Children of the Shadows Challenges Chapter 5: The Reason I Cry At Night, a warriors fanfic

I'm crying... Sobbing... Shoulders shaking.

Whimpering... Shattered... Forever broken.

Don't I get to choose what happens?

Isn't my future one I get to control?

He's dead... Gone... A lost spirit.

He's with the stars... Shining... Without me.

First they killed him and now they say I am next.

I don't want to die; not so young, not yet.

Threatened... Blamed... Frightened, too.

Scared... And scarred... But I must see it through.

There's so much more to see in this world.

Are the stars planning to take me before I can see all?

Ivyfern buried her head in her next, shivering in the cold of the night. She was sobbing; sobbing quietly, but most definitely sobbing at that. Her flanks heaved for air, and her gleaming silver claws were sunk deep into the soft ground. The silver tabby pelt of Ivyfern was ruffled, as if something was troubling her, and her tail lashed from side to side.

They had killed Thornflight, and now they wanted to kill her, too.

She had lived like this for almost two moons now, crying herself to sleep each night. She had lived like this for almost two moons now, afraid each night that she might wake up dead. She had lived like this for almost two moons now, knowing her time would end soon.

"Hey, what's up?" It was a soft, familiar voice, but it all the same sent shivers up Ivyfern's spine. She jumped to her feet, fur bushed out and claws unsheathed, ready to fight to protect herself.

Brackenleap, Thornflight's brother, was standing in front of her with a worried expressing lining his golden-furred face. "Are you okay?" he pressed. "I've noticed that... this... kind of happens each night, and I'm worried for you. Are you grieving for Thornflight still?"

"No," ivyfern responded with a sarcastic tone, even though her words were true. "I'm just trying to live out the last of my days to the fullest."

He wasn't fooled by her voice. "What do you mean by that? The last of your days?" Brackenleap's eyes widened, alarmed. "Ivyfern, are you planning to kill yourself?"

Ivyfern spun around, jerking her head to stare at him as she stomped outside the warrior's den. "The rogues who killed him promised they'd kill me next!"

Instantly, the golden tom was at her side. "Ivyfern, don't worry," he soothed. "If that's it, we'll tell Spiderstar and he'll make sure they don't hurt you."

"Maybe if I died, though, I'd be with Thornflight!" she snarled, suddenly angry as she turned around to face him. Ivyfern lifted one paw, claws unsheathed.

"No!" Brackenleap leapt for her, bowling Ivyfern over and pinning her to the ground. She didn't struggle. "Don't think like that! I- we need you!"

Ivyfern grimaced, sighing. "Maybe so. Look, if you're so worried, why don't you stay by my side constantly?" she grumbled. "Then you'll be content, because you can stop a rogue or stop me, and I'll be free."

"Deal!" he declared, eyes lighting up.

"Deal?" Ivyfern echoed, surprised.

"I mean I'll do exactly that," Brackenleap explained, shuffling his paws and looking slightly embarrassed. He let her stand up, and she did so, scrambling to her paws.

Ivyfern squinted at him. "Very well, then. Do so."

Ivyfern purred, glancing at her three kits. Brackenlep had kept his promise; every day and every night he watched over, and he even saved her from a fox. The two had grown steadily closer, and now he was the father to her three kits.

The first one, a silver tabby she like her, was named Silverkit. Sunkit was the second kit, a golden tabby she-kit, and Foxkit was the third, a russet tom.

All three kits were beautiful, in her own opinion, and today they would be apprenticed; her two green-eyed daughters and her amber-eyed son.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" Spiderstar yowled.

As the clan gathered, Spiedrstar continued, "It is with great sadness that I pronounce Fernheart dead."

Yowls of grief rang out for the beloved young deputy.

"However, we still must go on. I, Spiderstar of ThunderClan, say these words before the body of Fernheart so that she may hear and approve of my choice. Brackenleap will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

The words both shocked and delighted Ivyfern, and she nudged Brackenleap happily towards Spiderstar.

"Silverpaw! Sunpaw! Foxpaw! Silverpaw! Sunpaw! Foxpaw!"