Two Lives of a Kitty-Pet

Dreamstar barely moved from the MarshClan's medicine cat den. She had been there for almost a quarter moon, and still no sign of Rippleblaze. She barely even opened her eyes, and she had started to reject any herbs Featherblaze offered. She barely ate either. She would take a small bite of prey, before pushing it away. She had been reduced to bones.

Quiverstar and Featherblaze looked on at her with worry as her life ebbed farther and farther away. And not even StarClan can heal a broken heart.

They consulted often.

"Will she not eat a thing?"

Featherblaze shook her head.

"She's too depressed. She'll only drink some water and lay there."

Quiverstar sighed.

"Maybe... it'd be best if she went back to her own clan. They will be able to support her better than we can."

His medicine cat nodded.

"Yes. But she is too weak to cross the log. We'll have to go further upstream to cross."

Quiverstar nodded.

"They'll be a some cats waiting by the entrance at Sun-high."

Featherblaze nodded then padded into his den, where he found Dreamstar twitching her sleep, her pelt drenched with sweat. He nudged her gently, and she jerked awake, her eyes wide and wild.

"Rip-"

She stopped, her fur lying flat. She rested her head on the ground again without another sound.

"Dreamstar. We've decided that it may be better if you went back to your own clan. Your clanmates know you best."

Dreamstar said nothing, just stared blankly at the wall. Featherblaze nodded.

"We leave at Sun-High."

::---::

Rippleblaze opened his eyes and yawned. For quite a while he didn't know where he was. Everything was blurry and confusing. Today it was clearer, but the pain still ripped through him. Through his whole body, because it was just not his leg that was hurt. Long scores of teeth marks raked his body, and he had broken a rib, and two of his legs. He winced, and felt everything turn dizzy. Before he passed out, he saw a black shape above him, but it was too blurry to make out.

::---::

Maple had come back two days after the twoleg had brought her away. That first morning when the twoleg came back without her, Ridgefeather stayed where he was, overcome with terror for Maple.

When she had come back to the next day, Ridgefeather nuzzled her joyfully. Then Ridgefeather heard a mew, and he pricked his ears towards the cage Maple was brought home in. maple ducked back in and brought out two little kits. Ridgefeather's pupils dilated as he took in the two kits. He felt his heart soar, not even thinking about the warrior code then. The twoleg had gone into another room, and Maple purred, carrying her kits to the room where she was first going to give birth. The room had been cleaned up, and a new bed was lying in a corner. It had high walls, and Maple climbed in. Ridgefeather sat down, and looked in. The one kit was jet black, while the other was a red brown colour. Ridgefeather felt a purr rise in his throat.

"M-maple. I wish I could have been there when they were born."

Maple smiled.

"Why don't we name them. Can the black one be Ink?"

Ridgefeather nodded.

"Of course. And the red one, Oak...kit?"

Maple purred, licking Ridgefeather's cheek.

"A warrior, hey?"

Ridgefeather looked away.

"They're beautiful."

Ridgefeather curled up outside the bed Maple was in, falling asleep to hearing his two kits suckling.