Gorsestar glared down at the middle of the clearing in pure amazement, and mistrusting curiosity. She looked at her deputy, Bundlefur, for and explanation, but judging from the shocked look on her own face she had none. On Gorsestar's other side one of her warriors, Trueheart, was gaping at the sight in the middle of the camp's clearing, the mouse she had been carrying had fallen from her mouth. Her other warriors had been on boarder patrol, all but their medicine cat and the queen had been here all day. Gorsestar began walking toward the clearing, she bent down and sniffed one thoroughly.

No sent, they just reeked of mousebile... like someone didn't want her to know where they came from.. She took a quick look around and back down to the creatures at her paws.

"Where did you three come from." She said in annoyance but with a soft edge around her voice. Bundlefur was at her side now, she looked down at them as Trueheart started coming to to see as well.

"Their not Pinepelt's, I can say that much. Their too young." Bundlefur muttered, she touched one and when it started to move she jerked back. "They're alive!" She whispered.

"And they are sooo cute!" Trueheart cooed, but stopped when when her senior warriors glared at her. "Well they are."

Gorsestar shook her head and looked down at the them again. "Any ideas as to where they came form?" She watched as Bundlefur mumbled in a negative tone, TrueHeart cocked her head to one side.

"Maybe their from another clan." TrueHeart muttered.

"That can't be possible." Bundlefur said, shooting the idea out of the sky. "How would they ahjve gotten here then? Their clan wouldn't have just left them here and they definitely didn't get here on their own."

"MEOW!"

All three cats jumped and looked down at the tiny kits. They had to just be hours old. The black and white one wriggled in impatience and hunger. His sisters were quiet and just lay weakly on the ground, to hungry to do much else.

"Well, first things first. They must be fed." Grosestar said, she looked at Bundlefur. "Go search the area and try and find any scents of cats crossing over. Trueheart, help me with the kits."

"But their covered in mouse bile!" Trueheart whimpered, but was quieted again by Grosestar's glare. "Yes, Gorsestar.." She muttered, picking up the pure black kit, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Grosestar watched Bundlefur run off before picking up the other two kits, she too wrinkled her nose at the taste, but still lead Trueheart to the nursery.

"My, my. They are getting big!" Said a nasal old voice from inside. There was also the sound of little scrabbling paws.

"Thank you Wintereyes." Said a gruff female voice, filled with pride.

"Very heathy to." Said a sratchy voice, but it was laced with warmth.

Grosestar entered the nursry with Trueheart behind her. Inside was the clan elder, Wintereyes Along with the current Queen Pinepelt. The clan medicine , Hunterscar, cat seem to here for a visit as well. They all looked up as the two enetred.

"Whos kits are those?" Pinepelt asked in confusion, her yellow eyes slimmed in question. Gorsestar thought she spotted some sort of emotion escape Hunterscar's single eye, but the tom turned before she could watch him further. She and Trueheart set the kits down quietly. Suddenly, one of Pinepelt's kits tried to approuch them , but jummped back when he came into smelling range.

"Eww!" The prickly fur'd grey tom spat, scrambling back to his sister's side. "They smell like bile!"

"Theres no need to insult them Frozenkit... unless their River Clan." Pinepelt muttered.

"No Pinepelt, they do smell like mouse bile, thats why we can't tell where they came from." Trueheart explained, rasping her tongue on her pelt, trying to remove the taste.

Grosestar opened her mouth to speak when another "Meow!" Interrupted her, this one frailer then the last.

"Their starving!" Pinepelt frowned in pitty. Grosestar nodded gravely.

"Thats why I brought them here, I was hoping you could-"

"Get them over here then! No time to waste!" The queen said laying down. Grosestar scooped them up and put them by the queen's side. They soon were suckling quietly.

"Thank you Pinepelt. Its just until we find their mother." Gorsestar explained. Yet Pinepelt shrugged.

"What kind of queen refuses a starving kit?" She asked. Wintereyes looked down at them through his bad vision and then glanced at Gorsestar. "So where did they come from?" He questioned. "Where did you find them?"

"In the middle of camp, when we returned from hunting. There were no strange smells or strange prints found around them." Gorsestar explained. Trueheart jumped to her paws next her.

"My mouse!" She scurried to the entrance of the den and yowled suddenly. " Smellyfur! Don't you dare eat that! Its for Wintereyes!!" Then she ran off.

Grosestar sighed and watched Wintereyes run after her at the mention of food. She returned her gaze to the new kits, whom were being scrubbed clean with some wet moss by Hunterscar. "What do you think, Hunterscar?" She asked. The tom looked at her silently.

"No strange smells and no strange prints found in camp.. perhaps they are a gift from the star clan." Hunterscar muttered, causing Gorsestar to growl.

"Even so, what are we going to do with them!" Gorsestar asked.

"Keep them of course!" Pinepelt spoke, looking down at them. "Star clan knows we need more cats, and I have some milk to spare.. though they may have to be weened early."

"What about us!" Frozenkit meowed sadly, his sister nodding beside him.

Pinepelt only rolled her eyes. "Your ready to be weened. Now go and try your first piece of mouse!"

"We get to have real food!" Frozenkit purred, he looked at his ginger pelted sister. "Did you hear that Elmkit!"

"Real food! Real food!" She said, bouncing up and down.

"Well, we need to name these kits." Hunterscar said suddenly, he finished washing the kits and they smelt much better. Elmkit was at his side in a heartbeat. "The pure black shecat looks like a... Shadekit to me."

"What makes you say that?" Gorsestar frowned, but Hunterscar looked away from her again.

"It just suits her." he muttered.

Pinepelt nodded approvingly. "I think so to."

"Alright." Grosestar sighed and looked down at the newly named Shadekit.

"I want to name one!" Elmkit purred, she batted at the black and white tom's tail. The kit truned towards her, meowing angrily.

"Elmkit, stop badgering him!" Pinepelt warned.

"Why? He can't hurt me- OW!" Elmkit jumped and looked back down at the kit, he had just bitten her tail with his sharp baby teeth. He gave a sharp meow, before wriggling back into Pinepelt's side. "Hes really strong!" Elmkits muttered.

"Yes, yes he is." Pinepelt nodded with a hint or... affection?

"Lets call him, Tuffkit!" Elmkit spoke. The name was childish, but it seem to work.

"Very well, and the last one?" Gorsestar asked, Elmkit looked over at her brother.

"What do you think Frozenkit?" She asked.

"I dunno. Stinkykit, bilekit, fatkit, lostkit whatever! Let go get some mouse. " The tom ranted by the entrance. Everyone in the den sent him a glare. "Fine, fine!" He wandered closer to the kits.

The last one was white with ginger spots. Frozenkit leaned in and grunted "Gingerkit. Can we go now?!" He looked at his sister.

"Yep, lets go!" Elmkit said and together the two ran out into the camp clearing.

"Now that, that is over with we should let these kits get some rest." Gorsestar spoke and lead Hunterscar away. Once outside they noticed all the clan watching them.

"Is TureHeart... telling the truth?" Nightpelt asked, he stepped forward boldly. Grosestar slimmed her eyes into slits.

"What did Tureheart say exactly?" She frowned.

"That you found some kits." Priklepaw said as she psuhed past her mentor Foxfang. The larger tabby shecat nodded in agreement.

"Yes it is. Untill their parents are found they are part of the shadow clan. You may see them, but not all at once!" Gorsestar ordered. "Bundlefur is scouting the area to find any traces, I want Trueheart to take out another patrol. Mouseears and Smellyfur, you will go with her." Gorsestar turned to talk to Huntersacr, but found the cat was already gone.

He knows something... She looked over towards his den... Grosestar knew it..