Tigerstar was sitting on the bone hill looking around amused. The four territories were finally his. Pride surged through his brown pelt: a couple of days ago he finally took over ThunderClan and WindClan. Many cats died, the others were smart enough to join TigerClan. Tigerstar sneered to himself. At least Leopardstar wasen't that stupid… Actually she was. Tigerstar didn't understand how in the world that apprentice got to be a deputy and then a leader. Wait, what about her?

Suddenly two warriors padded up to Tigerstar bowing their heads. 'Leopardstar is having her kits,' one of them reported whose name Tigerstar didn't know, or better, didn't care about. 'So?' asked Tigerstar irritably, 'What does it have to do to me?' 'Well, it's your kits,' the other tom shivered. Ah, yes, I forced Leopardstar. She is a buiterfull cat.

'Fine,' spat the leader, jumped down and padded toward the huge nursery. He forced his way inside and found Cinderpelt and Runningnose at the back of the den with Leopardstar. She was gulping for air her body shaking with pain.

'It's okay,' soothed Cinderpelt licking her ears to calm the shaking down, Runningnose was pressing his paws against her belly. 'Three kits,' he announced to the cats, 'you're doing great Leopardstar, come on, push.' Leopardstar let out a shriek of pain as a small bundle dropped to the ground. Tigerstar didn't move – he was enjoying her pain.

'Lick,' Runningnose pushed a small kit to his paws.

'What?' spat Tigerstar pushing the kit away roughly, 'I'm not a medicine cat.'

A white WindClan queen caught the kit swiftly and began licking it as if it were her own.

Leopardstar screamed again and another kit showed up. A couple of minutes passed and Tigerstar witnessed the birth of his third kit.

'Great job,' whispered Cinderpelt, as she pushed 3 kits toward their mother. She passed some herbs to the former leader: 'Eat these.'

'What will you name them?' Runningnose asked gently. Tigerstar shouldered his way toward Leopardstar. 'I name kits here,' he growled at the medicine cat.

He pushed a dark brown tom and said: 'This will be Bloodkit.' The leader turned to a golden tom: 'Snakekit. And I don't care what you name the she – cat.'

Leopardstar shoved her kits closer to pelt shivering from fear. Tigerstar looked at her. 'She brings good kits,' he thought, 'that's why she'll be a queen.' Then he padded out of the den.

The medicine cats left too.

The white queen moved to Leopardstar. 'My name is Whitetail,' she muttered, 'I'm sorry.'

The golden queen looked at her sadly. 'Those are terrible names he gave them,' she wailed, 'They deserve a better father.'

'Of course they do,' a ShadowClan she – cat soothed, 'Give them other names, that they will know.'

'You're right,' whispered Leopardstar and touched Bloodkit with her nose, 'This one should be Bravekit and Snakekit will be Goldkit. The she – cat is Sunkit.'

A few minutes passed. 'Why did you become his mate?' Whitetail asked finally. 'I didn't,' sorrow filled Leopardstar's eyes, 'He made me. He said that he didn't care what I want or do. He cares only about himself.'

'He made you mate with him?' asked Tallpoppy shocked. Leopardstar nodded and pointed her nose to a scratch on her shoulder. 'That's what I got for disobeying him,' she whispered. The she – cats stayed quiet fear – stricken. Leopardstar finally curled her tail around her kits and fell asleep.

***

A couple of days passed. Bravekit, Goldkit and Sunkit tumbled out of the nursery playing with Whitetail's kits. Leopardstar purred, warming in the sun. Suddenly Tigerstar appeared from nowhere. He pushed Whitetail's kits away and dragged his two tom kits from the group roughly. 'What are you doing,' gasped Leopardstar bounding to him. Russetfur pushed the she – cat lightly away. 'Taking them training,' answered Tigerstar coldly, and spat at Bravekit, 'get up mouse – brain.' The two toms shrank away, shaking with fear.

'But they're only half a moon old,' shrieked their mother terrified.

'Shut – up, fox dung,' he spat at her and pushed the kits out of the camp.

Leopardstar shooed Sunkit inside quickly, Whitetail gathered her kits, her eyes huge with horror. 'We must do something!' she whispered her pelt bristling.