Chapter 26

"I'm sorry, Cloudstorm. The kits were coming way too early, and Lightheart wasn't ready. S-something went wrong."

Cloudstorm let out a wail of grief. "NO!" He faintly felt Dewleaf lay her tail on his shoulder, but he shrugged it away and faced the medicine cat. "What do you mean? Is she alright?"

Mosspelt shrugged, not meeting Cloudstorm's blue eyes full of grief and wrath. "We'll have to wait and see. But I'll be honest with you, Cloudstorm, she most likely… will not survive."

Cloudstorm rushed past her and raced into the nursery. Feathercloud and Lionkit had left, so Lightheart and Frostpool were the only ones in there. "Lightheart," he whispered, reaching his mate's side. The pretty gray she-cat's flank slowly rose and fell, but her eyes were closed. There was blood everywhere. And four little limp bodies were at her belly.

"Cloudstorm," Frostpool whimpered, her eyes reflecting the tom's pain. "The kits didn't make it. And Lightheart may not."

"No," Cloudstorm hissed, nudging his mate with his nose. "Lightheart."

"Cloudstorm," the she-cat murmured, her voice just barely above a whisper. Slowly, her eyes opened. "Cloudstorm."

"Yes, I'm here, Lightheart," the tom said, relief flooding him. He licked the she-cat's muzzle and pressed his nose into her fur.

Lightheart slowly tilted her head to look at her mate. "I'm sorry. I couldn't give you kits."

"I don't care about that," Cloudstorm muttered bitterly. "As long as you live, I'll be fine."

Lightheart sighed.

"Lightheart, please, you can make it," Cloudstorm urged, pressing into Lightheart's fur to comfort her.

Mosspelt padded into the den, clutching herbs in her mouth. She murmured something to her apprentice, then said, "Lightheart, I brought some herbs for you."

***

Dewleaf was sitting at the edge of the stream that marked the border between ThunderClan and RiverClan. She jumped, startled, when she heard a voice from behind her. "Oh, hello, Thorntail."

The golden brown tom approached her slowly.

"I'm sorry we accused you," Dewleaf sighed. "I found out everything. Rainheart told Feathercloud to stay with you, and that's what she did." She looked up and added, "But Clovernight and Cloudstorm don't understand."

Thorntail blinked, but he didn't speak.

"Can I ask one thing?"

"Sure," the tom meowed.

Dewleaf hesitated. "Honeytail told me that something caused you and Feathercloud to… separate. What was that?"

Thorntail hung his head. After a long silence, he answered, "My father. Lionstar."

***

Clovernight watched with interest as her brother, yet again, made toward the medicine cat's den with fresh-kill in his jaws. He'd been spending his whole life there nowadays, tending to his mate. She let out a mused purr as he retreated quickly, his jaws empty. Mosspelt must've made him give up the fresh-kill and kicked him out, she thought. If she'd been Mosspelt, she'd have ripped Cloudstorm's fur off! She strained to hear Mosspelt's voice.

"Cloudstorm, keep out! She needs her rest, and she can't rest with you lumbering in here all the time!" the she-cat said sternly.

Cloudstorm flicked his tail and looked around.

Clovernight purred and walked over to him. "You're the first cat to make patient old Mosspelt yowl at someone."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm just worried. Mosspelt hasn't been letting me in all day. I thought, maybe, if I took some fresh-kill, she'd let me see Lightheart."

Clovernight sighed. "If it means so much to you, I'll go check on her."

"That'd be great, thanks. Don't forget to tell her that I love her," Cloudstorm meowed.

Clovernight flicked her tail. "Sure." She padded to the medicine cat and prepared to step inside when Frostpool rushed over, her fur fluffed up.

"Oh, Clovernight. Sorry, I thought Cloudstorm was trying to get in again," the she-cat meowed with a chuckle. "He worries too much. Are you here to see Lightheart?"

Clovernight nodded. "Yes, can I?"

Frostpool sighed. "Sure, hurry, though. My mother, Snowstorm, will be back from her patrol soon, and she'll want to see Lightheart."

Clovernight padded inside. She greeted Mosspelt, who was sorting herbs, and padded deeper into the den, where Lightheart lay on a soft nest of moss. "Lightheart?"

The gray she-cat slowly turned her head. "Oh, hello, Clovernight." She looked so frail and weak, and her pelt was clumped. Her green eyes looked so dull. She barely had any energy.

"Are you alright?"

Lightheart sighed. "Not really."

"You should eat something," Clovernight urged. "Keep your strength up. Everyone is so worried about you."

Lightheart opened her mouth to reply, but a strange raspy noise was the only thing that escaped out of it. She tried to clear her throat and ended up having a coughing bout.

"Do you want some water?" Clovernight asked.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Tell Cloudstorm I'm okay."

Clovernight hissed. "Then I'd be lying! You don't look okay, you look sick. Admit it, Lightheart. You need something to eat."

Lightheart rolled her eyes. "Mosspelt and Frostpool are telling me the same thing. You worry too much, I'm really going to be fine."

Clovernight sighed. "Okay, but at least eat something." She looked around and saw two pieces of fresh-kill lying nearby. She picked up a plump mouse and nudged it toward the sick she-cat. "There, eat that."

Lightheart blinked gratefully and began eating ravenously.

"I'll let you rest, then," Clovernight said.

Lightheart nodded and flicked her tail as Clovernight padded out of the den.

She looked around for her brother and saw him talking to Flightfur at the fresh-kill pile. "Hey, Cloudstorm!" she called.

***

Cloudstorm watched as Snowstorm emerged from the medicine cat's den. He padded over quietly and asked, "How is she doing?"

Snowstorm looked up. "She's doing better, I suppose. But she's still so weak and fragile. I'm worried about her. She won't eat much." She sighed and said, "Cloudstorm, you should go and see her. She's been asking about you."

Cloudstorm dipped his head. "Right. I visited her yesterday. But Mosspelt doesn't want me being in there often."

Snowstorm murmured something to herself, then meowed, "You're good for her, Cloudstorm. She really cares about you a lot."

The long-haired tom dipped his head again. "I care about her, too."

His former mentor purred. "I'm glad," she replied, then padded to the warriors den.

Cloudstorm sighed, then padded toward the medicine cat's den. He poked his head through the entrance, then slowly padded inside. Mosspelt looked up, then coughed.

"Cloudstorm, what are you doing here?"

"Please, Mosspelt, can I see Lightheart?" Cloudstorm begged. "I have to!"

He jumped when he felt something brush his shoulder. It was Frostpool.

She purred and licked Cloudstorm's ear. "Don't worry, Lightheart is fine. You worry too much."

Cloudstorm nudged her away and turned to Mosspelt.

"Fine," Mosspelt sighed. "But you have to leave soon. You worry too much," she added with a soft purr.

Cloudstorm flicked his tail. "Thank you."

"She's back there," Frostpool said, leading the tom to the back of the den.

"Lightheart!" Cloudstorm purred happily, leaping to his mate.

Lightheart was laying on a moss nest, her eyes closed. They snapped open the moment he spoke. "Cloudstorm?"

He gazed at her worriedly. "Are you okay, Lightheart?"

The she-cat nodded, then straightened up, as if to prove it. She got up to her paws and padded around the small den. "See? I'm fine."

"Good," Cloudstorm purred with relief, nosing the she-cat's soft fur. "Maybe Mosspelt won't keep you cooped up in here as much."

Lightheart shrugged. "Hopefully. I missed you, Cloudstorm."

He purred. "I've only been gone for one day!"

"I know," Lightheart meowed, rasping her tongue over her mate's ear. "But I missed you."

Cloudstorm nuzzled Lightheart affectionately, his blue eyes glowing. "I'm glad to see that you're well. Perhaps later, Mosspelt will let me take you out of camp for a walk?"

"That'd be great," she meowed.

***

Dewleaf dipped her head. "Hello, Ashenfur."

Her grandfather looked up with surprise. "Oh, Dewleaf. How are you?"

"I'm fine, I suppose," the black furred she-cat replied politely, dipping her head. "Thank you. And you?"

Ashenfur purred. "Better than ever. The Clan is prospering from new-leaf. And everyone seems well. Lightheart is on her way to recovery, I'm sure she'll be out on patrols in no time."

"Right," Dewleaf replied, her tail twitching patiently. "I'm glad, too."

Ashenfur gave her a sidelong glance, then nodded briskly and trotted away, barking out an order to Berrytail.

Dewleaf turned away, only to see Hazelstep and Thistlefang lying together right outside the warriors den, sharing tounges. She looked away for a moment, then glanced back at them. They looked like they really cared for each other…

Without even a second though, Dewleaf's mind drifted to the image of a certain tabby tom, with a sleek gray pelt and thick black stripes. She could picture Stormpelt's muscles rippling under his pelt as he crept forward to catch a mouse, or the way his amber eyes glowed brightly during the night. She let out an involuntary sigh and looked around. Flightfur and Falconclaw were sitting at the fresh-kill pile. She straightened up and padded over to them.

"Hi, Flighfur, hello, Falonclaw," she meowed, flicking her tail in greeting.

Flightfur dipped her head. "Hi, Dewleaf."

Falconclaw nodded and purred. "How are you, Dewleaf?"

She shrugged in reply, glancing away. He must've noticed the look in her eyes, because he murmured something quietly to Flightfur. The ginger and white she-cat nodded and padded away slowly, glancing back once.

"Dewleaf, I know you miss RainClan," the ginger tom started.

"I do," Dewleaf admitted. "Thanks for noticing. My own brother hasn't said a word about it, since he's so busy with his mate." Her voice sounded bitter, so she softened it. "I don't mean to be selfish…"

"I know, I understand," Falconclaw assured, flicking his tail. "I'm sure they miss you, too."

Do they miss me? Dewleaf wondered. "I don't know…"

"Especially Stormpelt," Falconclaw mewed.

She looked up in surprise. "Wh-what?"

"I'm sure Stormpelt misses you a lot. You two really cared about each other," Falconcalw stated bluntly. "It's true, though, isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose it is," she replied, glancing away nervously. She wanted to see Stormpelt so badly!

Falconclaw stared at the she-cat for a while, a sorrowful look in his eyes. Finally, he turned away, muttering, "I'll see you later, Dewleaf."

She wondered what he was thinking. She shrugged it off after a few moments and swiveled her head around. Dawnheart caught her eye and flicked her tail in greeting.

"Oh, hi, Dawnheart," Dewleaf said, dipping her head. Dawnheart nodded in reply and padded past her.

Dewleaf sighed and curled her tail around herself even tighter, as if to seek comfort. She wanted to go back to RainClan. It was her home. But she didn't want her family to be broken up even more. She, her littermates, and Feathercloud were in ThunderClan. Her father and sister were in RiverClan.

She walked into the warriors den quietly. She was surprised to see Falconclaw lying there. She went to lay beside him and closed her eyes to sleep, dreaming of Stormpelt's coarse fur and bright eyes.

***

Cloudstorm purred. "You're doing great, Lightheart. Come on, you can make it."

Lightheart took a few more tentative steps, then managed to trot. "See? I'm fine, Cloudstorm, don't worry about me." She took a few bold steps forward, then raced toward the Highrock. "See?"

"Good job," Cloudstorm replied, running over to her. "Well? Would you like to go out hunting?"

Lightheart nodded. "Sure, let's go!"

***

Clovernight looked up. She'd been trying to fall asleep. But now, Dewleaf padded in, looking sad. "Dewleaf, are you okay?"

The black she-cat looked up in surprise. "Oh, Clovernight, I didn't see you there," she said. "I-I'm okay, I guess."

"You don't look okay. What's wrong?"

Dewleaf shrugged. "I just… It feel so different here in ThunderClan. It doesn't feel like home."

Clovernight recalled Cloudstorm telling her about how Dewleaf had been accepted into RainClan, and perhaps even found a future mate. "I suppose you miss RainClan?"

Dewleaf nodded, looking for a place to lay down.

"Well, then maybe you should go back."

Dewleaf, who had curled up in a small nest of moss, looked up in surprise. "You mean… leave ThunderClan?"

Clovernight rolled her eyes. "Why not? Cloudstorm tells me that everyone there likes you, and that you already have a tom picked out!"

At Dewleaf's bright blush, Clovernight figured, They must not be too… into each other… yet.

"Oh, come on, Dewleaf. If you want to go, then go. Why stay here and feel miserable when you can go and be happy?"

Dewleaf shrugged. "I don't think I can. No one will want me to go. Smokestar will say that he needs his warriors to stick together. Feathercloud will tell me---" "Oh, who cares what that fox-dung tells you to do? Feathercloud doesn't care about us! Otherwise, she would've stayed in RainClan, with Rainheart. Then none of this would've happened!" Clovernight snarled.

Dewleaf flinched and looked up in surprise.

Clovernight gulped, she'd surprised herself. What am I doing?

"Clovernight, it's not that easy," Dewleaf said gently. "I'll always regret what I do. If I stay, I'll always think, What if I had gone? And if I go, I'll think, What if I had stayed?"

"Well, you'd be much happier in RainClan," Clovernight hissed. "I'm just trying to help you, Dewleaf!"

"Well it only sounds like you're trying to get rid of me!" Dewleaf snapped, getting up abruptly. "Stop telling me what to do! I'm not an apprentice who follows her older sister's orders anymore!"

Stunned, Clovernight didn't say anything as Dewleaf padded out of the den, anger radiating around her.

One of the longest chappies! Please review, and I'm kind of getting a writer's block, that's why it took so long to put this up. If you have any ideas, tell me!