Rabbitspring's Fate

(*Chapter 26*)

Rabbitspring heaved with the effort to stay awake, as she was kitting. Firedancer was at her side, helping her, while Baskingtail waited outside of the den.

"And that should be the last kit." Firedancer purred, "Two toms and a she." Rabbitspring nodded,

"Thank you." She replied, thinking of the names of her kits. Baskingtail poked his head into the den as Firedancer left, as he saw the three kits he purred,

"All three are beautiful," he smiled. There was a grey and white tom-kit, a ginger and white she-kit and a grey and black tom kit.

"Softkit, Dawnkit and Darkenedkit" Rabbitspring mewed softly licking each of their heads as she named them. Baskingtail looked at Rabbitspring with a sad look,

"They're going to grow up without a mother... Why can't you take them all? It wouldn't be the first time I lost my kits..."

Rabbitspring didn't care about what Baskingtail had said, the first rays of sunlight started to shine and she wanted to go home badly.

"My decision is final, I leave without my kits and go back home, if all goes well I never have to come back here." The tom-kit she had named as Softkit looked weak and she felt bad for the little kit, "It's not like I don't want to see them grow up, I just can't go home and stay with them, it just won't work for me... I just hope Reedsurge has enough milk left for my kits." Rabbitspring mewed softly. She saw Softkit could barely crawl to nuzzle into her stomach.

"I understand...when are you leaving?" Baskingtail asked Rabbitspring.

"Right now, after I eat." Rabbitspring mewed, getting up, and ignoring the mewling protests of her kits with an ache in her heart, she picked up a hawk and quickly ate it. She sighed, and walked back to her kits till they were fully fed. She looked at all three of the kits with sadness. Rabbitspring sighed, Softkit was the weakness of her litter, she didn't want him to die not knowing his mother, oneday all three of the kits will be joined together and might get to meet Rabbitspring. As the three kits fell asleep Rabbitspring called Baskingtail over,

"Keep my kits safe, and make sure they have enough food. I'll take Softkit with me, and make sure to at least tell them my name." Rabbitspring mewed, getting up and letting Baskingtail keep her other two kits warm as she picked up Softkit and headed outside, we're the leaves started changing colors. She wanted to avoid saying goodbye to any of the clan cats, as they might have convinced her to stay with her kits and Baskingtail. She kept Softkit hidden well in her fur as protection to the wind, and she traced her steps in hopes of going back home.

'Go towards the setting sun, Tigerwhisker misses you dearly... All of AuroraClan needs you back home...' The voice of Blackscar told her, 'I will help guide you, and I shall look over you and Softkit till you get home...' Rabbitspring nodded, heading to the setting sun, hoping that Softkit would survive the cold night ahead.

***

It had been three days since Rabbitspring had left StormClan camp with Softkit. Her kit had opened his eyes, being a bright amber like hers.

The wind just barely blew in the twilight. Softkit snuggled up close to her, his eyes dull and droopy with tiredness. They had been walking all day and poor little Softkit had nothing to eat today.

His grey and white fur was matted and shaking. Rabbitspring found a hole under a tree that wasn't occupied by Foxes or badgers and set Softkit down, cleaning his fur,

"I'll go get us something to eat, you'll be with your brother and sisters soon." Rabbitspring mewed, "Stay silent until I say 'MapleClan is home' then you know it's safe." Softkit nodded, and Rabbitspring bounded out of the hole, quickly finding a squirrel, and a mouse. Rabbitspring looked around and dropped the prey to mew, "MapleClan is home." Then picked up her prey and ran to a mewling, where she found Softkit well hidden. As she knew Softkit couldn't eat the mouse she still tried, but he couldn't eat the prey, so Rabbitspring ate the mouse and squirrel and let Softkit nuzzle into her stomach, falling asleep slowly, curled around Softkit.

***

As Rabbitspring woke up she, licked Softkit to wake him up, and he opened his bright amber eyes slowly,

"When will we be home mama?" Softkit asked his mother.

"We're going to go home today, you'll see your siblings, they will be apprentices but they will love you as much as I love you." Rabbitspring smiled, picking up her kit and padded onward, till she started to see EmberClan territory, she started to run, and ran into MapleClan territory tears welling in her eyes.

Softkit was bumping into her chest as she dashed across a fallen wood oak that marked the border between MapleClan and EmberClan.

Rabbitspring's chest heaved as she pushed herself forward and into her home territory.

Rabbitspring zipped past the MapleClan scent line and stopped, her ears pounding and her legs aching.

Rabbitspring spotted a mulberry bush just off to the left of her vision and placed Softkit in the bush, waiting for a MapleClan patrol to find her.

Rabbitspring fell beside her kit, exhausted. Rabbitspirng couldn't help but close her eyes for a moment.

***

When Rabbitspring awoke, she could smell the scent of plants and berries all around her. She could feel soft moss below her matted white fur, with her eyes still heavy, she opened them slowly.

Rabbitspring got blasted with sunshine straight in her face as she glanced around the den.

In the far left, she could see a spotted grey cat slumped over some plants, muttering to herself.

"U-uh, hello?" She said, barely a whisper.

The grey she-cat turned around to look at her. Her amber eyes looked stressed and over-tired.

Rabbitspring had to think before she could put a name to the cat's face.

Poppyseed.

But it didn't look like Poppyseed. Her pelt was even more matted and her reaction time was way off. Her tail looked way shorter than it had when Rabbitspring left. Half of Poppyseed's ear was ripped off and patches of fur were missing.

What had happened while I ws gone?

The whole once beautiful cozy medicine den was tattered and filthy, scratches and pieces of the wall were missing. It looked like there had been a horrible fight.

"Oh...Rabbitspring...You're alive. That's surprising," Poppyseed muttered and turned away.

Rabbitspring was a little bit confused. Why would Poppyseed be surprised that she was alive?

"What do you mean? Where is Tigerwhisker?," Panic started to rise in her heart.

Poppyseed turned to her with rage in her eyes.

"Your mate destroyed this clan! He overthrew Crowstar and took over the clan!"