"You can sleep here.
Graystar mewed to Eveningpelt. The sky was dark and a light drizzle
began to fall.
"Wouldn't it make more sense for her to stay in
the nursery?" Freefoot meowed.
"Yes. It would." Said a lithe
she-cat. Her pelt was snow white and she seemed to have slipped
through the shadows. "Besides it looks like rain tonight."
"Where
have you been Silentstep?" Graystar asked her
deputy.
"Investigating" she said simply.
"Oh. Freefoot
will you please tell Racoontail I need to speak with him? And then
take Flamepaw to fetch Foxtail." Graystar paused, "I've been so
busy I have forgotten we need to sit vigil. I'd like to do this
before it starts to rain."
Freefoot dipped her head and Graystar turned to Eveningpelt. The gray leader could tell she was worried about something. "Silentstep, Please take Eveningpelt to the nursery."
Silentstep patted beside the gray queen. The two said nothing to each other, and Eveningpelt entered the nursery with even more worry than before. She could hear Freefoot report to Graystar; "I can't find Flamepaw or Racoontail anywhere!"
Nightkit and Icekit were curled up together
sleeping. Icekit's white fur blended with Nightkit's black
one.
"You must be their mother." Spottedflower mewed.
"Yes..
I'm Eveningpelt." The pale queen replied.
"Greetings
Eveningpelt. I'm Spottedflower. Are you hungry?"
"Very"
Eveningpelt admitted. She placed herself across from the sleeping
sisters.
"Food should be here shortly"
Wolfpaw appeared as
if on cue with three mice in his jaws. He dropped two in front of
Eveningpelt and gave the other to Spottedflower. "Thank you
Wolfpaw." The tabby purred.
"Yeah." The apprentice replied.
Eveningpelt just dipped her head.
"One of those is for your
kits." Wolfpaw told her in a matter-of-fact sort of way.
"Yes
Thank you." The gray queen answered.
Wolfpaw glared at her and
then stalked away.
"Don't mind him. He's always like that."
Spottedflower mewed.
The nursery was silent as the queens ate.
The soft patter of rain was the only noise. Suddenly, a commotion
outside broke the silence. Even the kits woke up. Quietpaw scurried
in, her eyes round with shock and her fur ruffled.
"Racoontail
and Flamepaw came back and they killed Eveningpelt's kits!"
