The Cat and the Fox

Chapter 21

            Stonepaw couldn't sleep all night. He kept thinking about Ivypaw and Lily. Lily and Ivypaw. The cats were soon awaking when Stonepaw finally realized something. How could he leave Lily alone like that?! He had to be a fox again?! It was the only way he could be happy again!
            Stonepaw hoped that Stonecloud and Icestar were still asleep. Carefully, he slipped out of his den. No sound came from Icestar's den. No sound came from Stonecloud's either.
            "Good-bye," he whispered. "I'll be back soon."
            Light on his feet, he padded away into the forest until it turned dark and he knew he was in the Dark Forest.
            "Hello?" he called. "Moonstar?"
            He sat for awhile, hearing no sound. Finally, the silver-blue she-cat appeared. "Stonepaw, long time no see? I see you're probably here to get revenge on me."
            "Actually, I'm not here to do that at all," Stonepaw said.
            Moonstar grinned. "Why are you here, then? To see Barkface?"
            Stonepaw shook his head. "I want to be a fox again."
            Moonstar laughed. "That's a funny joke, Stonepaw. But there's no way I'm falling--," she stopped, looking at his face. "You're serious? You want to be a fox again?"
            Stonepaw nodded. "Whatever it takes."
            "Well, I suppose we could work something out. But you'll have to pay a different price this time," Moonstar said.
            "What?" Stonepaw asked.
            "I can make you a fox again, but once you die this time, you'll go to fox heaven. You'll never be Stonepaw again, and you can never return to StarClan," Moonstar said.
            "I don't know," Stonepaw said, having second thoughts about the idea.
            "But there's happiness there. You'll always be happy as a fox," Moonstar said.
            "But I'll never see Icestar again or...Ivypaw," he said.
            Moonstar laughed. "Icestar doesn't care about you. She just cares about her mate now. And Ivypaw. Ivypaw has totally forgotten about you! She's so in love with that Ashpaw," Moonstar grinned.
            "She doesn't care about me anymore?" Stonepaw whined.
            "Of course she doesn't. Lily does though. She has kits without a father. She's all alone, grieving. I'm giving you one more chance, Stonepaw. Will you take it or not?" Moonstar asked.
            "I-I'll do it," Stonepaw said.
            Moonstar laughed. "Great."
            He followed her near the black swamp again. It hadn't changed since the last time he had been there.
            "I'm sure you know what to do," Moonstar said.
            "Jump in and be motionless," Stonepaw said.
            "Good," Moonstar grinned. Something wasn't right.
            "I'm ready," Stonepaw said.
            "GO!" Moonstar hissed.
            Frightened, Stonepaw jumped into the black swamp again. This time it was more painful. He felt it swallowing him and he couldn't breathe. He couldn't gasp for air though. He let it suffocate him, almost killing him. Sotnepaw shut his eyes, trying to feel less pain. More pain came though. Stonepaw would start to squirm any minute. Finally, light shone and he felt better.
            When Stonepaw opened his eyes, he sat in the hunting grounds again. His ginger fur and tail were back. "I'M BACK! I'M A FOX AGAIN! WOO HOO!" he cheered.
            He suddenly remembered the reason he had come. "LILY!" he yowled. "LILY, I'M BACK!"
            He rushed through the bushes to see Lily in tears. "Stone? Stone, is that you?!"
            "I'M HERE, LILY!" he yowled. The two ran towards each other, meeting once again. Lily sobbed into his fur.
            "I thought you were dead," she whispered.
            "I'm not," Stone said. "Where are the kits?"
            "That's why I'm sad," Lily grieved. "Heat, Hazelnut, and Bumblebee touched the moss. Heat is...dead. He was buried a few days ago. Hazelnut survived. Bumblebee has just died. Thankfully, I know a way to bring him back."
            "Heat and Bumblebee?" Stone asked.
            Lily shook her head. "It's too late for Heat. I can still bring Bumblebee back though."
            "How?"
            "I kill myself," Lily gulped.
            "No!" Stone gasped. "I traveled all this way to come back to you."
            "I've lived my life," Lily said. "Bumblebee hasn't. You're here, Stone. You have to take care of them until they're adults. Promise me you will."
            "I-I promise," Stone said. "There's no way to change your mind?"
            "No way," Lily said. "Mother, prepare the spell!"
            Stone sat, watching Lily and Chase make an odd meal out of herbs and plants. "Stone, go get Bumblebee."
            Stone padded into the den to see a lifeless fox kit lying on the moss. He sighed, picking up the dead kit. He brought Bumblebee out near Lily and Chase.
            "It's done," Chase said.
            "So this is it?" Stone said.
            "I'm afraid so," Lily said. "Please take good care of them. I love you."
            "I love you too," Stone said. "I'll never forget you Lily."
            "I won't either," Lily said. They exchanged looks one more time. Lily said good-bye to her parents and Daisy whose kits had just been born a few days previous.
            Lily bit into the food, looking at Stone one last time. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed on the ground. Shutting her eyes, she died.
            "NO!" Stone screeched. He ran towards her, sobbing into her ginger fur. "Lily, I love you," he sobbed.
            "Mommy?"
            Stone turned around to see Bumblebee stirring. "Mommy, is that you?"
            "Bumblebee! You're alive!"
            "Who are you?" Bumblebee gasped. "You look just like me."
            "I'm your father, Stone."
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Forgive my 2012 writing where I thought a good story meant killing off every other character.