Blackheart and Tigerfang brought Alderheart's body to the middle of the clearing, and those that had been there as he died took up the vigil immediately. Aspenkit buried her face into the old medicine cat's fur before they were done cleaning his body. Silverstar had gone to object but seemed to think better of it.

Aspenkit was so absorbed in grief for her friend that she didn't notice the movement beside her.

"Found your voice I see, Quietkit." Murmured a voice. She looked up at Robinpaw who had settled beside her.

"I guess." She murmured. "Alderheart..."

"I get it." Mumbled Robinpaw. "He helped a lot of cats. I wouldn't be half the cat I am today without him..."

"Starclan's sake, Robinpaw." Muttered Creekpaw taking her place beside her brother. "Let the poor cat mourn in peace will you." Her green eyes flicked to Aspenkit. "I apologise for my brother." She mewed. "He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."

"And I apologise for my sister for being a bossy boots." Muttered Robinpaw, earning him a cuff from Creekpaw.

Aspenkit blinked, trying to imagine having such a relationship with her own siblings. For some reason, she could not imagine a future with her siblings involved. She knew they must be, but she just couldn't see it.

"You're Blackheart's kit aren't you." Muttered Creekpaw, her eyes flicking to Robinpaw then back to Aspenkit. "The quiet one."

She felt the fur on the back of her neck rise but with an effort, flattened it. "Yes." She mewed. "I'm Aspenkit."

"Creekpaw." Murmured the grey tabby apprentice, flicking one of her black ears. "How well did you know Alderheart? You're not old enough to have any battle injuries."

Aspenkit felt her heart twist as she looked back at Alderheart's body. "He was my friend." She murmured. "My... my only friend..."

Creekpaw rolled her eyes a little but said nothing more, instead burying her nose into Alderheart's fur. Robinpaw however was gazing down at the kit with sympathy in his eyes. "I understand." He mewed. "Alderheart was our first friend too." He lowered himself to his belly and pressed his own nose into Alderheart's pelt. "If you want..." he murmured, his own sea green eyes sliding towards Aspenkit. "I'll be your friend from now on... and though she'd not admit it, so will Creekpaw."

Creekpaw glanced up for a moment, but then closed her eyes in acceptance and continued to mourn the old medicine cat.

Aspenkit looked up at Robinpaw, her eyes wide and questioning. No-one had ever aloud said that they would be her friend, and she wasn't sure whether Robinpaw was simply fooling around as he was notorious for doing. But the dark coloured tom touched his orange nose to the top of her golden ears. "You ever need anything kit, you come to us. We'll do what we can to help you. Right Creekpaw?"

Creekpaw didn't look up, but she flicked one of her ears in agreement. "Whatever." She muttered. "Now shut up and show some respect."

Robinpaw and Aspenkit both bent their heads again, burying their noses into Alderheart's fur, but a little part of Aspenkit thought that maybe Alderheart would have been happier seeing cats becoming friends during his vigil than sitting through the night in silence.

The morning dawned with a promise that the heat they had been experiencing recently was to continue. The air was close and it was difficult to breathe. Ravencall was eager to send out the patrols before the day became too hot, but Silverstar decided that the clan needed to say farewell to Alderheart before the day could continue.

Just after dawn, the clan gathered around Alderheart's body. Aspenkit's siblings came and sat beside her as they watched the ceremony take place. The elders, Ambermoon and Honeyfur appeared ready to help Twigtail to take Alderheart for his burial.

Silverstar took her place by Alderheart's head, and raised her voice so the clan could hear her. "Last night, one of the greatest medicine cats Thunderclan has ever known breathed his last. Now we gather here to say our final farewells to him. Alderheart, now in Starclan, may you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter when you sleep."

The cats dipped their heads in silent prayer as the elders carefully lifted Alderheart up onto their shoulders and made their way slowly out of the camp. The cats parted to let them through, lining up on either side of their path to the camp entrance.

"I'm really sorry, Aspenkit." Murmured Lilykit sitting beside her sister. "I know you and Alderheart were close."

Stormkit sniffed. "He was close with a lot of cats."

"That doesn't make it any easier for poor Aspenkit though does it?" Sparkkit mewed, cuffing her brother over the ears.

Larkkit had been watching his siblings fawning over Aspenkit, and seemed to see her discomfort at all of her siblings speaking at once. "Aspenkit." He said after a moment. "Come play moss ball with us. That'll cheer you up."

Aspenkit hesitated, feeling the usual bubble of anxiety building up, the fear of being with the others and somehow getting it wrong, but then she realised just how long it had been since her siblings had asked her to play with them. Maybe it was the fact she had enough confidence to be able to speak now, but today, she wanted to nothing more than to play with her siblings. "Ok." She murmured. "I'd like that. Thank you."

The other kits scampered away, excited for their game, but Aspenkit paused for a moment, feeling that someone was watching her. She glanced around. Robinpaw and Creekpaw were watching her, a mixture of pride and amusement in their eyes. As their eyes met, Creekpaw ducked her head and looked away but Robinpaw padded forward and dropped his head to her ear so that she could hear his whisper. "I know that took a lot of courage for you. Well done."

Aspenkit purred back at him, feeling proud of herself, before turning and bounding after her siblings.

The change in Aspenkit was noted by almost all the cats in the clan. Blackheart and Silverstar could not take their eyes off the kit as she frolicked in the Greenleaf heat with the other kits. Poppydust sat just outside the medicine cat den, a purr rumbling deep in her throat as the shy little kit tumbled about. The elders who were sunning themselves outside their den kept looking over, their eyes gleaming with pride as the kit who acted old before her time finally learnt to be a kit. Even Ravencall and Hazelbreeze let out purrs of amusement as they saw her tussling with Icekit. As Aspenkit collapsed in the shade with the other kits around sun-high, she couldn't believe she had missed out on so much with her siblings and the other kits. How could she have been so afraid of them all this time?

At dusk, Dawnkit, Mistkit and Icekit scampered off to the nursery while Blackheart and Silverstar gathered their kits together to eat before they made their way up to the den. Above them, dark clouds were beginning to move across the sky. Silverstar gave a little sigh of relief. "There's a storm brewing." She murmured. "Good. The air is so heavy. We need rain."

"Why do we need the rain?" piped up Sparkkit. "We can't play out in the rain."

Larkkit rolled his eyes. "Because we need water, mouse-brain." He snapped. "Otherwise the brown creatures will steal our water."

Silverstar gave a little purr of amusement. "We do need the water, but I don't think the brown creatures will return." She mewed. "But where it has not rained recently, the forest has dried up and the trees are brittle. The earth is dry so the insects burrow deeper."

Stormkit gave a little snort. "So what?" he mewed. "We don't eat bugs."

"We don't" agreed Silverstar, blinking at her son. "But some of our prey eats insects. And when our prey doesn't eat, it starves. And if our prey starves, what happens to us?"

"We starve too." Said Larkkit, looking smugly at his siblings as he answered first.

"That's right." Said Silverstar. "Which is why it is part of the warrior code that we don't kill prey unnecessarily, and we thank Starclan for the lives which have been given so that we can survive. Because we understand the cycle of life in the forest."

The kits gazed at their mother with wide eyes as they absorbed her words. At that moment, Blackheart appeared, four mice swinging from his jaws. He set down two amongst the kits and one before his mate before settling down to eat his own mouse. As the kits gathered around the mice, Larkkit suddenly threw back his head.

"Thank you Starclan for this mouse!" he cried at the sky.

"Thank you Starclan!" chorused the other kits, while their parents purred with amusement behind them.

Larkkit and Stormkit settled down to eat one of the mice while Sparkkit, Lilykit and Aspenkit began to eat the other. The tang of blood saturated Aspenkit's tongue and her tail tip gave a little flick of pleasure.

"Silverstar!" Aspenkit glanced up to see Emberclaw making his way towards his leader, his eyes glinting with worry.

Silverstar looked up from her mouse, swiping her tongue around her mouth. "Emberclaw." She greeted the senior warrior. "Trouble on the evening patrol?"

"Twolegs who had spent the day on the lake coming into the forest again." Reported Emberclaw. "They had the fire twigs with them again."

Silverstar narrowed her eyes. "Did you check the areas they had been in?"

Emberclaw nodded. "We checked the ground but couldn't see anything. That area stinks of smoke though now."

Silverstar gave a little growl. "That'll drive any prey further underground." She muttered darkly. "We'll decide what to do about this tomorrow. Thank you, Emberclaw."

The ginger tabby dipped his head respectfully to his leader before turning to make his way over to the fresh-kill pile. Silverstar looked at Blackheart, her eyes full of worry. "Should I send someone to make sure the area is clear?"

Blackheart licked her ears. "Don't worry my love." He murmured. "It can wait until the morning. Let's get this little lot to bed."

Gently Blackheart and Silverstar herded their litter towards the rocks that led to the high ledge. Silverstar gave a yawn. "Can you tell Ravencall in the morning to ask the dawn patrol to check the area." She murmured.

Blackheart gave a little purr. "I will." He mewed. "Don't worry so."

There was a funny smell. Aspenkit twitched her ears as she opened her eyes. The scent was like nothing she had smelled before. It made the inside of her nose burn and her throat felt sore. She blinked as her eyes began to sting. Something was wrong...

A screech rang out through the camp and immediately, Silverstar leapt up, Blackheart who had been curled beside her jumping up too. The kits who had been curled beside their mother woke and stared around in confusion.

"Smoke!" gasped Silverstar. "There's a fire in the camp!"

Blackheart leapt forward. "I'll find Ravencall and begin evacuation." He called over his shoulder.

Silverstar hesitated, looking from her kits and back at the entrance of the den. Outside there was panic as cats began to explode from the dens, searching for their loved ones. Aspenkit saw through the entrance Ravencall and Webeye sprinting towards the nursery where their mates were with their kits.

A wail went up from the direction of the elders den and finally, Silverstar seemed decided. She turned to her kits, lowering her head. "I have to go and help the clan." She mewed. "You will be safe in here as rock doesn't burn. Stay low and I'll come back once the dens are clear."

The kits mewled their protest as Silverstar ran from the den.

"Silverstar come back!" wailed Larkkit dithering, clearly wanting to run after his mother.

"My eyes hurt!" cried Stormkit, cuffing at his eyes, trying to relieve his irritation.

"I can't breathe." Whimpered Lilykit as the dark smoke in the den thickened.

Aspenkit had dropped to her belly as Silverstar had said and found the air much clearer there. "Everyone get down." She mewed fighting to stay calm. "It's easier to breathe."

Immediately, all of the kits dropped to their bellies. They were all five of them trembling with fear.

"Are we going to die?" whispered Sparkkit as the cats below the den screamed and ran in all directions.

"Of course we're not!" said Lilykit determinedly. "Silverstar is coming back for us. She won't let us die!"

Suddenly, there was a terrible creaking noise above them. The kits fell silent, slowly backing away from the entrance of the den, still keeping their bellies close to the floor of the den. The creaking kept getting louder and louder, like a terrible creature was descending down upon them. Then there was a snap and a crash as a huge burning branch fell and blocked the entrance of the den.

The kits let out wails of terror as the flames licked at their pelts. They all retreated as far into the den as they could and huddled together the heat of the flames making their eyes water. Outside, they could hear cats screeching.

"Silverstar, your den!"

"Are the kits out?"

"Silverstar!"

"My kits! My kits are still in there!"

Two dark shapes appeared on the other side of the flames and the kits heard Blackheart's voice. "We need to douse the flames, or find a way to smother them."

"Let's move the branch!"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm going to find some moss we can use to carry water."

"Blackheart..."

"Keep talking to them. Let them know we're here."

Blackheart disappeared leaving only the one dark shape. "Kits!" the voice called. "It's Robinpaw. We're getting you help."

"Hurry!" wailed Sparkkit, her pelt slick with fear.

Beside her, Aspenkit felt Lilykit go limp. She turned to look at her sister to see that she had passed out. "Lilykit!" she gasped. She began to lick at the she-kits face, trying to wake her. Larkkit noticed and leapt forward, beginning to lap at her pelt. "Lilykit! Wake up!" he pleaded.

"Robinpaw!" Sparkkit called. "Lilykit's not waking up."

Robinpaw seemed to be making an effort to stay calm but Aspenkit thought she could hear a hint of panic in his voice. "It's ok. We'll get you out soon, and then Poppydust can have a look at her."

Aspenkit heard a little flump and looked up to see that Stormkit was lying on his side, his eyes closed, his chest just about rising and falling. "Stormkit too!" she wailed, leaving Lilykit to lick her brother's face. "Wake up!" she whispered urgently.

"Stormkit's asleep too?" called Robinpaw, the fear in his voice starting to grow more apparent.

As Aspenkit lapped at her brother's fur, she tasted the acrid taste of the smoke in his fur. His breath was growing shallower by the second. Her throat burned but she did not stop trying to wake him.

"Robinpaw." Mewed Sparkkit, her voice weaker now. "I want to sleep too."

"Stay awake, Sparkkit!" commanded Robinpaw. "We're coming!"

But it was too late. Sparkkit slumped to the floor, her eyes closing. Aspenkit wailed out of frustration. There was nothing she could do, it was just her and Larkkit trying to wake all of them. She looked over at her brother and felt her breath catch. Larkkit was slumped over Lilykit, his eyes closed. She rushed over, beginning to lick at his face but she realised as her face moved closed to his that Larkkit was not breathing. She moved to Lilykit, and horror rose in her as she realised that Lilykit wasn't breathing either.

"Robinpaw!" she wailed. "They're not breathing!"

"Blackheart!" screeched Robinpaw. "Hurry with the moss. The kits are collapsing!"

Aspenkit heard Silverstar let out a wail of misery. "My kits!" she cried. "Starclan save my kits!"

"Aspenkit, are you alright?" called Robinpaw. Aspenkit didn't want to reply. She didn't want to breathe the toxic air, or inhale the heat from the flames. The den was dark and she was beginning to feel so sleepy. She couldn't keep her running eyes open. "Aspenkit?" called Robinpaw's voice again, sounding more urgent. She opened her mouth but all that came out was a weak cough.

She looked up as screeches rang out from below. "Robinpaw, NO!"

It seemed to happen in slow motion. The flames parted around the dark cat as he leapt through the fire. He landed nimbly, the fur on his orange paws seeming to smoulder as he stood in the den. He dropped his head, trying to breathe the clearer air at the floor of the den and spotted Aspenkit. He raced forward, grabbing her by the scruff and turning to try to escape the den. There was another creaking snapping noise and more debris fell from above the entrance. The flames grew larger and hotter. Robinpaw stopped dead, taking a few steps back, clearly trying to work out what to do next. Then his head drooped.

"Creekpaw..." he murmured. "I'm sorry..."

He carefully placed the kit down at the back of the den, and slowly, as though he had all the time in the world now, he carefully lifted the limp bodies of her siblings and laid them down beside her. Gently, he laid himself over their bodies and placed Aspenkit between his front paws and rested his head over her.

"Robinpaw..." whispered Aspenkit. "Are the others..."

"I'm not a medicine cat." Murmured Robinpaw. "Even if I were, I doubt I could save them... I can't even save myself now..."

Aspenkit trembled. "Are we going to die?" she whimpered.

Robinpaw didn't answer straight away. "Bury your face into my fur." He murmured. "Then the smoke will have to get through there to get you."

Aspenkit did as he said, pushing her face into the dark fur of his neck. "Will Starclan be nice?" she murmured, feeling the sleepiness threatening to overtake her.

Robinpaw seemed to tremble as he responded. "I hope so." He mewed. "At least when we get there, I'm going to have a friend with me, and you'll have one with you."

Aspenkit closed her eyes, feeling fear in her, but also a strange sense of peace. "I'm falling asleep." She whispered.

"Go to sleep, little one." Murmured Robinpaw. "I'll keep you safe tonight." His voice cracked as she drifted into sleep. "Don't be afraid."

Robinpaw CTA Acrilycat

DISCLAIMER: Creekpaw is an OC owned by Hannah Rowe