Legacy

Prologue

"Stormheart…" the gray she-cat trailed off as another painful spasm racked her body and she gritted her teeth.

"Icewhisker," Stormheart's eyes were wide with fear for his mate. He nuzzled her swollen flank. "I'm here. You'll be okay."

The two cats were at Snakerocks, a dangerous place, but they couldn't move. Not now. Icewhisker lay panting on the forest floor and it was nearly moonhigh. There was no one else there and it was all for the better. Icewhisker was ThunderClan and Stormheart from ShadowClan. By the code laid down by their ancestors, they were forbidden to love.

Yet now Icewhisker was giving birth and this would prove the depth of their relationship. She feared it, for Shadestar would surely kill them for this disloyalty. He wasn't just ThunderClan's leader. He was a tyrant.

Icewhisker convulsed again and a thin wail escaped her jaws. "Stormheart," she gasped. "It's time…the kits are coming…"

"I'll go fetch Russetclaw," said Stormheart, panicked. He ran off.

"Hurry…" Icewhisker's voice was a whisper with exhaustion. Then another spasm lanced through her and she yowled her agony to the skies.

Stormheart ran through the forest, his heart pounding in his chest. He slipped in the mud and barreled clumsily through the ferns, finally bursting into the ShadowClan camp.

All was silent and still. He hurried toward the medicine cat's den, blundering through the entrance.

"Stormheart?" a she-cat answered, stirring in her nest and blinking open amber eyes.

"Russetclaw, you must come quickly. It's Icewhisker from ThunderClan. She's giving birth and she needs help." The words tumbled out in a rush.

The dark medicine cat was immediately awake and hurrying toward her stock of herbs in the back of the den. Stormheart waited impatiently as Larkpaw, Russetclaw's apprentice, was woken.

"Stormheart, what's happening?" she asked.

Before Stormheart had the chance to reply, Russetclaw was back with the strong-scenting herbs in her mouth. "Larkpaw, you stay here. I won't be long," she said through the leaf-wrapped bundle.

"Where is she?"

"Over at Snakerocks," Stormheart replied and allowed the medicine cat to streak past him. Then he turned and followed, hurling through the undergrowth. But Russetclaw was much faster and Stormheart soon lost sight of her.

The darkness was overwhelming and it seemed to press in on him from all sides, choking him until he was hot and he couldn't breathe. His heart raced frantically and the blood roared in his ears.

A dark shadow fell on his path and he skidded to a halt. More shadows appeared, blocking his way. He gasped when he recognized the leader of this group.

"Going somewhere?" Shadestar said.

"It's going to be okay," Russetclaw reassured the white queen, gently stroking her flank with her tail. Icewhisker's breaths were quick and shallow and she was exhausted.

"Where's…Stormheart?" she asked, feebly tryilng to raise her head.

"Shhh," Russetclaw soothed. "Try not to speak."

There was another spasm and the queen shuddered down the whole length of her body.

There was a rustle in the undergrowth as another cat appeared. Expecting Stormheart, Russetclaw hissed as two other cats emerged instead. She caught the scent of ThunderClan.

"Icewhisker?" the blue-gray she-cat gasped upon seeing her friend.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Russetclaw growled.

"My name is Bluefeather," replied the gray warrior. "This is Night, a loner who is also a friend," she explained, flicking her tail toward the black she-cat who stood next to her. "We have news. Shadestar has launched an attack on ShadowClan and he knows what Icewhisker has done. He plans to find her and kill the kits when they come."

Icewhisker gasped, pain and sorrow visible in her clear, blue eyes. "No…" she protested. "then we…must not…let him find…us."

"What will you do?" asked Bluefeather.

Icewhisker tried to reply but at that moment she was interrupted by a violent convulsion and she screeched in pain. But this time, instead of fading, the spasms increased.

Russetclaw was immediately back at her side, ignoring the fact they were from different clans. That mattered little at the moment.

"They're coming!" she cried. "They're coming!"

Shadestar advanced on Stormheart, his warriors surrounding the ShadowClan cat.

"Shadestar!" What are you doing?" Stormheart cried.

"Waging war with the enemy," was the ThunderClan leader's response. "I know what you have done. I know that your forbidden love is close to kitting and infecting the forest with tainted blood. But what kits she has won't live for long. Every last one of them will die for what you've done."

"No," Stormheart gasped. "You can't! I won't let you!"

"Then I suppose the forest can do without you, as well," Shadestar snarled and, on his signal, the patrol attacked.

Stormheart screeched as a huge tabby tom, the deputy Thistletooth, leaped on him, bowling him over. He lashed out with claws unsheathed, scoring them through matted fur. Thistetooth yowled and Stormheart pushed him off, then pounced.

Another warrior rammed into him, knocking him back to the ground and Thistletooth attacked again. Stormheart writhed under the two warriors, clawing at them ferociously. One of them bit into his shoulder and Thistletooth, seeing his chance, slashed his claws along Stormheart's throat.

Stormheart jerked as blood bubbled from his torn throat and he could not scream. His jaws parted in a silent wail.

Shadestar watched in satisfaction as Stormheart went limp with a last, quivering breath.

Icewhisker closed her eyes, tired, as she let the little kit snuggle up to her belly, sniffing out her life-giving milk.

Two kits had been born but the tom had died the moment of his birth and he was now buried at Snakerocks. The remaining kit was a fluffy gray and white she-cat.

She felt a deep love for the newborn kit but also a fear for Stormheart. He should be here.

"Icewhisker." A nudge made her open her eyes and she saw Russetclaw. "Listen, Shadestar is coming. We need to hide your kit. For protection."

"Where's Stormheart?" Icewhisker wanted to know.

Russetclaw looked into her eyes grimly, which was answer in itself.

"No," Icewhisker croaked. "Oh, StarClan, no!"

"You can mourn later, but right now we must save your kit."

Icewhisker nodded mournfully and gazed at the tiny bundle of fur by her side. "Night," she said and her words caught in her throat. "Please. Protect her."

Night looked at the ThunderClan queen in horror as she realized what was happening. "But Icewhisker."

"Please," Icewhisker repeated. "this kit must live. Take her far from here so she will be safe." She gently rasped her tongue across the kit's shoulder, her eyes filled with love and sadness.

"Hurry. He's coming," Russetclaw urged.

Icewhisker tore her gaze away as Night came up to her. "Her name is Mistykit. Please take good care of her."

"I will," Night promised. The black loner carefully picked up the kit in her jaws, trying to ignore the faint squeaks of protest, and backed into the bushes.

"I must return to my own clan now," Russetclaw said.

"Thank you for helping me," Icewhisker replied as the ShadowClan cat bounded away, leaving her alone with Bluefeather.

Icewhisker caught a dangerous scent on the breeze and stiffened as Shadestar emerged. He took one look at her and growled low in his throat. "So where are they?" he asked and when Icewhisker merely glared at him, he added, "Well?"

Icewhisker pretended ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The kits!" Shadestar exclaimed. "Where are the kits?"

Turning away, Icewhisker allowed sorrow to claim her features. "There was only one. Dead."

"Where is it, then?"

Feeling hollow, she stood up and padded over to the base of Snakerocks. Bluefeather and Shadstar watched as she began to dig, scraping at the earth with her claws. She felt a fresh ache in her heart when her claws snagged on muddy fur and Shadestar came over to look.

Icewhisker glanced at the the still body of her son and when she could no longer bare the sight, she looked away.

Shadestar grunted in obvious distate as if he had anticipated raking his claws through the fur of the helpless kit. He turned away. "Fine then. You will return to camp now."

As he vanished into the undergrowth, Icewhisker pushed the dirt back into the hole to hide the vulnerable kit. Then, ignoring Bluefeather's attempts to comfort her, she stared into the distance where Night had gone.

"I will find you again someday," Icewhisker whispered. "I promise."