Snowcrystal: Thanks for reviewing the new chapter so quickly, you're amazing~! - Really. I appreciate the support and positive feedback more than you know ^-^

Cinderfire16: Thank you for the review! I loooove Whitepaw ;-; I liked him in the original, I was always upset that they put him in the allegiances just to kill him later in the book... Also I'm trying to give Leopardfur a little bit more dimension, you know? I want to develop her into a more rounded character that's (hopefully) a little more likeable xD

Thank you all for reading! I'm already working on Chapter 8~!

Let me know what you think of this chapter if you'd like, I love you all!

Chapter 7

Bluefur couldn't sleep. She could tell by the terseness in his muscles that Oakheart couldn't either, though the kits had passed out long ago. Every warrior had their eyes or ears strained to the entrance of the warriors' den, because even though Crookedstar had ordered them to get rest, no cat could sleep knowing that Willowbreeze still had not finished her kitting. Finally, Bluefur couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm going to go check on her."

"Bluefur, wait…" Oakheart's meow fell on deaf ears as Bluefur slipped nimbly out of his nest and the warriors' den. Crookedstar was nowhere to be found, and with a jolt of panic, Bluefur raced to the nursery. No…!

She nearly collided with Mudfur in the entrance. The former warrior bowed his head as he recognized her. "I was just on my way to fetch you," he murmured. "Willowbreeze asked for you. Come."

Bluefur pushed past the medicine cat apprentice and thrust her way to Willowbreeze's side. Crookedstar lay beside her, drawing his tongue gently across her ears.

"Willowbreeze…" Bluefur crouched in front of her friend, her eyes dark with worry. "How do you feel?"

The pretty tabby cracked open her amber eyes, and Bluefur was taken aback by the joy within them. "Aren't our kits… aren't they beautiful?" Her meow was little more than a raspy breath. Bluefur ducked her head to examine the kits. Two, she realized, were still—already among StarClan's ranks.

"They're perfect," Bluefur choked out.

Willowbreeze purred raggedly. "I'll join them soon," she whispered. "But…" Her exhausted gaze fell to her surviving kit, a tiny silver she-cat that shone like moonlight beside her brown-furred siblings. "It will be a long time before Silverkit joins us, so I…" She broke off into a fit of coughing. Crookedstar redoubled his soothing licks, casting a desperate glance at Brambleberry. But the medicine cat sat to the side, her head bowed and her eyes resigned.

When she'd recovered her breath, Willowbreeze met Bluefur's gaze again. "I'd like for you to nurse her, Bluefur. I know that's… I know it's asking a lot, because you've already got four to feed, but…"

Bluefur slapped her tail across the silver queen's muzzle. "How could I say no?" She bowed her head to lick the soft fur between Willowbreeze's ear. "You were my first friend in RiverClan, I don't think I could have ever made it to where I am now without you, Willowbreeze. I would do anything for you."

Relief tempered the fatigue in Willowbreeze's eyes. "Thank you, Bluefur…"

Crookedstar echoed her, bowing his head, "Thank you."

Bluefur stayed with them until Willowbreeze's final moment, and when Graypool came to help Mudfur carry her body out of the nursery, Bluefur slipped into the queen's nest and curled around the tiny remaining kit.

"Hush now," she crooned gently. "Willowbreeze will always be with us, watching from Silverpelt. There's no need to cry, little one." When she'd settled and begun nursing, Oakheart stuck his head in. His eyes were dark and swirled with too many emotions to name.

"Sedgenose is with the kits," he murmured. The great warrior padded to her side, his eyes softening as he gazed at the tiny she-kit. "Does she have a name?"

"Yes," answered Bluefur. "Willowbreeze named her Silverkit."

"I'm sorry," he mewed softly. "I know you two were close… The whole of RiverClan mourns her loss."

"She wouldn't want us to mourn too long," Bluefur swallowed hard, feeling fresh sorrow bubbling in her chest. "She is among our ancestors now, with my sister and her other two kits. And part of her lives on in Silverkit."

"And in all of us," Oakheart added. "Because we will never forget her."

We will meet again, Willowbreeze, hunting among the stars…

Oakheart woke with a sneeze that left his whiskers trembling. Pricking his ears curiously, the reddish brown warrior shoulders his way out of the warriors' den. His heart soared at the breeze that greeted him. The first thaw is coming! He shook the stray pieces of reads and bracken from his broad shoulders and padded to greet Timberfur at the fresh-kill pile. The old warrior looked a little younger, he realized, though the gray in his muzzle shone in the pre-dawn light.

"Thaw's coming," Oakheart rumbled in greeting. "Big plans for the patrols today?"

Timberfur nodded. "Big hunting plans," he agreed. "The river will be full of fish."

Oakheart's focus drifted away from the old deputy as a bundle of silver fur cannoned out of the nursery. It was followed closely by a frantic Mistykit.

"Wait, Silverkit! Bluefur will have our tails if she wakes up and we've left the nursery!"

Sorrelkit strolled out behind his sister, his tail curled and his whisker twitching. Oakheart was ready to intercept the ever-energetic Silverkit when she fetched up on something else. Oakheart's ears pricked curiously. It had been nearly two moons since Silverkit had been born, and Crookedstar had avoided her devoutly. Now, as she blinked up at him through curious green eyes—the same green as his own—Oakheart wondered where his brother could possibly hide.

"Sorry Crookedstar!" Mistykit caught up to them before Crookedstar regained his composure.

He would be shocked, Oakheart thought bitterly, he's never been to the nursery to even see that she looks just like Willowbreeze.

Stonekit came trotting up behind them, casting a glare at Sorrelkit over his shoulder. "We're going back to the nursery," he explained apologetically, ushering Silverkit ahead of him with a gentle nudge. He added in an undertone to Mistykit, "Bluefur isn't pleased!"

With a lash of his tail, Oakheart joined his brother beneath the arching roots of the great willow. "What in StarClan's name was that?"

Crookedstar started, as if he hadn't seen Oakheart stalking towards him. Instead of answering, he looked away.

"Crookedstar, you're acting like spoiled apprentice!" Duskfall and Loudbelly looked up curiously from the fresh-kill pile. Oakheart swept on, heedless of who saw or heard him speaking to their Clan leader. "Worse," he corrected himself bitterly. "You're acting like Rainflower."

Crookedstar's claws glinted in the sunlight. "Don't compare me to her," he growled softly. "I…"

"You what?" Oakheart challenged him. "You're ignoring Silverkit like she's made of smoke. Do you remember how it felt when Rainflower abandoned you? How you longed for family that refused to acknowledge you?"

Without any warning, Crookedstar lunged. Oakheart was bowled off his paws, but didn't let his brother keep the advantage. He let their weight carry them over and over until he managed to spring away. Crokkedstar was on him again like lightning, but Oakheart was ready this time. He spit defiantly as he dodged blow after blow, keeping his claws sheathed as he rounded on his leader in an attack of his own.

"It's not fair to Silverkit," he growled furiously. "And it's not fair to Willowbreeze!"

He felt the familiar sting of claws as his brother swiped at his ear, and scarlet drops spun from his head as he shook it with an irate snarl. Before he could retaliate, something shouldered in between them.

"Do you both have minnows for brains?" Bluefur swept a gaze as cold as ice between the two toms. Oakheart made a mental note to congratulate her on using a RiverClan figure of speech. He glanced guiltily to the side and saw Silverkit cowering between her adopted brothers while Shiverkit tried to sooth her. Crookedstar looked as if he had seen the sun for the first time.

"Go on," Oakheart stepped around his mate to give Crookedstar an encouraging head-butt. "Apologize and introduce yourself. She needs you."

He watched fondly as his brother approached the kits. "I'm sorry, little one," he rumbled softly. "I didn't mean to scare you. It wasn't a real fight—we were only playing."

"You're Crookedstar," Silverkit mewled with wonder.

"Yes," Crookedstar dipped his head. "And I'm your father."

Fear forgotten, Silverkit jumped straight into the air. "You are?!" She spun to face Bluefur. "Is he really?"

Oakheart paws tingled with fresh affectionate for his mate when he saw her eyes soften. "Yes, Silverkit," she mewed, vague amusement layering her tones. "He loved Willowbreeze more than any cat in the entire forest, and that's how you came about."

Stonekit scrunched his nose. "Eww."

"I think it's cute," Mistykit sighed dreamily.

"Whoa, whoa," Oakheart fixed his daughter with a stern look. "You're a hundred moons too young to think about stuff like that."

Bluefur rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright, back to the nursery. Silverkit has to eat before you start playing."

Sighs and complaints followed Bluefur all the way back to the nursery, leaving Crookedstar and Oakheart alone near the edge of the camp.

"Thank you."

Oakheart shrugged. "It's what littermates are for. I'll always do what I think is best for you, Crookedstar, no matter what rank you hold in our Clan." He red-furred warrior flicked his ears. "Speaking of doing what's best… the thaw is here."

"I can feel it," Crookedstar agreed, flexing his shoulders. "It's time to take Sunningrocks back."