Rabbitspring's Fate

{* Chapter 19*}

Rabbitspring sat watching her kits play. They were almost two moons, yet the fox had not killed her yet. Crowstar was going to send a patrol to the EmberClan border to see if the clan had taken Ravenfeather and her kits. Crowstar's kits were already six moons old and Ravenfeather was already starting to get sick when she left. Since the sun started to sink Rabbitspring hustled her kits back into the nursery, then saying goodnight to her mate she curled up around her five precious kits. Before Rabbitspring could fall asleep, a voice hissed in the darkness.

" Rabbitspring! It's Pinecloud!"

"What is it..." Rabbitspring mumbled sleepily.

"Get up quickly!" Pinecloud mewed. Rabbitspring nodded, she was going to bring her kits when Pinecloud shook his head,

"They'll be safe here." Rabbitspring nodded again following Pinecloud sleepily. They walked to the border with Emberclan and Rabbitspring's eyes widened when she saw Ravenfather standing there, with her kits and...another warrior...?

"Hello Rabbitspring, I am Gopherwing. And I'm here to make a deal with you..." The warrior's cold voice mewed, sending a chill down her spine.

"Don't do it!" Ravenfeather cried, then Gopherwing hissed unsheathing his claws and positioned them to make sure Rabbitkit could get hurt in a quick move.

"Why do you want me?" Rabbitspring replied calmly and smoothly.

Gopherwing swished his tail and smiled evilly. " I want you to be loyal to EmberClan, and become Currentstar's mate. I saw how he looked at you last time you were in our camp..." Rabbitspring growled,

"I Already have a mate! And kits!"

"And that's why you left your kits at your camp."

"What if I don't agree with you?" Rabbitspring asked, Gopherwing.

" If you dont we are going to kill your kits!"

"That wasn't part of the deal!" Pinecloud hissed.

"I was born in MapleClan I'll die in MapleClan, I'll join your clan in two days." Rabbitspring mewed. Gopherwing nodded,

"Fine, I'll see you in two days time." He hissed. Rabbitspring turned and padded back to her camp with PineCloud, and curled back up with her kits.

***

Rabbitspring heard a growling in the nursery.

"Go away Pinecloud..." Rabbitspring muttered, "I'm trying to sleep."

"This...is...Flurry...sky.." The voice growled. Rabbitspring opened her eyes and gasped when she saw a fox! Rabbitspring then calmed down and stood in a protective stance in front of her five remanding kits,

"Stand away from my kits." She hissed. Rabbitspring's eyes softened as she remembered all the good times she had with Flurrysky, before she knew he wasn't her father. Rabbitspring started to feel a stab of guilt for Flurrysky,

"Remember Howlingstar, make sure my kits don't get hurt..." Rabbitspring sighed, "Let me quickly stay good bye to my kits..." Rabbitspring licked her kits oh there heads,

"I'll watch over you five, I'll make sure you'll have a great live, even without me..." Rabbitspring purred, a tear falling to the ground, she turned to face the fox and nodded,

"Do it." The fox nodded and slit her throat quickly, then ran out of the nursery. Rabbitspring's eyes started to well up with tears, when she heard the voice of Tigerwhisker sounding worried, and ran into the nursery, seeing Rabbitspring bleeding on the ground of the nursery.

"Rabbitspring!" He yowled, waking up their kits, Tinyspots and the rest of camp.

Tinyspots yowled in shock and tried to get up, but to no avail. The kits had weighed her down.

"Shhh, Listen to me Tigerwhisker..." Rabbitspring rasped, her sides heaving with effort to stay alive. Tigerwhisker's eyes were welling with tears as he looked down at his mate,

"Rabbitspring..." He mewed, his voice full of pain.

"Promise me..." She paused to catch her breath, "Promise me you'll protect our kits, with your life...and don't grieve for me forever..." Tigerwhisker nodded and Rabbitspring felt a stab of sympathy for her mate, this must be so hard for him... Their kits ran to Rabbitspring's side and pressed their faces into her belly.

"I made a deal....with NightClan...I made sure our kits would be safe....in Exchange for my life..." Rabbitspring rasped.

"Shhhh, save your breath..." Tigerwhisker mewed softly

Blood flooded her mouth. She couldn't speak.

" Rabbitspring!"

She couldn't hear the rest of her mates cry, she finally closed her eyes, going into an eternal sleep.

* * *

Rabbitspring awoke in a misty cold clearing. She could see cats this time, a black and white tom was standing at the top of a bone piled rock.

"Good to see you..." Howlingstar's voice growled.

"I'm dead, happy now?! My mate is going to grieve for me forever and I won't get to see my kits become warriors." Rabbitspring hissed, "So what do I have to do so I can spend the rest of eternity by myself." Howlingstar chuckled,

"What a catch, beautiful, clever and a great fighter, the greatest warrior to have on my side. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few moons till you get to help us..."