Hey everyone! This is going to be the last chapter in the Dawn of Ice story! I shall miss writing this, it was really fun, but now I will have more time to work on IceCat. I hope you all enjoyed reading this and will read my stories in the future. I really do appreciate you guys following my story and reviewing for me! Thank you all! 3

Chapter 10

After what seemed like hours and hours, Blackheart came back, with another cat following closely behind him. Silentwater managed to lift herself up a little so she could gaze at the newcomer, a pretty silver she-cat that she recognized as Silvershadow, the medicine cat from FireClan.

"Blackheart…" she called, and her mate rushed to her, fear in his eyes.

"Silentwater…my love." he whispered. "I have brought help." Silentwater gazed weakly at Silvershadow, expecting scorn or questions, but the small silver cat just positioned herself at Silentwater's rump and prepared to do the job she came for.

"Calm yourself." Silvershadow mewed. "Another kit is coming." Silentwater screamed as another surge of pain shot through her body and she felt another bit of relief as a small body slid out of her.

"A black tom!" mewed Blackheart. "He's beautiful; he looks just like me!" Silentwater purred. Two will come, one of the mother, one of the father. Half of her job was done. Blackheart showed her the little tom-kit, and Silentwater felt peace overcome her.

"Nightkit." she mewed breathlessly, as another spasm took over her. She yowled out in pain as she felt another kit leave her.

"Another kit." mewed Silvershadow. "A grey she-kit. But she is dead." Silentwater felt her body go limp. She no longer felt the presence of kits inside her.

"No!" yowled Blackheart. "Silentwater, just one healthy kit, just one!" Silentwater lifted her head.

"What?" she mewed in confusion. The prophecy spoke of two kits, not one. "But I thought-" she broke off as she had another spasm, wracking her small body. This was the most painful yet.

"One more kit is coming!" she heard Silvershadow yowl, but the words seemed distorted, out of place. A wave of pain suddenly incased Silentwater, and she began writhing on the ground, her mind going blank.

"No!" she screamed. "Blackheart! Help me!" Suddenly she fell silent, as she felt life leave her body again.

"The kit! The kits alive!" she heard Silvershadow yowl in joy. Silentwater closed her eyes, feeling her breathing become shallow. She struggled for more oxygen. She heard the voices of her mate and the medicine cat, though she could no longer make out what they were saying. A trickle of blood left her mouth, and she felt Blackheart lick her fur. She heard more talking. Finally, she yowled out.

Blackheart came rushing over.

"What is it?" he mewed. Silentwater struggled to look up at him.

"Show me my kit." she whispered weakly, her vision becoming blurred. Silvershadow rushed from behind Blackheart, holding a tiny white kit. Her eyes were opened, and they shone with the brightest blue. She was a striking mirror image of Silentwater, and the young she-cat blinked in surprise, then smiled peacefully as all pain left her. One kit shall carry your soul with her. Silentwater knew that her time had now come.

"She looks like me…" she managed to purr. Blackheart nodded.

"She's beautiful." she heard him mew. Silentwater closed her eyes, feeling life slowly leave her body. It shall be the dawn of ice…

"Iceki-" she started to cough.

"What?" mewed Blackheart.

"Icekit." she mewed, feeling the warmth of her body slowly ebb away. She felt her breathing stop momentarily, and then opened her eyes. She saw Blackheart, looking fearful but brave at the same time. Fearful for her. Silentwater felt herself becoming numb all over. She lifted her head with the last bit of her strength and touched her nose to Blackheart's.

"I love you…" she murmured. Then, as Blackheart began to call out, she felt herself leave her body, hovering in the air. She no longer felt pain, just love for her mate and her kits. She looked down at Blackheart, who was now burying his face in her bloodstained flank. Silvershadow held her kits, Nightkit and Icekit, in her strong jaws. Her eyes were determined and filled with grief.

"Thank you…" whispered Silentwater, her eyes clouded. She wound herself around Blackheart for one last time, feeling the warmth of his fur and breathing in his scent.

"I love you." she whispered. "Please take care of our kits." She then felt the presence of her warrior ancestors around her, and turned to see Mapleclaw.

The big red tomcat no longer looked sick and weak. His body was lithe and rippled with muscle under his shining red coat. His wise amber eyes gazed upon her with all the love in the world, and he slowly descended upon her to touch her nose.

"Mapleclaw…" Silentwater began. "Oh, I've missed you so much!" Mapleclaw silenced her with a flick of his tail.

"My young Silentwater." he mewed strongly. "I am so proud of you."

"What will become of the kits?" Silentwater mewed, gazing down to where Silvershadow still held the kits, watching Blackheart with grief.

"Little Nightkit will go to a FireClan queen." Mapleclaw mewed. "Blackheart was good friends with her."

"And Icekit?" mewed Silentwater.

"Icekit," mewed Mapleclaw. "Will go to Palmheart." Silentwater purred. "Icekit will also find love, in a cat named-" he paused, a twinkle in his eyes. "-Tanfur." Tanpaw?

"Tanpaw?" Silentwater mewed. Mapleclaw purred.

"Yes." purred Mapleclaw. "You and young Tanpaw were quite a pair, I believe." he paused, shaking his head good-naturedly. "He and your daughter will be quite the same." Silentwater purred.

"They will, wont they." she mewed. "But who will take over as medicine cat?"

"I'm sure old Cedarpelt can be bribed." Mapleclaw purred. "Now I must leave, for I'm sure someone is waiting to surprise you." He turned and ascended into the stars. Silentwater felt herself begin to rise as well, and soon found herself in an unfamiliar clearing. She was in StarClan. A rustle in the bushes caused her to look to her left, where three young kits came bounding into the clearing. There were two grey she-kits and one black tom-kit. All three had blue eyes.

"Mother!" they yowled joyfully, prancing around Silentwater and rubbing their soft coats on her body.

"My kits!" cried Silentwater, lowering her head to touch each kit in turn. They were all so beautiful!

"You need names!" mewed Silentwater. She closed her eyes, thinking of the most beautiful names that she could think of.

"You're Heavenkit." she decided, touching noses with the first she-kit. She stared down at the second kit, thinking hard.

"Oh, I can't think of a name!" she cried.

"How about Moonkit?" mewed a voice. Silentwater spun around to see a large black tom step into the clearing. He had blue eyes.

"Blackheart!" Silentwater gasped, running to meet him. "What happened?"

"That's not important now." came his reply as he buried his head in her fur. "What matters is that I love you, and here, our love is free."

The End

Waaaah! I cried as I wrote this! But I think it was a nice ending. '( Poor little kits. I hope you enjoyed my story, and if you are just reading this, you might want to read Ice Cat next, because it is the next story about Icekit growing up. Thank you everyone for reading!
Review!

Jadeclaw