Warrior Cats: Sky of Storms

Chapter 12

Echowing watched Wavefire leave the camp. It was the half-moon and it was time to visit the Moonstone to speak with StarClan.

Waterstorm had received his nine lives a while ago and was now Waterstar. Bluetail was officially deputy and the father of a second litter.

Sunbeam had kitted three kits but two were born dead. Sunbeam was overwhelmed by sadness at the loss of her kits, but she still put on a brave face for Wishkit.

Echowing spent more and more time outside, away from the kits that trampled her in the night.

Echowing was afraid that the other medicine cats would learn about Wavefire's secret kits, and her stomach had grown increasingly swollen.

Waterstar sat beneath the Highrock, talking with Dawnflower. Echowing noticed him talking to her more and more often.

Echowing felt her gaze burning through Waterstar, and he looked up at her, but she turned away, acting as if she was looking at the sky.

Dawnflower nudged him, and Waterstar nodded and walked up to her. Echowing started to groom her chest to give her an excuse not to be awkward.

Waterstar stopped in front of her and said, "Hey." Echowing looked up from her grooming but didn't respond.

"How are you doing?" Waterstar asked. Echowing felt anger bubble inside of her. He was acting as if nothing had happened!

"Worse, now that you're here." She said.

Waterstar winced, but he said, "I deserve that."

The half-moon shined brightly on them, and Echowing heard Mudfur's voice whisper, Let him talk. We are all watching.

She looked up to see that Mudfur was right. It seemed as if the stars were pressing in around them, and one shined more brightly than any other.

"Echowing," Waterstar said, "I need to talk to you."

She hissed at him. "What is there to talk about? You obviously don't like me. You stripped me away from my rank and betrayed me! How could I have ever trusted you? You do everything for your own reasons!"

Waterstar stepped forward, holding a paw out, but she shoved it away. "Why don't you go spend your life with Dawnflower? She's perfect for you, and we both know I'm not!"

Echowing yowled, feeling the kits wiggle in her belly. "I thought I knew you, Waterstorm. Your new power makes you think you can do anything without someone getting mad at you!"
Waterstar opened his mouth, his eyes growing red and he took another step forward, but Echowing kept yelling. "My kits won't grow up with a father who loves them, because you don't love them! YOU DON'T LOVE ME!"

She turned and stormed into the nursery, disrupting the kits from their sleep. Mosspelt and Sunbeam looked up, and footsteps sounded at the entrance, then came a voice Echowing couldn't hear.

Sunbeam, Mosspelt, and the three kits trampled out of the den, and Waterstar walked in. Echowing sat up, her eyes brimming with tears.

He stood in front of her until his face was an inch away from hers and said, "I'm so sorry you had to deal with all that pain alone. I never wanted to hurt you but knew you weren't happy. I thought what I did what fix everything, but it only made it worse."

He put her paw on hers, his gaze soft. "I will always love you. No matter what, even if it feels like I never will again. I am so sorry, but I will love you and our kits all the same."

Forgive him. Mudfur's voice echoed. It's hard being the new leader, and having a relationship falling apart is a lot harder when dealing with a whole Clan.