“Well, that’s just too bad, huh.” “Very. Now my kits won’t have a father.” She licked a tuft of chest fur cooly. His eyes widened as he looked at her dumbfounded. “What?” She hissed, “You thought I was getting fat for no reason?” He folded his ears back and growled. “First, mates, and now… these?” Jasperwhisker hissed and battered him, “Did your mother not teach you anything about respecting queens?” He backed up. “Maybe if they weren’t mates with a traitor.” Brisknose mumbled. “I didn’t know he was a traitor back then.” She paused. She then flattened her ears, ”we’ve been mates for since I became a warrior.” “Go to the nursery. I’ll have the Medicine Cats have a look at you.” “I’m fine. I can still hunt for the clan for another moon or so,” She licked her fur. “Emeraldspeck! Mosspaw! Nighttail! Come here.” Mosspaw and Nighttail bound to them, they were previously sharing a vole.” “Yes?” Nighttail murmured.

“I want you to look at Jasperwhisker.” “Why?” Nighttail questioned, sniffing at her. “She’s expecting kits.” “Oh? Does this mean she has to go to the nursery?” Mosspaw questioned. Emeraldspeck nodded. “She has less than a moon.” “I told you” Jasperwhisker flickered her tail. Brisknose flicked his tail and walked away. “Also, we need your help,” Mosspaw timidly stated, “A queen is giving birth.” He stopped dead and turned around. Mosspaw began to race back into the nursery. He ran after them. The queen was quivering, the kit was crowning. Cocktail was already sitting by his mate, Russetfur. Mosspaw swiftly got the moss nest for the kits ready, and pressed softly on her stomach. “Brisknose- Get poppy seeds please!”

He rushed to the Medicine Cat den and rushed back with the small black seeds. Mosspaw swiftly huddled the rest of the herbs to one leaf and sprinkled the seeds on top of them and began to slowly push them into the birthing cat. He held his paw back and licked her stomach to soothe her. “You’re doing great, Russetfur!” She chewed the herbs, but was interrupted by a spasm. Mosspaw stiffened and soothed her more, and rubbed her stomach. “C’mon… You’re almost there...:” A light brown She-cat with a flame-colored patch on her left cheek slid out. Mosspaw gasped and began to lick it steadily. Soon enough, the kit began to howl in a mew. “It’s a she-cat, she’s breathing well…” Swiftly, Mosspaw put it in front of Russetfur to cleanse, “More kits are most likely coming… I felt them.” She yowled in pain. “Russetfur, lick the kit.” He quickly pushed very gently down on her stomach to help her and licked the queen to soothe her.

She licked it as another tabby flame-colored tom slid out. Mosspaw smiled and felt for more. “One left.” Emeraldspeck said. “Let’s go,” Mosspaw said bravely and kept assisting the queen. Russetfur pushed as hard as she could. “Don’t strain yourself!” Mosspaw warned. The Queen took a few rasping breaths. Mosspaw prodded her side gently, “Good job!” The last kit came out onto the moss. Mosspaw licked it so it could breathe properly, then gently picked it up in front of the parents with a tired smile. “Congrats…” He whispered, ”What are their names?” “The light brown She-cat can be Woodkit, the flame-colored tom can be Stripekit, and Corktail can name the last one.” “Very well.” Mosspaw nodded, and glanced at Corktail. Corktail smiled pridefully, “Cavekit.” Russetfur purred. “That’s a good name for him.” Cavekit was pitch black. Nighttail purred in agreement, “You two came up with the best names ever.”

The flame-colored She-cat rested her head on her paws and sighed. She was tired. Nighttail smiled, “I’ll let you rest here.” Brisknose and the other Medicine Cats walked out of Fadedclan’s cave. Nighttail glanced at the deputy. “Are you alright? You look peckish.” “I-I’m fine.” “Are you sure?” Nighttail prodded on. “I’m just… not used to seeing a queen like that.” “Oh well.. You’ll get used to it.” Nighttail shrugged. He turned to her. “What?” “Doesn’t Crystalclan leaders bless kits when thei-” “That’s a rumor.” Mosspaw bluntly said. Brisknose flicked his ear uncomfortably. Nighttail sighed, “Well. I best be going.” She trotted back to Willowdusk.

“What’s going on over there with that mess of a tom?” The she-cat asked. “Probably crying..” She smiled and flickered her tail. “Big kits.” “Yes.” Snorted NIghttail Willowdusk padded back to her nest. Nighttail went to hers. The Clan was only awake with the mewing of the kits. Back inside the Clan of crystals, Jasperwhisker was toe to toe with a tom. Brisknose was lying in the Leaders den, grooming. Soon enough, the night approached. The sky was now filled with darkness. Some cats purr with delight as it gave them the perfect time to hunt or rest. Soon, the leaders would come back The Deputy-for-now-Leader dozed off. *** Someone gently shook him. The tom jumped up. “Brisknose,” It was Quartzstar. “Yes?” “Was everything alright?” She asked. “Well, Russetfur gave birth.”

“Ooh! I’m happy for that,” She smiled, “Did it go smoothly?” “Yes. She has three healthy kits.” “That’s great! What are their names?” “Cavekit, Woodkit, and Stripekit.” She smiled, “Those are the cutest names ever. Especially Woodkit.” Her tail flickered, amused. “Anyway, Jasperwhisker….” “What did she do?” She frowned. “She’s uh *ahem* expecting kits.” The leader stiffened. “What?” Her mouth was wide with awe. “She told me last night.”

“Is she expecting kits with Shadowleg’s?” “Well, who else would it be?” “I don’t know… I just don’t want my sisters kits to be half-blooded with a traitor's blood.” She flattened her ears and flickered them. In the darkness, she resembled much of her mother. Brisknose’s tail twitched on the cold hard floor of the den. “It must be very hard for you. Can’t you talk some sense into her?” “There isn’t anything I can do now… The kits aren’t the same as their father.” She said cooly, cooling down, “And my sister won’t ever make sense.” He stopped twitching his tail. “The kits can’t know about their father.” Quartzfur glanced up at him, her orange eyes blazing with curiosity. “See. This is why you’re my deputy….” She looked to the side, her mind rumbling with ideas, “But how do we make sure the kits won’t ever know about them?” “We need another tom to pretend to be the father. But who?”

“Do you think one of the Fadedclan cats got us covered? Or no… We don’t want them dealing with any of our affairs... “ She glanced up with surprise, “When will our queen give birth?” “In a moon. The father will need to be a Crystalclan tom. Or a fake tom that died.” “Hm… Do the kits really need a father?” She asked. “They’re sure to ask at some point.” “Right… I think Whipwhisker, Brighttail, you and two apprentices are the only single toms here I think… We need to choice one that looks most like Shadowleg...:” “I’d say we just make up a fake name like… Pitchtail, say that he was a black cat with green eyes, and say that he died.” “But… What about the other Clan cats? Will they go along with this?” “They’ll have to.” Quartzfur nodded, “Alright… Then it’s decided… We just need Jasperwhisker to say yes to this.”

Brisknose nodded and got up. The leader followed, flickered her tail and walked into the warriors den. She swiftly made her way to where Jasperwhisker was sleeping. The white-and-pink cat was sleeping on her side, exposing her stomach. It was much clearer she was pregnant with the view. “Jasperwhisker,” Quartzfur crouched down and gently shook her, “Wake up.” The leader gave a few good rough licks. Jasperwhisker’s eyes bugged open. “What?” She yawned. Brisknose told her the plan. Jasperwhisker’s ears feel flat to her head. “That’s mousebrain. I have to pretend that my kits are someone else's that isn’t even real? Dear Starclan.” She hissed in a whisper. “Would you rather your kits hate you and go with Shadowleg instead?” Brisknose asked, standing over her.

“How do you know that?” She shot up, looming over Brisknose, her tail twitching violently, “What are you? A seer! A medicine cat?” Her voice pitched higher to a soft yowl. He folded his ears back. “We’re just looking out for the future of the future Clan mates.” “My kits can handle not knowing their father. I’ll them it’s Shadowleg when their older.” She hissed. “Which is why we need a father replacement.” She forced a sigh. “You’re stressing a queen out.” She licked her chest cooly, “Fine. If we can’t just say that another tom here is the father, then I’ll go with your mouse dropping idea.” His tail tip twitched. “Good.” The warrior laid down. “Now… Can you leave me at peace?” She grumbled. Brisknose padded out of the den. Quartzfur smiled briefly, “Brisknose?” Her voice was gentle from tiredness. “Yes?” “Do you think tomorrow is a good time to turn all of the apprentices into warriors and medicine cats ? I’ve heard they’ve been doing well…” Her tail wrapped around her paws.

“I think that’s a good idea, but we’ll need warriors to help out with the apprentice duties.” “True… I’ll do some of them, but Shiningpaw, Treepaw and Mosspaw will still need to do it until new apprentices come or someone else decides to help out…” “When should their ceremonies start?” “Tomorrow, as the sun is falling down. So at dusk when everyone is tired from the day.” “Maybe they’ll get happy news for once, unless something goes wrong.” “I hope nothing goes wrong.” The leader said, in a tired mummer. She turned and headed towards the leader's den. In the comfort of her nest, he curled around and began to slumber.

THAAAAAANK YOU!

ok

Ty!