Could use HQL to retrieve more than one object in the select clause, e.g.
Queries may return multiple objects and/or properties as an array of type Object[],
Code:
select mother, offspr, mate.name
from DomesticCat as mother
inner join mother.mate as mate
left outer join mother.kittens as offspr
or as a List,
Code:
select new list(mother, offspr, mate.name)
from DomesticCat as mother
inner join mother.mate as mate
left outer join mother.kittens as offspr
or as an actual typesafe Java object,
Code:
select new Family(mother, mate, offspr)
from DomesticCat as mother
join mother.mate as mate
left join mother.kittens as offspr
assuming that the class Family has an appropriate constructor.