Ravensong's Challenge

Chapter Six

"No..." Ravensong whispered in dismay as the three foxes began to advance on her mother.

"StarClan help me!" Blackcloud yowled in pure terror.

I have to stop them! Ravensong thought in a panic. "Kits, stop! Don't hurt her!" she screeched as she broke into a run, skidding to a halt between them and Blackcloud.

"What are you doing?" Blackcloud hissed.

Ravensong ignored her. "It's ok! She's my mother, she won't harm you." As long as you don't harm her.

Russetdust immediately stopped snarling. "Oh no, Ravensong! I'm so sorry! We didn't know."

Sunfrost yipped her agreement. "We thought she was you, until we noticed she didn't have that white spot on her chest like you do."

"Then she started screeching like the whole of LionClan were attacking her," Rednight explained, hostility still in her gaze. "She started attacking us then. We were just-"

"-defending yourselves, I know," Ravensong sighed, feeling relieved. "That's what I taught you, after all."

Blackcloud's panicked mew sounded behind her, tentative as if she was still afraid of the foxes attacking. "Um, Ravensong? Taught them what, exactly?"

Ravensong turned, feeling a heavy weight on her shoulders. This is it, she thought wearily. This is when the truth comes out.

Blackcloud looked at her expectantly, still glancing now and again at the three foxes. Ravensong took a deep breath and leaped into her explanation. Once she got to the part about her finding the three baby foxes next to their dead mother and how starved they were, Blackcloud's eyes softened and she stopped glancing suspiciously at the kits. Ravensong finished her story and then fixed her gaze on her paws, unable to meet her mother's gaze.

"Ravensong," Blackcloud began, "I understand why you did what you did."

"You do?" Ravensong mewed in surprise, looking up to see mingled sadness and pride in her face.

Blackcloud nodded. "But you should've left them once they were old enough to take care of themselves. Then you could've gone on serving your Clan faithfully without distractions. I noticed how much you were neglecting Clan activities, and this explains why."

Ravensong glanced uneasily at the foxes crouching behind her. "I know," she admitted softly. Turning to the kits, she meowed, "I'm sorry for dragging you into trouble by keeping you here. You never had to stay."

Russetdust stepped forward and gave her ear an affectionate lick. "But we chose to stay."

Sunfrost nodded in agreement. "We didn't want to leave you. You're really the only mother we've ever known."

Rednight said nothing, just lightly placed one of her forepaws on Ravensong's. Ravensong felt a mix of love for the foxes and choking sadness that she now had to leave them behind.

She touched noses with all three of the foxes. She knew that no matter where they were, no matter what happened, they would always be a Clan for each other. She knew that they would remember the lessons she taught had them, even if they never saw each other again. She turned and followed her mother back to her other family, the one that she belonged to. And Ravensong knew that she could do it now, without a doubt.