Prologue: Rain
"It's raining again," Overpaw growled as he peered out of the ShadowClan apprentice den.
"It's always raining," Tinyfeather, the medicine cat, said as she walked by.
"Tinyfeather!" a voice yowled. "Timberstripe is having her kits!"
Tinyfeather cried back, "Go get Peatfur!"
Gingerfur, the cat who had yowled, ran off.
"Nosepaw!"
Her tiny apprentice poked her head out of the elders den. "Yes?"
Tinyfeather told her to get the herbs needed. With a nod, Nosepaw ran towards the medicine den, returning with a bundle of herbs in her jaws.
"Good. Chervil, to help the kitting, borage, to help the milk-" Tinyfeather was cut off by an agonized yowl from the nursery. "Let's go!"
Timberstripe was on her back, stomach swollen and heaving. The she-cats eyes were glazed with fever, and she was moaning for Peatfur.
"Good call on bringing the borage, Nosepaw," Tinyfeather praised her apprentice. "It'll stop the fever."
While Nosepaw, instructed by her mentor, carefully gave Timberstripe the herbs, Peatfur burst in.
His mate raised her head and her face seemed to soften- but only for a moment as she gave another ear-splitting yowl.
Tinyfeather cried out "Almost! I can see them! Push!"
Selecting a small stick from the bedding, the ShadowClan medicine cat gave it to the queen, who gingerly bite down on it.
"It's over." Tinyfeather said with a sigh. "Timberstripe, you have two lovely toms."
Timberstripe and Peatfur began to lick their litter, gazing at the kits with such adoration that Tinyfeather felt a pain.
If only….
She thought. Medicine cats were not allowed to mate and have kits, unlike the rest of the Clan.
Tinyfeather motioned to Nosepaw and together they left the nursery.
"Amberstar! Amberstar!"
Tinyfeather spun around to see Stormcloud, the ShadowClan deputy, enter the camp, a scrap of fur dangling from his jaws.
"A kit. Abandoned on our territory."
The tabby Clan leader looked at the kit. "Tinyfeather!" she called and the medicine cat bounded over.
"Timberstripe just kitted, didn't she?" Without waiting for a response Amberstar went on. "See if she'll take in this abandoned kit."
Tinyfeather took the shivering bundle of fur and padded back to the nursery. She explained to Timberstripe and Peatfur about the kits predicament.
"Poor scrap. Of course we'll take her in." Timberstripe said, taking the little she-kit and placing her next to the newly named Thornkit and Archkit.
"We'll raise you as our own, little Moonkit." Peatfur whispered to the little silver kit.
Moonkit. An appropriate name,
Tinyfeather thought.
Amberstar and Stormcloud walked in.
"No," Amberstar said gravely. "You must pretend that this kit is your own, Timberstripe, Peatfur. The Clan will not welcome it if it is not one of us. No one saw Stormcloud bring it in. Tinyfeather, I trust you to tell Nosepaw and Stormcloud you must not speak of this to anyone."
With that the leader stalked away, Stormcloud following.
Tinyfeather felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Who is this kit? Where did it come from? I have a bad feeling about this…