What if Princess Gave Away All Her Kits?

Chapter Two

"Fireheart! What are those?" Tigerclaw demanded.

Fireheart gulped down a lump in his throat, feeling nervous. Time to lie to my deputy, he thought.

"I found them near the ShadowClan border. They smell like rogue kits." Fireheart explained, hoping his story sounded convincing.

Tigerclaw glared at Fireheart, then sniffed the kits as if he didn't trust Fireheart. "We don't need more mouths to feed." Tigerclaw argued. "Leaf-bare has barely enough prey for the clans, need alone five kits!"

"But, Tigerclaw, we do need warriors." Bluestar meowed, appearing beside her deputy. "Brindleface lost a kit. We can see if she will accept one kit."

Fireheart dipped his head respectfully to his leader, and picked up the brown tabby.

"Brindleface," Bluestar mewed softly. "We have a surprise for you."

Brindleface barely looked at the tom.

Bluestar sighed. "I know he won't replace your kit, but he needs milk. Will you foster him?"

Brindleface looked at the small kit. "If he needs it, I'd be happy to give him milk." She weakly smiled, then looked up at Bluestar, expectantly. "What's his name?"

"Acornkit." Fireheart quickly answered.

"Fireheart." Turning. Fireheart saw Speckletail. "I heard there were four more kits. Goldenflower said she can spare milk for two, as I can too."

Fireheart smiled. "Thank you, and Goldenflower." He meowed, turning his head to the golden she-cat.

"Fireheart, bring the kits in." Bluestar ordered. "You will be giving prey to these three cats, and will change their bedding as well."

"I will give you all the juciest bits of prey!" He promised, running out of camp to get the other four kits. "Here, Goldenflower." He mewed. "The white one is Whitekit and the she-kit is Brownkit."

Goldenflower gave the two kits a lick each. "I'll take care of them."

"And Speckletail, the cream one is Flowerkit." Fireheart explained. "And the white one is Cloudkit."

After Fireheart had checked in on the kits and given the queens fresh bedding, he decided to go see what Graystripe was up to.

"Halt!" Tigerclaw growled. "Fireheart! You need to give the queens fresh bedding!"

Fireheart sighed. Tigerclaw was mad that Bluestar had allowed Fireheart to bring in the five kits. "I already did, Tigerclaw."

"Well, you aren't going to your den. Make yourself useful and join Mousefur's border patrol." Tigerclaw growled.

"Okay Tigerclaw." Fireheart meowed, padding over to the patrol.

"Okay, Whitestorm. You can take Sandpaw and Runningwind with you. I'll take Willowpelt-" She stopped when she saw Firehart. "Oh, Fireheart. You can join me and Willowpelt."

Fireheart dipped his head.

The six cats trekked through the forest to the ShadowClan border.

"Whitestorm, you guys go down that way. We'll go the other way and meet up in the middle." Mousefur mewed as they arrived.

Whitestorm nodded is head, and led Sandpaw and Runningwind the opposite way from which Fireheart and his group went. After trudging along the foul-smelling, Mousefur stopped Fireheart and Willowpelt with a flick of her tail.

"Do you smell that?"

Fireheart opened his mouth, and scented ShadowClan behind him. But ShadowClan's territory is in front of us.

"Well, well, well. Look who just arrived!" A familiar voice sneered.

Turning around, Fireheart spotted Cinderfur, Wetfoot and Oakpaw.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" Mousefur hissed, preparing to leap at the cats.

"Extending ShadowClan's." Wetfoot snickered.