Warriors: Sounds of the Forest

Chapter Twenty-Three: Blackheart

My heart pounded as I rushed into the medicine den, and it almost stopped when I saw what Foxheart brought me here for...

My kit was laying in the nest that Foxheart had made for her, her fur was now dry but now not only did she look as though she had drown but claw-marks also covered her flank and she was twitching in her sleep; her breath coming in sharp gasps as blood began to come out of the wounds.

"I don't know what happened..." Foxheart mewed "I finally got her out of shock and she had just fallen asleep. a few moments after she had calmed down the wounds just started appearing! every time i get one to stop bleeding another appears, shes loosing to much blood and I don't think shes going to make it..."

I had no idea how this could have happened, was it Starclan saying that Greykit was not meant to be born? No, Starclan would never kill a kit out of cold blood. But Badgersoul would, he had been there when they had been born, and he had likely been watching them ever since.

I padded over to Greykit, his markings that were so much like Tigerfangs now covered in blood as it gushed from any wounds, only a few wounds seemed to be patched up, showing that Foxheart had tried to save him.

Right now the only thing I wanted more than anything was to speak to my kit, with voice, not my tail. So that he could hear me through his dreams and perhaps wake up. But instead all i could do was rap my tail around him and hold him tightly, in hope to make him comfortable in his final moments.

If you can feel my presents... please Greykit,try to wake up...

The small toms twitching slowed to a stop though his breathing stayed slow and raspy. "Ma-ma?" he managed to cry in pain quietly.

I snuggled closer trying to calm him.. i knew he was dying.

"-he said to watch the other kits carefully..." he murmured "... that if the cat speaks another will die-" he broke off and whimpered in pain as a new wound appeared on his pelt, "-please don't leave me! he said hes going to take me away!"

I rested my head on his gently trying to assure him that I would stay. I knew that it was Badgersoul speaking to my kit, killing him in his half consciousness. One day I would get my revenge... I let my eyes reach Foxheart, searching her face for something, but her eyes were staring into the distance as if seeing someone i could not.

Then she seamed to return to her body, "It's ok Blackheart. Starclan wont let him be taken to the dark-forest. When he dies they will be the ones to take him with them."

I could feel my kits breathing slow more, and his eyes flickered open "wheres Tigerfang?" he whimpered "I want to say bye.."

A tear dripped off my mussel onto the cave floor. I wanted to tell him that I didn't know where his father was, that he would be here soon. But he seamed to understand. as he replied quietly.

"Tell him I said goodbye." he whimpered just as his body stilled.

I pulled his body closer, though i knew that in Starclan he would no longer be in pain or in Badgersouls reach i still felt like i was closer to death then the night I lost my voice. I felt myself zoning out, the caves walls becoming a blur. but as a scent reached my nose I was snapped back to life, i listened to his voice from where he was across the camp.

"Wheres Snowstar." he said calmly to Pinefall what apparently arrived just before him.

"Shes in her den, its late so shes probably sleeping." was Pinefalls reply

"Then Blackhearts probably sleeping too.." he yawned " I think ill catch some sleep."

I felt anger rising into me, was that all he would do? Our son just died! and he was going to sleep! My heart ached as I longed to confront him but I did not want to leave my sons body.

"Blackheart?" Foxheart murmured as she approached me "Greykit is dead, even if his body is here he will be with you. And we need to bring him out so we can start the vigil and Snowstar can announce his death.

I stood with anger rising from my pelt and began to walk towards where I heard Tigerfangs voice. He was walking toward the warriors cave but stopped and turned around when he heard me coming.

"Oh! your awake!" he purred as he walked towards me "where are the kits?"

My tail twitched with anger at his ignorance, could he not see the blood beginning to dry on my pelt?

'Where were you!' I said with my twitching tail. 'isnt there supposed to be at least one warrior in camp?'

"Snowstar sent us to train." he replied shocked by my anger. "What happened while we where gone?"

I force myself to keep from lashing at his face with my claws while I replied. 'Greykit is dead! And you weren't even there to say good bye! he asked for you, but I couldn't just leave him there alone!'

"What!" he gasped "where is he?"

'In Foxhearts den, not that you would care, you hardly ever see him anymore, I'm surprised he remembered your name when he died!'

Tigerfang flinched a my words and his tail drooped "I wanted to see them Blackheart, its just that with the prophecy and all-"

'what? you forgot about them? about me?' i lashed 'you thought that your little powers where more important then our kits?!'

"I did it for the you and the kits!" he snarled as he lost his temper "i thought you would understand all that! and they aren't even my kits! They are Whitestars!"

My tail drooped as i let him continue, he was right, but if he couldn't understand that they didn't know that, and that our love meant they where his to, that meant that we weren't meant to be together; and that I didn't belong here.'Fine' i replied when he stopped yowling 'since you don't love them, or me, any more ill just have to take them and leave. Its clear i was never meant to be in this clan anyway, i cant even help with anything and the only one who treats me like a warrior is Foxheart.'

My eyes searched his expression as he replied "I never said I didn't love you.." he sighed "I'm just tired.. and I don't want you or the kits to leave."

In my anger I ranted on 'Its too late now Tigerfang, I'm leaving this clan! I'm no use to it anyway. And if all you think these kits are is that they are Whitestars kits then you never meant it when you said that we could be mates, when you told me you would protect us from him and anyone else trying to harm us. well guess what? it was their father who killed Greykit! and you were not there to protect him!' i knew i was being unreasonable, and that Tigerfang could not have stopped it even with his powers but still, he had hardly cared that Greykit was dead anyway. 'I'm going to leave with my kits tonight!, and I'm taking Greykits body with me, I will not have him buried on the soil of the territory owned by the cat who killed him!'

"This isn't Windclan territory Blackheart!" Tigerfang grunted "Whitestar gave it to us when he was leader, and its not Riverclans, or Thunderclans, its our clans."

'Not mine any more, and I bet that the other clans will take it back the moment the prophecy is over! and then my kit will be left in territory handed you to that murderer!'

I turned before he could reply again and lashed my tail in a last goodbye. 'Goodbye Tigerfang, we cannot be mates anymore if you don't love me enough to love my kits. I'm leaving this clan for good you may as well tell Snowstar for me because i wont wait another moment for you to tell me what to do.' and with that i returned to the medicine cat den and looked at Foxheart, who had seemed know what had happened.

Greykits body had been washed and she had it moved to a clean nest but before I could explain to her I was taking him with me as I left she spoke. "Ill carry him for you Blackheart, I watched you and Tigerfang and I'm not going to stop you from leaving. After you saved me from Whitestars rein in Windclan I could not pay you enough for your kindness. And if I wasn't this clans medicine cat I would probably come with you."

I nodded and the two of us gathered my other kits and began to lead them back into Thunderclan territory... where they had belonged since their kitting.