Bluestripe padded out of the elder's den and stretched. Sighing, she padded to her mate, Redflame, who was busy getting a hunting patrol ready.
"May I go on a hunting patrol?" Bluestripe gazed into his deep hazel eyes hopefully.
"Will you be alright? Don't the kits - our kits - need you?" He turned around and mewed.
"I just want to get out of camp - for awhile at least. I've been stuck here for moons," she mewed back earnestly. "I'll be fine." Redflame nodded.
"Swiftclaw, Oakleaf, Bluestripe is going with you on patrol. Take Willowtuft with you." He looked around, and decided that the patrol was good.
The two warriors followed Bluestripe through the gorse tunnel. For one shocked instant she nearly tripped on the fallen trunk at the entrance; she still could not see out of one of her eyes.
Willowtuft padded ahead. She was still getting used to her new home outside camp now that her kits were apprentices. She flattened her ears in an attempt to let the wild wind sweep past her. Stormstar had been mentoring her.
"I can't believe Sunstorm had to kit in the middle of leaf-bare," Swiftclaw mewed softly.
"Do you still think you can hunt, Bluestripe?" Oakleaf asked. Ever since Maplestar - his sister - had died, he had never been the same. He looked older than ever and grey fur started to grow around his muzzle.
"Of course I can," Bluestripe flicked her ears irritably. "I've still got my ears and whiskers."
"No need to be snippy," Willowtuft pushed. "I'll need some help too. Where to first?"
Swiftclaw paused to drink in the icy air. "The stream, perhaps," she suggested. "There may be some rabbits hiding in burrows there."
"Who said you were leading this patrol?" Oakleaf asked her interestedly.
Bluestripe thought she scented a hare near Fourtrees and began her hunting crouch, following her nose and ears. She could not see the prey, which was on the side of her bad eye. She pounced but collapsed onto the frost, chest heaving.
"Not enough jump," Swiftclaw told her. "It ran into the brambles."
"Mouse dung," Bluestripe muttered.
Willowtuft had a water vole dangling from her jaws and padded over. She dropped it and pressed her muzzle against Bluestripe's. "It's alright," she soothed her. "It was a good try."
"But not good enough!" Bluestripe spat through frustration. Then she realized her outburst and began to purr. "I'm sorry, Willowtuft. It's just that... I used to be so much better..."
"Your eye will heal," meowed the sandy-colored warrior. "Darkspot said so."
Sunhigh was approaching by the time the patrol was nearly done. The others had caught a couple of measly morsels, and Bluestripe had managed to catch a young thrush that had fallen out of its nest. Feeling that it didn't count because it was so skimpy, she hoped Willowtuft might help her.
"Don't try to see," she suggested. "Close your eyes so you don't focus on it."
"Okay." Bluestripe smelled a dove nearby, making her mouth water. It smelled big and healthy.
"Go on," Willowtuft whispered encouragingly, giving her a small nudge with her tail.
Bluestripe shut her eyes, letting the scent of the bird engulf her and padded toward where it was strongest while being downwind. Feeling each pawstep touch the icy forest floor, she could feel the dove's gentle movements as it pecked at a cluster of seeds on the ground.
She pounced.
She didn't jump as far as she meant to, but her jaws closed around its wing. She bit harder and harder until she heard a snap and then swatted it with her paws until it thumped on the ground. Opening her eyes, she looked down at the fresh-kill.
"Great job!" Willowtuft snatched up her water vole.
Hot blood seeped through the fur on Bluestripe's paws. She felt triumphant. Maybe I'll pluck out some feathers to line nests with, she thought happily.
"I'll give these to the elders," Oakleaf told them through his full mouth. "Let's see... Bluestripe, since you're a queen, you can eat that. Willowtuft, take that water vole to Sunstorm."
"Sure, Oakleaf." Both cats went over to the elders' den. Swiftclaw dropped hers on the fresh-kill pile and picked out a shrew.
"Come here, Bluestripe," Emberfur insisted as soon as she had started toward the elders' den.
"More celandine?" she guessed.
"You can never be too careful. Now keep your eye open and try not to blink."
Bluestripe did as she was told, struggling to stare at Emberfur's face as the medicine cat carefully squeezed out the juice of the yellow flowers. At first it stung, and then came the sweet relief of the herb and Bluestripe closed her eyes.
Sunstorm's kits were in the nursery sleeping, as they were weak from being born late in leaf-bare. Eaglekit was the strongest and was almost ready to open his eyes, but Bluestripe felt sorry for the first-time queen. Falconwing was curled beside her, grooming her gently.
Buttonweasel was grooming himself in a corner while Windpelt and Littlestripe gossiped; they had been best friends since they were apprenticed. They were grateful that the nursery had been repaired and they now had enough room. It was too crowded to think in there.
Darkspot handed over Sunstorm's kits to her. "Here," he meowed. "I think Alderkit may survive, but he'll need help."
"Thank you." Sunstorm shut her eyes and took her weakest kit in her jaws, then licked Frostkit.
"Home!" Drizzlekit squealed happily, as it was his second day back in the nursery. He snuggled next to his mother.
"Yes little one. Home," she mewed sleepily. Circling around her nest a few times, she finally collapsed on the soft moss. An apprentice must have put the soft feathers in the nest and. She was asleep.
"Bluestripe! Bluestripe wake up!" Cherrykit's mew woke Bluestripe out of a fitful sleep. For a moment, she wondered why she couldn't smell Buttonweasel's reek. Then she remembered the two queens had moved back to the spacious nursery now that it had been rebuilt.
"What is it, Cherrykit?" Bluestripe murmured. The ginger kit's belly rumbled.
"Well, you were still sleeping when we woke up, and Redflame told us to let you sleep. So we did, 'cept we couldn't eat 'cause you were sleeping," she replied mournfully.
"And we're real hungry," Swallowkit added. Bluestripe started purring.
"Okay, dears. Would you like to try some fresh-kill?"
"We want milk!" the three kits mewed in unison, causing Bluestripe to sigh. She lay on her side and swept the kits to her belly to suckle, their little kneading paws coaxing out all the warm milk they could. Bluestripe looked across the nursery to where Sunstorm was. She had awoken and was feeding her kits.
"Bluestripe?" she called, seeing the blue queen looking at her. "I - I don't think that they are getting enough milk." Looking at the kits, Bluestripe saw them kneading and mewling.
"I'll get Emberfur and she can give you borage leaves." Bluestripe suggested.
"She already gave me some, right before you woke up." Sunstorm looked at her kits, then at Bluestripe. "Could you feed Alderkit? I don't know if he will survive without more milk." Bluestripe nodded gently. Just then Falconwing pushed through the bramble entrance. Bluestripe saw Sunstorm look down, uncomfortable.
"Falconwing, I have something to tell you," Sunstorm mewed urgently as her mate entered through the bramble tunnel.
"It's okay, Sunstorm. I heard you talking, it's okay. If Bluestripe must nurse Alderkit for him to survive, so be it. As long as," he bent to lick his mates head, "as long as... he survives." Ever so carefully, he pulled Alderkit from Sunstorm and brought the bundle to Bluestripe. Setting him down, he nudged him in with Bluestripe's kits. Immediately smelling milk, Alderkit pushed between Drizzlekit and Cherrykit, and started suckling hungrily. Falconwing turned and curled around his mate and other kits, watching Alderkit nurse. Sunstorm sighed gratefully to Bluestripe.
Sundown approached, the shadows lengthening quickly. A cool breeze shook the trees, carrying a strange scent through the camp.
"What is that horrible smell, Bluestripe?" Swallowkit exclaimed, coming back to the nursery. Bluestripe poked her head out of the brambles and breathed in the wind. Instantly, her hackles rose. Calling for her kits to stay in the nursery, she charged toward Redflame.
"ShadowClan! Redflame, the wind reeks of them," she mewed quickly. He licked her head and slipped into Stormstar's den. RiverClan, now ShadowClan, so soon? Bluestripe gazed after him, then padded back to the nursery. The air crashed down on the camp, the terrible reek making tension rise. Stormstar suddenly leaped to Highrock and yowled something that was inaudible over the wind. The powerful stench was adding a pressure over the camp, causing a deathly silence. Bluestripe curled around her kits and watched Sunstorm bristle protectively around hers. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. ShadowClan scent was in the camp, and Bluestripe saw them leap at the brave warriors. Stormstar in the lead, right as a thread of lightning split the sky, and rain started pouring into the camp.
"Warriors!" Redflame yowled. Every warrior turned toward the bramble tunnel, ears pricked. A flood of cats appeared at the tunnel and at the front, Timberstar.
"Why are you here?" Stormstar hissed, his dark fur rippling in the tearing wind.
"Twolegs are invading our part of the forest," Timberstar meowed. "We've come to discuss where you want to put the new scent markers, past your borders."
"We hardly have enough prey as it is," Strongheart murmured.
"Territory!" Duskfeather spat. "He can't possibly think that we'd-"
"I will fight if necessary," Redflame growled. "On your word, Stormstar."
Stormstar held his head high. "Wait." He flicked his tail.
"Do you want us to feed our elders and kits carrion and crowfood?" a sleek tortoiseshell mewed. Through the torrents, Bluestripe saw that it was Stillpaw - the apprentice she had fought moons ago as an apprentice herself - but as a warrior.
"Quiet, Ferntail," Nightfoot, the ShadowClan deputy, hissed. "This is our business, not yours."
"This is frog-brained!" the warrior retorted. Bluestripe was surprised by her courage. "This is not your business either, Nightfoot. It's Timberstar's and ShadowClan's."
Stormstar's hackles rose. Sunstorm hissed behind Bluestripe and curled around her three tiny kits - Alderkit had been returned to her own nest. Frostkit let out a tiny mewl and the queen began to lick her softly.
"Attack!"
Stormstar yowled the alarm first. Through the gloom Bluestripe picked out her brother, Fogcloud, instantly running to Tinyblossom's and Moonwhisper's sides. Fire shone in his eyes that was visible from across the clearing.
Sunstorm's kits looked just like Redflame's brother's, Falconwing. Eaglekit let out his first word.
"Scared."
* * *
Fogcloud leaped toward Nightfoot, growling with his claws unsheathed. The deputy let out a yowl and raked his face as rain poured down, choking him with ShadowClan scent. Tinyblossom ran to his defense and bowled over the tabby she-cat, spitting with rage.
Swiftclaw was wrestling with a large warrior named Runningspirit, while Strongheart clawed at Quietclaw. All around them they heard yowling and screeching, and one of the warriors seemed to be inching its way to the nursery.
"I don't trust that cat," Sunstorm hissed. "I don't trust her at all."
"Go through the dirtplace tunnel!" Bluestripe whispered urgently as she slipped into the nursery again. "We can find a safe spot for our kits in the forest!"
Sunstorm handed Frostkit to her sister to carry and carefully picked up the scruffs of Eaglekit and Alderkit in her jaws. Bluestripe's kits stopped at the nursery entrance looking out curiously, not sure what was going on.
At last they made their way out of camp. Careful to turn her head so she could see, Bluestripe dashed into a bush and beckoned for the others to follow. Sunstorm settled next to her, tucking her kits inside.
The suspicious-looking cat had slipped into the nursery, with two others. As they slipped out, Timberstar noticed that the warriors were doing everything as planned. A fourth and fifth warrior were running toward the medicine den.
"Those fox-hearted kittypets!" Laceleaf screeched, rushing to Emberfur's and Darkspot's aid. "Attacking kits and medicine cats is against the warrior code!"
"Check if Sunstorm or Bluestripe are inside!" Redflame meowed, unable to hide the worry in his voice. Weaselnose nodded and dashed over, but it was impossible to see through the groups of angry, fighting cats.
Bluestripe looked around wildly for her kits, noticing that they weren't there. Looking toward the battle, she saw three ShadowClan warrior slipping out of camp, with bundles in their jaws. Her kits were gone.
Swiftclaw immediately leaped at the ShadowClan deputy, Nightfoot, and started blugeoning her with vicious blows. Nightfoot looked at the aged she-cat with hatred. Suddenly, she lunged at Swiftclaw, who didn't pull back in time. Nightfoot bit Swiftclaw in the leg, then started clawing her belly. Blood gushed out as Nightfoot carved a deep gash into it. With her last ounce of strength, Swiftclaw lunged out at Nightfoot's face, slashing across her eyes, and down to her throat. Stormstar saw in slow motion as his mate hit the ground, not breathing before being pulled into the swing of battle again.
"Swiftclaw!" Stormstar choked, pushing through the fray toward his dying mate. "No!"
"Mother! No!" Tinyblossom yowled with grief. Falconwing pricked up his ears, following. "This can't be happening!"
"Nightfoot!" a ShadowClan warrior named Sagebrook cried. "Nightfoot! She's hurt!"
A few worried ShadowClan cats broke away from the fight to see what had happened to their deputy while Fogcloud and Redflame fought a swift cat named Lightpool. They weaved in between each other, trying to pin her down, when at last Falconwing aimed a threatening bite at her. Lightpool moved the last moment and he struck her neck.
"Lightpool!" Ferntail yowled in horror, rushing over to the hurt she-cat. "She was my mother!"
Falconwing was horrified - he hadn't meant to hurt her badly - but the she-cat was trying to pin him down. He leaped, trying to dig his claws into the tortoiseshell flank. Blood poured from a wound in his shoulder.
Redflame was fighting one cat after another. A brown tom with dark black eyes leaped in his face. Redflame knocked the dark tom over, and started raking his belly fur. With one mighty heave the ShadowClan cat, Snakestrike, pushed Redflame off of him, and lunged for his front legs. Redflame felt his legs collapse from under him, and his jaw slam onto the ground. Before he could get up, Snakestrike lunged for his throat. Redflame tried to get the tom to let go, but couldn't breathe. Soon, he collapsed, everything going black in front of him.
Falconwing looked over the she-cat he was fighting and saw his brother get bowled over by a ShadowClan warrior three times Redflame's size. Eyes wide in panic, he yowled.
"Redflame! No!" Finding new strength, Falconwing bowled Ferntail off of him and pelted toward his brother's body. He was still alive, but unable to move. Suddenly, from behind him, a heavy-set tom bowled him over. It was Ghostwhisker. Another ShadowClan warrior was locked already in a deadly combat with Moonwhisper. Falconwing turned, and saw to his surprise, Bluestripe running around the battle, toward the camp entrance, then stop and turn back, tail down. Ghostwhisker suddenly yowled and leaped onto Falconwing. Shaking the other tom off, he started landing fast, short blows, one after another onto Ghostwhisker's muzzle. Suddenly lunging forward, he nipped Ghostwhisker's leg, and sent the tom screeching out of the camp. Turning, he saw Moonwhisper, bloody and tired, staring at where Redflame's body had been. It was gone. A heart-broken yowl filled the air. Timberstar flicked his tail.
"We are done here for now, Stormstar. But you will find that you will need to give your territory away before I'm done with you." Turning, he left the camp, his warriors behind him.
"I will send two of my warriors to help you carry your dead warrior," Stormstar replied calmly. "Grasspelt, Weaselnose, please..."
"They've taken my kits. They took my mate. They took everything I ever had!" Bluestripe's soft, panicked voice could just be heard over the noise of the camp repairing from the battle. "They took them."