Mapleshade's Vengeance/Chapter 2

==Chapter description==
:The chapter begins with Mapleshade giving birth. Ravenwing, ThunderClan's medicine cat is shown to be assisting the queen through the process, commenting to her that she should relax. Mapleshade thinks up a remark, but before she can say it another contraction happens. From it she gives birth to a tom, which is announced by Frecklewish, whom is seen to be attending the birth. Ravenwing over sees the kit.
:Mapleshade opens her mouth in protest when a wet bundle of fur is pressed against her mouth. But when the kit's scent hits her nose, she opens her eyes and looks over her son, thinking about his father, Appledusk. Ravenwing instructs her to lick the kit. Mapleshade looks over her son, and thinks about telling the other cats in the den to leave so she could sit with her kit, but another contraction breaks her away from these thoughts. Frecklewish tends to the newborn kit when Ravenwing asks her to. In the meanwhile, Mapleshade gives birth to another tom. Her second son described to be ginger and white patched like herself.
:Ravenwing gives a few words of encouragement, telling the queen that only a single kit remains. Mapleshade, with the desire to be alone with her kits, has a boost of strength and delivers her final kit, a she-kit. The medicine cat notes the she-kit to be smaller than her littermates, but still healthy like them. Mapleshade sits up in her nest to see her litter, again mentioning their father in her thoughts. Frecklewish comments that they look gorgeous, and Ravenwing praises Mapleshade saying that she did a good job. He goes on to say that they'll leave her to rest, but he'll return after sunhigh with herbs. Mapleshade recalls that Ravenwing had only recently taken the role of medicine cat, after the death of his mentor, Oatspeckle. The queen replies that she is fine to the tom, but requests some water. Frecklewish offers to fetch it and leaves the den.
:When she does, Ravenwing tells Mapleshade that she had made Frecklewish's life better, commenting that she had taken the death of her brother hard. The queen nuzzles her kits and says that they are her gift to all of ThunderClan, and that she'll thank StarClan for them every day of her life. In her thoughts Mapleshade adds that they will also end the feud over Sunningrocks, due to the perfect warriors that the two Clans share.
:Three sunrises later, Oakstar comes to visit Mapleshade and her kits. She welcomes him in while trying to get her she-kit off her head, astounded at how the kits can hobble around so much yet constantly be suckling from her belly. When Oakstar makes it in to the nursery, he greets them with a purr, shocking the she-kit enough to make her slide from her mother's head and into her moss bed. Mapleshade introduces the leader to her kits, who swarm towards him with their little tails up in the air. Oakstar guides them back to their mother, saying that he is not only their leader, but their kin, as Birchface was his son. Mapleshade, uncomfortable, says that she is sure he is watching from StarClan. Oakstar goes on to say that his son was a great warrior, and they will be honored if he lives on through these kits. They are interrupted when Frecklewish enters with a vole, having gotten first pick of the fresh-kill pile for Mapleshade, who wonders if it'd be rude to ask Oakstar to leave, feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny. Frecklewish turns to her father and asks him about the kits, saying she can see Birchface clearly in each one. Mapleshade doesn't see how she can see this, as none particularly look like the deceased warrior, but stays silent as she waits for Oakstar to speak.
:He asks about their names, and Mapleshade indicates each kit as she names them; Larchkit for the brown tom, Patchkit for the kit near identical to his mother, and Petalkit for their sister. Oakstar approves of these names, but Frecklewish seems disappointed, thinking Mapleshade would name one after Birchface. Mapleshade says she wants each kit to become their own warrior, not an echo of a dead cat. Oakstar purrs, saying ThunderClan is blessed to have her as a queen, looking forward to seeing them grow up. Frecklewish comments that she cannot wait to see RiverClan's reaction to the news at the next Gathering. Mapleshade tells her to tell them that she has had three healthy, strong kits, and to tell Appledusk first. Frecklewish is confused, wondering why she'd want to talk to the cat that killed her brother, but Mapleshade insists that he must know that ThunderClan will be stronger than ever thanks to her kits. Frecklewish digs her claws into the moss at the thought of RiverClan fearing them more than ever, and Oakstar says there will be no harm in having them know of their new kits, going on to say that they may have lost two cats but Birchface's legacy will live on, giving them three cats to protect what is ThunderClan's.
:Mapleshade is alarmed, saying they should show mercy to defeated warriors, Frecklewish hissing that Appledusk showed no mercy to Birchface and Flowerpaw. Mapleshade almost protests, wanting to say that their deaths were accidental; that Birchface fell, and Flowerpaw shouldn't have jumped in after him. She stays silent, not wanting Frecklewish to believe that she has any sympathy for Appledusk. Oakstar begins to back out of the nursery, saying that their top priority now is making sure Mapleshade and her kits are safe, that they will raise them to be great warriors like Birchface, and have them avenge their death when they are ready. Frecklewish bends over to touch her nose to the kit's bodies, murmuring about how they are her brother's gift to the Clan, and the most precious creatures in the forest.
:Mapleshade almost bats Frecklewish away as they are her kits, not the other she-cat's, but understands that her love for these kits will go a long way in having them accept their real father when the time comes to tell the truth. She believes that by the time the kits are apprentices, the truth will not change the Clan's opinion on them, and even Oakstar would value them for themselves rather than Birchface's legacy. Mapleshade thinks that once RiverClan knows the kit's true father, they will also understand.
==Characters==
===Major===
*Mapleshade
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
===Births===
*Larchkit, Patchkit and Petalkit: Born to Mapleshade and Appledusk
==Notes and references==
fr:La vengeance d'Ombre d'Érable/Chapitre 2
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Novellas
Category:Mapleshade's Vengeance