How was everyone's Thanksgiving, all who celebrated? I hope it was fun! Anyway, we get Cloudecho's point of view! Yay! …well, actually, it's going to be kind of disturbing. So, WARNING, do not read if you don't want to be freaked out!

Chapter 7

Larkblossom

Weak sunlight reflected off the thin layer of dry snow in the little area behind the twoleg nest. Dusk had herded her kits outside after they nearly tackled Larkblossom off of her paws while wrestling. Even though she had no part of her littermate's antics, little Cotton was apologetic and huddled near Larkblossom's paws. Larkblossom felt a rush of warmth for the small white she-kit and purred in amusement. After taking a long while of being reassured, she soon had fallen asleep at her belly.

Larkblossom didn't understand why, but she immediately began grooming the white kits fur. She stopped mid-lick when Dusk appeared in front of her and purred at her actions.

"I can already tell you are going to a great mother." She meowed, making Larkblossom smile.

"I guess so. Does it really hurt? I'm a little...terrified." She mewed anxiously. She had not really thought of the birth process yet, though there was always a medicine cat standing nearby with herbs- except for now. It was only her and Dusk with no herbs.

"You'll be alright; my twolegs could bring you to the vet if you want. The vet would make sure you it all goes well." Dusk suggested as she sat down. Larkblossom wrinkled her nose at the thought of going to a twoleg for help. She wanted help, but… I'm not a kittypet! She thought.

"No, I don't think I want a twoleg to help me- what if they take my kits away?!" She mewed, feeling even more anxious. A dark feeling formed in the pit of her belly. The thought of her kits being taken away from her hurt her more than any wound in battle ever could.

"Then what will you do?" Dusk asked her while watching Flash and Robin chasing each other around in the snow, sending snow everywhere. Larkblossom followed her gaze and sighed. Will I ever get to watch my kits play like this? What if I never make it through the birth, and what will they do if I do not survive? Dusk cannot suckle them; her kits will be weaned by the time mine are born…

Several thoughts that scared her ran through her mind. She looked past the fences to the territory behind them. Then, a different thought burned in the back of her mind. You can go back.

"I can do something, but…I honestly don't want to do it." The idea she had tugged at her heart; she had left the Clan for a reason. Going back would mean everyone would know she was having kits and would interrogate her about the father was. They can't know about Briarpath, ever.

And…

Larkblossom narrowed her eyes. She knew someone else would be furious with her…but who exactly?

Dusk stared at her curiously. "Is there something wrong?" Larkblossom looked to her, not sure how to answer.

"I…I don't know. I forgot someone." Dusk had a confused look on her face. Larkblossom opened her mouth to answer, but Cotton stirred and popped up from her spot beside her belly. Her eyes shone with innocent energy and some sleep from her nap. She grinned at Dusk playfully.

"Mama, I dreamed that you were a butterfly! Then Robin, Flash, and me chased you and found daddy in the alley with the other cats from the alley…"Dusk stood rigid at her daughter's words, eyes fixed. Cotton didn't seem to realize this and continued describing her dream to her mother, but her littermates had and stopped playing and were staring at her.

"Cotton, come here and play with us!" Robin called to her sister. The little white kit stopped describing her dream. "I'll tell you later, Mama!" She then scampered off to Robin and Flash. Larkblossom gave her friend a look, waiting to see if she would tell her about the father of her kits.

Dusk looked at her warily. "It's not bad…it's just…" She looked away from Larkblossom.

"You can tell me Dusk, I won't judge." The mottled she-cat kept her wary gaze, but nodded and then sighed.

"His name is Fitz. He is what you could call a leader of a group of alley cats." She meowed while looking at the ground. "I saw him fighting when I had gone exploring when I was younger and was impressed by his fighting skills. We had fallen in love, but to him, fighting was more important. He got into trouble with some other gangs. I couldn't stay with him after I learned I was carrying his kits."

Larkblossom ear nodded slowly. "Are you mad at him?" Dusk shook her head, but in her eyes held a hurt look.

"I thought maybe he would choose me. But we haven't spoken since I had left. He never knew about the kits." Larkblossom felt bad for the kits…and realized that her kits would never know their father either.

"So enough about me and my story, tell me about yours; why did you leave your Clan?" Dusk settled back down near Larkblossom. She sighed and looked up into the sky.

"My mate wasn't someone my Clanmates would approve of; and most of my kin are gone. I had no reason to stay." The pain crept back into her heart but not into her voice. She shook the pain away.

"But will you go back, for your kits?" Dusk asked her. Larkblossom hesitated.

"Not exactly, but I will get help from a few close friends." She knew Heatherspring, Nightwhisper, Fawntail, and Kindlestrike will help her. "We'll figure something out."

Cloudecho

A cold wind drifted through the makeshift nursery causing Fernkit to shiver beside her stomach. Cloudecho curled her tail around her daughter in an attempt to warm her. Ever since some of the queens, apprentices, and warriors ran off after Briarpath was found dead, new dens had been made. But they weren't as deep as the old ones and were exposed to more weather so no cat could leave without being noticed. The dark gray tabby she-cat closed her eyes in grief for her mate. She missed him, even though she knew he didn't love her as she had loved him. She looked down at her five-moon old daughter who was the spitting image of Briarpath.

But her father was Witherstar, not Briarpath's. But no cat would ever know- not even Fernkit herself, that Fernkit was Briarpath's half-sister. Cloudecho sighed. Fernkit popped her head up and blinked at her mother. Cloudecho's thoughts melted away and smiled at her daughter.

"It's really cold, Cloudecho! When are we going back to the old nursery?" Mousefoot, the only other queen that did not leave the Clan, lifted her head. The brown queen looked at Fernkit with pity.

"I don't know my dear." She licked Fernkit's soft fur smooth on her shoulder. "Why don't you go see if you can help Tanglewhisker?" She suggested to her kit. The small red she-cat perked her ears at this and nodded.

"Ok!" She chirped happily. "Maybe I can take Streampaw's place if she never comes back!" Cloudecho felt her blood go cold as Fernkit rand out of the nursery. Mousefoot uttered an angry growl.

"We won't be going back until he dies." She hissed. "I wish I went with the others when I had the chance!" Cloudecho gave her a sympathetic look and put her tail on her shoulder.

"You were afraid, it wasn't your fault." She mewed. "But I'm glad you're here, it would be lonely without you." Mousefoot grunted and turned around in her nest so her back was facing Cloudecho. Cloudecho frowned but didn't say anything, but then pricked her ears as she heard several paw-steps approach the den. She huddled down into her nest and peered out and saw Witherstar violently pushing Bushytail, Runningheart, Berryheart, Cherryfeather, and…Icewing towards the nursery.

Why was the elder being put in the nursery? Icewing wasn't old, but she had been blind since birth and had no other choice but to join the elders since Streampaw was already the medicine cat apprentice. All five she-cats seemed to be distressed as they were herded into the nursery. They filed in quietly and huddled in the corner as Witherstar loomed in the entrance.

"She-cats are now unable to leave this den unless accompanied by a warrior for now on. You will not leave this den- or this will be you." He didn't shift his gaze from them as Tanglewhisker padded in shakily in with Fernkit lying limp in his jaws.

Cloudecho gasped, blood pounding in her ears. "Fernkit! No!" She tried to get up from her nest but Witherstar bared his teeth and snarled at her. She flinched back fearfully into her nest but looked at her daughter. She was breathing! Oh thank StarClan!

"Only toms are allowed to be warriors now." Witherstar glared at them all and then whipped around and exited the den. Tanglewhisker placed Fernkit by Cloudecho and then looked at them pityingly and mouthed," I am here for you, don't worry."

But he soon scrambled out of the den when Witherstar growled his name. Cloudecho looked back at the other she-cats huddled in the corner. Runningheart shivered.

"We were powerless against his strength…he…he just told us we were going to have kits no matter what and…" The young warrior let out a choked sob. Cloudecho nodded and understood. She heard the leader call a…warrior meeting.

"All warriors come and join me!" Witherstar had yowled. His voice sounded like a dying mole. She scooted to the opening of the den and saw all the toms gather around Witherstar who stood in the middle of the makeshift camp.

"The ways of FireClan are changing! From this moment on, all she-cats born into this Clan are only to bare kits! They are not warriors and do not leave the nursery unless with a warrior escort. All she-cats old enough will be the leader's mate. Any tom that touches them will be executed immediately."
Outraged yowls erupted from the toms that had mates. Rushtail, a brown tabby tom, stared sadly over his shoulder into the nursery. Cloudecho glanced behind her and saw grief in his now former mate Cherryfeather's eyes.

"Silence!" Witherstar roared.The toms reluctantly fell silent. The leader continued. "Two of you will be posted watch at the nursery at a time. Badgerswipe will inform you when it is your turn." The large black and white tom nodded at them with a shrewd look on his face. Cloudecho knew he would only place the toms that had mates at watch so they could suffer.

"My word is law; all who defy me will die." Witherstar finished. Cloudecho shivered as Fernkit began to gain consciousness. Cloudecho then ignored her fear as she turned back to the others.

"We HAVE to leave! We must find the others!" She whispered determinedly. Runningheart stared at her with mouth agape, as if Cloudecho had suggested they should throw kits in a river.

"Are you insane, Cloudecho? We will all surely die!" The white and gray tabby mewed hysterically. Cloudecho shook her head.

"I'm not insane, but I know Witherstar is." She replied. Some of the others laughed nervously but then fell into a dead silence and stared fearfully at the den entrance. Cloudecho slowly turned around. Crowcloud was looking at her coldly with his terrifying electric yellow eyes. He turned to his brother, Badgerswipe, who smiled cruelly.

"Oh my dear Cloudecho…it seems you have no respect for your leader. I think I will inform him!" Badgerswipe gleefully meowed as if he wanted to see some cat die. He trotted over to Witherstar who had remained in the middle of camp and talked to him. Her heart pounded painfully as she wove her tail protectively around Fernkit. She pressed close to her mother in fear.

"I didn't mean to do anything, Cloudecho. I told Witherstar you gave me permission to help Tanglewhisker when he said I wasn't allowed out of the nursery, but he got mad and hurt me!" Cloudecho didn't have time to reply when Witherstar and his deputy burst into the den.

Badgerswipe tore Fernkit away from Cloudecho's side. The kit squealed in fear as she was tossed out of the den. Cloudecho heard the loud thump! as she fell to the ground.

"You think you can say things about me?" Witherstar seethed at her, and was right in her face. He pinned her to the ground. She only glared at him defiantly, not letting fear enter her eyes. Witherstar snorted.

"Alright, let it be this way. Fernkit shall now be known as Ferndeath because she will be my mate until she dies." He hissed coolly. Cloudecho stared at him in horror. She's your daughter! She thought and fought the urge to almost scream that at him.

"You will never see her again. Let this be a lesson to all of you." He left the den with Badgerswipe trailing him.

Cloudecho felt her heart go numb as she slowly curled into a ball. She didn't want to think about her daughter's sentencing. Witherstar is sick and twisted.

As soon as she thought this, she heard Ferndeath emit a loud scream of pain from across camp. She shuddered and suddenly broke into tears. StarClan, why? Why this?!

"You're right, Cloudecho." It was Berryheart who whispered. She didn't bother to look at her. "WE have to leave.

She did not answer. Not without my daughter.