The first snowflakes of leaf-bare began to fall on the ground as Dapplestar walked alongside Shimmerwing through the marshy terrain. It had been a moon since Shimmerwing's accident, and she had been recovering well. However, she had still stood firm that she had not remembered what happened. After consulting with Starlingfern, the medicine cat stated that Shimmerwing would most likely not retrieve her memories of that day, and so it was pointless and perhaps even cruel to continue asking. Dapplestar had been furious with the explanation, but in the end, accepted it. Continuing to ask Shimmerwing would not make the memory appear. Perhaps, one day, she would remember and let Dapplestar know. But for now, it was a forgotten memory.
Now the two cats were following a scent reported by Runningflame. The ginger-and-white tom had reported scenting rogues on their territory, and Dapplestar hoped it wasn't another rogue group that she would have to crush. She would not show mercy to another group of rogues that decided to live on their territory. Cash and Penny had been enough.
"I hope Runningflame isn't sending us on a wild goose chase," Shimmerwing meowed, watching the snow fall on the ground. "It's going to get cold."
"I'll kill him if this ends up being useless," Dapplestar growled.
Shimmerwing's whiskers twitched in amusement. It was always like Dapplestar to threaten killing the cats she loved the most.
Dapplestar sighed. "Perhaps we should turn back. I can't smell anything."
"Wait!" Shimmerwing shot up like a rabbit. "I do!"
"What?" Dapplestar's green eyes narrowed. Shimmerwing lifted her tail and sniffed the air. Dapplestar followed her lead, and sure enough, a faint scent of rogue drifted through the air. Dapplestar followed the scent, Shimmerwing behind her until the stench became even stronger. The two cats ran until the edge of the marshland, where they skidded to a halt, their eyes widening.
In front of them were two scraps of fur, one gold-and-white and the other pure black. They were kittens, mewling pitifully, pawing the air. Dapplestar's eyes widened as she stared at them. They were clearly motherless – no mother would ever leave their kits in a state like this, especially in the freezing weather. What happened to them?
"Kits!" Shimmerwing exclaimed.
"Do you think Runningflame killed the mother?" Dapplestar asked, searching around for any sign of her. She couldn't find it in her heart to think that Runningflame would kill an innocent cat, but it would make sense if the mother was a threat to RiverClan. Perhaps he didn't know about the kits.
"Look," Shimmerwing breathed out, pointing with her tail towards the glade of trees. Dapplestar crossed the marsh to see a dark mound of fur, laying in her own blood. Several wounds crisscrossed her body, and Dapplestar swallowed, realizing that the mother was killed by some predator.
"She's dead," Dapplestar told Shimmerwing. "These kits are motherless."
Shimmerwing's blue eyes focused on the cries of the kits, helpless and sorrowful. Are they wondering why their mother left them? Dapplestar wondered. She didn't mean to. Dapplestar padded over to the kittens, and Shimmerwing looked up at her, her blue eyes pleading.
"Dapplestar…" Shimmerwing murmured.
"I know what you're thinking." She's always had a bleeding heart, that one. "Grayripple is the only nursing queen we have, and her kits died just days after they were born. Do we really want to give her a litter that is not hers?"
"What else can we do?" Shimmerwing asked. "We can't leave them here." The tawny deputy curled her body around the freezing kits. As Shimmerwing pressed her fur against them, the kits instantly began to cease their incessant mewling. Dapplestar watched her, realizing that she had to decide before the kits froze to death.
"If we leave them out here, they'll die," Dapplestar declared bluntly. "We can raise them to be good warriors for the Clan." If I let them live their lives as rogues, they'll be an enemy.
Shimmerwing looked up to face Dapplestar. "You mean…?"
Dapplestar sighed. "Yes, we can bring them to RiverClan." The tortoiseshell she-cat padded over and sank her teeth into the scruff of the gold-and-white she-kit. The kitten let out a high-pitched mewl, and Dapplestar's heart broke. She had been like this kit, once. Helpless, with no mother to love her. I know how you feel, little kit.
Shimmerwing grasped the other kit in her jaws, and the two RiverClan cats began to walk home as snow piled up around them. If they didn't hurry, the kits would freeze. Dapplestar quickened her pace until they reached the stream leading to camp. Dapplestar lifted the kit above her, swimming through the stream, making sure the kit did not touch the water. Finally, Dapplestar reached camp, the kit swinging in her teeth.
Most of the Clan was at camp, thanks to the freezing weather. When Dapplestar appeared at the entrance with a kit in her teeth, Shimmerwing behind her with another kit, the RiverClan cats began to mutter among themselves. Dapplestar's green eyes swept over the Clan, challenging them to speak out against her.
"Dapplestar, where did you get those kits?" Tawnycloud asked, her eyes softening with sympathy as she looked at them.
"Shimmerwing and I found them alone at the edge of territory," Dapplestar explained, dropping the kit to the ground. "Their mother was dead."
"That's horrible!" Tawnycloud exclaimed. "Poor things."
"Oh, they're so cute!" exclaimed Blossompaw, who raced over to the kits. "Are they going to be Clan cats?"
Silverpaw shot Blossompaw a glance. "Of course they are! Why do you think Dapplestar brought them here? Fish-brain!"
"Ow…" Blossompaw rubbed her head.
Rushfire padded over to the kits. "They look like strong, healthy kits," he commented. "But they are not Clanborn. How can we accept them?"
Dapplestar swung to glare at Rushfire. "I do not care if one is Clanborn or not. I care for if one can serve their Clan properly. We do not know what these kits' futures will hold. For now, the least I can do is give them a chance at life. I will ask Grayripple if she is willing to nurse them."
Rushfire dipped his head to Dapplestar without any more complaint. His eyes were glazed with grief, and Dapplestar recalled that he had been the father of Grayripple's deceased kits. Dapplestar picked up the kit in her jaws and padded over to the nursery. She ducked under the bramble thicket to see the jet black she-cat curled up in a den of reeds and moss, staring at nothing.
Dapplestar looked over at Shimmerwing. Shimmerwing was better with these scenarios than Dapplestar was. Shimmerwing cleared her throat, putting the black tomkit on the ground. "Grayripple?" she asked.
"Shimmerwing," Grayripple meowed, her voice broken, possibly from not using it in days. "What can I do with you?"
"Dapplestar and I have found two helpless kits in the snow," Shimmerwing meowed. "I know they will never replace your kits. No kit ever will. But if these kits do not get any milk soon, they will starve to death. Can you nurse them?"
Grayripple's gold eyes examined the two kits, scrambling each other on the ground. "I could never let any innocent kits die," she whispered, the pain raw in her voice. "I will nurse them."
"Thank you," Shimmerwing whispered as she picked up the black tomkit and gently nudged him to Grayripple's belly. "This will be remembered."
Dapplestar followed suit, placing the gold-and-white she-kit at Grayripple's stomach. The two kittens immediately began to latch on and nurse, pawing at Grayripple's stomach and purring. Is that what I did with Marshfoot and Crookedfang? Dapplestar wondered.
The two she-cats exited the nursery to see Runningflame, Rippleheart, and Shellfall. Starlingfern slipped through the cats and entered the nursery. Runningflame's green eyes widened. "So that was the rogue scent I smelled?" he asked. "What happened to the mother?"
"It seems as if she was killed by some animal," Dapplestar told him. "The kits were alone. Whatever killed her missed the kits."
Shimmerwing's blue eyes clouded with grief. "No kit should ever have to endure the loss of their mother at such a young age."
"What do you plan to do with them?" Rippleheart asked the two she-cats, uneasiness in his blue eyes.
Dapplestar lifted her head. "They will be raised as RiverClan warriors," she declared. "RiverClan needs more warriors if we are to pacify the realm. I have no doubt these kits will help us. If I let them live as rogues, they will become our enemy."
Shimmerwing nodded in agreement.
"Hopefully they survive," Rippleheart rumbled. "Being in this weather for so long without nutrition can't be good for such small bodies."
Dapplestar shrugged. "We'll see."
"Maybe StarClan led them to you on purpose," Shellfall suggested.
"Perhaps," Shimmerwing agreed.
"What about them not being Clanborn?" Rippleheart asked.
Dapplestar felt her fur bristle. "I don't care where cats are born. I've made this clear when I brought Shellfall in. The only thing that matters to me is if you can serve your Clan loyally. If these kits can, then they are just as welcome as loyal Clanborn cats. Where cats are born is of no interest to me. I would rather have a Clan full of loyal rogue born cats than disloyal Clanborn cats."
Rippleheart's blue eyes sparkled. Shellfall lowered his head deeply. Runningflame wore a thoughtful expression. Dapplestar swung her gaze from side to side. What did they think of her decision? She was not going to revert it – she had accepted these two kits in the Clan, and that was that. Rippleheart had brought up a good point about their fate, but for now, they were under Grayripple's care.
"This will surely be interesting," Rippleheart remarked. "What will you name them?"
Dapplestar frowned. She had never thought of that. She glanced at Shimmerwing, who was tilting her head. The kit that Dapplestar had picked up had gold-and-white fur, the gold fur as bright as the sun's rays. "Sunkit," Dapplestar decided. "For the she-kit."
"If the she-kit is Sunkit, then the tom will be Moonkit," Shimmerwing decided. "The moon lets the sun shine through the day, and the sun lets the moon glimmer at night. These two kits were found for a reason, and so we will treat them as the gift they are."
Dapplestar gazed at Shimmerwing. She was just as satisfied that they found the kits as Shimmerwing was, but there was something deep in Shimmerwing's gaze that made the fur on Dapplestar's shoulders prick. Shimmerwing had always been strong and powerful, the ideal image of an honorable warrior. Did Shimmerwing have a motherly instinct inside of her? Does she want to be a mother? Dapplestar shook her head. I shouldn't ask.
"Mhm, is that right?" Runningflame's voice was ripe with amusement. "Am I to get the meaning that if anyone messes with them, they'll feel your claws, lass?"
"You're right." Shimmerwing unsheathed her claws.
Dapplestar shook her shoulders. "I must announce their arrival to the Clan." There was no need for the customary call to summon the Clan, for most of the Clan was already gathered in the center of camp, having seen the arrival of the kits. She looked around, seeing the split reaction in the Clan. Sharpfang, Wolfheart, Thistleflame, Squirreltail, Rowanshade, Brightpool, and Jaymoon were wearing frowns on their face. Snowstorm, Tawnycloud, Leopardlight, Grayripple, Darkshadow, and Minnowflight's expressions were bright and jovial. The remaining cats wore neutral guises, and Dapplestar felt frustration rise in her body. If this was about Moonkit and Sunkit being non-Clanborn, she would have a fight to pick. Isn't Shellfall, one of my most loyal warriors, enough to remind you that loyalty does not belong in where a Clan is born?
"Clanmates!" Dapplestar called when she leaped on the Streamrock. "As I am sure you have heard, while Shimmerwing and I patrolled our territory, we came across two motherless kits. We have brought them to camp and have given them to the care of Grayripple. They are named Sunkit and Moonkit, and I plan to have them brought up as RiverClan warriors."
"Provided they're able to," Thistleflame snorted.
"Do you have something you would like to say, Thistleflame?" Dapplestar asked the blue-gray warrior icily. "Come. I am sure we would all like to hear it."
Thistleflame shifted his paws uneasily, his ears flattened. Perhaps he did not expect to be called on by Dapplestar. "It's not that they're not Clanborn, Dapplestar. It isn't. But I'm just wondering how we'll be able to raise them in a bitter leaf-bare."
Dapplestar lifted her chin. She, too, shared Thistleflame's worries. But she would not be caught dead saying it out loud. "I understand your concerns, Thistleflame. But they are in the strongest Clan by the lake. They will thrive here. You dare think we will not be able to provide for our young? Would you say the same for the next queen when she kits in leaf-bare?"
Thistleflame kept silent. Dapplestar realized her words had gotten through to him. She lifted her head, waiting for any other complaints. But there were none. Even the cats who wore wry frowns held their tongues. "If there are no complaints, that is all." Dapplestar leaped from the great rock and landed on the freezing ground.
RiverClan had gained two new kits. But there were obstacles in their future, and not all was happy news. Would the pathetic scraps of fur survive the hard leaf-bare that was to come? Would Grayripple nurse them successfully? Would their Clanmates accept them? If Dapplestar had anything they do with it, they would. But Dapplestar could not keep her own suspicions from hanging over her like a dark cloud.