"Faster!", Mapleshade snapped as she knocked Larchkit away with a single flick of her paw. Her claws were unsheltered. As the brown kit rolled, he managed to get his footing, roughly landing on all fours. Catching his breath for a brief heartbeat, he charged in for another try. Moving like a snake, Mapleshade's front paw skimmed over the ground, attempting to trip him up. However, Larchkit darted away to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. With an opening, he launched. She staggered back, when he took hold of her leg, using his thorn-like claws and teeth to dig into her thick fur.
His tail lashed with adrenaline and excitement. While Larchkit clung to her leg like an annoying tick, she leaned in, digging in her fangs into his defenceless tail. He squealed out with a mix of pain and shock. She licked away the small traces of blood that edges her lips. She shoved him off with her tail, sitting back, her throat aching as it panted. "Better.", she admitted. His face lit up with as she mewed her approval. "But you need to remember that cats have teeth, not just claws.", she advised, "Tuck your tail in next time.".
They began padding up the sandy slope, away from the running fresh stream. They headed towards their home, a small sandy hollow, with a dense clump of brambles up against an old oak, that served as a den. It's a nice quiet little spot, not too many loners or rouge ventured to. Being just close enough to the Four territories to act as a deterrent. While Mapleshade continued to address Larchkit, he listened with genuine intrigue, causing his bright eyes to sparkle, "If you try to grab an opponent like that, it's idler to land on their back, where they can't reach you. However it's little hard for you to jump onto a fully grown cat's back with your current size, but there's not much we can do about that.". Larchkit nodded before dashing forward.
Mapleshade flopped to the crusty ground with a huff while Larchkit sniffed at the scraps of bones and fur from their last meal. Scratching at it a few times, Larchkit turned away from the disappointment, "When are we going to eat?", he moaned. Mapleshade didn't bother to raise her head as she lay there, "Hopefully when Appledusk and your littermates come back from hunting.", she mewed, "And let's pray to Starclan, that your father doesn't bring back frogs again.".
She heard a shuffled of sand as Larchkit landed next to her. He made whispering noises as boredom gripped him despite just having a training session a heartbeat ago. As they lay there, Mapleshade's thoughts mellowed out as she just simply began to focus on the world around her. There was a soft tinkling noise as the nearby stream lapped against the smooth stones that lay against it's edge. Branches of the oaks rustled as they steered from the wind weaving in between them, like a creature waking from slumber. A purr began to form as she felt the yellow sunshine warming her pelt, threatening to make her drift into sleep. However, she was brought back from her welcomed daze, when an unwelcome grey smudge on sky drifted over the blazing red eye of the sun, washing the land over a light layer of shade. Mapleshade muttered to herself, burying her head in her paws.
Her ear twitched as Larchkit's stomach growled at her to be feed. She couldn't hunt now, could she? Hesitantly, she glanced over to Larchkit. Despite his body noticeably lacking much-needed amount of fat for a 4 moon old kit, he was a remarkable size. Already larger than most of the fish that Appledusk somehow managed to drag back from the gorge river.
With an annoyed sigh, Mapleshade nudged the brown kit to move as she clambered to her shaky half-asleep paws. Letting off a gaping yawn and arching her spine into a stretch, she began padding towards the shelter of the canopy and undergrowth. "Since you're that hungry, I'll see if there's a mouse prowling about.", she told him, "Can I trust you to be by yourself for a bit?". Larchkit eagerly nodded, "Oh, sure! You can trust me.", he mewed with the blinking innocence eyes act. Though, Mapleshade just snorted, "We'll see about that. I'll be back soon. I'll be in earshot, shout if anything happens.". Her tortoiseshell fur faded into the greens and browns of the woodland.
Creeping through the tall grass, she kept her paws as light as clouds, not to make the slightest sound. Under the safety of the short oak trees, Mapleshade was in her element. The sandy soil under her paws, packed tighter together, to create the faintest pawprints. Her mouth slipped open, taking in the lush and damp odours of the forest. She crouched down until her belly rested on the sandy ground, waiting. Then after several more heartbeats, what she looking for, the scent of a mouse came waffling onto her tongue. Finally. The fur of a brown creature, scuttled from under a tree root, sniffing through the piles of brown leaves, in search of precious nuts and seeds.
Slowly sliding forward, Mapleshade moved forward stiff and silent movement. She comes within only a rabbit-length of the mouse, still blissfully unaware of it's fate. Then she darted forward with the speed of a fox, snatching it up like it like a hawk before it could even react. It was all over when the mouse's spine meets the she-cat's fangs. Mapleshade couched there for a moment, the body of the mouse laying limp in her paws. "Thank you to Starclan for the life that has been given, to allow my family to be strong and healthy.", she preyed so quietly, it was no more than a whisper.
Raising her head from the floor, her eyes followed the route of the stream as it curved itself a path through the small wood, until the trees split to the side, allowing her to see the vast land beyond. Her whiskers twitched with nervousness as she watched the water flowing into the familiar flat plains of Riverclan, far in the distance. It had been two moons since they were exiled, but she still heard the fading call of the Clans. Would they ever have a place among the Clans? Or would they have to send the rest of their lives creeping in its shadow, always watching but never being a part of it. There was still Shadowclan and Windclan. However, Mapleshade could never take that first step.
Her ears become flat against her head, she was sick of living as a rogue. Her kits deserved better than this. She deserved better than this. Enough mucking around. No more shrugging it off. The cycle of the seasons was moving forward and it wasn't going to wait for them. If they waited for another 2 moons, then they would lose the critical advantage of having kits. Pity wouldn't come as easily for a group of cats, old enough to look after themselves.
Appledusk scrobbled through the musty and tight Birch wood. Though there was water hidden among the roots and grains of dirt, it was the worst kind of water. He used to deep fresh clear water that sparkled in the early pale dawn sunlight. But the water here was just dirty. Seeped into and mixed with the earth, to just create mud. The low branches of the Birches made him feel like a bird with a broken wing, not able to fly free.
Patchkit bounced in front of him, chasing an imaginary object or at least something he couldn't see. "Stay away from scent marks, Patchkit!", he warned. This was the same woodland they'd spent their first night in exile. Still remembering Mapleshade's death threat still shaking him to the core to this very day, even so long afterwards. And to think this was the same she-cat he'd go out of his way to sneak off to see every night, the mother of his kits. None of this still didn't feel right, it still felt like a dream, that he hoped to wake up from.
Appledusk stared at Riverclan territory with envy, he uses to be filled with pride with every stride he took to patrol his borders and every life he took to feed his Clan. Slowing down, Patchkit caught his father sightseeing, blinking at him in confusion, "Why do we keep coming back here? There's no fish on land is there?", he asked innocently. Hurriedly, Appledusk was forced to make an excuse, vague enough so the kit couldn't spit it out to his mother by accident, "Just checking to see if this is a good hunting spot for your mother, that's all.".
Just then, stiffening up with alarm as he spotted a patrol. He couldn't be caught, not again! Quietly, he stepped back several paces into the thicker shadows of the trees, slumping against a root, hoping not to be noticed, like a raindrop being lost to the earth. But there was still something nagging at him, keeping him on edge, not allowing him to settle in the comforting feeling of safety. What was he forgetting? Or who was he forgetting? His head wildly twisted as he desperately searched for Parchkit's bright white and ginger pelt. The overexcited kit was leaping and charging about like a headless fox near a fern patch, too wrapped up in his own fantasy to notice the incoming danger.
Resultantly, Appledusk forced himself away from his hiding spot, going into the open. All he hoped, was that his brown pelt bent into his surrounding and the musty smells of the wood was enough to hide him as he ran at full speed. He dived onto the kit like a bird of prey, wrapping his paws around him and ungracefully throwing both of them back. He was forced to seal Patchkit's jaw shut so he wouldn't squeal as they crush through the ferns. Nothing moved. Then the quiet muttering of the patrol as they slowly emerged from the silence as they passed by. Appledusk's ear twitched as he spotted his clanmates through the layer of leaves. He could easily name each one, who their parents were and their rank.
There was a sudden hollow hole in his chest as he noticed Perchpaw among the other Riverclan cats, looking on with a blank expression, unfocused. He'd grown since he last saw his apprentice. Another 2 or 3 moons and he'd be a warrior. Who was his new mentor? Were they training him well?
He didn't even dare breathe as they; smelt the air, rubbed their heads against the rough bark of the front line of birch trees and were gone as quickly as they came. He let off a massive gasp for air as his lungs began to ache. Slowly, he unravelled his paws, releasing his grip on Patchkit. The kits rolled out of the ferns, spitting out mouth-full damp earth. "Dad, you didn't have to do that!", he exclaimed with an annoyed expression, "You could've just warned me.".
Appledusk pulled the ferns aside, climbing out before talking, "When you're out in the wild Patchkit, you don't have the luxury of time. When danger arises you have to make split-second decisions and go with it.", he explained, "It'll serve you well to learn that.".
Patchkit just looked at him with a dumbfounded look on his face, "I don't understand what you're saying.". Appledusk huffed and shrugged it off, "You will when you're older.", then he lowered his voice, "Hopefully.", muttering to himself.
Surprisingly, Patchkit's ears pricked, "What did you say?", he asked without a clue. Appledusk halted in his traces, gulping. This kit had the hearing of a bat! "Um- nothing, Patchkit. Just talking to myself.", Appledusk mewed quickly, trying to come up with an excuse. The white and brown tom fell into step along his father, curiosity and nerves causing his nose and whiskers to twitch like squirrel. "Are you ok? Tulipfur said talking to yourself is the first sign of madness.".
Appledusk shrugged, "Who knows, Patchkit. Who knows.".
He continued to walk deeper into the forest, leaving rivers of his old territory behind. Patchkit began kicking though the layer of muddy leaves scattered across the forest floor, creating a small path for himself. Appledusk sniffed at the stale air, making sure the patrol had gone however a strong scent Riverclan still lingered. He stopped, turning around to look at the scent marks, now some distance away. He checked again, opening his mouth to gather more details; A single nearby Riverclan scent, the fresh smell of milk, a nursing Riverclan Queen of young kits possibly? But what was a Queen doing all the way out here alone? With a flick of his tail, he signalled for Patchkit stop in his tracks. The young kit become panicked within a slight heartbeat, "Get into cover.", Appledusk ordered. His son obeyed, leaping behind an old rotting log covered into slimy moss and mushrooms.
He took several paces back, scanning the nearby trees and bushes with alarm. The fur on his back ripplings like rifts on a water's surface. Where was she? Had she spotted him being so close to the border? He tried scenting the air, desperate to get an idea of the stranger's location. From the corner of his eyes, he thought he saw the briefest glimpse of a ginger tail as the cat weaved in between the dull tree trunks. The she-cat's scent was sweet and familiar but the wear of time had flattened his memory. He growled to himself, he knew this cat, it just on the tip of his nose. If only he could remember.
Then suddenly, a speckled dark orange head was directly in front of his face. Appledusk staggered back in shock, barely managing to keep his jaw sealed, not allowing the whale of alarm to escape. His heartbeat quicken as he recognized Reedshine standing in front of him. A calm friendly smile on her warm orange face. "Hello, Appledusk.", she quietly mewed. The brown tom felt like ice had formed over his paws, freezing him to the spot. He couldn't move. A wave mixed with shame and relief flowed through him, so much, that he barely noticed Reedshine's thick fur rubbing against his cheek. A loud yet soft purr rang from her throat. He gave in, pressing his head into her but quickly flinched away. This wasn't right.
"What are you doing here? How did you find us?", he asked his old mate. She took a step back, looking at him with a blank expression, "You make it too easy. Ever Riverclan warrior has spotted you at least once, lingering on the borders.", she responded. Appledusk's gaze was fixed on her swallow water blue eyes, his tail twitching. He wouldn't let the topic slip, "Reedshine, it's nice to see you but I can't stay here - you can't stay here. If a patrol sees us-".
"I'm not going anywhere.", she intruded, laying her long tail over his shoulders, clinging to him like a leach. She leaned over until they were touching noises, "Not until I tell you the news.". Appledusk stiffens up, his fur becoming hot and sticky.
He gulped before asking the obvious, "What news?".
She smirked, "Our kits, you silly furball.". It felt like a broken tree branch had stabbed him right through the chest. Kits? Reedshine carried on, her hot breath on his muzzle, "Two beautiful she-cats and one handsome tom are in the nursery as we speak. And it's unfair if they grow up without a father.". With those words, Appledusk shook off her tail from his broad shoulders and staggered back. What was she talking about? Unfair not to have a father?
However, every step Appledusk took back, Reedshine would step forward, never allowing any distance between them. "Come back to me, Appledusk. Things have calmed down, they might listen to reason now. You won't know until you try.", Reedshine pleaded, her voice cracking up like a fire with emotion. He paused, looking into her eyes again, thinking on his words carefully. Until he eventually decided to be straight with her, "I can't.", he muttered. The edges of her lips twitched as they threaten to raise up in a snarl. Her pupils narrow to black cracks against a murky blue background of her eyes. "What?", she gasped with a grudge.
"Not yet at least. My first litter stills need me.", he explained.
"What about your second litter? Don't they matter?", she muttered. Quickly, Appledusk nodded, "Of course they do. I love all my kits equally. But you have an entire Clan and safe territory to help you raise them.", he argued, "While the other three haven't got anyone. Or safe place to call home. All they have is me and Mapleshade.".
"This is all Mapleshade doing isn't?", Reedshine quietly mewed.
Appledusk narrowed his eyes, "Excuse me?".
"We all heard about it two gatherings ago. How Mapleshade threatened Echopaw in a stone hollow at Highstones. And when the Medicine cats returned to investigate, they had found Ravenwing body there, brutally murdered.", she revealed, "And when I first heard that, I knew instantly that couldn't have been you.". Appledusk blinked at her. He was fully aware of Ravenwing's murder, he'd been there. But Mapleshade threatening an apprentice? She'd never uttered a word to him about that. The dark ginger she-cat seemed to sense Appledusk's growing doubt in his mate. She brushed her tail across his flank as he sat there on the earthy floor.
Appledusk raised his head from the floor, realising his chance to check something incredibly important. Something that could seal their future. "So, does Shadowclan and Windclan know about me and Mapleshade?", he asked. As Reedshine slowly nodded, Appledusk felt like he was dragged to the bottom of a deep lake, "Yes, Darkstar and Oakstar told them everything.", she confirmed.
Silence hung over Appledusk for a moment as he tried to make sense of the new information. It took a while for it to sink in, Reedshine watching him. He gave off a long-lasting hopeless sigh. Mapleshade wasn't going to like this. Not one bit. His hardly noticed Reedshine's black wet nose sniffing around the base of his ear. Then he felt a sudden stab of pain as she placed a paw on it, finching away from her again. Her eyes had darkened over, "Did Mapleshade do this to you?", Reedshine questioned, close to his ear.
"What are talking about?", he asked, uneasy.
She looked up at him, "The scars around your ears. They'd only be there if someone was constantly cuffing you over the ear.", she pointed out. Appledusk's mind becomes numb as if freezing over like a river in leaf-bare; the new kits, having no chance of having a future in the Clans and learning his own mate was scaring him. It was all a little overwhelming. To be honest with himself, Mapleshade would often kick him on the flake or cuff him over the ear, but by this point, he'd gotten so used to it, that the idea of it being a problem was almost non-exist. So, much that it was giving him permanent damage. His concerns then drifted over to his Patchkit, Larchkit and Petalkit. Were they are any risk from their own mother?
While in his whirling strings of thought, there was a faint sound rustling, then a large gasping noise from behind the rotting log. "You still need to breathe while hiding, Patchkit!", Appledusk scolded, mewing towards his son hiding spot. He always made that mistake.
Reedshine turned to look in the direction Appledusk was facing. Surprisingly calm, Reedshine called out the hiding kit, "You can come out, little one. I'm not going to hurt you.", she mewed with a clear echoing voice. Appledusk rose to his paws, into a defensive position. What was she going to do? Slowly, Patchkit's ginger and white pelt appeared from under the bull brown log, nervously slipping out into the open. Patchkit slowly approached the strange she-cat, nose twitching like a rabbit, "Are you a Riverclan cat?", he asked, his weariness turning to curiosity. Reedshine nodded, "Yes, I am.".
Patchkit took a moment to think before speaking again, "I know you. You're that she-cat that stood up for Daddy back in the Riverclan camp.". It then hit him, making him being struck by worry. Patchkit could have overheard the entire conversion. If he told Mapleshade, she would have his head! Reedshine didn't seem to notice Appledusk's fear scent and continued to address the kit, "It nice see that you remembered me.", she mewed, smiling.
Patchkit's mouth then arched up as he smiled back, a large sunny grin. A small purr could even be heard. Clearly, Patchkit took a liking to the friendly she-cat. Admittingly, his kits hadn't come across a non-hostile stranger in a long time. It was certainly been a weird experience for Appledusk himself, when he got banished. Clanmates and even kin, he'd trusted his entire life and would even die for, suddenly become aggressive, treating him like the enemy. All because he was a bit too reckless when it comes to love. It was hard enough for himself, he could hardly imagine what it must be like for a kit.
"What were you talking to Daddy about?", the calico kit asked, "Something about his second litter. Are you going to have more of my brothers and sisters?". Appledusk's ear immunity began uncontrollably twitching. Fish-guts! Whatever came next, could easily blow out of proportion, into a very awkward situation. How could he possibly try to explain this to Patchkit?
Reedshine held her head proudly up into the air, purring, "I already have. Three beautiful kits.". He couldn't help notice something oddly missing, "Have you even named them yet?", he mewed, curious. Had they literally been born yesterday? Patchkit insanity leapt in front of Reedshine, rearing up onto his back legs in his excitement. "Can I help name them?", he yelled out in his high-pitch kit voice. Patchkit was taking this whole situation remarkably well. Appledusk nervously glanced beyond the dense shadows of Larch wood, into Riverclan's bright sunny territory. How far away was the patrol by now? All this racket could put them in needless danger.
Reedshine shifted round, until she was directly facing Patchkit, even leaning forward until she reached Patchkit's low level. "Well, there are three kits. So we can name one each. I've already thought of one, Willowkit, for my grey tabby daughter. Do you like it?", she mewed. Quickly, Patchkit nodded with his eyes tight shut, "I love it! It's perfect for my little sister.", he politely commented. What was Reedshine playing at? Appledusk licked his lips, trying to bury the suspicion under the pride of becoming the father of the new litter.
Then Reedshine turned round to face her old mate, waiting with intensity in her cold stare. It was his turn then. The other daughter and single son were the only ones that reminded namelessly. He had to think through this carefully, this would be the name, one of his kits would have carry around for the rest of their lives. He quickly raced through possible names for his reminding two kits; Ivykit, Mistkit, Meadowkit- He kept on running down the list, until eventually coming to his favourite, but one only good for a she-cat.
"I'll name our other daughter, Shykit.", he softly muttered under his breathe. Reedshine blinked thoughtfully a few times before nodding with a pleased grin. Appledusk gave a nod back. At least she seemed to like it.
Their moment of silent staring was bluntly ended by Patchkit frantically bouncing on the spot, causing the leaves under him to scatter. The two grown cats turned to face the young kit. "My turn, my turn!", he repeated, forcefully grabbing their attention. "Go on then, little one.", Reedshine patiently mewed. The kits landed hard on his paws, boldly blurting out his answer with a hurried voice, "I want to name the tom, Applekit!", he turned to Appledusk with beaming eyes, "After you, daddy.".
Instantly, He was taken back. Patchkit would actually name his own little brother after him? Why not Mapleshade? However, Appledusk let go of the doubt and just allow the honour and pride sink in for once, "Thank you, Patchkit.", he mewed. Patchkit's face lit up like the first star showing the signs of nightfall. Straightening up his spine, puffing up his chest, Appledsuk sat with a sturdy posture. His chin held up high in the air with pride. Though Appledusk himself reminded in exile, at least he knew his legacy and influence still reminded strongly in Riverclan with Reedshine's kits. Hopefully, all three would survive to grow up to be powerful warriors that could make his Clan proud. Reedshine seemed to beam with an equal amount of pride, her orange pelt appearing like the blazing setting sun against the dusky twilight sky.
"Then it's decided, Willowkit, Shykit and Applekit, our new litter.", the orange Queen cheered, resting her head against Appledusk's broad shoulder again. The right words seemed to be stuck in his throat like feathers. Patchkit looked at his father with worry and confusion. The quickly warming patches of yellow sunlight against the brown woodland, told him Sunhigh was approaching.
With swallow sigh, Appledusk quietly slipped away from his old mate. She blinked at him, "Where you are going?", failing to hide away her desperately. "Thank you for everything, Reedshine. But I really need to get going. Larchkit and Petalkit will be getting hungry without their fresh-kill.", he muttered, slowly beginning to wander in the opposite direction of Riverclan, signalling for Patchkit to hurry after him with a sharp swish of the tail. "Tell Willowkit, Shykit and Applekit that I love them.", he muttered, "Goodbye.". Unsurprisingly, Patchkit kept flicking a glance behind his shoulder as they moved further and further away from the new Queen.
Suddenly, Reedshine dashed past the father and son, blocking their path, her blue eyes wild. "Before you go, Appledusk. You need to promise this one thing. Promise me, when Patchkit and his littermates are ready to fend for themselves, leave Mapleshade and come back to Riverclan. Back to me. We'll be able to sort something out.".
He paused, thoughtful. No matter how much it caused his heart to ache, from having kin, he'd never get to meet, he'd seen the utter anger in eyes of his Clanmates as he was marched out of camp. Called a 'traitor'. Time could do nothing to wear out the deep-rooted hatred of Half-clan mates and their kits. It was spoken against in the Warrior Code itself. Just giving the she-cat a sad smile, he shook his head, "We both know that could never happen, Reedshine. I'm not leaving Mapleshade.".
The feeling of deep betrayal rippled through Reedshine like a crashing wave as her fur flared up to twice it's size. With that, Appledusk snatched up Patchkit, the kit swinging in his jaws.
The young cat's eyes were fixed on the growing determination inside Reedshine. "Why are you doing this Appledusk? Out of union love? Or fear?", she challenged. However Appledusk just calmly shrugged, "Probably a bit of both.", he admitted, speeding past his old mate, running deeper into the musty woodland, turning his back on his old home, willingly this time.
As Appledusk continued to run, Patchkit softly turned his head up, asking, "Dad, are you still happy with being mates with Mummy?". Appledusk didn't answer.