AN: Another shocking chapter for those readers interested. I am definitely enjoying the writing I've done so far :P

Chapter 11

The Clan trudged back to camp slowly and painfully. By now rain was falling heavily upon the forest. Stormstar's pelt was soaked to the skin as she allowed her Clanmates to go in first. She held her chin up high until the last cat returned to camp. Brambleclaw looked at her warily before ducking inside. Squirreltail bounded after her mate and gasped at the appalling sight.

"We need our medicine cat, now," Stormstar rasped.

"Erm..." Squirreltail ducked her head and stared at the ground. "Leafpelt disappeared a few heartbeats ago," she explained sheepishly. "I'm not sure where she went."

Probably to meet with her mate, or give birth, Stormstar thought sourly.

"Cedarpaw, can you look after the injuries?" she asked when the young apprentice emerged from the den. His eyes glowed when he nodded. Without another word he disappeared before reappearing heartbeats later with bundles of herbs clamped between his jaws.

She shook her head in frustration as she wondered what could be done next. The battle had been pointless in the end. Though Aspenpaw was badly injured, she would recover. Mudstar had not known what Shadowpelt did to Aspenpaw. If he had than none of this would have ever happened.

Once Cedarpaw began checking the wounded Stormstar approached Sorreltail warily. The tortoiseshell and white she-cat had been with Aspenpaw while the patrols were sent out. Her amber eyes were dark with worry as she looked up at Stormstar.

"Has she woken up yet?" Stormstar asked.

"No," the queen sighed. "I'm worried about her... Leafpelt says that she is going to recover, but she might wish that she hadn't."

"We need someone who has experienced this kind of injury," Stormstar murmured. Brightheart was the best choice, but she might be offended.

Sorreltail seemed to read her thoughts and nodded in agreement. There was no cat better suited for this job than Brightheart. The white and ginger she-cat would be gentle with Aspenpaw. She would know how to handle the apprentice when she found out about her scars.

Once that was settled Stormstar waited as patiently as she could for Cedarpaw to finish. There were only a few injured cats but he was only just beginning to learn the uses of herbs. Without his mentor he seemed helpless amongst the crowd of warriors.

Leafpaw bounded towards her mentor, nearly tackling Stormstar to the ground in her excitement.

"What was the battle like?" Leafpaw demanded. "Why couldn't we go?"

Stormstar rolled her eyes and pushed her apprentice off.

"The battle ended quickly, and you're too young to experience this kind of fighting," she replied.

"But I've been practicing! Honeypaw says I'm getting better every day!" Leafpaw gave an excited bounce before Stormstar clamped a paw against her tail.

"That doesn't mean you go rushing into battle," Stormstar snapped. Leafpaw gazed at her indignantly before fluffing up her fur with frustration. "I'm sorry, things are just getting complicated right now," she sighed.

"It's okay, Honeypaw and Flamepaw are upset too," Leafpaw suddenly mewed. "I'd be upset too if my sisters got injured in battle."

For a moment Stormstar was confused. Leafpaw only had one sister, until she remembered that Frozenpaw, Echopaw and Riverpaw had been raised alongside her. She couldn't help but purr in amusement when Leafpaw bounded away.

"Brackenfur told me that your wounds were the worst." Stormstar stiffened when Cedarpaw approached her. His green eyes were dark with worry as he chewed the herbs he had grabbed into a poultice. "You lost a life, didn't you?" His question caught her off guard, and Stormstar looked down at her paws in embarrassment.

"Yeah, I did," she admitted.

Cedarpaw remained eerily silent as he applied the herbs to her neck wound. Stormstar tried not to flinch when the poultice stung. She knew from experience that before the wounds healed there would be a great deal of pain. Kits were taught to appreciate the work that medicine cats put into their Clans.

"Those should hold up for now," Cedarpaw meowed when he finished wrapping cobwebs around her wound. "Leafpelt... I wish I knew where she was," he added in a low growl.

It isn't fair that he has to do this by himself, Stormstar added silently.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw a cat push their way into the gorse tunnel. Stormstar's fur immediately began to bristle until she recognized Larchwing, her former apprentice.

"Leafpelt... she's dead!" Larchwing's wail sent chills down Stormstar's spine.

"Tell me what happened," Stormstar growled after recovering from the shock. She bounded forward and looked down at the smaller cat, who was now trembling.

"Well... she... gave birth and died," Larchwing stammered.

StarClan, why are you doing this to us? Stormstar wondered as Sandstorm looked shocked beyond belief. Squirreltail looked like she was ready to claw Larchwing's fur off. Her eyes were narrowed into tiny slits when she glared coldly at the tortoiseshell.

"Show us where she is," Stormstar commanded.

Larchwing looked at her hesitantly before turning around. She pelted through the gorse tunnel with Stormstar close behind. Despite the wounds on her neck Stormstar was desperate to see what had happened.

Stormstar ignored the branches and ferns that smacked across her muzzle. All that mattered was finding Leafpelt before other creatures found it. She knew that the fox was still in the area and might try to steal the kits. Her claws dug into the ground as she imagined the terrified squeals of those kits.

The tortoiseshell she-cat came to a halt near Snakerocks. Stormstar's fur bristled slightly when Larchwing pulled away a pile of leaves concealing what looked like a hollowed out tree. It reminded her of when she had found Frozenpaw and Echopaw, half dead inside the tree itself.

Horror coursed through Stormstar when she saw what she hadn't before. Leafpelt's body was splayed out across the hollow. The stench of blood lay heavily in the air, making her nose wrinkle in disgust. The medicine cat had managed to build a nest for her kits, but not for herself. She seemed to know what fate lay before her.

At the base of her belly were two tiny kits. Stormstar gaped in disbelief when she saw how tiny they were. Their paws were the shape of freshly grown berries. They were smaller than her own kits had been when they were born. Larchwing pressed forward and stared at the kits as well.

"Are we going to take them in?" she asked when Stormstar stepped forward.

"Of course we are," Stormstar replied in a solemn voice. "They are... ThunderClan kits."

She grabbed one of the tiny kits while Larchwing picked up the other. She was surprised that Sandstorm and Squirreltail had not followed them. With a guilty shake of her head she led Larchwing back to camp, ignoring the squealing the kits gave.

"Who's kits are those?" Brambleclaw demanded when the crowd of warriors had dispersed after their return.

"They are ThunderClan kits," Stormstar replied through the bundle of fur. "Let's take them to Whiteleaf."

She didn't bother explaining to Brambleclaw what had happened to Leafpelt. He would find out soon enough when Squirreltail told him.

The two of them entered the nursery without further questioning. Inside the nursery was warm and stuffy. Whiteleaf was curled up with her kits fast asleep. Ferncloud was busy washing her tail until she noticed that Stormstar was in the den.

Whiteleaf's eyes snapped open when the squeal of one of Leafpelt's kits sounded. Almost at once her three kits were woken up. Stormstar sighed and placed the tiny dark gray kit near Whiteleaf's belly. Her Clanmate did the same, placing a light brown gray tabby kit beside the dark gray one.

"Whiteleaf, I understand that you have taken care of so many kits already," Stormstar began. "But these are... Leafpelt's kits. They need a mother who can take care of them."

Ferncloud stared at Stormstar in disbelief while Whiteleaf sniffed disdainfully.

"Where is Leafpelt? She should have her name stripped and be banished from the Clan!" Ferncloud hissed.

"Leafpelt was already punished for her crime." Stormstar swallowed and stared down at the ground in shame and sorrow. "She died giving birth."

Ferncloud's eyes widened. Whiteleaf bowed her head and looked at the two kits who were now mewling for milk.

"I will take them," Whiteleaf murmured. "Have you named them yet?"

"This kit will be called Skykit," Stormstar explained when her tail pointed towards the dark gray she-kit. "And this one will be called Stonekit." She pointed her tail once more to the light brown gray tabby tom.

Whiteleaf nodded and accepted the kits without further question. Skykit and Stonekit were accepted before Ferncloud could argue. The two kits would feel accepted by their new mother. Stormstar knew that they would not be pulled aside for what had happened.