Chapter 8

The sun had finally set, the moon now making its ascent upward, when Dovewing decided that the kits had better get to sleep. She could tell they were tired even if they tried not to show it. It had been a long day for all of them. As she called them together, she realized with disappointment that she hadn't seen Tigerheart at all today.

"Come on, Firekit, Tigerkit." She purred at their exhausted attempts at faking wakefulness. "It's time for sleep."

"Aww, do we have to?" Tigerkit whined, though his brother happily complied.

Looking past him, Dovewing saw Tigerheart enter the camp with one of the later patrols. Dovewing saw something in his eyes that told her he needed her. She quickly focused back on Tigerkit. "Yes. Now go on and get inside. I'll be in soon. Make sure to tell Cinderheart, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." He huffed and trudged inside after Firekit.

Looking back up to Tigerheart, she saw that Jayfeather had intercepted him before he could reach her. Jayfeather had a look of annoyance on his face while Tigerheart looked hurried and a bit stressful. Curious, Dovewing strained her ears toward them wondering what they could be talking about.

"Just hurry up and get on with it already." Jayfeather said.

"I was just on my way to tell her now." Tigerheart said, sounding a little frustrated.

Jayfeather nodded, looking relieved. "Good. I'll go get Lionblaze and we'll meet you then."

They parted ways, Jayfeather heading for the warriors' den and Tigerheart for Dovewing. Now she was really confused, if not scared. What would they need the Three for? And more importantly, why did Jayfeather and Tigerheart know something that she didn't?

"Dovewing," Tigerheart meowed, his voice filled with urgency and nervousness. "Are the kits asleep?"

"Yes. They're in the nursery with Cinderheart. Is there something you need to tell me?" She asked.

"Will you come walk with me?" He asked, surprising her.

She immediately grew suspicious and even more worried. He couldn't tell her this in the now desolate camp clearing? "Of course." She replied.

He gave a hardly noticable nod and they began walking out of the camp and into the forest in silence. His quietness was killing her! Couldn't he just say it already? She didn't want to pry though, he seemed pressured as it was.

"Dovewing," he said finally, coming to a halt. "Jayfeather told me something. About the kits."

All other emotion fled from her at those words, the only one left being fear. Jayfeather was a medicine cat, so that could mean one of two horrible things. Her kits could be ill, a sickness she had not noticed or overlooked infecting them. Or worse, they could be apart of a prophecy. One that would only cause them suffering as they carried the burden of power or duty that StarClan had cruely laid before them.

"What, what is it?" She asked desperately.

"He told me that he has spoken to Hollyleaf. And she said that..." He trailed off then, his eyes drifting to the ground as he struggled to form the words.

"Is it another prophecy? Is that what this is about?" She tried looking him in the eye as he continued to avert his gaze.

"No, not a prophecy." He said, regaining his composure.

"Then what?" What else could there be?

"Hollyleaf said that Firekit and Tigerkit are the reborn Firestar and Tigerstar." Tigerheart managed slowly.

"What?" She asked, not believing Tigerheart had said what he did. When he didn't answer her, she realized she hadn't spoken the question out loud. Choosing to trust her ears, she instead asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." He said solemnly.

Their kits were reborn leaders. That was what Tigerheart was telling her. As she recovered from the initial shock, another though crossed her mind. "How long have you known?"

After a tiny pause. "A while."

"And you never told me?" She yelled, her emotions taking hold of her.

"I'm sorry, Dovewing. I really am. I wanted to tell you, believe me I did." He said, his face shadowed with the sadness he was feeling from her anger. "I just never knew the right time to. I knew you would be upset and I was scared of that. Of upsetting you. So I just sort of, stalled and kept holding it off."

Dovewing listened to his words carefully. She wanted to forgive him. Putting herself in his place, she didn't know how she would act in a situation such as this. She wanted to believe she tell Tigerheart right away, but would she really? It was heavy burden to be given, the knowledge he had been told and she realized that she probably would have done the same thing. Hurting Tigerheart was the last thing she wanted to do.

"I understand, Tigerheart." She mewed softly. "It's okay, I forgive you."

Tigerheart was about to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of rustling and pawsteps as Jayfeather and Lionblaze appeared.

"You finished up here, or what?" Jayfeather asked Tigerheart as he took his place beside him, Lionblaze coming to stand beside Dovewing as they formed a sort of circle.

"Yeah." Tigerheart said, looking irritated at their ill-timed arrival.

"Alright, then let's just get right to the point." Jayfeather said. "Your kits aren't the only kits Reborn in the clans."

Dovewing glanced sharply at Lionblaze at the words and saw that he had done the same. Turning back to Jayfeather, they both asked, "What do you mean?"

"All the cats who've died twice will be reborn." Jayfeather said, sounding like he had repeated this many times before.

"Then what about Firestar?" Dovewing questioned, ignoring the questioning look Lionblaze gave her.

"Lionblaze, you're going to love this story." Jayfeather said sarcastically with a nod to his brother. "Hollyleaf found out that they would be reborn so she decided to send Firestar back by killing him in StarClan since their would so many Dark Forest warriors returning."

Lionblaze's jaw dropped in shock, an appalled look on his face, and unable to utter a word.

"So the reborn kits are: Firekit-Firestar, Tigerkit-Tigerstar, Spottedkit-Spottedleaf." Dovewing shared another brief glance at Lionblaze as their kits' names were given out along with their previous identities. "Shadowkit, named after the kit Tigerheart tried to kill, Brokenstar."

"But wasn't the other kit Brokenstar?" Tigerheart asked, confused and looking guilty.

"I guess not." Was the only thing Jayfeather said.

"But-"

"Hollyleaf said he's Brokenstar, okay?" He snapped suddenly.

"Alright. Sorry.'' Tigerheart mumbled, disbelief clear on his face at Jayfeather's sudden fierceness.

"Anyway, and Dark-kit of RiverClan is Hawkfrost." Finished Jayfeather.

"None in WindClan?" Lionblaze asked.

"Not that we know of. Those are the only ones we know for sure died in the battle with the Dark Forest." Jayfeather explained.

"But that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be like before." Dovewing said thinking of Tigerkit. "There's still hope."

"Not much." said Jayfeather. "But we'll all do whatever we can to set them on the right path this time. There's still a chance we can save them."


A/N: And here is chapter 8 as promised. Tigerheart has finally told Dovewing and Brokenstar isn't gone after all. I have nothing else to say...