Whiteriver's Truth

Prologue

   The nursery was emptied except for Mistyeye and her apprentice Swiftpaw. The medicine cats were helping the queen who had just gone in labour. The other queen, Cricketcloud, took her two kits out to leave them in peace. Bravekit and Greykit pestered their mother with questions about what was happening and why they had to leave the nursery. Cricketcloud was happy that her kits would finally have some friends to play with in the den so she could relax a bit more. 1 moon old kits were hard for her to take care of, but she didn't want them bugging Riverleap when she was so tired and she knew she'd be even more exhausted now.
   The cries of a kit eventually was heard.
   "Is that one of the kits?" Greykit jumped with anticipation. "Can we go see it now?"
   Cricketcloud bent down and gave an affectionate lick on her son's head. "Not yet. Mistyeye will let us know when we can go back in."
   "But I want to meet them now." Greykit whined.
   His mother chuckled at his desperation to see the new clan members. Suddenly, a silver freckled cat appeared behind her in a hurry.
"Sorry. I just heard that Riverleap went into labour. How is everything? Is she okay?" He huffed.
"Oh don't worry Silverdust. She's doing great from what I can hear." Cricketcloud responded.
Suddenly another cry of a kitten was heard from inside the nursery. Moments later, the medicine cat apprentice came out.
"Two healthy kits were born. You can come in to see them now." Swiftpaw purred before going back into the den.
Greykit jumped up with excitement and started to run inside with Bravekit behind him. Cricketcloud and Silverdust walked side by side into the den. Riverleap was purring with her two newborn kits snuggled up against her belly.
"They are beautiful." Cricketcloud purred.
"Yes they are." Riverleap purred in return looking down at the new kits.
"Have you thought of names for them?" Cricketcloud asked.
"I wanna choose a name!" Greykit meowed making sure his voice was heard.
"That's up to Riverleap, little one." His mother said to him.
"I already have one named picked out. I was planning on naming the boy Birchkit." Riverleap said.
"That's a good name for him." The other queen purred in response. "But how about the father choses the other name." Cricketcloud meowed looking in Silverdust's direction.
Silverdust was caught off guard. "O-oh. Well." He looked down at the two wriggling balls of fur and thought for a moment. "Whitekit." He finally said. He looked into Riverleap's eyes hoping that his choice was good and she purred with acceptance.
"Whitekit it is." Riverleap purred and then bent her head to lick her kits again.
She lifted her head back up to look at all the cats that stood in the nursery with her. "Can I please talk to Silverdust and Mistyeye alone please?" She asked.
"Of course." Cricketcloud bowed her head and started to guid her kits back out into the clearing.
"But I don't want to go." Greykit whined as he was forced out behind his brother.
Once the only cats left in the den were Silverdust and Mistyeye, the new queen began to talk.
"First Mistyeye. You were one of my mother's closest friends and I have grown to trust you too. You are apart of my family and always will be." She sighed and then turned to Silverdust. "I know that your heart belongs to another and that will never change, but I need you to listen and keep my promise for as long as you and my kits live. Everyone believes you are the father, but I know that you know you aren't." She sighed again.
"Then who is it?" He asked.
"The kits belong to a rogue named Harley. That last time I saw him was a few days before I was moved to the nursery." She explained.
"You mated with a rogue?" Mistyeye seemed shocked and had a hint of anger in her eyes.
"Mistyeye please. You can't help who you love, but for my kits sake I need no one to know. I trust you."
The anger stayed in her eyes for a moment longer until she sighed. "Of course. You are the only thing I have left of your mother, but if you want me to keep your secret safe then not even your kits will know."
"Thank you." Riverleap sighed and bowed her head.
Mistyeye then left the den so it was her and Silverdust alone. "I know how you wanted kits with Mosswing, but she is no longer here and I know you would've made a great father."
Silverdust pressed his head up against her's. "Of course. Anything for you."