turn hot and my ears red. I walked off, passing it away as if it didn't happen. It wouldn't do to have a leader being overly happy about something that wasn't there.

And there it was again. And another. Several kicks this time. It wasn't a nudge, more like a kick. Tears streamed down my face, making wet trails on my fur. I ran to Smokeleaf's den, hoping to confirm my suspicion before telling the maker of the little kicks inside me.

"Smokeleaf!" I gasped when I barged into her den. Very non-leader like. "I think I'm with kits!"

[fαllεη •]

Kits.
The word electrified the old medicine cat, shooing her apprentice out of the den. It had been leafbare for the longest time, but now newleaf was surely over the horizon, and... Kits. Her brain sputtered, trying to-- great StarClan, no thinking about Seastar's lovelife. And then a knowing, wide grin spread across her face. "So the sprightly young fellow finally got the nerve, did he?" she purred. It felt so good. She hadn't been able to snark at anyone for the longest time-- it was all seriousness, all... She faltered, remembering why Seastar was with kits. 'But she'd have asked for this anyway.' There was just something motherly about Seastar. It had shone when she had had Spottedwing to take care of, and now... Kits of her own? The old grey she-cat grinned, giving herself a quick shake and dislodging a small storm of fur. The thought was thrust to the back of her mind, and all that mattered now was gesturing for her to come in, sit down, and smile that smug, Smokeleaf-y smile that she did so well.

[Seafeather]

Seastar

"So the sprightly young fellow finally got the nerve, did he?" Smokeleaf purred to me. I felt my ears turn red and hot with embarrassment.

"I suppose you could say that." I admitted. A small...disturbingly great idea popped into my mind. It was a stretch...but I hadn't felt this happy in ages. "Dear Smokeleaf, you know how much I just love my romance! It all started when we were rolling in the leaves together an-" Smokeleaf smacked her tail into my mouth. With it right open her tail was caught between my teeth. So I wouldn't bite her, and make her even more grumpy, I opened my mouth even wider to get her tail out.

Looking at Smokeleaf's face...there was no amount of fresh kill that I would give to trade it. I rolled on my back, laughing. The pealing bell sound echoed through out the camp with a ring. When I had finally composed myself, Smokeleaf was staring down at me with mock anger.

"Pfft," I held back laughter. "Sorry Smokeleaf, I just couldn't help it!" I gave her a full toothed-smile. After fully composing myself, my laid on my side and pointed to my stomach where the kicks were coming from.

OOC: Yes, Fallen knows I power-played Smokeleaf. XD

[fαllεη •]

"And what kind of leadership do you call this?" Smokeleaf mewed at the collapsed bundle of fur, unable now to hide her own toothy grin.
'Just couldn't help it' -hah, she'd believe that when it happened. Queen of self-control, in this kind of mood? Summer was surely on the horizon when kits were promised. But, of course, her oh-so-proud, almighty leader would want a check-up for the new kits. Kits! Smokeleaf felt a warmth welling inside her chest. It had been a whole twelve moons since FrostClan had last seen new life-- Sunkit didn't count, since she wasn't FrostClan-born, although Smokeleaf hoped the kit would never have to know otherwise.
She forced herself to make Seastar wait, preparing another batch of her herbs that, since they hadn't managed to kill the bumbling she-kit on the first try, had been a part of Smokeleaf's morning preparations every seven sunhighs since. It was with a practised jaw that she chewed up the leaves, mixed them as Nightleaf had instructed, and silently thanked Jadestar and her medicine cat for their help-- not that she'd ever be so grateful to their faces, after all the fuss she'd made.
The herbs were unceremoniously dumped at the calico she-cat's paws. "Chew and swallow," she grinned, settling down at Seastar's belly to give her professional opinion.

She laid a paw to Seastar's belly, ignoring any awkwardness that either party might feel. Ah yes, there they were! Her hearing wasn't what it used to be, but if she leaned in a touch... there was Seastar's heartbeat. And, as her paws probed further, she felt a lump under her paw. Then another, and another.
She was unaware of the slow, warm smile growing across her face, but turned it into something more amused than happy as she noticed.
"I guess it's Bluesparrow's lucky day, no?" Smokeleaf meowed with a teasing grin.

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[Seafeather]

Seastar

"Chew and swallow." Says Smokeleaf as she probes my stomach. I stare at the liongrass that she has laid out for me, inches from my nose. As she probes, I stick out my tongue to reach for the blades. One touches and I pull it in and chew. The warm, tartness of the grass spreads across my tongue; the first thing I ate all morning. I finished the leaves just as Smokeleaf said, "I guess it's Bluesparrow's lucky day, no?"

A smile spread across my face. Kits. I felt my heart expand, almost double, with the love I felt for my unborn kits. For my mate. For my Clan that I was helping by giving them kits. I was the first leader to have kits. Well, first leader that was going to have kits.

"I suppose so...Thank you Smokeleaf." I said, being very grateful. "I've been tossing around names. Do you want to know the name of my first born she-kit?" I waited for her answer. Hoping that, well knowing how Smokeleaf was, she'd be flustered, but try to hide it in her Smokeleaf-y way.