Mapleshade's vengeance

Chapter 4

By the time they reached the path leading down to the ravine, the kits were dragging their paws withweariness. "Nearly there, little ones!" Mapleshade mewed encouragingly. She hoped she would beable to settle them in the nursery and give them a feed before Ravenwing came looking for her.Patchkit stumbled on the pebbly slope so Mapleshade let him lean against her shoulder and tookalmost all of his weight as they descended to the gorse tunnel. Petalkit let out a huge yawn. "I'm sosleepy!" she murmured."I'm hungry," Larchkit squeaked. "My belly is rumbling louder than a badger!"They pushed through the gorse tunnel, ducking their heads to keep the sharp twigs out of theireyes. Mapleshade followed, nudging Patchkit in front of her. When she emerged, Larchkit and Petalkithad stopped dead at the entrance. "Come on," Mapleshade urged, her attention on Patchkit as heswayed on his feet."I think something's happening," Petalkit whispered.Mapleshade looked up. The clearing was ringed with cats, all staring at them. Oakstar stood onHighrock, silhouetted against the trees. Ravenwing was crouched below him, his gaze fierce. Thedeputy Beetail was next to the medicine cat, his striped coat ruffled as if he had been interrupted mid-groom. Mapleshade started to tremble.Patchkit pressed himself against her. "What's wrong?" he whimpered. 

"Nothing for you to worry about," Mapleshade told him. "Go stand over there." She pointed withher tail to a clump of bracken at the edge of the clearing. The three kits trotted over in silence andhuddled together."Come here, Mapleshade," Oakstar commanded.On legs that seemed to be made of stone, Mapleshade walked forward until she was standing inthe center of the clearing. "What is it, Oakstar?"The dark brown tom twitched the tip of his tail. 

"Who is the father of your kits?" he asked. "Tellthe truth!"Before Mapleshade could speak, there was a flurry of ginger fur beside her. Frecklewish pushedpast a cluster of warriors and joined Mapleshade below Highrock. "We know it's Birchface!" shecalled up to Oakstar. "Why are you asking this?"

 "I want Mapleshade to tell us herself," Oakstar mewed, his voice soft with menace. "She let mebelieve that my son Birchface was their father. I cannot imagine that one of my warriors would dareto tell such a lie."Mapleshade shifted her weight onto her hind paws so she could hold the leader's gaze. "Any Clanwould be proud to have these kits grow up to serve them," she declared. 

"Even if they knew the kits were half-Clan?" Ravenwing meowed. "We deserve to know the truth,Mapleshade. Appledusk is their father, isn't he?"For a moment, the whole forest seemed to hold its breath. Then there was a screech of pure horrorand Frecklewish launched herself at Mapleshade. "Is this true?" she yowled, clawing atMapleshade's face. "What have you done?"Mapleshade stumbled backward. 

"Stop!" she gasped. She tried to raise her front paws to shieldherself but Frecklewish had pinned her down.Suddenly the weight was lifted from Mapleshade's belly and she opened her eyes to see the she-cat being hauled away by Bloomheart and Seedpelt. Mapleshade staggered to her paws. Bloodpooled in her eye from a torn eyelid, and her cheek stung from a well-aimed blow. All around her, thecats hissed and muttered.Frecklewish shook off the warriors and glared at Mapleshade. "You have betrayed my brother'sname!" she spat. "You have betrayed us all with your lies and your disloyalty. You don't deserve tobe called a warrior and nor do those . . . those half-Clan creatures." She curled her lip toward thethree kits, who cowered beneath the ferns. "Their father killed Birchface and Flowerpaw! Get themout of here!" 

Mapleshade shook scarlet droplets onto the grass. "Why does it matter who their father is?" shedemanded furiously. "I have given ThunderClan three fine kits. I am a queen and I should be treatedwith respect. StarClan knows we need more warriors, and here they are!" Have my Clanmates gonemad, that they would turn against me like this?Oakstar bounded down from Highrock and stood in front of her. His yellow eyes gleamed withhatred and he thrust his head forward until his breath blew hotly on Mapleshade's muzzle. "Have youforgotten that Appledusk murdered my son and Flowerpaw? Of all the cats, why did you have tochoose him? You cannot possibly expect my forgiveness." He stepped back and raised his head."You have betrayed the warrior code and lied to your Clanmates. We will not raise these kits withinthe walls of our camp, nor the boundaries of our territory. Take them and leave. You are no longer awarrior of ThunderClan."