Kestrelstripe fell over with no struggle, but once she realized what had happened, she got up refusing to be humiliated. She walked towards me and lashed her tail angrily.

"What gives you the right?" Kestrelstripe hissed. "I've known your Mom longer than you have and she is a dirty fox that sleeps with rogues!"

"That's not true!" I snapped.

"Every cat has a mother and a father, isn't it weird that you've never seen your father?" Kestrelstripe sneered.

"Quit putting these kind of thoughts in her head!" Mom warned her. "I am not a bad parent, I took care of Starlingpaw the best I could."

"Oh really? Forgot about your other kits so soon?" Kestrelstripe retorted. "Me and Umberclaw had to raise both our kits and yours in the Nursery."

"Yeah, we should be rewarded for best parenting AngelClan has ever had!" Umberclaw purred, nuzzling his mate.

"And one more thing, I'd thank your cursed daughter to stay away from our son." Kestrelstripe snarled at my Mom before her and her mate went to the warrior's den.

"I don't have to do that do I?" I asked my Mom.

"No." Vixenstar answered for her. "But we are all proud warriors that avoid any violence outside battle training. So for lunging at Kestrelstripe you will be cleaning the Nursery with moss."

"Okay." I replied. "When?"

"After we wake up for patrols again." Vixenstar replied. "But now we should be going to sleep. Nobly, could I see you in my den for a bit? Maybe a little longer than a bit..."

"Actually I need to talk to you Vixenstar." Rabbitsong growled. "So Nobleclaw can wait."

I saw the big gray tom Nobleclaw's fur tense as Vixenstar rolled her eyes and beckoned her deputy to follow her into her den.

"We best be going to sleep dear." Mom purred. "Let that poultice settle for the night and you shouldn't need the cobweb when you wake up."

"Thank you, and Mom...?" I meowed. "You're not the worst, you're a wonderful mother."

"I wish all my kits were like you, you're so sweet." Mom purred. "Now go to sleep."


After sleeping for a while, I woke up needing to make dirt. I got up and stepped carefully over the other apprentices and left the den to the dirtplace.

"You've done it with Sprucebelly and Nobleclaw after the birth of a cursed kit! Vixenstar, I love you. I want you to have my kits."

I noticed it was Rabbitsong and Vixenstar arguing in the den. And she has kits after the birth of a cursed kit?

"Things are complicated Rabbitsong, we need to see if Starlingpaw actually ends up saving our Clan. And what happens when the tenth kit is born before she becomes a warrior?" Vixenstar retorted.

"Just tell the rest of the Clan not to have anymore kits till then." Rabbitsong suggested.

"And let only me have kits? That's not fair." Vixenstar's voice dripped with fake concern.

"Says the leader that gives apprentices to her mates and kits. Isn't that why you made me deputy? So I wouldn't get jealous of Nobleclaw. You love him the most anyway."

"Rabbitsong I love you." Vixenstar purred.

"I wish you wouldn't mate with Sprucebelly and Nobleclaw." Rabbitsong whimpered. "If you really loved me, you'd be fine with one mate."

"Rabbitsong, you must've stepped on a thorn on patrol. We'll have kits, I promise." Vixenstar reassured him. "I'm tired dear, go to sleep."

I hid in the dirtplace as Rabbitsong left into the warrior's den. While I was still making dirt I saw Nobleclaw leave the warrior's den and into Vixenstar's den.

"Oh thank StarClan I thought that tom was going to blather on forever!" I heard Vixenstar snicker.

"Did you feed him the same nonsense as usual?" Nobleclaw asked. "Our plan is still on?"

Plan?

"Yes it is my Nobly~" Vixenstar purred seductively. "When I feel your kits within me I will mate with Rabbitsong and convince him they're yours. I can't wait to have another litter with you."

I heard enough, I finished making dirt and snuck out of the dirtplace. Fortunately my black pelt made it hard for them to notice as I went into the apprentice's den.

One moon later

"AngelClan, the Clan of strength and pride come forward for some wonderful news!"

"I wonder what it is this time." Briarpaw muttered beside me as the two of us left the apprentice's den to hear Vixenstar's announcement.

"Yeah." I knew what it was, I'm just surprised it took this long.

Vixenstar and Rabbitsong both looked happy and I felt heated up with anger.

"Are you okay?" Briarpaw whispered, putting his tail on my shoulders. "Even if Vixenstar is expecting kits again it's not the end of the world."

"It's not that." I sighed.

"I'm expecting Rabbitsong's kits!" Vixenstar announced, my eyes caught her tail flicking in Nobleclaw's direction.

"However, after we found that out me and Rabbitsong decided no more she-cats shall expect kits till Starlingpaw is made a warrior." Vixenstar added.

"Of course you need to expect kits first." Larkspirit hissed. "Me and Stormpool can't even have kits for moons now!"

"Fireflight! You told me you'd seduce her so I can have grandkits!" Vixenstar growled.

"Um, that's not true." Fireflight replied nervously.

"Well, when Starlingpaw becomes a warrior one of you five better give me grandkits!" Vixenstar said to her kits. "That'll be all."

"At this rate the whole Clan will be Vixenstar's kin!" Briarpaw gasped. "Our Clan needs more cats from outside the forest, but I heard that hasn't happened since Vixenstar became leader."

"We can leave the Clan to find them right?" I asked.

"Well, no cat can leave during the eternal night. They just end up coming back where they started." Briarpaw explained.

"Oh." Then I smiled with an idea. "When I become a warrior I'll make sure our Clan welcomes all cats."

"You're so kind." Briarpaw whispered with a glint in his eyes. "I...did you say you wanted to have kits?"

"If I ever become a warrior, then yeah I guess." I answered. "But there's no toms that'd give me the time of day."

"To be fair there aren't that many toms here, but...um...I could give you the time of day." Briarpaw confessed.

"You...like me?"