Chapter 2
-A Bloodclan Meeting-
Just as Pixie had proclaimed to Kietsu, on the night of the battle between the forest cats and Bloodclan, a meeting was held when the moon was bright and full, looming over the streets with a distinctive milky glow.
There was a stirring in the night as shapes emerged from their hiding places, lurking forth into the twilight air. And as if all summoned by cue, the starving cats all hunkered around the large dumpster, which smelled strongly of twoleg rubbish and discarded crowfood, but the strongest of scents, was that of their leader; this was where Scourge had once sat, his place now empty.
A large, muscular looking ginger tom named Marmalade leaped atop Scourge's dumpster and sat himself down, wrapping his tail neatly over his paws. He pulled back his ears, one of which was torn, and began calling the meeting to order.
"Everyone, be quiet!" He hissed, clearly not holding as much authority as Scourge, or even Bone for that matter, for the cats all seemed to barely pay any attention to the ginger furred tom at all.
Marmalade narrowed his eyes to slits and let out a series of shrill, ear piercing yowls. Wincing, the Bloodclan cats all quieted and listened intently to what the ginger tom had to say.
"Thank you…" He said with a roll of his eyes, not meaning it at all. "Now, it is apparent that Bloodclan is in desperate need of a new leader."
The cats all fell into talking amongst themselves, whispering to one another about past events, and a battle with the forest clan cats, which they had been vanquished in.
"To keep order, we must choose a cat that has the same assertive bloodlines as Scourge. Meaning, we are choosing Scourge's pro genies." Marmalade announced.
The Bloodclan cats all turned to face Kietsu. She had been one of Scourge's favorites, everyone was aware of that. But of course, the kits had never been planned. Scourge would have never deliberately had kits, for if he was to have them, his clan would think him soft, and possibly betray him for another leader such as the strong, muscled Bone. Scourge couldn't stand the thought of losing his place in amongst the hierarchy, and so, he had never brought up the topic, or mentioned it to anyone. Meaning that Kietsu was forced to conceive and raise the kits in silence, if she wanted her life to be so mercifully spared.
Marmalade, however, had discovered that Pixie hadn't been attending all of her patrols, and when he had followed her one fateful night in an attempt to find out what the she-cat had been up to, he discovered that Pixie had been assisting Kietsu in raising the kits in hiding by skipping patrols to scavenge for enough food to feed her while she nursed.
Pixie, being the clever, quick thinking she-cat that she was, had lied to Marmalade, telling him that they were the offspring of Fault, one of Bloodclan's eligible toms.
Marmalade had obliged doubtfully after reprimanding Pixie, and trotted away from the dumpster den where Kietsu was nursing her two kits. But, when Marmalade caught the familiar scent of Kietsu on Scourge while leaving him fresh kill that same night, his suspicions had been confirmed.
He could have killed both Pixie for betraying his trust and Kietsu for baring Scourge's two kits in hiding. But Marmalade had a feeling that if he was to do so, Scourge would not be pleased, for he favored Kietsu, and killing her and her caretaker could result in severe punishment. And so, he kept the bit of information to himself.
But now that Scourge was gone for good, and Bloodclan had no other choice but to follow the heir to Scourge's rightful position as leader, Marmalade knew that these cats deserved to know who would be leading them, and what their past leader had created.
"Well?" Marmalade asked his eyes fixed on the ginger colored she-cat with coal black markings.
Kietsu stared at her paws before answering. "Scourge does have offspring, two kits in fact, both of which I am nursing."
The cats began to yowl in disappointment and shock. Their leader: having kits and keeping it private? The very idea was dishonorable.
"I say position as leader goes to the strongest!" A gray tom shouted, pushing himself to the front of the crowd to flex his muscles.
"I say Scourge's kits should be killed, Scourge did lose after all! Who's to say these new ones won't fail just as well?" A she-cat with a voice as rough as ice on gravel complained.
"Everyone, QUIET," Marmalade demanded, getting to his paws, fur bristling.
"Scourge's kin should pay with their lives for sending his own into a battle he knew he would not win!" One cat challenged.
Kietsu wasn't fond of Scourge, yet insisting that he was a worthy leader would help keep her kits, and even she unharmed. "That forest freak blinded him with his words," Kietsu retorted, speaking above the crowd. "Scourge only wanted more for his clan, he was promised a share of the forest in exchange for our efforts, and now just look at where we are."
The clan went silent for a moment, considering what Kietsu had said.
"Then it is settled." Marmalade meowed, disturbing the eerie silence. "Kietsu, since you are the only known she-cat to bare Scourge's young, the first born kit will be future leader, until then, I and the remainder of Scourge's strongest warriors, shall lead Bloodclan."
The cats all dispersed, looking somewhat satisfied, all, but Kietsu.
Kietsu bit her tongue. What had she done? Now her own two kits would be forced to live a life of leadership, and harshness. But, perhaps that wouldn't all be so bad? Confused and unsure, Kietsu darted back to her nest, where Pixie watched over the two mewling bundles of fur. Pixie turned to look at Kietsu with an expecting gaze. "Well?" She asked.
"Oh, my dear Pixie …" Kietsu mewed, circling around her two kits so that they may nurse.
"Hey, what happened? Did something go wrong?" The fluffy white she-cat asked, stepping aside and allowing Kietsu to inspect and nurse her young ones.
"It was decided that Scourge's first born is to lead Bloodclan." She sighed, staring down at Dread and Bane with tired emerald green eyes.
"That being…?" Pixie inquired, her whiskers quivering with anticipation.
"Dread," Kietsu answered, nuzzling the kit that looked somewhat like her, with the same classic, busy coal colored fur patterns but with a paler, greyer looking pelt. The small kit stirred upon being touched, but immediately returned to noisily suckling.
"The… Female?" Pixie gasped.
Kietsu nodded solemnly.
"But, what shall the clan say? Bloodclan is extremely stereotypical; having a female lead after such a strong male will be considered weak!" Pixie said, lowering her voice in case anyone else was to hear their conversation.
"Perhaps, but she may inherit her father's ferocity and ambition." Kietsu said solemnly. "If we're lucky…"
"And if she doesn't?" Pixie asked. Her soft eyes filled with skepticism.
Kietsu looked down at the two kits with worry then turned her gaze back up to stare at the white she-cat. "Then I suppose…" She began. "She would surely be killed."
