The large cats wandered down along their border. Grassstreak tilted his head curiously when he saw three Airclan cats at the border. Signalling with his tail, the Earthclan cats marched confidently down to them. He doubted that they were invading or attacking. They seemed to be waiting for his patrol. Dustclaw hissed as they neared.
"Are those kits?" He spat. "We want nothing to do with your young, Airclan!" Dustclaw yowled.
"Hush!" Grassstreak mewed, flicking Dustclaw's muzzle with his tail. "What do you want, Foxstar?" His voice was welcoming and friendly, but his posture told them of the responsibility he held.
"There is no place in the Airclan nursery for these kits," Foxstar said. Her grave tone unnerved Grassstreak, and he searched her expression for any hidden thoughts but could find none.
She always was good at that. He thought, then moved on. "Why not?" He mewed, his voice more curious than challenging.
"They are not our kits," Swiftfoot said. His voice was cool and emotionless. What is it with these cats? Grassstreak thought exasperated. It was always so easy to tell what his clanmates were thinking, and the sudden challenge frustrated him.
"Whose are they then?"
"We found them at the Fireclan border," Swiftfoot said sadly.
"Why would you bring us Fireclan's lost kits?" Dustclaw snarled, his sand-coloured tail lashing.
"They aren't true Fireclan kits…" Swiftfoot started.
Grassstreak had poked his nose into the basket to look at the kits. As he nuzzled one, he hissed to the cats around. "I smell Waterclan."
"Cursed kits?" Featherear mewed, her eyes filled with concern. Her own kits had just become apprentices, and this was the cream she-cat's first patrol after leaving the nursery.
"If it were up to me, I'd take them in without a second thought," Grassstreak told the cats, laying his tail on Featherear's back to reassure her. "But it's not my place to say." The brown deputy nodded to the Airclan cats. "Come. We will escort you to our camp."
The Earthclan warriors flanked the Airclan Patrol, and Grassstreak led them away.
