"Silverstar! Silverstar wake up!"

Aspenkit raised her head at the noise and saw Poppydust nudging the leader gently. At once, she felt her stomach tighten. Poppydust wouldn't be up here for just anything. Something terrible must have happened.

Silverstar raised her head. "What is it Poppydust?" she murmured, shaking her head trying to wake herself up.

"It's Alderheart!" Poppydust breathed. "He's very ill and he's asking to see you."

At once, Silverstar was on her paws and heading towards the entrance of her den. Aspenkit leapt up and followed, trying not to wake her siblings as she moved. Silverstar turned and looked at her daughter. "Get back in the nest my darling, I'll be back soon." She soothed.

"No!" squeaked Aspenkit. Silverstar looked stunned and Aspenkit realised that her mother had not yet heard her speak. "Alderheart is my friend." She continued before Silverstar could interject. "If he's sick, I want to see him."

Silverstar hesitated, then grasped Aspenkit by her scruff. She turned to Poppydust. "Go and wake Twigtail, Blackheart and Tigerfang. I'll wake Robinpaw and Creekpaw." She mewed around the fur in her mouth. "If this is bad, they'll want to see him."

Poppydust dipped her head and scrambled down the rocks jutting out of the wall with Silverstar following close behind, carrying Aspenkit. As she reached the bottom, she placed Aspenkit on the ground and she immediately began running towards the medicine den. If Alderheart was dying, she would never forgive herself if he left her without her being able to apologise for what she had said.

She burst through the bracken curtain, chest heaving before bounding across the den to where Alderheart was lying beside the little pool at the edge of the medicine den. He was collapsed over on to one side, his eyes closed and his breathing wheezy and laboured. His ginger tabby pelt was matted together with sweat.

Aspenkit pressed her face into the thick fur of his shoulder, trying to rouse him. "Alderheart?" she whimpered.

He gave a little shudder and his amber eyes opened. For a moment, they were blank, as though he didn't recognise where he was. Then they softened as they rested on the kit before him. "Hello Aspenkit." He mewed warmly.

She sat back and looked at him seriously. "Poppydust says you're sick." She stated. "Are you? How do you feel?"

Alderheart gave a juddering, wheezing breath before he answered. "Starclan is calling me, little one." He mewed. "But it's ok. Poppydust has made me comfortable. If it's a cat's time, not even the best medicine cat can do anything about it."

Aspenkit pressed her face against his broad forehead. "You can't go to Starclan." She whined. "You're my only friend. I don't want to be alone."

Alderheart purred a little before giving a little cough. "Starclan have spoken to me tonight." He murmured. "They told me not to be sad about leaving you my little friend, and you mustn't be sad about me going. You have a great destiny, and soon you will never be alone again."

Aspenkit closed her eyes. "But... but I'll miss you."

"I know." Murmured Alderheart. "I'll miss you too. I'm going to miss all of my clan... and my family. You, Blackheart, Tigerfang, Twigtail, Robinpaw and Creekpaw... Poppydust... but I've had a good life and I don't regret anything. What more can any cat ask for?"

The bracken curtain swished behind them and Twigtail padded into the den. Alderheart raised his head slightly. "Hello dear one." He murmured as she approached.

The old grey she-cat dipped her head and touched her nose to his. "Is it time, Alderheart?"

"It is." He wheezed. "Jayfeather came to me tonight to tell me to say my goodbyes."

Twigtail gave a little purr. "How is the grumpy old badger?"

Alderheart gave a little wheeze of laughter. "He's more at home in Starclan than he could ever have been here. But he is just as vague as the Starclan cats he used to mock."

"He must hate that." Mewed Twigtail, settling herself before her old friend. Aspenkit stepped back to allow Twigtail closer, but never moving too far from his side. Twigtail dipper her head to Alderheart. "I don't know what I'll do without you Alderheart." She mewed. "I've never been without you."

Alderheart gave a throaty purr. "I still remember the day I found you. Just a little scrap of fluff... as tiny as a twig. Your eyes weren't even open."

"I'm glad you did." Murmured Twigtail, licking him between his ears. "No-one could have raised me better than you did."

"Thank you." He whispered, closing his eyes as Twigtail gently licked his ears. "I always tried to do my best for you."

"You did with all of us." Mewed a voice behind them. Aspenkit looked up as Poppydust, Robinpaw, Creekpaw, Blackheart, Silverstar and a huge dark tabby entered the den. She'd never seen him before but she assumed this was Tigerfang, Blackheart's brother. She could see straight away why he was named so. His teeth seemed bared in a permanent snarl.

Robinpaw and Creekpaw stepped forward and Twigtail stepped away so that the apprentices could approach. Robinpaw immediately dropped to his belly, pressing his nose to Alderheart's.

"I can never thank you enough for what you did for me and Creekpaw." He mewed. "You showed us so much love and acceptance before anyone else in the clan did. You gave us a place to stay and somewhere to rest until we were old enough to become apprentices. For that, we will always be grateful."

He glanced up at his sister who dipped her head respectfully to the old medicine cat. "Thank you Alderheart." She murmured reverently. "For everything."

Alderheart purred and dipped his head back to her. "You're are both more than welcome." He murmured, his voice becoming weaker by the minute. "Thank you for being such a pleasure to be in my life."

Robinpaw bent his head slightly, a moan of sorrow escaping him. Creekpaw stepped forward and nudged her brother to his feet, guiding him away. Blackheart and Tigerfang moved forward, both of them dipping their heads to the ginger cat before them.

Alderheart's eyes glowed as he saw them. "My wonderful nephews." He murmured as they approached. "I have watched you from the day you were born, and no cat could be prouder of their kin than I am of you. I hope I did Sparkpelt proud."

Blackheart nuzzled Alderheart's cheek. "I know you did." He murmured. "We were lucky to have you as our kin when we lost her."

"No cat would ever replace her." Murmured Tigerfang. "But you raised us in the way I think she would have wanted us to be raised." He dipped his head. "Thank you."

Alderheart raised her head and touched noses with Blackheart. "Always be wise and kind, Blackheart." He whispered. "And Tigerfang..." The dark tabby moved closer and lowered his head to touch noses with Alderheart. "... stay strong."

Tigerfang closed his eyes and gave a little shudder before opening them to gaze down at the cat that raised him. "I will, Alderheart." He murmured.

"As will I." affirmed Blackheart.

The brothers stepped away as Poppydust moved forward. Alderheart looked up at her and a purr rumbled through him, making him cough. "Poppydust... these are your cats now."

"I know." She whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She gently touched her nose to his forehead. "I wish you didn't have to go. I still need you."

"I have taught you all I know." Alderheart murmured. "And you are a skilled medicine cat, Poppydust. Have confidence in your own abilities. You are ready. You have always been ready."

Poppydust closed her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll still be there." He whispered. "I will be there in every cat you heal, and in all the herbs you prepare. I will carry on through you. And besides..." he gave a throaty chuckle. "... you'll see me when you come to visit Starclan. You'll be sick of the sight of me."

Poppydust gave a purr of amusement. "Thank you for everything Alderheart." She murmured. "I owe you so much."

"You owe me nothing." He murmured. "It was a joy to teach you to be a medicine cat."

Poppydust dipped her head to her mentor. "Goodbye." She whispered as she moved away.

Finally, Silverstar stepped forward. "So this is it, then." She murmured, sitting down and gazing down at the medicine cat who had been there since the day she was born. "I feel like I should be saying something official, but Starclan knows what."

Alderheart gave a little purr before his eyes hardened. "Silverstar, Jayfeather came to me tonight." He mewed.

Silverstar gave a little start of surprise. "The blind medicine cat?" she asked. "What did he say?"

Alderheart narrowed his eyes a little at her words, but continued. "He gave me a prophecy, a sign for the clans." He whispered with a painful sounding wheeze. "The shadows will return to the forest. Those that join will make them stronger than before. They will find safety and grow in the shade of the aspen tree."

Silverstar stared at him. "What does it mean?" she demanded. "What are the shadows?"

But Alderheart seemed not to hear her. His eyes clouded and his head drooped. He gave a last shuddering gasp and fell still, his limbs and tail falling limp. The other cats in the medicine den lowered their heads, as though in silent prayer, but Aspenkit moved back to his side.

"Alderheart?" she whispered, gently nosing his cheek. His head rocked slightly but he did not rouse. Aspenkit felt the pit of her stomach drop. Her chest hurt as she realised that he was gone. She sat back, threw back her head, and let out a wordless wail of sorrow. 

DISCLAIMER: Creekpaw is an OC owned by Hannah Rowe