If Foxleap and Rosepetal were mates

Chapter 10

Ferncloud turned her head to her belly quickly. She saw Foxleap was right, and Milkkit and Carpkit were gone. She stood up and wailed, "My kits! Someone has taken my kits!" Sorreltail and Sandstorm walked over to the queen and tried to comfort the queen. Dustpelt, Birchfall, and Firestar were at the nursery entrance. Dustpelt raced forward. "She's right. They aren't here." Ferncloud walked wearily to Firestar. "Please, Firestar! Help me find them!" Firestar nodded, then turned to Dustpelt. "Take Brackenfur, Icecloud, Toadstep, and Squirrelflight and go check outside the camp. I will take Graystripe, Thornclaw, Ivypool, and Birchfall to check farther in the territory." As the cats left, and Ferncloud lay in her nest with Sandstorm and Sorreltail were around her, Foxleap sat down. That's odd. Why would a cat take Milkkit and Carpkit when Sunkit, Cherrykit, Lilykit and Seedkit were closer to the entrance? Then he remembered. Spiderleg, leaving with two bundles, black fur on the brambles. It all made sense now. "Spiderleg took Carpkit and Milkkit!" The three queen turned to him in shock. "S-spiderleg wouldn't do it." Ferncloud mewed. Foxleap shook his head. When i was in the warrior's den, I saw Spiderleg leave with two objects. I didn't think much of it, but now I know." Firestar padded back in the nursery. "Nothing yet. If it really was Spiderleg, he might be long gone." Ferncloud wailed. Sandstorm and Sorreltail went back to the kits. Firestar turned to his former apprentice. "You know about Spiderleg. Why would he take two kits, his kin for that matter?" Foxleap thought long and hard. "He felt like he was getting replaced because Ferncloud had so many kits." Suddenly, Icecloud tumbled in. "We found something!" She showed them a tuft of black fur. "Where did you find it?" Ferncloud asked her kit frantically. "Not far from the RiverClan border." Firestar was about to speak, but Foxleap stepped forth. "Firestar, let me look for Spiderleg. He's my brother. I may be able to convince him to give Milkkit and Carpkit back." Firestar thought for a while. "Very well. Foxleap will look for Spiderleg." Foxleap nodded, "Thank you, Firestar.", then bounded out of camp. He raced for a long while, until the scent of Spiderleg, milk, and RiverClan mixed in. As he got closer, the smell got stronger. When he got ahead, he could see Spiderleg talking with Reedwhisker, the RiverClan deputy, with Carpkit and Milkkit squirming. "Don't worry, you two. Reedwhisker will care for you." There was coldness in Spiderleg's voice. Foxleap could hear Carpkit's mew of indignation. "He smells awful! Why can't we stay with Ferncloud?" Then he could her Milkkit's more arrogant voice. "And who eats fish? That stuff's disgusting!" Then he could hear Reedwhisker's mew, "You will be cared for in RiverClan. You won't have to eat fish." Reedwhisker and Spiderleg started talking and after a while, Foxleap heard Spiderleg exclaim, "What?! I only said I would get you these two. Why would you want the other ones?" Reedwhisker spoke in a tone near a growl. "Look. We lost many kits. A couple of queens lost all their kits. RiverClan needs mo-" Then Spiderleg hurled himself forward. "This wasn't part of the plan!" Reedwhisker turned and slashed Spiderleg's muzzle. "RiverClan will have more warriors!" As the two toms battled, Milkkit and Carpkit ran to the bushes, mewling with terror and tails high. Foxleap stood to them. "Milkkit! Carpkit! There you are!" The two kits looked at Foxleap. "It's Foxleap!" mewled Carpkit. He padded forward, but Milkkit pulled him back. "You mouse-brain! Don't you see? He'll take us to camp! We'll be in trouble!" Carpkit pulled himself free. "I don't care! I want Ferncloud!" Foxleap pulled the two kits toward a bush. "Stay here." He ran to the toms. "Spiderleg!" Foxleap called. The black tom turned around and instantly, Reedwhisker threw him to the river. Spiderleg crashed onto a rock, and stopped moving. "No!" Foxleap rushed to Spiderleg as Reedwhisker bolted. Foxleap caught the scent of Firestar, Toadstep, Icecloud, Birchfall, Bumblestripe, Rosepetal, Dustpelt, Ferncloud, and Jayfeather. Foxleap saw Ferncloud curl around her kits and licked then anxiously. Dustpelt and Jayfeather padded to Spiderleg. Jayfeather checked Spiderleg for a while before saying, "He's dead."