Rising from the Ashes

Chapter 91

Bramblestripe reached to move the large pile of bedding he had collected to use for the elders. He paused when he heard a purr and saw the tip of a ginger striped tail peeking out. Amused, he approached the pile.

"Wow, this pile sure is heavy!" Bramblestripe exclaimed, pushing the bedding with a paw but pretending he couldn't move it or see it shake with amused purrs.

"Bramblestripe, what are you-" Hareflight began before catching on.

Smokekit appeared. "Have you seen Sunkit?"

"Nope, nobody here but us and this bunch of bedding."

The purring stopped. Too late, Bramblestripe swept his tail to try and hide the bedding from Smokekit's scrutiny but the fluffy gray kit was too quick.

"Gotcha!" Smokekit squeaked, leaping onto the bedding.

Sunkit squeaked, clambering away from her denmate, grass stuck to her pelt. "How did you find me?"

"I almost didn't. That was a great hiding spot, Sunkit! If I hadn't seen your tail, I would still be looking for you."

"You found anyone else yet?"

"No. You wanna help me find them?"

"Yeah!"

Bramblestripe and Hareflight cleaned up the bedding before taking it to the elder's den. It was about then that the hunting patrol came back.

"This should be enough to feed the elders and the queens," Brightwhisker meowed, one white-tipped paw on a big rabbit.

"And the kits?" Bramblestripe asked.

"Are old enough to fetch their own prey from the pile."

"Thank StarClan!" Duskflower joined them. "I can't wait to get out of camp again."

Bramblestripe considered this. Even if the Clan were big enough to do without them, it must be tough to be stuck in camp for so long. He knew how much he hated being stuck in camp and off warrior duties for even a quarter moon, let alone six! He shuddered at the thought. He'd never understood why queens couldn't rejoin patrols before then.

"Once all of the queens are back on patrol why don't all of the warriors take turns caring for the kits?" Bramblestripe suggested. "I mean, we share all of the other duties."

His Clanmates exchanged glances as they considered the idea.

"Hawkstar?" Bramblestripe looked at their leader.

"I don't see why not as long as the queens don't object," Hawkstar responded.

"We don't," Wildbloom assured her mate as the other queens nodded.

"After all, how hard could watching a bunch of kits be?" Hareflight reasoned.

"You toms don't know what you're getting into," Duskflower meowed.

"Perhaps not but we're all willing to give it a try," Stonesplash meowed.