MistClan's path super edition: Miststar's story (REVISED IN VER. 2)

Chapter 26

Mistfur, Whitefur, and Jaynose arrived back from the patrol. Mistfur looked around. No one was here right now.

"Hopestar! What is going on?" Mistfur asked.

"Oh, I sent everyone on a patrol, Mistfur."

"Wetnose and Pinefur too? Even the queens and elders?"

"Yep, I just needed everyone to be gone so I can talk to you." Hopestar replied. Mistfur marched to Hopestar's den. "You see this cat here?" Hopestar asked.

"You mean you?" Mistfur asked.

"She's expecting kits. I really don't know how a leader can do this, but... it's a punishment from StarClan for what I did before. Can you help me nurse them? I need you, I really do. After you give them some milk," Hopestar whispered. "You must take them to GrassClan."

"What? But Hopestar-"

"No buts, now please help me move to an area where I can have them. I am having them now, actually. I can feel small paws kicking. Mistfur... Help! Oh yeah, I'm having three, don't tell anyone!"

"I promise, Hopestar. I really do... Okay, so where should we go to deliver them?"

"Twolegplace, it's the safest. No one's around, and leaf-bare is starting." Hopestar replied hoarsely.

"Okay... Let's go." Mistfur meowed.

The two cats dashed to Twolegplace. They jumped inside a bush. Hopestar began to twitch. Oh, StarClan, no! She really is hurt! Mistfur thought. Hopestar began to dig a hole. "What's that for?" Mistfur asked. "It's for, well, you know... I don't know why, though." Hopestar replied.

"Okay, are you ready, Hopestar?" Mistfur asked.

"Yes."

***

Three moving bundles were by Hopestar after a long, painful, stressful day.

"They're beautiful! How many males? And females?" Mistfur asked.

"I can see two males and one female. Even I could do this myself, Mistfur."

"What will you name them, Hopestar?"

"This little white tom with jet-black feet, his name is Cloudkit, This tan tom is Birchkit, and this little one, she's Springkit. She looks a bit strange, but I'm sure she can handle stuff like this. I just know it."

"Good names! I love it. It's too bad they can't stay in MistClan."

"It is, Mistfur." Hopestar replied sadly. She looked up at the darkening sky and whispered, "Spiderfoot, you have two sons and a daughter! Let's hope we can handle giving them away..."

The sky started to darken to a light indigo. Silverpelt started to appear, and the area was getting very cold. Springkit, Cloudkit, and Birchkit were starting to shiver a bit. The kits needed milk.

"Hopestar, do you have any spare milk to give them? I'm a bit low here..." Mistfur meowed hoarsely, because her throat was starting to get a bit cold and dry.

"Of course," Hopestar mewed. "I'll lie down." Hopestar lay down. The kits started to mew loudly, and they smelled milk. They squirmed in the dirt, and then latched on to Hopestar and began to suckle. Hopestar felt proud. She had realized leaders had kits for a punishment. But she was proud of it. If Spiderfoot had lived, he would have taken care of his kits more often than Hopestar or Reedclaw, in a way. The kits' tiny claws raked into Hopestar's belly, making it a bit painful, but not much.

"Can you stand giving them to GrassClan, Hopestar?" Mistfur asked meekly.

"No, Mistfur..." Hopestar sighed.

"So, are you ready now?" Mistfur asked slightly.

"Yes. I am now, Mistfur." Hopestar replied.

"Okay, we leave at dawn. We will shelter here until then, and after we give over the kits to... Reedclaw, maybe, we will wash off the scents and then join the dawn patrol I told Icewing to assign because I told her I had something to do. I just was going to talk to Mossflower about something important. Just remember, we leave at dawn."

The two cats and three kits fell asleep, dreaming... dreaming......