Dreampaw paused for a second, perking her ears. The tunnel began to rise up, and she thought she had heard their names being called.
"Did you hear that?" Breezestream whispered through Morningkit. Dreampaw and Goldenpaw nodded.
"Lets just keep moving. I can smell fresh air." Goldenpaw pointed out. The she-cats nodded and continued forward. They had gone only a few foxlengthes when a voice called out.
"Breezestream? If you can hear me, keep moving. You are almost to my garden." It called.
"Sandi must have scented us coming." Goldenpaw noted. Breezestream looked back with a nod and they moved forward again, faster this time. Light filtered in through the tunnel, and ahead Dreampaw could see a steep incline. Breezestream started up. Dreampaw went second, but felt tired as soon as she took a few pawsteps. Breezestream disappeared out of the tunnel opening and Dreampaw managed to pull herself up. Surprised mews erupted from the gathered cats as they saw Dreampaw had her kits in the tunnel. Sandi took the kit while Lilykit and Echopaw helped to pull Dreampaw up. Goldenpaw followed her, able to get through with the kit in his mouth.
"Everyone is out right?" Sandi meowed, glancing back into the tunnel. The last three cats nodded. Sandi took what looked like a green adder in her mouth and stuffed it down the hole. She then ran over and using her teeth turned a stick. Water shot out of the adder.
"What is that?" Breezestream asked.
"A hose. I've been watching my Housefolk turn it on and off so much I can do it with my mouth." Sandi explained in a confused manner. Dreampaw glanced at Brokenkit and Smokekit, who were playing with Bitten and drown. Hurt and Scab were sleeping soundly in the shade of a rosebush. Dreampaw hadn't noticed how nice the garden was. Green grass stretch from one wall to the other. A gray slab laid in front of the dwelling, where multiple holes of different sizes looked out into the garden. Walls of rosebushes circled around them, except one spot where it was replaced by a silver object. Sandi filled in the tunnel with dirt from under a bush and jumped on the silver object.
"So how do we get to our Clans from here?" Goldenpaw asked, sniffing a bush.
"Follow me." Sandi replied before jumping onto the wall. Echopaw picked up the sleeping Hurt and followed. Both cats jumped down. Picking up the kits, the others did the same. Dreampaw landed on soft ground, struggling to hold herself up. She was still extremely tired and weak, and she began to wonder if she would be able to get back to WaterClan before collapsing on the ground.
"Are we in Clan territory?" Brokenkit asked, sniffing the air. Sandi and the most recent cats shook their heads.
"This empty dirt spot here is basically a border. Where the forest starts, my sister's Clan sets their markers." Sandi explained. Dreampaw stared at her.
"Your sister is a Clan cat?" She asked through a mouthful of calico fur. Sandi nodded.
"She was deputy last time I talked to her. I can never remember what Clan she was from." She meowed. Dreampaw twitched an ear and the group moved forward. Relief washed over Dreampaw as they cross the border and a familiar scent washed over her.
"WaterClan." She purred. Goldenpaw nodded contentedly.
"Is that what this Clan is? Then you know your way right?" Sandi meowed, stopping. Both apprentices shook their heads.
"We were captured before we could get out of our camp. We had never been into our own territory before." Goldenpaw explained. Sandi tilted her head in frustration.
"If I lead, we will get lost for sure." She meowed half to herself. Dreampaw slumped down.
"I wish Morningsong was here." She hissed bitterly. She let the little kit down, opening her mouth to try and smell a patrol.
"Anything?" Echopaw asked. Disappointed, Dreampaw shook her head.
"We must have just missed a patrol. I guess we should split into our Clans and go from there." Goldenpaw decided. Breezestream moved back to start a WindClan group. Echopaw looked confused and indecisive.
"Technically I don't belong to a Clan. I know Breezestream is a WindClan cat, but I am not sure which clan I want to join." She sighed. Breezestream rubbed against her.
"I have seen you swim. You are not as fast as many WindClan cats. I think you would do best with Goldenpaw and Dreampaw in WaterClan." The queen choked. Dreampaw felt sympathy for the mother. Even though they were newborns, she would never want to give up her own kits to another Clan. Echopaw looked at her mother with a mixture of pain and excitement in her eyes.
"Thank you." She breathed, and the mother and daughter touched noses.
"What about the kits?" Sandi asked, glancing at the apprentice aged kits and the younger ones. Lilykit and Brokenkit held Hurt and Scab while Bitten and Drown sat on their own. They were about five moons. Smokekit and his sister sat close together.
"If WaterClan accepts them, that would be the best place. Hurt, Scab and Dreampaw's kits all belong there anyway." Breezestream meowed.
"Hopefully Lightstar will accept them." Goldenpaw mewed. Breezestream nodded and with a faint goodbye bounded off in the direction of her own territory. Sandi meowed a goodbye as well and disappeared back into her garden.
"They really left the youngest cats on their own in a territory they have never seen before?" Drown asked. Echopaw laughed a bit.
"Yes, but we are old enough to fend for ourselves if need be." She mewed. Drown and Bitten shared an uneasy glance but followed as they began down a dirt path. A splashing and gurgling alerted Dreampaw. A silver, scaly object flew through the air and landed on Brokenkit, who squeal and jumped backward. Dreampaw and Goldenpaw stared at the object. It was a half-dead fish. Voices could be heard on the other side of the trees.
"I'm a terrible fisher!" A she-cat moaned.
"You are not. It takes practice to be able to throw a fish up and catch it. You are a great fisher when you don't throw the fish." A tom's voice comforted. The she-cat sighed, but Dreampaw could hear his tail flick over her muzzle.
"I think someone is watching us." She commented.
"Show yourself!" The tom growled. Goldenpaw whispered something to Echopaw, who quickly took the calico kits and sat down. Goldenpaw flicked his tail for Dreampaw to follow and slowly made his way towards the other cats. Dreampaw stayed close behind. As soon as he pushed through the brambles, gasps erupted from the two cats. Splashes were heard and the she-cat rubbed against him. Fear scent suddenly gripped her.
"Where is Dreampaw?" She asked. Goldenpaw looked back at Dreampaw. She was half-stuck in the brambles' thorns. She finally freed herself, but ended up tumbling through and landing besides a black tom. He looked a lot like Night Wind and his sister, but his scent was kinder and his build thicker. Immediately, Dreampaw was bombarded by an excited ball of silver fluff.
"You two have been gone for so long! Me and Wildpaw thought for sure you were dead!" She gasped. Dreampaw managed to get her to let go and looked at her. She recognized the sleek pelt of her apprentice sister, Featherpaw. As soon as the she-cat could be identified, Dreampaw covered her with licks and began spilling the whole story.
"Have you two been around other cats recently? I could barely recognize your scents under that of BloodClan and others." The black cat meowed. Dreampaw realized it was Beetlewing, Featherpaw's mentor.
"That's right! We forgot about the others!" Goldenpaw mewed. Featherpaw and Beetlewing tilted their heads.
"Others?" Featherpaw asked. Sadly, Dreampaw nodded. Beetlewing thought for a moment.
"Do the others include Morningsong? She was captured with you." He meowed. He was Morningsong's half brother, son of her father but from a different mother. Both cats looked at their paws.
"Morningsong's dead. She was killed as a sacrifice." Dreampaw managed to choke. Featherpaw pressed against her. Beetlewing shifted his paws.
"So who are the others?" Featherpaw asked, trying to break the awkward silence.
"A bunch of kits and apprentice aged cats from BloodClan. We were all stuck there as slaves to BloodClan. We were the only ones able to escape, except for a WindClan queen and a kittypet." Goldenpaw explained. Beetlewing nodded.
"Lead us to them and we will take you all back to camp. I'm sure your mentors will be very glad to see you, and new members to the Clan would probably be accepted as well." He meowed. Goldenpaw pushed through the brambles. Dreampaw didn't bother telling them three of the kits were hers. She guessed it would be best to wait.
"All of you were slaves?" Beetlewing asked, looking at the small crowd. Those old enough to understand him nodded.
"These three can't be more then a day old." Featherpaw commented, sniffing Morningkit.
"They aren't. They were born last night." Goldenpaw explained. Featherpaw gasped.
"Where is their mother?" She asked. Dreampaw shook her head. Featherpaw shrugged and sniffed Hurt and Scab.
"Do any of you have names?" Beetlewing asked, also sniffing Hurt and Scab. Something in his eyes told Dreampaw he knew they were Morningsong's.
"Not ones they should keep. Their mothers were killed before they could give them Clan names." Echopaw mewed. Both WaterClan cats looked at her and she shrunk back. Beetlewing looked her up and down with curiosity. Her swollen belly seemed to alert him. Brokenkit, Lilykit and Smokekit looked frightened. Bitten and Drown just looked curious. As usual, Morningkit, Hurt, Scab and Dreampaw's calico kits were fast asleep, except for the smallest calico, who was mewling loudly.
"Only one of these three has a name." Dreampaw added, signaling towards her own kits. By now, the first kit had started them all mewling. Even Hurt and Scab were yowling for milk. Featherpaw watched them with sympathy.
"Whose kits are they?" She asked again.
"These two, called Hurt and Scab by BloodClan, are Morningsong's." Echopaw replied, staring at her paws. Beetlewing nodded knowingly.
"What is your name?" Featherpaw asked Echopaw, looking over her.
"Echopaw. My mother is a WindClan cat, but she wanted me to try and become a WaterClan cat. I was born in BloodClan." She replied. Brokenkit, Lilykit and Smokekit shared a glance before Lilykit bounced up.
"I'm Lilykit and this is my brother Smokekit. And our best friend Brokenkit!" She mewed. Echopaw and Dreampaw laughed.
"So you are only an apprentice?" Featherpaw asked Echopaw, ignoring the three excited cats.
"Sort of. I'm old enough to be a warrior. Well, a queen." Echopaw replied, batting Lilykit's ear as she bounced around, chasing Hurt. Lilykit stopped and sat bitterly on her haunches. Featherpaw blinked and sat down as well. Dreampaw opened her mouth to scent the air. Her fur rose against her will, and she didn't know why. She barely recognized the scents coming down the path, but the voices gave away the cats moving towards them. Featherpaw perked up and with a nod from her mentor she bounded forward. She turned the corner and a surprised mew sounded before a loud thump. Dreampaw twitched an ear in laughter.
"Come on!" Featherpaw's muffled mew sounded. It seemed as though she was carrying a kit, one larger then her. She appeared at the corner with a mouthful of tortoiseshell fur. It was connected to a small struggling body. Hurt and Scab perked up, as did the other three. Their eyes signaled they wanted to play. Lilykit was about to attack when Dreampaw pounced on her tail and pinned it down. She hissed in frustration and sat down.
"Is it so important as to drag my apprentice through the dirt?" A soft, sweet voice asked. A pale brown tabby appeared at the turn. She glanced over and her eyes widened. The cat in Featherpaw's mouth wriggled free and looked over at them. With a loud mew of excitement she too pounced on her sister, covering her with licks.
"Your alright!" She mewed through licks. Dreampaw laughed.
"And you are the same as always, Wildpaw!" She noted, licking her back. Wildpaw stepped back to look her sister up and down. Her eyes caught on the kits behind her. Lilykit, Brokenkit and Smokekit mewed greetings.
"Who are they?" The pale tabby asked. Dreampaw guessed it was Palesong. She had been gone too long to remember the medicine cat.
"I'm Lilykit and this is my brother Smokekit. This our best friend Brokenkit and Morningsong's kits Hurt and Scab." The young cat replied before Dreampaw could. She was about to tell them the other three were Dreampaw's, but the she-cat stopped her with a flick of her tail.
"These three don't have names." She meowed. Lilykit opened her mouth to talk again, but her brother stepped on her tail to shut her up. He whispered something low enough into her ear that none of them could understand him.
"Where is Morningsong?" Palesong asked. Everyone who already had the news hung their heads.
"Dead." Echopaw choked.
"Morningsong is dead?" Another voice asked in astonishment. Dreampaw perked up, and Lightstar joined them. Sadly, their group nodded, all except the youngest kits. All the cats looked at their paws mournfully. Dreampaw glanced at her kits. They had began to mewl in hunger.
"These kits need milk. We have been traveling for about a day and they haven't had much." She commented. Echopaw nodded.
"Well then, lets get you guys back to camp." Lightstar meowed and started to turn around.
"You mean you will let me stay?" Echopaw asked.
"We will decide that later." Lightstar replied. Echopaw nodded and all the cats padded back to the camp.
Dreampaw and Goldenpaw watched in silence as Lightstar looked over Echopaw. Featherpaw sat next to Dreampaw, pressing against her. Lightstar stopped looking over the she-cat and jumped onto the Highrock.
"Let all cats old enough to hunt for themselves gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" She called. Her expression was unreadable. As soon as cats began appearing, gasping when they saw the newcomers, she motioned them all forward. Featherpaw seemed depressed that her sister was leaving again, but she stayed where she was.
"Hopefully this isn't bad." Goldenpaw whispered in her ear. She flicked her tail but kept her gaze locked on Lightstar.
"Today one of our patrols found something we have been looking for. Our two missing apprentices, Goldenpaw and Dreampaw. With them, they had a queen, three cats the age of apprentices, and a few litters of kits. I have decided that because many of these cats are of WaterClan origin, we will allow them to stay. So, to make it official, I would like Echopaw, Brokenkit, Lilykit, Smokekit, Bitten, Drown, Hurt and Scab to come forward." She meowed. Surprised mews rose from the Clan, some because of Lightstar's decision, others about the many new cats.
"Go forward a bit." Dreampaw instructed as quietly as possible. Echopaw blinked and stepped up enough to stand side by side the others.
"I ask upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She was not born of our Clan, nor another, but I can see it in her that she would make a good warrior. Echopaw, do you agree to uphold the warrior code and to learn what you do not know of it, as well as protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Lightstar meowed.
"I do." Echopaw replied as clearly as possible.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you a warrior name. Echopaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Echostripe. Now I ask upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these kits. They wish to become warriors, but must first become apprentices. Brokenkit, from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Brokenpaw. Ambereyes, you will be Brokenpaw's mentor. Lilykit, from this moment forward, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Lilypaw. Silverfeather, you are now ready for an apprentice. You will mentor Lilypaw. Smokekit, from this moment forward, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Smokepaw. Nightstorm, you will mentor Smokepaw. Bitten, Drown, Hurt and Scab. You were born as slaves to BloodClan. In that way, you never gained a name. Now that you have joined this Clan, I take from you your names to give you new ones. Bitten, you will be known as Blackkit. Drown, you will now be known as Snowkit. Hurt, you will now go by the name of Dustkit and Scab will be known as Sandkit. None of you are old enough to be apprentices, so you will be watched over by one of our queens until you are. Finally, the youngest of our new arrivals have no names. I will discuss names for them with those who knew their mother, and I will announce it later." Lightstar meowed. The new mentors touched their apprentices' noses, and the kits squealed in delight. The Clan began to chant their names. Lightstar leaped down and Echostripe joined them.
"Your wondering who the mother is, aren't you?" Dreampaw asked. Lightstar nodded.
"Of course I am, and they need names. Also, Echostripe, tonight you will have to sit silent vigil until I or the dawn patrol releases you." Lightstar meowed. Echostripe nodded. Dreampaw and Goldenpaw sighed.
"What was it like in BloodClan?" A small, ginger kit asked. Dreampaw blinked in confusion. She had never seen this kit before, but for some reason she looked familiar. Lightstar purred in amusement.
"Dreampaw, this is your little sister, Smallkit. She was the only one in her litter." She purred finally. Smallkit tilted her head. Immediately Dreampaw could see Featherpaw in the kit's eyes. She stifled a laugh. Smallkit would be a handful, just like her older sister. Just by the events during the day Dreampaw could tell Featherpaw hadn't changed since she left. If Dreampaw had her way, Featherpaw and Wildpaw would switch names. Wildpaw fit Featherpaw better, and Wildpaw was lighter on her feet and had longer fur then Featherpaw.
"Nice to meet you Smallkit. Knowing Gingerspot, you might want to get back to the nursery." Dreampaw purred after the surprise washed away. Smallkit perked up and bounded away into the nursery.
"Anyway, so what are their names going to be?" Lightstar asked. To Dreampaw's relief, the leader didn't remember about the mother. Dreampaw thought for a moment.
"The one white kit has got to be Morningkit. She looks so much like Morningsong." She meowed.
"How about Dawnkit for one of the calicos?" Goldenpaw asked. The name stood out to Dreampaw, and she knew what to name the third.
"And the last can be Twilightkit." She decided. Lightstar nodded.
"Morningkit, Dawnkit and Twilightkit. Sounds great to me." She meowed. With that she jumped back onto the Highrock. Most cats had stayed to wait.
"For this announcement it is not necessary to call all cats. The three kits brought to us as almost newborns will be Morningkit, in honor of Morningsong, Twilightkit and Dawnkit." She announced. She turned and disappeared into her den. At the same moment, Smallkit appeared happily at the nursery.
"Hurry up!" She mewed playfully. A laugh came from the nursery entrance. Dreampaw realized that Gingerspot had not been at the meeting earlier. Winterpetal had also been missing. Now, Dreampaw's mother followed her little sister out of the nursery. Her eyes widened as she saw Dreampaw.
"Dreampaw!" She gasped. She bounded over and rubbed against her daughter. Now I know where Featherpaw gets it! She laughed to herself. Gingerspot continued to lick Dreampaw vigorously. The confused little kit watched with her head tilted. Finally, as if she was bored, she leaped onto the passing Featherpaw, knocking her down because of the surprise attack. Playfully Featherpaw stood up with the kit on her back. Dreampaw laughed and looked at her mother. What would the queen think when she knew her apprentice daughter was the mother of the three she-kits they had brought back to camp and just named?