A/N: Here's Steeltalon's next chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.

GRAYSTRIPE'S POV

Graystripe padded over to Firestar's den and meowed a quiet greeting. There was no answer, so Graystripe poked his head inside to see if Firestar was alright.

The flame-colored leader's back was to Graystripe, head held low. Firestar's eyes were closed and his claws scraped at the ground quite viciously.

"Firestar?" Graystripe mewed tentatively. "Cloudtail's death wasn't your fault."

"I know." Firestar replied, though he didn't look like he knew. His shoulders were shaking quite violently.

"So why are you berating yourself like this?" Graystripe asked, taking a few steps forward and touching his nose to his old friend's shoulder.

"Because I promised Princess I would look after Cloudtail," Firestar meowed, opening his eyes. "I couldn't even do that for her."

Graystripe was shocked and it showed clearly on his face. "Cloudtail died the death of an honorable warrior," he mewed after a pause. "Isn't that what Princess wanted...for her son to be a great warrior?"

Firestar closed his eyes again and clawed at the ground furiously. "I failed her," he whispered.

"Cloudtail wouldn't want you to mourn him like this," Graystripe pressed.

There was a tense silence between them before Firestar murmured, "I know."

"Then why would you?"

"Because he was my kin. My sister's firstborn. I should've been there."

"Squirrelflight and Leafpool are your kin," Graystripe meowed. "And how could you have been there? You were patrolling the ShadowClan border with Sandstorm, Dustpelt and I. You might be a leader, but there's no way you can be two places at once. It was Cloudtail's time."

Firestar met his friend's gaze sorrowfully. Graystripe blinked in sympathy when he saw how miserable the leader was.

CINDERPAW'S POV

Cinderpaw looked at Berrypaw. He looked sad, but she saw how he was handling this tragedy and braced her shoulders. She would be strong, like Berrypaw. He glanced sideways and met her gaze, smiling slightly.

"Cloudtail would be proud of you," Berrypaw mewed.

Cinderpaw smiled weakly. "Thanks," she murmured. "You're a great friend, Berrypaw."

BERRYPAW'S POV

Berrypaw's heart sank. A great friend? Was that all he was to her? He covered up his sadness with a smile and a purr, but his heart was breaking . . . was Cinderpaw really thinking of them as just friends? He was caught off-guard when she pushed her muzzle into his cream-colored fur and purred softly.

"I'm glad you're here," the young gray tabby murmured into his shoulder.