Disclaimer: I own only the plot and the OC's.

Hopefully this chapter will better explain the last chapter.

Chapter Four

~ Aftermath ~

WindClan Camp

"Hazelmist," a gentle voice murmured.

Hazelmist slowly turned to face her leader. "It was my fault. All my fault. I tried to walk with him, to take him out of camp, but and the ShadowClan warrior Darkclaw burst into the nursery before I could get him away. It was dark and I didn't notice him leaving my side. When I reached for him to pull him closer to me he was gone. He was so brave, but I can hear him in my dreams. He cries out for me but his voice is distant. He wants it to be the way it was before, and I ask him if he is looking for me, if he will wait for me to find him. He never answers. When he left he took my happiness with him. He took the happiness from the whole Clan. These scars on the memory of WindClan are only a trace that he was ever here. My heart used to be so strong and certain, but it was misplaced when I left Hollowkit to Darkclaw. If I had loved enough, if I had made the right decision and saved Hollowkit then maybe he would still be safe by my side," the queen meowed sadly, her desolate mew echoing with emptiness.

Rushstar's gaze was soft and full of regret. "The whole Clan will miss him," she said. "But we need to recover. It has been three nights since Razorkit was lost to us, and it is time to stop grieving and move on." She felt her heart twist with pain as she looked at her fallen Clanmates. "We must bury our dead and keep their memories alive."

"What?" Hazelmist stared at Rushstar in shock. The sun had risen to half way up in the sky, and her pelt was uncomfortably warm. "You won't send a rescue party?" she growled roughly.

Rushstar padded forward and touched her muzzle to the bereaved queen's shoulder. "We cannot. We are not strong enough. Look around you, Hazelmist. Five of our Clanmates are dead. Two died in battle, three from fatal injuries. If we were able, I would lead the rescue mission myself. But we must accept the truth. No other Clan would want a WindClan kit. He is most likely with StarClan right now," she meowed sadly but firmly.

"No!" Hazelmist hissed, her eyes flaring with anger. "My kit is not dead! He had a great life ahead of him – you told him you were going to mentor him! He was going to be leader someday! You cannot just give him up," she yowled to the sky. It was a heart-wrenching, raw expulsion of grief, and Rushstar found herself flinching.

"Rushstar?" Thinleaf's quavering voice croaked as the elder emerged, trembling with exhaustion, into the clearing. "I will look after Hazelmist. Do what you need to," she meowed, padding unsteadying towards her daughter and leading her off to the side of the clearing.

Rushstar watched them go, and then turned back to her dead Clanmates. Dashspark, Cloudscud, Tanglepaw, Gorsepaw and Patchsight. She felt like falling to pieces herself, but knew she had to remain strong for the sake of her Clanmates. She owed it to them.

Raising her eyes to the sky, she silently promised to never let this happen again. Never would she let the death of another Clanmate weigh on her conscious like this. IT was too greater loss to the Clan and to herself. She had known each personally, and for two apprentices to have been killed – it was murder. Part of her longer for revenge like Hazelmist had suggested, but she knew if she gave into that desire then peace would never be resolved.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she stretched. She had a lot of work ahead of her if she was going to rebuild the Clan after this.

Author's Note: In the next chapter we will find out what happened to Razorkit, but only if you REVIEW!