Chapter 1, Dark Heart

Nightrose screamed in pain. The medicine cat, Swiftwing, hurried into the ThunderClan nursery. "Push," the medicine cat instructed. Rain flashed down outside. Finally, two kits emerged. Nightrose gasped in relief. Swiftwing said nothing, as the two kits nuzzled their mother. Finally, Swiftwing asked, "What are their names?"

Without hesitation, Nightrose replied, "Snowkit," she said pointing with her tail to the pure white she-cat. "and Icekit," she said pointing to the one with the black splotch on her hind leg.

Swiftwing nodded slowly. "Who is the father, Nightrose?"

Nightrose froze, then started licking herself. "If a queen does not wish to tell, she does not tell, Swiftwing."

Swiftwing was about to say something, then Shadefrost stepped into the nursery. "Come on, Nightrose. Tell her I'm their father."

Nightrose stopped washing herself for a moment, then looked up at Shadefrost.

Swiftwing's eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right. But Nightrose wasn't going to tell her. As she left, Shadefrost stepped in. "I guess you got some trouble," he meowed mockingly.

Nightrose stiffened. "You're not the father."

"Yeah, I guess I helped you out there, didn't I? So, who is the father?"

"Like I'll tell you!" Nightrose flashed back, eyes darkened.

Shadefrost jerked back in mock surprise. "But Nightrose, I'm the father of your kits! come on, who is it? What, Owlstripe? Lightflash won't be too happy about that! Or is it some rogue?"

Nightrose turned her back on him.

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Later, a sleek black form slipped out of the nursery. Nightrose hurried down the path towards ShadowClan territory. "Maskface? Maskface are you there?"

"I wouldn't miss it." The brown tabby tom stepped out of the shadows.

"Our kits were just born!" She purred.

He didn't acknowledge her. "Did any cat question about the father?"

She dipped her head. "Shadefrost claimed he was the father."

Maskface hissed. "Liar."

"I named them just like you thought," Nightrose continued anxiously.

He nodded briskly. "Well you'd better get back to them, then."

Nightrose's eyes opened wide in hurt. "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy!"

He leaned towards her. "Listen, Nightrose. I am ShadowClan. You are ThunderClan. The warrior code is against us!"

"But... but I love you! You once told me that our love was strong enough to do anything."

"I was wrong. I must be loyal to ShadowClan." He spat the last words out. "You must raise our kits to be loyal ThunderClan warriors."

Now it was Nightrose's face that was a mask. "I thought I meant something to you."

"I"m sorry, Nightrose. I have another mate now. It is the way it must be."

When Nightrose looked up, her green eyes brimming with hurt, he was gone.

Maskface raced back to camp, paws flashing over the green moss that grew only in ShadowClan territory. He was terrified Nightrose would follow him and tell the whole Clan what they had done. Suddenly, he bumped into Sleetflash. She was muttering quietly. He dashed into the warriors den without paying any attention. He had to get away before she could ask questions.

Sleetflash was having problems of her own. She didn't want to sleep inside camp, the same dream plagued her. The prophecy she had kept from her leader. She settled down in a sheltered pine grove, hoping that the dream would not return. But it did.

Sleetflash was in StarClan's forest. Again, the cats of StarClan came to her. One brown tabby stepped forward, eyes flashing. Sleetflash flinched at the sight of the mismatched eyes. One eye was blue, and one was green. The tabby she-cat spoke to her again, angrily. "You did not tell your leader the prophecy!"

Sleetflash crouched down to the ground.

"You think we will not go to her and tell her? You think we rely on you? You are wrong! But I give you one more chance. Tell your leader the prophecy. Thunder to Shadow, dust to dust, ashes to ashes, ice to shadow. Daughter of Thunder and Son of Shadow bring upon themselves the greatest pain the Clans have known. Bloom of the Night cannot hide it, but the face that shows nothing will be the undoing of both. Tell your leader the prophecy, medicine cat! Why do you keep the knowledge from her? What darkness hides in your heart?"

Sleetflash said nothing as she shook herself awake.

Was it the dawn that had woken her? She wondered. A smaller thought nagged at her. Was it the last question the cat of StarClan had asked her? No, she told herself firmly. And I won't tell them the prophecy!

"I have failed," the brown tabby said, leaning on the shoulder of a white tom.

"We all failed, when we chose Sleetflash as medicine cat," he told her gently.

"It's not fair! Why does she deceive? Why does she lie?" she sobbed.

"She doesn't know what will come."

"Help us, any goodness that remains in this world. The one that will destroy us is the only one that can save us."

The tom closed his eyes, and recited the prophecy. "Shadow on ice is doubly wrong, for ice is cold-hearted and shadow casts all the others into shadow. The wrongs of the past and present cannot be righted, because of the daughter of Thunder.

The forest will tremble, for the coming of the shadow on ice. Lies will be spread, and it will be thought that the wrong was righted.

The wrong cannot be righted.

The forest will be frozen, and lie under shadow. Why?" he muttered.

"We have too many questions we cannot answer," the brown tabby said. Then she broke back into tears. "Why does Sleetflash lie? What secret darkness lies in her heart? Why will the only one destroy the forest? Why is the shadow on ice the only one?"

KK, review. In response to previous reviews:
Amber342: I realize that, sorry! But thank you for pointing it out, and thank you for reviewing! :D
Mintfrost29: Thank you!
Hawkpath of RiverClan: Oh dear! did you have it saved somewhere else on your computer?