A/N

Ahh this is almost two days late I'm sorry! Please review anyways!

Brambleflower: I do have kits in mind for Turtleheart and Yewtail heh. I think you'll like what I have in mind for one of them ;)

SavvySpirit: That's sort of the whole point of the ceremony. It was originally intended as just a sweet thing for mates to be recognized as lovers by StarClan, but it got warped into a way to invalidate inter-clan relationships.

Chapter 14: Nightmare Heart

"I wish we could stay like this forever," whispered Ravenwind. He pressed his nose into Runningshadow's side. "I love you.'

"If we were in StarClan, we could stay together forever," Runningshadow mewed nonchalantly.

Ravenwind blinked. "You're not suggesting…"

Before Runningshadow could answer, he was consumed by a fit of coughing. Ravenwind crouched at his side as he hacked painfully.

"What's wrong?" He cried. "Are you okay?"

The WindClan cat continued to cough and splutter. Blood was coming up and Ravenwind was helpless to stop it. He was stammering uselessly as he watched his love practically cough up his lungs.

The tips of Ravenwind's paws were wet with his blood. Runningshadow choked on his breath and struggled to breathe. He collapsed onto his side and his blue eyes were glassy in a matter of moments.

Horror had barely sunk in when Ravenwind realized he was crying. Then he was screaming.

And then he was waking up. He was cold and drenched in his own sweat. The beginnings of tears were bunched in the corners of his eyes. His heart was pounding in his ears and he had to take a shaky breath to steady himself.

Ravenwind saw Hazelstripe's lips form words, staring down at him, but his heartbeat was far too loud. As the sudden adrenaline died down, he was able to slow his racing heart.

"What did you say?" Ravenwind asked, trying to keep his voice from trembling. He was busy pushing the memory of his nightmare into the darkest corners of his mind.

"You were yowling," Hazelstripe explained. "I asked if you were alright."

Ravenwind looked away. "It was just a dream." He groomed a paw, and saw it was still dark out. "Why are you waking me up?"

Hazelstripe's face was serious. "Duskcloud's gone into labor."

The drunkenness of sleep left Ravenwind in an instant. He was on his feet and snatched up the herbs he had collected in advance. "Is she okay?" He demanded. He was already charging towards the nursery, not bothering to wait for an answer.

Ravenwind heard the sound of pained cries coming from the nursery, but they didn't belong to his sister. He peered in to see Duskcloud smacking Shadeflight on his head repeatedly.

"You did this to me!" She hissed. "Why can't you deliver these kits?"

Ravenwind felt a little relieved. She was still behaving like herself. Shadeflight was letting her take out her pain on him, as she was panting quietly and therefore wasn't putting much effort in hitting her mate.

"How are you doing?" Ravenwind asked her. He looked over her tense body, flanks rising and falling dramatically.

"You try pushing out two little beasts out of your-" Ravenwind cut her off.

"No talking," he mewed. "Focus on pushing."

"You just asked me how I'm doing!" Duskcloud exclaimed.

Ravenwind raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to tell me, then?"

"Well, it hurts worse than any ThunderClanner I've fought," she groaned through gritted teeth. "And I might have to kill Shadeflight when I'm done."

Shadeflight paled, but Ravenwind ignored her comment. "Nothing unusual?"

Duskcloud shook her head. "No, no, I don't think so. Though, I've never given birth before." Shadeflight was miming for her to breathe evenly, and she seemed to listen, because she closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing.

"The first one is breaching," Hazelstripe announced. "I see its head."

Duskcloud breathed an uneven sigh of relief, and a spasm shook her. She clenched her jaw to silence her squeal of pain, and a little dark grey kit slipped out. Hazelstripe nipped the sac and it blindly stumbled towards her belly.

She let out a breathless laugh. "Hey, that wasn't so bad," she panted. "Halfway done."

Duskcloud was breathing erratically once a few minutes went by. Ravenwind was trying not to let his anxieties consume him. His sister seemed to sense his tension, because he felt her tongue on his right ear.

"What was that for?" He muttered, looking away.

Duskcloud crooned. "I know you're worried. But don't be. I'm much harder to get rid of than this." A contraction rippled through her and she hissed loudly.

"You're close," Hazelstripe mewed. "Don't give up just yet."

There was a bit of blood mixed in with the fluids. Ravenwind had to remind himself it was a normal amount of blood.

"There's no way in StarClan I'm doing this again," Duskcloud growled. "If I ever say I'm having more kits, execute me."

"My pleasure," Ravenwind shot back.

Duskcloud's lower half shook and Hazelstripe swooped up a grey tabby kit and placed it beside its litterborn. Duskcloud had craned her head to see, and when she did, she fell back and sighed.

"A she-kit and a tom," Hazelstripe reported. "Do you already have names in mind?"

Duskcloud looked to her mate, then back to Ravenwind and her kits. "We decided on Hollykit if we happened to have a girl. For mom's sister."

Shadeflight was crying, a smile stuck on his face. He was licking Hollykit, her dark fur wet and ruffled as she suckled on Duskcloud's belly. Her brother was kneading with tiny paws beside her.

"Eat this," Ravenwind ordered, pushing her some burnet leaves. "To keep strong."

She swallowed them with no complaints, too high on the delight of seeing her offspring. Her eyes looked like they could barely contain the love and adoration in them aimed at her kits.

"I think they're beautiful, Duskcloud," purred Hazelstripe.

Truthfully, Ravenwind thought they were ugly. Maybe it was because he wasn't a parent. Their fur was all messy from just having been in the womb and furiously groomed by their father. Their eyes were shut, ears folded, and noses painfully pink in color. Ravenwind refrained from voicing his opinion on their appearance.

"They seem healthy," is what he said instead.

The pale yellow of dawn light seeped inside the nursery. It was humid in the nursery and Duskcloud was beginning to doze off with Shadeflight beside her.

"Would you bring Songkit in?" Duskcloud yawned. "She wanted to see them first thing."

Ravenwind nodded, and headed out of the nursery to the elders' den where the kit had been moved for the kitting. She was sitting intently, listening to Willowdusk tell a story. Songkit was close to being the only kit in the nursery, with her foster brothers Fennelkit and Stormkit due to be apprentices in the coming days.

"Hey, Song," Ravenwind called.

Songkit's head snapped in his direction. "G'morning, Ravenwind!" She was certainly something of an early bird. "Is it true you and another medicine cat got chased by a fox when you were apprentices? Willowdusk was just telling me."

Ravenwind purred and nodded in embarrassment. "Yes, it's true. That's how Duskcloud got that scar on her shoulder."

"How cool!" Songkit exclaimed. "She protected you and the other medicine cat!"

Ravenwind nodded. "She did. And speaking of your sister, would you like to see her kits?"

Songkit was on her paws instantly. "Yes! Yes!"

Ravenwind hushed her gently and led her into the medicine den. The two little kittens were bundled into Duskcloud's fur, their dark pelts almost blending together if it wasn't for her pale underbelly.

"They're so small," Songkit whispered in awe. "Was I that small?"

"No, you were smaller," Ravenwind said. "So small you almost fit in my one paw."

"Are they dreaming?" She asked. The kits' noses were twitching.

"Could be," Duskcloud mewed. "Maybe they're dreaming about milk," she giggled. "It's the only thing they know right now."

"It's weird to think I'm their aunt," Songkit said. "I'm only two moons older than them."

"Three," Ravenwind reminded her. "You turned three moons last waxing crescent."

Songkit made a face. "Those moon phases are so hard to remember. It's dumb."

"It helps us tell time, Songkit," Duskcloud chuckled. "Without tracking the moon or sun, we wouldn't know how long the days and nights are, or how many have gone by."

"You'll get the hang of it," Ravenwind assured her.

Songkit cocked her head. "You know… I'll be alone in the nursery soon. Fennelkit and Stormkit are gonna be apprentices soon. What about me?"

"They're not your brothers," Ravenwind reminded her. "You're much younger than them."

"No, I mean I'll be all alone," Songkit whined. "Sunfall's going back to a warrior once I eat prey all the time."

"Fennelkit and Stormkit will be busier, yes," Duskcloud mewed. "But they love you like a sister and I know they'll make time for you. Even when Ravenwind and I had different schedules, we still made time to eat or share tongues."

Songkit sighed. "Okay. Can I go play now?"

Ravenwind nodded. She cast a look at the kits one more time with round, curious eyes. She was gone for a moment before she poked her head back in.

"Oh, Ravenwind?" She asked.

"What is it?"

"Whitemuzzle sounds sick," Songkit mewed. "He was all sniffly and coughing, and his nose was runny. I thought you should know."

When Songkit had left, Duskcloud and Ravenwind exchanged equally horrified looks. "Greencough," they both whispered.

Ravenwind bolted out of the den. "Songkit, don't go back there!" He called. He caught sight of Whitemuzzle huddled in a half-asleep ball in his nest. "Go get Mothpaw or someone show you a move or a crouch. And don't ask questions."

The urgency in his voice must have surprised her, because Songkit was running towards the apprentice den in a flash. He entered the elders' den with a heavy scowl.

"Am I a medicine cat for no reason?" He hissed. "You're sick!"

"It's just a cold," Whitemuzzle protested. "And I'm tired."

"Well, you can be tired in the medicine den," Ravenwind shot back. "You certainly smell sick."

"He's been ill for a few days," Stonewater admitted. "But it doesn't smell like greencough and none of us are sick. He swears it's just a chill."

"I'll be the judge of that," Ravenwind growled. "Letting kits in here when you're sick. How foolish are you?"

Whitemuzzle only snorted and trudged after Ravenwind to the medicine den. Hazelstripe looked up as the stench of sickness poured in the den.

"Get the catmint," he barked. Hazelstripe fetched it in a matter of seconds.

"How long have you been like this?" Ravenwind asked, feeling up the elder's throat.

"Six- no, seven. Seven days," Whitemuzzle rasped. "I'm old. This happens sometimes."

"Not for seven consecutive days, it doesn't," Ravenwind scoffed. "You're infected."

Whitemuzzle paled. "Is it greencough?"

Hazelstripe cocked his head. "To be honest, I'm not sure." He sniffed the elder and felt his forehead. "It's got all the symptoms, but no one else has gotten it, nor does it smell anything like it."

"Either way he's still sick," Ravenwind meowed. "We should work on treatment."

"Here," Hazelstripe muttered. Whitemuzzle weakly took some catmint from Hazelstripe. He was consumed by coughing mid-chew and Ravenwind's nightmare came to strike him through the heart. He was suddenly overcome with the urge to see Runningshadow. Make sure he was okay.

Ravenwind turned away to soak some moss in water, shaking his head of his thoughts. He heard Whitemuzzle start coughing again while his back was turned. He dipped the moss-ball in the water.

"Ravenwind," came the quiet call of Hazelstripe. He sounded unsettled.

He turned around, moss-ball in jaws. "What-" he froze.

There was blood on the ground, coming up as Whitemuzzle coughed. "Here, drink!" Ravenwind gasped. The elder stopped hacking with a dry swallow to lick the moisture off the moss.

He pulled his mentor aside. "Have you ever seen greencough make a cat cough up blood?" Ravenwind hissed, appalled.

Hazelstripe shook his head grimly. "No, but whatever this is, it isn't greencough."

Ravenwind's dream flashed in his mind. "I think StarClan tried to send me a warning," he whispered. "Runningshadow was in my dream- and- and he started coughing blood. It wouldn't stop and he died, and then I-"

Hazelstripe shushed him gently, cutting off his rambling. "Runningshadow is fine. You saw him at the last Gathering."

"Either way, it's not a coincidence," Ravenwind growled. "Can't StarClan have been a little more helpful?"

"They could be telling you to go to WindClan if you saw Runningshadow," Hazelstripe suggested. "Another medicine cat doesn't appear in someone's dream for no reason."

Ravenwind bit his lip, refraining from revealing it wasn't for no reason. "Should I go? They're not expecting me."

Before Hazelstripe could answer, Patchpaw came in the medicine den. "Hazelstripe? Ravenwind?" The apprentice sounded worried.

"Yes, what is it?" Hazelstripe meowed.

"Sootflower's unwell."

Dread shot through Ravenwind. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"She started wheezing on the patrol. And her eyes and nose are streaming," Patchpaw mewed.

"I'll check on her," Hazelstripe said. "Ravenwind, come with me."

Ravenwind followed his mentor out of the medicine den and to where Sootflower was resting, her breathing whistling. Even without touching her, Ravenwind could feel the heat pulsing off her body.

"She's sick," Hazelstripe announced. "Patchpaw, help me move her in the medicine den. Ravenwind, go tell Snowstar about your dream."

Ravenwind dipped his head and crossed the clearing of camp to reach Snowstar's den. "It's Ravenwind," he mewed.

"Come in."

"ShadowClan is sick," he announced. He saw Snowstar's eyes go wide. "So far it's just Sootflower and Whitemuzzle."

Snowstar stood. "Is it greencough?"

Ravenwind made an awkward face. "Well, that's where it's complicated. It's got all the symptoms, and it's too early to see if the catmint is working. Whitemuzzle coughed blood."

Snowstar blinked in surprise. "I've never heard of greencough causing that."

"Because it doesn't," Ravenwind said. "I had a dream last night. I think StarClan wants me to pay WindClan a visit. Perhaps they can offer some aid or insight."

Snowstar made a thoughtful hum. "I don't like being indebted to WindClan… but I don't see much choice. If they can help, maybe you and Hazelstripe can figure out what's going on before anyone else falls ill. You may make the trip."

Ravenwind took it he was dismissed. He dipped his head and quickly exited the den. Even the pines felt dead as he trekked through the frosty forest, dry leaves crunching as he walked.

He saw a WindClan patrol coming up the ridge. Ravenwind wasn't sure if it was good or bad luck.

"What are you doing so close to the border, medicine cat?" a light grey tabby tom growled. There were four cats on the patrol, all varying degrees of suspicious.

"I'm here on the will of StarClan," Ravenwind answered sourly. "Borders mean nothing to medicine cats."

"Doesn't mean we have to let you on our territory so easy," a silver tabby hissed.

"Fernfoot, easy," shot a white she-cat with brown splotches. She studied Ravenwind with careful blue eyes. "We'll escort you. Stay at my side."

Ravenwind crossed the border, and he saw Fernfoot's tail lash. The white and brown she-cat led the patrol, obviously the senior warrior of the bunch. The other cat was thin and solid black, and her intense stare made Ravenwind's neck fur stand up as she brought up the back.

Patches of snow were half-melted on the moors, while rabbit holes were eyesores. He saw an apprentice crouched by one, waiting for a rabbit to jump out.

"Runningshadow!" called the white and brown she-cat. "There's a ShadowClan medicine cat here."

Ravenwind;s heart leapt into his throat when he saw the WindClan tom's face peek around the corner of the medicine den. He looked equally surprised and delighted to see Ravenwind.

"Mom!" He gasped. "What's he doing here?"

Ravenwind blinked. "Mom?"

Runningshadow gave a little groan. "Ravenwind meet, Brownthistle. My mother."

"A pleasure, darling," Brownthistle purred. "I'm sure you'll be able to help Runningshadow just fine."

"Help him?" Ravenwind cocked his head. "I'm here for his help."

"What do you need my help for?" Runningshadow asked. He flicked his tail for Ravenwind to follow him away from the warriors.

"A new sickness," Ravenwind explained. "I thought it was greencough at first, but then Whitemuzzle coughed up blood, and-"

"He coughed blood?" Runningshadow gasped. Ravenwind nodded. "Get him away from the healthy cats. This thing spreads like you would not believe."

Ravenwind's chest clenched. "WindClan is sick, too?"

"We've already lost three cats in a quarter-moon," Runningshadow mewed. He looked like he was without sleep. "We found that hawkweed is good to prevent it, but once someone has it, we don't know what to do."

That explains why he smells like he rolled around in hawkweed, Ravenwind thought. "You're not sick, are you?"

Runningshadow shook his head. "No, Cloverwing and I wash our muzzles day and night, and keep hawkweed stocked up good."

"Then… I can do this," he whispered, and brushed his muzzle against Runningshadow's sharp cheekbone. It was a fleeting touch, fear of being seen.

"I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing," Runningshadow sighed.

"Not nothing," Ravenwind murmured into his fur. "I get to see you."

"Someone's gonna see you!" Runningshadow hissed quietly.

"Oh?" He pretended to flick something off the WindClan tom's fur. "You just had a bit of hawkweed stuck to you."

Runningshadow narrowed his eyes. "That's only gonna work so many times." Ravenwind only shrugged.

"C'mon," Runningshadow meowed. "I think we can spare some hawkweed."

The sight in the medicine den was pure horror. Cats were strewn about in hurriedly made nests, and the smell of sick was heavy in the air. The sound of raspy coughs and rattled breathing filled the den.

Two warriors lay weakly in their nests. One was asleep, while the other lay awake with fever-glazed eyes. Cloverwing was coaxing a kit to drink some water. A grey tabby she-cat, likely an apprentice, was curled up and close to tears.

"Ravenwind is here," Runningshadow announced.

Cloverwing looked up. "Oh! What a surprise."

"I was given a sign," he explained. "I thought it was telling me to come here."

"Well, I don't know how much help we'll be if ShadowClan's got redcough too," Cloverwing admitted with a growl. She looked just as exhausted as Runningshadow. "StarClan didn't give Runningshadow any advice either."

Ravenwind turned to him for clarification. "My kit sisters visited me," Runningshadow explained. "They warned me it was coming, but nothing else."

"Do you know if the other clans have it?" Ravenwind asked. He was inspecting the sleeping warrior. His symptoms were like that of Sootflower, somewhat in the early stages.

"We think it started in ThunderClan," Runningshadow mewed. "Fallowleaf and Milkpool took in that farm cat who coughed blood and died. It's the only thing we can think of."

"Makes sense," Ravenwind muttered. The she-cat laying in her nest looked so out of it he wasn't even sure she knew where she was.

"Lilynose was the second to get it," Cloverwing sighed, approaching Ravenwind. "I'm afraid she won't make it through the night."

Ravenwind was just about to suggest deathberries to let her die a painless death, but he remembered it was a strictly ShadowClan practice. He flicked an ear awkwardly at the silence.

"Can we spare some hawkweed?" Runningshadow asked. "Hazelstripe will be disappointed if he comes back empty-pawed."

"I used the last bit on Sparrowstar," Cloverwing mewed. "Pick some while you escort him to the border."

That's an awful nice way to say get out of my den, he thought with bitterness. He gave the sick WindClan cats one last surveying look, hoping to get some clue, but it only looked like greencough if it wasn't for the apprentice in the corner coughing up blood.

The energy of the WindClan camp was bleak. The two medicine cats slipped out of the den. Ravenwind saw the fresh-kill pile was completely empty. He looked up towards the heather tunnel to see a tortoiseshell leading a hunting patrol into camp.

Their kills were few in numbers; only two rabbits and a mouse. The tortoiseshell brought the rabbits to the medicine den.

"Will this be enough for the sick cats?" She asked Runningshadow.

He dipped his head. "Yes, thank you."

She sniffed at Ravenwind, nose turned up. "Why is the ShadowClan medicine cat here? Who let him in?" Her sharp eyes darted around for the guilty party.

"Turtleheart, calm down," Runningshadow urged her. "He's here on StarClan business. Ravenwind, this is Turtleheart, our new deputy, and she also happens to be my best friend."

Ravenwind blinked. He remembered Runningshadow talking fondly of her frequently. Before he was certain of the WindClan tom's leanings, he was jealous of her.

"So Sparrowstar made you deputy?" Ravenwind asked. "I take it Perchfur is dead."

Turtleheart's tail lashed. "I'm just as capable as he was."

"I didn't say you weren't," Ravenwind meowed.

"This is the tom you won't shut up about?" Turtleheart scoffed. "I'm a much better friend."

"I can have more than one friend!" Runningshadow protested. Ravenwind felt a stabbing pain in his heart at being called merely a friend. He saw sympathy in Runningshadow's eyes.

"I'll never understand medicine cats," Turtleheart sighed. "As long as he's under watchful eyes, he can stay."

"He was just leaving," Cloverwing meowed from the mouth of the den. She took the rabbits from Turtleheart. "Thank you. Silverpaw really needs something to eat."

"What about Lilynose?" Turtleheart asked.

Cloverwing's eyes darkened. She glanced long at Ravenwind, then back to Turtleheart. "She won't make it. There's nothing I can do for her now except ease her suffering."

The horror on Turtleheart's face was evident. She steeled herself quickly in Ravenwind's presence. "I'll tell Gorsesky," she sighed. "She'll want to say goodbye to her sister."

Turtleheart left for the warriors den, leaving just the three medicine cats. "Don't forget to get more hawkweed on your way back," Cloverwing meowed firmly, before disappearing back into the medicine den.

"C'mon then," Runningshadow murmured. He led Ravenwind through the heather tunnel, the ends tickling down his spine. Ravenwind had only been in WindClan camp once before, when Hazelstripe sent him to learn their medicine. It was lively and bright. Now, it seemed a dark cloud of hopelessness hung over the camp.

"You look tired," said Ravenwind.

Runningshadow didn't look at him. "I am tired."

Ravenwind stepped in front of him. They stopped walking. "Are you okay? I- I'm worried about you."

"I'm scared," Runningshadow whispered. "I'm not supposed to be. I'm supposed to cure them, but there isn't a cure. What am I supposed to do? What- what if WindClan dies out?!"

Ravenwind embraced the WindClan tom tenderly. He was shaking. Runningshadow practically melted into him, grateful for the affection.

"Whatever happens, we'll get through it together," Ravenwind muttered into his ear softly. "I- I promise."

Runningshadow pulled back, rolling his eyes a little. "You can't promise something like that."

"Well, I just did," Ravenwind huffed. "And I intend to keep it."

Runningshadow leaned his head against Ravenwind's chest. "I love you," he sighed softly. Ravenwind was absolutely floored, and he felt his heartbeat speed up.

Runningshadow must have heard it, because he lifted his head and wore a sly little smirk. "Aw, you're all flustered," he teased. "Was it me saying I love you?"

Ravenwind felt his face heat. "No! You're crazy."

"I think I like shy Ravenwind," Runningshadow laughed. "No, I love him."

Warmth reached the tips of his ears. He bit his lip. "Stop it," he muttered.

"Never!" Runningshadow snickered. Ravenwind twisted away from him and took to running, and the WindClan tom took chase after him playfully.

They were running in lazy zigzags, darting up and away from one another. Runningshadow was much faster than Ravenwind, so it wasn't long before the WindClan medicine cat pounced and pinned him to the ground.

Runningshadow was standing over Ravenwind. They were both panting softly, lost in each other's eyes. Everything was quiet except for the sound of the running river a few mouse-lengths away.

"I love you, Ravenwind," Runningshadow whispered. "I'd scream it to StarClan if I could."

"I- I love you, too," Ravenwind gulped. He knew Runningshadow reciprocated his feelings. Yet, every time he saw him he seemed to fall all over again.

"Uh…"

Someone had seen them.

Panic shot through Ravenwind. He keened his head back to see who was standing on the ShadowClan side of the border. Upside down, was none other than his sister, Duskcloud.

He squirmed out from under Runningshadow in a flash, and the WindClan tom moved to a distance. Well, we're dead, Ravenwind thought.

It was silent for a painfully long time before Duskcloud spoke. "You're… you're just partners, right?"

Are you stupid, Duskcloud? Ravenwind lashed his tail. What are you talking about?

"My eyes were playing tricks on me," Duskcloud meowed steadily. "I didn't see you two. You were just gathering herbs, right?"

She's… she's letting us lie to her! Ravenwind realized with a jolt.

Runningshadow took the bait much quicker. "It's medicine cat business," he said. "A warrior wouldn't understand. We musn't discuss it with anyone but medicine cats."

Duskcloud nodded slowly. "Good. That's what I thought."

I don't tell her I love her enough. "You didn't have to do that," Ravenwind whispered.

Duckcloud feigned ignorance, cocking her head. "Do what? He's just your partner."

Partner. Two people working together. It's also another term for mates. Ravenwind scoffed quietly. How clever.

"Wait, what are you even doing here?" Ravenwind exclaimed. "You should be resting!"

"I needed to stretch my legs," Duskcloud groaned, emphasizing her point by arching her rear in the air and stretching her front legs out. "I've been on bedrest for days!"

"You gave birth this morning for StarClan's sake!" Ravenwind hissed.

Duskcloud rolled her eyes. "Either way, you're needed back. Whitemuzzle's gotten worse. I was hoping to run into you and bring you back."

"We need that hawkweed first," Runningshadow reminded him.

"Uh- one minute, Duskcloud," Ravenwind said quickly. He followed Runningshadow over a hill that dipped down into a thatch of hawkweed, patches of dusty yellow swaying slowly in the gentle breeze.

"Is Duskcloud going to tell?" Runningshadow blurted nervously. "Are- are we doing something wrong?"

"It's the code that's wrong!" Ravenwind growled back. "And no, she'll keep it secret. She's claiming plausible deniability it seems. As much as she's a pain in my tail, she's no snitch."

Runningshadow's fur bristled anxiously as he picked the stems off the hawkweed. He was clearly not convinced.

Ravenwind dropped the hawkweed he had gathered to move close to Runningshadow and press his nose into the crook of his neck. He felt the WindClan tom shiver a little, then he relaxed.

"Besides," Ravenwind murmured. "Even if she does tell, which she won't, we could run away together."

Runningshadow tensed. "Come on, you don't mean that."

Ravenwind met his blue eyes firmly. "I do mean it. We could go anywhere. We could go past the two-leg place and make our own clan. Or we could go to the mountains and try to find the tribe cats from the nursery stories."

Runningshadow blinked. "You'd really leave the clans so we could be together?"

"I don't care where we go, as long as we go there together," Ravenwind swore. "And we'll get through this together, too."

Runningshadow sighed lightly. "We should probably go back before someone else finds us like this."

"All intimate?" Ravenwind muttered, giving Runningshadow's cheek a subtle lick. He got a gentle nudge in return.

"Yes, all intimate," he huffed.

"You were the one saying I love you over and over again," Ravenwind shot back.

Runningshadow rolled his eyes. "Touché."

They padded down across the moors. Duskcloud was boredly swatting at the cattails by the riverbank. She sat up when she saw them get closer.

Ravenwind crossed over the border and turned to look at Runningshadow. The WindClan medicine cat blinked slowly, and Ravenwind returned it. Duskcloud stared at the two of them until they broke eye contact and Ravenwind turned to walk away.

The silence was deafening. Ravenwind almost couldn't stand it, until Duskcloud finally spoke.

"Do you love him?"

His breath hitched. "Yeah. I do."

Duskcloud popped her lips. "Good."

Ravenwind froze. "Good?"

She shrugged. "Well, yeah it's good. You're lucky to have found someone who you love. It wouldn't be good if you didn't love him."

"But…" Ravenwind trailed off. "He's WindClan."

Duskcloud rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm just glad he's not a ThunderClanner. You could've done worse. And trust me, the less I know the better."

Ravenwind swallowed. "So, you really won't say anything?"

Duskcloud tilted her head at him innocently. "About what?"

Ravenwind sighed in relief and smiled, leaning his head onto hers. "Thank you, Dusk."

Duskcloud gave him a playful shove. "Anytime, Raven."

The atmosphere changed drastically when they entered camp. All of ShadowClan was gathered in the center of camp and a depressing mood hung in the air. In the middle of the cluster of their clanmates, was the dead body of Whitemuzzle.

Ravenwind's breath was stolen from him. He fervently looked around and spotted Hazelstripe just in the mouth of the medicine den. "Hazelstripe!" He hissed quietly. "What happened?"

"He stopped breathing," Hazelstripe whispered. "Duskcloud offered to get you when he started getting worse, but we didn't know how long you'd be gone… he passed a little bit ago."

Ravenwind was speechless. He wanted to say something, but none of his words were right. "It's in WindClan, too," was all he managed to say. "They called it redcough."

"How fitting," Hazelstripe said dryly. He glanced at Ravenwind, whose amber eyes were stuck to the body of Whitemuzzle. "You can pay your respects, if you like."

Wordlessly, Ravenwind stepped forward. By then, most cats had already whispered kind words into his fur. The only one left was Stonewater, who was curled into his side with his chin resting on Whitemuzzle's shoulder.

His vision swirled. He felt the familiar feeling of guilt creep in, but he managed to push it down. "I'm sorry," Ravenwind choked out.

Stonewater weakly looked up at him. "I know." The elder sniffed. "It's his own fault, really. Never askin' for help. Had it comin' if you ask me."

I know you don't believe that. Stonewater laid his chin back down on his mate's still shoulder with closed eyes. I know how you feel. Ravenwind briefly touched his nose to Whitemuzzle's fur. I'm sorry I can't care.

"Willowdusk and Stonewater will sit vigil through the night," Hazelstripe meowed. "They're all he had left."

"How's Sootflower?" Ravenwind asked, desperate for a topic change. His apathy irked him.

"She's sleeping now," Hazelstripe answered. "Was WindClan any help?"

"They found out hawkweed is good for keeping it at bay," Ravenwind answered. "But when it comes to a cure, they're as lost as we are." He flicked his tail in the direction of the pile of hawkweed he gathered with Runningshadow. "They let me take some."

"Have they lost anyone yet?" Hazelstripe asked, eyes round with sympathy.

Ravenwind dipped his head. "Runningshadow said three. Perchfur was one of them."

Hazelstripe sighed heavily. "Do you know who their new deputy is?"

"It's Turtleheart," Ravenwind replied.

Hazelstripe's ear flicked. "I don't know that name."

"She's Runningshadow's best friend," Ravenwind answered casually. "She's my age. They grew up in the nursery together so they're really close."

Hazelstripe raised an eyebrow at him.

Ravenwind felt embarrassed. "I mean- from what he told me…" He cleared his throat. "I'm sure she'll make a fine deputy."

"If you think highly of her, she must be," Hazelstripe teased.

"I'm sorry I didn't find more answers," Ravenwind mumbled.

Hazelstripe pressed his shoulder against his comfortingly. "You interpreted your dream to what you thought it was telling you. And you still got us something to prevent it from spreading."

Ravenwind sighed. "I'm gonna check on Duskcloud. She shouldn't have been up and moving around yet."

Hazelstripe dropped the subject. Ravenwind was already slipping inside the dim nursery. It was strange how much smaller seemed now he was fully grown.

Duskcloud was curled around her kits, watching them nurse with the softest look he had ever seen on her face. She looked up at him. "Precious, aren't they?"

Ravenwind sat beside her. "Have you come up with a name for the tom yet?"

Duskcloud nodded. "Shadeflight and I finally agreed on Cinderkit. What do you think?"

"You don't care what I think," Ravenwind scoffed. "He's yours to name, not mine."

Duskcloud let out a bark of laughter. "True. Even if you hated it, he'd still be Cinderkit." She ran her tail down the tiny heads of her kits. "Welcome to the world, Hollykit and Cinderkit."

In the back of the nursery, Spiderwhisker began to cough.

A/N

Man, I feel awful for not updating on time. Honestly, I had the time, for the most part, I just procrastinated. I'll try to update on time next Tuesday like usual.