~~Three~~
I slowly wake up in my bedroom. I guess I fell asleep with Tux. I hear Mom saying something downstairs. I shut my eyes and fall back asleep.
"I know we can't control it, but, she can't be reborn under her! She's your m-" I recognize Strikestar's angry voice, then Ravenstar's nice, soft tone, "I know she is. And hush, she's here."
"I am sorry for the conditions of your birth. But it must be done." Ravenstar sighs. "When you change, you won't remember anything of your past life. That will come to you in time. Okay?" She looks at my face. I nod slowly.
"Alright. Here-goes-nothing!" yowls Mousestar. What feels like an explosion leaves me passed out on the soft grass.
~Deep In A Maple Forest~
Rainheart lays across the forest floor, smelling like wild garlic. 'Why, StarClan, why give your medicine cat kits? I don't even have a mate!' she thinks. Pain overtakes her. She twists her head around and chews up some herbs.
'Calm down, Rainheart.' Suddenly a black shecat appears in front of Rainheart. 'This kit is sent by us because we needed it to be. You aren't being punished. Allow me to help with the birth.' She speaks without moving her lips, telepathically in Rainheart's mind. She proceeds to feed Rainheart the herbs.
Hours later a small kit squirms on the earth. Rainheart licks the kits to get its blood going. The kit begins to suckle. "Are-are you Ravenstar? The founder of my Clan?" She nods. "May I ask who the father is? I have no feelings for any cat in my Clan." Ravenstar nods and answers, "Mousestar, Willowstar, Strikestar, and I. We created this kit and placed her in you. But now I must go."
She cranes her neck down and licks the kit on her forehead, leaving a white mark in the fur. "Good luck. You'll need it where you're going." Ravenstar disintegrates slowly into a fine mist.
A dark shadow passes over the pair of cats, followed by a screech. "Falcon." Rainheart grits her teeth. Suddenly the bird swoops down and lands on a tree branch. Rainheart stands and pushes the kit behind her. The bird dives off the branch and tears one rip in the kit's left ear with its deadly talons. Rainheart hisses.
The kit mewls as Rainheart moves herself over it. She slashes out with her forepaw.
Dogding, the falcon perches back on its branch. Rainheart releases a warning yowl.
"Rainheart? What's the matter?" A dark brown tom squeezes out of the brush. "Adderstar? Please help, my kit-" she's cut off by the falcon diving downward again. Rainheart knows she can't do anything to save herself or her kit this time. Ravenstar was wrong. This kit is a punishment.
"Sqwuaaa!" she hears. Looking up, she sees the falcon flying off, dripping blood and Adderstar in front of her. "Adderstar..."
"Think of it as payback from all the cats you've saved. Now, what are you cowering over?" Rainheart moves away from the kit. "Whose kit is this?" Adderstar meows gently.
"Mine. It was sent by StarClan. Ravenstar of RavenClan came to me as I was kitting and helped me. She said Mousestar, Willowstar, Strikestar, and she had created this kit and placed it inside me." Adderstar gasps.
"Do you think it's the cat mentioned in the Prophecy of The Fall?" Rainheart shrugs. "It looks like the one, yes. But I'm not sure."
"We'll have to wait and see. But yes, it does." Adderstar picks up the kit in his jaw. "Where did the blood come from, Rainheart?" The kit mews. "The falcon tore her ear. Just a minor tear." Adderstar's eyes widen. "Just like the prophecy!" Rainheart shakes her head.
"She's probably not the prophecy cat. I can tell. Hurry, though, I want to get back to camp." They begin to walk. "What's its name?" Adderstar purrs.
"Falconkit."