Hi and thankyou for clicking on this! It's a story about my own warrior cats, generations down the line. I don't own any of the original series and this wasn't my idea, except for the characters, who I did actually make up when I was bored one day. I hope you like it…*gulp*. Please review, so I know whether to carry on with it or not!

xxx

Autumnkit mewled croakily and then tossed over again, trying to release herself from the grip of the raging heat. It was sunhigh, the hottest part of the day, and it was so hot she was sure she would burst into flames. She'd had almost nothing to drink for the past few days because the river down near DayClan's territory had nearly completely dried up. The fish that normally inhabited the fast running river were non existent now. It hadn't rained for moons, the kit's mother said; Autumnkit didn't even know what it was, though her Tawnytail had explained to all her children- Goldenkit, Honeykit, Streakkit and of course Autumnkit, that it was water which fell from the clouds and fed the plants and the prey.

For something so normal, for Autumnkit who had known nothing but endless heat, it seemed like paradise. Goldenkit had been so disbelieving of this he'd snorted and then rolled over, not wanting to listen any more. Streakkit hadn't said anything. He'd been too weak to do anything except snuffle and whine.

He wasn't moving now. Neither was Honeykit, but that was because she was sleeping. Tawnytail sighed loudly, nudging Goldenkit with her nose. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked quietly. He nodded roughly, then tossed over again, bumping Streakkit with his tail, who murmured and squeaked in his sleep. That was all Streakkit did nowadays; sleep. Tawnytail was very worried about him, checking on him all the time, begging for more water from the leader of DuskClan, Soulstar, who'd sadly shook his head and told them there was no more water, and things were already very strained between DayClan over the river right now.

"I'm so sorry, Tawnytail," he had said. Autumnkit had been dozing at the same time, but she remembered that conversation. "I've already had to cope with the loss of Oneear-" he had been the eldest elder in the Clan, Autumnkit remembered- "And no matter how much the breeze blows, it doesn't bring any rain clouds to the forest. If there was anything I could do to ease the pain, I would do it. But I can't, and StarClan have sent me no signs to suggest there will be for some time." He'd sighed again, his tail drooping. "You know Redchest-" the kit's father- "was my brother, and I'm doing everything I can to help his family. But what else can I do?"

A cat entered the nursery just then, knocking Autumnkit out of her daydreams. It was Ravenpaw, Soulstar's grandson, bringing a mouthful of damp moss for the weakened family. "Finally!" said Goldenkit happily, jumping up and sinking his teeth into the moss as soon as the apprentice placed it down, licking his lips. "I'm so thirsty."

"Leave some for your siblings, Goldenkit," scolded Tawnytail, raising her head from dozing.

Honeykit and Autumnkit bounded over and copied their brother, without much enthusiasm. It was only damp, not wet; just enough to sustain them and keep them alive. Just enough. No one but Autumnkit knew that- she'd overheard a conversation between Cloudeyes, the half blind medicine cat, and her mother some nights ago when they'd thought she was asleep. But how could she be? The air was so stifling it kept her awake til the early hours of the morning, when she finally passed out from exhaustion, and then she woke up again from the sheer intensity of the heat. It was painful to live through, but it was all she had ever known, and she didn't understand how all the other cats had grown up to be adults, much less elders, if this was all the world ever was: endless, searing heat.

Streakkit hadn't moved from his mother's side- he lay sleeping soundly.

"Streakkit?" Tawnytail mewed, nudging him. "Look, Ravenpaw has brought you some wet moss. Streakkit? Come on, wake up."

He snuffled, but didn't get up, or even turn over.

"Streakkit?" Goldenkit stepped away from the moss and nuzzled his little brother. Streakkit was the smallest of the litter, a pale gold with smudges of brown dashed across his back and legs.

"Is…he okay?" croaked Ravenpaw, his own voice parched from the sun's endless rays. "Should I get Cloudeyes, Tawnytail?"

"I don't know whether-" began the tawny tabby, looking worried, but she was interrupted by a yowl from Soulstar.

"Let all kits old enough to catch their own prey join here underneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!" he called.

Ravenpaw nudged Tawnytail to her feet. "It could be good news," he pointed out at her obvious reluctance to leave her kits. "They'll be fine, I promise. It won't be long."

She followed him out, meowing a quick goodbye to her kits. Honeykit rolled her eyes.

"Mother is so overprotective of us," she mewed to Goldenkit. He nodded in agreement.

"She's just worried," replied Autumnkit, chewing on the moss to extract every last drop of moisture. It was hardly anything, nowhere near enough for even three mouthfuls. But it was just enough, coupled with the small amount of milk Tawnytail fed them, to keep them going. Except, perhaps, for Streakkit.

"Still. It has to rain soon," pointed out Honeykit.

"It's hard to imagine that rain is even real," frowned Goldenkit. "Think about it. We've never seen it in all our lives."

"We're only young, though," meowed Autumnkit. "And how did the other cats survive this to get to be warriors, like father?"

Goldenkit nodded, not bothered enough to carry on their short discussion, and sank back into the nest beside Streakkit. "Leave some for him," he told his sisters. "When he's feeling better he'll want some."

"Alright," mewed Autumnkit reluctantly, and followed her brother and Honeykit into the nest. She couldn't wait for the rain, for the rains…

When she awoke again, it was evening, and the air was slightly cooler. She stretched, yawning, and Tawnytail nudged her with her nose. "Are you alright, Autumnkit?"

Her daughter nodded, and sat down again. Her fur was unkempt and messy, because no one could waste what little water they had in their bodies on grooming. Not when the forest was this hot. "What was the clan meeting about before, Mother?" she asked.

Tawnytail sighed, then smiled. "It was some good news, and some bad news." She curled her tail around the three sleeping kits, eyeing Streakkit worriedly.

"What was it? What's happened?"

"Cloudeyes has had a message from StarClan, our warrior ancestors."

"I know who StarClan are," mewed Autumnkit, annoyed.

"Alright. Well, they've told him that the skies will open and a great lot of rain will flood the forest and bring life back to the plants and make it full of prey again. The air will be cool and calm, and everything will be balanced again, and as it should be."

"That's great!" before she could excited, she added, "And…the bad news?"

Her mother stared at her wearily. "We just have to wait a little while longer, that's all."

Autumnkit felt her heart sink. "How much longer, mother?"

"Five days," Tawnytail mewed sadly. Autumnkit scowled in exasperation.

"It's so unfair! We can't last that long!" she meowed. "I feel so weak and tired and thirsty all the time, Mother. My throat hurts! I don't like it! And look at Streakkit. He's ill!"

The bigger cat nodded sadly. "I know, Autumnkit, but shouting to me won't change anything. What I wouldn't give for you all to have been born at any other time…"

"What's going on?" muttered Goldenkit sleepily, raising his head. "I heard shouting."

"Nothing, darling," soothed Tawnytail. "Lie down, go back to sleep. Good boy." She pawed Autumnkit closer.

"Come on, Autumnkit. Sleep for a while more."

"But I've only just woke up!" exclaimed her annoyed kit. "Can't I visit the elders? Please?"

"No, dear. Come here. If you sleep through the worst of it, you'll sur- you won't be ill," she corrected herself hurriedly.

"I know what you were going to say," growled Autumnkit, snuggling back in next to Honeykit. "You were going to say survive. I could die."

"No, I wasn't. You're imagining things, Autumnkit. I think we all are, in this heat. Dream about the rain coming. Maybe Cloudeyes read the signs wrong, and when you wake up tomorrow, StarClan will have already sent the rain."

xxx

The next two days passed without incident, except for the fact that Streakkit got weaker and weaker. He no longer even made an effort to suckle from Tawnytail. When Cloudeyes arrived, he shook his head wearily and told Tawnytail there was almost nothing he could do.

"I'm so sorry, Tawnytail," he told her. "He must sleep in my den, and I will give him my share of water as well as his own. That might help him. Other than that, I can do nothing. The berries I gave the apprentices to keep them from getting too thirsty have dried up. The dawn patrol reported that it's so hot, the material on the Thunderpath is bubbling and melting."

"What did we do to deserve this, Cloudeyes?" whimpered Tawnytail. "StarClan won't let Streakkit die, would they?"

He'd stared at her blandly, his eyes only half seeing her, and said quietly, "I don't think even StarClan can save every cat, Tawnytail, but I can promise you they'll try."

Watching the medicine cat carry their still sleeping brother from the nest, his siblings weren't worried. They were confident in his skill to save him, and besides, they hardly knew what death was- it had never really touched on them much, and as they'd only had hazy memories of Oneear, they hadn't understood how serious it was.

It was the last time they saw Streakkit; that night, Soulstar had sadly entered the den along with Cloudeyes. "I'm so sorry, Tawnytail," the medicine cat had croaked. "I did everything I could…."

Tawnytail shook her head frantically, as though that could undo her son's death, and as Cloudeyes uttered the last word, she let out a loud wail, digging her claws into the ground.

Soulstar licked her on the shoulder. "Come on, Tawnytail," he nudged her to her feet. "He is safe with StarClan now. He isn't ill anymore, or suffering."

Autumnkit doubted she was even listening, but she still dragged herself to see the body of her son one last time. The other kits didn't understand what had happened; they were still bleary with tiredness and weakness, and Honeykit couldn't even be bothered to raise her head.

"What's happened?" hissed Autumnkit. "Where's Streakkit?"

"Is he dead?" whimpered Goldenkit.

Autumnkit blinked, and sat up. "You don't think he is, is he?"

Her brother stared at her with wide amber eyes. "But Soulstar said he was with StarClan."

"Honeykit, what do you think?" asked Autumnkit. Surely her level minded sister had the answer?

She yawned widely. "I'm tired, Autumnkit. Go back to sleep. I'm tired, so tired…"

Goldenkit and Autumnkit stared at each other in alarm.

"Honeykit," growled Goldenkit. "Did you hear what happened to Streakkit?"

Too late. Honeykit was already asleep, her sleek golden brown pelt rising and falling in rhythm. Autumnkit shivered, despite the boiling night air. Streakkit had been so quiet- he'd hardly ever spoken to them, except for disjointed words, and still she felt a harsh blow had been dealt from his death. What would she do if Honeykit died?

"She won't," she told herself firmly, then felt embarrassed as Goldenkit stared at her. But he didn't look accusing; instead, he looked as though he understood what she meant, and to her horror, he looked like he was thinking the same thing.

xxx

Two days passed.

Honeykit didn't seem to get any better; she slept more and more. Tawnytail was far too overprotective now; she wouldn't let any of the kits out of her sight. She stayed in the nursery with them all the time, and she wouldn't let them go anywhere either. The warriors and apprentices tried desperately to coax her out, just for a few minutes, to visit the elders or to eat, but she would only eat if they brought her food, and then she only ate it to supplement milk for her kits.

"Cloudeyes, please," she begged him, "Honeykit is dying, I can see it actually happening to her. Can't you do something? Anything!"

"There's nothing, Tawnytail. Don't you think I would have done it by now, if there was? The rains are due the day after tomorrow or tomorrow, if we're lucky."

Autumnkit herself was feeling sleepier and sleepier and weaker. She couldn't keep her eyes open even now, when Goldenkit was nudging her and telling her to wake up.

"I'm sleepy, Goldenkit, leave me alone," she muttered, and turned over, waiting for Ravenpaw or any of the other apprentices to arrive and bring her water. Water…

xxx

The world was an endless array of disjointed images, deaths, and scorching heat. Autumnkit wanted to sleep forever; beside her, she could feel Goldenkit and Honeykit panting aswell. Her and Honeykit no longer had the energy even to toss and get comfy; Goldenkit couldn't stop turning and mumbling, "Have to stay awake, don't want to end up like Streakkit" and "I'm not ready for StarClan, can't sleep, eyes open".

Tawnytail wailed almost non stop; Cloudeyes brought them herbs that she didn't want to eat. Other warriors fussed over them and apprentices brought them moss that was hardly even damp. Another elder had died. It was a miracle that they'd survived this long.

"Please, Tawnytail, eat these poppy seeds," said Cloudeyes when Autumnkit was dozing yet again. "They'll help you sleep."

"I can't sleep!" cried the desperate queen. "My kits need me. Look at them! They're dying! Oh, what did I do to deserve this? For all of my litter to die… Redchest's children. Please help me, Cloudeyes!"

"I'm trying. Eat these. They'll help you sleep, and then your kits can too. The next time you wake up will be when the rain has come."

"Rain? Hah. I'm beginning to think there will never be any rain again. The river is dried up; the elders are dying. Is this the end for us all, Cloudeyes?"

"No. Don't think like that. Eat these, sleep, and hope for the best. StarClan has not abandoned us, Tawnytail. Just have a couple…"

She'd sank back into unconsciousness, and didn't find out if Tawnytail actually ate the seeds.

Autumnkit was walking through the forest, full of energy and life. The plants were lush and green, not crispy and brown like she'd got use to; birds cawed and sang above her in huge trees and berries grew on bushes all around her. She could hear rustlings in the undergrowth- mice, perhaps? She didn't know how to hunt, and carried on her way, exploring her surroundings.

"Autumnkit?"

She whirled round at the sound of her name. A handsome tom stood behind her- he was ginger with an almost scarlet, fiery chest.

"Father?" she gasped. "What are you doing here? Am I- is this StarClan? Have I joined Streakkit?"

"Not yet, daughter," he smiled and sat down, and pointed with his nose at the edge of a tree. A kit was playing there, a strong, healthy kit.

"Streakkit!" cried his sister, leaping forward. "Are you alright here?"

He nodded, beaming at her, his eyes shining and wide. "I've met father here, Autumnkit, and I can still see you and our brother and sister and mother. I'm happy here."

"That's great!" she couldn't help feeling sad at the same time. "It's so hot down there…it burns all the time. I hate it."

Redchest nudged her with his paw. "You'll be fine, Autumnkit, you and Tawnytail and Honeykit and Goldenkit. When the rains come."

"The rains won't come," mewed Autumnkit desperately. Her fear was returning to her. "They've never come. I don't even think they're real."

Around her, she began to hear a strange pitter-pattering on the ferns.

Redchest raised an eyebrow. "No? You really think that?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. Otherwise they would have come by now."

"Look around you, Autumnkit," said Streakkit softly. He looked wet; something was dripping on him. Something wet…looking up, she could see the grey skies above her, not the bright blue one. Grey skies, and water- water was falling from the skies!

Instantly Autumnkit was on her paws, all her weakness forgotten. She bounded outside of the nest, pushing over Goldenkit and Honeykit, and into the clearing. She swayed on her paws, but kept staring up above.

"The rains!" she cried, opening her jaws to drink the heavenly liquid. "They've come! They're here! We're saved!"

Other cats were crawling out of their dens disbelievingly; their sleepy eyes soon became wide with happiness and joy as they, too, drank in the liquid of the skies. Soulstar leaped out of his den at the top of Tallrock and yowled to wake all the cats of DuskClan.

"It's raining?" gawped Goldenkit. "The rains are real?"

Tawnytail and Cloudeyes were laughing loudly; the apprentices were rolling round the clearing, play fighting with renewed strength. Honeykit staggered out of the den and lay down in the middle of everyone, gulping the rain down as much as she could. It was a complete downpour; every second it got heavier, but this only made it better. In a matter of minutes it was so thick and heavy that Autumnkit could hardly see her paw in front of her face, but she didn't care. She was alive- and she knew that, somewhere, her father and Streakkit were safe in StarClan.