CotS #1: The Dark Path (currently being rewritten)

Chapter Twenty-one

Finally, I caught sight of Twolegplace. It didn't really spark a memory – to be honest, I hadn't been there much. Now ... Hazelshade's kits would be five moons old. Would they have been given away by the Twolegs already? I listened hard, and Littlecloud was talking to Hazelshade in a hushed voice. Wait. Hadn't I brought her to the Clan? That was all I remembered. She'd caused Icestar to kill Stonestar!

What was going on?

"I should've stayed in SeasonClan!" Hazelshade sounded infuriated. "What's wrong with you, Littlecloud? Why did you make me come back? My kits are GONE NOW!"

That was it. Hazelshade had come back because her mate had asked her to, and now she hated him.

"I'm sure Berrykit, Leafkit, Cloudkit and Mosskit will be happy in their new homes," Littlecloud soothed her.

Hazelshade shook her head, then noticed my silver face at the window.

"Is that Stormdawn?" Hazelshade asked, meeting my familiar violet eyes.

I hopped down from the window sill and entered through the cat flap. "No," I told her. "My name is Silverpaw."

"Are you Stormdawn's daughter?" Hazelshade asked doubtfully. "I thought she couldn't find a mate." She was frowning intently at me.

"I have no relation to Stormdawn," I told her – that was true, though Stormdawn's spirit rested inside of me. "I am Silverpaw, the daughter of Frogleap and Coriandermist."

"Wait, what?" asked Littlecloud. "Wasn't he with Ashenface? What about Lilypaw, Darkpaw, and Oakpaw?"

"Lilypool, Darkwind and Oakbark are fine," I told him dismissively.

"Where is she?" Hazelshade looked around. "Stormdawn. She said she'd come to meet them ... my little ones ... but they're gone." She sounded so anguished, but I had no words to comfort her.

"Come to SeasonClan," I said.

Hazelshade nodded. "These Twolegs have brought me nothing but grief."

"We'll steal your kits back!" I announced.

Hazelshade shook her head. "The Twolegs brought them into a monster, all four of them."

"Some must still be here," I told her. "Not all, obviously. But maybe you'll get back a kit or two."

"How long ago did they go?" I asked.

"Two weeks," Hazelshade meowed quietly, with a sad expression.

I nodded and escaped her Twoleg den through the window. I sniffed. I couldn't possibly know what Hazelshade's kits smelled like, but I did, anyways. I tracked Moss - Mosskit, but her name was probably Moss now – back to Eagletail and Kyla's den. What?

Kyla was nursing. She had three baby kittens with – ugh – collars. More cats were around her, with collars as well. They appeared to be from Eagletail and Kyla's first litter. There was also another she-cat – her collar said Myla – probably Kyla's sister. The first litter was Amber, Saffron and Topaz, all she-cats. Her new litter had Smokey, Blackie and Shawna, two toms and a she-cat. Seriously? Eagletail didn't give them Clan names? I was disappointed. Crouched at the corner of their den was a tortoiseshell she-cat – Moss.

"Moss!" I whispered.

Moss looked up. "Hey. Are you ... wait, silver fur, purple eyes... you're Stormdawn! Why are you so small?"