Warriors: Larchbounce's Victory

Prologue

Mapleshade headed towards the RiverClan border, waiting for Appledusk to enter her sight. The tortoiseshell warrior waited for what felt like hours, and then the pale brown tom entered. 

            "Where were you?" Mapleshade hissed. 

             Appledusk looked around, and whispered, "Sorry. Darkstar assigned me to the hunting patrol, and I had to make sure that Reedshine was okay." Mapleshade rolled her eyes, turning away. "My kits are due soon, and I wanted to tell you." Appledusk dipped his head with surprise, and the queen wondered what was going through his head. I wonder if he's happy that my kits are due soon, she thought. 

              "Anyway," Appledusk said. "Do you want to go for a swim?" He asked shyly. 

              Mapleshade nodded, knowing that since her kits were going to be half-Clan, half RiverClan, for that matter. She waded into the shallows. "You will help me if I sink, right?" Mapleshade asked, silently hoping that he would. 

              Appledusk nodded. "Of course I will; you're carrying my kits, after all!" He meowed. Mapleshade felt her kits wriggle and kick inside her. They must like water, she mused. After all, they're half-RiverClan, after all. The warrior felt her paws slip, and she scrambled backwards, nearly sinking into the water under the weight of her belly. She yowled with surprise, quickly cutting it off when she realized that she could have alerted any cat in range of her's and Appleshade's secret meeting. 

             "Oops," Mapleshade mewed sheepishly. "Sorry." 

             "It's not your fault," Appledusk stifled a marrow of amusement. "After all, you were just startled....right?" He queried, looking at her through half-lidded eyes. Mapleshade nodded, and mewed, "I have to go, or I'll seem suspicious. I'm supposed to be taking a short walk!" 

             "Bye!" Appleshade said. "I'll let you know at the next meeting or Gathering if Reedshine's kits are born!" 

              Mapleshade nodded, turning away from the river and heading deep into the forest. She heard a dog yowl out somewhere in the distance, and she froze, thinking that the dog had scented her, then relaxed. She hissed with surprise as a pain in her belly poked her. My kits are coming! I think. She hobbled to where she thought the camp was, and tried waddling towards the medicine den. "Ravenwing—" Mapleshade was cut off as an intense wave of pain rolled over her body, and she collapsed in front of the medicine den. The small black tom hurried out of the den. 

              "Wha—Mapleshade?" He ran to her side, and she felt his paws pressing on her belly. "Okay. Mapleshade," Ravenwing said. "Push!" The named queen groaned, and she felt something slip out from inside her. "A tom!" Someone said from behind her, but Mapleshade barely heard it. Something was thrust under her muzzle, and she mewed in protest, but stopped as she smelled kit-scent. She groaned again, and something else was thrust under her muzzle. "It's a she-kit," Ravenwing said softly. Mapleshade screeched, and then the pain faded. "Mapleshade," meowed someone. "You have three healthy kits." 

            Mapleshade turned to see a golden-colored she-cat named Frecklewish walk up to her. "What will you name them?" She asked. 

              The tortoiseshell purred, looking down at her kits. 

              "I don't know yet."