Chapter one
I popped open one eye. Dawn had arrived more quickly than it should have. Most cats were still sleeping, despite the dawn patrol forming near the camp entrance. I rolled onto my side, feeling my belly twitch. My due date was still moons away, but my kits were persistent, kicking frequently. I still hadn't told Graystripe the news. I had planned to tell him at the next Gathering.
I stood and carefully stepped around the sleeping warriors and exited the den. The fresh-kill pile was a little low, but I managed to pick out a decent trout. I took my breakfast to a quiet corner near the warriors' den and ate. The sun wasn't quite over the pines yet and the sky was a pale, milky yellow color. There were a few warriors scattered about, eating or grooming. Over at the leader's den, Crookedstar and Blackclaw were muttering quietly about yet another issue- probably some stir-up over ThunderClan scent on our territory.
I was just finishing up my meal when Mudfur, the medicine cat, was making his way over to me.
"Silverstream," he meowed when he arrived. I nodded in greeting.
"How do you feel?" he asked. I put a paw on my slightly swollen belly. One of the kits brushed under it.
"I feel okay, I guess. A little more tired than usual, but that may be because I just woke," I mewed reassuringly. He nodded.
"I would like to give you some herbs to help make sure the kits are getting enough nourishment," he mewed.
"Come with me to the medicine den," he meowed and turned to pad to the den. I buried my leftovers and followed him. He was sorting through the herbs until he grasped one between his jaws and turned around to face me, triumph in his eyes. He dropped it in front of my paws.
"Last one of the season. Be glad I found one," he meowed. I let out an amused mew and bent down to lap up the dark green leaf. It tasted bitter with a slight tang.
"Thank you," I meowed. He nodded.
"If you feel bad, just come see me. If there's a problem, I want to be able to catch it early," he meowed, not looking up from his herb sorting.
"I will," I reassured him and padded out of the den. More warriors were beginning to rise from sleep and were congregating in the clearing. The dawn patrol was back and Blackclaw was starting to arrange a hunting patrol. I noticed Crookedstar was sitting outside his den, head down. I padded toward him and he looked up at me. His eyes instantly lit up.
"Hi, how are you," he mewed. I sat across from him, curling my tail over my paws.
"Good," I replied. He narrowed his eyes.
"Come into my den. We need to talk," he meowed. My eyes widened in surprise, but I followed him anyway. He sat at the back of the den, and I sat across from him. The den was fairly dark, so his eyes glowed.
"Yes?" I asked nervously. He took a deep breath.
"The kits are Graystripe's, aren't they?" he asked. I looked at my paws. He had known about my relationship with Graystripe for many moons. He knew how close we were. I hadn't revealed the kits' father to the Clan, not even to Mudfur. It was a queen's right to choose if she should reveal the father or not. I sighed. I couldn't lie to Crookedstar, my own father, about who his grand-kits' father was.
"Yes, they are Graystripe's," I muttered. I heard him exhale slowly.
"You realize the consequences of carrying a rival Clan member's kits, don't you?" he asked. I nodded slowly. I would either have to give them up to another queen or give them to a ThunderClan queen. The other options were Graystripe moving to RiverClan or me moving to ThunderClan, and taking my kits with me. I looked up and met my father's eyes. There was obvious sadness in the green depths.
"I can't stand to lose you. I lost your mother and littermates, I can't lose you, too," he muttered.
"I won't leave you," I sighed. Crookedstar leaned across and nuzzled my cheek.
"You're all I have left," he murmured. I felt a cold stone drop in my belly. I hated when he got like that, all sappy and sad. It always made me feel guilty about seeing Graystripe, despite his understanding our relationship.
"You know I love you, and I always will, but I have to make my own decisions in life. I'm not a kit anymore," I mewed, looking down.
"I know, sweetheart. I know," he murmured back, sadness filling his voice. Part of me knew I'd end up moving to ThunderClan, but the other part knew I couldn't leave my father here alone. I had to make this decision fast. The moons would come by quickly, and it would soon be time.