End of a Lifetime

Prologue

Prologue

The rising moon glowed over the silent river and sleeping forest as a short furred tomcat crept toward his meeting place. A short while away, a formerly lithe she-cat waddled toward that same meeting place, her belly round and heavy with kits. She sat down in the dark, between the river and the boathouse. She only had to wait a few heartbeats, as the tom soon arrived. He murmured, "My love, I didn't expect you to come. I thought your clan would make sure you got your rest. You are so close to giving birth, you don't need to be up and about." His eyes were troubled.

The she-cat narrowed her own eyes and said, "I know you worry for me, but I couldn't stay away. I haven't seen you in so long."

The tom blinked and sighed. "I know, I just want you to be safe." The she-cat purred and pressed her nose to his and he ran his jaw along hers. The tom seemed to be thinking. After a moment of quiet, the tom whispered, "My love, please go home, and back to your den. You need your sleep. You will need your energy later."

She closed her eyes and murmured, "Fine. I do want the kits to be healthy." The she-cat licked her mate's ear and padded off quietly, back to Riverclan.

~~~

1 moon later, in Thunderclan

"I wish Ivywing would be more quiet. Starclan can probably hear her all the way from where they sit." Muttered Venomclaw, an old tan tomcat.

Snowpaw, a very light grey she-cat, plucked a flea from the base of her tail and answered, "You know she can't help it, Venomclaw. It's not like she wanted to sit in the nursery all day, and in horrible pain, too."

Venomclaw scowled and went on as if she hadn't spoken. "Stormflame needs to stop pacing. If he goes on much longer, he'll wear a hole in the ground. I'd expect a son of mine not to be so nervous."

Snowpaw continued to clean her fur, only pausing to say, "Stormflame knows Spottedpool and Toadpaw are doing their best. He's just skittish, that's all."

Venomclaw narrowed his eyes and growled, "Did I ask you?"

"No."

"Then don't add your voice to this racket."Snowpaw stuck her tongue out at him and got up to go to the Apprentice's Den. The sun began to sink through the trees outside the camp.