Glade - M1

Bluestone - Deputy NPC
Cranedream - Medicine Cat NPC
Waterstone - Warrior NPC

[835 words]

Riverstar was a busy cat, rebuilding a clan was hard but with the guidance of starclan, she was able to take some time for herself and welcome some kits into her life. She had met a charming male cat by the river, their meeting was brief and she was happy to find out from her medicine cat that he was the father of her coming kits.

Riverstar made time to spend time with Glade, the father of her coming kits, he would tell her that he would have to move further down the river and out of Fadedclan territory and he may not be there when the kits arrive. Sure, she was sad but she understood the life of a loner was an unpredictable one.
“Are you sure you don't want to join me in Fadedclan? You would be welcomed with open paws” she muttered, leaning into Glade’s short fur. She felt him shift from beside her with a sigh.
“Clan life is not for me, darling, I like to explore. The river here is nice, but I wouldn’t want to stay here for much longer” he murmured, casting his gaze towards the ground and Riverstar sighed.
“I’ll name one of our kits after you, they will know the story of their brave travelling father. A cat who never stays in one place for very long. They will know who you are, Glade” she looked up at him and his features lit up with a brief moment of joy before his face fell once again. 
“I want to meet them… Maybe…” he paused and sighed again. “Maybe I’ll come back, I’ll try to visit you” he leaned into her for the first time since they settled by the river.
“I would like that” Riverstar mused, closing her eyes. 
Unfortunately, after that meeting Glade left on his own again, giving Riverstar a brief goodbye as he set off. 

It was only a half a moon before the kits arrived, and that night the whole clan held their breath as they awaited the word that their leader and her kits were alright. It wasn’t long before the medicine cat announced the arrival of their leader’s kits, Riverstar’s deputy Bluestone was the first to meet them. “They are beautiful, Riverstar” Bluestone muttered as he looked over to the mother as she beamed. “They are, aren’t they?” she whispered as she nuzzled each of them. 
Cranedream had to push Bluestone out though, just so he could check up on each kit and ensure they were happy and healthy at their mother’s side. 
The kits were loved by the whole clan and many of the warriors took turns watching the kits as Riverstar continued her duty as the leader. Once they were able to leave the nursery they slept in the leader’s den under the pine tree with Riverstar, batting at the trinkets that were hung from the roots in the dugout den.
Riverstar watched her kits with pride, calling them each by name as she brought them outside one by one and retrieved one of her warriors, Waterstone. “Waterstone, I would like to bring my kits to the river to tell them a story,” she said firmly and he nodded. “Of course, may I ask why my presence is needed?” he asked respectfully and Riverstar looked back to her kits who were tumbling around outside the den under the moonlight. “Extra protection, you are a skilled warrior, Waterstone” she looked back at him as he nodded and muttered a quick and embarrassed “thank you, Riverstar”

Riverstar and Waterstone made their way to the river, flanking the kits carefully and carrying them over tough obstacles. Once they had made their way to the river, Waterstone hung back as he watched to ensure his leader and her kits were safe. 
“My beautiful kits, this is where I met your father. A loner named Glade” she looked up to the stars she asked for guidance almost every night. “He was very charming and kind, our first meeting was brief but when I told him he was the father of my kits he stuck around a little longer to get to know me” Riverstar began, watching her kits as they silently stared at the river in awe as this was the very first time they had left the camp in their whole life. “I promised him one thing” she began again, looking to her kit that she had lovingly given the name ‘Gladekit’ “that I would name one of our kits after him, and make sure they all know who their father was.” she spent that night talking with her children and telling them of how her Glade met, and when he left. She answered any questions her kits had before she and Waterstone brought them back to the camp so they could get some much-needed rest. 
Hanging above their heads was a new trinket that Riverstar added, a feather and a stone from the river Glade had given her before he left.