Disclaimer: I based the Clan structure on the Warriors books by Erin Hunter.

Thanks for reading this story. Sorry it took so long to update...

Now here is the next chapter. Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 13

The camp was very busy. Falconstar had started kitting just before dawn. The sun was high in the sky now. Grasswhisker and Cloudpaw had been with their Clan leader all morning and helped the young queen with her first kitting. The black-and-ginger she-cat lay in a deep nest of moss and panted heavily. Cloudpaw had given Falconstar borage to strengthen her and help ease the pain.

"The kits are coming now." Grasswhisker mewed when the queen's body quivered and a wave of contraction surged through Falconstar. Moments later a small wet bundle plunged out. The old tom ran his tongue over the kit to make its blood run. Cloudpaw watched her mentor intensively.

"It's a black she-kit." He announced a little later.

"There is another one coming." Cloudpaw said and readied herself to nip open the kitting sac and lick the kit as Grasswhisker had just done. A few moments later a tiny bundle jay at the apprentice's paws and she busied herself to make the little kit rouse.

"This one is a ginger she-kit." The black apprentice mewed at last. "Looks like you split your pelt color to your daughters. One black, one ginger."

Another ripple surged through Falconstar's body and a third kit plunged out. Grasswhisker signaled to Cloudpaw to take care of the newest arrival, while he checked on their mother.

"This was the last kit. You did very well, Falconstar. Rest now; I'll bring you some borage later."

"This one here is a cute gray tom." Cloudpaw mewed. "Actually there are all adorable. Do you have names for them yet?"

Grasswhisker let out a mrrow of laughter. "Let Falconstar rest a little. There is no hurry in naming the kits."

Falconstar looked at her three kits and purred. They were huddled into the curve of her belly and were already suckling busily. She bent down to lick each of them herself; taking in the scents of her precious kits. She noticed that the tom had the same dark gray pelt as Bouldertail. However, her kits all had a different pelt color; it shouldn't be too difficult to explain the gray colored tom to her Clanmates.

xxx

It had been two days since Falconstar kittened. Whiskerheart and Hawkfeather had visited her the most often, besides from the two medicine cats. By now, all her Clanmates had come to see her kits. Foxstep, Falconstar's father and the only elder in the Clan, had purred hard when he saw the little ginger kit.

"She looks so much like me." the ginger tom had commented.

Falconstar had named her two daughters Nightkit and Redkit, based on their pelts. The little dark gray tom, she had named Rockkit. Whiskerheart had said that he liked the names very much. He adored the kits, especially the two she-kits who looked so much like their mother. Falconstar felt bad for lying to him about the kits. Whiskerheart still believed that he was their father.

xxx

Leaf-bare had a strong grip on the Clans. It had snowed more than any cat could remember. Falconstar's kits were almost two moons old and now old enough to explore the camp a little. The Clan leader watched her kits closely as they darted across the camp and ran into snow drifts. Falconstar enjoyed seeing her kits play and at the same time she wanted to give Sweetcloud some quiet time to rest. The young she-cat had joined Falconstar in the nursery as she expected her first litter; she was due any day. Falconstar's three kits were growing fast. Nightkit and Redkit were as adventurous as their mother and got themselves into a lot of mischief. Rockkit on the other hand was the smart one. He would always get around being caught, even though he caused as much trouble as his sisters. The little gray tom was by far the biggest of Falconstar's litter. He went after his father, Falconstar thought. Not a single day went by that he didn't remind Falconstar of Bouldertail. She had discussed Rockkit with Hawkfeather once when the kits were smaller. The deputy, too, had noted how much the kit looked like the HedgeClan warrior. And even Grasswhisker had mentioned it once or twice. Falconstar hoped no-one else would notice.

Hawkfeather had taken over the Clan while her sister was in the nursery. Three moons ago, the black she-cat had led the Clan to the Gathering; much to the surprise of the other Clans. As expected, Leafstar snarled about the useless leaders of MeadowClan – he despised Falconstar and Hawkfeather because they were young she-cats who had kits. However, Hawkstar had congratulated on Falconstar's kits. The ForestClan leader had always been a sensible cat and Hawkfeather liked her genuinely.

Tonight would be another Gathering. This time Falconstar would lead her Clan again. Sweetcloud and Cloudpaw would watch her kits. Grasswhisker's apprentice had adored the kits since the day they were born. She was excited at the prospect of having more kits in camp soon. Stormtail, who had helped out Hawkfeather with the deputy work, was heading for the nursery where Falconstar and Cloudpaw crouched and watched the kits play in the snow.

"Falconstar", he mewed to his Clan leader and bowed his head in greeting. "We need to leave soon. The snow will slow us down and we should leave earlier than usual."

"As you say, Stormtail." She turned to her kits and called them to her. "Listen kits, I have to go away for a short while. Cloudpaw will look after you and you will listen to her, right."

"Where are you going?" Redkit asked.

"Tonight is a Gathering and cats from all three Clans meet in the Chestnut Hollow." Falconstar explained.

"Can we come with you?" Rockkit piped.

"No, you are too young. You will go into the nursery and wait for me."

"Can we play with Cloudpaw?" Nightkit asked. She was as fond of the apprentice as the black cat was of her.

"Of course, you can play with Cloudpaw. But don't play too rough." Falconstar mewed sternly.

The kits squeaked with joy and scrambled into the nursery after the medicine cat apprentice. Falconstar rose to her paws and followed Stormtail to the warriors' den. Hawkfeather had decided on the cats to come with them to the Gathering. After a brief meeting they headed out of the camp.

The snow reached Falconstar to her belly and soon her fur was full of burrs of frozen snow. Hawkfeather had taken over the lead. When they finally reached the Chestnut Hollow, Falconstar was breathing heavily. The trek through the snow had exhausted her. She waited to catch her breath before meeting up with the other Clan leaders beside the Boulder.

"Hello Falconstar, it's good to see you again. How are your kits?" the ForestClan leader greeted her warmly.

"Thank you, Hawkstar. It's good to be here again. My kits are very well. They are getting bigger by the day; and getting into mischief all the time." Falconstar replied.

"They are kits." Hawkstar purred.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Falconstar saw Leafstar roll his eyes in annoyance over the two she-cat's conversation.

"Well, if you are done sharing nursery stories, perhaps we can start the Gathering." He mewed at last.

"Let the Gathering begin." Hawkstar's mew rang across the Hollow. The cats became quiet and looked up at their leaders. Hawkfeather, Talonwing and Bouldertail, the three deputies, were sitting just beneath the boulder on which Falconstar and the other leaders stood.

"ForestClan is thriving in spite of the snow. We have two new warriors here today: Smalltail and Spottedclaw." The brown she-cat mewed. Falconstar saw a gray she-cat and a pale gray tom proudly puffing out their chests. The other cats cheered for the young warriors and Hawkstar stepped back to let Leafstar address the Clans.

"HedgeClan is thriving, too. But I have sad news to bring to you. Twigbreak is dead. Leafwhisker is our new medicine cat."

Falconstar saw the white-and-gray tom sitting next to Grasswhisker and Willowstem. They were talking in low voices. Leafwhisker was a young cat, but he had trained hard with his mentor. Leafstar didn't have any other news to share and stepped back. Now it was Falconstar's turn, but she didn't have anything to report and the Gathering was adjourned. She saw Bouldertail staring at her and deliberately turned her back on him.

"Come on, Hawkfeather, let's get back to camp."

Continues soon...