-- JointClan & BloodClan -- Part 6 -- Sticking Together Through It All -- (OPEN)

Raincloud yawned as the sun rose higher in the sky. "I wish they would grow up soon; I want to go back to JointClan..." she yawned, indicating the kits. She chuckled a bit. "First you want them to get older, and then you don't."

Stripepelt chuckled along with her.

Branch wrote:

(( No. Stormwind was a character on here a while back, Larch.))

Amberkit looked in frustration at Amberstar. "What flippin' prophecy?" She demanded.

Amberstar growled and cleared her throat. "Two of ember three, betrayal, kind, and mean. Rise up, or stay put..." She stopped.

"Rise up or stay put? What does that mean?" She asked slowly. Betrayal, Wolfkit or STripepelt?

Amberstar looked at her kit. "You don't need to know."

"I want to know.' Amberkit answered/

(( Anyone..?))

((I'm here. Sorry, I have a TON of homework. ^^"))

Raincloud turned again to Stripepelt. "If you could carry two kits, we can go back while they're young. I could manage," she mewed.

(( No problem, I understand. :D ))

Stripepelt nodded, "I could carry two, your sure you could manage, though?" Stripepelt asked.

Raincloud replied, "I'll be fine." She nosed him affectionately before gently picking up Spottedkit and Lightningkit. That left Dawnkit and Duskkit for Stripepelt.

The gray she-cat guessed her mate was worried because of all her battle scars. The one above her left eye, behind her left ear, on her right side... she was injured all over, wasn't she? Even in the heart...

Raincloud took a few steps outside, then turned around to wait for Stripepelt.

((What time of day is it?))

(( LIike, morning but later morning.))

Stripepelt picked up Dawnkit and Duskkit, and headed outside.

"We should head back the way we came," Raincloud commented. The medicine cat headed straight until she came to that same white fence that the Twolegs had put. She had gone over it not too long ago. Looking back for a moment, she jumped up, trying not to hurt the kits, and then landed softly on the other side. She stood, waiting for the tabby following her.

Stripepelt nodded in agreement, careful with the kits. He was really looking forward to Amberstar's blow up. He jumped, not to gracefully, but effectiantly over the fence, not hurting the kits.

Raincloud nodded, then continued, hoping that the Twoleg within the nest wasn't awake yet. She desperately wondered what would happen when they returned. Would they be exiled? Welcomed? It gave her a somber feeling in the pit of her stomach. Still, she continued on. It was for the kits...

As she neared the nest wall, she tried to sneak behind a row of bushes, and then dashed out of an opening in the fence. Once again, she turned to wait for Stripepelt, catching his emerald gaze.

Stripepelt dashed out of the opening, following carefully and quietly behind Raincloud. His mother was gonna blow surely, but he had a counter to it. He mated with the medicine cat, and she mated with a power-having freak.

Now there was the Thunderpath that Raincloud had crossed, or at least a small one, coming into view. It was too early for any monsters to be running around yet, so her steps were calm as she made it to the other side. For a few heartbeats, she paused, then sighed. This would be just as long a journey as it had been coming here... except with the kits, a burden, this time.

Raincloud shook her head. No. The kits were not a burden. That was not how a mother thought. She was more than a medicine cat, but less than an honorable one.

Finally, grass and dead, golden leaves found their way under her paws again. They were soothed from the hard, stony surface of the Thunderpath, and that was a relief to Raincloud. At least enough to warm her heart.

Stripepelt crossed the Thunderpath in a calm manner, and felt the leaves under his paws. This was going to long, like before, but with the kits. The kits, to him, made it all the better. Love all around.

Lightningkit let out a soft mew, and Raincloud placed him on the ground for just a moment, licking his head comfortingly. As the tom-kit settled down, his mother took him in his jaws again and continued.

---

The two adult cats and four kits were making good progress through the forest. Raincloud could hear rushing water in the distance. Stopping abruptly, she said, "Stripepelt, we might be a bit too far south." Quickly, she turned a bit left and then continued at about a 80-degree angle from her previous path. "No problem, though; we'll still make it if I'm correct."

Stripepelt watched as Raincloud comforted Lightningkit. He followed Raincloud through the forest, he wanted to be home. The kits could meet Grandma. He almost laughed out loud.

Raincloud followed the sound of flowing water until she reached the river. About half an hour or even more had passed since they had left the den, and Raincloud and the kits were getting hungry. The camp wasn't far off; she only had to cross carefully. Maybe she could keep her head above the water as she swam.

She was confident; she would try it.

"Wait here, Stripepelt."

Trying to keep her head up, she paddled through the river, persisting even though she was tossed by the current. Her head was about to go underwater but she thrashed slightly harder, trying to get afloat. It seemed like hours before she reached the other side, but when she placed Lightningkit on the grass and shook herself off, she shouted, "Where's Spottedkit?

"I'll look for her," Raincloud added. "I'm familiar with this river." She swam downstream a bit, although still within Stirpepelt's sight. Spottedkit was gray; she would be hard to spot. But Raincloud had to do her best. Finally, her teeth met with her kit's scruff, and she pulled Spottedkit out of the water. The little bundle of fur was still paddling as if she had known how to all along.

The medicine cat placed her kit on the bank next to Lightningkit, and paddled back to the other side to get Stripepelt. "I'll take Dawnkit.

"How does Spottedkit know how to swim?"

Stripepelt handed Dawnkit over carefully, very confused. How DID Spottedkit know how to swim?

Raincloud shrugged, then took the kit in her jaws and beckoned to Stripepelt with her tail before splashing into the river once more. She was getting used to the current, but the gray she-cat was also cold and couldn't go in the water much longer without getting sick. She cautiously placed Dawnkit on the bank and shivered, grooming herself to get the water out. She kept an eye on Stripepelt just in case he needed help. "The Dawnfield is nearby. We should be able to see the last of the sunset."

Stripepelt followed Raincloud through the waters with Duskkit lastly. Stripepelt nodded. "Alright, your okay?" He asked. Even to him, the water had been a tad cold/

((Sorry, I meant sunrise xD))

"My mistake, the sun's already risen." Raincloud yawned. "I'm fine, Stripepelt." She affectionately brushed her tail-tip on his shoulder, and picked up Spottedkit and Lightningkit. "Let's head back to camp and announce to everyone," she mewed nervously, continuing on. It was too late to turn back. "I don't care what happens to us now. As long as I'm with you... and Lightningkit stays alive. The prophecy has to be fulfilled so that JointClan can stabilize."

Stripepelt nodded, and picked up the two kits he was carring. "Lets go." He said, and went forward,