PROLOGUE
An eerie wail echoed across the clearing, and the dim silhouettes of cats filled the side of the bushes nearby. In the center of the hollow, the soft moonlight glowed over a ginger she-cat and a brown tabby. The she-cat buried her face into his chest, and a sob shook her body.
A grey tom exited his den, a cracked rock. He had the green juice of herbs on his paws, and his pelt was ruffled with exhaustion. He padded over to the grieving she-cat. "Squirrelflight, is this really how you want to spend your first night as leader?"
The she-cat looked up at him, her normally leaf-green colored gaze dull. For once, she didn't even have the energy to shudder at his blind eyes, that seemed to see through her.
The tom nudged her. "You must be strong for your Clan. Choose your deputy, and I'll bring you to the Moonpool tomorrow evening."
With a heaving sigh, Squirrelflight pulled herself up, with one last longing look at the former ThunderClan leader. "Thank you, Jayfeather." she murmured. Then she looked around. The tom she wanted was sitting beside the nursery, panic in his eyes. To think this was her sister's son, but he looked so much like her.
"Lionblaze?" she called, her voice cracking.
The tom jumped, startled. He looked up. "Y-yes, Squirrelfli- I mean Squirrelstar?"
Despite her mood, a small smile twisted her lips. Even the strongest warrior worried over his mate. "I'd like you to be my deputy."
Lionblaze stood, and bowed his head. "Of course, Squirrelstar."
Another wail, this one not coming from Squirrelstar's mouth, shot through the hollow. Cats looked towards the nursery, and Jayfeather disappeared into his den, coming back out with a mouthful of herbs. He trotted past a concerned Lionblaze, into the nursery.
"Congratulations, Lionblaze." a silver tabby she-cat broke the silence. "You've become deputy and a father in one night."
Squirrelstar looked at the she-cat, Ivypool. To her curiosity, the she-cat still hadn't chosen herself a mate.
Lionblaze opened his mouth to say something, when Jayfeather ducked out of the nursery.
He looked unseeingly at the Clan. "Two kits," he announced, then turned to his brother. "Lionblaze, I'm sorry." the tom mewed.
Lionblaze whirled around. "What do you mean? Is Cinderheart okay?" He whisked toward the nursery, but Jayfeather blocked him with his tail.
"No, but one of them isn't breathing. Go ahead and say your goodbye, and greet your other kits."
Lionblaze walked into the nursery, and emitted a sigh of relief when he saw Cinderheart safe, if not tired, curled around two kits. He looked around, and saw a small mass nearby. He stepped quietly over to it, and sniffed it. His last kit was a beautiful golden tabby. Feeling sorrow at their loss, he licked the small bundle, then gasped when it twitched.
"Jayfeather..." he said softly, watching as it breathed again. "Jayfeather! It's alive!"
"What?" Jayfeather bounded into the now crowded nursery, and licked the small kit some more. "Unbelievable." he shuddered, then sniffed the kit once more. "It's a she-kit."
Lionblaze's heart soared. "Sunkit." he sighed softly, then he stepped out into the clearing, although only two or three cats remained. "Three kits." he called. "Sunkit is alive!"
How do you like it? I know, I'm already working on another two stories, but I was bored, and I'll play this one by ear, whatever that means. Keep reading!