*Cries liquid pride* Here we are guys! The final chapter of Frozen Hearts, aside from the epilogue I'm working on, but the next story will not be in Snowflower's, Greycloud's, or Brackenflame's view. It'll be in the eyes of their kits. Which one? Well we'll just have to find out right? Read and Review!
Snowflower's POV
Snowflower jolted awake from a light sleep and jumped to her paws, fur bristling. Today was the day the war would hopefully end. She let out a sigh and looked to her slightly swollen belly.
"Snowflower? What's the matter?" Brackenflame questioned sleepily.
Snowflower let out another sigh and curled around her mate "S-Sorry Brackenflame. I'm just nervous about tonight. I might not see a lot of these cats" Snowflower meowed, looking around.
The faces of sleeping warriors broke her heart.
"Goosewing, Stormheart, Nutleaf, Brightcloud, Jaywing, Nightheart, Lilywhisker, Gingerfoot, Redfeather, Greycloud, and even Silverstorm. I might never get to see them again and it makes me worried." Snowflower recited, her whiskers twitching nervously.
"C'mon let's get out of here. We should go hunting, or you could move to the nursery" Brackenflame suggested, attempting yet again to get her into the nursery.
Snowflower snickered and looked to the nursery. "You know that doesn't sound so bad" She meowed skeptically. She turned and watched Brackenflame's face light up with hope at her words.
"Yes let's go hunting" Snowflower mewed deviously and trotted towards the entrance.
"You really had me there Snowflower. That was a dirty trick" Brackenflame muttered in defeat.
"Are you kidding me? I would never go to the nursery when we're on the brink of an all-out slaughter!" Snowflower meowed bluntly.
Brackenflame let out a sigh and Snowflower nuzzled him softly
"But I will be careful I promise" Snowflower meowed softly. She watched as Dappleflower padded out of the warriors den nervously and looked around.
The memory of the gathering half a moon ago flood back into her mind.
"Snowflower! Oh please you have to help me! " the voice of a tortoiseshell cried out.
Snowflower widened her eyes as she recognized Dappleflower. "Dappleflower? Where's Nightblaze? Why are you skin and bone?" Snowflower began to fret.
Grief stabbed at the tortoiseshell's eyes as Snowflower mentioned Nightblaze. "Nightblaze? Nightblaze… She's been dead for a moon Snowflower! She died the day after you left. Fallenstar… He launched a full attack on WindClan and Nightblaze and I… We were in the patrol and when we attacked… WindClan fought back with great force. My sister died protecting me" Dappleflower wailed loudly.
Snowflower rasped her tongue over the younger cat's ear. "What do you want to do Dappleflower. I will do everything in my power to protect you." Snowflower vowed, looking into her emerald green eyes.
Dappleflower looked to her paws shyly and looked back up to Snowflower "I-I want to join ThunderClan" Dappleflower squeaked out.
Snowflower stood up instantly and looked to Greycloud. "Watch over her real quick. I'm going to go tell Leafstar what's happening." She meowed urgently, running towards the Great Rock. She easily scaled the rock and landed next to Fallenstar who hissed in annoyance and hostility.
"What are you doing here Snowflower? This is where leaders are supposed to be, not weak warriors as yourself!" he sneered rudely.
Snowflower unsheathed her claws without thinking and growled at ShadowClan's new leader.
"Cut it out Fallenstar. She's one of my most trusted warriors and I won't have you speak to her like that" Leafstar's cold voice cut in.
Snowflower sheathed her claws and padded up to Leafstar leaning her muzzle towards her leader's ear.
"I have a ShadowClan she-cat who wants to join ThunderClan. Fallenstar is her father, but he refuses to acknowledge her. She used to have a sister, but she said that Fallenstar sent them into battle with a patrol and that her sister died. She told me she didn't want to be in ShadowClan anymore" Snowflower whispered urgently.
Leafstar looked at her intently and began to scan the crowd of cats gawking at Snowflower. Snowflower rolled her eyes slightly and looked Leafstar in the eyes.
"Very well take her back to camp and I will discuss it later with the rest of the clan" Leafstar mewed quietly.
Snowflower dipped her head in gratitude and began to climb down the Great Rock carefully, just in case Brackenflame was watching. She pushed past the cats that gathered around her to ask why she climbed up there and what she said to Leafstar.
Once Snowflower reached Greycloud she noticed Dappleflower was not there.
"Where is she!" Snowflower hissed quietly.
Greycloud pointed her tail at a bush that was quivering violently and Snowflower let out a sigh of relief.
"Dappleflower? Are you ready to go?" Snowflower asked softly.
Dappleflower slithered out of the bush and looked at Snowflower hopefully. "You mean it? I can get away from ShadowClan?" she asked, hope brimming in her eyes.
Snowflower smiled and helped Dappleflower to her paws. "Yes let's get going"
Snowflower shook her head as the memory faded calling out to the tortoiseshell she-cat "Dappleflower would you like to go hunting with us?" Snowflower asked the depressed she-cat.
Dappleflower looked blankly at the duo and shook her head. "N-No I'm going out hunting by myself" Dappleflower muttered.
Snowflower looked on with pity and shook her head "Then be careful Dappleflower. Today is a dangerous day to go out alone" Snowflower warned as she and Brackenflame headed towards the diminishing fresh-kill pile.
"You can have my share if you want Snowflower" Brackenflame suggested as he handed her a stiff mouse.
"Kits being born in Leaf-bare is never a good thing" Snowflower admitted taking the mouse from her mate's jaws.
"Don't stress about it Snowflower. It's never good for our kits" Brackenflame meowed softly.
Snowflower shook her head and looked into his sapphire blue eyes purred softly. "Eat something you need your strength for the battle" She mewed, digging into her mouse. She watched as Brackenflame chose a small vole and began chewing at the tough meat.
Snowflower finished her mouse and watched as Greycloud marched out of the den and towards the apprentice den, calling out for Sunpaw.
The golden tom stumbled out of the den and looked up to Greycloud expectantly.
"Now what do you have to do today?" Greycloud began to quiz her apprentice.
"Um, I have to take of the elders bedding, feed them, and search for ticks in their fur" Sunpaw recited.
Snowflower looked at her sister and gasped quietly. He sister was well rounded and her belly swollen.
"Uh, no offense Greycloud, but you look fat for it being leaf-bare." Sunpaw meowed loudly.
Snowflower began to laugh and looked to Brackenflame "You don't mind if I bring Flamepaw do you?" Snowflower asked her mate.
Brackenflame tilted his head in thought and then nodded. "It'll be like one big happy family" He joked, continuing to eat the vole.
Snowflower began to trot towards the apprentice den listening to Greycloud's response to her apprentice for calling her fat.
"Well Sunpaw what do you expect from a she-cat expecting kits" Greycloud retorted angrily.
Snowflower brushed past her sister and winked at her, hoping to calm down the hormonal she-cat. She stuck her head into the den and searched for Flamepaw's sleeping body.
"Flamepaw!" Snowflower hissed as she spotted him sleeping next to Cinderpaw.
Flamepaw lifted his head slowly and stared at her sleepily. "Huh?" he asked standing up and stumbling towards her.
Snowflower backed up quickly before Flamepaw could crash into her as he fell out of the den. She heard Sunpaw scoff and look at his foster brother
"Maybe mother should change your name to Clumsypaw" Sunpaw teased lightly.
Flamepaw blinked the sleep out of his eyes and jumped on Sunpaw as they began to play fight.
Snowflower watched fondly as it might be the last time she got to see them play.
The moon began to rise slowly as the attack patrol gathered. "Even if you think you're coming back alive I want you to say goodbye to your loved ones" Leafstar instructed.
Snowflower watched as Greycloud ran up to Redfeather and nuzzled him fiercely. "I promise I'll come back" her sister choked out.
Redfeather was ordered to stay back and guard the camp thanks to a recent hunting injury a rabbit gave him.
Snowflower watched as Greycloud slipped into the elders den and Snowflower followed and spotted her sister talking to Brackenfoot.
"Brackenfoot I know you didn't teach me everything, but you taught me how to be compassionate to others… I wanted to thank you for that" Greycloud meowed softly to the blind elder.
Brackenfoot had lost his eye sight three moons after he had retired. "Oh my little Greycloud, and you too Snowflower, you are my grand-kits." The old tom meowed. "Spottedpelt was my only kit, along with Birdsong. Oh Birdsong… I miss her a lot, but she hunts with StarClan" Brackenfoot murmured sadly.
Snowflower looked at the elderly tom in shock, guilt washing over her as she remembered how she made fun of him back when she was apprentice.
Greycloud made a choking sound and nuzzled the old tom. "I'm so sorry if I ever disrespected you" Greycloud cried out.
Brackenfoot let out a wheezy laugh and nudged her away. "It's fine. I always found it funny because Spottedpelt was the same way" Brackenfoot admitted.
"It's time to go!" Leafstar's yowl made Snowflower jump.
"C'mon sister it's time to go" Greycloud muttered softly, brushing past Snowflower.
Snowflower padded out of the elders den and spotted Brightcloud curled around Jaywing and her kits. She was staying behind to guard the nursery, which had Wildfur in there expecting Goosewing's kits.
Snowflower scanned the patrol and memorized the faces and scents of the cats going. "Nutleaf, Jaywing, Nightheart, Stormheart, Goosewing, Dappleflower, Greycloud, Brackenflame, Flamepaw and me…. While in camp we have Wildfur in the nursery, Brightcloud, Redfeather, Silverstorm, Gingerfoot and Leafstar's kits." Snowflower finished, casting a glance at an excited Flamepaw.
Snowflower realized how much the flame colored tom had grown when she saved him from ShadowClan. If he survived the battle she would make sure he would be made into a warrior. He has waited long enough.
"Let's go!" Leafstar commanded as the group of cats began to move out of the camp.
Snowflower noticed that Nightheart was helping her sister as she stumbled across the ground, her belly nearly touching the ground.
Snowflower let out a sigh of frustration as she remembered Flamedapple announcing that Blueleaf was going to the battle field.
Once Fourtrees came into view everyone grew silent.
Snowflower looked around and spotted Silverstorm following them. She stopped and turned around coming face to face with Silverstorm. "What are you doing here?" Snowflower growled.
Silverstorm tossed her head dramatically "Do you really expect me to stay in camp while you get to save Brackenflame? No way, that's my job!" Silverstorm hissed, pushing past her.
Snowflower watched as she fell into step beside Goosewing who was surprised to see her.
"Why did you stop Snowflower?" the voice of Brackenflame sounded next to her.
"Silverstorm is here and I'm afraid of what might come…" Snowflower murmured sadly.
Brackenflame cocked his head to the side and nuzzled her. "I heard you in your sleep one night whispering out beware the traitor in the storm" Brackenflame admitted.
Snowflower let out a sigh and continued forward to catch up with the group with Brackenflame by her side.
Snowflower spotted the RiverClan group waiting for them in the clearing and Nightheart scrambling out of the bushes to stand next to Stormheart.
"Stormstar please we can stop this war" Leafstar pleaded.
Stormstar narrowed his eyes into angry slits at the pleading leader and snorted disdainfully. "My kits are dead because of ThunderClan, I cannot stop this war any longer" Stormstar yowled, signaling his warriors into attack.
The clearing burst into yowls of rage as cats began to battle each other. A weight crashed into her and she scented that it was Fishscale.
"Finally! I will have my revenge for what you did to me kit!" the tom hissed, his hooked claws digging into her sides.
Snowflower bit back a yowl of pain. "Fox-heart!" She hissed, pushing the tom off of her and quickly climbing up a tree to the lowest branch
"What's wrong murderer? Scared of me?" Fishscale crowed, closing his eyes as he laughed.
Snowflower steadied her breath and jumped forwards, hooking her hind claws on the branch, swinging towards Fishscale. She raked her claws down her face and sheathed her hind claws, pinning down Fishscale.
"Now will you give up or keep fighting?" Snowflower snarled, lashing her tail. Fishscale went limp and let out a suppressed hiss
"I'm sorry…" he muttered as Snowflower let him up.
Fishscale gave her a nod of gratitude and ran away from her, blood dripping down his face.
"Wow Snowflower! That move was brilliant!" Greycloud purred as she pinned down a spitting Willowflower.
Snowflower purred, but was knocked over by a flash of silver. "W-What?" Snowflower asked confused as she was dragged away, Greycloud being too busy with Willowflower as she distracted him.
"Silverstorm what's the meaning of this?" Snowflower growled, trying to push her former mentor off of her.
"I'm going to kill you Snowflower. Your kits will die with you!" Silverstorm meowed madly.
Snowflower felt her fur stand on end and she thrashed around. "You're insane Silverstorm!" Snowflower yowled, hoping somebody would hear her.
"You stole my mate from right under my nose! You were my apprentice you little brat! You're the one that is insane" Silverstorm hissed.
Snowflower felt claws prick at her throat and she made her peace with StarClan hoping Brackenflame would have a better life without her.
As she finished praying to StarClan there was an earsplitting yowl and the weight was lifted.
Snowflower opened her eyes and spotted Brackenflame with his teeth sunk into Silverstorm's throat.
"So she was the traitor in the storm. Go figure" Brackenflame hissed, stepping off the unmoving body that was Silverstorm.
Snowflower limped back out onto the battle field and was instantly swept off her paws. She yowled in surprise and looked up to see a black tom, a spitting image of a cat she couldn't place her claw on.
"You killed my father you stupid she-cat! He didn't do anything wrong and you killed him!" he hissed angrily.
Snowflower let out a shocked gasp and was thrown head first into a long lost memory of her apprentice hood.
Snowpaw yowled in agony and writhed under the three tom's claws.
"Gee I don't know if we should be doing this Ottersplash... I mean we all have kits in the nursery now. We wouldn't want to end up in dark forest would we?" the black pelted tom meowed nervously, his claws digging into her flesh.
"Shut up Nettlestorm! Grow some back bone and help me kill this stupid apprentice for what she did to my brother Fishscale" Ottersplash snarled, embedding his hooked claws into her skin.
"You're Nettlestorm's kit?" Snowflower asked softly, trying to soothe the raging tom.
"Shut up! Just shut up! Don't you dare say his name!" the black pelted tom hissed. "Whenever you get to Dark Forest tell those evil cats like you to fear warriors like me, Duststorm!" the black furred tom crowed.
Snowflower felt her fur begin to bristle and she pushed Duststorm off her, growling at him. "I will not lose to some scrubby warrior" She snarled, feeling a familiar surge course through her body as she pinned Duststorm down.
"I know one thing's for sure, that I'm your worse nightmare" Snowflower giggled menacingly, biting savagely into the poor tom's throat, tearing it open. She looked up and noticed that Blueleaf was hobbling to the middle and let out a screech of agony.
Rainstrike came out of hiding and was by her side instantly, sniffing her over. "Great StarClan her kits are coming!" he yowled.
Blueleaf's POV
Blueleaf stopped sorting her herbs and felt something tugging at her fur. She looked around and saw nothing. She let out a sigh and winced in pain as one of her kits kicked inside her.
"Blueleaf..." a voice echoed in her head.
Blueleaf stood up instantly and spotted a faint outline of a dark grey she-cat prancing towards the middle of the clearing, where all the fighting was happening.
"Cinderpaw?" she meowed softly.
Blueleaf began to hobble as fast as she could towards where the dark grey she-cat was.
Blueleaf looked up and spotted the familiar white furred she-cat as she lifted her head from a black pelted tom's throat, the blood dripping from her muzzle.
Blueleaf felt unbearable pain resonate from her stomach and she let out a yowl, scenting Rainstrike by her side instantly,
"Great StarClan her kits are coming!" he meowed loudly.
Blueleaf yowled again as Rainstrike helped her lay down. "I told you to stay in camp my love" Rainstrike fretted.
Blueleaf panted in pain and looked to her mate "I can't exactly disobey my mentor now can I?" she purred with amusement as pain rippled through her stomach.
Blueleaf let out a groan of pain as both RiverClan and ThunderClan gathered around her, blood dripping from every cat.
"Great StarClan this hurt" she muttered as Rainstrike pressed his paws to her belly.
"The first kit is coming Blueleaf. Are you ready?" Rainstrike asked her softly.
Blueleaf nodded and felt another wave of pain ripple through her.
"Push Blueleaf! Push!" Rainstrike instructed.
Blueleaf closed her eyes and began to push, screeching out in agony.
"Nightheart go find a stick, Snowflower when the first kit comes out I want you to nip the sac and lick the kits fur the wrong way" he instructed.
Nightheart was back quickly with a stick as blood dripped from a cut above her eye.
Blueleaf took the stick in her jaw as another wave of pain overtook her. She bit down on the stick and felt it splinter against her clamped jaw.
"It's a she-kit!" Rainstrike announced, pushing the kit to the snowy white queen as she began to fiercely lick the kits fur the wrong way until it squealed in protest.
Pain rippled through her belly and she began to push again, instinct kicking in.
The second and third kits were out easier than the first kit and now they were nuzzled at her belly, feeding from her.
Blueleaf purred and nuzzled the one that looked just like her. "I want her to be Mallowkit." She meowed softly.
"What about the other two she-kits?" Rainstrike asked as he curled around her.
"How about Pebblekit for RiverClan and Moonkit for ThunderClan?" Blueleaf suggested. She saw all the heads around nod in agreement and she purred loudly.
"You see? We can all be friends. Why don't we stop this silly war. We have so many dead cats. Willowflower, Fishscale, Silverstorm, Jaywing, Pebblepelt, Nutleaf, Leopardfang, Duststorm, Dappleflower..." Blueleaf finished sadly, looking around the clearing at every cat.
Snowflower's POV
Snowflower felt something stab at her heart and looked around the clearing, spotting the still body of Dappleflower. She felt warm fur press up against her lovingly and she turned to see Brackenflame, holding up his hind paw.
Snowflower purred softly and looked herself over, she had scratches going up and down her flank, one of her hind paws was at an awkward angle while a couple of her claws were missing. Snowflower let out a hiss of pain as the adrenaline drained from her body, pain replacing it.
"I can't believe what Silverstorm did. I honestly didn't think she would have gotten that bad. I'm just glad I was there to save you." he murmured softly to her.
Snowflower purred loudly and nuzzled her mate watching as Leafstar helped Stormstar up to his paws. "I'm sorry about your mate and kits" Snowflower heard her say.
Snowflower looked to Blueleaf and let out a soft purr. Even though Rainstrike and Blueleaf were medicine cats StarClan had destined them to be together.
"Oh Rainstrike look at how strong Mallowkit is already!" Blueleaf gushed softly to her mate, nuzzling all three of her furry bundles.
Snowflower turned around and began to limp towards her apprentice, who was pretty beaten up after the battle.
"How are you holding Flamepaw?" she asked softly, sniffing had his wounds.
"I'm fine" Flamepaw meowed curtly, looking away from her.
Snowflower looked at her apprentice in surprise and sat down beside him, beginning to clean his wounds. "What's the matter Flamepaw?" she asked, pausing between her licks to ask the question.
Flamepaw let out an exasperated sigh and flopped down on his belly. "It's Dappleflower I didn't know her very well, but she was actually my old mentor back in ShadowClan. When Fallenstreak began to head to moonstone she became a little weird and stopped taking me out training. I just wish I could've saved her" Flamepaw admitted, covering his head with his paws.
Snowflower pinned her ears against her head and looked at the still body of the once beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat. Her body was covered from head to toe in deep gashes that still dripped out blood.
"She hunts in StarClan with Nightblaze now, and I think she's happier there. She would've never been truly happy in ThunderClan without her sister" Snowflower explained to her apprentice.
Flamepaw nodded slowly and let out another sigh.
"So how about when we get back to camp I make you a warrior" Snowflower grinned, looking at her apprentice.
Flamepaw's eye immediately lit up as he thought about becoming a warrior and Snowflower let out a soft purr and spotted Leafstar kinking her tail, signaling her warriors it was time to go.
Flamepaw helped her to her paws and she began to limp towards a certain fiery tom.
Brackenflame swiveled his head towards he and padded quickly towards her.
Snowflower hit the ground before he got to her and began to heave her chest for breath.
"S-Snowflower what's the matter?" Brackenflame asked, trying to nudge her to her feet.
Snowflower opened her mouth to speak, but her lungs burned for the air she was about to put out.
"Snowflower! Please be okay! I need you! Our kits need you!" Brackenflame fretted.
Snowflower lifted her head feebly, scenting her mother as everything began to fade to black.
"Go to sleep little one, I will see you soon."