Chapter Twenty-Five

The wind whipped around Shadowheart's body as he carried Blackflame across the moor. He panted heavily, feeling the blood from Blackflame's wound ooze down his sides. Darkness edged his vision, but he refused to stop. I must get Blackflame home, he thought determined. It's the least I can do for him.

A wrong step caused Shadowheart to stagger and fall to the ground. He felt Blackflame shift off his back and onto the ground beside him. Shakily he tried to get back to his paws, but the strength had ebbed out of Shadowheart's body. He breathed ragged, tired, breaths and succumbed to darkness.

"Shadowheart?" a voice seemed to cut through his dark sleep.

"What's a LeafClan cat doing here? And with a dead cat at that..." another voice grumbled.

He felt a paw nudge him. "Hey! Wake up!"

Shadowheart opened his eyes weakly with a soft groan. He barely made out the blurred pelt of BreezeClan warrior, Birdfeather, and two other cats he didn't recognize.

"Are you okay? What in the name of StarClan happened to you?" Birdfeather asked, her eyes wide with concern.

A fluffy white-and-gray tom cast him a suspicious glare. "Why are you on BreezeClan territory?"

"Cloudsplash, please!" Birdfeather scolded. "Can't you see he's hurt? And his friend…." her voice trailed off as she gazed upon Blackflame's still body.

A sandy brown tom sniffed at Blackflame's body, stiffening. "I smell the scent of rogue!" he hissed.

"Are you sure, Loudstorm?" asked Birdfeather, frowning. "Shadowheart is a Clan cat. Besides, the cat with him was with us in our camp before."

"I know the scent of rogue when I smell it! I didn't forget their rank stench when they attacked our camp when I was a kit!" Loudstorm snapped.

Shadowheart began to fade out again, until he felt another prod in his side. "Hey, don't go back to sleep on us. You need to come back to camp with us, you look awful," he heard Cloudsplash growl.

Instantly, Shadowheart felt himself jolt awake. "No!" he spat, fur bristling and ears flat. "I have to go back to my camp!"

"Easy, Shadowheart!" Birdfeather gently pressed her paw on his back. "You're injured and clearly exhausted."

"It doesn't matter," Shadowheart argued, looking down at his paws. "My brother is dead! I couldn't protect him! The least I can do is bring him back to our Clan."

"What happened?" Cloudsplash asked, narrowing his eyes. "Loudstorm said he smelled rogues."

Shadowheart growled, unsheathing his claws. "We were attacked at the Cavern of Stars. Hawk killed my brother to make me suffer."

Loudstorm bristled. "We must tell Skystar!"

Cloudsplash nodded. "Go then. Let him know that we're escorting Shadowheart and his Clanmate back to their camp."

He felt Birdfeather nudge him to his paws. Shadowheart just leaned against her tiredly. When Cloudsplash went to grab Blackflame, Shadowheart quickly turned around.

"Put him on my back. I want to carry him," he grunted.

Cloudsplash looked at him. "You're injured on barely standing as it is. Let me do it."

"No!" Shadowheart protested, hissing. "I have to do it! You don't understand!"

"Have it your way," Cloudsplash snorted, grabbing Blackflame's scruff and heaving him onto Shadowheart's back.

Supporting him on both sides, the BreezeClan warriors slowly escorted Shadowheart back to the forest. Shadowheart staggered here and there, but gritted his teeth and bared it. At last they reached LeafClan territory, and slowly made their way towards the camp. Panting heavily, Shadowheart pushed through the log tunnel and emerged into camp.

The camp was bustling with activity, and it took a few moments for anyone to notice Shadowheart. Falling to the ground, Blackflame heavily weighing on his back, he breathed heavily. A shriek of surprise came from one of his Clanmates, and he was instantly swarmed. Foxstar made her way through the crowd, and gazed at Shadowheart with horrified eyes.

"What happened?" was all she breathed.

Shadowheart lifted his head tiredly. "Hawk attacked us. He killed Blackflame. I'm sorry...I couldn't protect him."

Foxstar let out a moan of distress and fell to her paws. Lionclaw was beside her instantly, but she pushed away from him. "This is all my fault!" she wailed. "I should have never sent you there!"

Alderleaf's eyes were full of sadness as he turned to look at the BreezeClan warriors. "Thank you for bringing them both home," he mewed solemnly. "Tell Skystar we are sorry for taking two of his warriors."

Birdfeather dipped her head. "I'm really sorry this happened," she looked down at Shadowheart sadly. "Blackflame seemed like such a good warrior for the little time I knew him."

Shadowheart closed his eyes. "He was. Thank you, Birdfeather."

The BreezeClan warriors turned and left, leaving Shadowheart with his Clanmates. He felt Blackflame being lifted from his back—being carried off by Brownclaw and Rainfall—while Foxstar slowly got back to her paws. Her tail drooped as she staggered off to her den, Lionclaw close beside her.

"Firelight is out hunting," Alderleaf told him, his voice gentle. "When she gets back I'll tell her to come find you."

Shadowheart shakily rose to his paws, and gave a thankful mew as he limped towards the nursery. Of all cats that needed to know about Blackflame, it was his mate, Sandpool. When he reached the nursery, he spotted the pale tabby in her nest; her eyes looked droopy, as if the commotion outside woke her. The kits were curled up in the crook of her belly, sleeping peacefully.

"Sandpool," Shadowheart murmured, not sure where to begin.

"Shadowheart?" Sandpool mewed drowsily. Her nose twitched and suddenly her eyes lit up with recognition. "Is that blood I smell?"

Redfur, who was near the back of the nursery, woke. "Blood? Where?"

"On Shadowheart," Sandpool answered, sitting up. Her eyes gazed past him. "Where's Blackflame?"

Shadowheart dropped her gaze from hers. "He's...outside."

Bristling, Sandpool quickly got to her paws. Minkkit and Daykit rolled away from her, mewling in protest as their eyes opened. Redfur rushed towards them, as Sandpool pushed past Shadowheart on the way out of the nursery. A wail of agony followed, causing Shadowheart to wince heavily. Leaving the wide-eyed Redfur to tend to the kits, he moved towards the center of camp where Blackflame's body lay. Sandpool was hunched over his body, her flanks wracked with sobs. Shadowheart couldn't help but watch miserably.

The Clan was gathered around in silence, all of them grieving for a warrior lost. Shadowheart could feel the cold chill of the wind blow through his fur. For a brief moment, as he gazed at Blackflame's body, he thought he could see the starry outline of his brother watching over the Clan. Goodbye, my brother, Shadowheart thought to himself as the outline faded away as quick as it appeared.

Foxstar emerged on top of the Highoak, her eyes dull and her fur unkempt. "Today, we will honor the life of a brave and noble warrior. Blackflame came to us at a hard time, but despite that filled the Clan with high spirits; much like his mother before him. StarClan has gained a true warrior among their ranks."

As the elders made their way through the crowd, they began to prepare Blackflame's body for burial. Shadowheart couldn't watch, and instead turned to go towards his nest. A brush against his flank stopped him, and he noticed Pinefrost at his side.

"Come," was all she said, leading the way to medicine cat den.

Shadowheart followed quietly, his tail dragging across the ground. He sat down once in the den, and didn't flinch when Pinefrost began tending to his wounds. Ravenfeather pushed some herbs near his nose, causing him to look up.

His former apprentice's eyes were sympathetic. "These herbs will help you with shock and pain."

Shadowheart stared at her dully. "I'm fine," he murmured. "I just need rest."

"Take the herbs," Pinefrost ordered, looking at him. "You need them more than you know."

Sighing heavily, he lapped them up. "Are you done with my wounds?"

"Yes, they're shallow so they'll heal well," Pinefrost told him. "But that's not what worries me."

Shadowheart stood up slowly. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Ravenfeather gently touched her nose to his. "Go rest."

As he left the den, he saw Blackflame's still body softly groomed in the center of camp. Foxstar sat beside Sandpool, both she-cat's huddled next to him. He could hear the kits mewling for their mother in the nursery, and felt an urge to go see them. When he peered in, he saw Ivyfrost gently nosing them next to her own kits. Redfur was in her own nest, watching them anxiously.

"You came," Ivyfrost's soft voice mewed.

Shadowheart slipped into the den, his head low. "I...I wanted to see them."

Ivyfrost's eyes were full of understanding. "Of course. They want their mother right now, but they should settle in soon enough."

Minkkit mewled loudly, his eyes squeezed shut. As he pushed away from Ivyfrost's belly, Shadowheart felt him roll onto his paws. Leaning down to look at his kin, his eyes met Minkkit's. The tiny tom-kit stared up at him with wide eyes. Daykit had stopped mewling too, and had lifted her head to look at Shadowheart. Affection for the kits swelled heavily in his chest. Did they know just how much their father had loved them? Would they ever?

"I will protect you," he murmured to Minkkit, who was batting at Shadowheart's nose. "I will protect you both, always."

Daykit had approached him, and Shadowheart curled around them both protectively. Breathing in their soft scents, he felt himself doze off from the herbs he had been given earlier.

"Shadowheart."

Shadowheart wasn't sure how much time had passed when he opened his eyes, but he could tell from the darkness of the nursery that night had fallen. Standing in the entrance of the den was Firelight, watching him with a sad look in her eyes. The kits were snuggled in the crook of his belly, sound asleep. Shadowheart watched them for a moment, resting his muzzle on their tiny heads. I will look after them, Blackflame. I'll make them warriors you can be proud of.

Gently untangling himself from the kits, he carefully stood. Redfur gently took them from Shadowheart, and he murmured a quiet thanks before leaving. Firelight pressed her muzzle to Shadowheart's flank in support, and he closed his eyes slowly.

"I heard about Blackflame when I came back from patrol," she mewed quietly. "When I came to find you, you were sound asleep in the nursery. I woke you just now so you could get a chance to sit vigil."

Shadowheart looked at her. "Will you sit with me?"

Firelight nodded. "Always."

Foxstar and Sandpool were still sitting where Shadowheart had seen them earlier. Joining them on the other side of Blackflame, he bowed his head sadly. Firelight pressed closely beside him, gazing up at the night sky. Somewhere up there, his brother watched over them from StarClan. Shadowheart rest his head on his brother's cold flank. Letting grief overtake him, memories of Blackflame spilled out through his mind. From the moment they met, to the very last time they spoke—Shadowheart remembered it all. I will never forget you, brother.