ColdClan: Sky Of Blood [2]

3. Skyleap

With the sunset rising over the mountain behind them, the entrance to the queen's den was illuminated and it made Skyleap's eyes flicker open. As she shifted her body, she had almost forgot that there were kits tucked up next to her, and with a gentle pur, she pulled the four of them closer using her tail. Sunstorm had told her what Mudstar had said, and there was this heavy thing weighing down in her belly. She guessed it could only be worry for her sister. Sunstorm had not seemed herself recently, and it worried Skyleap to no end.

"Skyleap?" A tiny voice croaked up from inside the warmth of her grey pelt.

Two beady eyes appeared, and she realised it had been Icekit. Hushing him by letting the tip of her tail dance across his head, she whispered down to him. "What is it, my dear?"

Clearly, the kit had had enough rest, and untangled himself from his siblings' grasps. He moved swiftly, and claimed the spot between Skyleap's paws. With a chuckle, she bent down and began to clean his head, her warm tongue rasping over him.

"Why does my father not want to see me?"

Freezing for a second, Skyleap knew she had to choose her words carefully. There was no escaping this question. "Well," she began softly, continuing her licking as if nothing had happened. "I think he's scared." Gorseface's abandonment had had a hard effect on little Icekit.

In confusion, the kit cocked his head at Skyleap. "Scared? But I'm a kit! I'm not scary, not like those mountain lions.." He replied, his eyes wandering to the entrance as he thought of Gorseface.

"Not scared of you, my love, but of the thought of being a father." She knew more than one cat that that applied to. "He loves you really, he just finds it difficult to express it, especially after everything that happened to him. And both me and your siblings love you. So don't be sad now, young one, you have your whole life ahead of you!" Gently, she nudged Icekit to his feet, indicating that she was done. 

Steadily, the kit turned to look up at her with a grin. "Thank you, Skyleap."

With a firm but kind nod in response, the she-cat stood up, gently picking off the three kits that had hooked themselves to her side. One by one they yawned and stretched, beginning to wake up in the sunlight that streamed in. Antkit's mahogany colouring was the first to be skittering around the den, the tom already wide awake. Before long, the boisterous Batkit was tumbling around alongside him, her fur as dark as the night springing from one end of the den to the other. Mothkit was more elegant in her manner. Sitting back on her hind-legs, she began to lick her paw, her already impeccable silver tabby pelt shining a little more. 

Magpiefur, another queen and good friend of Skyleap's stirred in the corner. Two shapes appeared from behind her, joining in with the fun and games of the morning. Milkkit and her pale tan pelt trotted over to Mothkit's side, and the two began gossiping quietly with each other. The shy but curious Minnowkit collided head on with Batkit, before shaking herself off and chasing after a mossball. It felt good to be a queen sitting among all the new life. Skyleap felt as though she'd done her clan a great favour by bringing the beautiful kits before her into the world. 

"Can you believe it?" A gentle voice interrupted her thoughts, causing her head to snap around and face the she-cat. It was only Magpiefur. "Can you believe that Foxstar was murdered?" She asked again, clearly pushing for an answer.

Twitching her ears to indicate that she was thinking, Skyleap held a short silence between the two she-cats. If there was one thing everyone in clan knew about Magpiefur, it was that she was a lover of gossip. Knowing that she would have to tread carefully, the grey queen responded simply with, "Yes, I can believe it. By who, however, now that is a mystery." Hoping that it would satisfy Magpiefur's questions, Skyleap turned back to watching her kits.

To no avail, however. "But don't you think it's strange? Your father leaves our clan, finds himself suddenly as deputy to Foxstar... and possibly wants more? I mean, I'm sure I would do the same. Anyone would!"

With a hiss, Skyleap let her fiery side show. "My father is not a murderer!" By StarClan, why was she defending the tom who left her family for another one? The tom who broke her mother's heart? What was said was said; there was no taking it back now. "I'm sorry." She mumbled quietly, not quite able to meet the other queen's eyes. "I guess I'm still tender about his departure."

Shocked, Magpiefur gave a little nod, but seemed to have got the idea that this topic was sensitive. Their conversation was stopped by a voice calling from the entrance of the den. It was Fishpaw, the gentle cat blinking as her eyes grew accustomed to the dark. Dipping her head, she moved towards them. "Greetings! Mudstar is leaving soon to go to visit HeatClan now. Sunstorm asked me to fetch you, Skyleap -- she wanted to speak with you before she left. I'm not sure what about, but Mudstar wants to be there by sunhigh."

With a smile, Skyleap pressed her nose against Fishpaw's. "Thank you," she spoke kindly, her voice softer and her previous anger ebbing from her as she spoke. "I'll be there shortly. Antkit, Mothkit, Batkit, Icekit, stay with Magpiefur. She's in charge, behave for her!" 

Following the medicine cat apprentice out of the den, Skyleap realised what a beautiful day it was. A golden ball of sun sat high in the sky, and there were no clouds in sight. Cerulean was all she saw behind the summit of the mountain that loomed behind their plateau. 

Sunstorm stood away from the congregation of cats as Skyleap made her way over. When the two sister's gazes met, there was a spark of something indescribable. Their relationship had had its ups and downs, but the one constant thing throughout it all had been their sistership. Rubbing her head against her sister's chest, Skyleap purred in greeting.

"Try not to get killed by a HeatClan savage," Skyleap chuckled, her neck vertebrae clicking as he brought it back up to its original position. Grinning, Sunstorm laughed in response, her sparkling eyes lit up by the joy.

Her tone twisted for a minute, the invisible force writhing on the floor before the happiness changed to sincerity. "Want me to speak to Marshfoot? Tell him how you and the kits are doing?" 

Skyleap shrugged, not really sure how to respond. He was no father to her kits. Did he really deserve to know? "If he asks," She responded simply. "Sunstorm... what if it was our father who killed Foxstar? By StarClan, what if we're not only the daughter of a traitor, but of a murderer too!?" She felt quite dizzy with the thought, a sick feeling laying heavily in her stomach.

The ever calm Sunstorm pressed against her sister. "He does not define us, Skyleap. You proved that you were loyal to ColdClan when you chose us over going to live in HeatClan with Marshfoot, and my, you've shown your dedication so many times before that. We can't let our father's actions affect us."

Sighing, silence descended on the two as they shared each other's warmth for a moment longer. Mudstar's voice was the one to snap them from their tranquility. "Lets get going," he said, beckoning to Sunstorm with his tail.

"You'd better go," Skyleap said with a sniff. 

Stepping away from her sister, Sunstorm offered her a lick on the nose. "Don't worry, yeah? Everything works out to be okay in the end. I promise."