Prologue: Unwanted Kits
The dripping of raindrops upon the forest canopy that new-leaf poured upon the territory of BirchClan that low-sun. The birds seldom chirped, the trees swayed at the faint wind that blew across the undergrowth, stirring the pelts of the cats that dare brave the elements outside their protective dens. In the calming sound of the rain, a loud yowl roared across the grassy clearing. A mostly white tom with a bundle of plants in his maw would stalk across the grass, while a blue-grey she-cat and a smaller pale ginger tabby tom walked over to his side."It sounds like Cedarmist is finally kitting. Pearlstar will be happy of this news, we'll be getting more warriors to train." came the blue-grey she-cat's soft mew. The white tom didn't answer her, his chin dripping with the heavy rain as he stalked and disappeared inside a gloomy den. He shook his pelt off and walked over to the laboring queen. "Cedarmist, how much pain are you feeling?" came the tom's gentle mew. "A lot, Snowberry." the panting queen said as the contractions ripped through her body like lightning.
Outside, the blue-grey she-cat would flick her ear. "Amberpaw, you best go help Snowberry. I'm going to go see if I can find Appleflank." the she-cat said, her tail twitching side to side. A scar ran across her face, but it didn't seem to affect her sight at all. "I will, Plumscar, maybe I'll learn something today." the tom Amberpaw yowled cheerfully and then he too disappeared into the nursery. The green eyes of Plumscar would glance around the clearing. All the other cats she knew were taking shelter from the rain, besides the warriors and apprentices on patrols.
Thinking Appleflank might be in the warrior's den, she decided to look their first. Tail dripping wet, she padded over and peered into the darkened den. Inside she saw some cats grooming each other and chatting amongst themselves. A tortoiseshell she-cat was licking the cheek of a silver tabby tom not far from the entrance. "Speckledbriar, have you seen Appleflank anywhere?" Plumscar mewed at her she-cat friend. The she-cat in question glanced her way, her amber eyes gleaming in the darkness. "No, but I think he might be out on patrol. Snailspots, Foxcatcher, and Acornsong are also missing." the tortoiseshell answered.
"That's too bad - Cedarmist is delivering his kits." Plumscar mewed. "Why aren't you helping Snowberry, then?" came a grumpy reply from the dark brown tom in the corner. "Be more polite, Moosefoot." the silver tabby tom scolded his companion, his ears twitching. "Snowberry knows what he's doing, so I'm not that worried. He has Amberpaw at his side if he needs help anyways." Plumscar mewed harshly at her disrespectful Clan-mate. "Bearpaw and Barkpaw will be excited. They'll be their half-siblings." came a quiet mew in the far corner. A small mostly black she-cat sat there with a bushy tail with a white tip at the end. "Yes, they will be." Plumscar yowled shortly and then her gaze fell on Moosefoot again.
The tom was the father to Bearpaw and Barkpaw, and was probably upset that his former mate is kitting the offspring of a different tom. "Moosefoot, I know you're upset about this, but you've got to let it go. Cedarmist has moved on." the medicine she-cat mewed to the tom gently. "I know she's moved on, but she's left me behind to mope!" he shouts and Plumscar winces. Standing up, the angry tom padded outside of the den while the rest of the warriors inside watched in disapproval and fear. The tiny and vulnerable black she-cat with the white tipped tail padded over. "Do you ever think he misses Weaseltail?" the small warrior asked, her amber eyes glistening in worry. "Perhaps, Fidgetfoot. Maybe that's why he's so snappy around me, because I'm a medicine cat, just like Weaseltail had been." Plumscar mewed sadly.
Moosefoot and Weaseltail were brother and sister, and had been inseparable since birth. Weaseltail had been her former mentor when she became a medicine cat apprentice. Even though the she-cat meant well, it had been outside forces that had made her lose her position and be exiled, leaving young Plumscar behind, and leaving a Clan without a second medicine cat. Snowberry then began training her, just like he had trained Weaseltail before Plumscar had been born. She was grateful for Snowberry's quick-thinking, but she still hated what had happened of her former mentor. Glancing towards the exit, Plumscar padded out of the den in hopes of reaching out to Moosefoot once again.
As she exited the den, she spotted movement as three cats entered camp. 2 of them were almost identical, if it hadn't been for eye color and markings. Her tail lifted a little and she quickly trotted over to them, the grass wet under her paws. "Acornsong! Appleflank! Cedarmist is kitting!" the excited shriek of the female medicine cat filled the heather with her meows. The green eyed tom fluffed up his fur a little, his back twitching from the rain that wet his coat. In his maw, he carried four mice in his maw by their tails, they swung each time he turned his head. "That's wonderful news." came the mew from the she-cat at his side after she set her dead thrush on the ground. Appleflank didn't look too pleased, however, as he said nothing as of yet to the medicine cat or his cheerful litter-mate.
Ignoring the medicine cat, he padded by her and set his fresh-kill in its pile. "And you think I care about her kitting? It means more mouths to feed!" yowled the young warrior. Plumscar's ears lowered, as did her tail. Did he not care about his mate and kits at all? Her tail fluffed up at the unfairness of it all. She now felt bad for Cedarmist, who clearly loved Appleflank fondly, and decided to bear his kits. "B-but they're your kits." Plumscar stammered, trying to try to pick up the broken pieces of this new dysfunctional family. "More mouths to feed." Appleflank repeated and then padded off into the warriors den without another word.
Rain dripped off the medicine cat's chin as she stared at the inky darkness of the warrior's den entrance in disbelief. "What flea crawled in his ear?" came a reply from the russet tabby she-cat at Acornsong's side. It was Foxcatcher, a more experienced warrior for BirchClan. She had begun her training when Acornsong and Appleflank were still suckling from their mother. "I don't know. Either way, Cedarmist won't be too pleased to hear of this." Plumscar mewed softly and then padded into the nursery.
She was greeted by Amberpaw, who was watching Snowberry as the young tom sorted through the herbs. The kits were on their way, and Cedarmist was doing fine so far. Many hours later, all kits were kitted. "Two toms and three she-kits. Very well done, Cedarmist!" cheered Snowberry happily as the kits squirmed at their mother's side and belly. Cedarmist chewed and swallowed the herbs the medicine cats gave her before Plumscar went to share the news with the Clan. She knew Acornsong would like to know how many there were, but she avoided telling Moosefoot for two main reasons. She couldn't seem to find him, and she didn't want to make him even more upset. Having nearly given up, the only person the she-cat could turn to would be her leader, Pearlstar. She needed to discuss the unfairness of Cedarmist's situation.
Padding towards her den, she flicked her wet tail from side to side. "Pearlstar, may I come in?" Plumscar asked her leader gently as she stared into her cave. "You may." came a female voice from inside the darkness. Plumscar padded inside and waited for her eyes to adjust. From then she could just barely make the outline of a she-cat laying down in a moss nest littered with bird feathers. Her leader sat up and stared at the medicine cat before her, a feather tumbling down her back from laying in the den so long. "What is the matter, Plumscar? I've never seen your tail fluff up that much around me." her leader mewed in worry, her eyes shining brighter. "Cedarmist had her kits a short moment ago, but there seems to be a serious problem. Appleflank doesn't seem to even regard them as his sons and daughters, only as more mouths to feed." the she-cat explained to her as she daintily sat near the exit of the cave. Her ears flicked back, she swore she heard a spot of thunder rolling in the distance.
The icy eyes of her leader flickered a little. "I shall have a talk with him once the storm clears. Perhaps hunting in the rain made him agitated. I keep reminding Sootstep not to send him on any patrols during the rain, but he never seems to hear me right." Pearlstar meowed and flicked her ear. "How is Amberpaw settling in? You haven't spoke of him since he became your apprentice." she asked her just to change the subject. She was wise in doing so, for Plumscar still seemed on edge. "He's learning rather quickly and I'm sure he'll be as great as medicine cat as Snowberry someday." Plumscar said, smiling faintly as her body relaxed with ease. "That's good, and I'm sure he's having fun in doing so." Pearlstar cheered with the same smile and then she began frowning with lowered ears. "This new-leaf has been rather wet so far, I wonder how FloodClan is handling all this rain." she said aloud, the tone of her voice seemed to be worry - but why? "I'm not sure. They're probably enjoying it." Plumscar joked, her ears lifting and hoping that comment would cheer her leader up.
Her joke seemed to fall on deaf ears as Pearlstar glanced her way, her blue eyes twinkling. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but I just can't be helped right now. I have matters to attend to my Clan, no rain is going to change that. This new-leaf might be troublesome as the other Clans will have more mouths to feed and might threaten us by trespassing on our land." Pearlstar mewed, standing up and shaking out her fur. "Has all the patrols returned yet?" she asked her suddenly.
"I don't think so - Snailspots had gone out and we have a few apprentices out hunting right now." Plumscar mewed. Why was she asking me this? I don't organize patrols, that's Sootstep's duties, not mine! the medicine she-cat thought in her head. "It's time I make some new warriors for BirchClan and make some kits into apprentices. New-leaf is always a troublesome time for all Clans and we'll need new warriors if war is to wage." Pearlstar mewed sincerely and seriously. "Can you tell Emberstrike, Snailspots, and Moosefoot to join me in my den in the morning? I need to speak to the 3 of them about their apprentices having their final assessment." Pearlstar mewed and stood up, walking towards the exit of her den. "I will, as long as that's what you want." Plumscar muttered, her ears twitching from the rain that dripped from them.
"Good." Pearlstar said and then laid back in her den. "I hope Seedfrost's kits are ready to become apprentices." the silver tabby splotched leader mewed before closing her eyes with slight ease. Plumscar would give a slight nod and flicked her tail, littering the air with a few water droplets. "I'll be going now, dawn will be upon us in a few hours and SoulClan will want me to rise up to meet it. Hopefully SoulClan has wonderful plans for Cedarmist's kits, and may they light the path for all BirchClan's future warriors." Plumscar mewed gently and sent up a silent prayer to SoulClan for their warrior ancestors to watch out for the kits that were born this late in the evening. "I'm going to rest Plumscar, you are a gifted medicine cat. Please continue performing your duties." Pearlstar purred and then laid back down into her feather-coated nest.
Plumscar nodded once more and then would pad outside and then smiled up at the darkening sky as the stars of Silverpelt appeared above her. "May SoulClan light the path for these kits and bless us with honorable warriors in our future." the blue-grey she-cat whispered as her green gaze flickered with pride.
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