Warriors: Starlight

Chapter 3

Fireheart woke from the best sleep that he'd had in moons. He wasn't sure if that was due to the weight lifted from his chest over Graystripe or that he'd slept in the nursery.
"Wake up sleepy paws, it's almost sunhigh" he felt a muzzle nudge in his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Goldenflower. Then her words sunk in, and he jolted awake.
"I missed morning patrol!" He panicked.
"Relax, Graystripe filled in for you. Bluestar let him. She decided that whatever was going on, you could use the sleep." Brindleface mewed soothingly.
"Oh okay... good" Fireheart's heart slowed, and he was able to recollect his calm. He stretched, brushed faces with the queen in thanks and headed out.
"Graystripe is out training Brackenpaw and Cinderpaw in case you were wondering. Has been since he got back from morning patrol. That thing you missed." Darkstripe growled. "You'd better tend to your warrior duties, unless"- eyed Fireheart scornfully -"you're planning of having kits yourself" he meowed scornfully. Fireheart rolled his eyes, ignoring him and pushing through the gorse tunnel, heading for the training hollow.
Of course Graystripe takes a moon off training, and nothing happens. I miss one day and every cat is on me like flees on a rogue. Fireheart hissed to himself, a prick of resentment festering in the back of his mind.

Fireheart pushed through the brambles into the training hollow, where Graystripe was instructing the apprentices. The gray warrior looked up from fixing cinderpaw's stance.
"Hey Graystripe" Fireheart greeted warmly, trotting up to him.
"Fireheart look. I'm sorry about what I -" Fireheart brushed his muzzle affectionately, cutting him off.
"What was that for?" He asked, confused.
"I forgive you" mewed Fireheart, staring him in the eyes.
"And if you're really sorry, then I have no reason to really be angry." He whispered, turning to the apprentices.
"Well, are you sure you're okay with this?" He asked. Padding toward him.
"You tell me. Should I not be?" Fireheart asked, turning back to face Graystripe.
Fireheart didn't want him to answer now. What he really wanted was to talk to Silverstream, and work things out, because her predicament really throws a badger at their life.
But now wasn't the time to be thinking about that. now was the time to be training their apprentices into warriors.

"okay!"- Fireheart turned to them, "You cannot fight if you cannot keep your balance when you get swiped at" he yowled across the the hollow, lashing a paw out lightly toward Brackenpaw, who toppled over while trying to move out of the way.
He got up quickly, fiery eyed, ready to challenge his foster mentor. Graystripe padded up next to Brackenpaw and whispered in his ear, eyeing Fireheart a couple times before moving back. Next thing the flame warrior knew, the apprentice charged at him, paws flailing.

The two warriors headed back to camp, their apprentices in tow, all carrying a piece of prey, Brackenpaw two pieces. They'd hunted before making their way back. Cinderpaw had caught a large vole, and Brackenpaw caught a pigeon mid flight and a vole. Fireheart's heart swelled with pride because, as much as Graystripe was taking his mentor duties seriously now, the fiery warrior was the one who'd trained both the apprentices the past moons.

"Graystripe, we really need to talk to Silverstream" Fireheart mewed, turning his head toward the Gray warrior. At this, Graystripe froze in his step, horror on his face.
"Fireheart what do I do? she's carrying my kits!" his voice raised above tone, and the apprentices looked up to see what was going on, and Fireheart quickly covered his muzzle with his tail in warning. The apprentices didn't deserve to have to carry around a secret like that.
"Relax. We'll figure is out" Fireheart licked his cheek soothingly, and Graystripe visibly calmed down.
"You're right. No point in panicking now. Agh! But this is just so difficult!" he grunted, visibly trying to calm down, shaking out his fur. Good. Panic was the last thing that they needed right now.

They'd dropped off their fresh kill and their apprentices back at camp and begun heading off to the Riverclan border to meet up with Silverstream. Fireheart just hoped that this could be settled without any anguish, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of a single outcome where no cat gets hurt.

With a huff, he hauled himself over a log, almost slipping on the marshy ground when Graystripe barreled into him, sliding across the wet mud.
"Sorry" he called to the flame-colored tom, as they pushed their way through the shrubs, revealing a river on the other side.
"Silverstream!" Yowled Graystripe as they reached the river's edge.
"Graystripe thank StarClan. I thought you weren't gonna co-" the silver-pelted she-cat came into sight, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Fireheart.
"Why do I think this isn't a courtesy call?" She mewed, a crestfallen sigh escaping her maw, before she begun crossing the river. Her belly wasn't quite showing yet.
They sat down together, and everyone was now choosing their words carefully
"Silverstream. What do we do?" Graystripe started.
"Well... I don't know. Honestly I wish I had an answer." She sighed, her head dipped.
"I was excited at first because now that I was expecting your kits, the clan would have to accept us, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how naive that was. We both know that they'd never sway for love that isn't theirs." She said.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence, no one quite knowing what to say.

Eventually after what felt like moons, a shameful idea popped into Fireheart's head.
"What if you raised the kits, and just never revealed the father. You don't have to tell anyone who's they are" he mewed. He knew it was a difficult thing to do, and a bit harsh to suggest, but it was the most practical idea that he had. He knew that she'd have every right to hate him for suggesting it. He could only imagine being in that position.
However at the mention of that, no anger sparked in her eyes, only sorrow.
"I fear that I may have to do just that." She sounded conceded. Defeated.
"I'm so sorry Silverstream, I really wish this could've gone another way, maybe if things were different."
Graystripe seemed to be trying to be as comforting as he could.
And once more, silence took over.
And they sat there, for another perceived three moons.
"Graystripe, I know that your feelings have changed. I can see it." She suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence once more.
Graystripe looked shocked. He opened his mouth to deny, but she beat him to it.
"Don't say anything. You don't have to explain yourself. I know you too well for you to hide something from me. I know better than any cat what love in your eyes looks like. I also see how Fireheart looks at you. Your heart has found a new home. One that doesn't ask you to choose between your mate and your clan." She mewed, trying to disguise her sadness. "I.. We'll decide what to do with the kits when the time comes, but for now, I need to head back to the nursery before my clanmates miss me." She turned around, tail slumped, and trotted back to the Riverclan camp.
Fireheart sighed and licked Graystripe's muzzle.
"Come. Lets go home. Before our clanmates miss us." He mewed.

The trip back to camp was a somber one, the air thick with foreboding spirits.
"It'll be alright Graystripe. Things have a way of working out. We'll find our way. We always do." Fireheart meowed, moving to step through the gorse tunnel. "I don't know Fireheart. I've never felt more lost in my entire life." He sighed.
Fireheart wanted to comfort him further, but he knew that there was nothing left to say.