Outside the Camp

[*Spanglestar]

Seashell's head hurt and her heart was heavy that she had to keep a secret from her Clan. Who could she make keep the kits? She sighed. Maybe Butterball, because she was her sister, but it was much too soon for her to have kits again. Maybe Jetstream. Before she would have chosen Redstripe, on doubt, but now since she was Redstar, Seashell knew that she probably shouldn't. Jetstream would be the only cat she could give them to. (OOC: Jetstream didn't die.)

She padded onward, but suddenly her belly lurched and she was plunged towards the ground. Would StarClan make this painful for her?

Hawkstar watched from above with sadness. She couldn't bear to hurt her own daughter, but she had to. She remembered when Flamefur had been switching Clans. It had been sad for her. But he had come back. How must it feel to love a cat from a different cat so much that you break the code?

Seashell tried to keep quiet, so she didn't lure RiverClan cats, let alone ThunderClan. An agonizing shot shocked her trembling body. Suddenly, it was over. Three bundles lay at her side. She licked them, feeling happy that it was over, but wondering what to do. One was a flaming tom with dark brown stripes across his back. "Burningkit." Another was a dark brown tom with gray and black stripes. "Wolfkit." The last was a small rocky mountain-reddish (*laughing out loud!*) color with white ears, tail, and paws. "Arrowkit." Seashell let them nurse until moonhigh, then wondered what to do. (she knew the colors of the kits because she can smell them *laughing out loud!*) She should give one to ThunderClan, shouldn't she? She saw Jetstream on guard, alone. "Jetstream!"she hissed.

Jetstream's ears pricked and she turned towards the sound, seeing her blind medicine cat sister. "Seashell?"

Seashell nodded. "Jetstream, I-" she sighed. "Do you promise not to tell anyone if I tell you the greatest secret of RiverClan medicine cats of all time?"

Jetstream nodded. "Of course. With my life."

"Jetstream, I've gone and had kits."

"Who's their father?!" Jetstream exclaimed.

"Mapleclaw. Of ThunderClan."

"You fell in love with that mangy excuse for a cat?!"

Seashell frowned. "Don't call him that, or else you can't pretend like the kits are yours."

Jetstream gasped. "But who shall I tell them is their father?"

Seashell thought for a moment. "Say that you don't wish to reveal who it is."

Jetstream frowned. "I'm not sure I like this. What if they think I'm being disloyal?"

"You're not," Seashell mewed. "That's all that matters." She turned to the kits. "This is Burningkit," she meowed, indicating the red tom. "This is Wolfkit. And this is Arrowkit. But I'm giving Wolfkit to ThunderClan, so he can at least know his father."

Jetstream nodded. "All right."

Seashell licked Jetstream on the ear. "Thanks, sister. Now I've got to take Wolfkit to ThunderClan."


Seashell bounded to the new border, placed the kit behind her, and waited. Suddenly she smelled Mapleclaw. And he was alone! "Mapleclaw!" she meowed is a quiet hiss.

[Midnightstar]

Mapleclaw had been pacing across the moor the entire whole night, waiting worriedly for Seashell.
The tom's ears pricked as he heard the she-cats vioce. Turning his head he caught sight of her and eagerly bounded over. He licked her between the ears affectionately meowing, "I'm so glad you came! I was getting worried!" The tom sat back and tilted his head, noticing the worried glance in Seashell sightless gray eyes.
"Whats wrong?" He asked, gazing at Seashell. He sat patiently for her answer as the stars flickered in the dark sky.

[*Spanglestar]

Seashell reluctantly took a deep breath. "I've had your kits. And I've come to give one to you. His name is Wolfkit." Seashell picked up Wolfkit in her jaws and placed him in front of his father.