Book 1 // The Maple's Flowers

Chapter 2

When she awoke, she was relieved. She was in familiar territory, though she couldn't quite identify it. She sat up slowly, and coughed, water draining out of her ears and nose and mouth all at once.

She looked around. "Kits?" she moaned. "Kits. Where are my kits?"

A vocie behind her: "Right here."

Appledusk!

She whipped around and grinned happily. "Oh, my love," she sighed, reaching a forepaw to touch his face. "Did you save me?"

"Yes," Appledusk said. "And the kits are fine, except Petalkit choked on water and passed out. But she'll recover fine. She woke up a bit, and then she fell asleep."

Guilt crammed into Mapleshade's heart. "Can I see them?"

"Of course." Appledusk backed up and Mapleshade scrambled to the three little wet lumps in the grass, licking at them. "So," Appledusk continued, "What brought you to the flooded river with tiny kits?"

"ThunderClan found out," Mapleshade mumbled softly. "They - they found out you were the father. And we all got banished."

Appledusk hummed. "I see." he curled his tail. "You'd better find somewhere to stay."

"I was..." Mapleshade sighed. "I was hoping that somewhere could be RiverClan's camp. I wouldn't have tried to cross the river if I had a better idea. They deserve to know their father, anyway, and I'm sure Darkstar won't mind..."

Appledusk was silent. "That's not possible."

"What?" Mapleshade barked, accidentally startling Larchkit into a half-wakened state. He mewled, and Mapleshade quickly turned back to him, whispering an apology. Then she looked at Appledusk. "I don't understand," she said in a more controlled tone. "We're mates. We love each other. Can't you try? Please?"

"Mapleshade..." The tom flipped his tail. "It's just not possible. It's not. I didn't think I'd ever see you or the kits again."

Mapleshade smiled sadly at him. "I thought the same thing," she said, "And I despaired over it. But I'm here, despite the fear and the near-tragedy. We're here. Together. We can be together forever."

Appledusk flattened his ears. "I have a new mate, Mapleshade."

"What?"

"Her name is Reedshine," Appledusk said casually.

"Does she know about me?" Mapleshade asked hesitantly.

"Of course not," Appledusk snapped exasperatedly. "I'd never tell my mate I had an affair with a ThunderClanner. We're at war, remember?"

Mapleshade's heart fell to her stomach in an instant. An affair. An affair. That's how he'd viewed their relationship. Meaningless.

"How long have you two been mates?" Mapleshade asked.

Appledusk squinted in his paws in thought. "Two seasons," he said. "Or three. I think."

Three seasons? "Do you realize how long a season is?"

"About three moons," Appledusk said with a nod.

"Three and three and three is nine. Nine moons. Our kits are two moons old," Mapleshade said, her voice cracking. "You- I- what?"

Appledusk looked at her with cold eyes.

She bristled. "Where do you want me to go?" she asked. "Before- before I leave- please just give me that. Where can I even go? Where? These are our kits, whether you love me or not!"

Appledusk twitched one ear. Petalkit looked so alike him. He turned his head away and seemed to scan the horizon, humming to himself. "There's a barn beyond WindClan's territory," he said. "You're in the field next to the falls, Fourtrees is that way," he said, pointing with his nose and tail. "Take your kits to Fourtrees, and follow the thunderpath there toward WindClan. Not away. Beyond the moors there's a line of hedges too straight to be natural. Do you understand?"

Mapleshade, despite her anger and betrayal, felt relieved. She had some form of direction. "Yes. I do." She stood and gathered herself.

"Is there anything else you need?" Appledusk asked, twitching his tailtip. He seemed antsy to get out of this.

Mapleshade stared him hard in the eye. "Is she good to you?"

"Who?"

"Your mate. Is she good to you?"

"... Yes," Appledusk said.

"Good. That is all I need."

She made Appledusk leave before she woke her kits.