Chapter 24
Mapleleaf and the group of Starclan cats reached the clearing, where medicine cats were treating the wounded. As the crowd thinned, Mapleleaf began to look for Deerfoot and her kits. Frantically she crammed her neck. Finally, she spotted them.
"Deerfoot!" she called.
Deerfoot turned at the sound of her voice and let out a purr of delight. "Mama!" their kits squealed, barreling her over.
"Oof!" Mapleleaf grunted. She began trying to lick all her kits at once.
"Oh my kits!" Mapleleaf purred, "How I missed you!"
"We missed you too, Mama," Flowerkit said earnestly.
"You've gotten big!" Mapleleaf stepped back inspecting her kits. "Why, you look like four mooned kits!"
"Tigerstar said that these berries he gave us were a special treat, but all they did was make me feel tingly," Goldenkit sniffed.
"They didn't taste very good, either!" Maplekit wrinkled her nose.
"Yucky!" Marshkit added.
"You wanna see the fighting moves they taught us!?" Flowerkit squeaked. She leaped onto Maplekit's back and demonstrated a move Mapleleaf knew all too well.
"Stop!" Mapleleaf exclaimed.
The kits broke apart. "What's wrong?" Flowerkit asked.
"Those are so violent!" Mapleleaf replied, "Please, only ever use them if someone tries to kill you."
"We will!" the kits chorused. Then they began tumbling in the grass. Deerfoot nuzzled Mapleleaf.
"Thank Starclan we have them back," he purred.
"Yes," Mapleleaf purred.
"I wonder how my apprentice fared with Amberpool," Deerfoot purred.
"Amberpool probably put Minnowpaw in her place," Mapleleaf purred, "You are too soft on her."
"Hey!" Deerfoot protested in mock indignation, giving Mapleleaf a playful swipe with a sheathed paw.
"I'm just kidding!" Mapleleaf purred.
"Cats of all clans!" Firestar yowled, "We have rescued all kits but one."
"What?!" the cats yelled shocked.
"Quietkit of Thunderclan was killed by Tigerstar," Firestar said sorrowfully. "And so was her mother."
"But we rescued all the other kits!" a brown tabby called.
"That we did," Blackstar said, dipping his head.
"And now it is time for you to go home," Leopardstar said.
"Can Hollytuft and Quietkit come too?" Hatchkit asked hopefully, "And Patchface?"
"No," Firestar said gently, "They have died and can't come back with you."
"Then I don't wanna go back!" Hatchkit wailed.
"You must," Hollytuft said gently, "Be strong, for me."
"You have the chance to live in Thunderclan, take it!" Quietkit urged.
"We love you," Patchface added.
"I-I'll go," Hatchkit sobbed, "B-but I'm scared! What'll I do without you all?"
"You'll have Mapleleaf and Deerfoot as your mama and papa. Their kits will be your siblings. You can have a new family," Hollytuft murmured.
"I want you, though!" Hatchkit sobbed.
Hollytuft gently nudged Hatchkit towards Mapleleaf. "You must go now," Patchface said to his son.
"Take care of my son," Hollytuft said to Mapleleaf, her eyes glistening with grief.
"Of course," Mapleleaf said, dipping her head.
"I'll never forget you," Hatchkit whispered, "I love you all."
Hatchkit padded over to Mapleleaf, Deerfoot, and their kits. "I'm ready," Hatchkit murmured.
"All of you, lay down where you are and you will fall asleep and go back to your clans," Onestar said, "Farewell!"
Mapleleaf lay down on the ground beside Deerfoot and tucked her kits to her, Hatchkit especially. "You don't have to call me Mama," she whispered to him, "I know how hard it will be."
Hatchkit looked up at her gratefully and murmured drowsily, "You smell a bit like Hollytuft."
"That's because of my milk, dear," Mapleleaf purred, "Go to sleep, my dears, we'll be home before you know it."
After a few moments they were all asleep. Mapleleaf snuggled closer to Deerfoot and faded off to sleep. When she awoke, she smelled the familiar scents of the medicine cat den. "Home!" she thought happily.
Mapleleaf opened her eyes. Leafpool looked up from the herbs she was sorting, startled, her amber eyes wide and the fur on her shoulders bristling. Then she relaxed as she recognized her clanmates. "Hey! You're back!" she raced out of the den. "Everyone! They're back!"
"We did it!" Deerfoot purred.
"We're home!" Maplekit cheered.
"Are we still warriors?" Goldenkit asked.
"What?" Mapleleaf asked, startled.
"We were warriors!" Flowerkit squeaked, "We were Flowerstep, Goldenpelt, Mapleclaw, Marshtail, and Hatchfur!"
"No," Deerfoot replied firmly.
"Aww!" all the kits but Hatchkit protested.
"And there was Mouse-ear, Qualflight, Otternose, Nightberry, Fireclaw, Swiftlight, and Tansyheart! Marshkit added.
"Don't forget Rabbitfoot, Wooltuft, and Dawnbright!" Goldenkit reminded.
"And Quietsong," Hatchkit put in quietly.
There was an awkward silence. Mapleleaf said falsely cheerfully, "Let's go back to the nursery!"
"Yay!" the kits squealed. They raced out. Hatchkit padded after them more slowly.
"How they find the energy, I'll never know," Mapleleaf muttered, following them. Deerfoot purred in amusement and followed.
Mapleleaf's family ran to meet her as soon as she set paw out of the medicine cat den.
"You're back!" Cloverstem purred, racing to her sister.
"We're so glad your safe!" Blossomfall purred, wrapping her tail around Mapleleaf and giving her fierce licks.
"Where's Hollytuft?" Thornclaw asked.
"She and Quietkit were killed by Tigerstar," Mapleleaf whispered.
Thornclaw let out a growl deep in his throat. He, Mapleleaf realized, was the only one of their family, besides his sister Brightheart, who could remember Tigerstar. "I thought Firestar killed him!" he spat.
"His soul just went back to the Darkforest," Mapleleaf explained.
"How dreadful!" Blossomfall gasped.
"Poor, poor, Hatchkit," Cloudshade murmured.
"Are you caring for him now?" Cloverstem asked.
Mapleleaf nodded. Inside the nursery, she could hear a she-cat's yowl of surprise inside the nursery. "Who could be in there!?" Mapleleaf asked in surprise.
"Rosepetal," Blossomfall replied in amusement, "She's having Bumblestripe's kits. There's been a guard with her at all times in case the Darkforest cats tried taking her as well."
"I'd better go and control my kits," Mapleleaf muttered. Then she padded into the nursery. Rosepetal was on her paws, her eyes wide with surprise, looking as though she had just been woken from a nap.
"Kits!" Mapleleaf scolded, "Did you wake Rosepetal?!"
"Yes," Rosepetal muttered before the kits could answer.
"We didn't know she was here," Flowerkit replied.
"Yeah, we're really sorry," Goldenkit said.
"Don't tell me you're sorry; tell Rosepetal," Mapleleaf replied, pointing her tail at Rosepetal.
"Is Bumblestripe safe?" Rosepetal asked anxiously.
"Yes," Mapleleaf purred.
"Then never mind a nap!" Rosepetal said hurriedly, running out of the den.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under Highledge for a clan meeting!" Mapleleaf could hear Bramblestar call.
"I guess there goes my nap as well," Mapleleaf muttered. She herded her kits out of the den to sit by Deerfoot, who gave her a lick, his eyes warm.
"We give thanks to Starclan for Mapleleaf, Deerfoot, their kits, Hatchkit Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Dovewing, Whitewing, and Bumblestripe's safe return!" Bramblestar called.
Purrs and cheers broke out in the crowd. "But we also mourn the deaths of Hollytuft and Quietkit," Bramblestar continued. Mapleleaf could see Hatchkit begin to quaver and he flattened his ears. Mapleleaf tucked her tail over his shoulders.
"Though we don't have bodies too bury, we shall still hold a vigil tonight!" Bramblestar called, "So, however wishes to sit vigil should get some rest! Meeting dismissed!"
"Mama?" Maplekit yawned, "I don't want to sit vigil, I'm tired."
"Yeah," Marshkit murmured.
"Let's all go and take naps," Mapleleaf purred.
Mapleleaf and her kits went to the nursery. Mapleleaf laid down in her nest and her kits laid down beside her. Mapleleaf tucked her kits close. "I'll sit vigil with you if you want, Hatchkit," Mapleleaf whispered.
Hatchkit looked up gratefully at her. "Thanks," he whispered.
Mapleleaf closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. A while later, she woke to her kits stirring. "Seriously?" Mapleleaf grumbled.
"You sound more grumpy than Jayfeather!" Flowerkit teased, climbing onto Mapleleaf's back. "Or the elders!"
"Show some respect!" Mapleleaf scolded, giving her daughter a swat with her tail.
Flowerkit let out a mrrow and slide off of Mapleleaf. "Oof!" Goldenkit grunted as Flowerkit landed on him.
"Are you hungry?" Mapleleaf asked them.
"Yeah, but we don't want milk! We want prey!" Marshkit replied.
"That's right, the Darkforest aged you," Mapleleaf murmured. Then she stood up, shook the moss from her fur and said, "Well! Let's get prey then."
Mapleleaf led the way out of the nursery. The sun was beginning to set. "Mice might be the best for them," Mapleleaf thought, remembering the first time she ate prey. "Cloverstem hated it at first!" Mapleleaf purred, thinking of her kithood. Kit mews broke into her thoughts.
"I want a sparrow! I want a squirrel!" her kits argued amongst themselves.
"Now, now," Mapleleaf chided gently. "You're going to try a mouse."
"Awww!" her kits complained.
"Hush," Mapleleaf purred. She nosed her way around the fresh-kill pile until she pulled out three mice. "Eat up!"
None of the kits moved. Finally, Goldenkit stepped forward and took a tentative bite of one of the mice. "It's good!" he said, his voice muffled.
The other kits took bites of the mice and soon they finished them. "Yummy!" Maplekit squeaked, licking her lips.
Mapleleaf purred in amusement. "Tonight, I'm going to sit vigil with Hatchkit," Mapleleaf told her kits. "You will be sleeping alone tonight."
"Aww!" her kits complained.
"The vigil will be starting soon," Deerfoot said, padding up to Mapleleaf and his kits.
"Time for you to go back to the nursery," Mapleleaf purred, "Be good and let Rosepetal sleep."
With a squeal, her kits ran into the nursery. Mapleleaf saw Cinderheart, Lionblaze, and Sorrelstripe silently slipped out of the warriors' den and took up vigil positions in the center of the clearing, Silverpelt beginning to shine.
Mapleleaf, Deerfoot, and Hatchkit padded to join them. Deerfoot sat down and Mapleleaf sat beside him. Hatchkit pressed himself against Mapleleaf's soft fur. Mapleleaf gave him a gentle lick on the head and the vigil began.