Warriors: Starlight

Chapter 17

But in the now, there was his leader, sitting in the dark, only her eyes barely visible, reflecting the little light that slipped through the thick vine mesh.
"Fireheart. Sit."- She mewed. -"And tell me what happened."
This really was getting old, explaining it over and over. Wasn't Sandstorm supposed to relay this? And so he told her what had happened.
"Hmm I see." Her eyes darkened. "Could this be what the prophecy speaks of?" She asked. Fireheart was taken aback by this theory. He hadn't even thought of that. To tell true, he had actually forgotten about the prophecy altogether for a while.
"Balance?"
He asked.
"Is a light supposed to balance out a 'shadow?' Is ShadowClan getting too shadowy? And that still doesn't explain there's too much light somewhere. I don't get it." He mewed, shaking his head in confusion, nearly whacking it against a crag in the den.
"Yea, well I've been thinking. I have a theory, but I'm not so sure about it just yet." She meowed tentatively, before shaking her head as though to clear it. "Never mind. Sorry to bother you for so long. You may go now." She mewed, her eyes clearing up cheerfully, and shooed him away with her tail.
"Okay okay!" he yowled and leaped out, leaving her to her thoughts.
As he stepped out of the den, he felt a chill in the breeze, and when he looked around, white dots began falling all around them, as the sun disappeared behind the horizon.
"It's snowing!" He heard Featherkit squeal. "Stormkit it's snowing!" Fireheart chucked at his daughter's enthusiasm. He headed for the moss pile, bundled a tight ball of it and crept over to the nursery, before jumping out from behind the brush.
"Stormkit!" He yowled and tossed the ball of moss. This time it was Stormkits turn to squeal with surprise as the ball of soft moss hit him in the face. He he lifted his paw over his head and batted it back as hard as he could, giggling and bubbling with excitement.
"Just wait. When I'm a warrior you'll never beat me at moss ball!" He shouted as the moss stopped at Fireheart's paws.
"I'm sure you're right" he praised his son earnestly. He looked over to Featherkit and noticed that she was far more enthralled with the snow falling to care about moss ball. This was their first leafbare after all, and Fireheart silently thanked StarClan for waiting till his kits were this old and hardy to let the snow fall, whether or not they actually had that power. So he beckoned Stormkit over and pointed to Featherkit, who was pouncing on falling snow
"Let's go keep your sister company. Come on" he whispered. And so the two bounded over to where she was and started pouncing at snowfall. Featherkit let out a surprised giggle when she saw them.
This was what he imagined when he thought about having kits. This perfect moment. So kind, and so joyful. Nothing's better than this. It wasn't long now before these kits would be apprentices working to make the clan stronger, and while Fireheart dreaded the thought of the harm that could come, he relished the thought of them succeeding and making a name for themselves, and for them to get out there, free of the camp boundaries. The prophecy has time, but these kits will be out of here sooner than he can blink, so right now there's no time like the present to be with them before they're all busy with their own thing. However, though he wasn't stricken, he still couldn't shake the thought of Bruno's face. Was she really planning to murder him? It all felt kind of surreal.

Just then, Graystripe entered the camp, saw the fun and immediately attempted to join in on the action.
It's now or never. He thought to himself. Fireheart stopped the ball. "You kits play, I need to talk to your father." He meowed, a little too angrily he realized when he saw his daughter's face turn to mischief.
"Ohh, dad's in trouble!" Featherkit called. Graystripe hesitated,
"What?" He frowned. Fireheart looked away,
"No he's not. Well, he is but- no, just get back to your game. We'll be done in a moment. And you" he pointed at his mate "come with me."
The gray warrior gulped and followed him out of the den. No turning back.

"I'm nervous Fireheart. Getting severe deja vu here." His mate called out from behind as he found a secluded spot. Then he rounded. Be kind. Be kind. Be kind.
"Okay look. Before I say anything, you know I love you, right?" He started, sitting on his haunches. Graystripe seemed to get the message and did the same, so they were facing each other.
"Of course I do." He sputtered. Fireheart continued,
"And you know that I know that you love our kits just as much as I do?" He mewed. Graystripe looked at him funny.
"Of cour- Fireheart, what is this about? You're scaring me now." He fumbled over his words.
Fireheart took a deep breath, organized his thoughts and spoke softly.
"What you said today, it felt really unfair. It really hurt me. Reminding me that I have kits to take care of? That was low." As he spoke, his frustration pushed to the surface, but he bogged it down. "It hurt because I'm the one saddled with feeding them, Cleaning them, getting them to sleep, laying awake all night when they won't sleep, teaching them and, and-" he cut himself off. "I- nevermind, I'm being selfish. I'm sorry-" He suddenly felt small. He tried to turn back and head to camp, his chest aching and weighing his muscles down, eyes to the floor. But as he did, he bumped into a mass.
"Wait." He heard Graystripe's voice. He looked up to see his mate staring at him, concern in his eyes.
"No, this is silly and kit-like. I shouldn't complain when you have to hunt and patrol all day while I stay at camp." he mumbled.
"I'm the one who's sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said. It was stupid and selfish and mean and so very — what does Featherkit like to say... uncalled for. It was a terrible thing to say and I should never make feel you like you're being a bad parent." He ended in a whisper. Fireheart stared at him and feebly reached for words or reciprocal comfort, but there were none. Everything Graystripe said was exactly how he felt.
Instead he just sat back down.
"It just... my chest just felt so sore when you said that." He whimpered, allowing his tail to flop down and stop pretending to be peppy. "I try my best everyday and sometimes I get it wrong, I know. But when you said what you said... I felt so small. And humiliated, that you said that in the middle of camp for everyone to hear. We're supposed to be a team and... I don't know... it was like... you betrayed me.." He sniveled, unable to meet the gaze of the one cat he was supposed to trust more than anyone.
"Oh, honey, I... I have no words." He mewed, his voice thick with regret. He pressed against Fireheart's side, encasing him in gray fluff. "I'm so sorry. I really am. Just know that I didn't mean anything by it. It was stupid and misdirected. You are the best and only mother for our kits. I'd never have anyone take your place. I love so you much. And if I step out of line again, feel free to flay me." He purred, lapping at Fireheart's cheek.
"Okay you oaf. I'll remember that" he whispered, purring into Graystripe's neck. He then stared down at the ground for a moment before looking back up. "And for the record, of those kits are ever silent enough for me to forget I have them, it'll be a dream come reality." He mewed jokingly and they both mreowed in laughter.

The two of them padded side by side back to camp.
When they got back, Stormkit was still busy playing moss with Tawnnykit and Branblekit, but Featherkit was sitting at the entrance waiting. When she spotted them she scampered up,
"Sooo? Did you get in trouble?" She pried.
"No he-" Fireheart began, but Graystripe cut him off, "I did something silly and your mother needed to tell me not to do it again. But he took me out of camp so I wouldn't feel embarrassed. Do you know why?" Fireheart felt sheepish at this display that could be mistaken for overly gratuitous if not for the fact that he knew Graystripe so well. This was absolutely earnest. "Because your mother is the best." He meowed, licking Featherkit's forehead. Then he whispered something unintelligible into her ear. The two looked at each other, at him and nodded. Now I'm nervous. He thought to himself. Just then the two dove at him will full force, knocking him over and wrapping him in a ball of fur and purrs.
"I love you, mom" Featherkit whispered. "You're also cooler than dad" she addded with a giggle, "hey! I didn't tell you to say that, you rascal. Come here!" He chased her around Fireheart, getting tangled once again, resulting in another collapse filled with giggling. It was only in a moment that Fireheart noticed a ball of kit barreling at them full-speed
"I'm coming in!" He heard Stormkit call as he leapt on top of them, landing with a giggle, and the four just lay there in a giggling mess.
"New rule." Graystripe spoke up. "Always tell someone if you're feeling sad, or angry. Or if there's anything you want to say. But do it respectfully."
"Yes dad!" The two said in unison, and Fireheart just smiled and giggled at them.
Indeed.

END OF CHAPTER
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