Brookshadow trotted through the forest in the half-light, her mind swirling. Kits? She thought, nearly tripping over a bramble tendril. I can't have kits... It's just because of how lazy I've been, I've gained a few pounds. No problem, I'll just start doing my warrior duties again, and it'll be fine.

She pushed her way into camp, the darkness hanging around her and feeling like a thick blanket. She looked around, spotting Dewfur near the fresh kill pile. Good. She thought, heading towards the Medicine Den on swift paws. Pushing through the ivy curtain, she blinked.

"Leafpool...?" She called quietly.

The medicine cat poked her head out of the herb store, a few leaves clinging to her pelt. "Yes?"

"Can I, um, can I ask you something?" Brookshadow asked, sitting down in her nest and letting her tail-tip flick anxiously.

Leafpool nodded and came out into the open, giving her pelt a small shake. She came over and sat down, curling her tail neatly around her paws. "Of course. What's the question?"

"Uhm...." Brookshadow paused, letting her ears flick back. "I think... I think I may be expecting kits."

Leafpool's ears twitched in surprise, but she gave a small smile. "Really? That's not really a question, but I suppose I could check, if it would ease your mind?"

"Greatly," Brookshadow mewed, lying down on her side. But only if it's not true.

Leafpool ran her paws gingerly across Brookshadow's flank, stopping a few times. She then broke out into a wide smile. "Congratulations on becoming a mother, Brookshadow."

Brookshadow didn't smile. She pulled her ears back, looking down at her paws.

"What's wrong?" Leafpool asked, noticing her mood. "I wouldn't expect you to be upset by this."

"It's not that I'm upset, I just... I feel bad for Dewfur. They have to be Piketooth's."

Leafpool chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't be. He'll be thrilled, even if they aren't his."

"Really?" Brookshadow looked up at Leafpool with hope in her eyes.

"You should know. Have faith in your mate, Brookshadow," Leafpool teased, getting up and heading back for the herb store. "I know he'd adore your kits, and love them as though he were the father, no matter what."

Brookshadow listened, her whiskers twitching. Slowly she nodded. "Thanks, Leafpool."

"Anytime, Brookshadow."

"When do you think they'll be due?" The light brown tabby asked.

"Probably around the first week of leaf-bare," Leafpool replied from the herb store.

Brookshadow laid her head down. A little while later in the night, Dewfur poked his head in to check on her.

"Are you awake?" He whispered.

Brookshadow opened her eyes and nodded, using her full voice. "Yes."

"I just came in to say goodnight. I figured Leafpool wouldn't want me in her den for the third night in a row."

Leafpool had been lying in her nest, dozing, but she opened her eyes now and smiled at Brookshadow. "I'm fine with it for now, so long as we don't have any other sick cats coming in."

Dewfur smiled at her as Brookshadow moved over to make room for him in her nest. "Thank you."

Leafpool winked at Brookshadow, then settled herself back in her nest. "Of course, Dewfur."

Brookshadow gave Leafpool a smile, then snuggled up to Dewfur. He gave her a lick on her ear and closed his eyes. Brookshadow listened as his breathing, along with Leafpool and Jayfeather's, grew deep and even. Brookshadow shifted slightly, imagining her kits sleeping as well. She curled her tail around her stomach protectively.

"No matter what," She whispered to them, "I promise to keep you as safe as I possibly can."

Dewfur grunted in his sleep. Brookshadow looked at him. She would tell him. Not just that she was expecting kits, but everything; Her love for Piketooth and seeing him when she shouldn't have. Featherdapple warning her, and Brookshadow's guilt. She'd tell him everything. Brookshadow inched closer to Dewfur and laid her head down, slowly drifting into sleep.

Nine days passed, and she still hadn't told Dewfur she was expecting. She'd been going out with him on hunts and patrols, and she'd been gradually regaining her skills as a warrior, although her kits were making it slightly more difficult.. She could feel her kits growing now, and she, if it was quiet enough and she listened closely, could just barely make out the muted sounds of life growing.

Brookshadow was on patrol with Dewfur, Dovewing, and Cinderheart, who had moved to the nursery but had refused to give up her warrior duties just yet. Brookshadow felt one of the kits push against the inside of her, and she let out a gasp and curled slightly. Settle, little one, settle.

Dewfur and Cinderheart stopped, and Dovewing turned her head.

"Are you alright?" Cinderheart asked.

Brookshadow took a breath and straightened, nodding. "Yes, I'm fine now."

Dewfur nodded slightly and turned, catching back up to Dovewing, who had presumed their walk to the ShadowClan border. Cinderheart walked beside her. She glanced at her a few times.

"What is it?" Brookshadow asked.

"Are you sure you're okay?" The gray queen asked, her voice low.

Brookshadow gave a smile. "Thanks for worrying. But yes, I'm okay."

Cinderheart's gaze wandered. "If you're sure..."

"I'm very sure." Brookshadow assured her friend.

They finally reached the ShadowClan border, and Brookshadow shuddered a bit as she remembered the imagry of the huge battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan. The patrol spread out and sniffed along the border. Brookshadow flinched as she the scent of ShadowClan bathed her tongue. "Scents," She hissed. "Inside the border."

Dovewing looked up and came over, opening her mouth slightly. Her eyes narrowed. "Fox-hearted excuses for warriors," She spat. "They didn't even remark their border!"

Brookshadow pulled back her ears in frustration. "Then they're going to be in for a good talking to this Gathering, I'm sure. Let's just remark the border and go report it to Bramblestar."

Dovewing scowled at her. "Don't you think we should maybe ask them about it?"

Brookshadow shook her head. "No. We have one-" Brookshadow paused - she'd almost accidentally said two, almost- "One queen who can't fight. We can't put her at risk because ShadowClan is being dumb."

Dovewing turned her gaze to Cinderheart, blinking as if she'd forgotten she was expecting kits. Her expression cleared. "You're right," She sighed. "Alright. Let's go and report to Bramblestar."

Brookshadow gave Cinderheart a smile as they headed back. When they entered into the camp, Dovewing raised her voice. "Bramblestar!"

The ThunderClan leader stepped outside of his den, flicking his ears at the patrol. "What is it?"

"Those ShadowClan flea-pelts!" Dovewing replied with a huff. "Came inside our territory but didn't even remark their own border."

Bramblestar let out a growl. "How fresh was it?"

"Only about a day old," Brookshadow mewed. "If not less."

"And the border?"

"No less than two days." Cinderheart meowed, her eyes flashing annoyance.

Bramblestar's tail flicked in annoyance. "Alright. Thank you."

Dovewing dipped her head, and the patrol dispersed. Brookshadow found herself hungry for a vole, and so she snatched one and laid down in the faint leaf-fall sunlight to eat it. Dewfur laid down next to her with a squirrel in his jaws. He set it down and motioned to the prey. "Share?"

Brookshadow took a bite of her vole and pushed it to Dewfur. Her gray mate gave her the squirrel and took his share of the vole. As they finished off their meal, Brookshadow swiped her tongue around her jaws and stretched. Dewfur smiled at her.

"Do you want to go hunting? Just the two of us?" He asked her.

Brookshadow nodded. This would be the perfect chance to tell him! Dewfur stood and flicked his tail. "Let's go, then."

The light-brown queen stood and followed her mate out into the forest. He led her out to their secret hunting grounds, a place they hadn't been to since the middle greenleaf. It was now almost the end of leaf-fall, and the leaves crunched underpaw. Brookshadow grunted as her kits stretched yet again. Dewfur glanced back at her. Brookshadow took a breath and caught up to him, wincing as the pain wore off.

"Are you oka-"

"Don't ask," Brookshadow interrupted him with a smile. "You'll know soon."

Dewfur shook his head and smiled as she passed him. Brookshadow took a deep breath and looked at the entire territory that they had to themselves. Dewfur stood beside her, their shoulder fur brushing. After a few more seconds, Dewfur trotted forward. "Come on!"

Brookshadow smiled. She would tell him today. After they hunted.

The light brown tabby unearthed her mouse that she'd caught while slowly turning over how she would explain herself to Dewfur.

The gray tom carried his catches of mice and a squirrel towards her, setting them down on the ground. After a moment, he used his paw to swipe away the last of the dirt that remained covering the mouse.

Brookshadow blinked as the mouse was unearthed. She hooked it with her claw and pulled it out of the hole, then pushed the dirt back in. She looked up at Dewfur and gave a silent sigh.

"I have to tell you something before we go home," She mewed.

Dewfur sat down. "Okay. What is it?"

Brookshadow sat down as well. "Well... first thing's first. I'm expecting Piketooth's kits."

Dewfur's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really..." Brookshadow watched as his expression changed from shock to joy.

"That's so great, Brookshadow!" He mewed, settling next to her. "When are they due?"

"Leafpool said around the first week of leaf-bare."

"That's quite close," Dewfur commented, his eyes bright. "Are you excited?"

Seeing that Dewfur wasn't upset, Brookshadow smiled. "I suppose I am. But wait, that wasn't all I wanted to tell you." She added as Dewfur stood to get the prey. Her mate blinked at her, slowly sitting back down.

Brookshadow took a breath. "Do you remember when I was tired all the time?"

Dewfur nodded, his eyes glinting in amusement.

"There was a reason for that."

"Yes. You didn't sleep well."

"... No."

Dewfur's eyes flashed in confusion.

"I was going to meet with Piketooth at the border." Brookshadow looked down at her paws. "I fell in love with him. But when you and me started hanging out, and I fell in love with you, I told him that I couldn't see him anymore. Featherdapple even saw us once, and she told me she'd report to Bramblestar if it didn't stop. Piketooth hesitantly agreed, but he... I guess he couldn't handle it, and he... And I know that this is all my fault."

Dewfur pressed his nose to her cheek. "Brookshadow, no, I-"

Brookshadow pulled away from him, her ears pulled back to her head and her gaze downcast, sorrowful. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't agreed to see him in the first place, none of this will have happened, and I wouldn't be expecting his kits instead of yours, or, or-"

"Brookshadow."

The queen looked up to Dewfur, whose gaze showed only compassion and love. "I wouldn't have it any other way than the way it is now. If you hadn't started seeing Piketooth, who knows if we'd even be friends right now? StarClan planned all of this out for a purpose. And I don't care if those kits that you're carrying are from a rogue, it doesn't change the way I feel about you or them."

Brookshadow blinked slowly. "R-really?"

"Really." Dewfur mewed, then nuzzled her gingerly. "I love you, Brookshadow."

"I love you, Dewfur." Brookshadow whispered, burying her muzzle into his neck fur.

Dewfur pulled back and looked at her. "Is there anything else before we go back?"

Brookshadow took a breath and slowly shook her head. "No."

The two cats took their prey and headed back to ThunderClan, their pelts brushing.