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Bone turned around slowly and was met with a smaller brown tabby she-cat. He raised his eyebrow, “Nutmeg, I presume?” he meowed through the fur of the terrified kitten held firmly in his jaws.

“Rusty, Tommy. Go inside. Right now.” Nutmeg growled menacingly, her eyes unwavering from the tall black and white cat in front of her. Tommy and Rusty scrambled toward the doggy door and zipped in immediately. Once sure that the boys were away, Nutmeg snarled quietly to the large tom, “Put my kitten down.” She raised her hackles, trying to look as ferocious as possible to the brute.

Bone paused for a moment, considering her demand. Finally, he gently placed the kitten on the soft green grass. Once Princess found her footing, she promptly ran after her brothers as fast as her small legs could take her.

Bone watched the kitten go for a moment before flickering his eyes back to Nutmeg. Bone decided he didn’t want to do battle with the plump housecat over holding the scrawny kitten. He could still easily win the battle, but wanted to save his energy for the patrol later today. Besides, mothers protecting their kittens always fought the hardest. It was not worth the trouble.

Nutmeg carefully watched her last kitten escape back to the house, before daring to take another step toward the massive cat with the collar of teeth.

“So the rumors are true then, huh?” Nutmeg accused the bloodclan cat. “You really are…” Nutmeg paused for a moment, trying to hold back her tears. “You really are killing the offspring of Jake!” she finished, spitting out each word.

“Yes.” Bone replied calmly, amused by the she-cat’s behavior.

“You won’t have my kittens!” Nutmeg snarled, despite her anger tears began to well up. “You’ll have to fight me first!

Bone chuckled, grinning at the distraught house cat. “It doesn’t matter what you want. We’ll be taking them.” Nutmeg opened her mouth to threaten more, but Bone spoke again. “You need not worry so much. Your litter will not perish among the others. Scourge intends to raise them as his heirs.”

Nutmeg paused, not knowing if she could even trust the tom’s words. “Really?”

“Of course.” Bone flicked his tail. “You have the youngest of Jake’s kittens, they’ll be easier to mold into the killers Scourge needs. The rest of Jake’s kin must die to prevent claims to Scourge’s throne...but at least some of his children must remain alive for to be the next leaders. These children will be yours.”

Nutmeg thought for a moment about this new information she received and what she could possibly do with it. Finally, she meowed, “If Scourge needs my kittens to raise, he’ll likely want to be on good terms with them, correct?”

Bone narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the she-cat. What could be be planning? “Yes,” he replied hesitantly.

“And  do you believe that forcefully ripping them apart from their mother would be a good way for Scourge and my children to start off in their relationship?” Nutmeg responded, a small smile beginning to creep up her face.

Bone paused for a second. “Well just what exactly would you propose instead?” he growled, his patience for this house cat’s games were growing thin. But she did present a real problem. The scrawny things wouldn’t be too keen on the idea of learning how to be leaders of bloodclan if he stole them from their mother.

“Allow them to stay with me for just a few more days.” Nutmeg said gently. “That way I can prepare them for the change. I’ll even let them go with you completely willingly,” She added to sweeten the deal.

Bone pondered this. “And you won’t try to run away with them?” He asked suspiciously.

 “If I ran away and got caught, I know you Bloodclan brutes would kill me and possibly my kits.” Nutmeg sighed, “I am just looking out for my kittens. I am trying to choose the best path for them. The safest way for them would be to get them as ready as possible so they have an easy transition to...whatever Scrouge is planning to do with them. So please, allow me just a few days to explain to them.”

Bone nodded slowly, he still wasn’t sure what decision should be made. Finally after what seemed like forever he meowed “I can offer you one day to tell your children. Brick and I will be back here tomorrow to collect the kits.”

“Thank you.” Nutmeg glanced back at the doggy door where she could spot three small pairs of eyes watching her cautiously from within the house. Nutmeg gave the kittens a reassuring smile as Bone turned to leave.

The she cat then quietly turned away from her kittens and Bone, spotting the tree in her yard. She wasted no time climbing up it, and as soon as she reached her favorite branch her emotions overcame her as she began to sob, watching the tall black and white cat stalk off in the distance.

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Nutmeg is more clever than Bone previously thought, much to his dismay. Oh well. Now he'll have the kittens tomorrow afternoon and he can tell Scourge that he found the perfect litter. Scourge will be pleased, right?
Kind of a boring page tbh but it's necessary.