The next morning, I woke Seastorm, and we went outside. Smokefur had accepted that the tabby was dead, but she had still named him: Brightkit, in hopes that he would be welcomed brightly in StarClan.

I went to visit Smokefur. Mistkit was trying to get her mother to play with her, but Smokefur ignored her completely, staring out into the sky. I gently took Mistkit away and looked into her blue eyes.

"Why isn't Smokefur playing?" she asked loudly. I sighed. It was time to tell her the truth.

"Your brother, Brightkit, died as soon as he was born. Smokefur thinks it is her fault he died."

"I had a brother?" Mistkit murmured wonderingly. I waited. Best to let her figure it out in her own time. Mistkit stared at her paws.

"So Mother misses Brightkit, and that's why she won't play with me?" she asked, and I could detect a hint of anger in her voice.

"Well…" I said, embarrassed. "She just needs to get used to it," I finished lamely. I had been telling myself that long into the night. Mistkit didn't move, but the hair on the back of her neck rose slightly. "Mistkit, don't be mad. It was her first litter—"

"Leave me alone," Mistkit growled. I padded slowly off, obedient. Seastorm padded up.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Mistkit feels like Smokefur is doing something wrong by mourning." Seastorm pondered this for a moment.

"Why?"

"Smokefur isn't playing with her, or even taking any notice of her. She feels like that's a crime."

"It isn't, is it?" I spun around to see Smokefur making her way over.

"No, it's not, though you could do to look at her once and a while," I snapped. Then I sighed. "I'm sorry, Smokefur. I just can hardly stand to see Mistkit ignored—I mean, disappointed like this," I finished hurriedly. Smokefur sat down.

"No, you're right. She won't survive if I don't take proper care of her. Thanks, Rainpath." And she was gone.

That afternoon, I saw clouds on the horizon.

"It's going to rain tomorrow," I told Seastorm. She nodded. Rockfur came up behind us.

"Could I talk to Rainpath for a moment, Seastorm?" he asked. Seastorm nodded slyly, and she padded away smiling knowingly. Rockfur turned to me.

"This isn't what you think it is," he said quickly. "Redstripe is being a real bother. He's really interested in this Wildfur, and he keeps staring at Spottedpelt. He keeps ignoring me, and as though I'm young and unintelligent, like a kit."

"I don't think that," I told him quickly. He nodded.

"Oh, I know. That's why I like you. But he… he's kind of growing farther and farther away from me," he finished. I could understand. It was hard. I was saved from answering, of course, by Thistlepaw.

"Can we hunt?" she asked. I nodded, looking questioningly at Rockfur.

"Go on," he told me.

I turned again to Thistlepaw. "Sure." We slipped out the entrance. I looked up at the sky. It was a clear evening, but it would be dark soon.

"We'd better hurry," I said. The rest of the clan would be coming back soon, and some dangerous animals like foxes and owls come out at night. Thistlepaw nodded and sniffed the air.

"Mouse," she murmured. I opened my mouth and let the evening breeze wash over my scent glands. There was definitely mouse, and we were downwind. Thistlepaw dropped to a hunter's crouch, and crept forward.

Suddenly I heard a loud hoot. I leaped forward, but it was too late. Thistlepaw was dangling from the owl's talons, being carried gradually. I jumped and scratched the owl's underbelly. It hooted once more, and dropped Thistlepaw. She thudded on the soft ground, unmoving.

"Thistlepaw? Thistlepaw!"

The mouse had long gone.

Back at camp, all cats that could came and gathered around Thistlepaw's body to mourn. Mistfur, who was her mother, stayed longest. I wanted to stay as well, but eventually, everyone drifted off to their dens.

I nudged Thistlepaw's body again, but it had gone cold long ago. The gash along her side looked nasty yellow, and oozed blood. Dawnflower had not bothered stitching it up, as she had been long dead when I got back to camp. Thistlepaw now lay dead in front of me, but all the same, Mistfur had wanted to stay with her.

I crept back to the warrior's den. A few warriors were asleep, but Seastorm wasn't.

"Jetfur was at the Gathering. I told her you'd be there next time," she said. I nodded dully. I had lost my sister, my love, and my apprentice. How many more? My stomach twitched, and at first I thought I was just hungry. I hadn't eaten anything since I came back with Thistlepaw. But there it was again. I got up abruptly.

"I'm going to get something to eat," I said, making up an excuse. Seastorm nodded sleepily and lay down. I trotted off, not toward the fresh-kill pile, but toward Dawnflower's den. She looked up from organizing herbs. Larkpaw slept at her feet.

"Oh, hello, Rainpath! I was just going to go to sleep. Is something wrong?" Dawnflower asked, getting to her paws.

"Oh, nothing's wrong," I said hastily. "I just felt a twitch in my stomach and I wanted to know what it was." There was a twinkle in Dawnflower's eye.

"You've been hanging out with Rockfur, haven't you?" she asked. I nodded, confused. "I think I know what it is. Come with me." I followed her over to her place where there were nests where cats could heal. I lay down obediently. She pressed her nose to my belly, and then took it off.

"Rainpath," she said seriously. "You're going to have kits."

Kits! Rockfur's, I was sure. I trotted out happily. The moon was glowing, the owls were hooting, and I was having kits. Suddenly, a voice spoke in my ear. Blackclaw's voice, long lost.

"There will be two who hold the power to bring the lost to the found and change the clans as you know them forever."

The End