THE FORBIDDEN KIT

A light tabby she-cat hid under the shrubbery. She looked around the rest of the camp. Finally, she spied another she-cat who was gray.

"Cinderpelt," she hissed. Cinderpelt saw the cat and discreetly met her under the bush. The tabby had a small kit in her mouth; he was almost black with two golden spots, one on his ear, and the other on his front left paw. The kit was alive and squirming. The tabby put him down.

"What should we do now that I have given birth to him?"

"Don't worry Leafpool," Cinderpelt said soothingly, "we'll find something to do with him. Medicine cats have had kits before… My mentor was one of them-"

"Your mentor's son became Brokenstar!" A gust of wind rolled by. Leafpool's hair stood on end.

"Yes, but Starclan wanted you to have cubs. Feathertail wanted Crowfeather to be happy at last." Leafpool opened her mouth to speak, but Cinderpelt cut her short.

"Don't even try to tell me that Crowfeather's not the father! I won't be fooled that easily!" Leafpool opened her mouth to speak again. She thought for a second, and then closed it.

"Listen Leafpool. Give me the kit! I'll figure out what to do with him. You go to Windclan, and 'give Barkface these herbs', will you?" Leafpool looked uneasily then gave the kit to Cinderpelt.

"It's not a great excuse to go to Windclan, but I can't think of a better one!" Leafpool ran off. Cinderpelt gently picked up the kit and walked off.

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Leafpool entered Windclan gracefully. The herbs that Cinderpelt gave her ought to have been enough, right? She hoped so. On the winding path to Windclan Camp she met a border patrol: Tornear, Owlpaw, and Crowfeather.

"I'm –er- delivering an herb to Barkface."

"We'll escort you there, I guess," Tornear sighed. As soon as they were there, Leafpool ran over to Barkface. She hoped that she would be able to see Crowfeather alone for a second.

"Barkface," she called, "Cinderpelt wanted you to have this." Barkface examined the herb. He was smarter than to ask questions.

"Okay… Thank you. Can you find your way back to Thunderclan?"

"Of course, I can! Bye, then. Cinderpelt says hi!" Right outside of the Medicine Cat Den was Crowfeather, standing impatiently.

"Well?" He whispered. Leafpool looked for other cats before she spoke.

"One tom. He's black with two red spots. Cinderpelt will find him a place."

"Good." Crowfeather nodded and was off on his way. Leafpool watched him for a second then jogged back home, herself.

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Sorreltail was the only recent queen in Thunderclan. She was young and kind. Her mate was Brackenfur, Cinderpelt's brother. The both of them were watching her two kits when Cinderpelt ran in, with a black bundle being held gently but securely by her mouth.

She put down the kit and gasped,

"Sorreltail, who has visited your kits yet?"

"Only Brackenfur," Sorreltail said blankly, very confused. She looked down at her kits. Her kits were very lovely both were she-cats. One was white with gray flecks and blue eyes. The other was a golden tabby like her father.

"Sorreltail, this kit is… halfclan. Please take him."

Sorreltail was suspicious at first, but too goodly - natured to refuse. After a moment of puncturing silence, she at last spoke gravely,

"Cinderpelt, you are Thunderclan's Medicine Cat, and Brackenfur's sister, I trust you. I will take care of the half-clan kit."

"Good." Cinderpelt filled with relief. "Don't tell anyone that it's not yours." Sorreltail nodded. She began cleaning the tom as if he were her own.

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Leafpool reentered camp. The first cat she saw was Sorreltail.

"Look at my kits. This is Lagoonkit," Sorreltail nudged the white kit. Then turning to the kit who resembled Brackenfur, she said,

"And she is Maplekit." Finally she came to the last kit. She smiled and hesitantly said,

"I think this one will be Honeykit because of his golden spots."

"That's a beautiful name," Leafpool commented. Honeykit! How she wished that she had thought of it. As Leafpool watched the kits, she realized that Honeykit, would be loved.

He will be loved by me too, and Crowfeather. He WILL make me proud!