The large brown tom paced outside of the nursery as he waited for his mate to finish kitting. Her wails were all that broke the silence causing him to wince.

At last, a smokey-grey tom slid out of the nursery and walked over to the brown tom. "Brightflame's kitting is over,you can go see her now Cedarstar. Petalmist is with her now," the smokey tom said.

" Thank you Smokebreeze," the brown tom, Cedarstar , said curtly, stretching out his stiff muscles and walking towards the nursery ," I will go see her now."

Upon entering the nursery, Cedarstar was met with the warm scent of milk and the sight of his ginger furred mate, Brightflame, wrapped around four tiny expression softened slightly at the sight. Those kits, no, his kits were perfect. His mate lifted her head as he entered and she let out a weary purr. "Cedarstar. What should we name them?"

Cedarstar glanced at the kits. There was a ginger she-kit, a brown she- cat, a black tom with white splotches , and a pure white, long- haired she- kit, who for some reason was sitting farther away from her mother than the others. " What about Sunkit for the ginger she- kit and Badgerkit for the black and white tom?"

" Perfect," Brightflame purred glancing warmly at the two named kits,"and what about Cedarkit for the brown she-kit? Because she looks kind of like you."

"Cedarkit," Cedarstar purred, twining his tail with his mate's. "What about our last beautiful she-kit?" Cedarstar asked, beckoning towards the secluded white she- kit.

To his surprise, Brightflame let out a disdainful sniff, " we've already named our beautiful she-kits, so I guess we should name this ugly creature now," she spat scornfully at the poor kit.

Cedarstar stared at his mate, taken aback by her response, "what is wrong with her?" he asked, confused. The little kit looked normal to him ,but there must be a reason Brightflame would treat a kit like that.

In response to his question, Brightflame picked up the kit, none the too gently, and held her so that Cedarstar could see her face. The she-kit's face was broad and flattened ,but it didn't look unattractive. He glanced at his mate questioningly,"what is wrong with her, she looks fine to me."

Brightflame glared at the little kit," look at its muzzle! No riverclan cat should look like that!"

Petalmist, who Cedarstar had forgotten was in the den, spoke for the first time since the kits had been born,"first of all there is nothing wrong with her and secondly how can you be so cruel to your own kit?" She asked incredulously.

Brightflame gave the kit a hard look" that is not my kit," she said before turn her back on the shivering kit.

Cedarstar shared a glance with Petalmist before sighing so that his mate couldn't hear, "Brightflame is too stubborn to take care of the kit and there aren't any other nursing queens at the moment. What should we do?"

Petalmist shot the tiny kit a pitying look," If Brightflame won't feed her," she shot Cedarstar a hopeful glance ,but when he shook his head hopelessly she continued on sighing sadly,"and since there aren't any nursing or expectant queens, then we may have to give her to a different clan."

Cedarstar slumped his shoulders in defeat,"are you sure it's the only way, Petalmist?" He cast her a pleading look but she nodded her head sadly so he continued, growling softly," I didn't know that Brightflame could be so heartless!"

Petalmist nodded her agreement before letting her tail droop," perhaps it's for the best though, she wouldn't fit here and she would be better off with a mother that doesn't treat her like fox-dung ."

Cedarstar nodded glumly ," I guess you're right," he told the medicine cat before raising his voice so that his mate could hear and turning to face her," Brightflame will you take care of our kit until she is of apprentice age?"

"I will take care of Leafkit, Badgerkit, and Sunkit but not that ugly thing." Cedarstar bristled at her words and shot Petalmist a 'I told you so ' look.

"Fine then!" Cedarstar spat angrily at his mate," will you at least take care of her until she's old enough to travel?"

Brightflame bristled," I will not deprive my kits of milk so that that thing can eat!"

Cedarstar was about to jump on his mate ,but Petalmist intervened just in time,"Cedarstar," she said in a resigned voice," we can't make her do anything she doesn't want to do. We'll just take her to the gathering tonight and give her to one of the other clans there."

"She's too young to travel!" Cedarstar protested , but Petalmist cut him off and glared heatedly in Brightflame's direction.

"If we don't take her to the other clans tonight then she'll starve. I wouldn't put it past Brightflame to let her starve." Petalmist spat Brightflame's name like poison.

Brightflame cast Petalmist a smug look," I wouldn't waste your time with it, in fact," she said stretching her unsheathed claws,"I'll take care of it now."

Cedarstar snatched the kit away just in time , because Brightflame missed her with a hiss." You will not harm my daughter!" He hissed at Brightflame, tucking his kit in between his forepaws. He glanced at his mate , gaze hardening" I could never be mates with someone as heartless as you! We are no longer mates and as for my kit, she is going somewhere where she'll be safe from you!"

"Fine! Waste your time with that mange-ridden creature," Brightflame's scorching gaze landed on the white she-cat and she let out a venomous purr," before you take my kit away I will name her," she said in a false-sweet voice. Cedarstar stiffened and his eyes narrowed to slits ,but Brightflame continued on , voice filled with malice," and her name will be Flatkit."