The dawn (Closed, Jaystar, Finchstream, Fallowpaw, Starlord)

Many moons had passed, but the camp did not change, and for that she was grateful. Golden eyes flicked to the side to look to the tom beside her, in his mouth hung one of her kits. Kittens padded at her paws as she rested the one that she held as well at her paws, squealing excitedly. Goldeneye took in a deep breath, the silence hung between her and the tom beside her, as if asking him, 'are you ready?' After searching his eyes she pulled her gaunt head back proudly, new scars adorning her skinny form.

Goldeneye led the way into the camp, her tail scooping her kits to move forwards, but after tonight... they would not be her kits. Resentment welled up in her throat, if they hadn't been born she would not have had to go through all this trouble, she would not have had to face starvation and had to fight with rogues over scraps of crowfood. Goldeneye's jaw jutted, her teeth clenching as she came out the other side of the tunnel.

Goldeneye's chest tightened as it opened up, not just because of all the love she held for her home, but the fact that she could see the stars once more. Anxiety welled in her belly as she glared up at silver-pelt, but she felt as if her heart and belly were fighting to occupy her throat. Guilt. She would be shunned at the moonstone, by her ancestors, she would lose everything she's ever known in time because of her kits. Starclan had put her onto this path just to watch her burn, she was sure of it. Resentment bubbled up once more, not just towards her kittens but to her ancestors.

The Riverclan medicine cat left Starlord to stand by the entrance with her kits, hissing as they stumbled after her. They all huddled back to the ginger tom, looking fearfully up at her. She did not care. Goldeneye made her way to the leader's den, the lichen covering the entrance obscuring the tom that she so desperately wished to see all these moons. Clearing her throat Goldeneye stepped past the lichen, her gaze falling on the sleeping form of her mate.

Love welled up in her chest this time, settling down she nuzzled him awake, her vision blurring. "I'm home, love."

The tom was shivering in his sleep, haunted by the nightmares about the prophecy... about the fate of his clan and apprentices... about his missing mate. Even after Lichenmask's meeting, he couldn't deny his love for her, even if it was forbidden. What had happened to her? Was she okay? Was she... alive? He couldn't ask Starclan now since Windclan had prohibited them the privilege of crossing their land. His mother was right about them... The stars had abandoned him and he couldn't ask them anymore for advice thanks to that cursed clan.

When his mind was troubled by those thoughts, however, a warm touch woke him up. Soon after that, his nose caught a familiar scent. Was this a dream? He wondered. His twitched when they heard the sweet voice of the one he longed to meet again. And finally, his green eyes opened. At first, he only saw the blurry figure of a yellow-furred creature. But he soon shook his sleepiness and the face of Goldeneye was clear. Jaystar's eyes widened and in just a second his tired, exhausted face returned to the bright, happy one he had before she left. He couldn't contain a purr. The tom stood up in jump and with tears of joy in his eyes, he welcomed the medicine cat with affectionate nuzzles. Her scent, her warmth, her everything... oh, how much he had missed her. The warrior licked her cheeks, her forehead, the bridge of her nose, her ears... "Oh, dear... my love... I've missed you so much."

Once the emotion of her arrival had passed, Jaystar remembered that if she was back... it meant that she had their kittens. The tom tried to look behind her but no kit could be found. He immediately feared the worst. "Goldeneye... where are the kits? Did something happened to you... to them?"

His head nodded stiffly, without hesitation as the silent question hung in the air. So much had happened since he had stumbled upon the gaunt, golden-pelted she-cat. Since then, much to his own deeply rooted, squeamish aversion, he struggled through the birthing of her kits. Although she had demanded he leave, Starlord had hung around in the fear that something would happen to the forest cat. In such a short time he had grown used to having her around. The ginger tom hated his own growing affections. But, despite her struggles and disdain for the kits that had grown rapidly at the pit of her stomach, Starlord could not help but see the beautiful spirit buried underneath it all. Every day was a series of his swallowing back all the words he wanted to say. It was unusual for the tom to hold his tongue. Yet, he managed to tame it underneath the care of many kits and the mother herself.

The entire walk, Goldeneye seemed to fold up more inside herself than ever before. His blue eyes trained on each of the kits as they continued on. He could not bear to see the torrent of emotions in her face. Particularly the excitement as she stared into the camp, one that was underlined by hints of love for the kits father. Starlord had to grit his teeth. She had tried to paint a different picture, to get him to understand why all of this had happened, but he was unable to shake the frustration towards her clan, and towards the great Jaystar for not doing more to help her. How could he just sit in his comfortable den and lush territory while his mate and kits struggled to survive in twolegplace? They would not be here if I hadn't found them. Oh all the words he wanted to say aloud. And the territory was more incredible than he could have imagined. They all would have been safer and well fed here.

A low hiss caused him to snap out of his own thoughts and attempt to gather the kits around him. Perhaps, if these cats were not so cruel in their ridiculous thoughts and rules for living, Goldeneye might have not been so harsh. He hated the fact it was this way. Setting Sparkkit onto the ground next to the rest of his siblings. His tail curled around the little cats, already growing so rapidly over the time they had been gone, "Calm down, you'll be able to sleep soon." There was a dryness in his mouth as his chest tightened. For them also, his affections had seemed to grow. Rocket would have laughed at father Starlord. The bicolored tom had to admit he would have probably laughed at himself now too. As they waited, his blue eyes glared into the den and ears strained for sounds. Love. He wanted to spit in disgust and had to grate his teeth against his tongue to stop it. Why had he gotten so wrapped up in this mess?

"Starlord is with them." Goldeneye meowed, turning to lead Jaystar to them before realizing that she would have to explain. "Starlord is a loner I met deep in Twoleg territory, he kept me safe and as fed as he could while I raised our kits. If it weren't for him I might not have survived." Goldeneye meowed her voice heavy with emotion. Goldeneye led Jaystar out of the den and towards the loner with her kits, "Jaystar, meet your kits, Galekit, Beekit, Berrykit, Sparkkit, and Ivykit." She meowed, pointing to each one with a smile, a facade. Then, once Jaystar had time to interact with each of them she turned to the tom, this time her smile a little truer. "And this is Starlord, the tom I was talking about." She meowed as she introduced.

"It might have not been just my life lost but my kits if it wasn't for this tom, so I'd think it's only fair if he could join us as a Riverclan cat? Or at least give him some time in Riverclan camp to recover, after all, it couldn't have been easy to care for a nursing queen. I'd like him repaid in some way..." She meowed, her eyes shifting between the two. Suddenly unsure of how her mate would react to the tom she had brought with her, who had acted a lot like a father in his steed. Goldeneye looked over the kits once more, their sedated behaviour now obvious to her. "But first... maybe I should talk to Finchstream, they need rest and a warm belly to snuggle up to." Goldeneye hovered for a moment as if wondering if she should leave the two toms alone, but she figured that it'd be best they had a conversation to get to know each other. After all, Starlord was important to her, maybe not as much as Jaystar but she certainly wanted to keep him around. Dipping her head she turned towards the nursery, beckoning her kits to follow her.

The stumbled over themselves and took a frustratingly long to catch up to her long strides, but Goldeneye was patient with them, they would be gone soon. She would be handing the care off to Finchstream, they would not have anything to do with her and she would keep her rank as a medicine cat. Pushing past the barriers she spotted the small form of Finchstream, beckoning her kits along she pushed her paw into the queen's shoulder, putting up the facade of a desperate she-cat who had spent moons upon moons starving. It wasn't hard. Goldeneye was still gaunt, giving all she had to feed the little parasites at her belly, wounds were worse and much more infected than they once were, giving the she-cat a bit of a fever but determination had her pushing forwards. "Finchstream... Finchstream wake up, I need your help." Goldeneye meowed desperately, worried that her clan-mates would wake.

A soft grin came across his maw. Underneath the glow of the moon, the little kit's pelt shone with silver. There was a stirring at the entrance and his gaze snapped upwards to see Goldeneye before trailing over to a familiar silver-blue pelt. All the kittens that squirmed around his paws looked like their parents. Like Jaystar. Starlord narrowed his eyes as he looked over the other tom and supposed leader. There was a bit of an impressive air about the sleek pelted warrior, but he could sense there were things troubling him under the surface. The ginger tom stood up and planted his feet on each side of the pile of kits. Something pounded in his chest as he thought of giving these innocent creatures over to the same cats who had turned away their mother to fend for herself in the dark, twisting paths of the city. She could have died. These heartless idiots could just as easily do the same to these kits, they already had.

For a moment, he stayed quiet as Goldeneye spoke. Although he couldn't stop his tail from twitched back and forth as he sized up the other Riverclan cat. Starlord blinked slowly as Goldeneye acknowledge their time together, what they had accomplished, how he had devoted his time to her... It had been a decent time, filling the void that had been left by the loss of his own kin. In a way, these kits had become his kin. And this battle-scarred tom across from his threatened that reality. Fur on his shoulders bristled for a brief second before settling. He had to take a deep breath and remember this was what the golden she-cat wanted. As ridiculous as it was, Starlord could not bring himself to ruin this. None of them would get to be the perfect family, living as he had alongside the medicine cat, but they were with the family that she wanted for them. This was Goldeneye's life.

"So, this is the great Jaystar..." He muttered, finally, not tearing his gaze away from the leader. Although he wanted to chastise the older cat, Starlord instead focused on her mention of joining the clan. A scoff broke from the edges of his mouth. That would be the last thing. Before the kits stumbled away, he briefly looked away from Jaystar and licked their heads. There was no doubt he would miss their heat and the silliness of their bumbling as they attempting to figure out the world around them. Now, it was the two of them. This was Goldeneye's Jaystar. So many things could be said in this moment, so many words he had wanted to throw at the neglectful mate. All of that was forgotten and he started off by simply growling, "I have no intention of staying here long. I would prefer to return to the rotting alleyways than stay in this Riverclan."

When the she-cat mentioned another cat, he flinched but say no word. He only glanced at the orange and white loner quietly as he heard his mate's words. He was grateful to him but at the same time... something ached his chest when he heard Goldeneye speaking about him. Maybe jealousy?

Jaystar didn't have time to think about it. The sight of his kits completely distracted his mind. Five little kittens... some of them looked like their mother... many had his eyes. His eyes wanted to cry again because of the joy but he contained them. With a purr, he approached the kits and licked them one by one. It was a shame the clan had to see them as outsiders, as rogues that were welcomed into their clan. Yet little did they will know about their true origins... about how much of Riverclan they were. They wouldn't know either... they were still too young to remember... they would likely forget about their real mother and learn that they came from the outside, as rogue's, kittypet's or loner's kits.

The largest and fluffiest of all the kittens, Berrykit, sneezed when the nudge of a strange cat touched him and curiously, he poked the leader's nose with one tiny paw, mewing confused and tired. He wanted to return to his mother's belly. It was warm there...

The tall tom returned his focus to the other two cats and he watched at the other tom, narrowing his eyes slightly. A small spark of annoyance started in his chest when he saw the loner lick the kittens that were his but he said nothing. Inside, he knew he was being irrational. Starlord helped Goldeneye and cared for the kits. It wasn't a surprise that he got attached to them. When the medicine cat left them alone, the leader was about to thank him but his words and disrespectful tone against Riverclan made him change his mind. His tail flicked in annoyance but he kept his mind cool. Goldeneye liked this tom for some reason and as his mate, he had to respect that. "You can call me just Jaystar. And even if I would happily grant you your wish, Goldeneye is right. You've done a lot for her and the kits... you must be rewarded at least with a few days of shelter here before your leaving. As the father of the kits and as Goldeneye's mate, I'm grateful. But as Riverclan leader, I can't let you stay forever." He mewed in a neutral tone.

Blissfully unaware of the exchange happening outside the nursery's thick walls, Finchstream slept soundly in the newly built moss-and-reed nest, her heavily bulging belly rising and falling peacefully as she breathed.  Her dreams were undisturbed, filled with warm sunlight and hopeful memories until a strangely disembodied voice broke into her mind.  With a soft groan of mixed confusion and protest, the petite tabby she-cat opened one golden eye curiously, expecting to see one of the other nursery queens.  Instead, Goldeneye stood over her, her usually beautiful pelt disheveled and dirty.  Both of her eyes opened very wide at once; "..G...Goldeneye?  Oh, thank StarClan, you're back!"  Lifting her head, she twisted her body around into a comfortable position, a relieved smile beaming across her maw.  "Where've you been, what happened?"  It wasn't until then though, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the den, that she saw that the medicine cat was not alone.

"K..kits!"  Her shocked proclamation rang out into the air, matching the bewildered expression that had been slapped onto her pale gray face.  Twisting her head around a bit more, she examined the small bundles; she had only been a resident of the nursery for a couple sunrises - finally consenting to the inevitable - but she knew at once that these kits were unfamiliar.  Both they and Goldeneye smelled of Twolegplace and strange cats.  Her bright yellow gaze widening even farther, she turned back to the medicine cat, her gaze questioning.  "Where have they come from?  Wh..who...where is their mother?"  Finchstream had always loved kits, but ever since she learned that she was going to bear her own that love had only been heightened.  A sudden strong surge of affection towards the five mysterious bundles flowed over her mind as her sight returned to them, her face breaking into a soft smile as a kind-hearted purr escaped her jaws.

"That's a story for another time, Finchstream. These kits mother either left them or died while they were very young. When I was traveling back I stumbled upon them and I couldn't leave them to die... I struggled to nurse them, and now that I have finally found my way back I can't care for them. Please Finchstream, please take these kits." She meowed, an inkling of worry in her mind making her doubt that Finchstream would take them. She wanted to be rid of them for Starclans sake!

Starlord should have been grateful, any other would have been grateful for the promise of shelter and prey. But, he didn't need any of that. He had managed himself in the walker towns without much issue. Before, with his kin and the group he traveled with, the half-ginger tom had lived a full and wonderful life. They all cared for each other. No matter what. None of them had to worry about expectations decided by long-dead cats, nor allowed those they cared for to suffer because of stupid rules. Goldeneye had shown him what it was like to care about someone more than himself again. Truly. This had only happened because of the stupidity of the cat who was supposedly the leader of this ridiculous group of cats. And yet, he still had the audacity to call himself her mate. What mate discarded the cat they loved to the pits of trash? Into a world, they had no idea how to survive? And with kits none the less...

Perhaps if the golden she-cat were standing there he would have considered being civil. Maybe even if those kittens still wrestled lazily at his paws in their sleepy state. But, no. Now it was just him and the cat who had caused Gold to suffer. His tail flickered back and forth in agitation. A scoff that edged on a laugh came from his maw. Starlord stood a little taller and stepped closer to Jaystar, "Her mate? Your kits? Ha! The lot of them would have been dead if it was not for me. If you're such the great leader you claim to be, why couldn't you have stood up for her? Or taken care of her? But no, because of your stupid laws and rules you just sent her away. All by herself. Not a cat by her side." Low chuckling rumbled in his chest as he shook his head slowly and turned to cast a glance around the came. Everything was quiet. It had taken a certain amount of restraint to keep his words quiet so as not to awaken the all of the stupid clan cats. The point was clear in his forced hush.

"Where I come from, we take care of our own. The rules are simple, watch each other's backs. You don't have the right to call her your mate. She deserves much more than this... she deserves the world. Certainly much more the coward who cast her aside like a rotting piece of prey." Starlord's blue eyes burned with fire, frustration. His claws dug into the ground although he had no intention of using them. He ground his teeth and stole a glance at the direction Goldeneye and the kits had gone, "The only reason I am willing to stay around here is for them. You don't know those kits despite your shared blood. Unlike you, I'm not so quick to abandon those I care for." The loner spat into the dirt before taking a deep breath. For the past couple moons his frustrations had been buried away, but now standing face to face with the tom who had created the half-starved queen he had met when she first arrived in the walkerlands. There was no way he could hold it in. Not when something so wrong had happened. How could Jaystar live with himself?

Jaystar's back fur rose up and he had to use all of his mental strength to keep his claws unsheathed to not start a scandal in the middle of a sleeping clan. The tom stepped closer and looked down at him, his fangs appearing from his open, hissing mouth. Who did he think he was? All he had done... all for what he had to suffer... it was for her. "You. Don't. Know. A. Thing. How much do you know her? Just a few moons and you think you know her everything. Did you know who suggested that she had left alone? She was. Starclan knows that I've always tried to protect her in every way possible, to save her from whatever that could harm her. And even if it pained me every day since her leaving, I let her go because it was the only way she could be accepted back in the clan without having her own clanmates attacking her for loving me and me for loving her!" He clawed the dirt under his paws, his ears flattened in an aggressive way.

"What could you know? You're a loner. You have no idea what the clans' ways are and what they can do for cats who broke the Code like us. If it was in my paws, I would have given her thousands of escorts, the best moss bed to sleep and given her the tastiest meal of all! But she had to leave to have a chance... to offer to her kits... so they can live in the clan of their ancestors, where they can be protected and loved, with plenty of prey unlike how you loners and rogues live. It was the only way she could come back to her own home." He turned his whole body, making sure that his tail would hit his disrespectful muzzle. He tried to stay cool and be nice to him because his mate respected him for what he had done for her. But his attitude had driven him mad. It almost made him hesitate about even letting him stay in Riverclan.

Despite all the fox-dung he had just said... he had a good point about one thing and he could not ignore that, even if it hurt. The tom looked at the loner from the corner of his narrowed green eyes. Inside them, it was clear that he was in pain, full of regrets an sorrow for all what he had to face. "You're right... I don't know my kits and it pains me. It was what I had to accept by agreeing with her about letting her go alone to have her kits... Do you really think I don't care? I was not able to welcome them into this world... instead, you were the one who did it. It's one of the prices I had to pay for loving my mate so dearly to even break what my clan expects from me. But now that they're home, I'll make sure to be the father they deserve. A father who can actually be with them for the rest of their lives in the clan."

He started to walk away from him, glancing at the willow branch. Then, he made his way to the entrance of the nursery, with the purpose of waiting for Goldeneye to come out. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to spend the rest of the night with my mate and wait till dawn for an announcement."

As Jaystar tried to restrain himself, the loner had to do the same. It was all ridiculous excuses, defended by the irrational clan beliefs and code. He had questioned time and time again why Gold subjected herself to this way of life. Perhaps it was simply all she knew and could not bear to give up her kin and way of life. But for how horrendous they were towards something as trivial as love. The thought that they would be cold towards cats and their kits just for the matter of their existence being against some made up code. Starlord's tail continued to lash as he listened with a surprising patience, one that managed to stretch itself incredibly thin as the words that this supposed leader babbled away at deflected off his ears. Jaystar could go on all he wanted but none of that would change the ludicrous nature of the whole ordeal. Nor that he had allowed his mate and kits to be sent of to a decaying world where they might not have been able to return from.

Regardless of the meaningless phrases spewed from his mouth, Starlord was filled with a perpetual annoyance for the ignorance of clan cats. Gold was an exception. And even there he found himself discouraged with how she clung so desperately to this way of life. Now, he found himself with guilt prickling at the back of his throat. If he would have fought harder, maybe she never would have returned to this star-brained fool. Some of the things Jaystar said stuck to his mind like burrs and once the leader had his fun trying to defend his actions for the best, Starlord was ready to say his final piece. There was only so much that could be said to a cat who thought too highly over himself that he was above accepting that he could be wrong. That he would defend his dishonorable actions as the only way. Starlord choked back the hiss as Jaystar's tail struck his maw in a blatant attempt at disrespect. Did he still see himself higher than the loner? Just because of his rank? Honor and value do not come from titles.

"You act as if I'm ignorant to the situation. But, no, she told me everything, Jaystar. And I see your precious code and way of life for what it is. Sure, you all pretend like this is a loving place of kin and family. But the second someone steps outside of that... you're cut off. There is no freedom in places like this. I've seen plenty of rogue groups with similar and even stronger moral codes." Starlord hissed lowly again, grinding out the words between clenched teeth. There would be no pulling hits right now. He had stewed over the frustrations of the clans for all the moons he had known Goldeneye. For all the moons he had watched her suffer. Blue eyes followed Jaystar as he tried to pad away, staying in his righteous indignation, "You can talk about how hard this is for you, oh great and powerful leader, but no matter what, the consequences she faces are far greater. You made the decision to take her on as a mate and lead her down this path. You made the decision to let all this happen according to the ancient code. She is the one who suffered physically. And now she has to give up her right to be a mother forever by staying here. If the clan leader's word is law, why have you been so silent?"

The ginger-patched loner glanced up at the stars, something he had seen Gold do before. There was nothing there. Stars were always silent. Before the tom decided to pad away and wait outside of the suffocating confines of the camp walls, he shot one more scathing glance in Jaystar's direction, "You're dictated by your cowardice, Jaystar. And it will continue to hurt them. Forever. Figure out what you actually care about and maybe admit that you're not the pinnacle of righteous decisions. You'll be better off that way." Starlord growled at the blue-gray tom's haunches. He did not care if he got an answer. The leader would likely just ignore the words because he was not of the right rank to speak to him. Stupid forest cats... He stalked towards the camp entrance, but not after sending one more longing glance in the direction of Goldeneye and her kits. Even with a lack of prey and herbs... life had been so much better outside the forest.

The leader couldn't stop it any longer. In one second, he turned his body and crossed the distance that separated the two toms. Before the loner could even react back, Jaystar hit his face with one paw but not clawing its face as he deserved. A deep hiss came out of his throat, his fur bristling as the tears of frustration burned his eyes. However, he did not show them to him. "I really tried to contain myself but you crossed the line, loner! You have no idea what's like... I never asked to be the leader of a clan but it was what Starclan chose for me and I bear with that weight every day of my life! Every cat's life in this camp is my paws and they trust me to protect them, guide them for their survival in the clan!"

He stepped even closer and pushed the tom with his forehead. "The Code is what unites us, what makes who we are, what makes us stronger enough to have an established home together. These loyalty bonds that it seems to see as imprisonment is what has made us free to live in the forest with our own kind, instead of living among Twolegs and searching for scraps of food that can barely be called like that. You say care for each other's back but I don't see anyone by your side now. No family, no friends, brothers or sisters." He snarled, his fur bristling. He was right about him since the start. That bad feeling was a sign. This cat had no respect for him or Riverclan. He knew nothing but Goldeneye.

"I'm not here to claim who have lost and suffered more between me and Goldeneye because it has little importance now. I know she has to struggle with a lot due to this relationship and her predestined duty but so do I. However, when she left, I couldn't see it. I didn't see the true value of my work here and the consequences of that. I've lost clanmates under the claws of a cat that used to be part of my clan... I've been betrayed... attacked... insulted by actions that were committed by my former leader... I've to struggle every time one of my clanmates was sick or wounded because it is my responsibility! And I'm not perfect! I'm not even sure if I should be a leader but here I am! You come here into my clan disrespecting my culture, my ways and verbally attacking me by calling me an arrogant prick while you have no idea how much I have to sacrifice too... how much I've lost. Starclan has probably turned their backs on me but I will continue guiding Riverclan because that's the task I had to take... but not only for that... but because is the only way my kits can stay here. If I say everything, even if my word is supposed to be the Code, my clan would never accept us and would likely force me to step down and I and my family would be chased off. Rejected by our own for breaking the sacred law that keeps us now together."

He breathed after he spat all that. He lashed his tail in an attempt to calm himself but it was not completely possible. Jaystar glanced at the tom one more time. This time, he did hide his true feelings for him. "Whatever it has to happen, I will be always for them, for Goldeneye. And right now I don't need a stranger in my home claiming to know me by just hearing what he wants to hear. So, please, if you want me to grant Goldeneye's wish for you, don't provoke me like this anymore. I'm trying to be grateful to you for what you did for her... but you're making it really hard, Starlord. If you want to leave, go ahead. I won't stop you. Return to that happy life of your searching for a Twoleg's trash and with your own cats."

Finchstream listened in horrified silence to the kit's woeful tale, eyes darting restlessly from Goldeneye's desperate face back down the small pile of exhausted kits.  The sympathetic she-cat's heart clenched painfully at the very thought of what these kits fates would be if the medicine cat hadn't found them as she said, lost and lonely, left to starve in that horrible Twolegplace.  As she leaned forward out of her nest to sniff the kits tentatively, a gentle purr rose in her thick-furred throat.  "Oh, of course I'll take care of the little dears!"  Wrapping her tail around the five small kittens, she guided them into the warm nest to lay beside her belly; the feeling was new to her but in a way felt almost as natural as swimming.  Her golden eyes round and softened, she gazed down at them for a long moment, before looking back up at the medicine cat.  "Thank you, Goldeneye.  I...I'm honored that you trust me to look after them...despite everything that's happened."  As if they seemed to sense their mother speaking of them, the forbidden kits in her belly stirred; but their restlessness also brought to her attention a different issue.  "B..but...my kits aren't born yet!  I don't have any milk yet to give these kits...!"  The deep worry in her voice was not at all hidden; the thought of having to give up these precious kits and hand them over to another queen who might not be as kind to them because of their origins made her eyes water. Her eyes searched the medicine cat's, praying that she had a solution, as she often seemed to have.

The young Medicine Cat Apprentice's mind was racing as she slept, tossing about from dream to dream, each of them blending into one another as one scene faded to the next. Fallowpaw was sure to try to remain somewhat lucid during her dreams, as StarClan's connection with her was closer than any Warrior's. If they were to send her a prophecy, she'd need to be able to tell it apart from a dream. But these visions she was seeing, they were blurred and the line between awareness and obliviousness was growing thinner and thinner with every passing moment. In one instance she was swimming across the River, then she was back at the Gathering, hearing Brindlestar's words again. In the next, she was staring directly into the eyes of Shade... That one quickly faded, into... All that Fallowpaw could make out was a blur of yellow, blended with orange and grey over the distance separating herself and the cats. Suddenly, she was running. Quicker and quicker, the familiar golden pelt of her mentor became more definite. And then, it all made sense... Her eyes swung open in an instance.

Immediately, strong words of something akin to contempt and revulsion hit her alert ears. The ginger splashed she-cat instantly recognized the voice of her leader. She was on her paws quicker than she ever imagined she could have been, heading directly towards the exit of her den. Dread tore through her as she stood next to the overhanging lichen separating her from the outside world. She was torn between fear and the overflowing sensation of joy- She was going to see Goldeneye! But... Something was not right, Jaystar's voice was raised, something that didn't happen all too often. She couldn't make out the words, only the explicit tone of disdain. She shook her head, ducking under the lichen to see an orange tom, and- as she'd suspected- Jaystar. She... She couldn't be hearing this correctly. Jaystar was throwing around words like mate... Goldeneye's Kits... Code... Starlord... What's a Starlord? Wait... Goldeneye's kits?! That... That couldn't be. No. Goldeneye was nowhere in sight, and until she had confirmation from her, she refused to believe it.

A searing pain cut right though Fallowpaw's chest as she realized the actuality of the situation. Her eyes cut to the nursery, where she heard Finchstream's sweet voice, and Goldeneye's raspy tone, begging Finchstream... To take the kits. So, it was true. Her face fell as she looked down at her paws, the buzzing in her head drowning out the sound of the arguing toms in the middle of camp. Her mind was whirling, jumping from idea to idea until her mind focused on one distinct sentence from Jaystar. "I let her go because it was the only way she could be accepted back in the clan without having her own clanmates attacking her for loving me and me for loving her!" Fallowpaw's mind was reeling from the sudden intake of information. Goldeneye was back. Goldeneye had given birth to a litter of kits. Goldeneye had given birth to Jaystar's kits. She felt lightheaded, but as soon as she saw Jaystar's paw make contact with the other tom's face, she snapped to attention.

She sat and listened to his words, her mind still buzzing despite being able to think a bit more clearly. She could form her own opinions later. As soon as Jaystar's speech was over, she began padding forward on tiny paws, only the smallest bit of pain evident in her sparkling blue eyes. "Jaystar, breathe." Her fluffy tail brushed the Leader's back, her attempt to calm him at least a little. Fallowpaw didn't have the context of the entire situation, but she got the gist of it. Goldeneye had given birth to the kits, and this... Other cat had helped her raise them. The ginger tom was now on Jaystar's case about not knowing his own kits- And Jaystar was not relenting. She turned her gaze to the ginger tom, narrowing her eyes. She did not know this tom, so she was unable to place any allegations against him. "I want you in my den, now." The she-cat's voice was harsh, something that didn't happen often. She tipped her head towards the entrance to the Medicine Den. She'd treat the minor wounds the tom had in return for helping Goldeneye and her kits. "Don't touch anything and stay put until someone comes back and says otherwise." This Starlord- again, what in StarClan's name is a Starlord?- had infuriated Jaystar with his words, and she wanted him out of his sight. Him being present would not help anyone. Every instinct in her body was screaming for her to go reunite with her mentor, but Jaystar needed her right now.

---

Ivykit squealed as she was herded into the nursery, her bright green eyes shining as they glazed over. She didn't want to be here! "Hey!" She skipped forwards as Galekit's paw stepped on her tail, and she stuck her tongue out at him, rolling her eyes as they were pushed through the entrance. She paid absolutely no mind to what the two older cats were saying, collapsing right there on the ground. It was only when she felt the tickling sensation of someone's tail on her back that she opened her eyes, standing up when she was gently moved towards Finchstream's warm belly. Her jaws parted as she gave off a large, adorable kit-like yawn. She, oddly enough, did not protest to the Queen, instead snuggling up beside her siblings and drifting off to sleep.

A paw smacked against the side of his maw and Starlord let out a guttural snarl. Before he could react, Jaystar was spewing more in his incessant nonsense. Oh how his own paws itched to smack against the ignorant tom's maw and claw at his throat until it all stopped. The feeling was almost overwhelming as the Riverclan leader pressed his forehead to Starlord's in another attempt to seem more powerful. Did leadership really mean that he just did not have to listen to reasoning from any other cat? It apparently seemed to excuse the danger he had put Goldeneye and her kits in. His claws dug into the ground, tearing away at the soft earth of camp. He had better things to do than listen to Gold's supposed mate rattle on about he suffered just as much as the she-cat who had been cast aside these past couple moons. Comparing his own suffering to that of his mate... this was not what love was. This was despicable.

For cats who preached so much honor, he found them to be more dishonorable than the worst rogues he had found crawling through the trash in the walkerlands. He had seen starving cats give up their scraps for others who they didn't even know, for those who did not share their blood. And yet the clan cats seemed to think they were so much more civilized and he could never understand their higher ways. Starlord's growls built up in the back of his throat as he continued to stand facing the silver tom. It almost seemed like he was about to launch himself at the leader. But something Jaystar said made his fury burn white hot for a moment before flickering out. Like some cat had blown at the spark and caused its existence to cease. No family, no friends, brothers or sisters. Images of Pelly, Drax, Rocket... all flashing through his mind's eye. Every other meaningless thing that came from Jaystar's babbling was lost. He just barely caught the last sentence.

"I'm not from the walkerplace. Nor do I live among the trash there. We were just passing through. Our group was split by a storm and so I have stayed hoping they would return. Guess you're lucky we weren't reunited or I never would have found Gold. You can continue on about how I don't understand anything, but even in my short time, I have seen more than you could ever imagine sitting here on your lush little island, doing as you please." Starlord did not expect any reaction, his tone flat as he stared at Jaystar, a steady disdain still behind his bright blue eyes. The tom didn't need his whole story, nor would it make any difference to one so unwilling to listen. But he was wrong in so many ways. If they were all still here, as much as Rocket would have complained, there would have been a whole group raising the kits and caring for Goldeneye. That burden had been placed solely on him, however, by the misfortune of life. And yet he would not change a thing. Except that then there would have been more to stand with him next to this brute that Gold refused to stop loving.

In one moment he was tired, all the fight swiped out of him and replaced with the ever-present hatred for Jaystar settling in his chest. Some cat ran over, a younger cat, standing next to the leader and hissing at him. Starlord narrowed his eyes but was past caring for resistance. There was nothing he could say to Jaystar that would make him see past his own limited worldview. Nothing he could say to any of these stupid forest cats. He'd already tried for moons with Gold to make her see reason, help her see that there was freedom outside of the responsibilities and strange laws that had been impressed on her by long-dead cats. He was powerless. With a grunt, Starlord half acknowledged the other Riverclan cat's words. Although the loner would not be comfortable stuffing himself in one of their dens. His claws continued to score the earth as he stalked away and settled down outside the den. Eyes trained on Jaystar from the distance. Watching.