Warriors: Starlight

Chapter 6

Fireheart was stood next to Graystripe, faced with the gorse tunnel into camp, carrying the two kits by the scruff. Fireheart had told Graystripe to jump in the river to wash the tear stains and smell off of his coat, and they'd play it off as him slipping into the water.

"Well it's now or never. Lets just do this."
Fireheart's biggest worry is that some cat might connect the dots between the kits fur Colour and Graystripe. They won't be able to prove anything, but it would instill suspicion, and that could be just as bad.
They entered the camp and immediately eyes turned to them, some with shock, others curiosity. It was unsettling. Under everyone's scrutinizing gaze, even Fireheart felt guilty, and he hadn't even done anything wrong. He couldn't imagine how Graystripe was feeling.

They placed the kits down. Fireheart tried to act as brazen as possible, but he wasn't sure that he was doing a very good job.
In no time their clanmates had encircled them, murmuring and eyeing the kits suspiciously.
"What is this?" The cats turned their heads to see Bluestar skulking out of her den and stalking to the center of the clearing.
Not giving Graystripe the chance to screw this up by falling over his words, Fireheart stepped forward.
"We found these kits at the edge of the clan territory. There was no scent attached to them, nor was there any evidence that the mother had been in the area for quite some time. They were abandoned in a mint field, so I assume the lack of scent was deliberate. They appeared to have been abandoned. We had searched for a while, but honestly, if we hadn't found the kits, there would be no proof that another cat was ever on the territory at all." He finished, holding Bluestar's gaze steadily.
"And what's wrong with him" Bluestar directed her gaze to Graystripe, who looked like he wanted to break down.
"I think he's just angry. And cold. He fell into the river, so it's safe to assume it's shock from the river and the discovery." He replied, looking back at Graystripe, silently imploring him to get a hold of himself.
Bluestar stared at them for a few more seconds, her eyes unreadable.
After a couple seconds of examining them, she stood up, and turned back toward her den, beckoning him to follow with a flick of her tail, leaving Graystripe with the kits.
They padded to the edge of the clearing, and Bluestar disappeared into her den. He loitered outside for a couple seconds, staring into the sun-deprived hole, curtained in moss.

With a sigh he pushed through the moss, and took a seat next to her nest.
"Now tell me what's really going on" she begun.
Firehearts chest froze up.
"W-what?" He stammered "what're you talking about?" he tried to act nonchalant, but that's hard when he nearly took an early trip to StarClan by almost choking on his tongue.
"Fireheart. Please don't lie to me. I practically raised you. I'm the closest thing you have to a mother in this clan. I was also your mentor. The point is, I know when you're lying. StarClan knows you did it enough. I'll lick a ShadowClan scent marker if I'm wrong. Now please, tell me the truth. Where did you find those kits." She looked at him with a gentle, but stern stare.
Fireheart, unable to resist, stepped forward pushed his forehead into the crook of her neck.
He needed the comfort.
"I don't know what to do." He began, tears threatening to fall at the edge of his eyes, but he held them back. He'd done enough crying for a lifetime.
She wrapped her tail over his back.
"Just tell me what has happened. We'll figure it out." Such simple words, but they worked so well.
"Okay fine."- he leaned back -"I'll tell you"
He sat back on his haunches.
"I'll start from the beginning. Just don't interrupt until I've finished." He meowed.
She nodded.

He fumbled through the whole story about how he'd followed Graystripe out of camp once and found him flirting with Silverstream and all about how he tried to get him to break it off, after all, it was against the warrior code.

"But it was too late. She was already expecting kits. This was the same time that I'd admitted my feelings toward him. By now they'd broken it off, and they decided that one of them would bring the kits back to the clan, and act as if they were either rogue kits or of an unknown father, depending on which parent they go with, but then.. then Silverstream... she didn't make it. Her wish was to let them grow up without the half clan stigma, so we decided to make it seem like we found the kits on the clan border, near the treecut place." He stopped to catch himself when he realized how quickly he was speaking, then begun again more slowly.
"so, I really don't know what to do. I know that it's a lot to ask. You can punish Graystripe, and even me, but please let the kits grow up loved" he begged, his head bent respectfully. He looked back up at her and she was staring out of the den directly at the kits, rested against Graystripe, seemingly in deep thought. She then looked back at him with a deep sigh,
"I'm very disappointed that you tried to lie to me. Especially about something like this. But.." she looked at him, her gaze hazing as though she was recalling a painful memory.
"Alright" She finally resigned. He opened his mouth to thank her, but she cut him off.
"But they're your responsibility. Take them to Yellowfang, and have them checked over, but you have to look after them. Goldenflower has her own kits to take care of, without adding two more that aren't even hers." He stared for a moment.
"Bluestar, are you suggesting I mother them? Like...In the nursery?" He asked. surely he misunderstood.
"If need be. Unless you have another solution. You and Graystripe are a team, you sort it out." She huffed simply.
Fireheart was taken aback by her proposition. A tom in the nursery? To his knowledge, that has never happened before. But why not? It wasn't against the warrior code. If the mother wanted to keep to her warrior duties, and the father didn't mind, then was there really anything problematic about it? All the mother would have to do is feed them every day. Speaking of which.
"Bluestar, even if I, you know - or Graystripe - did... uhm, rear them... they don't have milk." He fumbled, embarrassment overtaking him.
"That's fine. I'm sure Goldenflower wouldn't mind feeding them. But my point still stands. Either you or Graystripe must raise them. That is non-negotiable." The leader shook herself out, "Otherwise you can take them to RiverClan and explain to Crookedstar why he shouldn't have Graystripe's head." She looked to him expectantly.
Fireheart stared at the ground for a moment, then at the kits and finally back at his own paws. Paws that would never rear kits of his own if he and Graystripe were mates. It seemed so obvious. If I don't take this opportunity, will there ever be another? Besides they were Graystripe's kits. If he and Graystripe were mates, then Graystripe's kits were his kits, right? I guess I even have a duty to care for these kits. These are our kits. Fireheart rationalized the decision to his satisfaction and looked back up at Bluestar. "Okay, I'll raise them." He meowed determinedly. She blinked at him with approval,
"Good. Now come, we don't want those kits to freeze to death out in the open." And Fireheart followed her out of the den, into the center of the camp, where the kits were huddled against Graystripe for warmth.
"Graystripe. Take the kits to yellowfang." Fireheart yowled.
"Fireheart has kindly volunteered to take care of them, although"- Bluestar mewed and turned her head to Goldenflower -"we'd be very grateful if you were able to spare some milk for the critters." Bluestar dipped her head toward the queen in a respectful plead. Fireheart did the same. The queen turned her head toward the kits for a second, pity in her eyes, then nodded her head.
"How could I say no." She meowed
"Thank you Goldenflower" Fireheart meowed.
Bluestar seemed satisfied.
"Very well then, in that case, I'd like to introduce you to our newest Thunderclan members"- she looked at Fireheart,
"Featherkit and Stormkit" he answered. That was what Silverstream had named the two tykes. He felt a sense of loyalty to the she-cat to keep their names as she wanted them.

"Featherkit! Stormkit! Featherkit! Stormkit! Featherkit! Stormkit!"

Fireheart was surprised by the enthusiasm from the clan who'd generally been quite contemptuous to outsiders.

The every cat  howled the kits names joyously at the prospect of new life in the clan. Every cat but Tigerclaw, who just stared at the kits with a strange glint in his eyes.