Chapter 1
Robinwhisker stalked through the forest. Her mouth half open drinking in the scent of a rabbit in the brush just ahead. She crept closer, the rabbit unaware of her presence. She was within pouncing range. The rabbit's ears pricked it started to run away but it was too late. Robinwhisker landed on the defenseless rabbit and killed it with a swift bite to the neck. She carried the rabbit back to camp. Along the way she collected her previous catches of a vole and two sparrows. Hawkfire had gone to highstones the day before and was now clan leader. She arrived at the gorse tunnel as Shadowpelt exited the gorse tunnel and ran up the ravine frantically. Robinwhisker dropped her fresh-kill and asked "What's wrong Shadowpelt?" Shadowpelt looked up with panic filled eyes. "I-I broke the… the warrior code. I'm expecting kits!" she mewed loud enough for them only to hear. Shock snuck its way across Robinwhisker's face "What!" she yowled. Shadowpelt could only nod. Robinwhisker calmed down and said, "I hope you find a way to nurse that kit and still be medicine cat." "Me too!" Shadowpelt mewed. Robinwhisker thought about what could happen to Shadowpelt if she was caught while Shadowpelt pace back and forth. "I got it! Go to the nursery ask if one of the queens to nurse her… or him! But it has to be some one you can really trust otherwise you could be in big trouble." offered Robinwhisker. Shadowpelt looked into Robinwhisker's eyes and agreed. She calmed down stalked off towards the nursery. Robinwhisker picked up her kill and continued down the ravine. She dropped her kill on the pile but kept the rabbit for herself and padded over to the nettle patch to eat. Timberclaw dropped beside her with a squirrel and begun to eat as well. "Good hunting?" he asked "Yeah, you?" "Perfect!" Timberclaw exclaimed. Robinwhisker smiled between her gulps and asked, "I'm going out hunting later do you want to come?" she asked "Nah! I have to go on patrol soon." He replied "Oh." She said. Timberclaw nudged her affectionately and gulped down the rest of his squirrel. "Bye Robinwhisker I have to go now." he claimed as he padded toward the gorse tunnel. Robinwhisker nodded her acknowledgement and gulped down more rabbit. She only ate half her rabbit when she got up to go hunting again. Hawkstar had stopped Timberclaw and he padded towards the Shadowpelt's den. He emerged a few seconds later with Shadowpelt on his heels. He came to a halt outside the nursery and whispered something to Shadowpelt and looked up at Robinwhisker. Robinwhisker didn't notice this and continued toward the gorse tunnel to go hunting again. As her tail disappeared through the fern tunnel Shadowpelt gave a slight nod to Timberclaw.
Robinwhisker was on a fresh trail of vole when something crossed her path. Shadowclan! She thought. She smelt the stench again thinking it was the one from two moons ago. She was wrong. She raced back to camp. As she hit the gorse tunnel she yowled "HAWKSTAR SHADOWCLAN IS COMING!" she looked around the clearing and saw no Shadowclan warriors. She came in time to deliver the warning. Robinwhisker padded over to Hawkstar and delivered the news yet again. Hawkstar nodded and pounced onto highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting." She yowled. A flood of cats swarmed beneath the highrock waiting for the news of Shadowclan. "Shadowclan is posing yet another threat! They are coming toward the camp to try and take over again!" she meowed as her voice rang out through the clearing. Uneasy murmurs roused in the crowd but hey hushed as Hawkstar motioned for silence with her tail. "I only want Smokeface, Dawnbreeze, Lionclaw, Falconheart, Wingedfoot, Timberclaw, and myself to go to battle. I will risk no young lives." She meowed. Angry mews shot up at this the loudest one came from none other than Robinwhisker herself. "No arguments!" yowled Hawkstar angrily. Mews rose but kept quiet after the meeting. Robinwhisker padded up to Hawkstar and complained, "I want to fight!" "No! Robinwhisker, you're like a daughter to me and I don't want to loose you!" retorted Hawkstar. Robinwhisker grunted her disapproval and stalked off toward the warrior's den. As she vanished through the ferns Timberclaw padded up to Hawkstar "Hawkstar Robinwhisker is e-" "I know, I won't risk her kits either." Hawkstar interrupted as she took her place in front of the warriors she chose for the attack. Robinwhisker, in her rage, snuck out of the camp by using a tunnel in the back of the warrior's den. She stalked through the undergrowth and towards the camp entrance. She reached the top of the ravine. She climbed the nearest tree and waited.
Black figures started approaching through the thicket below Robinwhisker. There were only two but behind them many followed. She recognized Bloodstar just below her now. She pounced from the tree. She landed on Bloodstar's back. Under the unexpected weight Bloodstar faltered. Robinwhisker had alerted the other Shadowclan warriors and they were charging at her. "Stop! This is my fight!" Bloodstar yowled. The other cats halted and watched eagerly. Bloodstar picked up the weight and rammed Robinwhisker into a tree. Robinwhisker lost her breath for a second but held on with her claws. She sank her teeth deep into his throat. Bloodstar yowled with pain. Seconds later he was on the ground, limp. The Shadowclan warriors stared in shock then anger. They charged as one at Robinwhisker. Robinwhisker swiftly dashed up the tree avoiding the attack. One warrior charged up after her hissing wildly. She smiled and jumped down. As she jumped she ripped through his pelt with her claws and pounced on another warrior. She continued this process until the yowling became so loud that the Thunderclan warrior's heard them and rushed up the ravine. The reinforcements finished off or chased off the remaining warrior's and headed back to camp. Robinwhisker was surprisingly unscathed except for a few scratches on her flanks. She jumped from the tree and padded over to Hawkstar's side. "I told you I could fight I fought off most of them and look, I have barely a scratch!" she boasted. Hawkstar did not reply but it was easy to figure out that she was enraged. "Go see Shadowpelt. Now!" Hawkstar mewed, trying to hide her fury. Robinwhisker did as she said and trotted over to Shadowpelt's den. "Hi, Shadowpelt. Can you give me an 'inspection'" Robinwhisker meowed. Shadowpelt nodded and strode over to her. "Nothing major, are you in pain?" she asked. Robinwhisker shook her head. "OK then your good to go, but Robinwhisker… you need to move into the nursery you're expecting kits." Shadowpelt mewed. Robinwhisker had a look of shock on her face but soon shook it away, "OK, I didn't know it would happen this soon." She mewed. Shadowpelt nodded and dismissed her, "Send Dawnbreeze in on your way out." She ordered. Robinwhisker twitched her tail in acknowledgment and padded out. She strode gracefully over to the nursery and greeted the queens. She took a place in the back and lay down to rest.
Chapter 2
The morning was bright and sunny. The nursery was blocked off and a series of yowls and mews rose from the walls. The yowling ceased. Hawkstar stepped out and twitched her tail as a signal that the other cats could go in. The first to enter the nursery was Timberclaw, his tail twitching impatiently to see his kits. As he stepped in he padded to the back of the nursery where Robinwhisker and three kits lay. Robinwhisker was panting from the work she just did and the three kits were suckling hungrily. When she saw Timberclaw she smiled and reached her head up to lick him on the cheek. He smiled and murmured, "They're wonderful!" he meowed. "Thank you. I have chosen their names already." Robinwhisker meowed "What are they?" Timberclaw asked. As Robinwhisker motioned to each kit with her muzzle she mewed their names, "This is Flamekit, Spottedkit, and Birtchkit." Timberclaw couldn't help but smile at Birtchkit, she looked just like him. Flamekit was a ginger tom with green eyes, Spottedkit was a yellow she-cat with black spots and brown eyes, and Birtchkit was a dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Timberclaw bent over and licked the top of each kits head and then Robinwhisker's. He looked into Robinwhisker's bright blue eyes and asked, "Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?" "Yes, I am a bit hungry. Can you bring me a vole or something?" she mewed. Timberclaw nodded and disappeared through he ferns. Almost every cat in Thunderclan huddled around Robinwhisker and her kits. They congratulated her and complimented on the kits by saying things like, "They'll make fine warrior's." "She looks like she'll make an excellent hunter!" "She looks just like her father!" Robinwhisker let them come and she smiled as they gave her and her kits so much praise. Eventually the crowd died away and she was left in peace.
Robinwhisker awoke the next day to find a small sparrow lying next to her. Another queen in the nursery called Skyrunner whispered to her, "If you need any help with the kits you can ask me. Oh and that sparrow is from Timberclaw he left it for when you wake. He slept by your side all night." Robinwhisker blinked her thanks for the explanation and gulped down the sparrow. A rustle of leaves ahead signaled that someone was coming in. From the thicket a large dark brown tabby tom with glowing green eyes emerged. Robinwhisker purred at the sight of him "Hello Timberclaw!" she purred. Timberclaw returned a smile and greeted her back. He strode over to her and gave her a quick lick behind the ear. She closed her eyes in delight and purred louder. She bent over and licked the kits who were sleeping soundly. "I can't wait until I can show them the outside of the nursery." She said. "Me too. I wish I was one of their mentors." Timberclaw purred. Robinwhisker nodded her agreement and lay her head against him. Timberclaw pressed his muzzle into her warm fur and they gently fell asleep.
Chapter 3
Two moons past and the kits were playing joyfully in the clearing. "Robinwhisker!" called Hawkstar. The ginger she cat with black paws padded up to the queen and murmured "I must talk to you and Timberclaw." Robinwhisker nodded and stalked off to find Timberclaw. She entered the warrior's den and meowed "Timberclaw, Hawkstar wants to see us in her den." Timberclaw got to his paws and followed her to the leaders den. As they entered Hawkstar looked up, "Good, you're here!" she mewed. Timberclaw took a seat next to Robinwhisker in front of Hawkstar and listened eagerly. "As you know Lionstep has come down with black-cough so I must appoint a new deputy by moonhigh. I have decided that until Robinwhisker is fit Timberclaw will take her place as deputy." Hawkstar announced. The couple nodded with the shocked expression lingering on their faces. She dismissed them with a twitch of her tail. Timberclaw and Robinwhisker padded out of the den in silence. Spottedkit, Flamekit, and Birtchkit were playing happily with Angeleyes' kits in the clearing. Robinwhisker gently smiled and gave Timberclaw a quick lick on his flank before leaving. Timberclaw licked her ear just before she left and stalked off to the warrior's den. He pondered who would go on the evening patrol and who would go on a hunting patrol at the moment. "Hey, Timberclaw!" called Dawnbreeze, "Me and Shadepaw are going hunting. You want to come with us?" she asked. Timberclaw looked up and gave a hearty smile, "Of course!" he said as he padded after them. Robinwhisker padded over to the clearing to where her kits were playing. "Hello you three!" she greeted as she licked them gently on the ears. Her kits poked their heads up and greeted their mother with as much love as she gave them. "Mom look! I found this mouse outside the bushes of the nursery!" Flamekit announce obviously ecstatic. Robinwhisker smiled and praised, "I'm proud of you." She padded over to Angeleyes and murmured "Turfkit seems… well, he seems different than the other kits," "I know I've noticed myself, I'm starting to think he's blind. He doesn't react when I motion for him to come here but he can hear perfectly." Angeleyes mewed. Robinwhisker looked at the kit more closely. He had pale yellow eyes and tortoiseshell fur. "Now that you mention it I think he is blind. I'll get Shadowpelt to make sure." Agreed Robinwhisker as she padded to the fern tunnel leading to Shadowpelt's den. She was amazed to find Shadowpelt holding a blue-gray kit in her jaws. "Robinwhisker! You have kits now right?" she said over the kit. Robinwhisker nodded. "Wonderful," mewed Shadowpelt "Please nurse this one for me!" Shadowpelt pleaded as she set the kit down gently. Robinwhisker looked shocked, "Me? Why not Sunspot?" she asked, "Because you are the only one I trust. Go out into the forest and bring the kit. Leave it somewhere and then 'find' it and bring it back to camp to make it look like it was abandoned." Shadowpelt instructed. Robinwhisker nodded hesitantly and picked the kit up by the scruff. She crept out by the ferns outlining the clearing and traveled to the edge of Sunningrocks. She headed back and padded in through the gorse tunnel. Timberclaw was leading a patrol out when he saw the small kit dangling in her jaws. "Why do you have another kit?" he asked "I found it near Sunningrocks a Riverclan cat might have left it there… or they fell in the river and drowned leaving the kit behind." Robinwhisker explained. Timberclaw gave her a hard stare but finally agreed with the kit staying in the clan, "We thought you went missing, Flamekit, Birtchkit, and Spottedkit got worried when you were gone for so long, you should stay in the camp until they're apprentices like the other queens. Its for theirs and your own good." Timberclaw ordered while giving Robinwhisker a gentle lick on the ear. She returned the lick and continued to the nursery. She couldn't help noticing how broken-hearted Shadowpelt looked as she stared at the kit. As soon as she entered the nursery her kits ambushed her with mews and playful attacks. They ceased when they saw the kit in her jaws. "Who's that?" Birtchkit asked "this is…" Robinwhisker didn't know the kits name. She set the kit down and looked at its blue gray fur, "This is Hailkit. I found her near Sunningrocks and she is your new littermate." Robinwhisker decided. Spottedkit stared admiringly at Hailkit and licked her gently on the head. Robinwhisker smiled and picked up Hailkit. She padded to her nest and curled around the small blue gray she-cat. Hailkit suckled the milk after Robinwhisker nudged her toward it. Flamekit was playing with Sunspot's kits and Birtchkit was watching, waiting until she could play. Spottedkit was the only kit to watch Hailkit, when the others asked her to play she refused and kept staring. Angeleyes entered the nursery not long after Robinwhisker did and her two toms join the play fight. Angeleyes padded over to Robinwhisker and mewed into her ear, "Your kits are very intelligent, Birtchkit and Flamekit would make great warriors, Spottedkit seems that she would make a great medicine cat." Robinwhisker nodded her agreement. " I've noticed how much Spottedkit likes helping people rather than fighting. Flamekit and Birtchkit are very enthusiastic about fighting." She murmured back. Angeleyes nodded and lifted her head to watch the ball of fluff rolling on the nursery floor. Before she could entirely lift her head she caught sight of Hailkit, "Who's this?" she asked "This is Hailkit I found her near Sunningrocks." Explained Robinwhisker. Angeleyes tilted her head back and forth to show she not entirely believed it but she bought it and then completely lifted her head. She strode back to her nest and curled up. Spottedkit entered the play fight when Sunspots kit, Roankit, pounced on her. In a whirl of fur and furious hissing Spottedkit pinned Roankit and warned him not to attack her. Roankit grunted but agreed. Spottedkit was about to go back to Hailkit's side when Birtchkit led another attack on Spottedkit. Spottedkit fought furiously, but she was outnumbered. She took on the entire nursery with her fur bristling, teeth bared, and claws unsheathed. She did obviously not want a fight but she was making a real fight tempting. Robinwhisker reached her head over and pick Spottedkit up by the scruff, she lay her down beside Hailkit and waited for her to calm down. She groomed her fur and scolded the other kits for fighting her when she didn't want to play. All the kits heads drooped and they returned to their mothers. Robinwhisker tucked all her kits into the curve of her stomach and groomed their fur. She stared at them lovingly at then and lay her head down to rest.
Chapter 4
Robinwhisker dropped into a hunting crouch. A rabbit nibble on a seed just ahead and paid no recognition of her. She crept forward. Her paws barely touched the forest floor; she looked as if she floated across the forest floor. The rabbit took a short leap to gather more seeds. Robinwhisker pounced with her leg muscles rippling. She landed directly on the rabbit and killed it with a bite to the neck. She walked through the forest with the rabbit clenched firmly in her jaws when she heard an unfamiliar voice calling her from behind. She turned to see a pretty yellow she-cat. She had black spots spread throughout her body but mostly on her tail. "Mom?" she asked. The spotted she-cat stared at her with a loving expression. "Yes Robinwhisker it's me. I must tell you that ones that are most dear to you will be taken and ones you hate will come back." She said with her words echoing across the tree's. "Wait! What do you mean?" Robinwhisker called as the she-cat started to fade. She dropped the rabbit and raced towards her mothers fading figure. Before she moved more than an inch the forest floor disappeared from beneath her. She let out a wail of distress and woke up in her mossy nest. Her kits were staring over her with a look of worry crossing their faces. Hailkit was among them. She looked at her kits and remembered her dream. "It's ok. I just had a bad dream." She assured as she licked their heads. Spottedkit kept her gaze on Robinwhisker but the others relaxed and went about their mourning routines. She stared at her paws and began to groom her fur. Spottedkit licked her paw and ran it over her ears and went back to her worried gaze on Robinwhisker. "Spottedkit I'm fine go and do what you want. It was only a dream!" she reassured as she met Spottedkit's gaze. Spottedkit hesitated but obeyed. Robinwhisker felt a bit more relieved as she watched her kit walk off to join her siblings. She looked in the nest and saw Hailkit staring up at her. "Mom," she began "Yes?" asked Robinwhisker "I was wondering… when can we go out of the nursery?" she asked, "Well, your brother and sisters have already been out. You came late so you haven't been out yet but your welcome to anytime as long as you're with me, Sunspot, or Angeleyes." She replied, "Can we go out now?" she blurted excitedly. Robinwhisker gave a hearty smile and nodded. She rounded up her kits and led them outside. Angeleyes was sunning herself near the elder's den while watching her kits. Robinwhisker nudged Hailkit towards the group of kits playing in the clearing and walked over towards Hawkstar's den. As she was about to call a greeting Timberclaw emerged. "Hi Robinwhisker!" he purred as he brushed against her side. "Hi!" she mewed. She returned the delighted purr and brushed against his side. He purred louder at the feel of her soft fur and they just stood there purring for a while. "Soon our kits will become apprentices." Timberclaw mewed with pride clouding his eyes. "Yes they will. Its their fifth moon." Robinwhisker replied with a proud purr. "So how's Hailkit? She's still young and wont be an apprentice for a while. With her you'll have to wait even longer before you take your place as deputy." He wondered. Robinwhisker's smile faded and she nodded grimly. "I have thought about letting Sunspot look after her when our kits are full grown since she'll be having another litter around then. Timberclaw gave a silent "oh" and stared at his kits once more, gleaming with pride once more. Robinwhisker did the same. The three kits were rolling over in the dust playfully. Sunspot had already taken her current kits back to the nursery and Angeleyes was going to show hers the forest close to the camp. "Okay you three, back to the nursery." Robinwhisker called happily while herding them to the nursery. The kits let out mews of protest and asked to stay out but they were no match for their mother and obeyed. Timberclaw watched them disappear back into the nursery before heading out into the forest again. He was walking silently through the thicket. Not caring about prey so didn't bother to keep downwind. All of a sudden, a blue gray tom burst out of the bracken and toppled Timberclaw over. The tom's claws were unsheathed and digging into the pink flesh of Timberclaw. Timberclaw let out a yowl of pain and rage and rolled over to crush the attacker beneath his weight. When he caught a glimpse of who the tom was he recognized him in a flash. "Icefeather!" he yowled in astonishment. Icefeather's lips were still curled into a snarl. "Yeah! It's me! Now be a good boy and let me kill you!" Icefeather yowled as he launched himself at Timberclaw again. Timberclaw dodged the attack and asked, "Why do you want to kill me?" He drew his lips back into a snarl to and prepared to pounce and defend himself. "You stole Robinwhisker from me!" he yowled pouncing once more. He caught Timberclaw off guard and sank his thorn sharp teeth into his neck. Timberclaw let out another yowl and did everything in his power to throw Icefeather off. Eventually he threw him off. Timberclaw pounced on Icefeather now and sank his sharp claws into his back and his teeth into Icefeather's neck. Icefeather let out a yowl of pain and gave up. Now Timberclaw saw how thin he was. "That must be the reason he was fighting poorly!" Timberclaw thought. He got off of Icefeather and kept a battle position just in case. "I didn't steal anything from you!" spat Timberclaw, "Robinwhisker chose me so therefore it was her fault you don't have her! It was her decision and she chose me!" he yowled. Icefeather looked up, eyes clouded with hurt and anger. "Fine. Just tell her I always loved her." Icefeather mewed. Timberclaw nodded. "I suppose you should know something else, another reason why you can't have her anymore." Timberclaw meowed with a firm face. He sat straight up. "What is it!" Icefeather spat. "First of all, She will be deputy soon, and the reason why she isn't deputy now is because she is caring for my kits. Yes we had kits!" Timberclaw explained. Icefeather's eyes grew wide with anger. Timberclaw expected him to attack but he just stood there. Icefeather nodded, "Very well then." He mewed still nodding slowly. Timberclaw was about to walk away when a question popped in his head. "Why aren't you coming back to camp?" He asked with a puzzled look. Icefeather shot him a regretful gaze then answered, "I can't see Robinwhisker again. Too many memories. Too much pain to bear to just see her." Timberclaw stared at him thoughtfully then asked again, "Where will you stay?" Icefeather seemed more agitated now from all the questions but replied calmly, "I'm staying in Twolegplce. I have a friend who can show me all the good hunting areas." Timberclaw blinked understandingly and turned. "Bye." He called over his shoulder. The message was returned and was followed by the rustle of bushes. Timberclaw guessed he had already left so he continued onward.
Chapter 5
A moon passed. It was moonhigh and Hailkit was wrapped protectively behind Sunspots tail. Robinwhisker and Timberclaw were sitting in the front of the group, pride and joy crowding their eyes. Flamekit, Birtchkit, and Spottedkit Sat in the very front as well as Angeleyes' kits; Softkit, and Rockkit. Hawkstar stepped out of her den, her ginger pelt glistening silver in the moonlight. "Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather here beneath the high rock!" she yowled. A large smile crossed Robinwhisker's and Timberclaw's face. "Tonight is the sixth moon for these young kits. Step forward kits." Hawkstar declared. Robinwhisker's, and Angeleyes' kits stepped forward nearly bouncing with excitement. "You five are six moons now. Now you will be given the name of an apprentice. I call Starclan to look down on these apprentices and guide them through training and all else. Flamekit, you will now be Flamepaw, Spottedkit you have chosen the ways of the medicine cat and from now on you will be known as Spottedpaw, Birtchkit, you will be known as Birtchpaw, Softkit, you will be known as Softpaw, Rockkit, you will be known as Rockpaw!" she announced. The warriors and queens swarmed around the new apprentices and called them by their new names. Maplestorm, a good friend of Robinwhisker's, was among the first. "And also!" Hawkstar meowed, twitching her tail for silence. The group became quiet at once but was utterly confused. "When I named Timberclaw deputy, I had said for the time being. The time for the original choice of deputy to become what they were mean't to be. Robinwhisker you will be the deputy from now till the day you die or take my place." Announced Hawkstar. Everyone started murmuring uneasily but grew silent after awhile and started congratulating Robinwhisker. Robinwhisker smiled and purred at the thought of being in the warriors den once more. "Hi Robinwhisker!" meowed Maplestorm as she padded up. "Hi!" purred Robinwhisker. "Congrats on the deputy position! I know you'll make a good leader!" Maplestorm mewed thoughtfully. Robinwhisker smiled a huge smile and nodded her thanks. "I'll see you in the warriors den later. I'm going to do a quick hunt first. Just to clear my mind, you know? Wanna' come with?" Robinwhisker mewed. Maplestorm nodded vigorously and the cats headed for the camp entrance, only to come back later with a load of fresh kill and more to come.