What if Mapleshade's kits lived

Chapter 9

By the time they'd return to the cover of natural grasses and trees, the sky had darkened as the sun began to edge closer to the horizon, to the world beyond sight. With claw marks of pink clouds streaking across the sky, like a tabby's markings. Mapleshade began to worry if Appledusk had gone off and done something stupid with the unknown location of his daughter.


Petalkit had become so paralyzed with fear, she refused to walk. Forcing Mapleshade to carry the fast-growing kit by the scruff, causing her muscles to strain and ache with every step. It was hard enough now but another moon and she couldn't imagine how hard it would try to carry her kits by the scruff, probably impossible without injuring herself.

Having enough, Mapleshade began swinging her head faster and faster, until she gained enough momentum to swing Petalkit across her shoulders. The brown kit reluctantly shifted sideways, so she lay on Mapleshade's board back. Just she's had been when they'd crossed the raging river. Mapleshade shuttered.

With Petalkit out the way, Mapleshade was able to travel at a steady pace past the rows of large oak trees. The roots of Oaks protruded out of the ground like giant brown worms, that had tried desperately, to borrow back into the safety of the ground but had failed, frozen in time by being enclosed in a layer of ice-like bark.

Taking a step back now, letting the true atmosphere sink into her bones and mind, allowed her to see the truth. The twisting and tangling angels of the trees here, creeped her out for the first time, despite being here for half a moon. And with cats like Bloomheart and Oakstar still lurking out there, they couldn't remind in one place for too long. They needed to get out of here as soon as possible.




Eventually, the former Thunderclan Queen spotted a moving outline of cat through the layer of dark brambles. Climbing past them, into the clearing, she noticed Appledusk's claws stressed claws marks scattered all across the crusty floor. The trout lay across the floor, reduced to nothing but a pile of thin wiry bones and mushy white meat. At least they'd hadn't eaten all of it. As soon as the Riverclan tom noticed the returning she-cats, he sped over to them. Larchkit and Patchkit were tucked away in the thick bramble den, past asleep. Larchkit's snorting echoing through the swinging branches of the trees like a bird song.

Mapleshade arched her spine, forcing Petalkit to roll sideways, falling from her mother's back. "Petalkit!", Appledusk called excitedly, coming over and nuzzling Petalkit like they'd been separated for seasons. However, Petalkit quickly flinched away, giving her father a bitter growl, "Ok, ok, Appledusk. I'm not dead. You can stop going all lovey-dovey over me, thanks.", she mewed with a dry snarky tone.



The cream tom blinked at her, until letting off a sudden sigh. Mapleshade could almost imagine the blood under Petalkit's skin flowing with acidic venom. She'd gone through all the trouble dragging her back here and now Petalkit was already being rude to her father? Angered, Mapleshade caught the sand-coloured kit's attention by flicking her snowy white tail over Petalkit's shoulders. She slowly turned to face her mother. They silently held their gaze, reading each other.

Narrowing her eyes, Mapleshade could see the dark rims circling her bright green eyes. Eyes that perfectly reflected the cat that she still refused to acknowledge as her father. Holding herself back, Mapleshade finally allowed logic to take control for once. Straining herself, Mapleshade padded over to the fish carcass, stripping out long strings of pale meat with her curling claws. Raking at the fish's spine again, she gathered the scraps of food that still clung to the bones, making a small pile of food. After gripping a bone from the pile and spitting it away, she grabbed the small pile of fish and dumped at Petalkit's paws. The kit blinked at her.




"Eat up.", she ordered, "After that, you're going straight to bed. I'll deal with you in the morning, once we're all in a better mood.". With another pause, Petalkit bent down, hurriedly eating her meal. Only within a few mouthfuls, the fish had already gone and without another word, Petalkit dragged herself towards the den, her tail and head drooping with shame. As Petalkit slipped into the bramble patch, there suddenly sounded excited whales from Patchkit and Larchkit. "You're back!", Larchkit shouted out, not considering his loudness. "Go to sleep!", Mapleshade yelled over to them. The racket quickly died down but hushed whispers could still be heard from inside the den.

Grumblings to herself, Mapleshade began to wander from the clearing, needing to clear her head. Appledusk fell into step beside her, twinning his tail around hers and their flanks brushing against each other. The sky had now turned to a murky dark blue, turning the landscape around them to almost glow with different shades of blues and blacks. No animals sounded in the distance, only the echoing sound of silence, howled between the claw-life branches of the forest, stretching up to try and tear at the sky. Unnaturally long shadows were cast over the woodland floor, like gray stale water. A heavy storm cloud hovered over them, blocking out the icy glow of the moon, not even the mighty tug of the wind being able to drag it away. The threat of raging rain a constant.




As they left the clearing behind, Mapleshade finally sighed, "I don't know what to do with that kit.", she muttered. Appledusk gave an understanding nod, "I know she can be tough to deal with. But things are hard for her as well.", he mewed, "Where did she even go anyway?".

They settled at the base of an oak tree, just beyond the small clearing. Sitting on a floor of decaying brown leaves, Mapleshade looked at her trusted mate, "I found her at the Barn with that kittypet, Myler.", she mewed bitterly. His ear's twitch to the side thoughtful, "Isn't he that cat who helped us escape the Barn when Thunderclan attacked?".

She nodded, "Yes.", she mumbled, "Him.".


"Well, at least we know she was safe.", Appledusk breathed, relieved. Mapleshade sprang to her paws, offended. "Safe?", she exclaimed, "If we let our daughter mix with kittypets like him, she'll become soft. She was born a Clan cat and that's what she reminds as."

"But how can we be Clan cats without a Clan?", he questioned, surprisingly on edge. His long tail sliding across the floor. She looked at him as if he was a stupid apprentice on their day out of camp, "We've been planning this for moons, mousebrain! We're going to try and join Shadowclan or Windclan.".


A strange silence hung over Appledusk like the massive storm cloud directly above his head. "That's actually something I needed to talk to you about, Mapleshade.", he admitted, "Among other things. Now when I tell you what happened- you need to let me explain everything before getting outraged.". Like he wasn't doing that already. Seeing she had no objections get, he reluctantly continued, "When I and Patchkit were out hunting, we come close to the Riverclan border and I accidentally ran into Reedshine...".

"Reedshine.", Mapleshade immediately and loudly exclaimed, disgusted. However, Appledusk quickly came to his own defence, "Like I said, it was an accident. I didn't expect to run into her. She literally came out of nowhere.", he groaned, "Anyway that's not the point.".


Mapleshade growled with her long white fangs bared, "Then what is the point?!".


"The fact she's been to the last two gatherings when we haven't. She knows things we don't. Things that are useful to us. One of those things being the fact, that Oakstar and Darkstar have told Shadowclan and Windclan everything!", he gasped, struggling not to raise his voice to a shout, "Everyone knows, Mapleshade.".

This news hit Mapleshade as if she'd hit with the weight and speed of a massive Two-leg monster, slamming into her. Staggering back, the words caught in her throat. Her mind becomes numb for a heartbeat-like the blazing sun boiling away rainwater, until her mind with slimy mud. "It doesn't matter if they know or not, they'll let us join.", she protested, "They'll be missing out on the best warriors in the forest by rejecting us!".

"Why would they?", he questioned again, "As far as Shadowclan and Windclan are concerned we're nothing but a group of traitors, murderers and Half-breeds. They're not going let us join them.".


"We're not traitors! Thunderclan are. They exiled innocent kits.", she spat, "And as for Reedshine- I don't believe any of her rubbish.".




Now it was Appledusk's turn to stare at his mate like she was mousebrained, "Why would you? You think she's lying?", leaning in. Mapleshade turned a cold shoulder to him, "Of course she would. That snake-heart would do anything to win over affection. If I ever see her face and the faces of her kits, I'll tear their eyes out!".


"There you go again!", he howled.


"What?", she growled back.


"All those threats and acts of violence!", he pointed out, "You constantly claiming, 'it's them that's wrong' or 'it all their fault'. Well, can you explain when; you threaten a Medicine cat, actually killing one and then training underaged kits. Care to enlighten me on this mysterious cat, who reasonable for all those actions? Because it can never be your fault, can it? It always has to someone else.".



"That's because it is always someone else's fault!", she argued, a hint hatred in her voice, "I have to train my underaged kits because Oakstar forced them to be exposed to a dangerous world. And that 'Medicine cat', Ravenwing- well, he just had it coming to him.".

"But doesn't excuse the way you treat your own family. How you threaten to kill me on the very first day and constantly abusing me by cuffing me over the ear or kicking me in the flank. And now, you're slowly letting out your frustration onto your own kits. Don't pretend you don't make Larchkit bleed after every training session.".



Mapleshade desperately wanted to yowl out on the top of her lungs, though the creeping trees, wanting to prove him wrong, forcing it onto him. However, she'd held herself back, barely. Something kept her back. She was curious. On where he was going with this. So she reminded silent for a heartbeat, allowing him to continue. Despite the raging storm of anger burning her straight to the core by not letting run free.

"We have no knowledge of herbs between us, so it's a miracle that none of Larchkit's wounds has gotten infected yet.", he mewed, seemly more calm without Mapleshade sending counter arguments down his throat, "If you want to better be than cats like Oakstar and Bloomheart. Then stop. Just stop.".



He took a breath before continuing, his chest huffing up to large a size. Doubt flashed in his holly coloured for just a heartbeat. Seeds of concern began to spout in the Mapleshade's head. What was he going to say? She stood a little straighter, preparing for the worst. The low sharp black branches behind Appledusk's head shook in the howling wind, threatening to claw at his slightly tufted ear tips.

"They're off your milk now, so if you don't stop, I'll happily take them with me. Away from you.", he whispered quietly. Mapleshade froze, her mouth open in a silent gasp. He continued to look his mate directly in the eye, "You can get yourself killed. But I swear to Starclan, I'd rather die before I let you brag my kits into whatever hell-hole you're going to.".

"You wouldn't dare.", she spat, the spit dripping her mouth like some kind of chained dog, hungry for flesh. She stood close to him, sheltering her long curling claws, scraping them across a nearby rock, hidden among the thick ferns. Like claws scraping against a skull.



However, Appledusk's paws stay firmly rooted to the ground, refusing to be shaken by her threats. "Oh, I would, Mapleshade. Tell me, if Petalkit decided to go back to Myler, would you kill him? If the opportunity ever arises, would you kill Reedshine? If you ever came across my other kits, would you murder them too?".

"Shut up! You know nothing about me!", she screeched louder than an owl, the shout echoing far into the distance, deeper into the shadow covered forest. Soft squeaks rang from inside the clearing as the kits began to steer. But Mapleshade didn't care and neither did Appledusk. "Mum? Dad? What's happening out there?", Patchkit's innocent voice asked, calling out to them.


Refusing to back down, Appledusk continued to taunt and question her authority, "When we were first exiled, you said you'd kill me if I ever thought of leaving you. And that's exactly what I'm doing now.", he sneered, a snarl forming over his mouth, circling her, "So what are you waiting for? Kill me, you're own mate. And If you're willing to kill your mate, why not stop there? Why not kill your kits? Because that's exactly what you'll do one day, Mapleshade, if you continue to down this path-".




Suddenly, Mapleshade just let it all out, letting the beast of fire and death within her go rapid. Screaming with fury and slamming into Appledusk. However, he expected it, rearing up and knocking her away mid-lunge with his large front paws. The frantic movement came from within the den as the sounds of battle raged on. She landed on all fours, hard. Switching tactics, she went in low as Appledusk tried to get back all fours himself.

Spinning while still moving forward, she swept her leg from under Appledusk, causing him to lose his footing. Dazed, Appledusk attempted to make the distance to give himself time to recover. But Mapleshade wouldn't allow it, outstretching her front paws, grabbing both shoulders, digging in her claws until blood spilled. Appledusk shuddered. It didn't feel like it was a cat she was fighting anymore. Let alone the cat she loved and had kits with. But only a piece of prey. A thing that only existed to torn apart and killed.




Seeing the new look in Mapleshade's amber eye, Appledusk gained a new need for survival. Realising he'd been holding back, Mapleshade gasped as Appledusk's jaw fastened over her forehead, as quick as pike leaping out of the water, grabbing an unsuspecting insect from mid-air. Yowling in pain, Mapleshade was viciously thrashed from side to side until Appledusk's teeth loosened on her head, sending her crashing against a tree trunk. The bark shredding at her shoulder fur. Appledsuk approached her, warily, "Satisfied?", his voice heavy with a pant.

However, a spark of hatred still blazed on inside her and Appledusk's mockery just enlightened it again. Feeling the tree behind her, an idea slipped in her head. Appledusk flinched back in shock as his mate scrambled up the tree faster than a squirrel. Digging her claws into the bark, she twisted and swung until she lay, perched on a low hanging branch. The Riverclan tom watched her intensely.




Not giving him time to plan a counter-attack, she sprang from the air, directly above the tom's head. She landed roughly on his head, holding on with her teeth as he desperately thrashed around. She only let go until she heard a satisfying ripping sound from his ear. Losing her grip, she fell to the side to avoid a front paw swipe, rolling until she was in the tom blind spot. Grabbing him again, she dugs her long fangs into his pelt, now stained with red. Reacting quickly, Appledusk countered by using his larger and stronger build, bringing all his weight on top of her. As both of them skidding across the sandy ground, both their pelt becomes ragged and filled with itchy sand grains.

She gasped for air desperately after air was torn from her lungs. The cream tom doing the same, lying beside her. Grabbing her change, she was on her paws first. Digging her long claws into the tom's throat, causing his mouth to hang open, in a silent yowl. Mapleshade just watched him. He made strange gurgling noises as he threatened to choke on his own blood, bubbling into a sickly red foam at the back of his throat. Yet somehow he managed to string words together through his gasping, "How- are you going to explain- this? How you- going to justify killing their father- right in front of their eyes?", finally ending the sentence with a hollow gasp, swallowing the air. His pure black pupils were flickered towards the clearing.


Hesitantly, Mapleshade's eyes began to follow the path of the fish scented cat's sight. But before she could fully turn her head, suddenly a horrid yowl of utter terror split the night air in two, "Mum! What are you doing?!", Patchkit screamed out. Mapleshade snapped out of her bloodthirsty dream state.







All three kits stood there, backed up against a fallen wind-battered tree trunk, their faces just speechless. Even Petalkit's. Immediately Mapleshade flinched away from Appledusk, recoiling away from her long claws away from his flesh. Now free, Appledusk twisted onto his stomach, gasping for air and spitting mouthfuls of blood onto the sandy earth. His pink open mouth like a cloud, raining with thick dark blood. A heavy heartbeat thundered in her ear tips as she staggered further away from her victim. Her fangs and fur now stained with a sticky crimson.


Barely noticing a dark brown shadow moving against the solid black light of the night as Larchkit rushed over his mother's side.



The words refused to form together as her kits continued to stare at her with judging yet innocent expressions. Then Patchkit turned to his father, still violently driving in among the undergrowth, like a fish flopping hopelessly against the river bank as it's predictor waited for it to wear itself out. The white and ginger kit rushed over to his father's side, leaving a frozen Petalkit behind, gently placing his paw on Appledusk shoulder, shaking him desperately. "Dad?", he asked softly but with a hint of fear. Appledusk twitched. "Dad?", he repeated, with more urgency.



Had she killed him? Her version became blurred as a fog of confusion floated in front of her sun-like amber eyes. She didn't. She couldn't have.


Then, Appledusk's gasps slowly become heavy breaths, gaining control. Digging his claws into the ground, he heaved himself up until he sat upright, his back legs still weak and limp. Patchkit leapt for joy, pressing his head against Appledusk's bony leg, purring. The two mates stared at each other.


Appledusk glared at her; His left ear was torn and the back of his neck fur was ruffled, stuck into clumps because of drying crusted blood. Bright ginger fur scraps clung to his claws still out.


Mapleshade blanky watched him; Her chest dripping with streams of blood. Her shoulder in tatters, shredded with loose bark and claw marks. The tips of her toes also smudged with the same red liquid. How much was hers and not his?


The wind howled again, dancing around them, whispering unknown messages into their ears.


Slowly, Appledusk's lips lifted, curling up into a venomous, revengeful, hateful snarl. The kits watched helplessly as the invisible yet unbreakable spider webs of love that should have bonded those cats' hearts for an entity, turned cold and withered away, seeping into the frosty earth. Getting onto his shaky paws, Appledusk's head swung from side to side, "You tried to kill me.", he simply mewed, "You, the mother of my kits, tried to murder me. In the front of them.".


Mapleshade couldn't answer. Patchkit's eyes widen to the size of owl's eyes, "Mother- was trying to k-killing you?", he exclaimed, his voice quickly become stale as he trailed off his words.

While Mapleshade, Larchkit and Petalkit just reminded mute. Voiceless.



"Now, I just hope they now see the cracks. Because I can!", he uttered, "Because we're through! I can never be mates with likes of you again, foxheart!", he hissed, with the sharpness of yelping fox. Forcing Patchkit off his leg with his tail. With nothing more to say, Appledusk twisted on his heel, beginning to limp into the shadowy void of the night covered forest. "No.", Mapleshade breathed. His creamy pelt becomes paler as his outline was swallowed up by the darkness.



"No!", Mapleshade yelled. Larchkit's clung to her leg, tighter, whimpering. "Dad!", Patchkit screeched out, taking a few small steps towards his quickly disappearing father.


"That's it!", Petalkit cried out, her eyes blazing with fury and wildness, "I hate this life! I hate this family!". Her deep scars almost glowing a pale pink against the Moonlight, as the silver eye of the moon was allowed to drown the night in it's cold light. Before Mapleshade could do anything, Petalkit, like her father, twisted round, throwing herself through the thick brambles, running far away. Probably back to that black and white loner. Yet, Mapleshade couldn't speak. Why wasn't she speaking? Why wasn't she moving? Why wasn't she doing anything? Why was she letting this happen?!


Then there were two. Patchkit standing in the middle, watching Appledusk, little more than a cream coloured smudge against the still-frozen landscape. And Larchkit still clinging to his mother, unmoving like a boulder against a river's swift current.


"Patchkit-", the Queen finally managed to utter, trying to reach out to her lost son. However, Patchkit just gave her a fear-filled glance, creeping backwards like a scattering ant. "I can't do this.", he mumbled, "I can't watch you become a murderer.".


As a result, Larchkit snapped, "Dad's a murderer as well!", he argued.


But Patchkit shook his head, "But that was an accident, Larchkit.", he looked over his shoulder, "And at least Dad regretted it.". Before charging after Appledusk in the far distance.


The clearing was now empty and hollow. Only a distressed son and mother reminded. The other three, now gone and free.


Mapleshade crumbled to the floor. Burying her face into a sea of ginger. The pain surging through her body, turning her bones to dust and her already swollen heart to ashes.


"Mum!", Larchkit gasped, desperately shaking her, "What do we do?! What do we do?! Please! Mother! Make them come back!".


Mapleshade's head lifted, to look into the sky through the claws of the branches. The storm cloud that once dominated the sky, had finally given up to tear off the wind, being dragged away. Only leaving a clear sky. Now only the glow of the Moon and Stars reminded. The stars. Endless pure white eyes staring down, from the heavens above her, looking right through her, all the way to her rotten core.


"Mum!", Larchkit's repeated, deafeningly close to her ear.


Her jaw tore open, as she whaled out to towards Starclan, the thing she'd trusted blindly, all her life, "Why have you done this to me, Starclan?!". Her cry echoing. But then the words of her former mate rang inside her head, like the echo in a cave: 'If you want to better than cats like Oakstar and Bloomheart, then stop.' 'They're off your milk now, they don't need you.'.

Even if her family was divided. Kin was kin. They were the only thing she'd had left. Both her parents were already gone. Her father, Dullface had already his final breathe ripped from him long ago. And Her mother, Tulipfur was condemned to sending the rest of her life in the tiny confines of the Elder's den. They were the only thing she lived for. Even if they didn't want her close. She could still protect them from a distance. From outside threats. And she'd already gotten her paws dirty. So she could do it again.

She looked over to Larchkit. And they could start with that half-blind savage.