A lone yowl echoed throughout the Sunclan camp. Cats were running back and forth as they desperately tried to save the kitting queen. Orders from the medicine cat to her apprentice were carried by the wind to the far end of the camp, where a gray tom was sleeping. Another pained yowl echoed through the camp, jolting him from his dreams. Littlestripe?! The tom leaped from his nest and ran for the nursery.
"Dawnstreak! Smallpaw! Is it Littlestripe?! Is she okay?!"

A small russet furred she-cat padded out of the nursery.

"Do you want the good news or the bad news first Rainstar?"

Something about the small cats tone scared Rainstar.

"The good news?"

He said tentatively. The small medicine cat looked up at him, her yellow eyes full of sadness.

"Well you had three kits. The bad news is th-"

"No, don't. they can't be…dead?"

Rainstar's voice was desperate as he asked his question. The medicine cat looked up at him for a long moment before answering.

"I'm sorry Rainstar. I tried to save them, but they had been born too soon. They joined starclan soon after they were born, and, I don't think Littlestripe is going to pull through this."

Rainstar stared at her in shock before he yowled his grief to the stars.

"How could you do this to me?! She doesn't deserve this Dawnstreak! She doesn't deserve it!"

Rainstar glared at dawnstreak while he hissed this. He backed up and stared around at the cats that had gathered around him, snarling. He turned to glare at dawnstreak once more before racing for the nursery entrance. He reached it as a small spotted apprentice came out, looking defeated and sad. Rainstar skidded to a halt next to him.

"Smallpaw? Is she okay?"

Smallpaw looked at him for a moment before answering.

"I'm sorry Rainstar. She's on her way to join Starclan. Go to her. She was asking for you."

Rainstar stared in shock before jumping through the entrance of the nursery, yowling littlestripe's name. Looking around he saw her curled up in a nest on the far side of the nursery. He ran to her as fast as he could. Stopping only when he was at her side.

"Littlestripe! thank Starclan you're okay! I thought you were dead!"

Littlestripe looked up at him with tired eyes.

"I may not be dead now Rainstar, but it is my time to join Starclan. But I will not go until we name our kits."

Rainstar stared at his mate with sadness in his gaze.

"It's okay Littlestripe, you can let go."

He looked down at the kits, one brown tabby, one gray, and on torteshell. He looked back up at Littlestripe to see the light already fading from her eyes. Panicked, Rainstar listed off names for them.

"Let's name them mosskit, stormkit, and littlekit."

Littlestripe looked up at him, the light in her eyes nearly gone from her eyes.

"They're beautiful names. Goodbye Rainstar. I love you."

With a final sigh, Littlestripe laid her head on her paws and gave in to the tempting pull of death.

Rainstar stared at Littlestripes body for a few heartbeats before turning to run out of the nursery and face the clan.

"Littlestripe! No! I will never look to starclan again! they took everything from me!"

He glared around at all the shocked cats staring at him, growling curses to starclan, before turning and stumbling to his den. Rainstar hardly left his den over the next few days, only to lick the dew from the leaves in the morning. He didn't eat, or talk, or even look at other cats. He had sunk into depression.

A black tom stared at Rainstars den early in the morning, waiting for him to come out and announce the cats to go to the gathering. When the leader did emerge from his den, the tom was shocked by his appearance. the skin hung off his body in folds, his head and tail drooped, and there was no life left in his eyes he simply didn't care anymore.

"Rainstar! who should we take to the gathering?"

Rainstar didn't look up.

"You decide Crowclaw. I won't be going."

crowclaw stared, shocked, as his leader turned and trailed back to his den. Crowclaw heard a small scuffle behind him and turned to see his son, smallpaw, behind him, holding a bundle of herbs.

"give him time, he'll heal."

crowclaw looked at his small son. how could such wise words come from such a young tom?

"Maybe…"

He said doubtfully. crowclaw looked around to see several cats waiting expectantly for the anouncment.

"well, better get this over with."

Crowclaw sighed. he was not looking forward to this. Heleaped onto the call-boulder and did the customary yowl.

"let all cats old enough to chase the sun join here beneath the call-boulder for a clan meeting!"

the cats looked surprised to see their deputy standing on the rock, but obeyed without question.

"Rainstar is not yet well enough to join us for the gathering so we will go alone! I want flamefeather, amberpaw, dawnstreak, thornfang, redpaw, bluestripe, smallpaw, and sleektail to join me tonight when we meet the other three clans!"

Crowclaw looked around for a moment before hopping off the boulder and joining the cats below.

"We leave at dusk!"

there was exciment fizzing from the cats returning from the gathering. Crowclaw, who was leading them, broke away from the group and ran to Rainstars den.

"Rainstar! I bring good news tonight! the other cla-"

Crowclaws voice cut off as he saw the motionless body of his leader. bowing his head he slowly backed out of the den and onto the call-boulder.

"Cats of sunclan! Rainstar has died!"

the shocked faces of cats looked up at him. then slowly they all bowed their heads in grief. one mournful yowl echoed around the camp. Crowclaw leaped off the boulder and slowly sat down, only looking up when he heard dawnstreaks voice.

"are you ready?"

Crowclaw looked up.

"Ready, for what?"

"To go to brightstone!"

Slowly it dawned on Crowclaw. he was leader now! he stood up and started walking to the entrance of the camp.

"Let's go."

hope you enjoy! this was a challenge from the 'stellarclan' forum