The story might be nearing its end soon! I know you'll all be looking forward to the story I'm going to start on afterwards, Leaves of Mint, which will be Mintleaf's life story. Mintleaf was Gingerstorm's apprentice, in case you haven't been paying attention.
It had been awhile now, and Gingerstorm was resting in the nursery with four kits. She had just kitted, and she was happily resting. The four balls of fluff were curled tightly next to their mother.
Outside the nursery was Flowerpetal, Lilacflower, and Rosepetal, all guarding it like it was dire. Reedstar was standing in front of them, hissing and caterwauling fiercely.
"No, you can not enter, Reedstar. I do not care that you are the wrongful leader of RiverClan!" mewed Flowerpetal.
"Gingerstorm could die from so much stress. I know you still care about her, somewhat, at least," hissed Rosepetal.
"Please leave, if you care anything about your former family," Lilacflower begged.
"I will get through to her eventually," Reedstar warned. He turned and stalked back over to his den, Dewstorm fallowing closely at his side, her belly gently swinging with her kits.
Gingerstorm licked her first kit. It was tabby brown. Everything about it looked like Reedstar, but she still loved every inch of her kit. But the kit was a she-cat, the only differ from Reedstar. Gingerstorm decided to name the kit Fernkit.
Gingerstorm studied the second kit. It looked exactly like her, except it was a tom. She thought quietly. She decided on Stormkit.
Gingerstorm's third kit was a tortoiseshell. It had patches of tabby brown and patches of ginger. It was a mix of Reedstar and Gingerstorm, and it had one reed-green eye and one water-blue eye. She decided the she-cat kit would be named Reedkit. But it would not be after Reedstar: it would be so that one day, the kit would be Reedwater. A mix of Reedstar and Gingerstorm, no matter how much Gingerstorm regretted being Reedstar's mate.
The last kit was had brown tabby patches, white patches, and ginger patches. Gingerstorm called him Patchkit.
She knew they were in danger of coming in contact with their father, and so she hatched a plan, thinking long and hard for a whole moon.
Gingerstorm poked her head out of the nursery, and it swiveled over to Flowerpetal.
"If it's not too much trouble, can you get me a piece of fresh-kill?" Gingerstorm mewed politely.
Flowerpetal nodded quickly, and jetted off to find a plump mouse; Gingerstorm's favorite. After she'd left, she asked Rosepetal and Lilacflower to fetch some fresh moss for the bedding in the nursery.
Gingerstorm glanced at her kits, then quickly ushered them through a gap next to the nursery in the RiverClan's barrier. Once the kits were out, she pushed through, and she began a long travel.
Every now and then, she would stop and let her kits suckle. Then she would continue on. To the only place she knew would accept her and her kits for a temporary amount of time to get away from Reedstar until Gingerstorm could tell her kits of their father's deeds and warn them.
And at least a little time for her to raise them without interruption.
She'd rolled herself in fox dung, as well as her kits, so as to cover her smell so that no search party could find her. She needed this time with her kits; she'd come back to RiverClan soon enough. They would miss her, but they would carry on.