Aspenkit felt a gentle breeze ruffle through her fur. She didn't feel tired anymore, or have the acrid tang of smoke in her throat or tight chest restricting her breathing. She opened her eyes to find herself resting in a beautiful starlit field of long grass. As she raised her head, she saw the shapes of four kits bounding away from her. A black tom, a dark grey tom, a pale ginger she-kit and a brown she-kit with white patches. Her siblings.

'I'm in Starclan.' The words rang in her head as she got to her paws to run after them. She felt a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving her parents, and her friends. For a moment, she thought of Robinpaw. She hoped that even though he hadn't been able to save her, he had managed to save himself.

"Hello Aspenkit." Murmured a familiar voice. She spun around to find herself face to face with a much younger looking Alderheart. She felt her heart lift with joy at the sight of him. She dashed to him and he lowered his head to touch noses with her. "Hello little one." He murmured.

"I'm so glad to see you." Mewed Aspenkit. "Robinpaw was right. I got to Starclan and I have a friend with me."

Alderheart purred. "You'll always have a friend in Starclan." He mewed, then he hesitated. "But you're not there yet."

Aspenkit stared at him before looking around the field. "Then where am I?"

"This is Starclan's hunting grounds, but you won't be staying here for long." Murmured Alderheart. "You are still alive Aspenkit. This is only a dream."

For a long moment, Aspenkit didn't move, only stared at Alderheart. "Does that mean I can dream of Starclan anytime like a medicine cat?"

"We can't dream of Starclan when we like." Alderheart purred in amusement. "I came into your dream tonight to show you that your siblings are safe here. Sparkpelt and I will take good care of them until your parents come."

Aspenkit turned to look after where she had seen her siblings scampering away to see them winding around a flame coloured tabby she-cat. Sparkpelt was greeting them like they were old friends, her own kits, sitting down and licking each of them between the ears. Aspenkit felt a tug at her heart. She felt as though she would break without them with her throughout her life, but she felt a twinge of hope and happiness to see that here, as in Thunderclan, they were loved.

She hesitated before turning back to Alderheart. "Why?" she murmured quietly.

He tipped his head on one side. "Why what?" he asked.

"Why me?" she mewed. "Why did Starclan spare me but take them?" She looked up. "Is this because of what Leafpool said?"

Alderheart dipped his head. "Who can say." He replied. "Maybe it is because of Starclan's plan for you, or maybe it is because Robinpaw protected you from the flames."

Aspenkit gave a little start and began to look around. "He is alive, isn't he?" she asked. "I can't see him here."

Alderheart gave a sad little sigh. "He is gravely ill." He murmured. "He is still breathing, just. I know I taught Poppydust all she needs to know, and Starclan have no desire to take him yet. The rest is up to him."

Aspenkit stared as the words sunk in. Robinpaw could die, because of her. She knew she needed to get back. If he was to die, she needed him to know that she was alive because of him.

"I'm ready to go back now." she murmured to Alderheart, feeling a wave of sadness overtake her at the thought of leaving her siblings here, and losing Alderheart once again.

Alderheart patted the ground beside him with his tail and she sat beside him. He curled around her and began to purr softly. "Sleep now." he murmured. "You'll wake back in the clans."

"Will I remember all of this?" mewed Aspenkit anxiously. She did not want to forget seeing her siblings safe with their grandmother.

"I promise." He whispered. He swished his tail over her and in a few moments, she felt the comfort of sleep settle over her.

"She's breathing!" yowled a voice. "Thank Starclan! She's breathing!"

Aspenkit was aware of a strange hissing noise and of being on damp rock. She drew a shuddering, gasping breath, her chest squeezing, not letting in enough air. He nose was streaming and her throat was raw. She gave a little cough, still tasting the smoke on her tongue. She felt teeth grasp her scruff and she was lifted from where she was lying. She felt limp and heavy, like her limbs and tail were made of rocks. She felt herself being jostled as the cat carrying her seemed to jump downwards. She opened her eyes a little, finally seeing the Thunderclan camp. Rain was soaking the earth and the dens. Smoke was rising from the bracken nests and from the trees dotted around the camp. Her eyes stung and she closed them again. She could smell Blackheart and guessed he was the one carrying her.

"My kits! Where are my kits?"

She heard Silverstar's frantic cries and tried to force her eyes open. "Mama..." she whimpered as the silver she-cat sprinted towards Blackheart.

He gently laid her down and stepped forward, stopping Silverstar from coming any closer as Poppydust approached. "My love, I need you to brace yourself." He mewed. "Aspenkit is alive, but Poppydust needs to see her. She's very ill."

Poppydust was inspecting Aspenkit, placing her ear close to the kit's nose and mouth while gently pressing her paws against her chest. Aspenkit gave a cough and Poppydust looked concerned.

"The rest of them!" snapped Silverstar. "Where are they?"

Suddenly she let out a broken wail of sheer despair. Aspenkit looked up. Emberclaw, Lionfall, Featherflower and Heatherfrost were making their way down from the leaders den, each of them carrying a kit in their jaws. It was obvious from the way that the kits were hanging that all of them were dead. Aspenkit felt her heart break as she realised that everything had been real. She had hoped that it had all been some terrible dream. That the fire had not happened. That she hadn't seen her sibling disappearing into Starclan's hunting grounds with their grandmother.

The cats gently laid the kits before their mother and Silverstar collapsed, drawing her kits to her. "My beautiful kits!" she wailed. "My precious little ones! Starclan why!"

Blackheart looked at Poppydust who was still examining his surviving daughter. "How is she?" he murmured. "We can't lose her too."

"Her lungs are badly damaged from the smoke." Murmured Poppydust. "And her airway is too, her throat and nose are blocked and sore. Her eyes are irritated and could get very easily infected so I'll need to keep a close eye on her."

"Will she live?" demanded Blackheart, his tail tip resting on his daughter.

Poppydust hesitated. "I'll do all I can, but it's in the paws of Starclan."

Aspenkit raised her head very slightly. "I... will... live..." she rasped, each word taking all of her air.

"You will." Murmured Blackheart, gently touching his nose to her ear tip. "I need you to be strong."

Aspenkit struggled to look at him. She needed him to understand. "Star... clan... said..."

"Where's my brother?" Screeched a voice as Creekpaw burst into the destroyed camp. "Where's Robinpaw?"

Suddenly she froze, staring in the direction of the Leader's den. Aspenkit looked up to see Tigerfang and Ravencall carrying the apprentice out of the den. His eyes were closed and he was completely limp. The two toms carried Robinpaw over to where Poppydust was standing. As they came closer, Aspenkit could smell the tang of blood and saw that all the fur from his back was missing. In its place was an ugly red burn. They placed him down before Poppydust.

"Robinpaw!" Creekpaw tried to run forward to her brother but Heatherfrost stepped in front of her.

"Creekpaw control yourself." She commanded as Poppydust began to examine him. "You will only get in the way. Let Poppydust work."

Poppydust placed her ear close to Robinpaw's nose, then opened his mouth to sniff at him. She reached into his jaws and drew his tongue forward. Then she rose to her paws before pouncing on him and rhythmically pumping his chest.

Creekpaw wailed, her eyes fixed on her brother. "What are you doing?" she screeched. "What's wrong with him? Please save him!"

Poppydust didn't take her eyes off of Robinpaw, still pounding at his chest. "He's not breathing, but it hasn't been for long." She grunted. "He still has some air in his lungs but his heart has stopped. I need to get him to breathe again."

Aspenkit felt her stomach flip over as she watched Poppydust fighting for the apprentice's life while his sister screamed his name.

Silverstar was watching Poppydust her eyes wide. "What are you doing?" she snarled. "Why aren't you doing that for my kits?" Poppydust didn't answer, a slight growl emanating from her as she worked. "As your leader, I command you to stop and aid my kits! Now!"

Blackheart stared at his mate, before rising and walking towards her. "You can't tell Poppydust to sacrifice one cat's life for another." He mewed. "The kits were gone before Robinpaw. He has a greater chance of surviving."

Silverstar glared at him for a moment before turning back to Poppydust. "As your leader, I command you to stop!" screeched Silverstar, leaping to her paws, the limp bodies of the kits rolling away from her and flopping to the floor. "Stop and aid my kits!"

Poppydust's paws began to slow as she hesitated, torn between following her leader and her duty as a medicine cat.

Creekpaw ducked around Heatherfrost and bounded towards Poppydust. "I'll do it." She growled, shoving the medicine cat aside and placing her own paws on his chest and began to pump. "I won't let him die. Not like this."

Poppydust hesitated again before dashing over to where Silverstar sat with the kits and began to work, laying each one on their side and opening their mouth to try to smell their breath.

Creekpaw slammed her paws into her brother's chest. "Don't. You. Dare. Die. Robin." She grunted between pumps. "Wake. Up. Right. Now. Or. Else."

"Please..." whispered Aspenkit. Alderheart had promised her that Starclan had no desire to take him yet. It was up to him, but he was strong enough. He had to be.

Suddenly Robinpaw spasmed drawing in a gasping rattling breath. He coughed weakly, each one making him writhe in pain. Creekpaw jumped away in surprise, standing in shock as her brother spluttered back to life. Aspenkit raised her head as the apprentice gasped for air. His eyes opened a crack and spotted Creekpaw. "Wha..." he mumbled. "Wha- happe-..."

She seemed to be resisting the urge to cuff him around the ears. "You... you are the craziest... the stupidest... don't you ever do that again, you hear me?"

"Sorr-..." he murmured, his eyes closing. "Cree... I saw... Mama..."

Creekpaw flinched as her brother mentioned their mother. For a long moment she simply stood staring at her brother as though she couldn't believe what he had just said. "You saw her?" she whispered. "How... how is she?" But Robinpaw had slipped unconscious again, his chest making small movements. His breath was shallow and wheezing. Creekpaw hesitated for a long moment before laying beside him and curling around him. "Mouse-brain..." she murmured, before trying to clean the wound on his back with long gentle strokes of her tongue.

"WHY AREN'T YOU DOING ANYTHING?" screeched Silverstar's voice. Aspenkit strained to look to where her mother was standing beside her kits.

Poppydust had stepped away and was shaking her head. "They're gone, Silverstar." She said gently. "There's no air in their lungs. I could try to revive them for days and they won't wake."

"LIAR!" snarled Silverstar, leaping at the medicine cat.

Poppydust braced herself for her leaders attack when Blackheart flung himself at Silverstar, knocking her to the ground. The silver she-cat looked up at Blackheart, her lips drawn back in a snarl. Blackheart gave a low warning growl as she began to square up to him, he claws extended. She let out a hiss of hatred and without warning leaped, her forepaws aimed at Blackheart, her claws glinting. Blackheart reared up and met her as she hit him, matching her blow for blow, defending himself his claws sheathed.

Suddenly, she gave a massive side swipe that caught him on the side of the head. As he was knocked off balance she began to claw at his ears, ripping them and gave him an almighty shove with her shoulder. As he hit the ground, she pounced on him, slashing at his sides. He kicked out with his hind legs, knocking her back legs out from under her. She hit the ground and he leapt up and planted himself over her, pinning her down.

"Enough!" he snarled. "They're gone Silverstar." His voice softened. "It's not Poppydust's fault."

For a moment, Silverstar lay still, his words washing over her. Then he lips drew back again as she looked up at her mate. "You're right. She couldn't do anything. Because you killed them!"

Blackheart stared at her. "What?"

"You told me not to send out a patrol to check the area where the Twolegs had been with the fire twigs." She spat. "You left me as soon as the fire started because you knew I would have to leave to take care of my clan. You made me leave them there. Now they're gone, because you killed them!"

Blackheart was so stunned by her words that he didn't even react when Silverstar sliced her hind claws along his belly while simultaneously slashing at his eyes with her fore claws.

Suddenly Ravencall appeared, tearing Blackheart away from his crazed leader while butting her away from her mate. "That's enough!" He hissed, placing himself between the two cats. "What happened here tonight was an accident. If it's anyone's fault, it's the Twolegs." He paused and looked seriously at his leader. "The clan lost four kits tonight." He murmured. "Isn't that tragedy enough without all of us turning on each other?"

Silverstar hissed at her deputy, not wanting to hear what he had to say before turning and gathering the bodies of her kits to her. Blackheart rose to his paws, beginning to step towards her.

"Don't come near them!" she screeched. "Don't touch them!"

He stopped, his eyes wide. "Please..." he murmured. "I'm their father."

She glared at him, her pelt bushing and her hackles rising as a snarl escaped her. "My kits have no father!"

DISCLAIMER: Creekpaw is an OC owned by Hannah Rowe