Thunder Rising/Chapter 19

Chapter description
 Gray Wing's PoV 
 * Gray Wing sits at the mouth of the den he shares with Turtle Tail, his paws tucked comfortably underneath him and watches the three kits play at the bottom of the hollow. Their squeals drift over as they leap on top of one another and roll around in the twigs and debris. He thinks about how Rainswept Flower wasn't wrong when she said they'd have their paws full and wonders how he used to fill his days before the kits came.


 * As he slides into a doze, warm sunlight soaking into his pelt, he spots Sparrow Fur race up the slope toward him. She begs him to play with them, skidding to a halt. Gray Wing yawns as he rises to his paws, and asks what he has to do. Sparrow Fur explains Owl Eyes is being a fox, looking over her shoulder to Gray Wing as she bounces down the slope ahead of him, and they have to roll out of his way when he attacks them. Gray Wing realizes it's a good game for training, and one day they might have to do it for real.


 * At the bottom of the hollow, Owl Eyes is racing towards Pebble Heart with his teeth bared as he growled, tiny and high-pitched. He declares he's a fox, going to eat him up. Pebble Heart shrieks and dives to one side as Owl Eyes leaps at him, landing on his back and waving his paws in the air.


 * Owl Eyes spins around and hurls himself at Sparrow Fur. His sister waits until the last moment before darting aside with a yowl of delight and rolling over and over among the scattered twigs. Drawing his lips back into a snarl, Owl Eyes whips around to face Gray Wing, his tail lashing to and fro. He says he's the fiercest fox in the forest, and Gray Wing snarls back he's an even bigger fox. Owl Eyes flattens his ears and widens his eyes, meowing in a voice shaking with laughter he's so scared. He jumps to one side as Gray Wing pounces, landing a blow on Gray Wing's ear before he rolls away out of range.


 * Gray Wing scrambles to his paws and shakes debris from his pelt and congratulates Owl Eyes, adding it's a good thing that he had his claws sheathed. Twigs cracking beneath his paws, he whirls around to attack Sparrow Fur, but as he charges forward, sharp pain claws through his lungs and he feels his legs crumple under him. He sinks to the ground and his chest heaves as he gasps for breath.


 * The three kits crowd around Gray Wing, their eyes huge and anxious. Frustration wells up in Gray Wing as their bodies make it harder to breathe, but he knows better than to bat them out of the way. Turtle Tail's voice rings out from somewhere across the camp, telling her kits to get back and to give Gray Wing some air. A moment later she pads up to him, gently thrusting the kits asie. She asked if it's his breathing again and Gray Wing nods, unable to speak.


 * Pebble Heart pokes his nose into his mother's side, saying he thinks Gray Wing needs some coltsfoot for his breathing, and asks if he should see Cloud Spots to get some. Turtle tail turns her puzzled gaze onto her son and asks how he knows about coltsfoot, and he replies Dappled Pelt told him. She nods and he darts off to Cloud Spots' den. Owl Eyes and Sparrow Fur huddle closer to Gray Wing, and Owl Eyes begs for Gray Wing to get better. His breathing begins to ease, enough to assure the anxious kits. He croaks he promises he will and Sparrow Fur adds she's never had a father like him, and asks if he's like their father.


 * Both kits fix their gaze on Gray Wing, eyes full of hope and love. Pain pierces Gray Wing's heart, more agonizing than his breathing troubles and opens his jaw to reply, but no words come. He isn't sure if it's illness or his fear of letting his emotions overwhelm him. Turtle Tail's gaze meets Gray Wing's over the top of the kits' heads. She meows briskly he is, and he's the best father any kit could hope to have.


 * Returning with a bunch of coltsfoot in his jaws, Pebble Heart dashes up in time to hear what his mother had said. Letting the leaves fall, he hurls himself at her in a wriggling bundle of delight. He announces it's the best thing he's heard ever and now he really knows they belong. Cloud Spots, padding more slowly after Pebble Heart, sweeps his tail around to get the kits away from Gray Wing. He tells them to leave Gray Wing in peace, dipping his head to Turtle Tail and assures them that he'll look after him.