Silverheart raced through the forest. This was her last chance to say goodbye. Goodbye to Ashstorm. Forever. He would never come back. He was leaving the forest forever. It had took a while for it to sink in. But the silver she cat knew it was for the best. They wouldn't have been able to keep it a secret any longer. Silverheart's belly was swollen with Ashstorm's kits and if he left, she could keep it a secret. Silverheart stopped at the LightningClan border, where Ashstorm stood, not tall and proud, but he looked down at his paws and didn't even glance at his mate.

Silverheart gulped. "Ashstorm..." The queen shook her head. "Please...just stay! You could always stay in SunClan! You could watch the kits grow up!"

Ashstorm shook his dark tabby head. "I can't. Silverheart, I know it's a shame we have to part,"

Silverheart looked away from her mate. "I can't believe it." She muttered. "I never knew that you could be like that. I thought you would stay!" The silver tabby's tail twitched irritably.

The dark gray tom looked up. "I can't! I can't Silverheart!"

Silverheart stepped back. "Please." Her whisper echoed through the forest. "I love you."

Ashstorm swallowed the grief. Could he really let his mate down? It would be a hard life knowing he would never know his own kin. "No. Silverheart." He paused. "We will meet again. One day, I will come to the forest. Will you wait for me?"

Silverheart flicked her tail. "I will wait forever for you." Her voice was hoarse with grief.

Ashstorm nodded. "Thank you. For everything. I will come back," the tom padded away, looking back to the silver tabby he loved so much. I will come. I promise,"

[ come . back ]

Ashstorm lay by his mate, her kitting just have finished. The queen smiled at her mate. "I always knew you would come back."

Ashstorm only nodded.

Silverheart licked a tiny dark gray tabby. "This one looks just like you. We should name him Stormkit."

Ashstorm licked a silver she kit. "This one should be Rainkit."

Silverheart nodded. "This other she kit should be..."

Ashstorm finished. "Leafkit."

Silverheart nodded. "Perfect,"

The mates went silent, looking at their son and two daughters. The kit pushed their way to Silverheart's belly and began to drink milk. They purred softly, enjoying their first taste of the big wide world.

Silverheart broke the silence. "Can you please stay?"

Ashstorm swallowed his pride, just like he had swallowed his grief those moons ago. He lay silent for a while. "Yes." He paused. "I will stay,"

Silverheart smiled. "Thank you. If SunClan doesn't accept you, I don't know how I will be able to live happily. If my pleading is worth nothing...my life will soon be broken," The queen looked out to the deep, dark night. "But of course, as long as I have you, I am fine enough."