Dim Light (Stormwind)

The queen picked up Puddlekit and stood up again once they were done, knowing they needed to get far away as quickly as possible.

Eventually, Riverflight finished his hole, burying his tiny son with a solemn glance down at the hole before filling it back in. Then he helped Swiftstream cover her kit's grave back up, glancing out over the clearing that had been the clan burial ground for countless generations, a part of their culture- and now they were leaving it all behind.

Swiftstream lay down, curling around her son.

Somehow, they slipped through the camp undetected, arriving at the traditional burial grounds just a few moments later. "Nurse Puddlekit, Swiftstream, we'll dig." Riverflight offered, Spottedpelt beginning to scratch at the earth just a few heartbeats later.

Swiftstream carried Puddlekit, following their lead.

Spottedpelt stuck her head out of the den and signaled for Riverflight to join them, which he shortly did.

Purring loudly, Riverflight kissed Swiftstream's cheek and then licked Puddlekit's. Glancing sadly at the stillborn kittens, he still took one's scruff in his mouth, with Spottedpelt taking up the other.

Swiftstream nodded, standing up and swaying a little. She refused to let anyone but her hold Puddlekit, though.

Spottedpelt pinned her ears at first, crouching beside the mother and her kits. She still purred, however, "That makes them no less beautiful." After a moment of sad silence, she mewed "Riverflight is with me, on lookout. If we get him in here we can each carry a kitten and take Puddlekit back to the clan and bury those two with their ancestors."

Swiftstream flinched, wrapping her paws around the two dead kits. "Puddlekit is the only one alive."

"Swiftstream..." Spottedpelt mewed softly, rubbing muzzles with her friend in a happy gesture. Though the last time they'd spoke had been when the female and her mate refused to answer her question on wether she was a friend or a lover to them, she wasn't going to worry about that now. Noticing the kits, she purred loudly. "They're beautiful..."

Swiftstream stared at Spottedpelt with wide eyes, relief and hope filling her eyes.

When the coast was clear, with most of the cats fighting for the scraps of the clan's old fresh kill pile, Spottedpelt crept into the nursery first, then the medicine den. She had to hide in there when Tyson entered, grabbing some borage for Swiftstream's milk production, then headed up to the leader's den. Spottedpelt waited until he left the herbs at her side and exited the den before entering herself, eyes lighting up as she recognized her best friend.

Swiftstream twisted around and quietly groomed Puddlekit/Vice once Jewel left, relaxing slightly once she was alone.

Eventually, Jewel padded down to go spend some time with Coffee, leaving Swiftstream with her kits.

Spottedpelt glanced over to Birchwing. "Let me go in there. I can try and figure out where they're keeping Swiftstream." The tom nodded, and Spottedpelt crept carefully through the snow.

Swiftstream twitched as if fighting the urge to lunge at her, only overprotective mother instincts holding her back, but pretty soon she was going to snap and Jewel would die.

"It's going to be so much fun having a slave around!" Jewel purred.

Finally, Spottedpelt and Riverflight crept up on their old home, observing the guards for quite some time.

She spat at her.

"Oh, stop that." Jewel grunted, padding a few steps away for safety's sake. "You know, some of us are designing special restraints right now, just for you, so that you may pleasure your queens without hurting us."

Swiftstream snarled viciously, flexing her claws and eyeing her throats as if she was debating how hard it would be to leap over there and rip her throat pat.

"Oh, but he will be."  Jewel replied.  "Thankfully you'll still be around so that little Vice here can get all the milk he needs..." she purred out her intended name for the tom.

Glaciertail pinned his ears, clearly somewhat dismayed by the lack of enthusiasm in the traveling party.  "...I'll keep looking." He turned and padded off, leaving the usual distinct set of prints in the snow for the others to follow.

Her eyes flashed and she hissed, baring her fangs. "He is not your son!" She snarled viciously, practically radiating the intent to kill. "Don't you dare touch him or I'll kill you!"

Rainstorm shrugged.

"Now now," Jewel soothed, padding right up to Swiftstream but out of claw range. "May I see my little son, or will I have to tie you up first?"


"I mean, it could work..." Glaciertail mewled. "But there could be better further down the valley, too."

Swiftstream snarled at her, bristling. 

Rainstorm looked around.

(Works for me!)
Purring softly, and smiling a sickening smile, Jewel greeted Swiftstream with a "Morning, lovely pet."

Glaciertail led the group around a tightly clustered copse of aspen trees, which led to a dip in the earth. Having lived primarily in the snow for quite sometime, the clan were not surprised to find that the snow bank surrounding the small dip was deep and thick, more than enough to dig sturdy dens out of. "And if it melts in Newleaf, we could just use the leaves and sticks from these trees to weave dens."

(*ponders* Several of the cats in the Clan were probably killed when they were driven out; maybe the deputy was amongst them and the leader is really old)

Swiftstream jerked awake, staring at Jewel with narrowed eyes. 

Rainstorm looked up at Glaciertail, helping Shadowleaf along.