Gentlenose's Secret

Gentlenose got up from her make shift nest, grunting with the effort. Had she been eating too much lately? "No, I've been giving everything I catch to the kits and apprentices," she mulled over the various reasons why she had been gaining weight. Not only that, but she had been feeling rather sick today. Had she caught a cold? The worried she cat looked around the barn, searching for Dreamleaf. Finally she found the medicine cat, a few fox lengths away. "Dreamleaf..." Gentlenose called the older she cat's name quietly, padding up to her. "Can I talk to you?" she asked, her ears twitching nervously..

Dreamleaf turned around and looked at Gentlenose.
"What can I help you with, Gentlenose?" Dreamleaf asked curiously. The medicine cat padded over and looked at the she-cat. She could tell there was something wrong with her. The medicine cat took a brief inspection of the she-cat from where she stood and noticed the slight bulge of her belly. Dreamleaf began to realize what might be going on without being asked.

Gentlenose was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts before responding. "I think... I think I might have caught a cold," she half-lied. The symptoms weren't of a normal cold. Gentlenose had her suspicions of what was going on, but she wouldn't give into the truth so easily.

Dreamleaf let out a small laugh.
"No, that is not the case, Gentlenose. You have a bulging belly, i'm guessing pains as well in your stomach region, you feel ill? Mmm! Great Starclan, Gentlenose! You'll be having your first litter!" Dreamleaf laughed joyously. Sure, it may not be the best place to give birth, but hopefully they were back in the camp by the time her kits were due? Dreamleaf licked the she-cat's forehead.
"You may want to tell Bluesong as well. Congratulations, Gentlenose," the medicine cat purred.

Gentlenose was silent. Her breathing came fast, her amber eyes widening in shock and disbelief. "No... This can't be, what will Jayflight think?" she spoke without realizing what she was saying. Her normal, calm, happy attitude was nowhere to be found, instead a paranoid she cat standing in its place. "No, Dreamleaf, you can't tell anyone!" she hissed in fear. What would the clan think when she couldn't explain who the father was?

Dreamleaf looked at her, a little astonished.
"Gentlenose... you didn't... oh Starclan..." Dreamleaf murmured, "Your secret is safe with me."

Gentlenose let out a sigh, calming down a bit. "Thank you..." she murmured. "Thank you so much, Dreamleaf," she couldn't find enough words to express the gratitude she felt towards the medicine cat.

"What will you do when the kits are born?" Dreamleaf asked. If Gentlenose didn't want anyone to find out about the kits, what would she do once they were born?

Gentlenose shook her head. "I don't know... I'll... I'll speak to Jayflight about before they're born..." she decided, wondering how her mate would take the news.

Dreamleaf nodded.
"Until then, I will keep your secret, and I'll do everything in my power to cover up for you. But understand that will get harder for you since your belly will only get bigger... for now, i'll give you some herbs to calm some of the pain," Dreamleaf mewed. Dreamleaf vanished into the outside but reappeared after a couple of moments with a couple of herbs.
"This is poppy seed. It will soothe the pain," Dreamleaf mewed quietly, laying out a poppy seed in front of Gentlenose.

Gentlenose lapped up the small seeds gratefully. "Really, I can't thank you enough for what you're doing," she continued to express her gratitude. "I'll find some way to solve this issue, you won't have to cover for me forever," she promised.