A/N: Mapleshade was known for being an evil cat, killing three cats in her lifetime and even more when she was in the Dark forest. Though reading Mapleshade's vengeance made me understand Mapleshade and why she did what she did, so I made a fanfiction about her. I hope you enjoy chapter 1!
Chapter 1: Reborn
Flinchwhisker moved around her nest, trying to get in a comfortable position. She was going to have kits that day. Her mate, Amberwish was on the dawn patrol because there aren't enough warriors at the time. Windclan was suffering many warriors and all apprentices had been killed by starvation.
The medicine cat, Ferndusk walked into the den with herbs. Ferndusk dropped herbs at Flinchwhisker's paws.
"Here, eat these. They will help ease the pain." Ferndusk said. She looked like a skeleton she hadn't eaten in a week.
Flinchwhisker ate the herbs and felt better. "Have you seen Amberwish?" Flinchwhisker asked. She looked around and outside of the nursery.
"He hasn't come back yet, oh, I almost forgot something," Ferndusk said before running into a corner of the nursery. She came back shortly with a stick.
"What's a stick going to do?" Flinchwhisker asked, staring at the stick Ferndusk had placed in front of her.
"While kitting, chew on the stick, trust me, it works," Ferndusk said. "Get ready, because soon enough you'll feel a sharp pain, that will indicate that you are about to have your kits," Ferndusk explained.
A few seconds later, Flinchwhisker gasped in pain, as she felt the sharp pain Ferndusk had warned her about. Ferndusk immediately put the stick into Flinchwhisker's jaws, and as the first kit slid out, she broke the stick in her jaws. Ferndusk began licking the newborn kit until it squeaked. Ferndusk picked up the kit and carried it over to the front part of Flinchwhisker's body.
"It's a she-cat." Ferndusk mewed.
Flinchwhisker let out a purr of delight as the kit snuggled close into Flinchwhisker's paws. Then, Flinchwhisker felt the sharp pain again, and let another kit slide out, having it again for the last time. Eventually, the exhausted Flinchwhisker was feeding three kits, one she-cat, and two toms. The toms had black fur, like their father, and the she-cat had Flinchwhisker's fur coat.
Finally, Amberwish entered the nursery, holding a tiny rabbit in his jaws. He saw the kits and let out a proud purr as he approached his mate. "You're finally here, I haven't named them yet, I was waiting for you to get here," Flinchwhisker said. Ferndusk was still in the nursery.
"Okay, why don't we name this one Firekit?" Amberwish suggested, putting his paw over the head of one of the toms.
"That sounds like an amazing name!" Flinchwhisker said, looking down at her kit. "Firekit it is," Flinchwhisker said, touching her nose with Firekit's. "How about this one?" Flinchwhisker asked, pointing her tail to another one of the toms.
"How about Jaykit?" Amberwish asked. the tom smiled and let out a happy mew at the name.
"I think he likes it, don't you, Jaykit?" Flinchwhisker purred. Jaykit let out another happy mew, smiling as Flinchwhisker said the name. "One more, Amberwish," Flinchwhisker said, pointing her tail towards the final kit without a name.
Amberwish opened his mouth to speak, but then, the kit without a name pounced on a maple leaf. She hadn't even opened her eyes yet. Ferndusk got up and looked around. There weren't any maple trees in the forest they lived in, so how did the maple leaf get there?
"Could this possibly be a sign from Starclan?" Ferndusk asked, looking at the leaf and kit.
"I guess we should name her Maplekit," Flinchwhisker said, pulling Maplekit back. She looked at her face, but Maplekit hadn't opened her eyes yet, but Ferndusk could tell that Starclan had sent a sign, and she had to find out what it meant.
"Do you remember any stories about a cat with the word 'maple' in it?" Amberwish asked.
"I do, her name was Mapleshade. She was a horrible cat, she killed the current medicine cat of her time and killed two other cats. It's a half-moon, so I'll ask Starclan about this when I go to the moonpool," Ferndusk said.
Flinchwhisker and Amberwish looked at each other, clearly remembering the scary storied they had heard of Mapleshade. Amberwish looked at Maplekit. Was his kit really the incarnation of the evilest cat who ever lived?
A/N: So, this chapter was an interesting one, introducing a kit who may or may not be the incarnation of an evil cat, but if she is, what will this kit bring to the lake when she becomes a fully grown warrior?