A/N: Violetmoon: I HATE YOU!

Me: But you're gonna be a mama!

Violetmoon: I'm too young! And what will the clan say?

Me: That's for me to write and for everyone else to read.

Violetmoon: At least tell them who the father is.

Me: Alright, fine. The father is . . . .

No Longer With Me

Blackstar.

He was the first thing that came to mind. Of course, pregnancy. Why didn't I think of it? Ever since that night with Blackstar I've been feeling strange. Now I was carrying his kits. Oh my God, Jesus, Yahweh, Brahma, Krishna, Allah, Moses, and Chuck Norris, I was pregnant!

Jayfeather gave me a second to take it in. His sightless eyes were filled with pity and sympathy for me. I would do the same for the she-cat was carrying kits for a tom in another clan.

Jayfeather kept staring at me, like he was in deep concentration. Wait! Son of a bitch! He was peeking inside my memories. I knew if anything he was trying to find out who the father was.

Well hell-to-the-no was he going to find out about me and Blackstar. I quickly shut him out, forming a protective field around my mind, something Mother Gana taught me to help keep out evil spirits and such from peeking into my mind.

But I kicked him out too late. Jayfeather had this look of complete and utter shock on his face. Oh crap. He knew. He defiantly knew.

"Blackstar?"

"We love it each other Jayfeather!" I said, rushing to defense.

"But . . . . Blackstar?"

"He's kind and sweet, and he loves me."

Jayfeather shook his head. "Violetmoon." His tone sounded like he was disappointed. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

I shook my head. "Stop talking like Blackstar's some immoral tom that would drop me the second he found out."

"I can't deny the truth."

My jaw dropped. How dare he say that about Blackstar! "Well I love Blackstar!"

"You've made that clear."

"And these are his kits! He will love them as much as he loves me!"

Jayfeather sat down. "Well if that's what you think . . ."

"It is!"

"Alright! Calm down would you? Look I'm just saying . . . . maybe it wouldn't be wise to . . . tell him."

I could feel my face soften. "Why?"

Jayfeather sighed. "Violetmoon, I've known this tom since I was born. I've witness what he's done and how he treats others."

He sounded just like Hollyleaf when I told her about him.

"He doesn't attach to cats."

"He attached to me," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but only because there were no strings attached. Face it Violetmoon, as soon as he realizes that he has some responsibility in this relationship . . . . he might . . . . he might leave."

I gasped. "What?"

Jayfeather held up a paw to calm me down. "I'm just suggesting it Violetmoon. That's kinda what we toms do in these situations."

"What? Leave?"

"Um . . . . yeah."

Hm. I guess human men are the same as toms. "He wouldn't really just drop me, would he?"

Jayfeather shrugged. "I can't say he will. But that move does sound like something Blackstar would pull."

I nodded. Perhaps it would be better to keep it a secret for a while. "I guess you're right."

"I always am."

I whipped him with my tail. "Don't be smart. What happens to me now?"

"Well, you can continue living as a warrior, but once your start showing that's when you move into the nursery."

I rolled my eyes. "Joyful."

"Kits are joyful." He walked towards the exit of the den. "By the way," he said, looking back to me. "Your secret is safe with me."

As he left the den, and I was standing alone with the smell of herbs, I thought of what he said. Kits are joyful.

Strange. I felt like these kits would bring nothing but misery from me.

About a moon passed since my talk with Jayfeather and finding out I was pregnant. By that time, my belly was growing bigger, and everyone in the clan knew. I'm not stupid, I heard them whisper. "Did you hear?" "I know! I wonder who the father is." "I think it might be Lionblaze." "No!" "Why not? Everyone they're close." "But they're just friends." "That's what we all thought until her belly grew."

Oh my God! It was like my experience at high school, except the rumors about me were true. And that's what I had to tell when Firestar called me into his den one afternoon.

As I walked in, Leafpool was there. I had a bad feeling growing in my stomach, and it wasn't the small life forms that were in me.

"Violetmoon," Firestar said. He pointed his tail to my stomach. "Are you carrying kits?"

I was silent, looking everywhere but at Firestar.

His eyes remained on me. "Violetmoon, don't try hiding it. Leafpool has told me that you are."

I opened my mouth to say something but Firestar stopped me. "She's been a medicine cat longer than you've been born. I think she would know when a she-cat is carrying kits more than you."

"How?" I snapped. "She's never carried kits before!"

Leafpool looked hurt by what I said. I don't know why though. It was true. She was a medicine cat. She couldn't even have kits. I still apologized anyway.

"I'm sorry Firestar. I didn't mean to. It just happened and I-"

"Wait what?"

I looked at him in confusion. "Aren't you upset at me for getting preg . . . . for carrying kits?"

He shook his head. "No, not at all. These kits will be a joyful addition to the clan."

I felt so relieved. He wasn't mad at me at all. If anything, I think he was a little happy. Damn, didn't these cats see how much trouble these kits would bring? One, they were half-clan (not that there's anything wrong with that). Two, it would be more mouths to feed when we could barely feed ourselves. Three, the evil spirits would hunt them down like prey in the territory. Okay that last one was more for me to worry about, but it still added to the list. But for now, I would just be happy that I wasn't in trouble with the clan.

Leafpool now spoke. "You're over a moon pregnant Violetmoon. For future reference, when you know you're carrying kits, please don't ignore it-for the sake of the kits."

I nodded. "I'm sorry."

She sighed. "No need to apologize. You're still young. Now come, I'll help you move into the nursery. That's where you'll be living until your kits are six moons old."

I felt depressed by what she said. Seven whole moons of me sitting around and taking care of kits. I'm not one of those women who hate kids, but the thought just made me groan. I was way too young for this. I wasn't ready! Damn you Blackstar-Oh no! How was going to tell Blackstar? I couldn't just see him at night anymore. Oh crap in crappers.

A suddenly wave of exhaustion took over me, and I let out a yawn. Leafpool hurried me back to the nursery. Daisy and Ferncloud prepared a nest for me.

Ferncloud could see the unsettled look on my face. She smiled warmly at me. "Funny how you can hide carrying kits for a month, but you can't hide your emotions."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I knew she was trying to relax me, but honestly, nothing could do that now.

Lying in my nest, I let out a long, depressed breath. Ferncloud sat next to me, putting a comforting tail on my back.

"I know how you must feel."

I raised my head slightly. "Really?"

She nodded. "You feel scared, depressed, and a little ashamed."

Lucky guess.

"It's naturally for young mothers to feel that way. You feel like you won't be able to care for them." She lowered her voice. "You probably didn't even want them in the first place."

I just continued to look at the ground as she said that.

Ferncloud stood up. "You'll see," she whispered. "The bond between a mother and her children is a powerful one. Not even the darkest forces could break it."

She left the nursery. I was glad she hadn't asked anything about the father. I was glad no one was really asking anything-for now at least. But when they did, I better have a good story to back it up. Ah, another lie to tell to the clans. What else is new?

I curled up in my nest. To me, it was uncomfortable sleeping with a big belly. It was sleeping with a full stomach (except mine was full of kits, not food). I would try to move, but my belly was too big. Eventually, after finding an actually comfortable position, I drifted off to sleep.

Blinking my eyes open, sunlight shot into my pupils. I squinted my eyes shut from the light. Then I slowly blinked them open again. My mouth dropped at what I saw. I was in the middle of a paradise. It's looked like a place where gods lived. Surrounding me were beautiful tropical plants, flowers, and trees. The sky above was the perfect shade of baby blue, with clouds lingering in various places. All kinds of animals were either in the sky, tress, or ground. They added music to the wonderland. The air smelled fresh with the scents of fruits and natures, along with a warm sun beating down on me.

I heard a stream and followed the sound. As I passed through a bush, I almost went straight into a golden river. Yes a golden river. It looked like any ordinary river you would see on earth, but it was gold. Something about it was so pure, yet powerful, I was almost tempted to go in.

But in a distance, another wonder caught my eye. Just beyond the trees that grew, something bright was catching the sun's reflection and shinning so bright I had to squint.

Can I use my powers here?

Looking at a rock across the river, I made it levitate up and fall in.

Yep, I'm good.

For a second I remembered I was pregnant. Should I . . . . Eh screw it. They'll just have to hang on tight.

Focusing all my concentration, I felt my body turn into air. Flowing like wind, I traveled over what seemed to be a jungle, and followed the bright shine. A few more minutes of flying, I reached my destination.

Bellow me, surrounded my gardens of colors, and fountains of golden water, a huge golden palace stood. Fromm my view it look like random sized circles. But as I slowly flew to the ground, I noticed that it was a great collection of wonderful Greek architecture, made of pure solid gold. If the gods of Greek mythology lived here, I wouldn't be too surprised.

Landing softly on the ground, I reformed back to my regular cat-self. The grass felt like a soft carpet under my paws. This place was so peaceful, like all of my problems in life were just sucked out of me. I felt like I would never want to leave.

"It's not safe to fly when you're with child."

That voice. I recognized it. It was smooth and graceful.

I turned to see a beautiful tanned girl, with look milky brown wavy hair that fell to her hips, a white tunic with golden linen hugging her slim body, and a pair of gorgeous pink eyes.

I smiled. "Hello Alena."

Alena knelt low to my level. She reached out her hand, but stopped. "May I?"

I shrugged. "Yeah sure, why not?"

She petted my head gently. Then her eyes feel to my belly. They began to cloud with worry. She stood up. "Come." She gestured with her hand for me follow.

As I followed her, I looked up to her. "So, would you mind as to where exactly I am?"

"Archiki selida tou fotos."

"Home of light," I translated. Looks like both sisters spoke their native language.

Alena nodded. "Correct. This is my home. Yes, many things here are influenced from my Greek background, but unlike my ethnocentric sister, I prefer to embrace other cultures as well."

And as soon as we entered her palace, I understood what she meant. Inside her palace, there wasn't a trace of Greek, but there was traced of Arabic culture, Indian, Chinese, Egyptian, West African, even a little of Mesoamerican (before the conquistadors came). It was like stepping into a museum. There were pictures, furniture, colorful clothes hanging from the windows, beautiful arrays of exotic flowers and plant life, and amazing golden statues of what looked like gods from every religion man had created.

I whistled at the sight of it all. "You are a multiculturalist to the one hundredth degree."

Alena laughed. "Yes I guess you can say that."

"Can you speak all these languages too?"

She nodded. "I can speak practically any language man knows or once knew."

We walked together through the great halls. Soon, she led me out to her garden. It took my breath away. The flowers, the plants, the animals that crawled or flew, the golden fountains containing rainbow-colored water. All of it was divine.

She walked over to a small pond. We both sat down by the bank. Alena dipped her bare feet into the water. I took a little lap at it. The hot sun was making me thirsty.

"So," Alena said. "I see you're in a delicate situation."

I sighed.

"I'm sorry Violetmoon, but you know how serious this situation is."

"Actually I don't."

Her eyes widened. She swiped her hand over the water in front of us. In the water, a picture of a little girl showed up. She looked like she was from the Middle Ages or something. Her hair was tucked away in some sort of veil thing. Her skin was paler than a cloud, but her eyes were a bright green, almost like freshly grown grass.

"This," Alena said pointed to the girl, "is Jane. Her mother was a half-Spirit. At age eight, she was kidnapped by a mysterious stranger in the market-place one day. Three months later her body was found in an abandoned barn. She had been tortured before she was strangled to death."

I let out a loud gasp.

"It was an evil spirit."

I looked at her in confusion. "Huh?"

"An evil spirit," she said, "is was took Jane from her mother and tortured her. That evil spirit was under orders of my sister. Jane's mother had refused to join Kiara. So Kiara went off to kill her child. Her plan backfired though. A month after finding her dead child, the mother killed herself."

The picture in the water faded. That poor child. That poor mother!

I suddenly wrapped my tail around my own stomach. "She would try to . . ." I couldn't even finish my sentence before Alena nodded.

"My sister doesn't know what mercy is. So she'll never so it."

Alena's words struck me. Kiara didn't know what mercy was probably because . . . . . she had never been shown any.

Touching my belly with her fingers, Alena looked worryingly at my stomach. "As long as Kiara lives and breathes, these kits will always be terrible danger."

I shook my head. "No. They'll never be in danger. I'll make it my primary duty to keep these kits safe from Kiara or any evil."

Now suddenly it was as if my eyes were open. These little things inside me . . . . were my children. My children. Something that was created out of love. My love flows through them. They were a part of me. When I felt my heart beat, I felt their little hearts beat. And if someone even tried to take them away from me, I would fight with every drop of blood in my body to keep them safe.

Alena smiled. I could sense her reading my mind. "They'll be beautiful children," she said.

"You can predict the future?"

She shook her head. "No. But I know if they come from you, they will be. You see Violetmoon, there are some things in life you don't need powers to know."

A smile spread across my face. But it quickly faded as a strong wind picked up. Dark clouds overcastted the sky, like a thunderstorm would fall any minute.

We both looked up to the sky, neither one of us knowing what was happening.

"Were you expecting rain?" I asked.

Alena shook her head. "It rains in my world. But not like this. The only time I've seen darkness like this was when . . ." Her pink eyes suddenly widened. "Violetmoon get out here!"

Feared rose through my body. "What? What's-"

"You must go, now!"

She wasn't saying it, she was ordering it.

I sprinted from my spot. Turning my head so I could see Alena a little, I saw her transform into a beam of bright light and shoot away.

As I ran, I could feel the ground beneath my feet begin to rumble. I didn't need another Spirit to tell me what was going on. Kiara and her spirits were here. But how? I recalled one time how both sisters could never step into the other one's world. A scary thought came to mind. Had Kiara become powerful enough to enter her sister's world?

Running deep into the gardens, I tried to look for a way out. But huge green hedges blocked my way. After running around like crazy, I stopped to take a breather. Running with a belly full of kits sure was an exercise.

As I leaned against a rock, a loud thunder rumbled through the sky. Rain poured down from the clouds. But strangely, it didn't feel like rain. It was a liquid, but it was hot and sticky, and made the air taste different.

That's when I noticed the little red dots beginning to appear on the ground. I held out my paw, caught a few of the drops on it, and examined it closely. I jerked back, screaming loudly. This wasn't rain falling from the sky at all! It was blood! Fresh, hot, sticky blood.

"Kiara," I growled. "You truly are a sick, sick person."

A low laughed sounded behind me. "I prefer the term of just plain evil."

Turning slowly, I scowled at the sight of the black-haired, red-eyed half-Spirit. She wore a one-strapped tunic that barely covered her knees, decorated with silver designs. Her hair was loose today, calmly falling behind her back like a waterfall of black.

Kiara walked towards me. I took a few steps back. She laughed.

"Oh come now Jani," she said. "Surely by know you must know you can never escape me. Especially when I can control you."

My eyes widened. "It . . . . It's been you?"

She nodded. "You're my new puppet Jani. I can make you do just about anything that pleases me." She stared down at me belly. "Including harming those unborn fetuses that you somehow love."

My blood turned to ice. "You wouldn't dare!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Jani, surely you must know how I am by now. However, this can all be avoided." She held out her thing pale hand. "All you have to do, is join me."

I looked at her hand for a second, but remembered the souls living in me, and backed away.

Kiara frowned. "I can make you great," she said. "I can make you no longer live life as a four-legged feline. I can dress you the richest fabrics and jewelry. I can make your powers increase triple what they are now. I can make you everything you've every desired Jani. All I ask in return, is that you help me."

I scowled. "No force in this world, or yours, would ever make me join you."

The leader of the evil spirits furrowed her brows in anger. "Fine! Then perhaps the death of your kits will!"

She flexed her hand, forming a black sort of mist ball. Then, she aimed it at me.

Before the ball could hit me. A blue force field formed in front of me, shielding me from it.

Stepping from the shadows, Mother Gana stepped out. Her long black hair with grey streaks waved fiercely from the wind of the storm. Her torn tan dress hung below her knees. And her eyes stared furiously at Kiara. She looked like a true warrior.

I smiled as she stepped in front of me, her fists clenched. "Go home Kiara," she ordered the half-Spirit.

Kiara spat. "How dare you tell me what to do!"

"I have more power here Kiara. It would be wise of you to leave, before someone gets hurt."

Kiara was silent for a second. Then, she laughed evilly. "Yes. Before someone gets hurt . . ."

Suddenly she sprang up like a cricket, shooting down a red ball of light towards Mother Gana.

Mother Gana held up her two hands in front of her, forming a white shield, which the red ball bounced off of. The Spirit then moved her hands in a movement that looked like she was trying to shoo away a fly. Rocks from the earth emerged and headed towards Kiara.

Kiara simply spot blue lights to them, turning them into pebbles on the spot. She laughed. "Haven't you learned that earth is more powerful than me?"

"Earth created you," Mother Gana said. "It can easily destroy you."

Water from the surrounding fountains rose up to the air creating a huge ball of water. Moving her hands in a particular way, Mother Gana moved it towards Kiara.

Kiara tried to block it, but she tripped on a rock behind her. Within an instant, Kiara was trapped inside the bubble of water. Through the ripples, I could make out Kiara waving her arms and kicking her legs. For a second I thought Mother Gana got her.

But suddenly the water bubble burst into flames and Kiara came out, flames lighted her hands. Waving her hands around, hot flames spread through the area. I ran back to avoid getting burned. It seemed like the flames would consume the whole garden.

Mother Gana stood in front of the fire. With a mighty breath, a gust of wind came from her, blowing out the flames as if they were the candles to a birthday cake.

Kiara let out a frustrated yell. Slashing and swiping her arms like crazy, all types of powers flew from her hands straight to Mother Gana.

With nothing from that fast hand movements and power, Mother Gana blocked and destroyed each and every aim to her. She in return, while Kiara was tired from firing, blasted a giant glowing white beam to Kiara.

It hit Kiara, knocking her off her feet, sending her in the air, and back to the ground. The leader of the evil spirits lied motionless.

I stepped forward, but Mother Gana stopped me. "No Violetmoon. Let me."

Mother Gana stepped cautiously to the still body. She knelt down by it, tapping it lightly. Kiara still didn't move. She didn't even seem to breath.

With a breath of exhaustion, Mother Gana rose to her feet. She began to walk back to me. I smiled as she came closer. Then, I could see movement behind her.

Looking around her, I could see the body of Kiara moving. My eyes widened. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Then the feeling came back. The feeling of me being controlled again. The real me had been taken out and locked somewhere, while someone else stepped in and controlled my body.

My legs began to moved towards Mother Gana.

No! No! Please!

But no such mercy.

Mother Gana stopped in her tracks. She seemed to sense something was wrong. But before she could do anything about it, my paws shifted in a weird way.

Next thing I knew, Mother Gana was sinking slowly in the earth, like she stepped in quicksand. She sunk until everything below her chest was sunken in the earth, so only her upper body showed.

She squirmed, but she was stuck. I wanted to cry, but couldn't (literally couldn't).

Then, like a ghost from the grave, Kiara stood up. Fresh cuts that were on her face and body healed on their own before my eyes. She walked up to Mother Gana, facing to her.

Mother Gana looked the Spirit straight in the eye. "Before someone gets hurt."

Kiara lifted a finger, and pressed it against Mother Gana's forehead. Suddenly, Mother Gana's black eyes turned white. She let out a scream of what sounded like pain. She twisted her body as her forehead began to turn a bright red color, like she was burning from the inside. Blood fell from her tear ducts. Her mouth twisted in horror.

NOOOO!

But all I could do was stand there. I couldn't move not one muscle in my body. Kiara that bitch!

Mother Gana let out one final shout of pain, and then breathed her last. Slowly her eyes closed, and her head drooped.

Kiara stepped back. She snapped her fingers. Mother Gana's body spat out from the ground and lied still.

Then, Kiara disappeared in a cloud of black mist.

As soon as she left, I felt the control of my body again. I ran to Mother Gana's side. Her body seemed more like a doll. Fake and non-living. Tears slipped out from my eyes and fell onto her.

"Mother Gana . . ."

But I couldn't finish my sentence. I was too choked up with tears to.

Suddenly, Mother Gana's black hair turned to pure white. Then, her whole body began to glow. Slowly it began to blow away in a white wind. First her legs went, then her waist, then chest, and then finally, her face was gone.

I looked down at the spot where Mother Gana's body once lied. The greatest Spirit I had ever known was now gone forever.