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Larch skidded to a halt, panting, his amber eyes dark by the forest. "I see something!" Patchstar turned his head, "what do you see?" Larch looked harder, "A tortoiseshell she-cat," he answered. "that's Mapleshade!" he warned, Larch winced and sprang down from the halt, Patchstar followed him. Patchstar gulped down a breath of sadness, Petal? where are you? he glanced around wearily,
"Mapleshade, look what you've done!" Patchstar jerked his head back. Patchstar choked on dust as he gasped, a pale brown shape was bleeding around her hind leg, cuts covered her beautiful pelt.
He realized Destiny had been following them, "oh no, poor kits!" Patchstar had just realized the wriggling kits by her belly,
their pelts were tortoiseshell, like his. "they had an early kitting," Larch gasped, Patchstar panted and choked as he realized his sister's hind leg was sliced around every side.
"P-Petal?" he dried his tears and leaped at Mapleshade, "Patchstar? I thought I killed you and Larch!" Larch screwed his face, "no," he answered, Patchstar finished, "you didn't, Destiny helped us." he blinked at the red she-cat.
He watched as Larch crept toward the two kits, "don't worry, Larch has got you," he soothed the tiny, early born kits by curling his tail around them. Patchstar wiped the blood from his face as Mapleshade knocked his cheek,
Patchstar got revenge and sliced open her nose. Mapleshade stretched her muzzle to yowl, "Dark forest warriors, attack!" Patchstar turned his head to Larch, "Larch, get to shelter, quick, keep Petal and her kits safe!" Larch nodded his head,
"yes, leader," he swept the kits in with his tail and held Petal by her scruff. "help!" a kitten called, "uh oh," he let Mapleshade go and looked around, a light brown tom pinned a small, glossy white tom with dark tabby patches, the light brown tom stretched his muzzle and sank his underbited teeth into the kitten's shoulder.
"hold on, little one, I'm coming!"
he plunged into the undergrowth and rammed into the enemy's side, "oh, it's the kittypet who WANTS to be a leader." his fur bristled, "I never WANTED to be a leader!" he hissed, leaping at the small cat's foe.
"get out!" he roared, "fine...but this isn't over, KITTY! someday, I will get revenge..." he turned and plunged into the retreat, he turned to the kitten. "are you okay? where are you from?" the kitten trembled, "m-my name is Bramble, and-and I just ended up here, my mother and father drove me from their houses!" he mewled, shaking. "hey, it's okay, there's a nice cat named Larch who will protect you, come on, Bramble, let's go." he let the kitten lean on his side as he padded by the den Larch and Petal were hiding in.
"I saw you, Bramble, come on, we will protect you," Petal had her thick and bushy tail curled around her kits.
"o-okay," he carefully stepped in, suddenly mewing for the vole Larch had caught. Larch slid the prey by the tom's paws and he eagerly started sucking at it. Patchstar turned his head, most of the warriors have retreated, and the left ones were fleeing into the darkness where Patchstar couldn't see. Destiny sat beside him, "I heard about the kitten, is he okay?" Patchstar nodded, "yes, his name is Bramble, he's eating a vole right now." Destiny craned her neck, "he's beautiful," she remarked. Patchstar closed his eyes.
