Sunstorm2369: Thanks! It's always great to hear someone say that, or anything like it for that matter.

Niah-Miyoki: I meant to tell you, no, the Erins didn't give Redtail Klinefelter's; I also saw your review for The Untold Story. Sandstorm is Redtail's daughter, so obviously he doesn't have Klinefelter's XDD

I don't own "Fire and Ice", so there isn't anything from there, I'm sorry! I was in the process of doing Whiteclaw's fall over the gorge, but I don't have enough details to make it even close to accurate, though it would have been cool painting a scene like that. So on to "Forest of Secrets" we go.

- Silverstream: A Life of Love -

It was supposed to be just like any other meeting with her lover, the shining sun in her life - that handsome gray warrior, Graystripe.

When Silverstream had found out she was pregnant with Graystripe's kits, she had been overjoyed, and even more encouraged to continue meeting him. After all, StarClan wouldn't let her become with kit unless they approved, right?

They weren't technically supposed to meet at Sunningrocks, but it was as far as Silverstream could go, as pregnant as she was. It was hard enough for her to ford the river; Graystripe worried over her every time she did it, and Silverstream loved every minute of it.

This particular day, the fording of the river seemed to be harder going, but the beautiful she-cat hardly noticed, because she could already see Graystripe, his form strong and muscular as he watched, waiting for her to come. He spotted her and bounded down toward her, helping her out of the river. Then he ran his muzzle along her lower jawline, down her throat. She lifted her nose, purring so hard she vibrated, and he rasped his tongue over her ear.

"You get more beautiful with each passing day," he told her.

They moved deeper into the deep heat of Sunningrocks. Silverstream wished often that Sunningrocks was part of RiverClan's territory. It was the perfect place to come and sun, and it belonged solely to her mate's Clan. But it didn't matter. She visited it anyway.

As they lay there, just basking in the sun and in each other's company, Silverstream suddenly felt a twinge of pain in her stomach. She had those often, so she wasn't worried.

But as the moments passed, the twinges came harder, and more often. She stretched out, trying to relieve the pain, and Graystripe noticed.

"Are you all right? Silverstream?" His voice was becoming anxious and urgent as she didn't answer.

The pain amplified. A spasm suddenly trailed down her body, and she jerked hard. "Graystripe!" she gasped. "Graystripe!"

"What is it? What's going on?" Graystripe was on his paws, covering her face with licks.

Silverstream let out a chilling wail, full of fear and pain. Graystripe looked around, obviously trying to figure out what to do. Silverstream released another screech, and at that moment, a voice cried out, "Graystripe?"

It was familiar to Silverstream. Graystripe looked up and yowled, "Fireheart! It's the kits - the kits are coming, and it's all going wrong! Fetch Yellowfang!"

Through hazy vision Silverstream saw Fireheart race away, then another convulsion gripped her. With time, the convulsions grew weaker, but blearily Silverstream could tell that that worried Graystripe even more. She didn't even have the strength to cry out with the pain anymore.

She suddenly scented another cat, very close to her, and this cat cried in a young, feminine voice, "Fireheart, get down here! I need you!"

Silverstream tried to lift her head, to clear her vision, but nothing helped. She could smell blood - her own blood. Another heavy convulsion wracked her form, and this time she felt something - the kit. A kit had come. The cat with the young voice bent to sniff it, then lifted it and went to meet Fireheart.

"Lick it! Get its blood flowing!" she told him.

With the last convulsion came the second, and last, kit. At that point, with the smell of copper burning her scent glands, Silverstream knew she didn't have a chance. She could barely see her kits, being licked to life by a flame-colored tom and a huge dark tabby. The cat that had helped her to deliver was bent over her, pushing herbs near her voice.

"Graystripe, get her to swallow these. We have to stop the bleeding."

Yes. Right. The bleeding...

"Hold on, Silverstream!"

I can't do that...who are you again?

"Silverstream!" Graystripe's voice was panicked.

Silverstream lifted her head weakly, and for the first time her mate's face seemed clear. She feebly licked his face, wanting for all the world to stay here with him, with their kits..."Good-bye, Graystripe," she whispered, trying to put all the love she felt into her voice. "I love you. Take care of our kits."

"No!" he cried, dimly.

She was slipping away, she knew it. She stood up suddenly, feeling strong and vital. She padded a few steps forward experimentally, but when she looked back, she saw herself limp, and Graystripe licking her furiously, whimpering her name. Grief gripped her for a moment, choking her very heart.

"Silverstream. Do you remember when I died?"

The beautiful tabby whirled around and was surprised to see the dark warrior Whiteclaw. This was not the warrior she had expected to lead her to StarClan.

"Yes," she murmured. "You fell over the gorge."

"It was Graystripe's fault."

Silverstream flinched and opened her mouth to defend her mate, but before she could begin, Whiteclaw was speaking again.

"But I've forgiven him for it, because he has made you happy, even in your death. As a StarClan warrior I can't continue faulting a cat that makes one of my Clanmates happy, even in death." Whiteclaw bowed his head. "Are you ready to go?"

"Can I have one more moment?"

Whiteclaw nodded, and Silverstream wound around Graystripe, purring. He couldn't hear her or feel her, but somehow, she thought he knew she was there. She gave each of her kits a lick - one a pale silver like her, the other a dark gray like their father. She touched her nose to Fireheart's ear gratefully, and swiped her tail along the medicine cat's back.

"Thank you. All of you," she whispered, and with that, they carried the kits away, and Whiteclaw led Silverstream to her future in StarClan.