Chapter Four

New Kits

CloudClan Camp Clearing

Nightstar is still drinking water. Topazshine pads quietly over to Nightstar. Nightstar lifts her head and looks at Topazshine water dripping from her muzzle.

"Nightstar, Tigerpaw is ready to take on full responsibility as the Medicine Cat. Moreover, I can join the Warriors."

"So it seems." Topazshine beckons Tigerpaw over with a flick of her tail.

"Yes, Topazshine?" asked the white tabby Apprentice.

"Topazshine, are you satisfied with all that Tigerpaw has learned since he became an Apprentice?"

"Yes, I am thoroughly satisfied."

"Then I, Nightstar, Leader of CloudClan, call upon our Warrior Ancestors to look down upon this Apprentice. He has trained hard to understand your noble Code, and in return, I commend him to you as a Warrior in his turn." Nightstar looks at Tigerpaw. "Do you, Tigerpaw, promise to defend your Clan and abide by the Messenger Code even at the cost of your life?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Then by the powers of HeavenClan, I give you your Warrior name. Tigerpaw from this day on you shall be known as Tigerheart. HeavenClan welcomes you as a full Medicine Cat of CloudClan." The Clan calls Tigerheart's new name. "Topazshine, you do know you are allowed to have Kits of your own." Topazshine dips her head in response.

"I know and I will as soon as I find a suitable mate."

Warriors' Den

Topazshine makes her way to the Warriors' den where she runs into Shadowfur whom she has liked for the longest time. I am ready to have Kits but will Shadowfur take me as his mate?

"Are you not supposed to be in the Medicine Cat's den?" asked the battled-scarred black tom.

"Tigerheart took on full responsibility and I was able to join the Warriors and hopefully find a mate so that I may at least have one litter of Kits before I join the Elders." Shadowfur sits down and wraps his tail around his paws.

"So what are you looking for in a mate?" Topazshine sits down and licks her chest uneasily.

"My mate has to be willing to help take care of our Kits and –" Topazshine stops short as she hears the sound of thundering paws. Shadowfur and Topazshine leave the Warriors' den to see what is wrong.

Camp Clearing

"What is wrong?" asked Shadowfur. Goldstripe's ears are flat against his head and his fur is fluffed out.

"The rest of the patrol is fighting off four foxes; they sent me back for help. Not only are there foxes but there are a few HouseKits trapped in an old abandoned rabbit hole."

"Topazshine, Shadowfur, Starlight, and Moonpool, you four will go and help the patrol. Tigerheart you will go with Goldstripe and see if you can find the Kits!" shouted Nightstar. Topazshine, Shadowfur, Starlight, Moonpool, Tigerheart, and Goldstripe charge out of the camp in hopes to do what they can to protect their Clan.

The Forest

Topazshine, Shadowfur, Starlight, and Moonpool immediately head to help the patrol. Goldstripe leads Tigerheart to the abandoned rabbit hole.

"The Kits are in here," said Goldstripe. Tigerheart looks into the dark hole.

"Hey, are you in there?" A tiny paw darts out and hits Tigerheart's nose with sheathed claws. Poison is frightened and his ears are flat against his head.

"Who are you?" Poison hisses at Tigerheart.

"I am a Medicine Cat and I am here to help you. Are you alone in there?"

"No, I have two of my littermates with me and three are missing."

"How many?" asked Goldstripe.

"Three."

"Come out so Goldstripe can bring you to the camp."

"Don't you need to know our names first?"

"That might help," said Goldstripe.

"My name is Poison." Poison moves out of the hole. "The black and white she-cat is Pebble." Pebble pads out of the rabbit hole. "The brown she-cat is Mouse." Mouse crawls out of the hole.

"Who is missing?" Goldstripe asked.

"Rain, Stripe, and Eagle," answered Mouse.

"What do they look like?" Tigerheart asked.

"Rain is a gray tom, Stripe is a silver tabby tom with dark gray stripes, and Eagle is a brown and white she-cat," answered Pebble.

"Okay. Goldstripe bring these three to the camp. I will look for the other three." Goldstripe dips his head.

"All right, come on you three." Goldstripe leads the three HouseKits away from the battle. A yowl catches Tigerheart's attention.

"Tigerheart, I found this brown and white Kit behind a tree where the battle was taking place," said Starlight.

"Her name is Eagle. Were the foxes chased from the territory?"

"Yes." Starlight puts Eagle down between her forepaws. "The patrol is patrolling the borders." Tigerheart sniffs the Kit.

"This is Eagle, one of the three missing Kits. I wonder if she knows where Stripe and Rain are. Starlight, she has an injured leg, so bring her to my den when you get back to camp."

"Okay."

"Rain and Stripe are hiding in the tree where Starlight found me," Rain piped up. Starlight puts her jaws around the she-Kit's scruff and speaks around a mouthful of fur.

"Thank you young one. Tigerheart, find those Kits soon." Starlight picks up Eagle by her scruff and heads to the camp as it starts to drizzle. Tigerheart pads over to the patrol.

"Diamondclaw, Redtail, Dustpelt, Sagefur, Tornadoclaw, and Moonpool you can return to the camp." The named cats dip their heads in understanding and head back to the camp.

"What would you like for Topazshine and me to do?" asked Shadowfur.

"I need both of you to climb that tree and retrieve Rain and Stripe from its branches."

"We can try…" Topazshine said slowly. Topazshine and Shadowfur begin to climb the giant willow. Topazshine climbs to the first low branch and finds a gray Kit. "I have a gray tom."

"Good, his name is Rain, come down and bring him to the camp." Topazshine picks Rain up by his scruff and jumps down from the branch.

"All right." Topazshine disappears shortly after leaving the clearing. Shadowfur climbs three branches higher than Topazshine and finds the silver tabby Kit.

"I have a silver tabby tom."

"That's Stripe, come down and let's head to camp while the rain is light." Shadowfur picks Stripe up by his scruff and bounds down from the branch. Together Shadowfur and Tigerheart head to the camp as rain picks up.

CloudClan Camp

Medicine Cat's Den

"Are these the Kits we were told about?" asked Nightstar.

"Yes, Nightstar, but they need to be cleaned up." Tigerheart faces his old Mentor. "Topazshine, did you do anything for Eagle's wound?"

"Yes, I wrapped it in cobwebs to stop the bleeding as soon as I got back to the camp."

"Good, now all you need to do is wash the rest of her body." Topazshine crouches over Eagle and starts to wash her with gentle strokes of her tongue.

"Thank you Topazshine," said Eagle.

"You're welcome, little one."

"Goldstripe, you can wash Poison," said Tigerheart.

"Why?" asked Poison.

"Because you need to be washed from the dirt in the rabbit hole," Goldstripe said as he crouches over Poison and starts washing him with gentle strokes of his tongue.

"Shadowfur, you can start cleaning Stripe," said Tigerheart.

"I didn't even let my mother wash me."

"In this case, you have no choice in the matter," grunted Shadowfur as he follows what the others did.

"Starlight, you can clean Rain," suggested Tigerheart.

"Thank you Starlight."

"Be still young one." Starlight follows suite of the others.

"Nightstar, you can clean Mouse," the Medicine Cat said.

"This place is huge…" said the young Kit. Nightstar starts washing Mouse gently.

"And Lightwing you can clean Pebble."

"What will happen to us now?" asked Pebble. Lightwing follows the others' action. Nightstar speaks in between licks.

"We need to find a she-cat that can nurse these Kits." Tigerheart sniffs Eagle gently.

"These Kits are only three moons old." Snowfur pads quietly into the den.

"I will do it."

"But you don't have any Kits," said Starlight pointedly.

"Actually, I am expecting a litter of Kits in four moons or so."

"That is wonderful news!" said Nightstar. "But don't you have an Apprentice?"

"Yes, Stonepaw, he has been training for nearly thirteen moons now. He is ready to become a Warrior."

"Very well, I will hold the Ceremony tomorrow." Tigerheart helps Snowfur, Mouse, Eagle, Pebble, Rain, Poison, and Stripe to settle in the Nursery. The other Warriors help bring food for the Queens and Elders. Nightstar eats a mouse and then she goes to her den to rest. The Warriors and Apprentices go to their own dens after they have eaten. Brindlefur settles in for the night after she has eaten. Tigerheart eats a small thrush and then goes to his own den.