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"Midnightsky! Where have I heard that name before?"
Then it hit Red, Midnightsky was supposed to be Tigerstripe's mate.
"You murdered your own mate?"
"He was never my mate, and he deserved what he got."
Red looked around as many of the clan cats spat in agreement.
"He was filth!" A voice cried.
"He deserved a death a hundred times worse!" Another voice spat
Red was shocked.
"What about Quietheart?"
"She was killed by a fox a couple moons back."
Red looked to where the black she-cat was standing. She was standing tall and proud, she wasn't cringing under his sharp gaze, like many other cats did. He could see what Tigerstripe saw in her. She was attractive and she looked like she would be a fine opponent in battle. But before could say anything else, a loud thunderclap rumbled through the air.
"Everybody, go into the barn! Even the clan cats! The storm will be a bad one!" Red cried.
The clan cats seemed relieved that they didn't have to stay outside during the storm and everybody rushed inside. Except for the black she-cat who stayed behind with a younger tom to help a silver she-cat who was in the late stages of her pregnancy.
"Get her inside! Her kittens will be coming soon and she can't be outside!"
Red told Runner to help the three struggling cats inside the barn. Runner signaled for Midnightsky and the other tom to go inside the barn while he hoisted the silver she-cat up onto his back before going into the barn himself.
Once inside, Red instructed for Mystic to have a look at the silver she-cat.
"She'll have the kittens within the next half-moon. If you want her and the kittens to live, I advise that you stay here until she is fit for travel."
Midnightsky sighed and walked over to where Northstar was sitting to give him the news.
"Red, please allow all of us to stay here until Silvermoon has had her kits. We will hunt for ourselves as well as your colony."
"You may stay here; I'll make the announcement now."
Red leaped into the rafters of the barn and yowled for silence.
"The clan cats will stay her for at least a moon, because one of the she-cats is pregnant and unable to travel."
Questioning meows met his ears.
"What about the food?! The colony can't possibly catch enough food to sustain all of them!" One cat yowled.
"The clan cats are perfectly able to hunt for themselves! This meeting is over!" Red yowled.
As he went over to his nest, he saw the clan cats making nests for themselves on the opposite side of the barn as his colony.
As the thunder rumbled outside, the cats all drifted off into slumber.
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