Hawkfrost crept around the corner to see Mapleshade with three small kits. Two toms and a she-cat.

He padded up to her. "I thought we could only take one cat from the the former StarClan cats?"

Mapleshade hissed at him. "Well, for one: I, being deputy, get privileges, and two: these are kits not cats. This-" she gestured to a tortoiseshell tom- "is Patchkit. This-" she motioned to the pale brown she-cat- "is Petalkit. And this-" she flicked her tail to the black tom- "is Larchkit. These are my kits."

"Oh," Hawkfrost meowed, "well, who's the father?"

"They have no father!" Mapleshade growled. "Just me."

Hawkfrost growled at her and padded away. Well then! He thought. No need to be so rude!

Hawkfrost searched for his father. He soon spotted him curled up in a patch of sun with Goldenflower. Of course, he sighed angrily.

"Father!"

Tigerstar leaped into the air and spun around. "Hawkfrost! What are you doing here?"

"Well," Hawkfrost retorted, "I do live here."

"I know that!" Tigerstar hissed. "I meant here, with me?"

"Oh," Hawkfrost shook himself, "nothing, really."

"Then why are you here?" Tigerstar hissed.

"I was wondering if there was a point to letting cats take kin from The Place of No Stars?"

Tigerstar looked back at Goldenflower. He jerked his head away. "Come over here."

Hawkfrost followed.

"Well, I want to give us more cats," Tigerstar began in a low growl, "and I want the cats I lead to be on my side."

You mean Goldenflower? Hawkfrost bit back the words. "Oh," he replied instead. "Okay, makes sense, I guess. I was also wondering if maybe I could go out and check up on the living Clans - not from the stars, but down there, with them?"

"Fine," Tigerstar growled suspiciously.

"Thanks," Hawkfrost purred. He dashed off before any cat could stop him.

***

Hawkfrost slid through RiverClan territory. Night had fallen, Hawkfrost guessed most cats - both living and dead - would be asleep.

Something moved at the edge of his vision. It was a squirrel.

Hawkfrost dashed after it. He caught it almost instantly.

He slid into RiverClan camp, careful not to make a noise. He headed for Mothwing's den. Squirrel was her favorite type of prey. He laid it by her nest and left quietly.

He soon caught a mouse which he laid by Mistystar's nest, before leaving RiverClan and heading home.

This is home, Hawkfrost thought as breathed in RiverClan scent. This is where I belong, here, in RiverClan. Hawkfrost would give anything in the world to be alive again. To be like the other warriors. If he was given the chance to be born again, he'd take it!

***

Hawkfrost found himself at the edge of ThunderClan territory. The scents basked his tongue. He knew most RiverClan warriors resented the scent of their rivals, but he loved it. It was the scent his brother carried. It clung to his pelt every time Hawkfrost met him. He had learned to get used to it.

He padded into ThunderClan territory. He whipped around when he heard a rustling noise from a nearby bush. "Who's there?" He growled.

Out slid a tawny-colored she-cat with darker legs. Her pelt clung loosely to her bones and her eyes were dull with age. She carried the scent of death. "Hawkfrost?" Hawkfrost didn't recognize her until she said his name.

"Sasha!" He felt overjoyed by her appearance. "Why are you here?"

She coughed. "I wanted to say goodbye."

"What?" No!

"I'm dying, my son," she mewed quietly.

"No, Sasha!" Hawkfrost wailed. "You can't be!"

"I am," she croaked, "and you are powerless to stop it."

Am I? He thought. "Maybe I'm not!"

"Oh, Hawkfrost," she purred painfully, "this is what I want. Don't you see?"

Hawkfrost swallowed hard.

"I'm going to be with Tadpole," she squeezed her blue eyes shut. "He's waiting for me. I can see him now."

Hawkfrost turned. If he had been a living cat, he would not be able to see the small black tom standing next to him. "Tadpole!" He gasped.

The kit, though young, looked wise. He nodded. "It's me, I have returned for you, Sasha."

Sasha blinked slowly. "How can you see him, Hawkfrost?"

Hawkfrost hesitated. "I... I'm no longer living with the Clans." He confessed.

"You're a rogue?" She mewed. "But that still doesn't explain-"

"No." Hawkfrost sighed. "I'm dead."

"But-!" She broke off in a bout of coughing.

"Sh, sh." Hawkfrost soothed.

"Hawkfrost," Tadpole shook his head, "it's no use. She's too far gone."

Hawkfrost nodded. "Then we must make her comfortable." Hawkfrost gathered some moss to make her a nest in the moonlight.

"Come," he mewed gently, "leave us peacefully." There was a lump in his throat. A stone dropped in his stomach.

Tadpole gazed at him approvingly.

You don't know what I've done! He thought sadly.

Both tomcats sat in front of their mother as she passed away peacefully. They told her stories, gave her fresh-kill, all so she could be happy. Then they took her spirit.

Hawkfrost had never done this. He and Tadpole touched their noses to her nose. Then they lifted her up, still touching her nose. Her spirit lifted from her body.

Now you are with us, Hawkfrost purred inwardly.