A Secret Revealed [Semi-Open|PM Me Before Posting]

The moon was high in the sky above as Luna trudged back towards the barn. She had left on a hunting trip shortly after moon-rise but it had been a while and she had failed to catch anything other than a mouse that had literally ran into her paws. As she got closer and closer to the barn a sense of dread filled her. She was a good hunter, ever since Bear had taken over she had always brought back at least a rabbit or bird plus a couple smaller kills.

Once she reached the barn she stopped outside, sitting and looking up at the moon wistfully. Any day now Bear would notice how the amount of fresh-kill she was bringing back had been dropping, if he hadn't noticed already. She was also exhausted, hunting everyday when she was pregnant. She had never been pregnant, or known any-cat who was expecting kits, before but she was pretty sure that they didn't hunt every day.

Deciding that she wasn't ready to go inside Luna laid down, tilting her head to the side so she could continue to look up at the moon and stars.

"You're finally back," A low voice rumbled from the shadows just outside of the barn. Bear stepped into the moonlight, illuminating the vast array of scars that coated his ragged brown pelt. There was a hint of impatience in his tone with an underlining threat. The rogue she-cat liked to stay out much longer than anyone else in the group. It was not at all lost on the rogue leader. Right away, he noticed the pitiful catch. He sniffed with disdain and narrowed his eyes.

"Did the prey decided not to get up this Spring? Or have you simply grown lazy?" The words edged at being a snarl, but he kept from losing it on her right away.

"You're finally back." Jumping a bit in surprise, Luna looked over at Bear and sighed. As she pushed herself onto her paws she watched Bear narrow his eyes at the mouse she caught and winced. "Did the prey decided not to get up this Spring? Or have you simply grown lazy?" Luna looked at Bear her gaze defiant, though her eyes were dull behind it.

She didn't want to argue with him and she definitely didn't have the energy to fight him but she refused to let him push her around. "If you hadn't noticed Bear there is still snow on the ground. I can't help it that it is not yet Spring." Since he had yet to attack her Luna sat back down with a sigh. "And I'm not lazy I am just... exhausted." Though she knew keeping her pregnancy a secret would become futile soon she still didn't want to say it out loud, not really having come to grips with the fact in full herself.

"Despite the fact there's snow, it is definitely warmer. Besides, no one else has been having any issues," Bear countered, giving her a cold and even stare. While he truly didn't care much about her small catch, it was easy to tell there was something the she-cat wasn't saying. The group was well fed enough to not worry. Even the younger cats were shaping up to be decent hunters. What nagged at him, though, was the fact that she spent so much time away and had so little to show for it. What are you hiding? He questioned silently looking her over. How could such a well-fed she-cat be such a poor hunter? The rogue leader was oblivious.

"What's going on?" He growled after a moment. The growing suspicion begged him to ask.

Luna narrowed her eyes with a hiss at Bear's implication. "I'm not having issues hunting." Her tone was defensive, her eyes never leaving Bear's. There was a long moment of silence between them and when Bear broke eye contact to look her over Luna finally looked away from him, her shoulders sagging a bit in defeat as she looked up at the moon instead. "I'm expecting kits."

The words felt weird coming out of her mouth but finally saying them made her feel like a weight was lifted off of her. Curious as to what Bear's reaction would be she looked down at her paws and then over at him.

"That's good," He meowed with a nod and a glint in his eyes. The group was growing faster than he ever could have imagined. First, Cherrymist. Then Bat's random kit. By only kidnapping a few cats, he had some how manged to get the lot that would keep the ragtag rouge group alive. The thought pleased him. Everything is working out, The tom thought happily to himself. However, a thought popped into his head. Bear was mates with Pepper, and most of the group consisted of she-cats right now, save for the kits, "Who is the father?"

Only hearing the last bit of the conversation, Pepper pushed through the frosted grass on the field and to the barn. She dipped her head to the queen as well as glancing at her growing belly. "You shouldn't be out there hunting." She said in a stern tone after placing down the herbs Bat had gathered. He went out to hunt while she brought the herbs in. The barn sure was filling up and, in all honesty, it beat the silent barn she had known for a while.

Luna was a bit surprised when Bear reacted positively. She had expected him to be angry or at least exasperated. There were no rouge mates in the group that she spent even a fraction of time with other than Bat and everyone knew he was Pepper's mate.

As if her thoughts had summoned her, Pepper's voice rang out from the grass "You shouldn't be out there hunting." At the same time Pepper spoke Bear seemed to realize the missing piece of her news. "Who is the father?"

Since both cats had spoken at the same time Luna looked to Pepper to respond, hoping Bear would just think she hadn't heard him and let it go. "Yes well, the enforcers get annoying when you're lazy and the mood is so depressing in there, with all those clan cats moping about. I'd rather be out hunting."

"You can hunt the mice around the outside of the barn if that suits you. Pepper is right, you shouldn't be hunting a lot while you're expecting... But I asked you a question: who is the father?" Bear had considered what he would say for a moment, suppressing the frustration in his voice. Typically the self-confident tom did not watch what he said much. But he chose his words carefully. The queen had ignored his question, blatantly. It made him assume that the answer would not be to his liking. However, no matter where they were from, Bear appreciated having more kits. He did not want to anger his new queen, but he also expected her to answer him.

Luna sighed when Bear repeated his question, obviously not willing to let it go. "Some random ton from the clan that lives in the moors, Gustclan... no Windclan. His name was....." Luna paused and tilted her head to the side a bit, obviously stumped.

Having peaked her own curiosity Luna spaced out a bit, completely forgetting the situation she was in as she muttered to herself. "What the heck was his name... Something with an S... Maybe Silverfang? No... Silversmoke? Luna shook her head and frowned.  Um... Smokewisp... no... It's something close to that. Smokestripe?" Luna shook her head again her frown deepening. Not remembering was kind of worrying her. Luna wasn't really used to forgetting things though it could probably be easily explained in this case with her over working herself and not getting much sleep lately.

Looking to Bear she seemed to snap out of it, eyes widening a bit. "Oh, sorry. Did I answer your question?" Though the statement alone was worded in a way most would assume was sarcasm, Luna's usual snappy tone and narrowed eyes didn't accompany it, making it the first thing Luna had ever said to Bear without some sort of attitude. Not even realizing this Luna looked between Pepper and Bear, still genuinely unsure if she had answered what she had been asked.

"What were you doing with a clan cat?" Bear growled, moving close to her face. His rage burned hot. We're supposed to be taking down the clans! Not having their kits! He wanted to yowl at the other rogue, but kept his muzzle shut. Despite the fact they had clan origins, Bear would raise them as he own. And maybe they would even kill off their own father someday, turning their backs on the ways of the forest cats.

Luna flinched a bit and let out a hiss, flattening her ears on her head. "I'm sorry. My home had just been taken over by some rouge and my friends were in constant danger! I was stressed and upset and he was interesting." Luna narrowed her eyes at Bear as she spoke, her tail twitching behind her restlessly. "I was out after moonrise and he caught me on their territory. We spent the rest of the night together, then he helped me catch some hares and I came back to the barn. I haven't seen him since."

Luna pushed the mouse she had caught earlier to Bear and stood. "Besides what do you care? I have no love for the tom. I'd kill him just as quickly now as I would have before, if it meant it'd make my friends safer." Luna turned and padded over to Pepper, obviously figuring that Bear would either continue to yell at her or go off somewhere to brood about her 'betrayal' "Here, let me help you carry these. We haven't been able to spend time together since Bear took over the barn."

"She-cats..." He muttered, gratefully accepting the mouse before padding off to add it to the freshkill pile. Luna's words were reassuring. At least she was still not seeing that forest cat. And, besides, her kits would only add to the numbers.