Chapter 29: The Skies and the River Weep

Fireheart was hunting near the Riverclan border when he recognized a smell. It was Silverstream, but the scent was tinted with blood and milk. His ears picked up Greystripe trying to assure the cat, so Fireheart came rushing over.

"What's happening?!"

"Silverstream is kitting, but something is wrong!"

"You stay here with her. I'll see if I can get Yellowfang out here fast."

Fireheart started sprinting in the direction of camp only for a familiar scent to stop him. It was Cinderpaw, and it was recent. Fireheart changed course to try and find his former apprentice. He found her out foraging and grabbed her attention.

"There's a queen kitting at the Sunning Rocks!"

Cinderpaw snapped to attention and did the closest she could do to a sprint towards Sunning Rocks with Fireheart close behind. As they ran Cinderpaw told Fireheart what they might need once they get there. Fireheart split off to collect the herbs Cinderpaw suggested and quickly rushed to where he last saw the kitting queen. Cinderpaw was already easing the second kit out as Fireheart laid out the herbs she asked him to collect. Despite all their efforts, Cinderpaw knew the queen was fading fast. There wasn't much she could do when the kitting had destroyed her internals so severely. The best she could do was make the dying queen as comfortable as possible before she passed.

At that moment Tigerclaw showed up. He'd been tracking Fireheart's scent since he was trying to catch Fireheart conversing with Riverclan.

"What is going on!"

Fireheart responded, "I rushed Cinderpaw over here as soon as I found that a queen was kitting here."

Tigerclaw couldn't refute that statement or twist it to his own story. Cinderpaw forced the tabby out of his thoughts when she made him groom one of the newborn kits. It was obvious the disgust Tigerclaw had for the kits, but disobeying a working medicine cat was a quick way to lose trust in the clan. Cinderpaw turned her attention back to the dying queen and tried to stem the bleeding. She snuck in a private conversation to the queen while every other cat focused on the two kits.

"I'm dying aren't I?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. The kitting tore up your insides too much."

A flash of panic overtook the dying cat.

"What about my kits? Who will feed them?"

"Do not worry. Thunderclan has queens who are still nursing. They'll be fed and cared for."

A faint light of hope crossed the cat's face.

"Thank you. I want my kits loved and cared for wherever they end up."

Cinderpaw knew there wasn't much time left, so she alerted Greystripe. It was obvious they were mates with the scent the two gave off.

"She doesn't have long now. Please reassure her that her kits will be cared for when she's gone."

Dispair crossed the tom's face. He thought they were quick enough. They had a medicine cat and three warriors there. How could that not have been enough?

"Please Silverstream. Don't leave me. Don't leave us. I need you. The kits need you."

Silverstream just gave him a warm look. Even with her dying, she was doing her best to support the tom she loved.

"You'll do fine. You have so many cats here who want to help you and them. Let's try to give them names before I go."

Greystripe was trying his hardest to stay strong for his queen. Inside he felt himself falling apart, but the love he felt for her and their kits kept him from breaking down. Instead, he lightly shook with grief. His voice was stuttering with cracks that betrayed his emotions.

"Look at our little she-kit. She's so puffy and light. She reminds me of a feather that's ruffled."

"Then we'll call her Featherkit. She's just so perfect. She has your stripes, but she looks like me."

"Then what of our other darling kit?"

"I can already feel he's going to have a strong personality. Look how strong he is even though he had a complicated birth. I can feel it."

"He's a little brewing storm of a personality. That's what we'll name him. He's our little Stormkit. His rain will cleanse his friends of trouble and his thunder will strike his enemies."

"Our little warrior."

"Yes. Our little warrior."

With that, Silverstream's life faded away. Greystripe could no longer keep his emotions in check and let out a wail.

Darkstripe had been hunting near by when he heard the wail of grief. It was a voice he was familiar with. Even though Darkstripe always kept himself distant from Greystripe, there was always a faint feeling of brotherly love he felt for him. The wail sent him running. So much was running through his head when he emerged from the forest and saw the dead queen with his brother wailing over them. Despite everything his brother knew about him, he rushed over and tried to sooth the grieving cat. He didn't even see the kits. His mind was on Greystripe. His voice lost all the gruffness it usually held and was instead sweet and soft. A baffling scene to the other cats around.

Greystripe couldn't see the cat comforting him. He only knew the voice was the same one that would sometimes comfort him when he had nightmares as a kit. Their voice was soft and accused him of nothing. They never used the words 'she's in a better place.' Instead, the voice asked him to remember his queen as she was. It asked him what he liked about her, what things she did to make him feel better or tease him. It felt alleviating to speak of her so freely. He talked about how he loved her eyes and how the water from the river made her sparkle in the light. He talked about how they felt when they were close. Finally, he talked about his last promise to her to raise their kits well. His emotions had finally settled down. He still was a mess, but he felt he could move forward now. His eyes finally saw the cat who was comforting him. It was the brother who he never really thought of as a brother. The cat who usually messed with him and pissed him off so much was now looking at him with the same quiet love only his mother could give him. He couldn't speak. Instead, he turned his attention back to his lost love.

"I think I should bury her here. Her clan would not bury her if they knew she had given birth to half-clan kits."

Darkstripe responded softly but firmly, "I don't think that is true. I know Crookedstar and nothing could make him stop loving his daughter. Even if she weren't, he knows love cannot be stopped. I suggest you instead go to Riverclan to bury her while we get your kits to camp. I promise you on my and my sister's soul that your kits will not be harmed."

Greystripe softly nodded. Something in him trusted Darkstripe's promise. He turned his attention to the Riverclan border and he stepped forth. He'd run down the first Riverclan patrol if he had to. Silverstream deserved to be buried with her clan and family. He found the patrol without too much trouble and after explaining the situation, Crookedstar himself came to collect the body. Greystripe was allowed to remain through the vigil before he returned to Thunderclan. Even though Silverstream had broken the code, no cat in Riverclan hated her. They all paid their respects and mourned her loss. Only Crookestar remained with Greystripe through the whole vigil. They told each other stories about her as they knew her. Crookedstar held no grudge against Greystripe. He only wished he'd have been there when she passed to let her know how much she meant to him.