Maplepaw's Redemption

Prologue

PROLOGUE

"What's happening? Cloudstep, what's happening? Why does it hurt?" Redpoppy moaned, her paws scrabbling against the cool stone floor of the nursery. "I can't--I can't breathe."

"You can breathe." The black and white tom licked Redpoppy's fur gently and dripped cold water in her mouth from a rabbit hide water skin. Green and amber eyes stared in from the entrance, curious, and the medicine cat shooed them away impatiently. "You're going to be just fine," he said.

"But what's happening?" Redpoppy yowled. "What is this?"

"You're having kits, my dear," the medicine cat said in a low whisper. "A fine day for all of FireClan. I know it's leaf-fall, and it will be hard raising them in leaf-bare, but just think of how happy they'll make you, Redpoppy."

"How?" Redpoppy's head swam. Another wave of pain coursed through her, making her legs ache, and she waited for it to pass. "But I'm not with kits! I would have known!"

Cloudstep chuckled. "You'd be surprised. And who's the father?"

Redpoppy shook her head, exhausted and confused. "There is no father."

"Fine." Cloudstep shoved a stick between Redpoppy's teeth. "You don't have to tell me. You don't have to tell anyone, in fact. A queen is entitled to her secrets. But a word of advice: the truth always comes out eventually. Best get it all out in the open. Now, bite down hard, and get ready to push. It'll all be over soon."

Redpoppy yowled and arched her back, panting heavily, as her entire body seemed to convulse.

"Push!" Cloudstep yowled.

She did, for a small eternity; finally, the first baby came, and she could rest.

"Oh," she whispered, licking the newborn feebly. "She's beautiful. She's perfect." The kit, which had long, dark red fur with leaf-shaped white patches, crawled blindly to her belly and began to nuzzle. I don't know how you came here, little one, Redpoppy thought, purring, but you're mine now, and I'll take care of you.

"The next one's coming, Redpoppy." Redpoppy bit down on the branch again. "Get ready to push."

It took the last bit of Redpoppy's strength, but it was all worth it, she thought, as her second kit--another she-cat, this one solid ginger--came to nuzzle next to the other. Cloudstep probed her belly gently.

"That's it." The medicine cat gave Redpoppy a comforting lick between her ears. "Two beautiful daughters. You did well, Redpoppy. Do you have names for them?"

I didn't even know I was pregnant, Redpoppy thought, and now I've got to name them? But, looking at the first kit, she knew immediately what to say.

"Maplekit, for the shape of her patches. And this one will be Bloomkit, for the new buds that grow under the old maple." She purred loudly through her mouth and muzzled Maplekit and Bloomkit, who mewled indignantly. "My precious, precious kits."

Some time later, Redpoppy woke to find that she and the kits were not alone. A brown tabby tom with long legs and a white belly lay curled around them, snoring softly. She blinked and raised her head.

"Thrushflight?"

The tom stirred, flashing amber eyes at her. "Redpoppy! How are you? Are you okay?" Thrushflight hurried to his paws and covered her with licks. "Cloudstep wouldn't let me in to see you for ages. Why didn't you say you were pregnant?"

"I wasn't--" She sighed, biting her tongue. I wasn't pregnant until today. But no one will believe that. "I wasn't sure until today," she said instead. "I guess I was nervous about giving birth close to leaf-bare."

Thrushflight nodded. "It's okay," he said. "Hey... I know we're not mates, and that's totally fine, but if you wanted someone to help you with the kits... Well, I'd love to."

Redpoppy paused. I do like Thrushflight. But I don't think I'm ready to have a mate. Then again, should these little ones grow up without a father? She shook her head. "You can help, of course," she said. "But don't go around telling everyone from FireClan to TallClan that they're yours." She blinked softly at him. "Not until I'm ready."

"Totally! Totally understand."

Redpoppy sighed and lay back against the cool floor. Someone had given her a nest of moss to lay on, and a water skin sat by her head. She drank from it greedily, surprised at how thirsty she was, and her stomach rumbled.

"I'll fetch you something to eat," Thrushflight said immediately, waving his white tailtip in excitement. "We've got loads of fresh-kill right now. Goosefur and Nettlescratch just finished a hunting patrol."

As she watched him go, she noticed an eeriness about the cave; the shadows seemed to lengthen and grow, and the smell of herbs was masked by the smell of cold stone. All around her was darkness and strange smells and the ghosts of whispers, and suddenly the mouth of the cave seemed miles away.

"Hello?" She wrapped her tail protectively around her kits. "Is someone there?"

A voice whispered from the shadows: Take care of Maplekit, Redpoppy. Never turn your back on her, no matter what happens. Right a wrong older than FireClan itself.

"S-StarClan?" She shivered. "Star--"

Silence. Do as we ask. Be a mother. Love her as your own. Tell no one that you heard us. Do you promise, by the blood of the stars, to uphold this sacred oath?

"Yes, StarClan." Redpoppy, still shivering, bowed. "Thank you."

The whispering voices sighed, the shadows shrank, and suddenly the nursery was just a den again. Redpoppy let out a gust of breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and licked her chest frantically, trying to wash the scent of panic from her fur before Thrushflight came back. StarClan spoke to me... The Ageless Ones spoke to me. How long had it been since they sent a message to the clans aside from the star ceremonies? Redpoppy wondered. Certainly not since Willowstar was leader, and that was before Redpoppy's mother, Softfeather, was born.

What could it mean? Was Maplekit special? Was she dangerous? Redpoppy shook her head. She didn't care. Let StarClan send their creepy shadow messages all they wanted. This kit was hers, and she would love it, no matter what.