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

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

Chapter 14

Another moon had passed. Falconstar's kits were exploring the camp more every day; and getting into more mischief. Since they didn't need their mother every second of the day anymore, Falconstar had started taking over her duties as Clan leader. Sweetcloud had had her kits shortly after the last Gathering. However, half a moon after they were born, the kits came down with whitecough that killed one of them. Now the young black-and-white queen was left with only Rainkit. The cold of leaf bare had gotten to all the cats in the Clan. Honeyflower and Petalflower had joined Foxstep in the elders' den; their joints had become too stiff too hunt anymore. And Lilyheart was still fighting greencough. Grasswhisker wasn't sure if the tortoiseshell she-cat would recover from the sickness.

Since the last Gathering a few days ago, Falconstar was very quiet. Grasswhisker was concerned that their leader had come down with a sickness and he and Cloudpaw examined the black-and-ginger queen. However, Falconstar wasn't ill. She was troubled by something that happened at the Gathering.

They had already ended the Gathering and the Clans were ready to head back when Bouldertail approached Falconstar. They were hidden from view behind a small hazel bush. Falconstar hadn't talked to the gray tom since she found out that she expected his kits.

"What do you want, Bouldertail?" the she-cat sat down neatly and eyed the other warrior. The HedgeClan warrior looked tense.

"I am not mouse-brained, Falconstar. Your kits; they are mine, aren't they."

"What makes you think they are yours?" Falconstar tried to hide her panic. What would Bouldertail do if he found out the truth?

"What makes me think that I am their father? How can you ask this? We were mates! Did you forget about me this quickly?" his voice was hard. It made Falconstar's heart ache. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

"I haven't forgotten about you, Bouldertail. And I never will. I treasure the time we had, but it's over. It's best for our Clans if we don't see each other again."

"I want to know the truth." He pierced Falconstar with his eyes. "We can wait until your kits are apprenticed or you can tell me now. Am I their father?"

Falconstar felt the world around her swirl. She looked into Bouldertail's amber eyes and saw Rockkit reflected in them. Her little son looked so much like his father. She debated with herself whether or not to tell him. The dark gray tom had moved closer to Falconstar and pressed his muzzle into her fur.

"They are yours." She whispered at last. "But please don't tell anyone. It's best for the kits. They think Whiskerheart is their father."

Bouldertail sat back and nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I will keep your secret safe."

And with that he had turned around and left. Falconstar had no memories of getting back to camp. Ever since she had found out about having his kits, she had wanted to tell Bouldertail. She was certain the gray tom would have been a great father. Now he knew the truth and he promised to keep it a secret. Falconstar felt like she was lost in haze; everything was blurred. She felt a tongue rasped over her ear and heard the distant high-pitched mew of her kits.

"Play with us, Whiskerheart." Redkit demanded.

"Show us some battle moves." Rockkit mewed.

"No, Whiskerheart and I have to go outside. The three of you can play with Rainkit." Falconstar told her kits. Whiskerheart had to quiet them because they immediately started complaining.

Once Falconstar and Whiskerheart had left the nursery, the black-and-ginger she-cat indicated that they were leaving the camp. The brown tabby tom looked utterly confused but didn't object. Falconstar led them to a quiet spot.

"There is something I have to tell you, Whiskerheart." The black-and-ginger she-cat began. Back in the nursery, her plan seemed so simple, but now Falconstar was scared. "I wanted to tell you this for some time, but there wasn't a good moment yet. I guess there will never be a good moment." She took a deep breath and looked into Whiskerheart's eyes.

"You are not the father of my kits. I am sorry I lied to you."

"There is nothing to apologize. I knew they are not mine."

Falconstar gasped at the tom's words. How did he know?

"I don't understand. If you knew the truth, why didn't you say something? Why did you let the Clan believe that you are the father?"

"I wanted them to be my kits. You know how much I care about you, Falconstar. I guess, I didn't care that someone else fathered them. If our Clanmates believe they are my kits, then they will be my kits." The brown tabby answered.

"I am sorry things didn't work out between us. You would have been a great father and the kits love you."

"Thank you, Falconstar. But I think Bouldertail would have been a great father, too. Does he know about his kits?"

Falconstar gasped again. Pure horror griped her. Did Whiskerheart know the truth about her and Bouldertail? How did he find out?

"Will you tell the Clan the truth?" she asked tentatively.

"I won't tell any cat. I will protect you and our kits." He mewed solemnly.

Falconstar briefly pressed her muzzle into Whiskerheart's fur and purred. She knew she had to be grateful about the brown tabby's support, but she was afraid of what might come out of this lie. Whiskerheart was intent to let everyone believe that Nightkit, Redkit and Rockkit were his kits. However, Falconstar wanted to tell her kits the truth when they were older. Whiskerheart ran his tongue over Falconstar's ear and pressed his pelt against hers.

xxx

A few days later, Falconstar and Hawkfeather were sitting outside the nursery and watched the kits play in the 's kits were four moons old. They had learned a few battle moves from Whiskerheart and were now playing a mock battle. Soon the kits would be apprenticed and the Clan leader could focus again on leading her Clan. Sweetcloud and her daughter Rainkit were inside the hazel thicket and Falconstar and her sister had time for a private conversation. Hawkfeather had told her sister that Talonwing didn't come to their meeting place the previous night.

"He had never missed a single meeting before, Falconstar. I am very concerned. What if something happened to him? What if he got sick?"

"What do you want me to do, Hawkfeather? I can't go to ForestClan and ask how he is." Falconstar mewed a little frustrated.

"Yes, I know. I was thinking, maybe we can go to the forest and search for his scent."

"Are you mouse-brained, Hawkfeather?" Falconstar whispered. "We cannot trespass into ForestClan territory at night. And what about my kits?"

"We wouldn't be gone for long and Sweetcloud could look after your kits. Please Falconstar." The deputy pleaded.

"We are both mouse-brained. Okay, I will come with you; but only if Sweetcloud agrees to watch my kits." The black-and-ginger she-cat couldn't deny her sister this request. And to tell the truth, Falconstar worried about Talonwing as well. There had to be a reason, he didn't meet Hawkfeather.

xxx

Night had already fallen. Falconstar and Hawkfeather had left the camp after the sunset patrol returned. The Clan leader had told her Clanmates that she and the deputy had to go to the Sacred Stone and share tongues with their ancestors on an urgent matter. Thankfully, Grasswhisker hadn't objected and Sweetcloud was more than willing to watch Falconstar's kits until she would return.

"This is where we usually meet, Falconstar." Hawkfeather had led them right to the border with ForestClan. The black-and-ginger she-cat tasted the air in the hope to detect some traces of Talonwing. Suddenly, Falconstar tensed. She had picked up a hint of blood.

"This way, Hawkfeather." She led the way to a bramble thicket. The smell of blood grew stronger as she approached the brambles. The two sisters came to a sudden stop and Hawkfeather gasped in shock.

"Talonwing, what happened?"

The ForestClan deputy lay half hidden beside the bramble thicket; he was covered with blood and didn't move.

Continues soon...