Torn Between The Shadows (Warrior Cats)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕, 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞

Violetshine blinked her eyes open, surprised to find kits at her belly. How could I have forgotten about my beautiful kits? She wondered.

She was even more surprised to find Darktail curled up next to her, one of the kit's tails resting on his nose. She purred with amusement. 

Suddenly, Everest padded into the den. "Is Darktail in here? Oh."

Violetshine placed her tail protectively over her kits. "Yeah, I guess he fell asleep here? I'm not sure why or how but he's here."

The tom stirred awake, and stretched. He turned to the entrance. "Oh. Everest what are you doing here?" 

The brown she-cat dropped the frog she was holding at his paws. She smiled sweetly. "This should gain your trust- prey every morning. Kidding. Enjoy the frog, Darktail." 

Darktail turned back to the queen. Violetshine was grooming the kit's ruffled fur. "She didn't seem happy with her mate falling asleep with the mother of his kits. I wouldn't be either, if I'm honest."

Darktail grunted. "It wasn't on purpose, and I'm not her mate." 

He pushed the frog towards her, and Violetshine wrinkled her nose. "No thanks, I don't eat frog." 

Darktail ignored her and sniffed at the kits. Violetshine tapped him on the nose with her tail, and swept the 3 tiny cats closer to her. "Hmm." She laid her eyes on the white tom with black details. "Sootkit..." She stared at the one who looked just like Darktail. "Stormkit... and..."

Darktail cut her off. "Doesn't the father get a say in the names?" 

Violetshine stared at him thoughtfully. "Fine. You can name her." 

Darktail stared at the she-kit. Thousands of names ran through his head. "Silverkit." 

Violetshine nodded approvingly. "Silverkit." 

For the second time, Everest entered the den. "Only 1 day." She said to Darktail, and the tom said, "I want to stay with my kits."

Everest smiled warmly padded closer to the kits, to Violetshine's dismay. Everest sniffed at the and licked them, making Violetshine clearly uncomfortable. Everest smiled and meowed. "Should we name them now?"

Darktail shook his head. "Actually, we already did. Sootkit, Stormkit and Silverkit." 

Everest recoiled. "Oh. Okay. When's she leaving?"

Violetshine's eyes flashed, and Darktail was even shocked by the disrespect Everest was treating Violetshine with.

 "Not anytime soon." Violetshine retorted icily. 

Everest narrowed her green gaze at Violetshine. "I think she should leave as soon as our kits can eat prey. Therefore they won't need milk."

Violetshine's ears flattened threateningly. "Since when were these your kits?"

Everest lashed her tail. "You're so clueless Violetshine. And selfish. You leave Darktail hanging by a claw and now you suddenly come running back?" 

The black and white she-cat wasn't fazed. "You still didn't answer my question."

Everest sat down next to Darktail, examining the kits. She stared at Violetshine. "Darktail is keeping the kits. You're in his camp, or have you forgotten?"

Violetshine swept her kits away from Everest. "I think you should leave."

"I do as I please." She said, her eyes narrowing. Violetshine sighed, and obviously had enough of this arrogant she-cat. "Darktail, can you and Everest please leave me alone? I'm exhausted."

Darktail nodded and he and Everest padded out. 

Violetshine felt extremely sad out of the blue. She stared at her kits. Her beautiful, wonderful kits. She needed them to be strong, but StarClan, they were one day old! She nuzzled them one by one affectionately. Please let them be strong enough for what's happening next. 

That night, Violetshine was awake and she heard Spikefur and Beetle snoring outside the den. Foolish cats. Violetshine thought. But that was good for her. She licked her kits warm. "We're going on an adventure." She murmured to her kits, wondering if they could hear her. "We have to be very quiet. I promise this is the right thing for us." 

She crept out of the camp, genuinely surprised at how easy it was. When she was only a few meters away from camp, she heard a rustle, and saw Everest and Darktail padding out of the thorn barrier. She leapt into a nearby bush.

The kits were tucked safely beneath her, and she knew it was very risky, having newborn kits while escaping. 

"Do you trust me now?" Violetshine heard Everest meow. 

The tom answered her, his voice smooth. "You have proven me that you are loyal and trustworthy." He conceded. "I suppose I do."

Everest smiled and pressed her muzzle against his, making Violetshine flinch. They came to a clearing, where they shared tongues and discussed Violetshine's kits. Violetshine couldn't look any longer. She decided to run. She didn't care if they saw or heard her. She grabbed all 3 kits by the scruff and ran, as fast as the wind. 

She made sure her kits were warm under her chin, and as she ran faster, the kits mewled with delight. Yes. She thought. We're almost there...

Finally, she came to the ThunderClan border. Without hesitation, she went in and came to the camp. She went into the nursery, where Daisy and Brightheart were, and they stirred as she entered. "Sorry." She murmured. 

Daisy blinked her eyes open. "Violetshine!" She exclaimed. The black and white queen fell into a nest and pulled her kits close. They immediately suckled. 

Brightheart gasped as she saw Violetshine. "Great StarClan, Violetshine! You've got thorns everywhere in your pelt. Did Darktail let you escape? Because it doesn't look like it...."

"Not exactly..." Violetshine meowed. The two queens purred. "We're glad to have you back, though."

Brightheart plucked brambles from Violetshine's pelt as Daisy washed her kits. "They're beautiful, Violetshine!" She meowed happily. "Have you named them yet?"

"Sootkit is the white one, Stormkit is the dappled one, and the she-cat is Silverkit." Violetshine told them.

"Those are great names!" 

Violetshine blinked at the two she-cats warmly. "Thank you for everything, but it's late at night, we all should be getting some rest. I'm sorry for waking you up."

Brightheart smiled at the young queen. "It's no worry."

Daisy placed Violetshine's kits into the curve of Violetshine's belly, and all 3 cats went to sleep.