"Y-you've grown so much..." Juniperberry was able to choke out, her eyes wide. Her tail curled softly and she walked around Stonepaw, inspecting him carefully. Swiftpaw watched in relief as the two cats slowly bonded. The black tabby tom looked at his deceased mother before asking, "...What happened?" The night was quiet as his voice echoed throughout the brook. Swiftpaw gently padded over to him and touched his neck with her nose. He briefly purred, before Juniperberry began to speak.
"My son, you are of TideClan blood. You were born in TideClan in the previous leaf-bare..." She then sat down in a bunch of green grass, her pelt shimmering beautifully underneath the moonlight. Swiftpaw gestured to sit down with her, and Stonepaw did so. The two apprentices sat in front of the StarClan warrior, their tails entwined together. Finally, some answers for Stonepaw...
"The previous leaf-bare was cruel and deadly. It claimed many lives from all the clans, no discrimination against the kits or the elders. I gave birth to you and your two sisters during the night, but because of the cold and my weak state, I caught green-cough." Her eyes grew heavy in guilt, and Swiftpaw felt Stonepaw tense up beside her. Comfortingly, she pressed herself against him.
"Soon, your sisters caught green-cough too. It was hopeless-- you were going to catch it, too, if you stayed with me. There were no other queens who would take you in, it was almost if every cat was for themself. So I told your father to take you away..." her voice broke, "...To take you to BoulderClan. They were managing better than TideClan and they had better herb growth to keep you healthy,"
"Why couldn't the clans just work together and help each other thrive then?" Swiftpaw interrupted, her amber eyes narrowing, "If we did that, more cats would've survived leaf-bare."
Juniperberry lifted her muzzle to the sky, her green eyes illuminating a warming green underneath the moon. "Everyone has pride, Swiftpaw. With pride, we don't want to ask for help or anything to look weak. Redstar didn't want help from any of the other clans. Every leader did that. And now, many cats have suffered death because of the consequences of pride." she said gently, but there was a sharpness that tipped her tongue when she mentioned Redstar. Stonepaw stiffened beside Swiftpaw.
"...So my father took me away?"
"We did it to save you, Stonepaw! Or else you would've ended up dead, too. Forgive me, my son!" Juniperberry gasped, closing her eyes shut. Guiltily, she hung her head low, avoiding the gaze of her son. Her tail wrapped around her paws tightly, and her ears flattened against her head. Swiftpaw's heart ached at the sight of Juniperberry finally cracking underneath the pressure.
She's been holding it in for so long... watching her son grow up and not communicating with him... Swiftpaw's eyes narrowed as her tongue reminisced the all too familiar, bittersweet taste of silence. It breaks my heart that I feel what she feels, too. Being quiet for so long, so much that it's bursting at the seams...
"Mother, don't blame yourself." Stonepaw got off of his paws and approached his mother, his nose reaching down to touch her shoulder. "You and Father did your best. I'm going to be a warrior, soon, anyway. Without even knowing, you have watched me grow," he spoke kindly to her, but Juniperberry swallowed hard and lifted her eyes to meet her son's. "We have... you've grown so much... but..." Her green eyes shifted back to Swiftpaw.
The calico she-cat sat there, the moonlight shining her fur a silvery-white. Her amber eyes glowed brightly, her fur ruffled in the breeze, and her smaller yet built body sat up proudly. For a moment, Stonepaw realized how beautiful and extraordinary she was. Swiftpaw looked almost as if she was a spirit herself, but she wasn't. Stonepaw felt his heart race passionately for the one he loved. But when he blinked, not only did he see her warm, amber eyes, but he felt rejuvenated just by looking at her. One day he'll tell her that he looked up to her courage and her bravery.
Juniperberry tenderly meowed, "But it'll be your choice, whether to stay with Swiftpaw in TideClan or to forever remain a secret."
Swiftpaw's body slightly shook. She did not know why she felt like this. Her body was nervous. Why? Her mind thought of how her clan would think of her, how BoulderClan will think of them...the potential consequences... Though her body shook, her amber eyes never left Stonepaw's eyes. Just in a heartbeat, they knew what they'll do together.
With or without acceptance.
Stonepaw gently lifted his voice, barely a whisper. He asked, "Mother? What did you want to name me?"
The black she-cat fondly stared at him, a loving gaze blinking into her eyes. "Wolfkit."
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This chapter was short, but I know you guys have been wanting this for a long time! I've been so caught up in things, caught in the tide. My feelings have wavered, but now I'm alright. I'm actually doing quite well, heh.
So tell me, guys, who do you think Stonepaw's dad is? Here are some hints:
-He is still living
-Yes, he is in TideClan
-He's actually a well-known warrior. It's just that Swiftpaw doesn't pay attention to him, lol.
Write down in the comments who you think it is!