a/n: Graywing = Grayflight
(...) (...)
"Where are my kits?"
Applerunner was living up to her name, bolting through the moor in search of her kits. Fallowstar, Thistlepelt, Wheatfur, Spikepelt and Prickletail were all out as well.
She didn't know where to go, she didn't know where her kits were!
Oh, StarClan, she was going to kill Quickrunner for letting her kits slip out undetected on his watch.
Applerunner panted and collapsed onto her haunches beside a heather bush. The moon was sinking on the wrong side of the sky. The starts of a sunrise had never looked crueler. The other cats were probably back in camp, by now.
Letting out a shaky sigh, Applerunner reluctantly made her way home. The sky was pink when she made it. Fallowstar, on guard, immediately tagged in Prickletail and rushed over to the pale she-cat.
"Did you find anything?"
Applerunner shook her head. She could see Fallowstar's heart break in her eyes. Applerunner's throat croaked out a sob and she sat down, pressing her face into her mate's soft, tawny fur.
WindClan had lost three good moor runners- well, Wolfkit had the markings of a tunneler- and Applerunner could only pray another clan had kept them safe and warm in the night.
(...)
Applerunner hadn't slept for very long at all before Fallowstar was prodding at her shoulder.
"A-Apples, we-we…" she took in a shaking breath, "R-RiverClan cats are here. They have our kits."
Applerunner sprung up and rushed out, heart bursting to see her three kits beaming and coming tumbling at her paws in exclamations of how much they missed her-!
On the ground lay three kits. One a big, brown tabby, one black-and-white, one pale gray.
"Noo!" she cried, rushing up and bundling them up all in her paws, pressing her nose to each damp pelts, sobbing and shaking.
"Um," Grayflight mewed as Fallowstar looped her tail over Applerunner's neck, "I have something else, Fallowstar."
"Well?" she asked flatly, unable to emote- even in anger- she was so lost in grief.
"I had a dream in the night," Grayflight announced, slightly louder so that all cats could hear, "These kits came to me. They had warrior names. I feel it would be kind if we gave them their full names."
Fallowstar nodded for her to go on.
"Their names were Wolfheart, Runningstorm and… Smallstar."
Fallowstar nodded. By now, all of WindClan had gathered around the griefing cats.
"I ask my warrior ancestors look down upon these kits. They have died before they were meant to, let them join StarClan as warriors. Smallkit will be known as Smallstar, Runningkit will be known as Runningstorm, and Wolfkit will be known as Wolfheart."