Mapleshade opened her eyes to find herself laying on soft grass. The feeling of strong currents weighing her down still pulled at her pelt. She looked around to see a lush forest, rich with prey-scent. She walked cautiously past the trees calling for her kits and praying they didn't answer. "Petalkit, Larchkit, Patchkit?" There was no response. She came to a clearing that was buzzing with the voices of many cats, their pelts were dotted with stars and were almost translucent. She reached the edge of the clearing and heard among the many voices, "traitor", "desperate", "mother", "kits", "half-clan". As she drew closer, the cats around the clearing noticed her approaching and grew quiet.

One of the cats near the middle, a ginger tom with large white paws, stepped forward. "Mapleshade, please come forward." There were more whispers and hissing as she padded to the center of the clearing. "The trial will begin now." The ginger tom announced. "Mapleshade, you stand accused of breaking the warrior code by having loyalties that lie outside of your Clan. Having kits with a cat from another Clan. A cat whose actions have resulted in the deaths of two of your Clanmates." He paused. The tension in the silence could've been cut with a claw. "How do you plead?"

Mapleshade took a deep breath and gathered her words. "What happened to Birchface and Flowerpaw were tragic, I know that. My love for Appledusk never wavered my loyalty to ThunderClan. I wanted to give my Clan strong kits and strong warriors. Frecklewish assumed their father and I knew that they would be safe if Birchface was their father." Her eyes started scanning the crowd as she recounted her story. Her eyes landed on the familiar pelts of a dark brown tabby tom and a small dappled gray she-cat. Her heart nearly stopped. "I was prepared to tell them the truth of their half-clan parentage, after they had proven themselves loyal and worthy warriors of ThunderClan. I may have loved Appledusk, but my loyalty would always remain in ThunderClan." She sat down and lay her tail over her paws, awaiting their response.

"We've seen how strong your loyalty is. It was unfortunate that Ravenwing and Oakstar decided to exile you. Losing 2 strong warriors and an apprentice won't be easy." The tom spoke slowly as if weighing each word carefully. "We know your intentions were to protect your kits and to provide and defend your Clan. Your leader may have exiled you, but you are welcome among the ranks of StarClan. We thank you for serving your Clan as a loyal and brave warrior." Mapleshade felt her fur prickling, looking down to see her body glow, stars spotting her pelt. The cats meowed a welcome and glowed for a moment before leaving the clearing and going their separate ways.

"Can I see my kits? Are they still alive?" Mapleshade asked the tom, her heart beating faster.

He gave her a thoughtful gaze. "You may see them, but they cannot see or hear you. Come." He led her out of the clearing, through the forest and across a familiar stream. This is the stream that separates ThunderClan and RiverClan territory. She thought as they leapt across and padded through RiverClan territory. They entered the camp where the Clan was gathered in the clearing, Darkstar sat atop the large rock at the far side of the camp. At the center of the clearing sat a familiar pale brown tom, three kits sat anxiously at his paws.

"My kits!" Mapleshade went to rush forward but stopped when lifting his tail. She sat at the edge of the crowd, watching her kits.

"They are my kits, Darkstar. They have strong RiverClan blood in them. I want to raise them here in RiverClan, with your permission." Appledusk's voice was calm as he spoke up to his leader. Darkstar's eyes narrowed.

"Who is their mother?" Her voice was colder than the icy water that surrounded the camp. "Where is she now?"

Appledusk lowered his gaze to his kits and went back to Darkstar. "She was lost in the river. We barely managed to rescue the kits."

Darkstar's gaze shifted to a dark orange she-cat that sat only a tail-length from Appledusk, her belly heavy with kits. "Reedshine, will you raise these kits alongside Appledusk?"

The she-cat padded over to the three kits, crouching down to sniff them. She lifted her gaze to the leader, a deep sadness in her eyes. "I will raise them as if they were my own. Alongside Appledusk." She meowed.

Darkstar's gaze went back to Appledusk. "I trust that this will be the end of your disloyalty. RiverClan will accept these kits and they will be strong warriors."

Relief flooded over Mapleshade. Her kits would be safe. ThunderClan would never be able to harm them. Whatever anger she had for Reedshine dissipated as the she-cat gently cleaned the kits before guiding them to the nursery.

She turned to see the ginger tom padding away. He looked over his shoulder at her, waving his tail in farewell. Mapleshade returned the wave and watched as he faded away, returning to StarClan.

Moons later, Mapleshade returned to the RiverClan camp. Three kits sat at the front of the semi-circle of gathered cats. Appledusk and Reedshine sat on either side of them. Three kits sat close to Reedshine, barely able to keep still. Darkstar stood on the highrock, gazing down at the kits with pride.

"Petalkit, you have reached the age of six moons old and are ready to be an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Petalpaw. Your mentor will be Milkfur. I hope Milkfur will pass down all she knows on to you." The pale brown she-cat padded over to a thick-furred white she-cat and touched noses before sitting beside her mentor.

"Larchkit, you have reached the age of six moons old and are ready to be an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Larchpaw. Your mentor will be Splashfoot. I hope Splashfoot will pass down all he knows on to you." Darkstar announced. The dark brown apprentice padded over to a pale gray tom, touched noses, and sat down next to him.

"And Patchkit, you have reached the age of six moons old and are ready to be an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Patchpaw. Your mentor will be Eeltail. I hope Eeltail will pass down all she knows on to you." Patchpaw padded nervously to a gray-and-black tabby she-cat, touched noses, and sat next to her.

"Petalpaw! Larchpaw! Patchpaw!" The Clan cheered in unison. Reedshine and Appledusk's voices sounded louder than any others.

Mapleshade watched over Reedshine's kits when they became apprentices three moons later. Willowpaw, a gray tabby she-cat, was apprenticed to the deputy, Spiketail, a dark gray tom. Applepaw, a light-brown tom, was apprenticed to Rainfall, a skinny black tom. Finally, Shypaw, a ginger she-cat, was apprenticed to Perchclaw, a thick-furred gray tom who had been Appledusk's apprentice when Mapleshade's kits were brought into camp.

She watched over them when they earned their warrior names. Petalpaw earned the name Petalpool, honored for her compassion. Larchpaw earned the name Larchclaw, honored for his determination. Patchpaw earned the name Patchpelt, honored for his optimism. Willowpaw earned the name Willownose, honored for her patience. Applepaw earned the name Applefrost, honored for his courage. Shypaw earned the name Shyheart, honored for her generosity.

She watched as they took mates, had kits of their own and was there to welcome them when they eventually joined StarClan. Upon seeing Appledusk among the StarClan cats, she thanked him for taking care of their kits and forgave him. When Reedshine joined the ranks of Starclan, she thanked her for raising her kits as her own and welcomed her as a friend.