Chapter 7

Brambleclaw's P.O.V.

Brambleclaw stalked stealthily through the undergrowth. He fastened his pace until he was beside Firestar.

"Firestar, perhaps we should cover our scent so that ShadowClan doesn't know we're here and we still have the element of surprise."

"Good idea, Brambleclaw." Firestar looked around until he found a patch of peat. Brambleclaw remembered that Firestar told him of the time Yellowfang, a member of ThunderClan back then, and then Medicine Cat, had him and Graystripe, Graypaw back then, hide in a patch of peat. "Lets roll in that patch of peat." He turned to face his patrol. "ThunderClan, Brambleclaw said we should disguise our scent, so we will, in that patch of peat."

Graystripe rolled his eyes. "You're too much like your old friend Yellowfang at times, Firestar. She made us roll in that moons ago, or hide in it. But, fine, Brambleclaw is right."

He padded up to the peat and rolled around in it. One by one, the Clan rolled in the peat. Then they continued stalking through the undergrowth, hiding their pelts, blending in with their environment. Once they came up the entrance of the camp, they went around and hid. Firestar turned to his Clan again.

"ThunderClan, we have reached the ShadowClan camp. I'll lead one patrol and the other will wait by the entrance until you see Squirrelflight. Then escort her back to camp. I'll take in Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, Foxpaw, Cloudtail, Icepaw, Graystripe, and Dustpelt. Ashfur, you stay out here with the rest of the patrol and when you see Squirrelflight, take her back to camp so Leafpool can heal her."

The gray warrior nodded his head and lead his part of the patrol back into the bushes.

"Right, follow me. Brambleclaw, you try to find Squirrelflight. Icepaw, go with him, then once you find her, take her to Ashfur and then join the battle."

Brambleclaw nodded his head, then he took the white apprentice and crept inside the camp. He opened his mouth and scented Squirrelflight's scent in the breeze with a tang of blood. He kept to the shadows with Icepaw behind him. Then he saw a tortoishell pelt flash in the corner of his eye. Tawnypelt!

"What are you doing in ShadowClan territory?" Tawnypelt growled.

"Looking for Squirrelflight that your deputy sabotaged and captured!" Brambleclaw hissed.

Tawnypelt reared back in surprise. "Brambleclaw?"

"Yes, now get out of my way. I'm saving my mate from your deputy," He snarled.

"Your mate? I thought you hated Squirrelflight for taking Leafpool's kits and acted as if they were her own?"

"Not anymore. She told me the story and I understand why she did it. Leafpool threatened her to take care of her kits by killing mine in her stomach."

"She was expecting?"

"Duh! Why would I lie to you?"

"Maybe she lied to you."

"Leafpool confirmed it. Now go away. I don't want to hurt you, but if I have to I must. I must be loyal to my Clan and my mate. I learned that the hard way with Hawkfrost."

"Fine, but I will allow it this once, just because you're my brother."

Tawnypelt slipped to the side and Brambleclaw stalked past her and continued to follow Squirrelflight's scent. He eventually found her and he bit back a yowl of disgust and anger. Squirrelflight's flame-colored pelt was covered in blood and her breathing was ragged and shallow.

Then the Medicine Cat came in and he shrank back in the shadows as Icepaw came up behind him and she stopped and quietly gasped at the sight of her mentor.

"Flamepelt, where are you? I have some horrifying news."

A dark ginger tom came in and asked, "What's the horrifying new, Littlecloud?"

Littlecloud had a grave expression on his face and his paw was on her tummy. "She was expecting kits. Russetfur killed them when he slashed her side and down her back. We have to get them out before she wakes up, or she will be even more worse with her grieving."

Brambleclaw's jaw dropped. He growled when he heard Russetfur killed them. Just then they heard screeching and snarling.

"Go see what that is, Flamepelt. I'll handle this."

Flamepelt backed out of the den and out into the clearing. Brambleclaw stood up and walked out with a furious expression on his face.

Littlecloud whipped around and sank to the ground. "Tigerstar. What are you doing here? I thought you were dead."

"I'm not Tigerstar. Never mention that name to me. My father was a murderer and I hate him. My name is Brambleclaw. You have something I want."

Littlecloud looked at the ginger warrior covered in blood. "Squirrelflight? She's in no state to go back to your camp. But I must say this: she was carrying kits. Yours, I sense?"

"Yes."

"Um, yes, well, I'm very sorry, but they died. I have to get them out if you want to take them and her back to camp."

Brambleclaw nodded and turned to Icepaw. "Go to Firestar and tell him the news. I'll stay with Littlecloud. After come back and tell me what he said. Then join the fight."

Icepaw nodded and took off. Brambleclaw prayed to StarClan that Squirrelflight would have kits that were his and keep them next time.

Icepaw's P.O.V.

Icepaw raced into the clearing avoiding cat battling each other and she finally found who she was looking for: Firestar. She raced to the flame-colored tom.

"Firestar!"

Firestar looked at Icepaw and dropped to all four paws. "Icepaw? Where's Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw?"

"Squirrelflight's in no condition to travel and she lost her kits."

"What? She was expecting kits?"

"Yes. Russetfur killed them when she attacked Squirrelflight."

Firestar growled. "Well, I'll talk to Blackstar and see if we can stay here until my daughter is fit enough to travel."

A pale ginger pelt flashed in the corner of Icepaw's eye. Sandstorm!

"Squirrelflight was expecting kits?"

"Yes, and they're dead."

Sandstorm growled. "Will she ever have kits that don't die?"

"I don't know, but I have to stop this fighting." Firestar yowled and all the cats stopped fighting. "ThunderClan, stopped fighting. Squirrelflight is in no condition to travel. Blackstar, may me, my mate, Squirrelflight's mate and her apprentice stay here until she is fit?"

Blackstar nodded. "I understand why you attacked and I assure you, Russetfur is not the deputy any longer. Dawncloud is."

Firestar nodded his head. "Graystripe!" The gray warrior turned to his leader. "Take Ashfur and the rest home. Tell them Squirrelflight is in no condition to travel. Once you get to camp, explain this to the Clan." The gray warrior nodded and took off with Dustpelt, Cloudtail and Foxpaw on his tail.

"Icepaw tell Brambleclaw we're staying until Squirrelflight is better. And thank you Blackstar, you don't know how mush this means to us."

The ShadowClan leader nodded his head and yowled to his Clan, "Leave Firestar and the cats with him alone. If not for Russetfur, they wouldn't be here. The least we can do is let them stay and give them shelter until Squirrelflight is better."

Flamepelt padded up Blackstar and whispered something to him. "What?" Blackstar growled. "She killed her kits? Then this is even worse than I imagined." Blackstar looked at his Clan and yowled, "Russetfur killed Squirrelflight's unborn kits. From now on, She will stay within the camp, or when she's out on patrol, a warrior trustworthy will look after her. Tawnypelt, you will look after her." Tawnypelt nodded her head and she growled at Russetfur. Blackstar nodded and padded to his den, and his Clan dispersed.

Firestar growled at Russetfur as she passed. Russetfur flinched and ran to the warrior den.

Icepaw turned around and headed to the Medicine Cat's den.

Brambleclaw's P.O.V.

Brambleclaw's ears and tail flicked when he heard a twig snap and he crouched low, ears flat, and he growled.

Then he straightened up as Icepaw came in. "Firestar says we're staying until she's fit to travel. He sent Graystripe home with Dustpelt, Cloudtail, and Foxpaw home with Ashfur and the others."

"Who's staying?"

"Me, you, Firestar and Sandstorm."

"Okay, Littlecloud are our kits out?"

"Yes, and they're beautiful."

Brambleclaw stepped forward and saw three beautiful kits: one tom and two she-kits. Brambleclaw sighed. He licked Squirrelflight between the ears. He saw her eyes, as green as holly leaves and as green as Firestar's themselves, open. He looked down at her with sorrow and grieving amber eyes.

"Squirrelflight, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"You…lost…our kits again. Russetfur killed them. Look at them."

Squirrelflight looked and saw the kits. She gasped and she tried to sit up. When she was able to sit up, she looked down at them. "It's Thistlekit, Oakkit, and Flamekit!"

"What?"

"It's their exact pelt! I can't believe I lost them again." She hung her head. "Am I destined not to have kits?"

Littlecloud spoke up. "No, you are destined to have kits. There's a prophecy: The squirrel will take flight, but with the claw of a bramble, they have a wing of a dove, a cloud of blue, a storm of an ivy and a heart of an oak. Then the prophecy goes on with this: The fearful ivy will take down the gentle dove, but only the jay, lion, oak, squirrel and bramble will be able to save her. This is your destiny. You will have kits…next time." Littlecloud left.

Brambleclaw stiffened. He looked at Squirrelflight. She took one of her dead kits and limped her way out. He took one and saw Icepaw take the last one. He followed Squirrelflight into the clearing.

Firestar, and Sandstorm saw their daughter's pelt covered in blood and carrying a dead kit. Firestar padded up to her. "Squirrelflight, are you okay?"

"Yes, daddy." Squirrelflight voice was filled with pain and grief.

Brambleclaw put down one of the kits, Thistlekit, and padded up to her. "Come on. Let's bury them."

"No, they should be buried in our camp."

Flamepelt came up and mewed, "You're not ready to travel. You need to rest. Have their vigil and we'll help you bury them at dawn."

Squirrelflight put down the kit, Flamekit he presumed because it had a ginger pelt, next to Thistlekit, and Icepaw put down the last, Oakkit, and sat next to her mentor. Firestar sat next to Sandstorm by their grandkits. Brambleclaw sat next to Squirrelflight on her other side. He pushed his nose into one of his kits. May StarClan light your path, my precious kits.

Brambleclaw woke up to find his kits missing. Then he saw Squirrelflight limp her way into the ShadowClan camp. He raced to her side. "Squirrelflight, where are the kits?"

Squirrelflight glared at him. "I buried them."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I lost them, not you."

"But they were my kits too."

"I know, but I lost them and it was my stupidity that we lost them, so I buried them by myself."

"What do you mean, 'your stupidity'?"

"If I had known what Ferncloud was talking about, then I would've had Cloudtail train Icepaw yesterday, and I would've been in the Nursery and our kits would be alive."

"This is StarClan's will. Didn't you hear the prophecy?"

"Sort of."

"Well, the prophecy was this: The squirrel will take flight, but with the claw of a bramble, they have a wing of a dove, a cloud of blue, a storm of an ivy and a heart of an oak. Then it goes on with this: The fearful ivy will take down the gentle dove, but only the jay, lion, oak, squirrel and bramble will be able to save her. This is our destiny Squirrelflight."

Littlecloud was muttering something.

"Littlecloud, what's wrong?"

"I've just had a message from StarClan. Beware of the ash that seems not to mind, but is jealous and will do anything to seek the squirrel's affection and love. The bramble and ash will fight to the death." Littlecloud looked at the gash on Squirrelflight's flank and spoke once more, with his normal voice. "You're fit to travel. But when you get to your camp, have Leafpool put some herbs on it, so it doesn't get infected." He walked away.

"Come on, lets find my mom and dad." She padded away, but stopped when she saw Icepaw. "Icepaw?"

"I'm sorry about your kits, Squirrelflight. You would've been a great mother."

"Thanks."

"Firestar and Sandstorm are at the camp entrance."

"Okay, lets go. Littlecloud says we're free to leave."

Brambleclaw followed Squirrelflight and Icepaw to the entrance, but his mind was on the prophecy. The squirrel will take flight, but with the claw of a bramble, they have a wing of a dove, a cloud of blue, a storm of an ivy and a heart of an oak. The fearful ivy will take down the gentle dove, but only the jay, lion, oak, squirrel and bramble will be able to save her. Beware of the ash that seems not to mind, but is jealous and will do anything to seek the squirrel's affection and love. The bramble and ash will fight to the death.

He couldn't help but pick out the ones he knew. He and Squirrelflight would have kits named Bluekit, Oakkit, Ivykit, and Dovekit. But what does the rest mean?

Brambleclaw shook his head, That didn't matter right now. What mattered was that he and Squirrelflight will have kit's the next time she get pregnant and she will keep them. Brambleclaw ran to catch up with his Clanmates.

Squirrelflight's P.O.V.

Squirrelflight walked into the camp and everybody turned their head and gasped at the sight of her: her flame-colored pelt covered in blood, a gash along her side and across her back. Every cat ran up to her and purred saying, "Welcome back" or "Glad to see your okay".

Squirrelflight pushed her way through the crowd and made her way to Leafpool's den. She had stayed as medicine cat. She said her heart belong to the path of the medicine cat and no cat argued.

Squirrelflight went inside to see Leafpool sorting through her herbs and Jayfeather tending to Foxpaw's wound from the day before. She cleared her throat.

Leafpool looked up and ran to her sister's side. "Squirrelflight, you're alright! What happened?"

"Russetfur happened."

"StarClan told me you knew about the prophecy and that you had unborn kits die."

Squirrelflight purred tiredly in amusement. "Liar. You mind-linked me."

Leafpool huffed. "Fine, I did. Here let me put some marigold on that and some cobwebs. It should be healed in a couple of days. Just come back daily as soon as you get up and me or Jayfeather will tend to it."

Squirrelflight nodded as Leafpool tended to her wound. After Leafpool was finished Leafpool said, "Tomorrow when you get up, you should head down to the stream and wash up. It won't get infected if you use the stream, then come straight here."

Squirrelflight nodded and made her way over to the warriors den and sank gratefully into her nest. Thank StarClan I'm home. Then she was out like a light.