Chapter Nine

Stonetail stared at her, his heart nearly bursting with happiness. "That's wonderful!" He purred and thrust his muzzle against hers as she curved her body against his.

"I thought you would be happy," Silversky purred, rubbing her muzzle with his. "Of course, this means I can't keep sneaking away now."

"That's okay!" Stonetail mewed, lifting his head to look her in the eyes. "I'll miss you, but I know you will do what's best for the kits. Although...what will your Clan think?"

Silversky shook her head. "They don't need to know who their father is. I know, and that's all that matters. Our kits will know who their father is when they're old enough, but for now it will be our secret."

Stonetail felt his heart warm at the thought of having kits. Even if they wouldn't share the same Clan, he would proudly watch them grow up from across the river. And perhaps, eventually, they could come and see him too with Silversky. Everything would be perfect, nothing could ever change that.

"I'll wait for news of their birth at the gathering," he purred. "I'll make sure to attend every one I can!"

Silversky laughed. "They won't be due for at least two more moons! No need to attend any before then."

Pressing his muzzle softly against her flank, he felt that he could almost feel their kits. "I love you," he whispered. "More than you'll ever know."

Silversky licked his head lovingly. "I have to go now. I'll see you sometime after the kits are born."

A tiny bit of sadness edged its way into Stonetail's heart. He knew it was for the best, but he would miss his meetings with Silversky. Pressing his muzzle against hers, he breathed in her sweet scent.

"I'll be waiting, just across the river."

Stars sparkled above in the night sky. Stonetail followed his Clanmates to the Hollow Ravine, anxiety rippling through his pelt. It had been three moons since Silversky had told him she was expecting kits, and Stonetail knew that this would be the gathering to announce the birth of their kits. He hoped desperately that she was okay back in LeafClan's camp, and even more so wondered what their kits were like. Did they look like him at all? Or did they resemble their mother more? What if it was obvious they were half-Clan? Would LeafClan still treat them right? Stonetail worried constantly for their well-being, and nearly hated being apart from them.

As they reached the ravine, Stonetail instantly went to find Foxchaser. If any cat could tell him how Silversky was, it would be her littermate; and the only cat who knew that he was the kits father. He managed to find the dark ginger tabby sitting by herself. As he approached, he saw her tense and flatten her ears.

"What do you want?" she growled, baring her teeth.

Stonetail stopped, a bit taken aback by the she-cat's hostile greeting. "I...I just wanted to know how Silversky and the kits are doing."

Foxchaser's eyes seem to flash with an unreadable emotion. Her hackles raised, she snarled at him. "What goes on with my sister is none of your business. Now leave me be, I don't need other cats seeing me speak with you."

"But the kits!" Stonetail persisted. "I just want to know if they're all okay. That's all I'm asking, and then I'll go."

"No!" Foxchaser snapped, turning away from him. "You'll get nothing from me."

Stunned, Stonetail stared after the LeafClan warrior in shock. Did Foxchaser disapprove of his and Silversky's meetings that much? Frowning, he just looked to the leaders in hopes of hearing the news during the gathering.

LeafClan's new leader, Echostar, took the stand first. Stonetail noticed for the first time how nervous the LeafClan cats looked. Fur standing on end, Stonetail sat beside his brother as he waited for the news.

"I stand before you all today to let you know that there is a threat to the forest," she spoke, her voice steady. "One moon ago, we exiled a warrior. Some of you knew him as Hawktalon, but he is now to be known as Hawk. He was exiled for initiating an attack on our camp by rogues, with which we won quickly. I tell you all this because I do not know how far he will go, or if it is just LeafClan in danger."

Sandstar looked at her with cold eyes. "So you mean to say you let a dangerous traitor go to wander the forest? You think exile will simply work? As foolish as ever from a leader as young as yourself."

Echostar turned on him, her blue eyes burning with anger. "I may be young, but I am no murderer!" Stonetail could feel some deeper meaning to Echostar's words, but pushed it away as Sandstar curled his lips in a snarl. "We are not rogues. Exile is the option I chose, and I could care less if you choose to accept it."

Lavenderstar looked over at them from her branch. "You say this cat is a threat. Has he recruited rogues to do his bidding as well?"

"Yes," Echostar replied, standing. "I come before the Clans to warn you all of this. And to not trust him, as he is no longer a warrior of LeafClan."

Icestar gave a nod. "Understood. My warriors will treat him as we would any rogue. I believe the BreezeClan and PineClan are with me on this?"

Sandstar gave a grunt and looked away, while Lavenderstar simply nodded.

"Then this gathering is over," Icestar announced, leaping down from his branch.

As the cats all swarmed around each other to leave, Stonetail stared after Foxchaser. His worry for Silversky bore deep into his fur. What was he to expect, now that an ex-LeafClan warrior preyed on his former home? Would Silversky and his kits be safe? Hesitantly, he followed his Clanmates home.

The next moon was restless for Stonetail, and he found himself patrolling the border frequently. Heavy rains had caused the river to flood, and even though the floods rarely affected any other Clans, he still worried for his kits and Silversky. My kits are a moon old now, he realized, gazing out across the swollen brown river. Rain trickled from his whiskers as he stared out.

"Stonetail!" Minnowstripe called from afar. "Icestar doesn't want us to get that close to the river!"

Mistybreeze stood beside him, her pretty blue-gray fur glistening with raindrops. "Yeah, let's try going-" her voice cut off with a surprised yowl.

Stonetail followed her horrified gaze to the swollen river. A cat was floating along the currents, either unconscious or dead. Stonetail quickly leaped into the river towards the cat's body. Furiously churning his paws in the fast current, he sunk his teeth into the cat's scruff and began to paddle towards the shore. Halfway through, Minnowstripe leaped in beside him and helped him heave the cat onto shore. Turning the body so their face was facing upwards, Stonetail felt his heart stop.

The cat was Silversky. And she was dead.