Epilogue

Crowflight paced nervously outside the nursery. Barkface had been in there too long. Something was terribly wrong, and Crowflight was increasingly growing more afraid. The kits had come too early, and their birth was proving to be too hard on their mother.

A tabby head poked out of the nursery. See the dark gray warrior, the old Medicine Cat padded up to him, his eyes hollow with sadness. "She'll live," Barkface meowed quietly.

"Then why do you look so upset?" Crowflight asked, the fur on his spine raising.

Barkface looked into the warrior's eyes. "Don't be surprised if they don't live through the night."

"Can I see them?" the tom asked, swallowing nervously.

"I'm sure their mother would like that," Barkface meowed. "It would be a shame for the kits to die without knowing their father."

Crowflight nodded, hurriedly pushing through the thorny barrier of the nursery. He headed toward the only she-cat in the den, a cat curled up in the shadows, not even looking to see who had entered. Three kits writhed helplessly at her belly, struggling to breathe.

"They're beautiful," Crowflight whispered, his voice cracking in sadness.

Their mother glanced up at him, her green eyes brimming with pain. "You came to see them. I was not sure you would."

Crowflight looked at the ground, fully aware that his mate knew his heart lie elsewhere. "I had to see them. WindClan would be suspicious if I did not."

The queen sighed, running her black tail over one of the kits. "Can we name them? I don't want them to go to StarClan without a name."

"Alright," the dark gray warrior mewed. He touched a small gray she-kit with his tail. "We'll call this one Featherkit," he decided, knowing his mate would not understand the connection.

The queen nodded slowly. "I like that. What about the little dark gray she-kit?"

Crowflight tipped his head to one side, thinking. He would love to name his second daughter after his one true love, but his mate would never allow it. She knew that he was still in love with the ThunderClan Medicine Cat.

"How about Ashkit?" he murmured.

"After your mother," the black she-cat noted. "That's a nice name."

Crowflight looked over at the tiny black tom, barely moving at all. "What about him?"

"I'd like to call him Breezekit," the queen whispered.

Crowflight nodded. "Featherkit, Ashkit, and Breezekit- welcome to WindClan little ones."

"Now at least they can go to StarClan knowing their father," the she-cat sighed.

"Don't talk like that," Crowflight urged. "They'll live."

The queen's green eyes flashed in the darkness. "You heard Barkface. They'll be lucky if they even survive the night."

The dark gray warrior sighed, knowing his mate was right. The kits were hardly even breathing. It was hard to imagine they'd ever be warriors. "I'll let you rest now," he mewed, licking the queen's head.

"Alright," she meowed, curling around the kits.

"Nightcloud," Crowflight mewed, turning back to look at the she-cat. "I love you."

The queen looked up at him with sad green eyes. "But never as much as you love her."

Not knowing how to reply, the dark gray tom padded out of the nursery. He knew Nightcloud was right. He would never love her like he loved Leafpool.

Picturing the tabby she-cat, he breathed in her sweet scent, imagining she was here with him. He had seen her at the last Gathering and had seen her belly was very round- more round than a Medicine Cat's stomach should ever be.

At least her kits won't be born too early, Crowflight thought, laying down on the grassy floor of the camp. He wondered what she would say to her Clan. Would Leafpool tell the truth? Both Clans knew that she and Crowflight had briefly run away together. Was it that surprising that she would be expecting his kits?

Sighing, Crowflight pushed his nose into the ground. His kits would never know their father. Nightcloud's kits wouldn't even live through the night and Leafpool's kits could never know he was their father. He wished he had never taken Nightcloud as a mate. That would have prevented the sadness she felt now waiting for their kits to take their last breath.

He had had to take a WindClan mate. His Clan had taken him as prisoner after he returned with Leafpool. They didn't trust him at all. Even Ashfoot thought he was a traitor. Crowflight had taken Nightcloud as a mate to prove he had moved on from Leafpool, even though he really hadn't. He did try to love Nightcloud- really he did! No cat could have tried harder. Nightcloud loved him dearly, and he desperately wanted to return her love.

The black she-cat had liked him since she was a tiny kit, when he had saved her from the monsters in their old camp. Nightcloud had been thrilled when he had asked her to be his mate, even though in his heart he knew he'd never be able to truly love her. Now two she-cats had carried his kits, and he was supposed to love the ones that were born to the wrong she-cat.

"Crowflight?" Barkface meowed, padding up to stand beside the dark gray warrior.

Crowflight lifted his head, knowing what news the Medicine Cat was bringing him. "Are they dead?"

Barkface lowered his head. "Your daughters are in StarClan now."

Sighing, Crowflight looked away. "They were too young to die," he murmured.

"Your son is still alive," Barkface added. "I think he'll live."

Turning sharply toward Barkface, Crowflight's blue eyes widened. "Really?"

The Medicine Cat nodded. "Breezekit's breathing now, and is even beginning to nurse. I think he'll be okay."

"That's great," Crowflight mewed, sighing with relief. He turned back to the direction he had been facing- the forest. Breezekit would live, but what about his kits in ThunderClan? Were they alright?

I'm so sorry, Leafpool. I wish I could be there for our kits, but I can't. Please love them enough for both of us. I'll love you and our kits forever.

(Revision date- April 13, 2014)