Turtlepelt finally stopped as she entered the Training Hollow; her body trembled violently as she caught her breath and tried to calm her mind. "Oh, Brackentail! I wish you were here!" she mewed sorrowfully as she lifted her eyes to the sky.

Shaking her head, the she-cat took another trembling breath and headed towards the ThunderClan camp. As soon as she emerged from the gorse tunnel, a red tom, the Clan's deputy Foxfur, came padding towards her.

"Where have you been?" he asked Turtlepelt, his yellow eyes anxiously searching her face.

"I was taking a walk…" she muttered as she lowered her head to lick her wounds.

Foxfur stared at her lovingly before letting his gaze move to her shoulders. "What happened! Eaglesoul should have a look at those wounds." He mewed, his yellow eyes round with worry as Turtlepelt began padding towards the Medicine Cat's den, "Featherstar wants to see you afterward!"

After a few minutes, Turtlepelt appeared before Featherstar's den. "Featherstar?" she called into the dimly lit cave.

"Enter Turtlepelt." Came a raspy voice from inside.

Pushing through the curtain of lichen, Turtlepelt's green eyes soon grew adjusted to the darkness. Curled up inside of her nest rested an older tabby she-cat; Featherstar's silver fur shifted as she rose to her paws. Yellow eyes stared at Turtlepelt in careful study.

"Are you ok? Your eyes betray fright." Mewed the wise Leader as she pushed a mouse towards the younger she-cat.

"I'm fine…" Turtlepelt murmured, declining that mouse, "Foxfur said you wished to see me?"

"Ah yes…Foxfur has come to me with a question that concerns you, Turtlepelt."

"Concerns me? Why would he be concerned with me?"

"Because my dear, he wishes for you to have his kits."

"M-Me? He wants me to have his kits!" Turtlepelt asked in a hoarse whisper, her eyes wide.

"Yes dear, you! Since many of the kits have died because of sickness, both he and I would be grateful." Replied Featherstar, a small glimmer of hope appearing in her eyes.

"I-I'm…I-I'm sorry, b-but I c-can't!" Turtlepelt mewed desperately, her body trembling.

Featherstar blinked in confusion at Turtlepelt's words. "Why can't you?" asked the older she-cat, her eyes darkening.

"B-B-Because! Another c-cat quieted h-his i-i-itch through me…" mewed Turtlepelt, her eyes wide and filled with terror.

"Who was this cat?" Featherstar asked, her eyes serious.

"Tigereye of ShadowClan…" Turtlepelt whispered, her body trembling as the ordeal flashed through her mind once more.

"A ShadowClan cat!" yowled Featherstar, her fur bristling angrily, "You have broken the Warrior Code!"

"I know, but please listen! I was in love with a cat outside of the Clan, a loner called Brackentail who used to be in ShadowClan. Tigereye was his brother and he despised our love, so tonight he murdered Brackentail and forced me to mate with him!" Turtlepelt explained, "I tried to escape, honest!"

"Calm yourself, Turtlepelt. I am mad, but not at you, though you must accept the fact that you are going to have Tigereye's kits." Mewed Featherstar, her eyes sad and angry.

The younger she-cat licked her ruffled chest fur to calm her nerves and sighed, "If I must have these kits, I want them to have a false father…"

"Very well. Foxfur will be your kits false father." Featherstar decided, dismissing the she-cat with a flick of her tail.