A Fresh Start

Chapter 5

Silverwind let out a piercing screech. "No!" She yelped. She buried her nose in Grassheart's fur, which felt deathly cold, as tears rolled down her muzzle. 

Leafcloud lightly pressed her tail tip on Silverwind's shoulder. "She was killed by a monster for getting too close to the Roaringpath," she meowed. 

"She was so young!" Silverwind muttered. 

"She fulfilled what she came here for and will forever watch over our Clan," Leafcloud meowed. 

"It's time for the elders to go bury Grassheart," Squirrelfur murmured in Silverwind's ear.

Silverwind heard a screech come from the nursery as Leafcloud's tail disappeared into the nursery. "Goldenheart," Silverwind muttered. By the time the screeching stopped dawn light was spreading across camp. Silverwind entered the nursery. She looked at the kits and felt filled with warmth. They'd already started suckling at the curve in Goldenheart's stomach. One is a silver tom with big white spots. Another is a white tom. The last one is a silver she-cat with white ears. The silver tom with big white spots looks weaker than the rest. He probably won't make it to green-leaf. She thought solemnly.

Silverwind saw Sootheart behind Goldenheart, grooming her pelt. Silverwind sat down watching Goldenheart and the kits as Squirrelfur gave Silverwind comforting licks on her shoulder until she dozed off.

The next day Silverwind sat inside with Squirrelfur watching Goldenheart and her kits. As Sootheart and Squirrelfur talked in hushed voices Goldenheart murmured to Silverwind, "While you were asleep this morning we decided names." 

"What are they?" Silverwind asked. 

Goldenheart gestured to the weaker silver tom. "That's Snowkit, the she-cats name is Silverkit and the white toms name is Frostkit." Goldenheart looked up at Silverwind.

"You named one of your kits after me?" Silverwind muttered, shocked. 

Goldenheart nodded. "She reminded me of you," she replied.

Silverwind saw Squirrelfur about to leave. "Where are you going?" She asked. 

"Birchpaw," he replied. "I gave him half the day off." 

"I'm going to get you a thrush and some borage, Goldenheart," Sootheart meowed.

When they were both gone Goldenheart meowed, "So, Squirrelfur, huh?" 

Silverwind looked at her. "So, Sootheart, huh?" She challenged. 

"I'm happy for you," Goldenheart meowed. "I knew he liked you for a while."

Later that day, after Silverwind ate, when Squirrelfur finally came back he started to come over to Silverwind while she soaked her swollen belly in the sunset sky when Icepaw started talking to him. He sat down with Icepaw and shared the meal with her. Suddenly Silverwind felt pain itch in her fur as she looked at Icepaw. The shade of gray in her pelt reminded Silverwind of Grassheart. She caught Squirrelfur glance in her direction. Silverwind closed the eye she had open as a tear rolled out of it. Silverwind was startled when she heard Goldenheart's voice. "Jealous?" Silverwind opened an eye to see Goldenheart's face near hers. "Don't worry, they're asleep," she meowed. 

"No. Icepaw just reminds me of..." Silverwind responded. 

"We should be going to sleep Silverwind," Goldenheart meowed. 

"Okay," Silverwind agreed. She followed Goldenheart into the nursery. She had trouble falling asleep at first but finally fell into a dream.

Silverwind was at Sunnystones watching two kits and a bracken colored tom cross the frozen stream border. They faded away and it was new-leaf on Sunnystones. Silverwind saw cats fighting in the clearing and saw the bracken colored tom get killed by a boulder falling on him. All the cats disappeared from the clearing and Silverwind saw the outline of a bluish-gray she-cat walk up to her. "Moonstar!" Silverwind exclaimed. 

"You see, Silverwind, I abandoned my kits, gave them to my mate in WaterClan. You overcame the love you had in WaterClan. I never want you to abandon your kits like that, even if you must. Never abandon your mate, Squirrelfur, even if you're too busy or become leader. Promise me that," Moonstar meowed. 

"I understand Moonstar; I promise," Silverwind promised. 

Moonstar nodded. "Good," she meowed. "Now you must leave. Your kits will be here soon."

The next day Silverwind stayed in the nursery again. Leafcloud kept checking in the nursery and just ended up staying and talking with Silverwind and Goldenheart. About halfway through the day, while Squirrelfur was on hunting patrol, gripping pains made Silverwind gasp with shock. "Leafcloud..." she meowed. 

"Yes?" Leafcloud asked. 

"Leafcloud!" Silverwind said louder. 

"Oh no," Leafcloud and Goldenheart gasped. "I'll be right back Silverwind!"

A minute later Leafcloud came back with a bundle of herbs Silverwind didn't have time to recognize. "Eat these!" Leafcloud ordered. Silverwind chewed up the herbs not wincing on the taste. "Somebody get Squirrelfur!" Leafcloud meowed. Out of the corner of her eye Silverwind saw Fernclaw staring at her. 

"I will! I will!" Goldenheart meowed, running out if the nursery. Minutes later Goldenheart returned, Squirrelfur right behind her. 

"Silverwind!" Squirrelfur meowed. Silverwind have him a glance. He nodded. Silverwind let out a screech, and then it started.