Elsi: Hi...I'm not really sure where this came from. I've been thinking a lot about RiverClan and Willowshine, so this kind of came out of those thoughts. I don't know what possessed me to write this idea itself. I'm actually thinking of writing a rather short story on an adventure for Willowshine that would be another Elemental Prequel (kind of between War of Shadows and Book 1 type deal, but I don't know. Time is not my friend).

Elsi: ANYWAYS. This is a mediocrely-written piece about RiverClan and Mistystar as she dies (which is probably apparent from the description). It also figures out Willowshine and Reedwhisker's relationship, which I've always been a big fan of.

Elsi: Oh, for the record, this does kind of take place in the Elemental universe. Hence Rushfire. This stands on its own, I just threw Rushfire in there because i didn't feel like inventing another medicine cat apprentice for Willowshine.

Elsi: Okay. Read on. I hope you enjoy it!

For RiverClan

The sky was darker than shadow on the night Mistystar died, not a star to be found in the heavens above them. Willowshine's blue eyes found nothing but blackness up in the clouds, which were every bit as inky as darkness itself. Shivering, the medicine cat turned back to observe her leader, who was little more than an empty shell, barely breathing. Mistystar was only a shade of the glorious she-cat she had been less than a week ago. Was there anything Willowshine could do for her, anymore? She had to ensure that Mistystar's passage to StarClan was a safe one.

"Willowshine." A crack of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the clot of black fur against the ebony sky. Reedwhisker resembled a kit again, his fur slick and dripping. "How is she?"

"No better," said Willowshine quietly. Reedwhisker approached slowly, his eyes drinking in Mistystar's form through the darkness. His wet pelt pressed into hers, and in the blackness, his thin tail found and tangled around hers. Willowshine allowed his scent to act as the only sort of comfort she would have for the night.

Another crackle of lightning and the resulting clash of thunder in the distance brought Willowshine's attention, and she turned to her apprentice. He just stared with those bright blue eyes, terrified of what was happening to his leader. Sympathy bolted through Willowshine, causing her to heave a sigh.

"Rushfire, it would be best for you to sleep," Willowshine said. The other RiverClan medicine cat bolted to his paws, evidently ready to protest, but Willowshine didn't want to hear it. "Please."

She didn't know if he could see her face; she could only see the reflection of his blue eyes, but even if he didn't, he conceded. Rushfire had never seen her break, but Willowshine was reaching that point. The only cat she wanted beside her was Reedwhisker. When the creamy tom slipped out of the den to sit in hope with the rest of the Clan. They were siting in prayer, hoping for a miracle – Willowshine knew that they were going to become Mistystar's vigil before long.

"I need you," said Reedwhisker, the drenched fur on the side of his muzzle digging into her neck and sending droplets of water down her pelt. "You're…I don't know what to do."

"After tonight, you will need to get your nine lives," said Willowshine, her voice parched and hollow. "You'll be Reedstar. Our leader."

"I don't want to," said Reedwhisker in a husky whisper. "I want to be Reedwhisker forever. I want to be her Reedwhisker. Her deputy. Her son."

Willowshine didn't respond. Her eyes were locked on what she knew would be her leader's form. Though the blackness in the sky blocked out the majority of her light, she could still see. Somewhat. This was Mistystar, who represented everything that Willowshine had come to call home. Mistystar was brave and strong-willed and proud and intelligent and friendly and just and…RiverClan. No matter who her parents were, she was RiverClan. Mistystar meant RiverClan, even more than Leopardstar had, so long ago. Though she would never dash Reedwhisker's confidence, she wasn't so sure if he could ever begin to take her place. Mistystar had been confronted with prejudice and open hatred her entire life, but she had also discarded it and risen above it on more than one occasion. Willowshine considered herself brave and kind, like Mistystar…but she would never measure up to her leader, perhaps one of the greatest RiverClan had ever seen.

"She's my mother," said Reedwhisker in his most vulnerable tone. "She's my mother."

"She's proud of you," Willowshine promised him. Reedwhisker looked at her, his eyes sad and intense. "She told me so. All those times you've nearly died for RiverClan, and all of those times you've fought and won…Mistystar couldn't ask for a better son."

"She never saw me take a mate or have kits," Reedwhisker said. "She never saw me enjoy family…she had a family and expected that one day, I could show what she taught me to another generation of RiverClan warriors. I can't. I will never…"

Please don't do this to me, thought Willowshine. The only comfort she could offer was the warmth of her own bone-soaked fur. She was lucky that it was raining; Reedwhisker hadn't seen her cry in such a long time. Willowshine needed to be his strength now.

"You have done everything that Mistystar needed you to do," said Willowshine with every ounce of courage she had. "You fought for your Clan with everything you had in you. You stood up for what you believed was right. And just because you can't have a family doesn't mean you haven't loved. Mistystar knew that."

"Knows," said Reedwhisker desperately. "She still knows. She's alive."

Willowshine relented, nodding against him in the darkness. She bent close, establishing that Mistystar had somehow managed to hold on. A flicker of hope lit in her chest, and a prayer for a miracle nearly left her jaws. No. Willowshine was done believing in miracles.

"I can't do this," said Reedwhisker. "I can't let her go. I can't be alone now. Alone in that big, empty den…alone knowing that the Clan is mine to care for."

"You're not alone," Willowshine said. "You have me."

"Yes," said Reedwhisker after a moment. "I have you. My Willowshine."

Deputy and medicine cat rested side by side, listening to the rain, to the whispers of their Clan-mates from outside the protective layer of reeds keeping them somewhat dry, to the labored breaths of their dying leader.

"I'm being silly," said Reedwhisker, sweetly licking her ear in his way of apology. "You'll make sure the Clan is alright. You always do."

"You always do, too," Willowshine said to him. "That's why I love you. That's why Mistystar chose you as her deputy."

Reedwhisker's weight suddenly left her side, and in the white flash of the next strike of lightning, Willowshine saw the black tom with his nose pressed into Mistystar's neck fur. She let mother and son share their final moment, her paws stiff with wet pressure and with sorrow of her own. What a strong leader she was, Mistystar. For Willowshine knew that this was what Mistystar had waited for – the moment when Reedwhisker would be able to accept the responsibility that was becoming leader over RiverClan. RiverClan was everything to Mistystar. That she had chosen Reedwhisker meant that he would be in charge of her life. If he was not ready, she could never leave it.

Though the rain covered almost all speech up, Willowshine was sure that she could hear Reedwhisker meow something ever-so-quietly. Even better, she swore that she could hear Mistystar reply, speaking her last words to the son she trusted with her Clan.

A small smile of acceptance was on Willowshine's face when Reedwhisker recoiled back and turned his head into her shoulder. She leaned into him, her tail tucked around his body, as his sobs colored RiverClan grey.

Elsi: What did you think? Did you like my portrayal of Willowshine and Reedwhisker? Honestly, I think Reed was a little whiny in this, but that's alright. His mother died. Tell me what you think of this, alright?