𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 - seasons of revenge - book three

Chapter 58

Stars speckled in the sky, as a group of cats crept amongst the forest floor, bodies pressed to the ground as they surveyed their surroundings.

"It's this way. We just need to go past the nettle patch, and by the tree trunk, and the nursery is there." Harsh green eyes narrowed as they scanned a familiar Clan camp, four other cats trailing behind.

"Any apprentices?" A young brown she-cat beckoned to the den they were hiding behind.

"No. Me and Leopardshade were the last apprentices and that was moons ago."

"Oh." The brown she-cat responded, looking at her paws.

"There's three kits. Sedgekit, Brindlekit and Windkit." Rain whispered harshly as she edged around the barren apprentice den, the brown she cat, known as Minnow, following behind. The other three cats in the group, Galaxy, Flutter and Buck, watched on.

"Why are we doing this, again?" Buck hissed silently to the brown tabby Galaxy, who hissed back in a quieting gesture.

"If we steal the kits and apprentices, there's no cats to be made apprentices and warriors, which would strengthen their ranks. The little mites are too naive and easy to convince on our side." Galaxy flattened his ears, watching as Rain crouched forward, hastily approaching the nursery.

"I'm going with her." The tom whispered, and slunk beside Rain, who masked her face of surprise well as Galaxy came beside her.

Rain was surprised to say the least, but relaxed when she noticed it was just the brown tabby rogue. At least she'd have some help in case Brackenflower threw a frenzy just like Grassfur did. Or, most likely, Brackenflower was sleeping.

A smirk fell on her face when she saw the queen sleeping, chest rising and falling, three bundles beside her, a mix of brown and grey.

Quickly, she bundled a small brown kit into her jaws, beckoning for Galaxy to take another kit, which he took the smaller of the litter.

"What are we going to do with them?" Minnow hissed under her breath, as her eyes flitted to the last kit still by Brackenflower's side. "Aren't we going to take that one too?"

"No. We'll take them back to AmberClan. Raven should be back with the other patrol by now. And wasn't that ginger cat expecting kits, too? They can be cared for by her."

"Says the one who's expecting kits herself." Buck's brown head peered into the nursery, hazel eyes gleaming.

"Well, I don't really want to think about that right now." Rain said, her voice muffled by the kit as her ears pinned downwards. "We're not going to hurt them. Probably take them in exchange for Duststar as a ransom, but more likely it'll end in a battle."

The tortoiseshell trailed off as Galaxy turned beside her, and she followed swiftly beside. "And that's give me a good chance to kill him then and there."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Buck questioned it her left, followed by Flutter also bobbing his head in hesitance, eyes wide.

"Do you want your group to be free of that. Or not?" She seethed, her sharp gaze cutting into Buck with anger. "Because I don't see any other cat offering up an idea."

"We could just fight them." Galaxy said, then the brown tabby rogue rolled his eyes. "But we know how that ended up. The last four times." He deadpanned.

"I suppose you're right." Buck said sheepishly beside them, his shoulder fur bristling.

Soon the group of five had retreated back through the forest, through past the gathering place, up to the AmberClan meadows. The kit in her jaws squealed profusely as Rain stalked through the camp, eyes scanning the crowd for the ginger queen, Burberry, was it?

Rain suppressed a groan of anger as she scanned the dens, unable to find said cat. She was beginning to get impatient, and seemingly so was the brown kit in her jaws.

With a heavy sigh, Rain dragged her paws heavily to a den, where it was mostly empty, but she could make out the shapes of Wanda and Xander.

And then there was the kit.

What am I supposed to do with it? Gently, Rain lowered their brown bundle into a nest, and glanced at it. The thing was too young for prey, but neither was she nursing any kits.

"We'll have to find Burberry in the morning for you." Rain yawned as she glanced down at the kit, hesitantly curling around the small figure.

"I want to get you back to Brackenflower as soon as, y'know?" Her heart tore slightly at the idea of Brackenflower waking up, two kits gone. She might hate the queen, but what was done was done. It wasn't the kits fault that this had to happen.

I don't even remember it's - his, name. Although I think he was named after Torrentpaw in a way.

"How about Acorn? Can't be going around with a Clan name here. But you can have yours old name, whatever it is, when you get back."

Curling her tail around him, no Acorn, Rain smiled slightly. Her mouth fell in a slight frown as she remembered her own predicament.

Pondmist doesn't know I'm having kits, let alone the kits being his! I couldn't do that to him. Raven, well Honeystar mistook him for the father. Would that work? I barely know him and he doesn't know me. It wouldn't be fair to force fatherhood into him.

Either way, I think I could get used to this.

Her eyes clouded black as Rain lulled into the depths of sleep, Acorn tucked beside her.

A/N: short AN since this is a double chapter upload. Sorry for the delay!