Mapleshade trudged out of the shelter of the trees, her kits following her. Petalkit and Larchkit soon leapt out in front of her, but Patchkit stayed by his mother's side. The rain started pelting hard against their fur. Mapleshade almost gasped at the sight of the flooding river beyond them.
"We're back at the river?" Larchkit squeaked.
Petalkit sniffled, "I don't want to go swimming anymore!"
The patch-furred kit looked up at his mother, saying nothing. But Mapleshade already looked frustrated, yet focused.
"We don't have a choice, little ones. We can't go back." She mewed, taking small pawsteps towards the shore, making Larchkit and Petalkit back away. Dark clouds seemed to circle around them, and thunder roared in their ears.
"W-Why?" Petalkit whimpered, "Why can't we go back?"
Patchkit blinked, "Because we're not Birchface's kits."
Mapleshade and his siblings stared at him, their eyes wide. Patchkit felt his fur becoming hot and prickly, he couldn't help but overhear what the other cats were saying. They did say that they weren't Birchface's kits and Mapleshade had broken the warrior code. He even remembered hearing what Ravenwing was telling his mother with the three reeds, but he pretended he didn't hear it.
"Mama," Larchkit turned his attention to his mother, "Where are we going now?"
Petalkit's amber eyes widened, "We're not becoming rogues, are we?"
Mapleshade shook her head and licked her kit between her ears, "Of course not. I promised you all would become warriors, didn't I?"
As she mentioned 'warriors', Patchkit looked down. He never wanted to be a warrior. He wanted to stay by his mother's side, always, even when he was an apprentice.
Mapleshade turned her head around to face the river again. Patchkit could see the concern in her eyes, as if she was thinking deeply. The rain continued to pour on them, hiding the night sky and chilling them to the bone. Petalkit leaned against Larchkit for warmth, but Patchkit remained where he was. It was hard to smell, but he could've sworn he could smell Riverclan's scent.
"Children, we're going to Riverclan." Mapleshade spoke up.
The three kits' eyes became wide as moons. Riverclan? But why? Patchkit thought. He thought back to the moment where Thunderclan banished them. He did hear Ravenwing and Oakstar say "Appledusk". That was the Riverclan warrior who saved him when they went swimming earlier. What did they say about him though?
"Is that the clan who Appledusk belongs in?" Patchkit said, his green eyes looking into his mother's.
"... Yes," Mapleshade replied, "You see, little ones... Appledusk is your real father."
Patchkit wasn't as surprised as Larchkit and Petalkit were, but he was still alarmed. They were half-clan?
Mapleshade's eyes then were filled with reassurance, along with her tone, "But there's no need to worry. I will talk with Darkstar to let us in."
That's right! Darkstar is the leader of Riverclan, Patchkit thought. But he wasn't sure about Darkstar accepting four Thunderclan cats into their camp. Would they even like the prey there? He heard about the other cats insulting Riverclan, calling them "fish-faces".
"I-I don't want to go!" Petalkit cried out, "I want to be in the warm nursery with you!"
Patchkit and Larchkit shuddered as their mother's wet fur bristled as she spoke, "Thunderclan is not our home anymore! Those fox-hearts exiled us! They'll kill you if they find you!"
Petalkit quickly looked down, her ears lowered. Mapleshade forced her fur to lie flat before nudging Petalkit into the reeds, "I need you three to stay here. Don't let those mouse-brained Thunderclan cats see you."
With her nose, Mapleshade pushed Larchkit and Patchkit with their sister, but Patchkit clung his paws to her face, "But I want to stay by your side forever!" He squeaked.
Patchkit saw a flash of affection in his mother's amber gaze, before she pushed him to Larchkit's side again, "And you will. I'll be back with a few other Riverclan warriors. We'll be able to take you to Riverclan safely. I would never put you three in danger."
After licking their faces, she turned her body around, but Patchkit called out once more, "Mama! Wait!"
She looked at him, "Yes, dear?"
Patchkit felt Larchkit and Petalkit press their fur against him, and he mewed, "Promise you'll be safe..."
Mapleshade gave her kits a warm look, "I promise."
Then, she bounded towards the still-raging waters. Petalkit wrapped her paws around Patchkit's body,while Larchkit leaned his head as to follow his mother. Through the reeds, their wide eyes saw the thick-furred she-cat slowly and carefully step into the water. She stopped in hesitance, but she continued forward. Patchkit noticed a few stones peeking out of the river, and that's what his mother was aiming for. She got to the first stone with ease, even if the water was slamming against her.
Suddenly, from across the river, the kits saw three other cats appear; one of them was Appledusk, and a pale gray tom and a gray and black tabby she-cat they didn't recognize. Mapleshade meowed loudly to them, telling them she needed to speak with Darkstar. Appledusk appeared stunned, his holly-green eyes bulging a little. His companions looked at him in confusion.
But when Mapleshade yowled to them again, she had lost her footing, and she screeched as the water slammed her off the rock and into the rushing ravine.
"MAMA!" Patchkit, Petalkit, and Larchkit squeaked in unison.
Appledusk and the pale gray tom leapt into the water while the tabby she-cat stayed where she was. Patchkit quickly sprinted towards the river, but stopped when the cold water splashed on him, causing him to back away.
"Stay away from the river!" The gray and black tabby yelled to him. Patchkit did as he was told, his siblings joining his side. Sadly, they knew they couldn't jump in, they were too young. But their ears were filled with thunder crashing, rain falling, and their mother's desperate wails. The gray and black tabby she-cat, known as Eeltail, had told them to wait there so she can gather more warriors and she disappeared into the reeds.
After what felt like forever, Patchkit caught sight of Splashfoot padding up to them, a saddened look in the tom's eyes. Wordlessly, they followed the pale gray tom down the ravine. They were starting to get tired of walking until they saw their mother laid on the shoreline with Appledusk dragging her, stopping when he saw the three kits.
The three had stopped when they saw their mother wasn't moving. Appledusk was pushing his muzzle against Mapleshade's cheek, "Mapleshade, hang in there! Your kits are safe! Please stay with us!"
Patchkit could feel deep affection in the pale brown - as pale brown as his sister Petalkit - tom's green eyes as he gazed at his Thunderclan mate. Mapleshade only half-opened her eyes, seeing her kits.
"... A-Appledusk..." The tortoiseshell and white she-cat spoke weakly, coughing up a bit of water, before her dulling amber eyes looked up to her mate.
Appledusk gently licked her cheek, "Y-You're okay Mapleshade, we can talk to Darkstar."
"Mama!" Petalkit cried out. Patchkit and Larchkit slowly crept to their nearly-drowned mother, with Petalkit following. They all tried to nuzzle their heads into her fur, not even caring if it was soaking wet.
"... My kits... Appledusk..." Mapleshade croaked, Appledusk's ears pointing up, "Y-Yes, Mapleshade?"
"Please... take them to... Riverclan for me..." she said before coughing a bit of water, but not enough.
Appledusk's eyes widened, "N-No, please Mapleshade, we can all go to Riverclan, our kits need us!"
Mapleshade slowly lifted her head slightly to look at him directly, "... No... I can hear... Starclan calling... my love... Appledusk...", then she placed her head down again, "Take care... of my kits..."
The rain started to lessen, parts of the clouds separating to show the night sky. Could it be Starclan? Patchkit thought, are they here to take our mother away?
"Mama, no!" Larchkit wailed, snuggling close to her.
"We need you!" Petalkit cried, clinging to her dying mother's fur.
"Don't go yet," Patchkit squeaked sorrowfully.
Mapleshade gave off a weak smile, "My precious kits... I love... you all..." she heaved before her body went limp, her amber eyes now dull.
A moment of silence filled the air, save for the rain, as the pale brown tom and his kits looked on in horror and sadness. Darkstar, Eeltail and a few other warriors arrived too late as they saw the cats mourning for the Thunderclan queen. Appledusk looked up to see his leader and his clan-mates swimming towards them.
Darkstar approached them, speaking calmly "Appledusk, what has happened?"
Appledusk was unable to answer as he continued to press his face into his dead mate's cheek. His kits borrowed their faces into her fur, trying to keep her warm. But they knew she wasn't coming back.
Oh Starclan, why did you take our mother from us? Patchkit wailed in his head, What did Mapleshade do to deserve this? We needed her!
The tall black leader looked at the dead she-cat, "Come, you all can explain back at camp. Hollowfang and Rainfall, I want you to carry Mapleshade. Amberclaw, Milkfur, and Appledusk, take the kits with you."
The cats nodded, the orange tom and the thin black tom lifted Mapleshade's body while a white she-cat and a larger orange tabby tom, along with their father, picked them up by the scruff. Patchkit winced as the water touched his body, but refused to make things worse for everybody, even with his siblings.
The patrol of cats made their way through the reeds, where the scent of Riverclan burned Patchkit's nostrils. There was muddy ground everywhere they stepped. Soon a short, thick-furred gray tom appeared, opening his mouth to speak until he saw the three kits and a dead she-cat. Appledusk, who was carrying Patchkit, gestured the young cat to follow, which he did. Patchkit knew he was an apprentice; sure he was short and looked young, but he looked more taller than him and his siblings.
"Appledusk! Appledusk!" A she-cat meowed through the reeds and yet another Riverclan warrior stepped out, this time being a dark orange she-cat with dark blue eyes, "What's going on, Eeltail didn't tell me..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the patrol.
Darkstar stepped forward, "We'll explain when we get back to camp."
The she-cat nodded and followed the rest of the patrol to the Riverclan camp. The three kits started to become tired after all that has happened, and they didn't want anything more other than sleeping in a warm nest. They all eventually arrived to Riverclan's camp, many cats already staring at them in confusion and concern. Patchkit looked around, it was a small clearing with the ground all wet and marshy and the clearing was surrounded by tall reeds. A large stone stood in the center of the clearing, along with a make-shift medicine den, nursery, and other dens near the stone.
Appledusk placed Patchkit down, along with Milkfur for Petalkit and Amberclaw for Larchkit. Patchkit's paws felt heavy as stones, but he slowly walked up in front of the rock, moving his tail to his siblings to follow, and they sat beside him. He saw the sadness in Petalkit's eyes and deep emotion in Larchkit's.
Darkstar took her position on the large stone looking down upon the Riverclan warriors and the three half-clan kits. Patchkit saw nothing but calm emotion in Darkstar's deep green eyes as she stared at them, "Explain yourselves."
Patchkit quickly turned his head to see his mother's body laying near the other warrior's paws, Appledusk still staring at her with sorrow and the dark orange she-cat, was that jealousy in her eyes?
"Speak," Darkstar spoke again, this time more direct.
The kits were startled by the leader's tone of voice, but Patchkit stood up, "We were exiled from Thunderclan after our leader Oakstar learned the truth about us."
The black she-cat seemed to listen patiently while Patchkit told them their story as best he could. Sadly, Larchkit and Petalkit said nothing. The rain now dissipated, the night sky above them with the stars shining brightly. When the young tortoiseshell kit finished, the clan cats began murmuring to themselves.
Darkstar then looked at Appledusk, her eyes narrowing, "Now Appledusk, I want your explanation."
Appledusk glanced at his former mate again, then stood up and taking a few paw-steps, now standing beside his kits, "Darkstar, I beg your forgiveness. Many moons ago, I met up with Mapleshade in secret-"
"Traitor!"
"Are you out of our mind?!"
"How dare you!"
Cats started to yowl loudly in disgust from Appledusk's explanation. Darkstar waited until the din of cats faded so she could speak again. She wrapped her tail around her paws and relaxed her shoulders, "Continue, Appledusk. And there will be no more interruptions."
Appledusk looked up at her, gratitude flashing in his eyes before going back to guilt, "At the last Gathering I saw her, she told me that she would raise my kits in Thunderclan, but I felt like it was all a mistake, so I didn't tell any of you."
A mistake? What does he mean by that? Patchkit thought as he glanced at his father in horror. Larchkit and Petalkit also stared at the tall pale brown tom.
This time, the cats looked at each-other, mumbling in distaste and anger. Patchkit looked over his shoulder enough to see the orange she-cat glowering at them, not just Appledusk. Why is she glaring at us? Does our father mean something to her? Patchkit wondered. Darkstar sat still, her eyes still narrowed.
"But why?" The orange she-cat asked, "Why Mapleshade? Out of all the cats in any other clan, it had to be her?!" Something about her tone almost made a negative feeling well up in Patchkit's heart, but he ignored it.
"Reedshine," Darkstar ordered, her tail twitching, "Let him finish." The she-cat, known as Reedshine, sat back down.
Appledusk refused to look up to face his leader, "I know I've broken the code as much as Mapleshade did by having my kits. I never should've met up with her at all. I will now regret it for the rest of my life, for how she has died is all my fault. I made her admit the truth to her clan-mates, become exiled, and forced herself to bring her kits here. But I am willing to take care of her kits."
Patchkit's head was filled with mixed emotions about this cat who was apparently his real father. First, he admits to loving his mother more than Reedshine, who appears to have a liking towards the tom. Even to him, that sounded like a mouse-brained thing to do. But he did admit that he felt like dragging Mapleshade into her untimely demise was his fault...
"Appledusk..." Darkstar began, making sure he was done explaining, "I'm afraid you cannot keep your kits."
Patchkit's heart sank, along with Larchkit's and Petalkit's, feeling as if the world turned to ice, freezing them in place. They were being sent away again? Patchkit looked at his father, whom his eyes were filled with horror. Appledusk looked at him, their eyes having the same shade of green. Petalkit let out a sad cry, Larchkit glaring at the tall black she-cat standing on the stone.
The pale brown tom looked back up at Darkstar, "W-Why?! They need their father! They've just lost their mother!"
Darkstar kept her gaze, "I'm afraid letting your kits be raised here will teach you nothing. Surely, either Shadowclan or Windclan is willing to take in these kits. But as your punishment, along with Mapleshade's, your kits will not stay here. Cloverfur, Swiftfish, take these-"
"Stop!"
A loud meow cut off the leader's words. Patchkit's eyes saw a beautiful silver tabby she-cat walk out of the medicine den, her blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She went in front of the kits and stared at them. As their eyes met, Patchkit felt a sense of serenity from the medicine cat's gaze. The smell of herbs almost seemed welcoming and her fur reminded him of Mapleshade
"Silvershell, now's not your time to speak," Darkstar meowed, her tail lashing.
Silvershell swiftly turned her head to Darkstar, "Please listen to me Darkstar, I think I know why these kits are here! Remember when this kit here," she gestured with her tail to Patchkit, "told us about how Ravenwing found three reeds in his den and saw this as these cats not belonging in Thunderclan? Well, we all know that reeds do indeed belong here in Riverclan! So that could mean the reeds have brought three cats here!"
Patchkit's ears caught the whispers of the Riverclan warriors, sounding suspicious about Silvershell's omen. Why did these omens matter? Patchkit questioned himself, the reeds could mean nothing! Darkstar stayed silent for a few moments.
"Please Darkstar! We have to let these kits stay!" Silvershell begged.
Appledusk looked up, "These kits need to be in a clan, Darkstar, please give them a chance." Patchkit and his siblings slowly pressed against each-other for comfort as they waited for Darkstar's answer.
The black she-cat lifted her chin, her eyes now more soft, "Fine. You have brought omens that have come true. We'll let the kits stay, if they prove their loyalty to Riverclan"
The silver tabby she-cat bowed her head, "Thank you Darkstar, you will not regret this."
Appledusk looked at his kits with relief, but Patchkit saw more than that in his eyes. He could feel that Appledusk deeply cared about each of them. The kits could hear the cats behind them finally agreeing to Silvershell's omen.
"Whoa! New cats!" The gray apprentice from earlier bounded up to them, his blue eyes gazing at them. Appledusk simply gave him a warm look, "And these are my kin, Perchpaw. Tell them your names, little ones."
"I'm Patchkit," Patchkit mewed, "My sister is Petalkit, and my older brother is Larchkit."
His sister looked up at him, "You're tall."
Larchkit huffed, "When I'm a Riverclan warrior, I'll be taller than him!" Patchkit glanced at his brother, he wasn't usually this grumpy. Maybe it's because they're tired.
"Patchkit, Larchkit, and Petalkit," Darkstar meowed as she hopped down from the stone and stood in front of them, with Appledusk moving Perchpaw away, "How many moons old are you?"
"Mama said we're two moons old," Petalkit mewed.
The leader nodded understandably, "Then you'll be staying with Feathercloud in the nursery. She too has kits who are two moons old, and she is a good mother."
"What about Mapleshade?" Patchkit asked quietly, "We know we have to bury her, but it's moonhigh and we're tired." Petalkit yawned when he finished.
"You'll be able to mourn her one last time before she can be laid here to rest." Darkstar replied.
"You mean, sharing tongues?" Larchkit questioned.
Darkstar nodded, "Yes."
The three kits turned around again to see their mother's body surrounded by cats. Patchkit first stood up and slowly padded over to Mapleshade, the ground beneath him covered his paws with mud, but he didn't care. When he got close and placed his paw on her flank, the warmth from her body was gone. His brother and sister joined in to mourn with him. Even though her body was cold now, they still pressed close to her, hoping her way to Starclan would be safe and peaceful.
"You're not stepping near them!" Patchkit heard Reedshine yowl, but he kept his head down and listened.
"Their mother is gone, they're miserable, and I'm the only parental figure they have left! They need me." Appledusk meowed back.
Reedshine only let out a hiss, "They're half-clan, and they don't need a horrible tom like you!"
Appledusk hissed back, "I promised Mapleshade I'd take care of them and love them."
"You what?" Reedshine spat.
"Reedshine, please stop," Silvershell had stepped in, stopping the warriors from fighting any more. Patchkit turned his eyes to see Appledusk and Reedshine, their fur bristled up and they let out angry hisses. The other warriors pulled Reedshine away, but she didn't fight back. The pale brown tom let his pelt lay flat and looked at his son. Patchkit didn't say anything as Appledusk joined them. He pressed his muzzle on his former mate's cold cheek.
"... I'm so sorry, Mapleshade..." Appledusk mewed quietly, "I couldn't save you... but I know these kits will make you proud..."
Larchkit yawned louder once again as the cats dug into the cold, muddy ground to make a large, shallow hole. Appledusk kept his long tail around the three of them, Petalkit now dozing off and nuzzling against her father. The rain had soaked them to the bone, but they haven't gotten any kind of fever from it, but they were starting to get tired and hungry.
The cats - that they learned to be Rainfall, Amberclaw, Cloverfur, and Milkfur - slowly placed Mapleshade's body into the hole. But before they could cover it up, the three kits quietly padded to the edge of the hole, staring at their dead mother, their eyes filled with grief. Their mother's eyes were now shut, and Patchkit could almost see tiny maggots already crawling around her thick fur, creating a sour scent emitting from her.
"We love you mother," Patchkit mewed.
Petalkit spoke up, "Be safe on your way to Starclan..."
"And thank you for all your love and care for us, even if things went wrong..." Larchkit meowed quietly.
And like that, the Riverclan cats covered the she-cat with wet mud, padding it down so it would cover her completely. The kits watched in silence, with Petalkit underneath Appledusk, and Patchkit and Larchkit sitting beside each-other. Patchkit almost winced at the sight of Larchkit's narrowed dark amber eyes.
"Patchkit," He whispered. Patchkit leaned close to his brother.
Larchkit looked at him, "We're going to prove our loyalty to Riverclan, right?"
Patchkit's green eyes looked down. He still wasn't sure about how to make out all that is happening. Thunderclan, exile, river, their mother, Riverclan; it was a lot to take in, for a kit. But something about their mother dying caused a small sense of understanding and maturing in the three kits, and Patchkit thought he was the only one who was listening. He could remember certain things that were relevant to the situation.
He looked up and stared into his brother's eyes, "Of course we are."
Petalkit squeaked out, "... Can we sleep now?"
Appledusk looked down at his daughter, then to his two sons, "Of course. Let me take you to Feathercloud."
As the party of cats dispersed, the three kits followed Appledusk towards the nursery. Petalkit whined at the mushy mud beneath her paws, but Larchkit ushered to to stay quiet. As they entered the nursery, two she-cats were already laying in their nests made of reeds and feathers. A small white she-cat with orange patches was resting with three kits under her belly. But the other she-cat - a pale gray one - had awoken, along with two other kits their age stared at them, both of their eyes the same color of blue.
"Are these the kits from Thunderclan that I was hearing in my sleep?" The queen asked.
Appledusk nodded, "Yes, these are my kits. Patchkit, Larchkit, and Petalkit." Petalkit was already stumbling over to the she-cat's belly, curling up into a ball.
The dull brown kit moved away, scrunching his nose, "She smells funny!"
"Now now, Marshkit, that's no way to greet newcomers. That goes for you too, Sandkit." The she-cat spoke, with Marshkit grunting a bit.
Patchkit and Larchkit waddled over to the queen, known as Feathercloud, and snuggled in close. She wasn't as thick-furred as his mother, but still warm and cozy. The five kits went back to sleep, with the pale gray queen wrapping her tail around them.
Appledusk let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you Feathercloud. They needed it."
Feathercloud let out a purr, "You're welcome Appledusk. These kits will be happy here, I know it."
Loners
Mapleshade (thick-furred orange black and white she-cat with amber eyes)
Patchkit (orange black and white patch-furred tom with green eyes)
Petalkit (small pale brown she-cat with amber eyes)
Larchkit (dark brown tom with dark amber eyes)
Riverclan
Leader: Darkstar (black she-cat)
Deputy: Spiketail (dark gray tom)
Med-Cat: Silvershell (silver tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes)
Warriors -
Appledusk (pale brown tom with green eyes)
Reedshine (dark orange she-cat with dark blue eyes)
Rainfall (skinny black tom)
Milkfur (white she-cat)
Splashfoot (pale gray tom)
Eeltail (gray and black tabby she-cat)
Amberclaw (large orange tabby tom)
Heronfoot (dark bluish-gray tom with amber eyes)
Dapplewing (tortoiseshell she-cat)
Cloverfur (black tom with green eyes)
Hollowfang (orange tom with usually sharp teeth)
Swiftfish (gray and white tom with yellow eyes)
Dawnpelt (golden tom with green eyes)
Queens -
Brightpool (white she-cat with orange patches and amber eyes) Kits - Thornkit, Wolfkit, and Cloudkit (few days old)
Feathercloud (pale gray she-cat) Marshkit and Sandkit (two moons old)
Apprentices -
Perchpaw (thick-furred gray tom) Mentor - Appledusk
Elders -
Dewleaf (brown tom)
Eelstripe (gray tabby tom)
Death: Mapleshade (thick-furred orange black and white she-cat with amber eyes)