Chapter 19: Greyleaf

Fear crept into Greyleaf's heart, worming its way through her veins like ice. It splintered and cracked, sending her body into convulsing shivers and making her lungs scream from lack of oxygen. She barely managed to stand upright, her eyes locked on the tom that stood on the rock.

The tom she had laughed with.

The tom she had trusted.

The tom she had thought was her friend.

Greyleaf couldn't believe it. How could he know? How could he torture me like this? How could he hide there, in the shadows, and punish me? How? She stared in shock as he opened his mouth to yowl out yet another proclamation.

Greyleaf braced herself, she knew what would come next. He would call out Pinestar's name, and the whole clan would whirl upon her, hissing and spitting, snarling at her for what she'd done. They'd force her out and ridicule her kits. Oh, her poor kits!

She remembered when they were younger, about three or four moons old, and she had informed them that Blackfur wasn't their father, knowing that if she didn't, they would learn eventually and might become angry with her. Nightkit had accepted it right away, saying that he had never liked the black tom. Goldenkit had just nodded grudgingly, as if she had sensed that another had been her sire all along. Sparrowkit had stared. Being the closest of the three to the rash, instinctual Blackfur, she was the hardest to convince. But eventually, Greyleaf had made it clear that Blackfur was not their father. They had asked who it was, but she had silenced them, telling them that she would reveal his identity when they were older.

Then, her mind flashed back to the present. Greyleaf couldn't speak, couldn't think, couldn't breathe. No, no, no, no, no! She dug her claws into the hard, rocky earth of the hollow and bit her tongue, tempted to confess right then and there and plead for mercy on her kits. They could do what they wanted to her, but they would not hurt her kits!

"They are mine!"

The silvery yowl rang clear and smooth around the hollow, and Greyleaf gaped, unable to understand his logic.

He looked down at her, his blue eyes alight with the same hope she had seen before, and turned his gaze to her kits, his eyes full of love. The same love that Sunstar had when he looked upon Goldenfur, the same love that Greyleaf had for them, the same love that Pinestar had displayed when he had learned of their existence.

The crowd of cats mumbled and whispered among themselves. It seemed like half the clan was confused, and the other half was glaring at the golden tom.

"Get down from there you mouse-brain!" Runningleap spat, his patchy brown fur fluffed.

Goldefur held firm. "Wait! Let me explain!" All eyes turned to him, especially the eyes of the three kits. They listened intently, ears pricked, as he called out his justification. "None of these kits have black fur, and we all know that Blackfur's family comes from a long line of dark-furred cats. Also, Nightkit has amber eyes, a trait that is not possessed by Greyleaf's family or Blackfur's family. But my mother, Duskwater, had amber eyes." Some of the cats started to nod as he continued. "Nightkit also has dark brown fur, another attribute that neither family's posses but that Duskwater had." He pointed at his little copy with a paw, and meowed, "Goldenkit is the almost exact likeness of me, with my name even given to her. Her only difference is that her eyes have a green tint, most likely passed to her by Greyleaf." He moved his paw from the golden she-kit to the speckled gray one. "Sparrowkit has spots, yet another feature that not only Duskwater possessed, but Leopardheart did as well. My final statement is one of pure guesswork, and not what I have studied through the past moons. Greyleaf obviously has little attraction to Blackfur. She made that clear to me in the beginning. She would often runaway on some stroll with me rather than go somewhere with him. This helps lead me to believe that he is not the father of these kits."

As he finished his speech, there were obvious agreements and disagreements. Cats started to separate into two different groups, each opposing each other for who they thought was the sire of the three kits.

Goldenkit, Nightkit, and Sparrowkit turned to their mother with a question in their eyes.

Greyleaf just fractured. The world went black as darkness enveloped her.

Chapter 19: Goldenfur

Goldenfur looked down in triumph from the deputy's rock. He had convinced at least half the clan! He had spent moons studying the family lines of their families, asking any and all who had known the ancestors of the two cats. Goldenfur had weeded out any and all things that would support his claim, stringing them vague signs together to make a logical statement that would give his case fair headway. He had practiced his speech about a million times until it was absolutely perfect, and now that he had finally revealed his findings, he felt so alive, so pumped!

How could she have thought he wouldn't know? Of course they were his kits! Why would she hide it from him in the first place? It was obvious between them that she had never liked Blackfur the way She tried to make it seem!

Goldenfur gazed down upon the crowd below, scanning it for his kits. Once he found them, he purred, and then began to search for Greyleaf's familiar form. He had smelt her coming into the hollow, her sweet, flowery scent was unmistakeable to him, but he hadn't looked for her but for that one moment when their eyes had connected. Her normally vibrant green eyes had seemed shadowed, as if she was being chased by demons, and they had had an icy film to them. Goldenfur turned his head to the right, finding the grey she-cat.

Her crumpled body lay in the dusty earth, and her tongue lolled out of her muzzle. Goldenfur, seized with panic, leaped down from his podium and bolted to her side. He felt as helpless as he had when she had started kitting in the forest. Licking her head, the golden tom tried to wake her up.

"Help! Help! Something's wrong with Greyleaf!" The first cat to his side was Fernfoot. The brown tabby she-cat reached down to grab Greyleaf's scruff, and began to drag her toward Featherheart's den. She reeked of dirtplace, having just come from it, but Goldenfur didn't care. All that mattered was Greyleaf.

Chapter 19: Pinestar

Something wasn't right, Pinestar could sense it. Though his plan for mock battles had worked, his leadership was now shaky. He was standing on three paws now, but that wasn't what was bothering him.

A dark sense of foreboding had enveloped his mind as he returned from an afternoon patrol. He tried to shake it off, but it was as doggedly persistent as his night terrors. Shadowing him as he padded quietly through the pine forest.

The dark brown tom quickly slid past the boulder guarding the entrance to the camp and deposited his prey in the Fresh-kill pile.

Something's wrong. There has to be something wrong. But what is it?

The white-muzzled leader shook his head and gave his white chest a quick lick. It's just a figment of my imagination, he told himself, Everything's fine.

So, how do ya like this new chapter?! I added in a Godenfur pov like you asked, Raeda2001, and he and Blackfur might appear as pov's, but only if you request them!

Sooooooooooo, QUESTIONS OF THE CHAPTER: Did yall see that one coming?

Do you think they are really his kits? Why or why not?

And... (Drum roll please)

Do you think Goldenfur is the "I know." guy?

Also, just to say if no one noticed, I have been going through and revising this story. Once I am finished, there will be a special poll! Please take part in that, it will be influential to the story. Buuut, this may not be a while cause I've gotten lazy about that.

Aaaaannndd, would you like me to start responding to your reviews at the beginning of each chapter? Review your answers! (LOLZ, review if I should respond to a review! XD)

Anyways...Thank you for R&R'ing and for all your support!