A.N.: Hey xXRainbowCutieXx, I'm more than happy to accept your cats, but sadly there was already another person who gave me a cat with the prefix Hollow and I'd like to keep it to one prefix to the clan, so how about Patchfur or Cowfur or something like Nightfrost... I'm not sure, but just let me know if you think of another name you'd like. ~12HockeyChick21
P.O.V. Of Moonshadow
Moonshadow and Softpaw brought some fresh kill to the elders and Robinheart and Strikefang. Moonshadow was a little surprised to see Fawnheart already there.
"Moonshadow, Softpaw, hello." Oakfur greeted. Fawnheart was examining his mother which made him a little concerned.
"Hello everyone, we brought you some food... is everything alright, Leafpool?" He asked, placing prey down next to the elders. His apprentice placed down her prey beside the two queens.
"It seems that Leafpool is expecting more kits!" Fawnheart announced and the air in the whole den shifted.
"What?!" Leafpool was first to speak. "But... but aren't I a little too old for kits?!"
"You're only... what, 98 moons right? You're a little young to be an elder in my opinion. The pregnancy may be a tough one, but there's not really much we can do. Why don't you come with me to tell Spiderstar? He could use a bit of good news with the bad news I'm going to tell him..." Fawnheart meowed. Leafpool nodded and stood, the two brown she-cats padding away.
"Bad news?" Softpaw asked worriedly. Robinheart looked up sadly.
"Brookwater, Lionfang, and Finchblaze have passed away from greencough... and Bristlefur and Sparrowtalon have moved into the sick den. From the way Fawnheart speaks of it, there is barely any catmint left and she's trying everything she can... but there's no use."
"Oh no... what do we do?" Softpaw's ears fell.
"We can go try and search for some more catmint... I know there will probably be no luck since the first frost hit, but it's worth a try..." Moonshadow mewed.
"Thank you so much Moonshadow... I want to help so badly... I'm so worried about Dustcloud and Acornkit..." Robinheart murmured, wrapping her tail protectively around Briarkit. "I don't want to lose yet another kit..."
"I'm sure Fawnheart will do all she can." Minnowstream put her nose to the younger she-cat's ear. Moonshadow zoned out for a few minutes.
"You alright Moonshadow?" Rockfoot's voice brought him back.
"More siblings... wow. I can't believe it..." he murmured.
"Well, Fawnheart's right, your mother isn't as old as everyone thinks she is. I never understood why she retired so early... cats shouldn't retire so early unless they need to." Rockfoot and Adderstrike both frowned.
"Leafpool was a wonderful mentor and a great mother. I bet the kits will be great." Adderstrike coughed. "If I could have more kits, I would..."
Oakfur put his tail tip on Adderstrike's back comfortingly.
"Let's go get my brother and Fuzzytail and we can go look for some catmint." Softpaw mewed to Moonshadow. The dark tom nodded and dipped his head to all the others before padding out with his apprentice.
"There you two are." Sootpaw raced up excitedly.
"What's the plan today Moonshadow?" Fuzzytail grinned.
"We have to go search for catmint. I'm not sure if you heard but..." Moonshadow trailed off.
"I heard. And you're right. That sounds like a great idea. I know a place near the river that I've seen it growing." Fuzzytail mewed.
"Alright, then let's get a move in."
"Hey Moonshadow wait a second!" The tom paused and turned to see Sunfire on guard of Mud.
"What's up Sunfire?" Moonshadow asked.
"You just came from the nursery? How is Strikefang?" He asked.
"She's good, Softpaw and I just brought her and the others fresh kill. You've got nothing to worry about." Moonshadow promised him.
"Thanks. I'll go see her after Poppynose relieves me." Sunfire smiled, then returned to Mud. "You hungry?"
The brown she-cat sighed and shook her head.
"No thanks. When do I get to leave camp?" She asked. Moonshadow and the others didn't stay long enough to hear Sunfire's response.
The group padded around their territory sadly. Fuzzytail's attempt of taking them to where he thought they could find catmint proved to be of no luck.
"What now?" Sootpaw frowned, his tail dragging in the brush. Clouds formed in the sky and a cold wind chilled Moonshadow.
"What else is there to do except just return to camp." Fuzzytail sighed. Suddenly, Moonshadow heard the sound of scrambling paws in the brush nearby.
"What in the name of StarClan...?" Moonshadow murmured, poking his head through some brush. There were two cats chasing after a squirrel a bit unsuccessfully, a black and white tom skidding on dead leaves and hitting a tree.
"Harvey! It got away! Are you okay?" called the other, a sandy gray she-cat.
"Excuse me? What do you two believe you're doing?" Fuzzytail asked, fur bristling. The two cats bristled themselves, mostly out of fear.
"Who- who are you?" Asked the she-cat.
"We're cats of LightClan and that's our prey you're... attempting to hunt." Moonshadow snickered. The black and white tom lowered himself to the ground.
"You're LightClan? I've heard a bit about clans. I-I'm very sorry about the prey." He mewed. The she-cat mirrored her friend's actions.
"They look hungry... Moonshadow we can't let cats starve." Softpaw looked at her mentor with pleading eyes. Moonshadow took another glance at the two cats and realized Softpaw was right. Their ribs showed very obviously through their ragged pelts. Moonshadow tossed a glance Fuzzytail's way and the older tom seemed to understand. The ginger tom sighed and motioned in the direction of the camp.
"Come with us... we have food for you to eat and some medicine cats who can make sure you aren't hurt. And you can speak to our leader about staying with us if you'd like. Come on." The tom mewed. The two cats dipped their heads respectfully and followed the four gratefully.
P.O.V. Of Otterstrike
"Because... I'm expecting kits."
"Kits?! M-mine?"
"No."
The memory of Russetshade shattering his heart shook Otterstrike from his restless sleep. The tom woke with a start, panting.
"You alright Otterstrike?" He looked up to see Dawnbreeze staring down at him, concern on her face.
"Ye-yeah I'm fine. Just a bad dream." He mewed.
"Oh, well there's about to be a clan meeting. Come on." She meowed, turning and padding out of the den. Otterstrike sighed and stood, stretching his limbs before following the cream tabby.
The LightClan cats were all gathering below the highlog, where Otterstrike saw his father standing with the two cats he'd seen his brother bring back on his patrol searching for catmint. Spiderstar had accepted them into the clan and Otterstrike had been surprised. How could his father accept more cats when the clan could barely handle keeping the cats it already had alive?
"Cats of LightClan! I have some announcements to make. Firstly, I'm sad to say that Brookwater, Lionfang, and Finchblaze have all succumbed to their greencough. But Fawnheart is trying her absolute hardest to save the remaining cats."
A murmur of sadness rippled through the crowd of cats.
"Secondly, Leafpool will be remaining in the nursery even if the elders move back to their den because she is expecting kits." Spiderstar meowed. This time a murmur of surprise went through the cats. Otterstrike was taken aback. What was with all these she-cats expecting kits?! And his mother of all cats!
"Finally, we have some cats to make warriors. Harvey, Thrush, are you willing to follow the warrior code and protect LightClan with your life?"
"Yes." The two cats mewed in unison.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, Harvey, you shall be known as Hollowstorm and Thrush, you shall be known as Thrushwing. You will serve a silent vigil for tonight."
"Hollowstorm, Hollowstorm! Thrushwing, Thrushwing!" The clan chanted as the two new warriors stepped down.
"Spiderstar, if I may... can I speak with the clan real quick?" Fawnheart padded up and Spiderstar nodded, stepping back slightly. "I wanted to take a few cats on a patrol to ShadowClan so I can go speak to Puddleshine to see if he has any catmint to spare. I already spoke with Jayfeather and Alderheart but they couldn't help."
Otterstrike thought of the two ThunderClan medicine cats, both family of his, Alderheart being Squirrelflight and Ashfur's kit. He and his sister Sparkpelt had been born to the two around the same time as Otterstrike and Moonshadow.
But as soon as Otterstrike realized she'd said ShadowClan, he perked up. Perhaps he could go and talk to Russetshade about this whole kit thing.
"Sure Fawnheart. Go ahead and pick your cats and be safe." Spiderstar leapt down, followed by Fawnheart. Otterstrike hurried over to the she-cat.
"Fawnheart! I'd like to come to ShadowClan if that's alright."
"Sure Otterstrike." Fawnheart glanced around the clearing. "Blackstream, Clearwhisker."
The two cats that Fawnheart had called to padded over.
"Would you two like to join us on patrol?"
"To ShadowClan? That should be a good learning experience for Blackstream. She could learn the pawsteps of some ShadowClan cats." Clearwhisker purred, placing his tail tip on Blackstream's shoulder. The long-furred black she-cat smiled embarrassedly and ducked her head.
"Ready when you are." She mewed.
When the four approached the ShadowClan border, they were greeted by a patrol made up of Snowbird, Needletail, Sparrowtail, Birchbark, and Russetshade. Otterstrike's heart leapt as he noticed the she-cat and she obviously noticed him too, attempting to avoid his eyes.
"Fawnheart." Snowbird meowed. "What can we do for you?"
"I'd like to come speak with Puddleshine if at all possible." Fawnheart dipped her head respectfully. Puddleshine's brother Birchbark padded forward.
"I don't see a problem with that, I'm sure Puddleshine could use a visit from you."
Russetshade let out a light growl.
"What makes you think that letting LightClanners come into our camp is a good idea?"
"Are you serious Russetshade? I highly doubt the LightClan medicine cat and a few of it's youngest warriors are going to hurt us. You need to relax." Birchbark hissed. Russetshade glared at him, but said nothing more and Snowbird motioned for the LightClan patrol to follow. Otterstrike fell into step next to Needletail, eying her for a moment.
"What?" The she-cat asked curtly. Otterstrike glanced around to make sure none of the other cats were paying attention. Russetshade was at the lead with Snowbird, trying to ignore the rest of the cats.
"Can I ask you something?"
"What?" Needletail repeated, not even looking at him.
"That she-cat Russetshade... what does she have against us? And what's her problem with Birchbark?" Otterstrike whispered.
"What's it to you?"
"I'm sorry... I was just curious because she seemed upset."
"Not that it's any of your concern, but Birchbark had feelings for her and I heard she turned him down. She doesn't seem to want a mate at all."
Needletail's words hit Otterstrike like a bold of lightning. If Russetshade didn't have a mate, then whose kits was she carrying... had she lied to him to get him to stop seeing her?
"Russetshade, correct?" Fawnheart's voice broke through Otterstrike's thoughts and he saw his medicine cat staring at Russetshade.
"Yes... why?" She asked.
"Why are you on patrol if you're expecting kits? Has Puddleshine not told you to move into the nursery?" Fawnheart asked. Russetshade stiffened and all her clanmates all seemed shocked.
"Kits?! Why didn't you tell me that you have another mate Russetshade?" Birchbark growled, turning on her.
"Because they aren't yours Birchbark! I never wanted to be with you!" She spat, catching Otterstrike's eyes. That was when he knew.
They were his kits.
A.N.: I hope you guys liked it! Please let me know what you think! ~12HockeyChick21
