Hey guys! Thank you for all of my reviews! Happy 4th of July! I don't know about you, but tonight I'm going to go see some FI-AH-WORKS! XD

Disclamer: I do not own Warriors. Idea belongs to Spottedeyes.

Chapter Three

"I brought you honey," Sunpaw said firmly, entering the nursery. Ashheart had recently developed the same sickness, or at least Sunpaw thought it was the same sickness, as Petalfrost. Sunpaw was doing everything she could, because the gray she-cat was also expecting and could start kitting at any moment.

Ashheart coughed. "Thank you," she rasped, licking the honey up from the wad of moss that Sunpaw had laid down next to her.

The gold apprentice had been worried and stressed lately; ThunderClan's only elder, Berryfeather, had fallen ill just two sunrises ago. Stormrunner slept with Tawnykit in the warrior's den now, seeing that the nursery and the elder's den were both occupied.

"I think I'll be fine for awhile," Ashheart sighed. "Thank you, Sunpaw."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go eat. You haven't since yesterday."

Sunpaw shot the she-cat a grateful glance before padding out of the den. "Thank you. I'll be back in a little bit." Walking across the clearing, she passed the fresh-kill pile and went into the elder's den. The white tom had not been doing very well. He wouldn't eat or drink, and in the past few days, had grown extremely weak and thin.

"Berryfeather?" She heard raspy coughing, then nothing at all. "Berryfeather? How are you?" Silence.

Sunpaw walked farther into the den, and saw Berryfeather was laying motionless in his nest. Only the faint rise and fall of his flank told her that he was still alive. Poor tom, she thought. Too weak to cough.

"I'll get you some water," she meowed gently. To her surprise, Berryfeather feebly shook his head.

"It'll be a waste," he croaked. "I'm going to die anyways."

The small she-cat was sad and taken aback. "It won't be a waste." she said firmly. "There's plenty of water to go around. It's not like we'll run out in a day."

He shook his head again. "Don't. Just let me die." Sunpaw looked at the ground sadly, but quickly locked her gaze on the elder as he took short, raspy breaths. "Berryfeather?" she whispered.

Even though she hoped against it, hoped that she could still keep him alive, she knew he had gone to StarClan.

To Sunpaw, he was just one more cat she had failed to save.

"Ashheart, please eat these herbs!"

The gray queen was pretty far into kitting, but not yet recovered from the deadly sickness that had killed Berryfeather a quarter moon before. Duskclaw had also caught it, and had been removed from warrior duties for the time being.

She shoved them away, and Sunpaw grunted in disapproval. Pressing a forepaw gently on Ashheart's flank, she let out an agonized yowl. The first kit. As if on cue, a black and white kit slid out onto the moss. Turning around and licking the kitting sac, she realized with a sinking heart it had been born dead.

"You're doing great, Ashheart," Sunpaw meowed faintly as the second kit was born. To her relief, the light brown and white kit's jaws opened and closed as it's paws flailed, searching for it's mother. Placing the wriggling bundle by Ashheart just in time, another kit was born as the gray she-cat grunted. This one was a brown and gold she-cat; and Sunpaw licked it fiercely before setting next to it's brother.

Once again pressing her paw on the gray queen's stomach, she felt one more kit. "You're almost done, Ashheart." Ashheart moaned as the last kit tumbled out onto the moss. It was black and white like the first one. Sunpaw was happy that it was alive, but soon remembered the first kit.

She set it by Ashheart's stomach as she turned over, letting the small kits suckle. Ashheart purred with delight, but then stopped in confusion and looked up at Sunpaw.

"Weren't there four?"

Sunpaw felt her heart breaking as she nudged the kit close to Ashheart. "I'm so sorry," the gold she-cat's voice cracked.

Ashheart let out a small, sad yowl and Silverstripe padded into the nursery. "Are you okay?" The silver tom had been pacing outside of the nursery, obviously not wanting to see his current mate in pain. Seeing the motionless kit, he rushed over to the gray queen and nuzzled her, and his new kits.

The fact that Silverstripe was also her father, and Acornfall had been in Ashheart's place many moons ago made her feel somewhat strange.

"Congratulations."

Silverstripe looked up at Sunpaw with gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you." he whispered. And she could tell her really meant it.

That was sort of awkward. Hey, I didn't know how to end the chapter! Cut me some slack. :D Anyways, happy fourth of July! R&R! Do whatever you kittehs do! And stay awesome! :)

~Tansywish