Tigerlily of RiverClan Chapter 10

Tigerlily's eyes snapped open in the gloom of the nursery. It had been a half-moon since she moved into the nursery. Yawning, she perked an ear to the direction of the opening. The shuffling of claws. The smell of blood. She poked her head out into the den, and saw injured warriors limping through the entrance. "Are you okay?" she whispered, careful not to wake anyone.

"We'll be fine. Just wake Minnowstar and Poppyfeather for us, would you?" Lionpelt murmured back.

Tigerlily nodded obediently, and went to do as she was told. She gently nudged the shoulder of Poppyfeather, asking her to wake the leader and see to the wounded cats in the clearing.

She dipped her head to the warriors as she went back to her nest. "Hope you feel better by morning. What happened anyways?"

"It was a few foxes, might want to gather a patrol to chase them off. Especially before any kits are born," Flurrysong responded, casting a sideways glance at Tigerlily's stomach.

"I hope all goes well," Tigerlily entered the nursery again. She curled into her nest, envisioning her kits. Iceclaw's kits, beside her. ''Nothing will ever harm you. Not hail, not foxes, not badgers. ''She promised, drifting off to sleep.

Tigerlily dreamed of sitting beside Iceclaw, a living Iceclaw, watching as four kits tumbled in a sun-lit field. A river gurgled nearby, seeming to promise happiness and prosperity. Suddenly, Iceclaw turned and gave Tigerlily a lick between the ears. "I'll be back soon, my love. Don't worry about me," he got up and dashed into the trees.

The sun passed overhead, and one of the kits padded to Tigerlily. "Mama, I'm hungry! When are we gonna get to eat?"

Tigerlily smiled at her son. "I'll go catch something in the river," she walked to the water's edge. She watched the water for many heart-beats, but nothing other than the water itself moved.

"I'll go catch something for us!" the same kit shouted to her. His pelt was white with black patches. "It's going to be bigger than you!"

"Wait! No! Iceclaw will come back with food soon!" Another kit shouted. Her pelt was black, with a white underbelly and paws. She raced into the woods after her brother.

A third kit fell into the river, after rolling around with his sister. "Mama, help! I don't know how to swim!"

Tigerlily checked to make sure her other daughter was safe, and leaped into the water after him. Just before she was able to grab his scruff, he fell over a waterfall. It took all of Tigerlily's willpower to not jump in after him. She turned and swam back to shore.

Tigerlily made it back to her only surviving kit, but was then forced to watch, powerless, as a fox came and scooped up her last daughter. It cast a cruel, knowing glance at Tigerlily, and padded calmly into the trees.

Tigerlily woke, her heart pounding, and sunlight streaming into the den. "Are you okay?" Sandfall's concerned face loomed over the she-cat.