The News

Crowfeather waited patiently for his mate to show.

ThunderClan had not arrived yet, so Crowfeather wasn't too worried.

He just hoped no one got wind of their plan.

He first saw Firestar, and then his deputy Brambleclaw.

Then ThunderClan warriors came down after them.

Crowfeather's heart skipped a beat when he saw Leafpool.

But the expression on her face told him something was wrong.

Did someone find out about the plan?

When Leafpool arrived, Crowfeather approached with a casual step.

"What's up?" Crowfeather asked in a bare whisper.

Leafpool's amber eyes darted back and farther, then she leaned over and mewed in his ear, "I'm going to have kits."

Crowfeather blinked in surprise, but he resisted the urge to say something.

"K-kits? Are you sure?" Crowfeather asked. Leafpool only nodded.

Crowfeather felt like he swallowed a mouse whole.

Now what?

For the whole Gathering, Crowfeather and Leafpool were quiet.

Then, when leaders wrapped the whole thing up, and called their clans to them, Crowfeather spoke quietly to Leafpool. "Whatever you do, don't tell anyone."

Leafpool nodded, dipped her head good bye, and padded off.

For many moons it was like that.

Leafpool and Crowfeather would share words with each other, occasionally on the kits.

Until, she decided to share the news with her family.

"You're having whose kits?!" Firestar demanded.

Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, and Sorreltail were there, too, and equally as shocked.

"You're a medicine cat, you're not suppose to mate!" Firestar said.

"I know, but . . ." Leafpool hesitated. Would they believe her if she told them about her dream?

"Now, now, everyone. No need to snap at the poor thing. She is a subject of a prophecy, after all," a familiar voice interrupted.

The cats' fur bristled as a fox stepped into the clearing.

Leafpool relaxed. It was Saul.

"Who are you?" Firestar demanded. "And what are you doing here?"

Saul chuckled lightly and brushed past the cat. "Me? Oh, just trying to justify your daughter's actions. You see, this was foretold in a prophecy. These kits will be a revelation for not only your clan, but all clans!"

Firestar blinked in surprise. He had no idea.

Sandstorm, however, was brave enough to ask, "And how can you prove it?"

"How, you ask?" Saul chuckled and pranced around Sandstorm. "How can I prove my worth and honesty to you, you ponder? Why, to be truthful, I can't. What my kind did to your kind I cannot undo. But, what I can do is this!" He cleared his throat and sighted, "'A pool of leaves and a crow's feather. Together they will drive to become one. When they do, a crescent moon will rise to set fire to the heart of the tiger. A small leaf will be the roots of the clan. A feather will gain her spots. Water will drown the clan's beliefs. And thunder will save the clan.'"

Firestar stared at Leafpool. He nodded and said, "Very well. If this is the will of StarClan, then so be it."

"Oh dear me, it's not the will of StarClan! It's the will of the Most High!" Saul corrected.

A few moons later:

Leafpool laid in pain as the kits arrived. One by one, they were forced out.

Finally, the pain subsided and Leafpool began licking one of the kits.

Crowfeather was there, as was Sorreltail and Squirrelflight.

When the kits were warm and ready to feed, they nuzzled to Leafpool's belly and started feeding.

"What are you going to name them?" Sorreltail asked curiously.

Leafpool thought back to the prophecy. A spotted feather. A tear that blazes like fire. A crescent moon in a storm. A small leaf.

"This one," Leafpool said, licking a kit's ear, "is going to be Spottedkit."

"This one is going to be Littlekit," she said, nuzzling another kit.

"This one is going to be Crescentkit, and this one is Firekit." She pointed with her tail to the other two.

"Spottedkit, Littlekit, Crescentkit, and Firekit. I like it," Crowfeather said, purring with delight.

"So, then, will they all stay in ThunderClan or will one of them go to WindClan?" Squirrelflight asked.

"ThunderClan," Crowfeather said with hesitation. "They will be better suited there, then with my clan. Nightcloud and Breezepaw could hurt them."

Leafpool nodded her agreement. She and the other ThunderClan warriors picked up the kits and carried them back to camp.

Crowfeather, with his chest full of pride and happiness, returned to WindClan.