Bearheart's Shame

Chapter 23

"My kit!" Bearheart yowled.

Tulipkit wasn't at her stomach. She was gone. Nowhere to be found.

Boulderfrost jerked up beside her, eyes darting around.

"What?!" The queen was bristling, hackles risen.

Flyfeather curled her tail around her kits, her lips drawn back in a snarl.

Bearheart jumped to her paws, knocking Streamkit off of her stomach. The kit mewled loudly, tail flicking irritatedly.

"Watch them!" Bearheart called back into the nursery as she raced out.

Heart pounding, she looked around. Darkness shrouded the camp, showing Bearheart that night had not passed.

Heronflight was on guard duty and spotted Bearheart.

"Bearheart? What's wrong?" Heronflight laid her tail across Bearheart's fluffy back, which was bristling.

"Tulipkit is missing!"

Heronflight's eyes stretched wide.

"I'll talk to your other kits, see if they know anything. You should see Streamstar, then Riverscar. But you need to stay calm. We'll find her, I promise." Heronflight dashed away toward the spare den, hackles high.

Bearheart charged toward the leader's den, waking up cats as she raced past.

"What's going on?"

"Is there an attack?"

Bearheart ignored every comment made as she slid to a halt outside of Streamstar's den.

The leader was already awake, but he grumbled and made his way outside.

"Tulipkit is gone!" Bearheart yowled.

Streamstar was jerked into reality and yowled, "Moonclan!"

The few who weren't awake yet raced from their dens, pelts bristling.

"Search your dens! Tulipkit is missing!" Streamstar tipped his head up, eyes glazed over with fear.

Bearheart whipped around, her eyes set on the spare den. Snowshadow pelted from it.

"Silverwisp isn't in the den!"

Bearheart growled quietly, suspicion rising in her stomach. Silverwisp had been acting strange the night before, always staring interestedly at the kits, more so than was normal. Bearheart's sneaking suspicion hardened into certainty when she noticed a tuft of silver fur on a prickly reed near the entrance to the camp.

Turning back to Streamstar, she snarled, "I want to take a patrol to find Silverwisp. She took Tulipkit."

Streamstar gasped and nodded, leaping onto the Moss Rock. His eyes glinted in the slight moonlight provided by the claw scratch moon.

"Sandfeather, Heronflight, Larkmask and Addersplash. I want you to accompany Bearheart to find Silverwisp and Tulipkit. Go! Now!" Streamstar glared down at his clan.

The named warriors nodded and jogged up to Bearheart. She growled quietly and barged from the camp.

She dropped her nose to the ground, Silverwisp's scent staying strong in her nose.

She followed it to the border, realizing Silverwisp's path.

"She took Tulipkit to Thornclan. We have to go there."

The patrol behind her nodded, eyes like slits.

Bearheart plunged into the water, lifting her chin to keep her head dry. She emerged from the river on the other side and shook off, splattering her patrol with water.

She led them through the familiar territory, the scents kind to her nose. Bearheart relished the memories for a minute before picking up the pace.

Shouldering her way into the Thornclan camp, Bearheart glared at the warriors.

She heard a gasp come from Skyshell who was across the camp. Bearheart's mother raced forward, eyes glinting with happiness.

"Bearheart! You're back! Thank Starclan! I wanted to tell you something!"

Bearheart smiled weakly while she padded past quickly. "Later. I have to speak Silverwisp."

She spotted her kit's silver pelt near the edge of camp. There was a small white, black, and silver bundle at Silverwisp's paws. 

"Tulipkit!" Charging forward, she knocked Silverwisp away from Tulipkit and grasped her young kit in her jaws.

"Bearheart! I spoke to Brackenstar! You can join Thornclan again!" Silverwisp was smiling, excited.

Bearheart growled, glancing around and noticing her patrol near the entrance.

She gently placed Tulipkit on the ground and glared at Silverwisp.

"You took my kit just to tell me that!?" Bearheart's eyes flared with anger.

Silverwisp took a step back, eyes dancing with confusion. "What?"

"I don't want to be back in Thornclan. I thought you understood that. Your father, my friends, my new litter of kits. All of them are part of Moonclan. I may have been part of this clan before, but I am not anymore. You have to understand that I make choices, some set so hard that no one can change my mind. I love Silverwisp, seeing as you are my kit, but I have a place in my new clan. I no longer have a place here."

Silverwisp growled and leapt onto Bearheart with extended claws.

Bearheart took the blow, pushing Tulipkit away from the fight.

Bearheart recovered and slashed her kit's face, feeling guilt wash over her. Silverwisp however, was tearing at Bearheart's stomach mercilessly. Instead of trying to fight back, Bearheart fell still, afraid of hurting her kit.

The anger in Silverwisp's eyes didn't cease, her paws still battering Bearheart's stomach.

"Let me at her, Addersplash!" Bearheart heard Heronflight yowl.

Addersplash responded quietly, "Bearheart and Silverwisp can figure this out for themselves."

For a moment, Bearheart wanted to harm Silverwisp for her ignorance, but the feeling passed quickly. 

Bearheart felt blood rush from her stomach, and her vision began to blur.

Silverwisp took a step back, eyes shining with horror at what she had done.

"Antwhisker! Bearpaw! Help her!"

Bearheart saw the medicine cat and his new apprentice race over, herbs bundled in their jaws.

They started to smear poultices on her wounds frantically, but Bearheart her paw on Antwhisker's.

"Leave me. Starclan has forgiven me. I am ready."

"No, Bearheart I can't!" Antwhisker's eyes shone with sadness.

"Please."

Bearheart saw her littermates, and her mother. She saw her father, and her kit.

"Just take Tulipkit back to Moonclan. Raise her well." Bearheart whispered as darkness swamped her.