Oriole shot up and slammed into the top of the hollow tree she had been sleeping in. Junco lifted her head and looked at her, still half asleep, "What? What happened?"

"The kits! They'll need milk and we have no place to get it!"

"Fox dung! I didn't even think about that!"

The two cats got up, waking the kits in the process. Both of the tiny cats began to wail. Junco looked around nervously, "We can't leave them. I'll stay, you go talk to Snapdragon."

"Okay, I'll try to be fast!"

She ran into the clearing and past Amber's body to where the ginger healer usually slept. Snapdragon was sitting in her nest, washing her paws. "Oriole, what's happened?"

"We need to find milk for the kits!"

Snapdragon sighed, "Where would we find that? I'm sorry, but these kits probably won't make it."

Blinking furiously, Oriole started running away from the nest. Snapdragon called after her, but she ignored it. Noticing Blizzard in the clearing, his pelt looking almost golden in the late afternoon light, she yelled to him, "Come help me! We need to find a cat with kits!"

Blizzard got up to race after her, "What?"

"A cat with kits! For milk!"

He nodded and veered off to search another part of the forest. The wind whipped her fur and she sprinted around the jagged rocks and through the swishing grasses. Checking in small caves and under overhangs. Just as she was about to give up she noticed the edge of what looked like a nest poking from around the edge of a tree. Altering her course, she came up upon the nest to find it empty.

No! I need to find a cat with milk! I can't let the kits or Junco down! Oriole paused for a moment to catch her breath and as she was sitting she noticed fresh cat scent, not on the nest, that was long disused, but nearby. There must have been a cat here recently. As though her mind had been read, she heard a voice from behind her.

"Looking for someone?" A pale ginger tom padded up to her. His amber eyes showed a hint of humor.

"Yes, actually, I am. Do you know where I might find a she-cat with milk?"

The time looked a little surprised, "Maybe I do. Why would you need that?"

"My... er... friend's mother died having kits but the kits are still alive and they need milk to survive!"

"Friend eh?"

"Yep! Friend!" Oriole's pelt grew hot, "Now do you know where I could find that or not?"

The tom smirked, "My mate just had a kit and she has plenty of milk to spare. Go get the kits and meet me here."

Yelling a quick thank you, she raced back to where the hollow tree was. The kits were still mewling and Junco looked frazzled. She looked up from licking the gray and white kit to ask, "Did you find anything?"

"I did! Quick, grab one of the kits and come with me!"

She stooped to pick up the yellow kit and started off back to where she had met the tom. The best pace she could manage with the kit hanging from her jaws was a brisk walk. As they approached the tree, the ginger tom slid around from the far side, "Just the two kits? Good, come with me."

He walked through the brush, pausing momentarily to pull a pricker out of his paw. When they had walked for a few minutes he stopped. "We're here."

Oriole looked around. She could see nothing but rocks and weeds. The tom noticed her confusion and laughed. He jumped down from an unforeseen ledge and turned to face it.

"Llano, there are some cats here that need your help."

Junco was the first to follow him, getting down the drop very carefully for the kit. Oriole soon followed, "Wow! This place is really well hidden from that direction."

"That was the point," a calico she-cat, the one called Llano, spoke up, "Estacado, who have you brought here?"

"These cats have kits that need milk. Will you help them?"

"Well I suppose. I can't let any kits starve. How did you get kits without a mother?"

"Their mother is dead," Junco said solemnly, "I am their sister and I will raise them."

"Give them to me, they're probably starving."

With both the kits nestled in the curve of Llano's belly alongside the black kit that had already been there, Estacado announced, "Our kit's name is Salem, after Llano's mother. What are these two's names?"

"Nothing yet," Oriole answered. I suppose we should be thinking about names. Today has been too chaotic for that. She sighed, "I guess we should think of something."

"Oh you have plenty of time," Llano soothed, "Salem was born 3 days ago and we only just named her."

Junco had been sitting in silence for a while but she looked around awkwardly before asking, "So should we stay here with you? It would be a lot of work to bring them every time they are hungry."

"Or you could come stay with us," Oriole paused as Junco stared at her doubtfully, "I'm sure Branch and everyone won't mind."

"Hmm. Staying with you could be good for us," Estacado mused,"they could protect us and it will be good for Salem to meet other cats."

The couple conferred quietly for a few minutes before agreeing to come with them. As they were heading towards the hollow tree and the other cats, Oriole explained what had happened and warned them about the body in the clearing. I hope I was right, and everyone accepts them!

Oriole
By Brassclawed on deviantART