Heartstar's rise : Book Two

Ch. 54

Heartstorm lay beside Silverdrop. She was weak but was able to sit up leaning on Heartstorm. They watched their kits as they suckled on milk. The smallest one was weak and barely moved. Frogleap had tried to give it everything to keep it strong but in the end, it depended on how strong it was. Heartstorm was filled with relief when Frogleap padded out, saying that was all he could do and that Silverdrop just needed rest. She was breathing gently, much calmer. Heartstorm saw her eyes trained on the kits. 

           "They're... beautiful," she croaked. 

           "Yeah," echoed Heartstorm. "You did it. I'm so glad. Thank you from coming back. Thank you for not leaving me." Words couldn't explain how relieved Heartstorm felt. He could only worry about the smallest kit even it seemed to be getting on well enough. 

            "You- I couldn't leave you," Silverdrop gulped. "I couldn't leave you and the kits." Heartstorm closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. He told himself it was over. There was nothing to worry about anymore. Silverdrop was fine and they had three kits. He knew the kitting had not gone as it had for Acornheart and Cloudbreeze, he knew for them it had gone smoothly compared to Silverdrop but Heartstorm was thanking StarClan for everything. 

            "What are we going to call them?" asked Silverdrop. 

             "You name them," Heartstorm urged. "It's your choice." He studied the kits. There was one she-cat and two toms. The she-cat was white with a few patches of light grey. The smallest tom was white and the last kit... Heartstorm's choked. The last kit..., looked exactly like him with a small grey mark on his shoulder. He threw his head back. 

              "What's wrong?" asked Silverdrop, staring at the kits with love. 

             "The tom, he looks exactly like me... like the cat in your dreams. The one fighting Blizzardkit," Heartstorm whispered. Silverdrop's eyes went wide. She hung her head. 

              "We don't know...," she murmured. "We don't know that- that he's going to fight Blizzardkit." Heartstorm was sure that it would happen. He was sure his kit was in danger but didn't want to worry Silverdrop. She didn't deserve it. She had gone through so much already. 

               "Yeah, of course not," Heartstorm said in the most controlled voice he could. "What do you want to name them?" Silverdrop's mind was off the dreams about their kit and Blizzardkit and was distracted with naming them. Heartstorm was glad as he didn't want her to worry any more than she should. He tried to push the bad thoughts away but he knew there was something awful in store for his kits. 

                "The one that looks like you," Silverdrop said, tilting her head, "I want to name him Bumblekit." Heartstorm was filled with a warm feeling. 

                "That's perfect. It fits him," he breathed. 

                   "Do you want to name the she-cat?" asked Silverdrop gently, gazing at her kits in love. Heartstorm felt his heart bust with love looking down at his kits and Silverdrop. He had never felt more happy than this. Although the bad thoughts of Silverdrop's dreams and ShadowClan lingered in his mind, he couldn't concentrate on them anymore. This was a happy moment, nothing could ruin it. 

                "Can we name her... Brightkit?" whispered Heartstorm. 

                "Of course," nodded Silverdrop. "Bumblekit and Brightkit. How about the last one?" 

               "I don't know... he's so small but he looks like a fighter," Heartstorm said. "I know he'll become a strong warrior one day." Silverdrop smiled proudly.