The next day had arrived for the ThunderClan cats quite smoothly.
Except for one.
"Dovewing!" Bumblestripe called toward the moor.
"She's not there!" Gemlight meowed beside him.
Bumblestripe narrowed his eyes at her.
"Aren't you supposed to be with your kits?" Bumblestripe asked.
"Stormcloud's watching them because I'm the only one who knows where Dovewing at her kits are at." Gemlight explained.
"Where?" Bumblestripe meowed, his eyes wide.
"...ShadowClan, with Tigerheart." Gemlight replied.
Bumblestripe gave a puzzled look.
"OH! He kidnapped them?!" Bumblestripe hissed, to which Gemlight shook her head.
"They followed him there-"
"To avoid getting hurt if they didn't listen to his demands!" Bumblestripe concluded. "I'll ask Brackenfur if I could lead a patrol over to there to save them!"
The tom took off before Gemlight could say another word.
"Brackenfur, I...have to leave."
The deputy walked in the leader's den and stopped when he heard the words.
"What?! Forever?" Brackenfur whispered.
"No, I have to find Squirrelflight." Bramblestar explained. "And bring her back."
"But she's dead I thought!" Brackenfur replied.
"I don't...think she is." Bramblestar muttered guiltily. "I'll be back eventually, but till then, you're in charge."
"Will do." Brackenfur puffed his chest and walked out of the leader's den and Bramblestar followed.
"All cats that can hunt come here!" Bramblestar meowed, seeing Gemlight and Bumblestripe coming from the moor side. "I'm leaving to find Squirrelflight!"
Gemlight looked away and went into the Nursery, Bramblestar was shaken by how little she seemed to care.
Does she not love me anymore?
"And hopefully, I will return with her to camp." Bramblestar added. "I will go now, Brackenfur is in charge till I come back."
Bramblestar slowly left camp, and stopped.
I'm leaving my kits behind to find a she-cat that I hate...
But this is what StarClan told me to do, I must head to Twolegplace.
Bramblestar sent a silent prayer that StarClan protect his kits, then he left.
"Brackenfur!"
Gemlight saw Bumblestripe run to the deputy with eyes shining.
"Gemlight told me that Dovewing and our kits are in ShadowClan!" Bumblestripe hissed. "They were kidnapped!"
Gemlight winced at Bumblestripe's obliviousness to the situation, that they weren't his kits NOR were they kidnapped.
He would have to learn the hard way.
"Is this true Gemlight?" Brackenfur meowed.
"They are in ShadowClan, yes." Gemlight replied.
"We'll take a patrol to escort them back." Brackenfur announced. "Gemlight, Ivypool, Berrynose, Lilyheart, Whitewing, Bumblestripe, Rosepetal, and me."
Gemlight looked at Rosepetal and she ducked her head from the queen's gaze.
"Me and Bumblestripe will go to the camp while the rest of my patrol will wait in the bushes." Brackenfur explained. "If I give the signal, all of you must attack. Let's go."
Gemlight had many thoughts on her mind as she followed the patrol, and was happy that Stormcloud was watching her kits.
Although, they are yours. You shouldn't be leaving them behind.
I'm not! I just need to see to it that Bumblestripe will open his eyes!
Brackenfur stopped the rest of the patrol and allowed himself and Bumblestripe to move ahead.
Gemlight crouched down behind the bushes between Ivypool and Rosepetal.
Now all she had to do is watch it all unfold.
The two toms walked over to the leader's den and Crowfrost stopped them with a snarl.
"You think you can just stroll right into our camp?!" Crowfrost hissed angrily.
"I think I just did." Brackenfur replied smoothly, further angering the black tom.
"What do you want Brackenfur?" Rowanstar meowed, walking out of his den.
"We want Dovewing and our kits!" Bumblestripe hissed.
"HA!"
Gemlight flinched as she saw the big tom Tigerheart stroll over casually while maintaining a malicious grin.
"Your kits?" Tigerheart echoed tauntingly. "They're mine!"
"Liar!" Bumblestripe hissed. "You kidnapped my kits!"
"Look at Eaglekit!" Tigerheart gently placed the dark brown she-kit in front of Bumblestripe. "Eaglekit? Tell Dad who this is."
"An enemy, he stinks of ThunderClan!" Eaglekit squeaked, her amber eyes sharp.
"Tell him who your Dad is." Tigerheart purred, savoring every moment of Bumblestripe's horrific realization.
"Tigerheart! Your my Dad!" Eaglekit pointed a paw to the brown tom.
"You brainwashed them!" Bumblestripe growled. "Her name is Petalkit!"
"Who does Eaglekit look like more?" Tigerheart sneered. "You or me?"
"Looks don't matter!" Bumblestripe retorted, raising his voice to a screech. "DOVEWING!"
The Nursery remained silent, until slowly the gray she-cat stepped out of the Nursery.
"Thank StarClan!" Bumblestripe gasped, jumping to the she-cat's side. "You're OK, we'll get our kits out of here!"
Dovewing replied by turning to him and slamming her paws down on Bumblestripe's skull.
"Leave Tigerheart and our kits alone!" Dovewing yelled.
"HEY!" Rosepetal snarled, jumping out of the bushes. "Don't hurt him!"
"Aren't you upset?" Dovewing taunted. "Believing that he was the father of my kits? Watching him under my spell?"
"Yes, but I'm upset at you!" Rosepetal sobbed. "You manipulated him!"
"These kits are my grandkits." Rowanstar finally explained to Brackenfur. "They will be raised as ShadowClan warriors."
Bumblestripe stood in pure shock.
"Dovewing? Why did you mate with him?" Bumblestripe whispered.
"Because he's so much better than you." Dovewing purred, entwining her tail with Tigerheart's, making Bumblestripe jump.
"I don't...I don't know who you are." Bumblestripe stammered.
"A ShadowClan queen." Tigerheart replied. "Now get out."
"C'mon Bumblestripe." Brackenfur sighed, leading the rest of us back. "Let's go."
Bumblestripe looked clearly shaken, traumatized even. Rosepetal attempted to lead him back, but he just moved slowly in a state of shock.
...
Bramblestar hissed at his luck, barely in Twolegplace yet and it had already begun to snow.
He was close, he knew because he remembered this way.
A clump of snow fell from one of the roofs and onto his face, he hissed in frustration.