"Hello, beautiful," a voice came out from the tall trees. Stormwing jumped.
"Blackstripe! Don't scare me like that!" she growled good-naturedly. Blackstripe padded out of the tall trees across the border and bent down to touch noses with her. She stood on her toes and licked his cheek.
"Was it easy to get out of camp to see me?" Blackstripe asked. "I know how protective your parents can be."
"You don't know how much suffering I had to endure in order to see you!" Stormwing moaned dramatically, flopping on the ground. "First, Silverwing asked me why I was out for a walk so late into my pregnancy. Then, Stormstar told me that as leader, he would order me to rest in the nursery. It took me AGES to convince him that I had to take a walk to 'clear my head'!
"Well, all that matters is that you're here," Blackstripe purred. Changing the subject, he asked, "Have you thought of names?"
"Well, it depends on if it's a tom or she-cat," Stormwing meowed, "but I was leaning towards Mistkit, Ivykit, or Bluekit for a she-cat and Windkit, Stripekit, and Thunderkit for a tom."
"Those names are beautiful!" Blackstripe purred enthusiastically. "Will you bring them to visit their old father?" he purred, good-naturedly but seriously at the same time.
"It would be better if you could just join ShadowClan," Stormwing meowed quietly.
"And leave ThunderClan?" Blackstripe asked, surprised. "But my brother needs me! His daughter just died. I can't leave him yet. I promise, though, I'll be there for you after he's moved on."
Stormwing stiffened. "I know how important littermates are," she mumbled. "Windpaw was so important to me."
"Are you blaming yourself again?" Blackstripe asked. "Don't. It's not your fault that a badger attacked you."
"But if I were stronger, or even taller so I looked more intimidating, the badger might've not come after me," Stormwing meowed.
"Don't get your beautiful pelt worried about this," Blackstripe meowed. "You need to be happy for our kits."
"You're right," Stormwing agreed. "I should stop wallowing in my pile of self-pity."
"Let's spend this night together, before you kit," Blackstripe suggested.
"I know a place in ShadowClan," Stormwing meowed, and led Blackstripe to a hidden cave in ShadowClan territory she found a few moons ago. There was fresh moss, enough to make a nest for them. Curling up together, they fell asleep under the stars.
"Push!"
Stormwing screamed in pain as a kit slithered out of her belly and onto the moss. Dreamheart, the medicine cat, licked the wet bundle fiercely and placed it by its mother's belly. Stormwing's breathing was ragged as she looked at her precious kit. As another contraction gripped at her belly, she pushed as hard as she could. This kit plopped out of her belly very easily.
"Two she-kits, both healthy!" Dreamheart meowed, congratulating Stormwing. She purred weakly.
Silverwing and Stormstar burst into the nursery.
"Wow, two she-kits! Congratulations, dear," Silverwing purred.
"They'll be a great addition to the Clan. Have you decided on names?" Stormstar asked warmly.
"Ivykit for the little dark tabby," Stormwing meowed. "And Mistkit for the fluffy black kit."
"Beautiful," Silverwing exclaimed. "We'll leave you to rest, ok?" Stormwing's parents exited the nursery.
Oh, Blackstripe, if you could see them, Stormwing thought wistfully.
"Okay, I want you two to behave yourselves, okay?" Stormwing asked. It was midnight, and Stormwing decided that her kits had to see their father. It had been a moon since she had seen Blackstripe, and she was yearning for him. She knew Blackstripe always came to the ShadowClan border every night to wait for her, even if she didn't show up.
"Why are we going on a special adventure now?" Mistkit wondered. "It's so late. I'm tired."
"Your father wants to see you," Stormwing explained.
"Ooh, who's our father? I overheard Quailkit saying it was Tornfoot, but he hasn't visited us," Ivykit meowed.
"No, it's not Tornfoot," Stormwing meowed patiently. Good riddance, Tornfoot still calls me Tiny! That nickname is so old now!
"Then who is it?" Mistkit asked impatiently.
"Follow me, and you'll see," Stormwing meowed. I hope I'm doing the right thing.
She led her kits out of camp, sneaking out through the Dirtplace tunnel. She looked up at the sky and saw the moon shining brightly. That's a good sign. Right?
"Look at all those pine trees! Yarrowkit and Wrenkit will be so jealous that we s— " Ivykit squealed. Stormwing slapped her tail over her kit's mouth.
"Shh! We need to be quiet," Stormwing whispered. Her kits nodded excitedly.
As Stormwing walked towards the ThunderClan border, Mistkit spoke up.
"Why do we have to walk so long? I'm tired!" she complained. Stormwing couldn't answer. She feared that if she opened her mouth, she would start crying at her confusion of the whole situation.
"Okay, kits, your father is right across the border," Stormwing meowed when they reached the ThunderClan border. She saw Blackstripe bounding out of the tall trees. He purred when he saw his kits.
"They're beautiful!" Blackstripe exclaimed.
"I know. Can you please join ShadowClan? Our kits need you," Stormwing whispered, while Mistkit and Ivykit looked confused.
"Why does our father smell so bad?" Mistkit asked.
"He's ThunderClan, stupid," Ivykit said. "They all smell funny."
"Don't call your sister stupid, Ivykit," Blackstripe meowed, still looking elated at seeing his kits. Ivykit looked sad for a minute, then brightened.
"Are you really our father?" she asked.
"Yes, I am little one. I am going to join ShadowClan for you," Blackstripe said. Stormwing gasped. She couldn't believe how well this was working out.
"What about your family?" she asked.
"My brother knows. He's my only family left, anyway, so no one will miss me too much," Blackstripe replied.
"Well, can you wait until morning? My Clanmates might receive you better if they're awake and see you clearly," Stormwing asked.
"Of course. Anything for you. Our kits will have two loving parents," Blackstripe promised.
"Intruder!"
ShadowClan awoke to see Blackstripe in the center of the camp, "captured" by an apprentice, Thrushpaw. Stormwing stumbled out of the nursery, not surprised to see Blackstripe.
"I am here to join ShadowClan…and to raise my kits," he announced. Stormstar, who was standing on the Highrock, snarled at him, hackles raised.
"There are no kits for you to raise!" he hissed. "Go home, ThunderClan scum!"
"WAIT!" Stormwing gasped. "Don't drive him out!"
"Stormwing? What is the meaning of this?" Silverwing asked, confused.
Stormwing looked fearfully at her Clanmates. They were shocked. Immediately, her shyness took over and she mumbled, "My kits are his."
"Say that again? I didn't hear you!" Silverwing hissed.
"They're his!" Stormwing screeched. "Don't drive him out! Our kits need two parents to take care of them…to love them!"
Basically all of ShadowClan gasped.
"Traitor!"
"Rogue!"
"ENOUGH!" Stormstar yelled. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his daughter. "For Stormwing's sake…as my daughter and as my Clanmate, Blackstripe can join ShadowClan."
The Clan had a hard time adjusting to Blackstripe at first. There was some nasty talk circulating about Stormwing, her kits, and her mate.
"I knew she was trouble."
"Her parents spoil her too much, especially after Windpaw's accident."
"Who would fall for her anyway? She's so small and shy."
"How do we know those kits will be loyal to ShadowClan?"
"That ThunderClan cat seems suspicious to me."
Stormwing ignored these comments. Blackstripe played with the kits almost every day. He learned the ways of ShadowClan and was slowly adjusting to eating frog meat.
As for Stormwing's parents…well, they accepted that their daughter betrayed her Clan. Actually, Silverwing was pretty supportive. Stormstar was carefully avoiding his daughter, but Stormwing knew they couldn't ignore each other forever. But for now, everything was perfect.
Stormwing couldn't have asked for more.