Sharptalon rushed into camp, feeling breathless. He immediately rushed over to the nursery, where the medicine cats were standing outside. He pushed through the brambles and overhanging ferns, seeing Stormgaze stretched out in her nest, four kits suckling at her belly. 

"Stormgaze, I'm here!" Sharptalon mewed, scrambling to her nest. 

Flamedawn squeezed into the den, Peachpaw at his side. "Your new kits are beautiful," Flamedawn purred. 

Stormgaze perked her head up as she saw Sharptalon. "Sharptalon!" She gasped. "Our kits...."

Sharptalon crouched down, glancing at his four kits. There was a dark yellow she-kit with black stripes, a silver-gray tabby tom with black paws, a black she-kit and tufted ears, and a gray tabby tom-kit with flame-colored markings. 

Stormgaze's eyes were dull with sleep. She blinked slowly. "I was waiting to name them. Why don't you name the little yellow one?" 

Sharptalon licked his mate's cheek. "Thank you," he whispered softly. He thought for a moment as he glanced down at the black-striped yellow she-kit. She looks like a bumblebee. "I'll name her Beekit." 

"That is a perfect name," Stormgaze purred. She looked at the silver-gray tabby tom with black paws. "Why don't you name him as well?" She asked.

Sharptalon thought for a moment, then thought of a name.  "Blackkit, for his black paws," he meowed, flicking his tail.

Stormgaze blinked warmly. "It's perfect," she mewed.

Sharptalon glanced at the gray tom-kit with fire-colored markings. "He looks the most like you. You should name him," he suggested.

Stormgaze glanced at her son, her eyes shimmering. "I'll name him Smokykit, in honor of my father." 

Sharptalon gazed warmly at her. "It's a perfect name for him. I like it. Your father was an amazing fighter."

Coriander, who was watching Stormgaze, blinked warmly at her. "That's beautiful, Stormgaze, I'm glad you want to keep Smoky's memory alive."

Stormgaze's gaze then shifted to the last kit, the black she-kit with tufted ears. "I'll name her Tuftkit, for her tufted ears."

Sharptalon licked the top of her head. "They're perfect names," he purred.

Before Stormgaze could reply, the brambles and ferns rustled behind Sharptalon. Turning around, Sharptalon saw his friend, Stalkfire, rush into the den. Phoenixwing and her kits were right behind him.

"How is my sister doing?" Stalkfire asked, glancing at Sharptalon.

"Tired, but fine," Sharptalon replied.

Stalkfire looked at his sister's kits and began to purr. "Wow. They're beautiful. Monarchwing would love them," he mewed.

"Oh, they're so lovely, Stormgaze. I'm proud of you," Phoenixwing purred. 

"Phoenixwing? Can we play with them?" Graykit asked, his silver-gray eyes shimmering. 

"No, Graykit. They are very young," Phoenixwing meowed. "Maybe you can play with them after a half-moon."

"What are their names?" Stalkfire asked, glancing at Sharptalon.

Sharptalon sat up, curling his tail around his paws. "From left to right: Beekit, Blackkit, Tuftkit, and Smokykit."

"Smokykit?" Stalkfire echoed. "In honor of our father, Smoky?" 

"Yes," Stormgaze answered. 

"All cats old enough to hunt, join beneath the High-Ledge for a Clan meeting!" Squirrelstar's voice rang outside.

Sharptalon licked his mate's cheek. "I'll be right back," he whispered. Turning around, he left the den with Stalkfire. 

The Clan had already gathered outside, their gazes fixed on their leader.

Squirrelstar lifted her tail. "Tonight is the gathering, and I will choose who will go," she meowed. She began to look around. "Sharptalon, Mossheart, Foxleap, Bramblehawk, Whitewing, Birchfall, Blossomfall, Cloudspark, Petal, Stalkfire, Beechfall, Rookclaw, Needlepaw, Auburnpaw, and Wingpaw."

Sharptalon stood up, heading towards the camp entrance. 

Needlepaw rushed up to Sharptalon suddenly. "Wonder how this gathering will go."

"Yeah," Sharptalon murmured. "Why did Squirrelstar send me to this gathering... She knows I want to spend time with my new kits."

Needlepaw twitched her whiskers. "Well... At least we can spend time together," she mewed.

Sharptalon glanced at her, narrowing his eyes. "What do you mean?" He asked.

Needlepaw scuffed at the dirt. "Well.. Uh.. I kinda like you," Needlepaw meowed.

Sharptalon held back a growl. "Don't you realize I'm with Stormgaze? She just had my kits!" Sharptalon hissed.

"I'm sorry. I do realize that. But you can drop her for me." Needlepaw then turned towards him. "Stormgaze is weak. You need a stronger mate."

Sharptalon felt outraged. He turned towards the apprentice and struck her ear with a paw. He couldn't control his anger. He flattened his ears, growling. "Sorry," he hissed. Sharptalon trotted away from her.

Stalkfire was walking with Bramblehawk. He turned, noticing Sharptalon. "Oh, Sharptalon!" His whiskers twitched. "You look mad. Something wrong?"

"Nothing," Sharptalon sighed. He lashed has tail. Needlepaw is stupid. Doesn't she know I'm very close to Stormgaze?

Stalkfire ushered Bramblehawk away. He glanced at Sharptalon. "Care to tell me what's wrong? I know that look," he mewed.

Sharptalon hesitated. Well jee, what a good friend. "Needlepaw said that she likes me," he sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with her."

"Maybe she meant it in a different way?" Stalkfire suggested. 

Sharptalon flattened his ears. "I don't even want to know. But I got mad and accidently clawed her ear," he admitted. 

"That's fine," Stalkfire sighed. "Maybe you just haven't gotten over Lighttail. But don't worry. I still miss Monarchwing to this day," he murmured.

"I'm over Lighttail, I think," Sharptalon meowed. I regret killing him. Oh why did I do that? Sharptalon lifted his head slowly to the night sky, blinking at the twinkling stars. "But I can't miss him when he's up there, watching over me."

"That's great to hear. I'm just sensitive," Stalkfire sighed. 

The two toms continued walking together until they reached The Great Blossom.

Sharptalon sat down, his tail curling around his paws. Wonder what the leaders have to report. 

Tigerstar was up on his branch, his amber gaze gliding over all the cats. He was shifting his paws nervously, and he looked a bit fearful.

Flowerstar shifted her paws as well, her tail, which was hanging off the branch, was twitching.

Sharptalon narrowed his eyes. What do they have to say? 

Squirrelstar stood up on her branch. "We may begin now. I will go first," she announced, lashing her tail. "One of our warriors, Lighttail, was killed by a lone fox while hunting with Sharptalon. However, when we went back, we did not find his body. But still, we grieve for him deeply," Squirrelstar mewed, her gaze clouded.

"What? Dead?" Flowers tar echoed. "Then can you explain a cat named 'Lighttail' coming into my camp two days ago? He was wounded and said he wanted to join."

Sharptalon froze. Lighttail... lived? I killed him! He shifted his paws.

Squirrelstar blinked in surprise and narrowed her eyes. "Sharptalon?" She mewed, turning to him. "Did Lighttail really die?"

"Yes!" Sharptalon gasped. "That fox tore out his throat! There's no way he could of lived that!" He mewled. "And plus if he did live, why wouldn't he go back to camp to get his wounds treated?"

"You've got a point. I believe you," Squirrelstar sighed. She glanced at Flowerstar. "Well can Lighttail return to us?"

"I'm afraid not. He wishes to stay in RiverClan," Flowerstar meowed. "He told me he wants to stay because he wants to start something new, and that there's a cat in our camp that he likes."

"Traitor!" A ThunderClan cat called out. A few other cats agreed.

"He faked his death just to go to RiverClan!" Foxleap growled.

Tigerstar lifted his tail for silence. "Let's forget about that. Darkspots has been found, but it wasn't what we hoped for. He joined the rogues along with Skyfrost. The rogues outnumber us now."

"Huh, ShadowClan might as well join the rogues if its warriors please to be with them," Gorsestar growled.

"Shut up," Tigerstar hissed, lashing his tail. 

"Well Skyfrost was a rogue before," Squirrelstar pointed out.

"True. But I thought he was loyal," Tigerstar sighed. "Whatever. Gorsestar, have anything to report?" He asked.

"Nothing important," Gorsestar sighed. "Since every other leader had something important to report, then it doesn't matter," he meowed. 

"Ok.... then the gathering is dismissed," Squirrelstar meowed. She climbed down from her branch, and so did the other leaders. 

Sharptalon rushed into the crowd of RiverClan cats, hoping to find Lighttail. He noticed the pale yellow pelt in the darkness.

"Lighttail!" Sharptalon called out. He rushed over to his brother. The tom had a scar across his throat. 

Lighttail froze, glancing at him. He lashed his tail. He was with someone. "Nightsky, go away for a moment, I need to talk to my brother," he meowed. 

Nightsky dipped her head. "Alright," she meowed, leaping away. 

Lighttail ushered Sharptalon away from the crowd of cats and into a thick patch of reeds. He glared at his brother. "What do you want? Come to ask how I'm alive?" 

"Well... yes. I thought you were dead," Sharptalon meowed in disbelief. Is this really my brother? 

"One word. StarClan. One moment I was dead, the next moment I woke up in StarClan. They gave me a life for some reason and I woke up alive," Lighttail explained.

Sharptalon blinked at him. "Why didn't you come back to ThunderClan? Wingpaw is devastated! And you're just giving her up for some RiverClan she-cat?" He hissed. "Is this what kin is to you?" 

Lighttail hesitated, remorse clouding his eyes. "I'm sorry. I couldn't go back though."

"Why?" Sharptalon asked.

"I-I felt what you felt when I died. Fear, fear of your secret being revealed, and guilt. You felt guilty killing me," Lighttail mewed.

Sharptalon felt remorse. "Yes, I did. And I'm sorry I killed you. If I could go back and change that, I would, I swear."

Lighttail sighed. "I'm sorry, but I'm not coming back to ThunderClan. I just can't find a purpose.  I feel like I let Wingpaw down. Maybe StarClan gave me this life so I could start over. After all, my mate died, our mother is dead, our father betrayed us, our sister betrayed us, and I wasn't strong enough to take care of my daughter. So now I'm starting a new life. I've made friends with Nightsky and I think she already likes me," Lighttail mewed, closing his eyes. He turned to his brother, his eyes clouding. "Can you promise me you'll take care of Wingpaw for me?" 

Lighttail.... is this really how you felt?""Yes," Sharptalon meowed. "I promise I'll take care of her. I'll always be by her side whenever she needs me," he murmured,  his voice cracking with sadness. 

"I should go," Lighttail meowed. He threw a glance at Sharptalon once more before brushing through the reeds to leave.

Sharptalon hesitated. My brother sure is something....