For the first time in what feels like forever, I'm going to make one of my characters evil. And not only that, but she's also going to be insane. Hope you enjoy.
Get across the river.
That objective was burned into Mapleshade's mind. Her kits were just in front of her, struggling across the stones. A sudden roar came from downriver, making the tortoiseshell queen look up in alarm. A wave of water, a flood, was heading right for her kits!
"No!" she screamed, lunging to save them. She managed to catch Patchkit's scruff in her teeth, but the flood hit her other two, washing them away. Quickly, Mapleshade left Patchkit on the shore, instructing him to stay there.
She dove into the river, swimming as fast as she could to reach Petalkit and Larchkit. They were struggling in the water, growing more tired by the second. To her immense shock, a golden-spotted she-cat entered the water upriver, reaching the two first. She gripped Petalkit in her jaws, allowing Mapleshade to get the final burst of energy she needed to reach Larchkit. The she-cat and Mapleshade headed back to where Patchkit was sitting, shivering. Mapleshade, of course, began to lick her kits immediately.
"Thank you," she sighed to the golden she-cat. With a jolt, she realized that the she-cat's eyes were black, with a small prick of green at the center. As if her eye color had been reversed.
"It was no problem," she purred. "No kits should drown because of a mouse-brained Clan leader or medicine cat."
"H-how did you—"
"I've been watching you, Mapleshade." She tilted her head. On instinct, Mapleshade wrapped her tail around her kits protectively. "You're a spiteful creature, aren't you?"
"What?"
"I can see it all. You resent Ravenwing for telling your secret, and Oakstar for casting you out. Nothing would make you happier than getting revenge."
"Who are you?!"
"Ah. Now you're asking the right questions, Shady." The grin on the she-cat's face made Mapleshade uncomfortable. "I will tell you my name once we get your precious kits to safety. RiverClan won't allow you to stay; Appledusk already has a new mate."
"So where do we go, then?"
"I know of a place. Follow me."
Not having any other options, Mapleshade and her kits followed the she-cat. She led them away from the territories and to a large Twoleg structure.
"It's called a barn," the she-cat stated. "It has hay to make nests and plenty of mice to hunt. Surely you can raise your kits there."
"Yes, I could."
The kits curled up on the hay rather quickly, falling asleep after they'd had their feed from their mother. She was left alone with the strange cat who'd helped her—a cat who was still making the mother uncomfortable.
"You promised you'd tell me who you are," Mapleshade told her.
"Ah, yes. My name is Leopardclaw."
The name rang in Mapleshade's ears. She'd heard of this cat.
According to the stories, Leopardclaw had been half-Clan—born to a RiverClan father and a ShadowClan mother. Following her mother's death shortly before her apprenticeship began, the young Leopardkit had been sent to RiverClan by the ShadowClan leader at the time because the Clan didn't want to deal with her. Once in RiverClan, she'd had a cold reception from her father, as well as her father's new mate. Her apprenticeship had been uneventful, but once she became a warrior, it was said that she was fearful of being abandoned by her Clanmates.
She'd fallen in love with a tom who promised to be her mate. However, when she was pregnant with his kits, he decided that he wanted to be mates with a different she-cat. Leopardclaw had been understandably heartbroken and decided to take it out on the new mate. For her actions, she was exiled from RiverClan and found not long after by a ThunderClan patrol. She'd given birth to three healthy kits in the time since her exile, but she was unhinged. ThunderClan warriors had tried to take her back to their Clan, but she'd insisted on staying by the river.
A half-moon later, they'd watched in horror as she drowned one of her kits. A second was already dead beside her, drowned in the same way. A ThunderClan warrior attacked her in an effort to save the last one, forcing her into the water. She'd drowned like her kits, unable to fight back against the larger cat. Her body had been buried by the river's edge, no vigil sat for the fallen warrior. She'd taken the lives of two of her own kits, as well as her former mate and the very she-cat she'd attacked before her exile. That she-cat had been expecting kits, and the Clans mourned the losses of so many lives due to a single mentally-unstable warrior.
"Get away from my kits!" hissed Mapleshade, standing between the she-cat and her precious little ones.
"Oh, so you've heard of me?"
"You killed your own kits! How do I know you won't harm mine?!"
"Simple." Leopardclaw licked a paw. "Your kits are different. Mine were thinking of leaving me once they could catch their own prey, going to RiverClan and abandoning me like everyone else did. I drowned the two that said it, and the third one I was going to let live."
"Then why would you keep mine from drowning?"
"Oh, that's simple, too. When I died, I vowed that if anyone drowned in the river on the stretch between Fourtrees and Sunningrocks, it would only be if the intent of their attacker was to kill. Purposely drowning kits, forcing another warrior under—all of those are acceptable. A poor mother, forced away from her home with her children and to cross during a treacherous time? Unacceptable." Leopardclaw flicked her tail. "I guess you and your children are now rogues. There's no way you can return to the Clans now."
"You're right," Mapleshade admitted. "Not about the drowning, although I am grateful you helped save my kits. But we are rogues."
"My recommendation would be to change your names. I'll pick them for you!" She brushed her tail under Mapleshade's chin. "Hm… you are no longer Mapleshade. From this day forward, your name is Shady!"
"Why not Maple?"
"Shady suits you better. Dark shadows are on your heart, and they'll only grow with time."
"What?"
"Patchkit, from now on, is simply Patch. Petalkit is now Petal. And as for Larchkit… we'll call him Needle. He has really sharp claws."
"Leopardclaw, how are you here right now?"
"Because I guard the river. I can't move on to the Place of No Stars unless someone takes over or a cat drowns there in a way that breaks my rules."
"Not StarClan?"
"Ha! Cats who do what I did don't get to go to that place. It's full of fools and hypocrites anyway—cursing cats for no reason. Like me. My mother, my father, my mate… none of them accepted me. The Clans rejected me. I don't see how they can praise beings who cause so much suffering."
Leopardclaw's words had some truth to them. StarClan was causing the suffering of her and her kits. Why should she obey them if they were going to do that to innocent cats? Sure, she'd broken the warrior code, but her Clan hadn't known until StarClan told Ravenwing, who'd told the Clan.
StarClan is to blame.
"I'd better get back to the river!" Leopardclaw chirped cheerfully. "Cats aren't going to keep themselves from drowning—especially those ThunderClan mouse-brains. Bye, Shady!"
The golden cat vanished in a shadow.
"Mama?" asked a little voice. She looked down to see Patchkit (Patch, she silently reminded herself; the new names were safer) and her other two kits staring up at her.
"Yes, Patch?"
"I'm Patchkit."
"Well, we're all going to have new names now. It's safer for us that way. I'm Shady. You're Patch, Petalkit is Petal, and Larchkit is Needle."
"I sound dangerous!" gasped Needle.
"Leopardclaw said it's because your claws are needle-sharp."
"Are we going to live here now?" inquired Petal.
"Yes, little one. This is our new home, and we'll be happy here—there's plenty of mice and hay for us to sleep in."
"Where did Leopardclaw go?"
"She went home. It's just the four of us now."
Her kits seemed satisfied by this and snuggled down in the hay. Shady smiled down at them and curled her body around their tiny ones.
"Sing a lullaby, Mama!" Patch suggested.
"What kind of lullaby?"
"Just a lullaby, silly!" She smiled and began to hum a little.
"Let's go in the garden. You'll find something waiting right there where you left it lying upside down. When you finally find it, you'll see how it's faded; the underside is lighter when you turn it around. Everything stays right where you left it. Everything stays, but it still changes. Ever so slightly, daily and nightly, in little ways, everything stays."
She realized that it was true. She was still with her kits—that much was the same—but everything had changed. Now they were rogues and she'd never let anything else bad happen to her precious children.
Never.
Ravenwing walked through ThunderClan territory by Sunningrocks. He was dreaming now, a common thing for medicine cats. Suddenly, he felt a pair of claws slash across his face. Startled, he leapt backward, only to see a golden-spotted she-cat with haunting eyes.
"So, you're Ravenwing," she laughed.
This cat is insane!
"W-who are you?"
"My name is Leopardclaw. It's nice to meet you."
"You're the RiverClan outcast who killed her own kits!"
"Yes. That's right."
"What are you doing in my dream?"
"I'm here to reprimand you. I can't kill you, since I'm, you know, dead, but I can guilt you like I'm your mother and you're a kit in the nursery."
"For what?"
"Why were you so cruel to Shady? She fell in love and gave ThunderClan three strong warriors."
"Who's Shady?"
"Mapleshade used to be her name. I renamed her Shady after I saved her kits from almost drowning. You told her secret and ruined her life."
"She could've gone to RiverClan."
"Don't you know anything, medicine kitty? It's flooding season at the river. No kit could've made it safely across. Besides, Appledusk has a new mate now. He would've rejected Mapleshade and the Clan would've turned her out. Her kits almost died because you couldn't keep your mouse-hole shut." She grinned wider. "Not to mention that pretty she-cat who just ignored the kits drowning in the river—what was her name? Ah, that's right! Frecklewish."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I altered the course of the future."
"What?"
"You see, poor, poor Shady was supposed to lose her kits in that flood. She'd go to RiverClan, where they'd exile her the way ThunderClan did, blaming her for the deaths of the kits. Eventually, overcome by grief and visions of her dead kits being unable to go to StarClan, she'd take vengeance. You would've been the first victim of that. But, because I stepped in, she has no reason to really take vengeance."
Ravenwing froze.
She's right. Mapleshade's kits almost died because I had to tell the Clan Appledusk was her mate. If I hadn't… we lost four warriors because of me. Her kits would've been loyal to ThunderClan. How mouse-brained can I be?!
"H-how can I fix this?"
"Well, considering your Clan exiled her, there's not much you can do. She and the kits have changed their names and are living outside Clan territory. But…" Her eyes glowed. "One of them is going to fall ill. He needs herbs, and you can help by teaching Shady about them. If she knows herbs, she can help her kits."
"You aren't quite as insane as the nursery tales say."
"Oh, I am. But I was a mother before I drowned my kits. I loved them, and Shady is the daughter of my surviving kit. It's the least I can do for my kin."
She flicked her tail as she walked away from the medicine cat.
"Beware starless nights, Ravenwing, for those are the nights that those StarClan has scorned can enter the dreams of the living."
Ravenwing awoke, feeling unnerved by his dream. Quickly, he glanced at his herb stores; there wasn't quite enough to treat a sick kit and not have it be noticed.
Teach Shady about herbs.
By sunrise, he was making his way past Sunningrocks. He'd told Oakstar that he was going to the Moonstone. That lie would buy him enough time to teach Mapleshade (Shady, he reminded himself) about basic herbs and heal her kit. Luckily, it appeared that Shady's scent was still fresh enough for him to follow. She'd gone upriver, the scent of her kits mingling with her own. Eventually, he reached a large Twoleg structure. A hole was at the base, large enough for a cat to go through easily. It was here that the scents were strongest, along with the scent of mouse.
Taking a deep breath, he slid through the hole and saw Shady curled around Patchkit. Petalkit and Larchkit were playing in the hay nearby, but Petalkit spotted him first.
"Mama!" she shrieked. Shady looked up and immediately hissed.
"Ravenwing! What are you doing here?!" He bowed his head in apology.
"I'm sorry that I told your secret. I wasn't thinking straight; I only thought of how you broke the warrior code."
"Apology not accepted." She looked worriedly at her kit. "Patch is ill."
"I know. I came to treat him and teach you about basic herbs so you can take care of your kits."
"How did you know?"
"I had a dream where a she-cat told me he was. She reprimanded me for what I did and demanded that I teach you."
"Hm. I don't know why a StarClan cat would help me." Patch (that was his new name, right?) let out a tiny cough. His eyes were glazed over with fever. "Please, heal him."
"I'll be back before sunhigh. I need to gather herbs; it would've been suspicious if I'd depleted ThunderClan stores." He slipped out.
The new area Shady and her kits lived in seemed like a good place. The Twoleg structure provided shelter and plenty of mice, herbs grew everywhere, and there weren't any dogs or Twolegs that he could scent. Almost effortlessly, he found feverfew and coltsfoot, perfect for the poor little kit. Ravenwing re-entered the structure and set down the herbs in front of Patch.
"Eat these," he meowed. "They'll make you feel better."
Patch was reluctant until Shady coaxed him towards the medicine. He licked it up, making a face at the bitter taste before settling down beside his mother. He fell asleep quickly, which filled Ravenwing with relief.
"He'll be fine. Just make sure he rests."
"Thank you for helping him. My kits are all I have now."
"If I could make Oakstar bring you back to the Clan, I would. I'm sorry for all this. Is there anything else I can do to help you?"
"Shred Appledusk. He has another mate now—a RiverClan mate. He would've rejected me and my kits if I'd made it to RiverClan…"
Ravenwing sighed; it was hard not to feel sorry for her.
"Just… promise me you won't hurt any other cat. Not for this. That would be a terrible example to set for your kits."
"I'm going to teach them to rely on themselves rather than other cats. If they rely on others, they'll only get hurt."
"Ravenwing!"
He looked up from the bundle of herbs that he'd brought to teach Mapleshade about to see Petal. The kit was smiling and he wondered if she remembered that he was the reason she no longer lived in a Clan.
"What is it, Petal?"
"Will you teach me about herbs like you do with Mama?"
"Perhaps, if she says it's all right."
"Okay!" Petal ran over to Shady, who was resting in the hay. "Mama, Ravenwing said I can learn about herbs if you say it's okay!"
"I think it would be a good idea for all three of you to learn," Shady told her daughter, standing up. She seemed more well-fed now that she was living in the barn. Ravenwing had seen the sheer number of mice that were inside, and it was more than enough to feed Shady and her three kits.
It had been over a moon since she'd begun living in the barn, and in that time, Ravenwing had visited her a few times each quarter-moon. He'd taught her about herbs and basic cures to help her care for her kits, but he was sure that this wouldn't last much longer. Oakstar was beginning to lead raids into Twolegplace to hunt down and hurt kittypets, which was sure to lead to a large number of injuries to treat. He'd have to stay in camp to help those who were hurt.
"Is something wrong?" asked Patch.
"Nothing that you need to be concerned about. It's warrior problems."
"But you're a medicine cat," Needle pointed out. "Not a warrior!"
"Still, it's not a problem for kits to be concerned with."
"Leave Ravenwing alone," Shady told her kits. "He's very important to the Clan, and he has a lot on his mind."
Ravenwing felt grateful to the queen for putting a stop to the questions. She'd been so much more cooperative and a better cat than he'd known her to be when she was within the Clan since she became a rogue. Not to mention she was a fantastic mother to her three kits, keeping them out of trouble and teaching them what they needed to know in order to survive. All four of them had grown plump off the mice that infested the barn, their coats growing sleek and warmer than that of the Clan cats.
Shady's kits ran off to play outside and she turned to him with a concerned look.
"What's going on in the Clan?"
"Oakstar… he's beginning to lead raids into Twolegplace to attack kittypets."
"What did the kittypets do?"
"Nothing. He just wants to scare them away from our territory before they even think about invading. It's pointless and mouse-brained."
"I agree. I'm glad I was banished so I don't have to help. And my kits don't have to, either."
"I thought you'd be disappointed you couldn't join in. You were one of the best fighters in the Clan before you were banished."
"That was before I had my kits and almost lost them. And these are innocent kittypets who will likely spread the word about the Clans before Oakstar can attack many more of them. That alone will keep them off the territory."
"I know, but some of those kittypets are… able to defend themselves. I met one not too long ago when I was gathering herbs—her name was Crystal—and I watched her fight off a fox."
"I doubt a couple of tough kittypets can take ThunderClan territory for their own," Shady snorted. "I can't wait for Oakstar to lose his last life; maybe then things won't be so… violent."
Ravenwing nodded, though he knew that it was unlikely Oakstar would die anytime soon. He completely agreed with her, and he was hopeful that she'd be allowed back into the Clan once Oakstar was gone. The black tom felt a tail against his flank and looked to see Patch smiling at him. The little tom dropped a mouse at the medicine cat's paws.
"Here—so you can eat, too."
"Thank you, Patch." Ravenwing crouched and began to eat.
This little family—he'd protect it for as long as he could.
A moon.
That was how long it had been since he'd visited Shady and her family. Just as he'd feared, the Twolegplace raids had been costly. So many injuries, many of them severe, had depleted his herb stores. Ravenwing felt as if he needed an apprentice to help him keep up. Not to mention that Oakstar had foolishly challenged Crystal to a fight and the she-cat had won, taking the leader's life in the process. Oakstar only had one life left now, and he was growing more paranoid with each passing day. He'd finally been convinced that further raids would lead to more attempts to remove him and ended the whole thing.
Now Ravenwing could visit Shady. He followed the familiar path towards the barn, coming past Sunningrocks in the process. The sky was darkened with clouds; a storm was coming. On the bank, he could see Appledusk fishing. A feeling of anger sprang in his chest. This was the tom who'd fathered Shady's kits and then abandoned her. This was the tom who would have sneered at a grieving mother and cast her out. This was the tom who'd caused so much heartache of late, and Ravenwing felt the urge to attack. But he wouldn't, both because he was a medicine cat and because it would solve nothing.
"Ravenwing!"
He looked up because Appledusk had called his name. The tom had crossed the river and was now standing before him, pelt still soaked with water.
"What is it?" Ravenwing asked, feeling annoyed.
"I need to ask you something. No cat from ThunderClan will answer my question, but maybe you will. Where's Mapleshade?"
"What do you mean?"
"I haven't seen her at a Gathering in moons. At first, I thought it was because of her kits, but they're almost old enough to be apprentices now. So… is she alright?"
"She's fine. And your kits are fine, too."
"W-what are you talking about?!"
"All of ThunderClan knows you're the father of Mapleshade's kits. And Oakstar banished her because of it."
Appledusk stared at him in shock.
"B-but where is she? How do you know she's okay?"
"Because she's living in a barn just outside Clan territory. I visit her from time to time."
"Will you take me there? I want to see her. And my kits."
"What about Reedshine?"
"She'll be fine for a little while."
Ravenwing did not want to say yes to this cat. He wanted to keep the truth about Shady to himself, to ensure that she wouldn't be heartbroken all over again. But at the same time, every kit deserved to know their father. And Shady's kits were no exception to that.
"Fine. Follow me."
The two headed in the direction of Shady's barn. Ravenwing picked up Petal's scent near a patch of coltsfoot, and again near marigold and juniper berries. Obviously, she'd been putting his lessons about herbs to good use. It made him proud that she'd taken it so seriously—much more so than her brothers. Appledusk tilted his head up at the barn.
"How do we get in?" he asked. Ravenwing didn't answer; instead, he squeezed through the hole that led inside. Appledusk followed close behind.
"Hello?" Ravenwing called. A fluffy, pale brown face peered over a ledge near the top of the barn.
"Ravenwing!" Petal squealed, an excited tone to her mew. She clambered down a series of ledges that were nearby, skidding to a stop in front of him. "Where have you been?!"
"I've been busy with medicine cat duties." She looked behind him, giving Appledusk a look of confusion.
"Who is that?"
"This is Appledusk. He's a RiverClan warrior. Appledusk, this is Petal."
"Hello, Petal." Appledusk crouched so that he was at eye-level with his daughter.
"Where's your mother and brothers?" Ravenwing inquired of the kit.
"She's out teaching them to defend themselves. She trusted me to guard the barn while she was gone." She puffed out her chest proudly and Ravenwing stifled a purr of amusement.
"I found your scent near patches of herbs—remembering what I taught you?"
"Yep! And the barn has plenty of cobwebs, so I never really need to look for those. Mama, Patch, Needle, and me—we're our own Clan! Mama's the leader, Patch is the deputy, and I'm the medicine cat!"
There was scrabbling near the entrance, and Patch and Needle entered the barn. Patch carried a vole in his jaws, and Needle had a shrew. Behind them was Shady, who had a rabbit. She dropped it upon seeing Appledusk, her pelt bristling with anger and confusion.
"Ravenwing, what's he doing here?" she hissed, crouching.
"I wanted to see you," Appledusk told her. "I asked him to bring me here."
"I heard you had a new mate. Why inquire after me?"
"Because I was worried about you and the kits."
"We're doing just fine." She grabbed the rabbit and climbed the series of ledges to put it at the top. Her kits, sensing that she was agitated, had already gone back up.
"You seem like it. I'm glad you're safe."
Shady flicked her tail in annoyance.
"Now that you've seen that, you can go back to your Clan. We don't need you here."
"I have a right to see my kits!"
"You gave up that right when you took a new mate!"
Ravenwing climbed up the ledges and onto the floor where the kits were crouched. Petal curled up next to him, fear pricking on her fur.
"Ravenwing, is that cat really our father?" whispered Needle.
"Yes, he is. And that's part of why you were forced to leave ThunderClan."
"I like it here more than ThunderClan," Patch murmured.
"Mapleshade, please be reasonable!"
"You want reasonable? How about being cast out of the Clan you grew up in because of who fathered your kits? How about trying to swim across the river to join the father and your kits almost drowning? How about finding out that the father of your kits took a new mate? How's that for reasonable?!"
"I… I…"
"You're not the Appledusk I knew anymore. Whatever was between us is gone now, and I don't want to see you again. Please, just leave."
The pale brown tom flicked his tail, looking apologetic, and turned to leave. He gave one last look to his kits and he was gone. Shady climbed the ledges and sat down in the hay.
"Are you alright?" Ravenwing asked. "I'm sorry I brought him."
"It's fine. I've been wanting to say all that for a long time now, and it's out."
"Mama, was that cat really our father?" Needle asked his mother. "Because I didn't like him."
"Yes, he was really your father."
"Is he going to come back?"
"I hope not." The kits scampered down the ledges again, going to play in the hay down below.
"So, you've moved your nests?" Ravenwing questioned.
"Up here is safer," Shady reasoned. "The ladder is the only way up or down. This upper level is called a loft; a loner stopped by and explained it all to me. He said that most loners live in barn lofts to avoid being spotted by Twolegs."
"I'm glad that you've all been fine."
"What happened with the raids?" He took a deep breath.
"They were disastrous. So many cats were injured. We almost lost Frecklewish, and… Oakstar lost a life."
"He must be almost out by now."
"He is. I was only able to visit now because I convinced Oakstar that the raids would only lead to more attempts on his life."
"Old bee-brain getting too paranoid?"
"Exactly." They were silent for a moment. "You know, I've been thinking. Once Oakstar is gone, Doefeather will take over as leader. And once that happens, I might be able to convince her to let you rejoin the Clan."
"Why would you want us back in the Clan?"
"Well, for one, you're still a ThunderClan warrior. And your sons would make great warriors, too."
"What about Petal?"
"I… I'd actually like to take her on as my own apprentice." Shady blinked, then purred.
"She'd like that."
A crack of thunder sounded overhead, shaking the barn. Rain pattered on the roof; it was already pouring. Ravenwing shuddered at the thought of walking all the way back to ThunderClan territory in the downpour.
"You could stay the night," Shady offered. "We have plenty of food and dry places to sleep. This kind of storm won't be over quickly."
"Thank you for your kindness." Ravenwing watched as the kits scrambled up the ladder, running straight for their nest. The three curled up together, warm and safe from the storm outside.
"The storm's gone."
Ravenwing stirred at the sound of Shady's voice. She was awake now. The night before, he'd shared her nest to keep warm, but now it was time to return to ThunderClan. Oakstar would be wondering where he'd been. He stood up and stretched before giving his pelt a quick wash. Petal dropped a vole at his paws.
"Here. So you won't be hungry when you get home," she told him.
"You're a good kit, Petal."
"I'm not a good kit; I'm the best."
Ravenwing ate the vole and headed back towards ThunderClan territory, where he picked herbs on his way back to camp. Miraculously, he didn't run into a patrol and managed to give his pelt a more thorough was before he reached home. No longer did Shady's scent—or that of her kits—cling to his fur. He missed that scent.
"Where have you been?" Frecklewish inquired as he entered camp.
"I was out picking herbs when the storm hit. I sheltered in a hollow tree for the night and came home." She sniffed his pelt.
"Hm. Fine."
"I'd keep an eye on the RiverClan border, though—I saw Appledusk sniffing around yesterday.
"That fox-heart—still trying to bother ThunderClan?!"
"I guess."
Frecklewish ran off to inform Oakstar, and Ravenwing entered his den. He glanced at his nest and imagined a smaller one next to it with a pale brown she-cat curled up—his apprentice, Petalpaw. One day, she'd become a full medicine cat and serve ThunderClan alongside him. He wanted it to be true, for Shady to return to ThunderClan and once again be Mapleshade. Nothing would make him happier now.
At the half-moon, he went to the Moonstone with the other medicine cats. He curled up by the illuminated rock and pressed his nose to it, falling into a deep sleep.
He was by the river near Sunningrocks again, and a familiar golden she-cat was waiting for him.
"Leopardclaw," he greeted her.
"Ravenwing, Ravenwing, Ravenwing. You just can't stop causing trouble for poor Shady, can you?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean she's now expecting a second litter of kits. Your kits." Ravenwing bristled.
"N-no. That's impossible."
"Oh, but she is. Will you take responsibility for them or let her live in the barn?"
"I-I mean…"
"Oakstar is old now. His mind is gone. If he were to die, and be succeeded by Doefeather… well, ThunderClan would be all the better for it. She's level-headed and smart."
"Are you suggesting I kill my leader?"
"Oh, StarClan, no. I'm merely suggesting that maybe you ask him to perform one last raid on Twolegplace. And perhaps near that Crystal cat."
"I'm not going to kill him."
"Well, time is not on your side, Ravenwing. Shady isn't going to get less pregnant."
Ravenwing swallowed; the insane she-cat was right. Oakstar was no longer a viable option as leader of ThunderClan. Doefeather had been friends with Shady before the Appledusk issue, and she'd surely allow the tortoiseshell back into the Clan. It was the best option.
"I'm not going to suggest a raid. I was barely able to convince him to stop them."
"Let me handle that. You focus on preparing Doefeather for leadership."
Ravenwing awoke, sunlight streaming through the hole in the roof. He stretched and said his goodbyes to his fellow medicine cats before running back towards ThunderClan territory. Leopardclaw had him worried. She wasn't above killing cats, but surely, she couldn't hurt the living, right?!
In camp, he discovered the warriors in an uproar. Apparently, Oakstar was severely ill. He rushed in to see Oakstar convulsing in his nest. A half-eaten vole was beside the leader, bright red sparkling from within the piece of prey.
Deathberries!
The vole was poisoned. There was nothing he could do for his leader now. Oakstar stopped moving and Ravenwing bowed his head in respect before leaving to inform the rest of the Clan.
"This is where Mapleshade has been living?"
Ravenwing nodded to Doestar. They were at the barn now, Pineheart accompanying them alone with Frecklewish. Patch emerged from the small entryway, his eyes widening.
"Mama!" he yelled. Just a few moments later, Shady squeezed out.
"Doefeather? What are you doing here?"
"Oakstar is dead, Mapleshade. I'm Clan leader now."
"He is?"
"Yes, and I've come to ask you to return to ThunderClan as a warrior."
"Please?" whispered Frecklewish. "We were wrong to cast you out. Please come back."
"I… I will. But I thought you hated me."
"I was just angry that you lied about my brother. But now I understand why you did it."
Shady nodded.
"I'll come back. Let me get Petal and Needle—er, Petalkit and Larchkit.
"So we have our old names now?" Patch asked.
"Yes, Patchkit."
The patrol headed back towards ThunderClan territory. The kits scrambled to keep up with the older cats, but they managed to make it to camp. Whispers erupted as Doestar climbed onto the Highrock.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" she declared. Once everyone was gathered, she continued. "As all of you will know, Mapleshade was banished three moons ago for having kits with a cat from another Clan. I have decided to right this wrong by allowing her and her kits to rejoin the Clan. Mapleshade, do you agree to once again follow the warrior code, even at the cost of your own life?"
"I do, Doestar."
"Then I hereby welcome you back as a full member of ThunderClan."
Ravenwing felt joyful. Mapleshade was back where she belonged, as were her kits.
Two and a half moons later…
"Ravenwing!" Petalpaw skidded into the den. "The kits are coming!"
"I'm coming!" he told his apprentice, grabbing borage. "Go find me a strong stick for Mapleshade to bite down on. I'll go tend to her in the nursery." Petalpaw nodded and bounded back out of the medicine den. Ravenwing rushed to the nursery, where Mapleshade was panting heavily. Her belly rippled as a contraction passed through her.
"This is the last litter of kits I'm having!" she grunted.
"You're doing fine. Swallow this." He gave her the borage and she lapped it up, swallowing it with a shudder.
"I've got the stick you asked for!" announced Petalpaw, setting it down next to her mother.
"Mapleshade, I need you to bite down on the stick when the pain comes," he told her. She obeyed. "Now, Petalpaw, place your paw on her belly. The more ripples there are, the closer the kits are to coming."
"They're almost nonstop!"
"The first one's almost here."
Mapleshade bit down on the stick as a bundle slithered out. Ravenwing bit open the sac so that the kit could breathe and placed the little she-kit in front of his apprentice.
"Lick her the wrong way to warm her up," he instructed. "The next one's coming!"
There were three kits in the litter—two she-kits and a tom. One she-kit was a tortoiseshell like her mother, while the other was black as night. The tom, on the other hand, was ginger and black. All three nestled at their mother's belly and began to suckle. Ravenwing felt like he was bursting with pride. These were his kits, too, and they'd grow up loyal ThunderClan cats.
"Have you picked their names yet?" asked Petalpaw.
"The tortoiseshell is Dapplekit, and the black one is Nightkit. As for the tom, his name will be Mousekit."
"They're perfect names," complimented Ravenwing. He couldn't stop purring.
Don't forget who let you have this pride, Ravenwing.
The sound of Leopardclaw's voice in his ears worried him. She had a hold on him now, and he could never escape her. Neither would Mapleshade. Both of them would owe a debt to the cat from the Place of No Stars that they could never repay. He would never let that debt be passed on to his kits. Never.
Even if it meant going to the Dark Forest himself.
He didn't know it, but Mapleshade thought the same.
A dark destiny had been avoided, but would that darkness go to someone else…?
Yeah, I had no idea where this story was going. And it's part of a series of one-shots devoted to this new pairing I created. Nobody has to like it; I just wanted to do it. This is the longest one-shot I've ever written, and it's only part one.
Let me know what you think and I'll give you part two as soon as possible!
So long and thanks for all the fish!