Sunstrike walked to the lake in silence, thinking to herself. Throughout Iceclaw's kithood I pushed him away because he resembled too much of Thorntooth, she thought sadly as she sniffed the air. I'm sure the rabbit was around here somewhere. She sat down with a huff on the rock closest to the shore and stared out into the vast water. I missed an important time for Iceclaw…. It's my fault this happened to him.
-Flashback-
"Mom look at me!" Icepaw wriggled his haunches and caught the snow. Sunstrike nodded and gazed over at her daughter Spottedpaw as she leapt into the air to catch her first snowflake.
"Goodjob Spottedpaw!" She cheered, then glanced at Icepaw as a look of sadness washed over his face. How she remembered the guilt she felt when he looked that way, but her mind was just too fogged to care. "Spottedpaw go play with your brother for a moment." She said as she saw the new medicine cat Frostwhisker summon her. "What's wrong Frostwhisker?"
"Your son!" She cried softly. "I was shown darkness in the stars toward your son!"
"What should I do?" Sunstrike asked, alarmed and attempting to keep her fur lying flat. "What about Spottedpaw?"
"Her stars were bright." Frostwhisker stated. "She will have a great destiny. As for Icepaw, look after him and control him well."
"I'll do my best." She replied dipping her head. Icepaw and Spottedpaw bounced up to her.
"Sunstrike?" Icepaw asked. "Can we go and ask Lilypaw to play?"
"No!" She snapped, shoving back her sadness as he flinched, "You must go into the old badger den and get warm now." Not even looking back Icepaw ran off, his tail fluffed up, with Spottedpaw trekking behind slower.
-End of Flashback-
How I wish I could turn back time, she thought in anguish as she clawed the grass. The rabbit would be long gone now; she'd need to go and catch up with the hunting patrol. She stood up, and a chill was sent to her spine.
Sunstrike… The voice whispered dripping in hatred. "Who is there?" Sunstrike unsheathed her claws and turned around, but no one was there. Sunstrike… A shadow appeared out of nowhere and a shaggy tortoiseshell she-cat leapt out of the darkness and bowled her over.
"Starclan help me!" She cried, instantly recognizing Mapleshade.
"Starclan won't help you now! Your son needs to pay his price in blood!" Mapleshade pressed Sunstrike's muzzle into the dirt. As the pain roared through her head, she felt at peace. Please Beetletooth accept me quickly. I wish I could change my past, and I regret it, but I do not regret my kits. I love you Spottedstar and Iceclaw. Mapleshade took her by the scruff with her teeth, and snapped her neck in half…everything went black.
"Sunstrike, your safe now…..please wake up." A voice lifted Sunstrike out of the cold sleep, stretching her back. Stars and frost! She thought as her eyes widened. Beetletooth! She pressed herself against him, purring and looking at him in sadness.
"I am so sorry Beetletooth!" She sobbed. "I didn't care for Iceclaw properly…. It's my fault he took this path."
"Nonsense Sunstrike… he would have taken this path eventually." He licked her and purred. "His destiny could not be changed, just as yours couldn't. You did well."
"I wasn't done protecting him!" She wailed, her eyes flashing is distress. "I should have protected him more! Done something to keep him safe!"
"There was nothing you could have done Sunstrike." He looked at her, his amber eyes glowing. "Mapleshade would have found you in your sleep and killed you there, had she not found you alone. That would shock the clan more, and maybe even break Iceclaw's heart worse then it will be when he wakes to find you dead."
"I will always watch over him." She looked down into the pool, watching him sleep with Featherpelt under the stars. "Windclan was always closest to Starclan, therefore I will always be close to him. And when the Dark Forest comes for him," She added bearing her teeth, "I will come to aid with a fiery vengeance."