The Cat and the Fox

Chapter 19

            When Stone awoke, he had shrunk. His ginger pelt and bushy tail had been replaced by his normal tabby pelt and slim tail. He was no longer Stone. He was Stonepaw and he was in StarClan.

            "Hello?" Stonepaw called.

            A white she-cat padded forward. Only it wasn't Stonecloud. "Icestar!" Stonepaw gasped, running to his mentor.

            "Stonepaw! Stonecloud told me everything that happened! She told you not to trust Moonstar!"

            "I know! I know!" Stonepaw said. "Is Lily alright? Is Arrow alive?"

            "No, Arrow is dead," Icestar said.

            Stonepaw sighed. His friend had been killed protecting him. "Lily has given birth to four beautiful kits though."

            "Can I see?" Stonepaw asked.

            Icestar nodded. Stonepaw followed her to the pool that Stonecloud had once shown him. Stonepaw looked in the pool to see Lily. She seemed happy, not yet hearing the news of her mate's death. Four kits pounced by her.

            "The one with the darkest red pelt is Hazelnut. Your son," Icestar said.

            Stonepaw looked at Hazelnut as he bounced around. "The one with the normal red pelt is Heat. Your other son," she said.

            "The one that looks the most like you is Bumblebee. Another son," she smiled.

            Bumblebee did look like Stone a lot. Only one more fox was left.

            "The one with the lightest pelt is Honey. Your only daughter," Icestar said.

            "They're beautiful," Stonepaw said. "It's a shame I didn't get to see them." Stonepaw looked closely, seeing Daisy had not given birth yet.

            "Daisy will give birth very soon," Icestar said.

            Stonepaw sighed. "I wonder how Lily will react to the news."

            "I know it's a shame, Stonepaw, but you were never meant to be a fox," Icestar said.

            "I tried to visit you when you were sick," Stonepaw told Icestar.

            "Oh, really? I was so sick, that I really didn't see my surroundings. Thank you," Icestar said. "Stonepaw, I haven't been too honest with you."

            "What do you mean?" Stonepaw asked.

            "Well, I know your parents. Your father is my son," Icestar said.

            "WHAT?! YOU KNEW ALL ALONG AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?! YOU TOLD ME YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY KITS!" Stonepaw hissed.

            "Calm down," Icestar said. "You weren't ready to hear the story yet. You were much too young. You have gained much wisdom now. It is time you heard my story. Look into the pool."

            Stonepaw looked down into the pool. He saw Stonecloud with two newborn kits. "I'll call this one Blossomkit," Stonecloud said, pointing to the fluffy she-cat. She pointed to the short-haired she-cat. "This will be Icekit, in memory of IceClan."

            The scene shifted to see Stonecloud talking to a kittypet. "They're my kits too!" the kittypet yowled.

            "That's my father," Icestar said. "I'm half kittypet."