Moonstar's Rise

Chapter 17

Moonstar padded out of her den to see her son in the corner looking down. His back was turned away from the other cats as he faced the den well, sighing. Moonstar padded over quietly and touched her tail to his shoulder.

Tigerstripe jumped and yowled. "What?!" He turned, gasping to see Moonstar. Quickly, he bowed to his mother. "I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else."

"Why are you depressed, Tigerstripe?" Moonstar asked.

"Depressed? I'm not depressed. Why," he began to laugh nervously, "would you think that?"

Moonstar glared at him and he let out a deep sigh. "Well," the striped tom began, "it was Screechshade. Tooth became her mate, Leopardtail got mad and yowled at him. They're not mates anymore. I tried to explain to Screechshade, but she wouldn't listen."

Moonstar growled. "I'll be right back," she hissed, rushing to the nursery.

She found Leopardtail in the nursery sobbing. Her kits were due anyway, so she had been staying in the nursery for now.

"Go away!" Leopardtail growled.

"So, Tooth left you for Screechshade?" Moonstar asked.

Leopardtail gave a sad nod.

"I'll make sure he gets killed in battle," she hissed. She left quickly before Leopardtail could react. Her next instinct was to find Screechshade, but the she-cat was gone.

"MY KITS ARE COMING!" Leopardtail screeched from the nursery. Moonstar ran in, blocking off the other cats, especially Tooth. She had already arranged for one of the rogues to murder him in the battle that would take place shortly.

Moonstar stood with her daughter as the first kit was born. She let out a yowl as the first kit was born. A white tom.

"One more," the medicine cat, Echosong, announced.

Leopardtail yowled again as a second was born. It was another white tom.

"What will we call them?" Tooth asked.

Moonstar hissed at the tom as Leopardtail began to yowl. "These aren't your kits, Tooth! You left me for another she-cat! I don't want you raising them!"

Moonstar had to admit, she was proud of her daughter for standing up to the tom.

"But I'm their-" Once again, he was cut off by Leopardtail.

"You don't love me! You never will! I'll never be mates or love you again!" she spat.

"Leave!" Moonstar hissed at the tom. He scurried off to Screechshade, leaving Moonstar with her daughter. It seemed the fierce she-cat had become a traitor as well.

One of the toms seemed to be bigger than the other, allowing Leopardtail to tell them apart until their eyes opened. "The larger one will be Fang, and the smaller one, Cloud."

"Lovely names," Moonstar purred. The others sat for a moment, staring affectionately at the kits.

"NOW BACK TO WORK!" Moonstar hissed at her warriors. The other cats quickly scurried to do their duties. The battle was only a sunrise away...