He padded back the way they had come, tails low. If he looked behind him, he could occasionally see a tear dripping down Fernpaw's chin as she walked. He did not know what to say to help her, so he just silently kept walking until the nest was in the distance. He leapt up over the fence, waiting patiently for Fernpaw. Fireheart could smell their scents mingled with the prominent smell of dog and the fresh scent of Ashp- Ash, which he took to mean that the former apprentice had visited recently.
"Ready?" He asked Fernpaw, who nodded mutely. He wriggled through a small door inset into the Twolegs' door, finding himself in a breezy kitchen. Milk-scent wove through the air, leading them to a basket with three newborn kits.
"They're beautiful." Fernpaw whispered.
"We'd best get them back." Fireheart mewed, taking the two gray kits while Fernpaw took the tortoiseshell she-cat.
They padded through the door before heading back through the forest edge, the mewling of the kits the only noise. They arrived at the gorge crest, where Brindleheart lay, fur woven with rosemary and mint. Behind him, Fernpaw let out a sob. He carried the kits down to the nursery, where Featherkit and Stormkit were napping.
"Whose kits are these?" Silverstream asked.
"Mother's." Fernpaw replied, placing them into the nest.
"I'm afraid I don't have much milk left. But I will try. I'd ask Cinderpaw for some borage, but she's got her paws full. Did you hear about Brightpaw?"
"It was the same dog that killed Mother."
"So, you were-" Silverstream asked, horror dawning on her face.
"Yes." Fernpaw replied.
"I'll visit Brightpaw." Fireheart said, leading Fernpaw away, where she was approached by Dustpelt. He nodded to the tabby and walked into the medicine den.
"Who did this?" Cinderpaw growled, eyes fixed on him.
"A dog."
"Did you kill the mangy thing? I'd love to line Brightpaw's nest with its fur."
"It ran away. We were too busy trying to get Brightpaw back and be with Brindleheart as she died."
"Brindleheart? I thought her name was Brindle."
"I performed the dying apprentice ceremony."
"Could-"
"Of course, I can." He replied. "But I do not want to rob her of a normal ceremony, either. Call me if she takes a turn for the worse."
"Of course, Fireheart."
Cloudtail burst in, muzzle wet. "Sorry I left. I needed to get a drink." He wrapped himself around Brightpaw, slowly grooming blood off her fur, avoiding the cobwebbed poultice that Cinderpaw had placed on her eye.
"That one's been there for almost all of the time she's been in here."
"And I'm not planning to leave." Cloudtail added, working on a large patch of red near her muzzle.
"Cloudtail, you may stay, but I want to see you eating, drinking, and resting, okay?"
"But what if she-"
"You won't be any use to her if you're starving and exhausted. Leader's orders."
"Alright." Cloudtail said. "But I'll stay with her for as long as it takes."
"I never doubted that." Fireheart told him, dipping his head to Cinderpaw. "I'll go hunting. The Clan is shocked; it needs its strength. And Cinderpaw, may I please have some borage for Silverstream?"
"I thought she was almost ready to wean her kits."
"She's looking after Brindleheart's litter."
"Oh." Cinderpaw handed over the borage before going back to her herbs.
As he left, he could hear his nephew whispering something, and strained to make out what it was.
"Please, if you just spare her, I'll believe you exist..."
He glanced back at the medicine den before padding over to the nursery, weaving around the large boulder, then placing the borage at Silverstream's paws.
"I went to visit Brightpaw." He told her, by way of explanation. When she thanked him, he dipped his head, racing back out into the sun.
"I heard about what happened." Sandstorm approached him.
"I don't think I'll be able to rest easy for a while. And that's excluding the rats... do you think we're doing the right thing?"
"StarClan sent us here for a reason. They must believe in us."
"Thank you, Sandstorm. You somehow always know what to say. I was going to hunt to try and take my mind off it. Do you want to come?"
"I'm always up for a hunt, Fireheart!" A trace of levity had returned to her paws as she raced up the slope, leaving Fireheart to trail behind.
"Think we should try near the undergrowth?"
"Sure!" She replied. "It'll give us a good chance to test our skill."
"We should train the apprentices there. Undergrowth hunting and fighting and whatnot."
"Already one step ahead. I've been taking the apprentices to practice there. Brackenpaw's really coming along."
"Good." He purred. A trace of squirrel caught his attention; he stalked the source until he could see a fluffy tail on a tree. He slowly scaled the tree, swiftly ending its life and bringing it back.
"Nice catch! Brightpaw will be... oh." Sandstorm trailed off.
"We must have faith. Besides, other cats in camp enjoy squirrel too."
"True." Sandstorm told him, immediately starting to pursue a rabbit. The rabbit was quick, but it was obviously unused to predation and fell quickly.
"Now that's something that Lionheart and Frostfur might like." He remarked. "Fat, too."
"Well, it is greenleaf." Sandstorm replied, although she smiled.
They found three mice and a plump pigeon in the wood before heading back at sunset. There, Cinderpaw was hesitantly scoping the fresh-kill pile.
"It's alright to leave her for a bit." He reassured her.
"Excellent." She remarked. "Some good fresh-kill. These kits have been complaining that there is no more pigeon. Silverstream told them prey was prey."
"Ah, the fussy eating stage. Cloudtail went through that one."
"He did?" Cinderpaw chuckled.
"Yep. Only ate shrew for a quarter-moon after he was weaned."
"Silverstream must have weaned them then."
"Yep, just after you left to hunt. They're quite hungry, those two."
"I can imagine."
She took the largest mouse and began to devour it.
"Is Brightpaw okay?" Frostfur asked, coming up to her daughter.
"With StarClan's help – mainly Yellowfang's - she's stable. She's not bleeding anymore, although she's not completely safe yet."
"But she has a chance?"
"Yes. We're lucky that she was brought in earlier."
Frostfur raced to Lionheart, who was worrying the stone of the gorge with his claws, excitedly sharing the news.
As the sun sank below the horizon, Fireheart called the Clan to attention. "It is time to sit vigil for Brindleheart. Those who are closest will sit vigil, the rest can pay their respects."
"But won't we die?" Brackenpaw skeptically walked up behind him.
"StarClan, no! A vigil is an ancient Clan tradition to pay respects for the dead, not a death sentence!"
"But Foxy..." Thornpaw trailed off, walking up next to his brother.
"Who was Foxy?"
"A kittypet. I heard he didn't stay awake when his brother died and next thing you know he was hit by a monster!"
"I've had plenty of vigils in my time. No cat who slept in one died shortly after."
"If you're sure..." Brackenpaw confirmed. At his nod, Brackenpaw padded up to Brindleheart, smoothing an unkempt tuft of fur before heading up to the apprentices' den.
Fernpaw and Whitestorm stayed longer, fixing their gazes on Brindleheart while looking up at the moon.
"Sandstorm, can you guard camp? I'll relieve you after your shift."
"Of course." She nodded briskly before bounding up to the Skyrock.
The Clan had suffered, but Fireheart knew that with StarClan's blessing, they would make it through.