I actually almost cried while writing this, because it was so sad. You're all going to hate me by the end of this chapter...

No one important: I will definitely use your OCs. Submit as many as you like! I don't have many OCs, so I'm pretty desperate. And I agree, Darkshadow is a very interesting villain. He does seem to have a conscience and understand what he's doing is wrong.

Snowfall16: I agree that Sassafraspaw's kits were really random. There is no excuse for that. When I'm done uploading this, I'll post an edited version of this story and fix a lot of things.

XxBloodoftheMoonxX: I hate milk, but yeah, milk chocolate is awesome. Chocolate pals forever! XD

BRUH: Well, this was pre-written, so this may be a little difficult. I'll see if I can fit Waterkit's preaching in, but I'm not making any promises. Oh, and Puddlekit, Rainkit, and Sunkit are such cute names!


CHAPTER 24: SASSAFRASPAW'S PROMISE

Purpleflower's POV

"I'm sorry about all I said," Bluemist meowed, looking at me and Willowbranch. "And I forgive you for lying."

I gazed proudly at the medicine cat. Though he wasn't actually my son, I would always feel as if he was. Stifling a purr, I reached over and nuzzled him.

"Now, we have a very important task," Leopardheart suddenly meowed, taking us all by surprise.

"What?" asked Wildwater nervously.

"We need to find a way to defeat Flowerstar," Leopardheart replied.

We had completely forgotten about Flowerstar, in the midst of all of this happening. I was about to give suggestions when a sudden pain hit me in the belly.

I gasped, and fell to the ground. I had only endured this pain twice, when I was giving birth to Waterkit, and after that, when I gave birth to Goldensun, but I knew it could only mean one thing: my kits were coming.

"Her kits!" Willowbranch screamed. "Make a nest!"

Silvermoon and Sassafraspaw immediately grabbed some leaves and arranged them. Leopardheart, Goldensun, and Wildwater carried me onto the nest. Meanwhile, Willowbranch had found a stick.

"Bite down on this," she told me, and I grasped the stick firmly in my jaws.

"Hold on, you're doing great," Bluemist said encouragingly as he licked my flank.

Then another spasm came. I suppressed a screech as I felt an even worse pain grip me. How much longer would this last?

I barely remember the ordeal. All I remember was the end of the long and painful kitting, where we finally got to name the kits.

"Four kits," Willowbranch meowed, stepping back. "Three toms and one she-kit."

"What will you name them?" asked Sassafraspaw.

I took one look at my firstborn kit, who happened to also be my only daughter. She was so delicate. The kit was pure white, like me, and there was only one name that I could call her.

"Swankit," I murmured.

Then, we looked at the next cat. My second-born, a cream-colored tom-kit, was at my paws.

"He is the spitting image of Sandfur," I meowed shakily.

"I forbid you to call him Sandkit," Sassafraspaw said. And I agreed with her. None of us wanted to be reminded of that horrible cat. The fact that my son looked like him was reminder enough.

"How about Eaglekit?" Leopardheart suggested. "Perfect," I said. Then I looked at the white tom, and immediately came up with a decision. "He is Whitekit," I declared. "I want him to bear his father's name."

"And now, the last one," Silvermoon said. We all looked at the last-born kit. He was pale-blue gray, and very tiny, the spitting image of" –

– "Waterkit," Willowbranch and I said in unison.

Suddenly I felt faint. Something was wrong. Actually, something was very wrong.

"Why does she look so pale?" cried Sassafraspaw.

Willowbranch took one look at me, and gasped. "The kitting was way too hard on her," she meowed. "She's too old to be having kits. She's not going to survive this one."

Silvermoon screamed and buried her nose in her sister's fur. "No!" she screamed.

I felt my vision blurring away, and my fur was being drenched in something red and sticky. This was it. It was over.

"Sassafraspaw, do you still have milk from your kitting?" I asked. Sassafraspaw nodded.

I looked at her in the eye. "You're a very sweet apprentice," I murmured. "You care about others, but you're stubborn when you want your way. Sassafraspaw, I can't think of a better cat than you to be their mother."

"No! I don't want you to go!" Sassafraspaw yelled again.

"Listen to me," I meowed firmly, "your screaming can't stop me from going. This kit would have died if I hadn't have killed Darkshadow, and she will die now if you don't care for them. Without me, you're now the only nursing queen in RiverClan. Promise me that you'll be the mother she deserves."

Sassafraspaw stared at me long and hard. "I accept," she finally choked out.

"I'm so sorry you had to get hurt by Sandfur," I said. "It was a pleasure getting to mentor you. Goodbye, and remember your promise."

That was the last thing I said before I finally allowed myself to give way to the dizzy blackness.