Doveving's POV
its been three sunrises since the end of the battle of the Dark Forest. The clan was beginning to recuperate, but our losses were too great.
Firestar was dead.
The whole clan mourned him and Ferncloud, Mousefur, and Hollyleaf. We all grieved for the second death of Spottedleaf, too.
Spottedleaf's death arouse some questions in my mind; where did cats go after they died a second time? What happened to them? There had to be something after nothing... But what?
I did not know what had become of Spottedleaf, but I could not dwell on such things now. Now, I had to worry about taking care of the clan.
Bramblestar and Squirrelflight had put everyone to work right away... Hunting, extra patrols to scout for any remaining Dark Forest warriors, rebuilding camp... Every cat was exhausted.
However, on the sunrise of the third day, we had an unexpected visitor.
I was dragging brambles from a pile of building materials over to the nursery, when I heard paw steps padding hurriedly through the gorse tunnel.
Dawn patrol is back. I thought absentmindedly, and started threading strands of bramble through the nursery wall to reinforce it.
Behind me, I heard some murmuring from the rest of the clan, and even some shocked hisses. Surprised, I turned around and walked to the base of the Highledge, where cats were beginning to gather.
I pushed through the crowd of shocked-looking cats to get to the base of the Highledge to find the last cat I ever expected to see, surrounded by the dawn patrol of Mousewhisker, Cherrypaw, Hazeltail, and Bumblestripe.
"Hello, Dovewing." I gazed into the warm amber eyes of Tigerheart. Mixed emotions bubbled up inside of me. Curiosity as to why he was here, anger at what he'd done in the past, and most of all, uncertainty. I knew in my heart that I wanted to love him, but I wasn't sure that I could trust him.
"Why are you here?" I hissed, flattening my ears and backing away. Several cats looked at me in confusion. Technically, I wasn't supposed to know Tigerheart.
"I would like to speak with Bramblestar." More murmurs from the rest of the clan.
"Very well, Tigerheart. What is it that brings you here?" Tigerheart turned around to face Bramblestar, who had just emerged from his den. Bramblestar's eyes were narrowed, instantly suspicious.
"May I speak with you in private?" Tigerheart asked, dipping his head formally.
Bramblestar's eyes were nothing but pinpricks. He sat in front of Tigerheart and answered, "No. If you have something to say, the whole clan can hear it."
"Very well." Tigerheart raised his head and looked right at me, his gaze sending shivers from my ears to the tip of my tail. "I wish to join Thunderclan."
More gasps, murmurs, and startled hisses. I myself was shocked. Why could Tigerheart possibly want to join Thunderclan? There was only one reason I could think of...
"Tigerheart, why in the name of Starclan would you wish to do that?" Squirrelflight demanded. Tigerheart turned to grace her. "You've already got a clan that needs you, and kin that loves you..." She trailed off as Bramblestar responded, "I was wondering the same thing".
"Because..." Tigerheart swung his head back around to face me. "There are some things that I have to set right." In that instant he looked into my eyes, I completely melted. All of the pent up anger, rage, sorrow, and doubt I had had in mind about my feelings for Tigerheart simply disappeared. I immediately forgave Tigerheart for everything. All the lies, secrecy, even training with the Dark Forest... Just gone. Warmth spread throughout my body from ears to tail tip, and I had to prevent myself from purring in delight.
Whitewing, Squirrelflight, and Ivypool all stared at me. Squirrelflight's eyes narrowed, and it didn't take a lot to guess what the three of them were thinking. There is a universal body language that all she-cats can read.
Bramblestar looked at Tigerheart quizzicly, oblivious to the silent conversation between the three she-cats and I. "Alright. I think we can give you a chance." Tigerheart's tail curled up in delight, despite the scornful hisses my clanmates gave him.
"Thank you, Bramblestar. I won't let you down!"
Firestar's POV (yes, from Starclan)
"Get Jayfeather... Quick! The kits are coming!" Tigerheart hissed. Dovewing lay on her side, flanks heaving with perspiration. She moaned softly as she waited for the kits to come.
Cinderheart's kits, only two moons old, gazed wide-eyed at me. "Cinderheart, what's wrong with Dovewing?" Asked Firekit, the orange tom. He wasn't the same firey orange that I had been, but I was honored that Firekit had been named in my memory.
"Shh..." Cinderheart drew her tail around her three kits. "We mustn't bother Dovewing."
Tigerheart returned, this time with Jayfeather, who quickly shooed him away. "Leave us in peace for this." He hissed. "Can't have you toms bothering me." Tigerheart snorted indignantly, but turned and exited the nursery.
Jayfeather worked quickly and silently, asking Cinderheart to help with something on occasion. When all was said and done, Dovewing had three kits: two toms and a she-cat.
I stared in shock at the three kits. These were no ordinary kits. I didn't know how I could tell, but I knew, even though these kits looked nothing like they had before.
Yellowfang, a cat I had had a lifelong bond with, came up behind me. Watching the newborn kits, she suddenly hissed and recoiled in horror. I knew that she had seen the same thing I had.
The two toms were the living reincarnation of the very thing I had died to stop.
Tigerestar and Brokenstar.
How they had been reincarnated, I didn't know. But I did know that they would grow up to be exactly like they had been in a past lifetime.
But who was the she-cat? Was it possible that in the litter of pure evil, she was just a normal kit?
She let out a pitiful mew and I realized; this cat was a reincarnation too.
"Not possible." Yellowfang murmered.
"But it is." I breathed softly, not even loud enough for Yellowfang to hear.
"Spottedleaf..."