A she-cat ran through the forest, panting heavily. The silver moonlight shone through the leaves onto her shiny black pelt. Her belly was so swollen it looked like it might burst.

She paused for breath and looked back behind her. Upon seeing nothing, she glanced around the area in which she was standing. I need a place to rest... She noticed a small path or ferns underneath a tree and crawled underneath, still glancing nervously about.

Satisfied that no one was watching, she curled up beneath the fronds. Water dripped on her, but she didn't really care. As long as my kits are safe. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath from the run.

She gazed up at Lights through the fronds of ferns, praying that she was truly alone. Her green eyes reflected the starlight, which was oddly bright tonight. Exhausted, she lay her head on her paws and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, her scream pierced the night. She groaned and trembled as she went into labor. After several pain-filled moments, a kit slid out. She reached to bring it to her when another spasm shuddered through her, bringing another kit. She repeated this grueling process five more times, and then it was over. Relieved, she caught her breath and hoped no one had heard.

When she could move again she brought each kit to her and lapped off the membrane covering each. Four were pure black like their mother, and two had the auburn and black mottled patterns of their father. The last bore no resemblance at all to either parent. Puzzled, the she-cat moved the six normal looking kits to her belly where they suckled and brought the other one close to her face so she could observe it more closely. It was the runt, and was a small she-kit. Unlike its littermates, it was white with golden ears, paws, tail tip, belly, and chest. Why? Why does my kit look like this? The frightened mother looked up the full moons and pleaded for answer, but none came. Sighing, she gently placed the mewling kit next to its littermates to suckle, which it did heartily. Ah, well. I will love her like the others. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

***

The sun rose, bringing a rose-tinged dawn and the scent of dew. The black she-cat stretched and yawned. She looked pridefully at her kits, who all sleeping soundly. Then she gasped. The odd-looking one was gone.

Frantically, she searched the area near her for the kit, but soon became exhausted and returned to the ferns. I need to take care of these six. She let the kits suckle while she caught her breath, then struggled up to look again.

She searched until the high sun bore down relentlessly on her back. Upon finding nothing, she wailed up to the sky.

It turned out that was a bad idea. The she-cat heard someone yell, "She's in that direction!" and the sounds of paws thrumming against the ground in the distance.

Quickly, she darted back to the ferns. I must save the kits! She scooped them up onto her back and held a couple in her jaws and ran. If one fell, she picked it up and kept going. Near a cat village, she dropped them by the gates and headed back into the forest, hoping someone caring would adopt them and raise them as their own.

Soon, her pursuers came into view. They were a dozen large cats all clad in armor, with steely glints in their eyes. One smaller one hung back behind the rest, looking a bit unsure of herself.

The leader of the group walked up to the black she-cat. His muscles rippled underneath his glossy golden coat. He spoke. "You have been convicted of treason for mating with a Waterpaw. As Brushpaws, we cannot allow that."

The she-cat nodded. "Yes. I have been mating with a Waterpaw. I understand the consequences. I could not help it, though. His eyes shone so bri-"

The leader whipped his tail across her muzzle, cutting her off. "Your penalty is twenty moons in prison. Come." The rest of the group surrounded the she-cat and ushered her forward, towards Kette, the largest Brushpaw city. She thought as they entered the gates, Please let my kits be safe. All of them.

***

The smaller guardcat helped bring the treasonous cat to the Kette prison. She looked reassuringly at the young she-cat, but was unable to meet her eye. Korr, her leader, stepped up to her when the prisoner was locked up.

"You'll guard the prison tonight," he told her gruffly. "Keep your eyes open and don't doze off."

She nodded. "Yes, sir!"

He exited, long tail swishing around in the air. The smaller guardcat watched until he was gone, then turned to the new prisoner. To her surprise, the she-cat was staring intensely at her.

The guard looked down at herself self-consciously. "Um... Is there something wrong?"

The black she-cat gave a mrrow of laughter. "Oh, no. You're fine." Her face turned grim again.

The guard looked around. "Er, do you need something?"

"Actually, I do." The black she-cat was still staring at the young guard.

"Oh? What is it? Are you thirsty?"

"Come to think of it, yes, but that's not what I want." The black she-cat pushed her nose through the bars and gazed straight into the guard's amber eyes. "I want you to make sure my mate and kits are safe. You seem a good cat, so you'll do the right thing."

The young guard startled. "E-excuse me?"

"I said, check on my mate and kits. My mate is a Waterpaw. He lives in the village of Veilak. He is auburn and black mottled, with gorgeous indigo eyes. You'll know him when you see him. My kits are in Falo. I dropped them off by the gate. Make sure that they are taken into a caring family." Sadness clouded the she-cat's gaze. "I will never be able to watch them grow up..."

The young guard felt sympathy for the sorrowful mother. "I'll do that." She lowered her voice. "Don't mention that you had kits to the other guards. They might find them and do something bad."

"Okay. I won't. Tonight?"

"Yes. Tonight."

"Good." The black she-cat curled up into a little ball on the cage floor. The guard sat back and watched the other prisoners until her shift ended, then left.

***

The young guard padded through the forest, headed towards Falo. She continuously checked behind her to see if anyone was following, but so far, no one seemed to be in pursuit.

Suddenly, a shrill cry broke through the night sounds. "Mewwwwll!!"

The young guard jumped in fright. What was that?

"Mewwwwll!"

A kit? The guard headed towards the sound. She crossed a place that smelled strongly of the she-cat she had been watching. Huh. I wonder if she was here? She quickly crossed the clearing and heard the sound again. She raced towards it and broke into a patch of moonflowers. Light from the very-close-to-full moon shone down very brightly, illuminating the clearing. The guard heard the wail again. It was very close. She walked over to its source.

Underneath a flower was a tiny kitten. Maybe it's one of the she-cat's? Upon closer inspection, she determined that it couldn't have been. It was white with golden ears, paws, tail tip, belly, and chest. It wasn't like the she-cat or the mate she had described.

The guard gently picked up the kit by the scruff. You need milk. It's a surprise you were able to survive so long without any food or warmth. She thought for a moment, trying to recall her ancient Lhorrian. I'll name you Firin. Survivor. I'll take you somewhere safe. There was a village called Sivara nearby. It had a reliable orphanage, from what the young guard knew. She trotted off towards it.

***

She arrived at Sivara's gates. Sivara was relatively large, and had a population of over two hundred cats. The guard slipped inside, nodding to the sentries posted at the gate.

It was mostly quiet in the town. Most cats were sleeping in their nests at home, but a few strolled around. The guard padded through, earning a few glances, but got to the orphanage without incident.

The New Dawn Orphanage was a tree. Not really, but it was built around a tree. It raised up into the canopy, about twenty tail-lengths in width and maybe two hundred in height. It had many small windows with beeswax candles glowing. It had been decorated with colorful berry juices, but the color was fading from time. It was made from some sort of clay mixture found commonly around this part of the forest. The young guard approached the single wooden step and laid the kit on it. In the dirt in front of the step, she scratched, Her name is Firin. Take good care of her. Then she turned away and bounded off, going to fulfill her promise to the black she-cat.