PROLOGUE
"Shadowkit!" a male voice called from across ThunderClan camp. The black she-kit stood from the flower she was attacking, and bounded across the rocks, dirt, and grass to meet her father, her purple eyes gleaming.
"Yes, Thornclaw?" she purred, her long fur shimmering in the sunlight pooling around them.
"I'm going on a border patrol." he nuzzled her, purring back. "You stay here and keep near Honeypaw and Moonpaw."
The she-kit's tail twitched in annoyance, and there was an edge to her voice as the flexed her thorn-sharp claws. "Yes, father."
Thornclaw couldn't help but murmur, "Just like her mother ..." while the she-kit was having her moment of annoyance.
He then heard his name called, and quickly bent to touch his nose to her ear. "I love you." he whispered in a strangled voice.
"I love you too." she replied, her sweet voice softening his pain like honey during greencough.
He bounded across the clearing, turning only once more to see her racing to the medicine den. He sighed a breath of relief to see she was obeying, and was keeping with Moonpaw.
Finally, he left with the group, the butterfly of worry for his daughter no longer struggling in his stomach, taking a break from its fight, realizing there was no immediate danger.
He couldn't help but worry, and the other cats understood.
Ever since he lost his mate in the Battle of the Stars, and found his kits, hidden in the tunnels in secrecy, their mother desperate for a means of protecting them, crushed by stones, he couldn't help but feel like all he had left was Shadowkit.
He had found her after finding his kits, alive only by straying from the stones and out onto a patch of grass near a tree.
Ever since he had panicked his first time in the tunnels, and his future mate had comforted him, he had felt something for her that grew every time he got to see her. They decided to keep their relationship private; what an inappropriate time to fall in love and have kits!
The Clan never knew to whom the kits belonged, for at first, Thornclaw couldn't bear to see his daughter; her resemblance to his love was far too great. It was until he realized the cowardice of what he was doing when they contemplated giving the kit up to the cats that lived in the barn, and he confessed everything.
Finally, everything fit together.
Surprisingly, the Clan, changed somewhat by the Battle of the Stars, forgave him and accepted him, along with his daughter.
In the present time, Thornclaw became clouded by his thoughts, and didn't realize he had quickly strayed from the patrol and had managed to come precariously close to the river's edge at the WindClan border.
"Oh, Hollyleaf ..." he murmured his love's name wistfully, closing his eyes ...