Chapter 2: Confession
“For the last time, Leafpool, what is it?” demanded Crowfeather. His voice was soft but firm, with traces of exasperation coloring his tone.
Leafpool hesitated. The moon was high in the sky as the two mates entered a small, private area with plenty of trees full low-hanging branches. If the dogs or some other threat happened to come around, they could both claw their way up into safety.
“You said earlier that there’s a dog loose around here at night. What if he pops up?” Crowfeather asked, his azure eyes gleaming with concern and fear - not for himself, but for Leafpool.
“There’s no dog, Crowfeather,” admitted Leafpool. While Crowfeather was still looking at her in surprise, she added, “I only said that so we wouldn’t leave yet. I know you want to go, but... we can’t. Not yet.”
Crowfeather’s eyes glowed with his love for her. “Leafpool, if you didn’t want to leave, you just had to say so. I’ll do whatever you need me to do. I love you more than life itself. Can’t you see that?”
Leafpool’s throat suddenly closed up as though a stubborn piece of fresh-kill was wedged in there. “I know that,” she choked, “but...”
Crowfeather bristled in alarm. “Leafpool, what’s wrong? You’re not planning on going back to the lake, are you?”
“Of course not. But there’s something... I have to tell you.”
“And that would be?”
Leafpool swallowed hard. This was it.
“I’m... I’m expecting kits.”
There was a long moment’s pause. Leafpool was staring at the ground, unable to meet Crowfeather’s gaze.
“Leafpool...”
Leafpool lifted her gaze slowly. Crowfeather’s blue eyes were gleaming with intense love and happiness. “Great StarClan, Leafpool, this is wonderful! Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t like me anymore,” mumbled Leafpool.
Crowfeather pressed his pelt against hers, the sound of his purr and the scent of his pelt making Leafpool forget every trouble that she had ever been faced with. “Oh, Leafpool,” Crowfeather whispered. “Don’t you realize just how much I love you? I would fight all of StarClan for you. I would take the sun from the sky for you. I would live my whole life as a kittypet as long as you were by my side every step of the way. I can’t stand living life without you anymore. You are the air I breathe, the earth I stand upon, the fresh-kill that sustains me, the water I drink. You are the strength in my limbs, the energy in my paws, the power in my claws, the love in my heart. Your friends are my friends. Your enemies are my enemies. Every moment I spend with you, Leafpool, is very precious to me. That means the most to me. And these kits are the most wonderful things that could ever have happened to us. Do you understand?”
Leafpool buried her nose in Crowfeather’s shoulder, relishing in his warm scent and his soft voice. “Yes,” she mewed in a muffled voice.
“When are they due? How many are there? Do you know?”
“I think there’s going to be four. And they should be due in a moon.”
“That’s how long we’ll be staying at the barn then,” Crowfeather decided firmly. “At least until the kits can travel.”
For some reason, this statement made Leafpool feel very upset. Of course, she would miss Moss and Sparrow, and Otis, Stormy, and Raindrop. But she snapped her mind to now, instead of four moons from now. “Okay.”
“Let’s go back to the barn. You don’t need to get too cold.”
Crowfeather and Leafpool, the forbidden lovers who had come so far, turned and headed back to their temporary refuge, tails twined and fur brushing.
Wasn't that a fluffy little filler? XD Crow's a bit of a sap when it comes to Leaf. Stuff starts happening next chapter, but I just wanted to put a little more emphasis on Crow and Leaf's relationship here.