The queen was outraged, shocked. "But- but these are barely kits?!" she burst out. Having a sudden realisation, she gasped and; ashamed, she meekly bowed her head. "Yes, I shall get them sent away," she mewed quietly.
She had almost broken the warrior code by attempting to defy her leader; and it was not to be the last time for the sake of the kits either.
"Good." Her leader backed out of the den, sending the reeds whispering for a long time after he left.
The queen sighed miserably. Almost as soon as the breath escaped her mouth, the medicine cat apprentice, Stickypaw, wormed his way into the den, his chest heaving from exertion. He mewed breathlessly to the queen that he had received a message from StarClan.
Wondering what on earth it had to do with her, she waited patiently for Stickypaw to catch his breath and curl his paws to settle down before she pressed him for details. "Stickypaw, surely this is for Lightpelt, not me. You haven't got the wrong den, right? What does this have to do with me?"
Stickypaw struggled before he burst out, "Everything! You and those two strange WindClan-born kits!"
Hope stirring in her heart like embers of a fire, she sat up. "Please, tell me, tell me everything."
"Well," Stickypaw began. "I was walking along the shore, not more than three tail-lengths from the lake, when suddenly I was walking pelt to pelt with Thrushpelt! Thrushpelt was an old WindClan medicine cat.
"She told me that two kits will come to us, and when they do, traitors from the clan will advise they are turned out. And that I was to protect them with all that I have. She said that they were vital to the lake; and that if the kits die, then horrible things will happen.
"She warned me it will not be easy; but that there are cats in StarClan who will defend us to their fading in the skies. She told me to follow her and she led me far out of or territory. She pointed with her tail to the mountains and told me I needed to travel there.
"She said a Clan were there to help me. I don't know what this last bit means."
Greenflower didn't even need to think before she replied. "It has to be the Tribe of Rushing Water. They're not really a clan but they've got to be the one StarClan meant. Thank you from the bottom of my pelt."
Stickypaw bowed his head respectfully. "But there's a snag. I've been told specifically – I can be the only cat to take them. And they have to go, soon. When will they be weaned?"
She shrugged, fluffing her pelt. "They're eating mainly solids now, so maybe a day or two? No promises. And Lionstar wants them gone in a sunrise. They're almost strong enough."
Stickypaw mewed relief. "And one more thing. Lionstar can't know." Greenflower nodded.
"Skykit, Dawnkit," Stickypaw mewed quietly.
"Yes, Stickypaw," the kits answered in hushed tones. "We're right here." Greenflower licked the kits affectionately.
"Come to me, kits. Are you all weaned up?" He licked their purring heads before his ears flattened and he whispered quietly, "What did I give up for this?"
All of a sudden, he viciously licked his newly-adopted kits. "We will have to leave soon. How are we to cover up the vanishing of a medicine cat apprentice and two – albeit unwanted – kits?" Stickypaw asked speedily, returning quickly to business.
Greenflower turned her head to the side, and thought for a while. "Foxes have been known to attack RiverClan at leafbare. They could possibly do it again, as the river has frozen. They'd be desperate and needy.
"They could break into the medicine cat den at night and attack a poor apprentice, stealing him from his rightful Clan and his future. The day after, the useless, dangerous kits could be thrown out and then before they leave the sight of RiverClan warriors, struck down by a badger. They'd never stand a chance."
Stickypaw nibbled his tail for a while before nodding thoughtfully. "Yeah. I happen to know a few foolish foxes that would help me for a couple of mousetails. I helped them when they had a sickness. They'd do that half. But a badger? Who, in their right mind would give kits to a badger?"
Greenflower let out a short mrrow of pleasure. "I was fortunate enough to talk to Cherryleaf, the elder, and she told me about a badger called Midnight who had aided the Clans in a time of need and told us where to live when the Twolegs destroyed our forest.
"It seems she had badger kits of her own, and one of them is much like her, and he was called Whisper. He will help you. Gentle as anything."
"Well, that's settled. Next sun-rise?"
"Sun-rise."
A.N. Wahey! What do you think of Stickypaw's plan? And what do you think is wrong with the kits? Let me know by a good ol' review! Pweeze?
