Rockstep laid down on his mossy bedding, a gray tabby she-cat stood over him,
I'm leaving… starclan calls, rockstep took a shallow breath, it hurts now, it hurts.
"Hang on rockstep" meowed a voice. Rockstep looked up to see Cindercloud, her eyes full of loss and sadness.
Rockstep felt pain flare in his belly, he groaned, his vision blurring. He flicked his tail weakly touching Cindercloud's foot, she looked away.
"Take this berry Rockstep, it will ease your breathing" mewed the gray tabby softly. Rockstep lapped up the berry and chewed it slowly, it tasted faint and bitter.
"Rockstep" a voice whispered.
"Rockstep" it whispered again.
"Clearwater?" he rasped. Cindercloud looked at him,
"Rockstep… Clearwater is hunting in starclan" she meowed stroking his side with her odd maroon colored tail. Then who said my name? he wondered.
"Cindercloud, he's hearing starclan" meowed the tabby.
"No Echofrost! He can't die…" she cried. "Not yet."
But their voices faded and the last thing he heard was his son, Redcloud.
"Father!" he yowled. Rockstep's mind calmed as he fell into darkness...
Rockstep eyes fluttered open, light, soft powder, landed on his fur. Is it snow? He thought no its… its not-
" Not cold" meowed a voice, finishing his thought.
Rockstep jumped " Clearwater?" He looked up to see a beautiful white she-cat with green eyes. Rockstep felt warmth from his nose to tail-tip.
"Hello my dearest" she said cheerfully padding over to him.
" I...I missed you so much!" Rockstep said almost bouncing on his paws. Clearwater touched her muzzle to his.
" I know, I have been waiting." Clearwater purred softly. More flakes fell silently, dappling his brown fur. Rockstep looked around, there was endless fields of white and the scent of prey was everywhere. There was large willow trees with thick tree trunks atop a hill, strange pale light was seeping through the branches,
"Rockstep?" Squeaked a little voice, it sounded like a kit. Rockstep turned to see a little brown she-kit with a white belly and two white paws.
Rockstep's eyes widened. " Meadowkit" he breathed.
" Papa!" Meadowkit squealed, running up to him and weaving between his legs, purring. Rockstep felt as though all the emptiness inside of him was filled. Clearwater purred and nuzzled him, Meadowkit looked at her parents happily.
" Oh, Meadowkit… I felt horrible not being able to help you, your death was in my paws…" Rockstep mewed quietly.
Clearwater shook her head " Meadowkit died, yes, but not in your paws… what could you have done, you arrived too late"
Meadowkit nodded and rubbed against her father, Rockstep looked down lovingly at her daughter.
" Is Stagpaw and Willowkit here?" Rockstep asked hopefully.
" No, but they are waiting" clearwater meowed, "come it is time to see your ancestors."
Rockstep climbed the tall hill, with Clearwater and Meadowkit, his pelt brushed against his mate's. Unusually, his paws did not ache, he did not limp and there was no pain in his belly. I guess starclan made me young and strong again… they did to Clearwater. Rockstep remembered the white she-cat back in the elders den with patches of fur missing and a scar on her nose.
The willow trees had a small opening between two bushes the light was shining in Rockstep's face so he had to squint.
" Though here" whispered Clearwater, her muzzle brushing his ear.
Rockstep nodded and padded through.
On the other side millions of cats stood, from elders to apprentices to newborn kits, Willowkit he thought scanning the area for a light gray newborn kit.
" She is here, be patient" said a voice, Rockstep jumped. He looked down to see a kit about the age of seven moons standing in the front of all the other cats, she had bright white pelt, and had eyes that were dark blue with gray flecks in them.
" Who are you?" He asked confused.
" I am Star, and I welcome you to Starclan!" she yowled cheerfully, all the cats yowled along with her,
" Rockstep! Rockstep! Rockstep!" They called his name, Rockstep looked to his mate and kit, they were yowling louder than anyone. When everyone stopped, two cats called out,
" Rockstep" they yelled. Rockstep's eyes widened,
"Willowkit?… Stagpaw?" he mewed. The two cats appeared, a handsome gray/brown tom and a tiny she-kit with a light gray pelt. They padded up to him with another cat behind them, a big ginger tom with a thick fluffy pelt.
" Emberwind!" Rockstep exclaimed.
Emberwind nodded " Good to see you, my friend."
" Father?" mewed Stagpaw, Rockstep turned to his kits.
" Stagpaw" Rockstep padded over to his son and touched muzzles with him, then looked at the little she-kit, " and Willowkit" he whispered, licking her ears.
" We're together…"