<Don't expect updates everyday, this was most likely just a one time thing. Anyways, enjoy the first really chapter!>

Greenclaw stalked back and forth in front of the entrance of camp. He and Wrensong had agreed to take their apprentices out to hunt together, but Redpaw was nowhere to be seen. Not even Icepaw, Redpaw's closest friend, had seen him almost all day.

"Ugh! Where is he?" Hissed the massive tom, paws clawing at the ground beneath him.

"Now what's got you all worked up?" Asked Wolfsong, the old cat watching the deputy from where he was sitting.

"Redpaw. No one knows where he is, and I need to take him out for a hunt."

"If it's any help, I saw him leave earlier today. Though he was acting a bit weird." Informed the dark brown elder.

The muddy gray tom stopped his stalking and turned to address the elder more properly, "Acting weird? In what way?"

"Well he was being very cautious when he was leaving, like he didn't want to be seen." Said Wolfsong, moving himself to lay more comfortably.

Greenclaw looked at the camp entrance, as if Redpaw would walk in then and there. What was his apprentice up to? The apprentice was so sweet and mild mannered, and somecat who followed the rules. So why was he sneaking out like this?

The deputy turned his massive head to look where Wrensong and Icepaw were sitting, waiting for him and Redpaw. Hmm, hunting could wait. Finding out what his apprentice was up to was much more important.

"Wrensong! Change of plans, we'll be looking for Redpaw instead of hunting." The brown tom nodded his head and motions for Icepaw to follow him.

Once the blue eyed warrior and his apprentice were next to Greenclaw he didn't ask why the plans had changed. The deputy was very serious about apprentices being taught properly, so having his own one running around -doing Starclan knows what- wasn't exactly what he wanted.

"Icepaw," said brown tom looked at his deputy with a 'yes?' expression, "You know Redpaw best, any idea where he could be?"

The apprentice looked thoughtful for a few heartbeats before something seemed to hit him, "He could be at the old fox den that's close to where the Gathering takes place."

Greenclaw nodded at him, that's a start, "Alright, lead the way."

And with that the three cats made their way through the spruce forest they called home. It didn't take long, though longer than Greenclaw wanted, for them to find the place.

They had expected to see Redpaw sitting or laying there alone. But instead they saw him talking to a frizzy white tom, who smelled of Oakclan, like they were old friends.

"Redpaw!" Growled Greenclaw, stalking up to the two cats with thundering steps, "What is the meaning of this?! Why is an Oakclan cat in our territory?!"

"I can explain Greenclaw!" Cried the black-and-white tom after getting over his shock, "It's not what it looks like, I swear by Starclan!"

"Then explain." Hissed the deputy, shooting the white tom besides his apprentice a deadly glare.

Redpaw shuffled his paws nervously before speaking, "Well, about two moons ago I was walking around the borders when I saw Sparrowflight walking around the Great Sycamore so I went down and talked to him. And it turns out he, along with his brother and other siblings have been exiled from Oakclan. And I thought 'That's terrible!' So I decided to tell them a place they could stay."

The other three Spruceclan cats gaped at him. "So, let me get this right." Said Wrensong, stepping forward, "A bunch of Oakclan cats gets exiled, and you let them stay on our territory?"

"Yeah." Said Redpaw meekly, realizing how bad it sounded.

Greenclaw let out a low growl, eyes narrowed as he looked at the tom besides his apprentice, "You can leave now, Birdwing. Take your brother and other siblings with you. You're a good warrior, you don't need to stay here."

"Your right. I don't need to stay here, but my siblings do." Said Birdwing, tone clipped and laced with venom.

Before a fight could break out Redpaw stepped in, "He's right! They do!"

"And why's that?" Asked Icepaw, reminding everyone that he was also there.

Redpaw looked Greenclaw right in the eyes as he said, "Because their barely three moon old kits."

His mentor reeled back in shock, jaw hanging open, "K-kits? They exiled kits? Why?"

The muddy tom looked to Birdwing, almost desperately, for answers. He was a big softie when it came to kits. So hearing this made his already large distatase for Oakclan much larger.

"Because they were half-clan." Answered Sparrowflight, the small tom having walked out of the abandoned den, "Just like me and Birdwing."

"So the rumors about Hollydew were true then?" Asked Wrensong, more to himself than anything else.

"Apparently." Hissed Birdwing, "All Rushspark saw was our mother near the thunderpath separating Birchclan from Oakclan. And since Hollydew wasn't there to explain, they assumed."

"So wait. You were exiled for being half-clan? Even though you had no idea?" Asked Icepaw, disgusted by the actions of the other clan.

Sparrowflight didn't answer him, but you could see it in the light brown toms eyes.

Icepaw curled his lips in disgust. They dare put the blame of the parent on the kits, and even worse they dare exile them! Surely Starclan wouldn't be happy about that. Was that why Nightstar, a very healthy and strong cat. Got sick enough to lose the rest of his five lives? He hoped it was so.

"You can't stay here." Commented Greenclaw, walking to inspect the den, "This den will hardly keep the cold of leaf-bare, and that's coming real soon."

The massive tom gently checked up on the three sleeping kits sleeping in the nest that had been built. They were all so small and fragile, not even close to becoming apprentices anytime soon. Greenclaw really was thankful Nightstar was gone. His successor, Egretstar, whilst cold was way more reasonable.

"But where else can we go?" Asked Sparrowflight desperately, curling back around the three kits.

The deputy looked the small warrior right in the eyes, hopping his sincerity could be seen on his face, "You can come back to Spruceclan with us."

Even though Sparrowflight could see the deputy meant it, he still didn't want to just take it and lose the one place that could serve as their shelter, "But what if Turtlestar doesn't allow us to stay? You might be the deputy and well respected, but the leader still has the final say."

Greenclaw placed a paw on the other smaller one, "Trust me, he'll let you stay."

By this point Birdwing had entered and was sitting beside the nest and to the right of his brother. He turned down to look at Sparrowflight, a silent conversation happening between the two. They eventually broke eye contact with a nod at each other.

Sparrowflight looked back up Greenclaw and without a word stood up and nudged Jaykit gently towards the big tom. Said tom looked a bit puzzled as to why he was given the kit, and upon seeing his look Sparrowflight explained, "Well, if we're going to your clan you might as well help. Plus this will make sure we don't leave."

The muddy tom gave an amused purr as he gently picked up the gray kit. Sparrowflight picked up Russetkit, and Birdwing picked up Primrosekit, before motioning for Greenclaw to lead them away.

And so they started the walk back to the Spruceclan camp, at a faster pace then when they were walking to the old fox then. It was mostly because they wanted the kits in a safer place, and also because it was getting dark.

As soon as they walked through the entrance cats came out and looked. I mean, it wasn't everyday you saw the big though deputy carrying a tiny kit like it was the most delicate thing in the world (which it was). And it was also even less everyday you saw him being followed by two Oakclan cats, both also holding small kittens.

Though Turtlestar certainly made it seem normal, as he greeted them back like nothing was weird, "Welcome back. I see you found our wayward apprentice." Redpaw ducked his head in embarrassment at the remark of his leader, "And a few new cats too. Would you mind explaining that?"

Greenclaw gently sat down, the now awake, Jaykit gently between the paws of Sparrowflight, "They have been exiled from their old clan simply because of their new found status of being half-clan. They were exiled along with three young kits"

Horrified gasps echoed around the camp. To exile a warrior was one thing, but to exil innocent kits was just the most foul.

Turtlestar hopped down from the big stump which served as both his den and the place where he called clan meetings, and padded up to the group. His green eyes looked over the former Oakclan warriors with unreadable eyes. The unreadable expression soon became a smile as he said, "Welcome to Spruceclan, I promise that no one will judge you for your heritage here, especially not the fact that you were exiled."

Sparrowflight dipped his head in a show of gratitude, "Thank you Turtlestar, I can't say how thankful I am."

"No need for that." Chided the gray-brown furred leader. "Just look after the kits and yourselves and I'll be happy."

And so Spruceclan got five new members. It would be officially announced in the morning. Until then the former Oakclan cats would sleep in the Nursery, where Sparrowflight would be spending the next three moons.

And if Greenclaw and Redpaw both snuck in to join the cuddle pile later, well, no one could really blame them.      

<Big intimidating Greenclaw defeated by a litter of kits he had literally just seen. Yeah, that's the good shit I live for. Anyways, you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful time! I can't add more here since I need to go to sleep.>