Darkheart felt rain pound against his pelt and a chill run down his spine as he saw the two helpless kits on the other side of the Great River. The words of Shadestar rang in his ear. "The tribe exiled you." How could he cross the River knowing he should be living on that side of it?
Then he scented a familiar scent. Blackthroat! Darkheart heard different words now. You are right where you are needed.
"I guess we'll have to cross it." Darkheart heard Shrewfur mew.
Nightpaw nodded in agreement. It was the begging of New Leaf, so the river was covered with a thin layer of ice. And the rain would make it slippery.
"We should go over one at a time to try and prevent the ice from cracking." Darkheart mewed. "Shrewfur, you go first."
Shrewfur looked at Darkheart and then carefully placed his front paw on the shallow ice. Darkheart listened for a crack. It didn't. Shrewfur then began walking across the ice. It still hadn't cracked. Then Shrewfur was on the land on the other side of the ice. Shrewfur quickly went over to the kits and wrapped his tail around the two kits.
Darkheart turned to Nightpaw. "I'll go next." He mewed. Like Shrewfur, he carefully placed his front paw on the ice. He then placed his other front paw on the ice. Here goes nothing, He thought. He put all four of his paws on the ice. It didn't crack. Starclan help me, He thought.He took one step at a time. He was getting close to Shrewfur now. Only a few more steps, Darkheart thought. He then placed a paw on solid land. Darkheart took a deep breath and thanked Starclan as he walked onto the land. He looked at the kits. They barely had their eyes open! He started to lick them, because he remembered His sister doing that when Nightpaw was born.
Nightpaw then began to walk across the ice.
"So who was it?" Darkheart asked.
"Who was what?" Shrewfur asked.
Don't play dumb with me! Darkheart thought to himself. "Who was the cat that killed Thistlefern and took the kits here?"
"Oh that's what you meant! I didn't realize!" Shrewfur mewed.
Why is he not telling me? Darkheart thought. "Who was it?" he mewed again.
Shrewfur took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll tell you. It was-" Shrewfur's mew was interrupted by the crack of ice.
"Nightpaw!" Darkheart yowled.