Mapleshade's Redemption

Chapter 8

Mapleshade walked into camp, she had gone on a border patrol. There wasn't much trouble at all and now that she finally smelled like the other Riverclan cats and Darkstar trusted her she could go on those patrols. Darkstar didn't exactly want her to go but she offered to anyway, she wanted to make sure Appledusk wouldn't try anything before the gathering. 'That no-good snake-tongued furball' Mapleshade thought, almost hissing out loud. She couldn't believe that he had the audacity to go back to Thunderclan and get their help to kill her. Luckily for Mapleshade, Frecklewish was the only cat in Thunderclan who came to her senses. A few days ago Mapleshade and Reedshine were outside camp, showing Mapleshade's kits the territory. "Mapleshade I'm so glad I found you! Appledusk is getting Thunderclan along Windclan and Shadowclan's help to attack Riverclan and kill you!" Frecklewish had said urgently. "Has he gotten them all to help yet?" Reedshine, who was next to Mapleshade, asked. Frecklewish shook her head, "Only Thunderclan but they're sending a patrol soon, I overheard them talking." she turned to look at Mapleshade and she lowered her head. "I'm sorry for overreacting. I shouldn't have made assumptions about the father of your kits, Will you ever forgive me?" Mapleshade lifted her chin up with her paw, "Of course old friend." That was days ago. Now the gathering was slowly approaching, only a few days away, and the clans were going to war. Mapleshade had been in the patrol to Windclan when they went to ask for help, luckily they got there before Thunderclan but they didn't have much luck in Shadowclan. Mapleshade grabbed a fish from the fresh kill pile and ambled towards the Nursery. When she got close enough she could see Reedshine entertaining her kits and with a stab of guilt she realized she hadn't been able to give them as much attention as she wanted to. 'They understand, right? Besides. They're in good paws.' it was true, even Patchkit had warmed up to Reedshine but he was still eerily silent. Blackwing assured Mapleshade that Patchkit wasn't mute and it was just his decision not to talk. "Mapleshade look! I caught a minnow!" Petalkit said, bouncing over to her mother and dropping the minnow in front of her paws. "Well I helped!" Larchkit said, hurrying after her. "Did not!" Petalkit said, sticking out her tongue, "Did too!" said Larchkit. "Did not!" "Did too!" "Did not!" "Did too!" "Petalkit, it's not nice to take all the credit when your brother helped too" Reedshine told the kits "Now make up to each other" Petalkit and larchkit sighed, "I'm sorry" they said at the same time. "I'm more sorry" Petalkit said. "Petalkit..." Reedshine said sternly. "Nevermind." She said quickly. Petalkit took her minnow and she shared it with her brothers. Mapleshade laid next to Reedshine and pushed the fish she brought towards her, "You're really good with them, they really like you." Mapleshade smiled. "You'll always be their mother" Reedshine said, taking a bite from the fish. "I don't feel like a good mother though" Mapleshade replied sighing. "What do you mean?" Reedshine asked confused "You're a wonderful mother." Mapleshade Replied "You really think so?" "I know so." There was a call from outside of the den and they went over and sat by the entrance to listen, the kits were too distracted, play-fighting to notice, except Patchkit who joined them. "As you all know tomorrow night is the gathering. Even with the clans at war I expect everyone to be on their best behavior." Darkstar paused, looking at each individual cat. "Traditionally I would pick the cats who would join me at the gathering tomorrow but we are at a time that has never happened before and tradition is thrown out the camp." All the cats started to murmur to each other but the chatter quickly died down. "The cats who will be going are Mapleshade, Splashfoot, Eeltail, and Rainfall. We want as most cats to stay behind and guard the camp as possible." She told them, as mutters of disapproval swept through the crowd. "Blackwing I would also like if you'd stay here so that you can help any cats in case of an attack from other clans." The medicine cat who was watching from the outside of their den nodded, though they looked unsure that any clans would attack them, especially during the gathering. "Dismissed." she told the cats. 'Wow this really is serious if she's only taking her deputy and two other warriors.' Mapleshade thought. "Promise me you'll watch out for yourself." Reedshine told Mapleshade, worry in her look. She nodded, "I will." Even at war, the other clans wouldn't dare attack under a full moon, would they? "Just take care of yourself ok" Reedshine said worried "I don't want you to get hurt." Reedshine turned and went back inside the nursery. "LARCHKIT NO" Reedshine yelled "do not shove your sisters face into the ground." Mapleshade smiled and went inside the den. Patchkit came over to Mapleshade and sat down. "Can you get them to stop fighting?" Reedshine came over "They keep shoving each other into the ground." Mapleshade sighed, smiling "Larchkit stop pushing your sister into the ground, and Petalkit stop pulling your brother's ears." Petalkit squirmed under Larchkit's weight, "She started it!" Mapleshade gave him a stern look and he sighed, "fineee" and got off Petalkit. "Now, it's getting late. Mapleshade needs to rest for tomorrow's gathering ok? So everyone be quiet" Reedshine told the kits in a soft, motherly voice. The kits nodded and they all curled up together, forming a mess of fur where you couldn't tell who was who. "Thank you" Mapleshade half-whispered to Reedshine. Mapleshade curled around her kits, thanking Starclan once more, for being safe in Riverclan.

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Darkstar gave the signal and the cats followed her out of camp. 'My first gathering as a Riverclan cat!' Mapleshade thought, her pelt prickling with excitement mixed with fear. This gathering was going to be really tense. Would Thunderclan attack during the gathering despite the truce? 'Would Appledusk be there?' her thoughts chimed in. 'If he is.' she thought, 'Then it's going to cause a lot more problems' Mapleshade shook away the thought as the cats gracefully sped across the territory. They slowed down as they approached the gorge. "It's a long way down." Rainfall told Mapleshade, noticing she was looking towards the bottom of the gorge. She nodded and sped up a little, not wanting to make conversation. Still, she could feel every cat's eyes burning through her pelt, staring at her as Riverclan arrived at four trees. 'This is it.' she thought, 'The last peaceful gathering before war.'