"Starclan honors your loyalty and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Gorgeclan," Blazestar laid his head on the new warrior's shoulder and she licked his shoulder.
"Birdheart! Birdheart!" Owlscar was the first to reach his daughter, nuzzling her and purring, "I'm so proud of you." Birdheart laughed and pulled away, "I'm not a kit anymore!" Owlscar's face fell, "I wish that Stormfeather was here to see this. Fernstride and Mudkit should be getting their warrior names today too." Birdheart touched her nose to her father's cheek, "They are watching over us now. One day we will see them again." Owlscar smiled and licked her forehead, "I love you Birdheart."
"I love you too," she replied, smiling.
"Congratulations Birdheart!" Blackdapple touched her nose to her former apprentice's. Birdheart purred, "Thank you!"
"Not bad," Birdheart turned to see Batfright and Lionfur; Lionfur had spoken. She smiled at them, "Thanks." Batfright nodded, "I've got to go on a hunting patrol with Owlscar and Pebblesong. I'll see you two later!" Lionfur and Birdheart watched him go, sharing a chuckle as the little black tom walked beside Pebblesong, striking up a conversation right away.
"He's smitten, my brother," Lionfur said. Birdheart laughed, but suddenly felt shy. She glanced at Lionfur, who smiled warmly, "Want to go for a walk?"
"Sure," she said, following him out of camp. They walked side by side. For a while, they didn't speak. Suddenly Lionfur turned to her, "There's something I want to ask you."
"What is it?" Birdheart asked, her heartbeat quickening.
"I know we're both young and have a lot of life ahead of us," Lionfur said, "but I don't want to wait. There's no other cat that I want to be with. Birdheart, will you be my mate?" Birdheart stared at him, her eyes shining. She reached out and touched her nose to his, "Yes." Lionfur smiled, sitting beside her, "You've made me very happy just now." She laughed and twined her tail with his, leaning against his shoulder. Lionfur purred, licking her cheek, "I love you." She looked up at him, "I love you too."
*3 moons later
"I'm hungry!"
"Webkit's poking me!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
Birdheart growled slightly, flattening her ears. Rainsong's two moon old toms Webkit, Windkit, and Wolfkit were always complaining or fighting! Pebblesong came to sit by Birdheart, "Want to come out into camp with me? I think even my little ones are annoyed, and they aren't even born!" Birdheart smiled, looking at her swollen belly, "I don't think mine like it either!" The two she-cats left the nursery, going to sit near the empty apprentices' den.
"I can't wait until your kits are born!" Pebblesong said. "I think you're going to have a couple little she-cats that will be as sweet as honey!"
"Your kits will be too!" Birdheart insisted. Pebblesong smiled, "I wonder if they'll look more like me or Batfright. Imagine a little black tom just like him running around!" Birdheart purred, but then groaned. A sharp pain went through her whole body and she gasped, "My kits are coming!" Pebblesong gasped and scrambled up, "I'll get Raccoontail!" Birdheart groaned in response, getting down on her side. The pain was like nothing she had even experienced before. Raccoontail arrived and spoke to her calmly, "Birdheart, eat these. Pebblesong, fetch Lionfur from his border patrol." Birdheart saw the she-cat racing away out of the corner of her eye as she ate the herbs and gasped as another wave of pain overtook her. Raccoontail's voice seemed to be coming from a long way away, "Just stay calm Birdheart. You're doing great." Willowgaze had come over and started to lick her head, "You're doing well little one. Just keep breathing." Birdheart clenched her teeth, another wave of pain rushing through her body.
Time blurred and soon, Willowgaze was supporting her back to the nursery. Birdheart practically collapsed into her nest, and another moment later, she felt a small, warm body pressed against her. She looked down and purred weakly. There was only one she-cat, not quite as Pebblesong had predicted. She was bright ginger, a little version of Birdheart. Lionfur came into the nursery; he had arrived for the end of the birth, barely having any time to fuss over her. Now he came and laid down next to his mate, gazing at their kit, "She's beautiful." Birdheart purred, "What shall we name her?"
"How about Brightkit?" Lionfur suggested. She nodded, "I like that." Lionfur smiled and began to groom her fur, "I'm so proud of you. I love you." Birdheart smiled and closed her eyes, barely managing to whisper "I love you" back before she fell asleep.
The first snow came a moon later and sickness entered camp. Birdheart soon found herself in the medicine den, coughing up a storm. She looked down at her belly, where Brightkit was.
"Mama, my throat hurts," she whined weakly, burrowing into Birdheart's fur. Birdheart pulled her kit toward her, looking over at the other sick cats: Shadethorn, Thornflight, and Dustclaw. She sighed and it quickly turned into a cough. She tried to relax and eventually fell into a troubled sleep, thinking, "Oh Starclan, please help us."
Birdheart awoke suddenly, feeling like something was very wrong. She looked around, but nothing seemed out of place. She looked down, dread starting to fill her.
"No!" she yowled, shaking Brightkit with a paw. The kit didn't respond, her body cold and her usually sparkling yellow eyes empty.
"No, no, no!" Birdheart cried, pulling her little kit's body to her. "Please Starclan, don't take her!" Raccoontail, hearing her cries, ran over and sniffed Brightkit. He looked up at Birdheart and shook his head slightly. She cried out, holding her daughter's body to her, her little Brightkit. She could hear the others talking and someone leaving the den, but she didn't care. All that mattered was the small, cold body against her fur. She closed her eyes, her body shaking. She felt someone come beside her; she looked up to see Lionfur and Owlscar. Lionfur pressed himself against her, obviously filled with grief. Owlscar started to groom her ears, but Birdheart was hardly comforted. All she knew was that Brighkit, her little, sweet, beautiful daughter, was dead.
*A few days later
Birdheart sat outside the warriors' den, staring at the full moon. It was lightly snowing and it was beautiful. At least, it could have been. She stood and headed back to her nest beside Lionfur and curled up. She closed her eyes, ready for another troubled sleep.
"Birdheart!" Birdheart opened her eyes.
"No!" she cried. "Why can't you leave me alone?!" Stormfeather looked worse than ever. Her yellow eyes blazed with fury, and she stood tall and proud. She hissed in her daughter's face, "Why won't you break?! Your patrol let Fernstride die! The whole clan left Mudkit and me to die! And now you've lost Brightkit, your daughter, your joy! Why won't you join me?!" Birdheart almost turned and ran, but then suddenly remembered her warrior ceremony.
"Starclan honors your loyalty and courage," she whispered. She closed her eyes then opened them; they were just as striking as her mother's, but they shone with courage, not fury.
"I will never turn against my clanmates!" Birdheart declared, stepping toward Stormfeather. "They are kind, loyal, and my family! I may have lost many cats I love, but I have the support and love of my father, my clanmates, and my mate! I will never join you!" Stormfeather glared at her, baring her teeth. Birdheart growled, unsheathing her claws. Stormfeather suddenly turned and walked away, never looking back. Birdheart turned and walked in the opposite direction, heading toward the light. This time, when she crossed for the border, she didn't wake up. She looked around, "Starclan!"
"That's right my dear sister," Birdheart turned to see Fernstride. She was sitting there with two kits, one brown and one bright ginger. Birdheart ran to her sister, pressing her pelt to hers. She was bigger than her now, but that didn't matter. She looked down at the kits, and felt like crying.
"Mudkit," she whispered. Her brother smiled and touched his nose to hers, "I've missed you."
"And I you," Birdheart said, then turned to Brightkit. "Brightkit. Oh Brightkit!" Brightkit pressed herself against her mother, closing her eyes for a moment. She then looked up at her, "I love you." Birdheart smiled, her eyes filled with tears, "I love you so much."
"Stormfeather won't bother you anymore," Fernstride said when Birdheart straightened up. "She knows she can't break you. I'm proud of you Birdheart." Birdheart nodded, looking at her family, "Do I have to leave? I don't want to lose you again!" Mudkit smiled, "We're watching over you from Starclan." Brightkit nodded, "You will never lose us. We'll be here when you come." Birdheart nodded, "Goodbye for now." Fernstride touched her nose to her sister's one more time, then Birdheart closed her eyes. She awoke in her nest, sunlight filtering in through the entrance of the warriors' den. She got up and went into the camp.
"Birdheart!" Lionfur ran over to her. "You're finally up!" Birdheart smiled, touching her nose to her mate's, "Of course. Now, how will we serve the clan today?"
Author's Note: This was such a fun challenge! Mothers are one of the most influential people in your life and I'm so proud of Birdheart for standing up for what she believed. I hope you enjoyed this short story and have a wonderful day.