Hillheart's Ancient Legends/Midnightblaze's many loves

The kits gathered eagerly around Hillheart. He was the oldest cat in Stormclan and always had many a story to tell. Every kit wanted to hear one of his many tales, sometimes the older apprentices as well and even  the occasional young warrior would take a break from the chaos of clan life and snuggle down to hear a comforting tale. In fact, his gift for storytelling made him especially popular at gatherings and he was the only elder that was ever allowed to go.

"Now, kits. You have to remember that Hillheart is very old..." Shadowpelt, the mother of the three over-excited infants, began to nag them, but she was interupted by the elder's exasperated snap.

"Don't be a fool, Shadowpelt. I may be old but I haven't forgotten how to deal with kits. You can go and relax now." he told her. Shadowpelt blinked in gratitude at her father and padded out of the elder's den.

"Tell us a story!" Streamkit squeaked. Her brother, a tom named Brookkit, mewed in agreement. The third kit, a she-cat name Riverkit, remained silent but her eyes were pleading.

"Very well. You are special kits to me because you are kin, so I will tell you an extremely special story. The most special story of all." the kits settled down, listening intently.

''"There once lived a kit named Midnightkit, and she was very much like any other kit in the nursery. She was a very, very beautiful kit with pale golden eyes that shone in the sunlight and dark black fur that made her almost invisible at night." he began, but Brookkit interupted him.''

"Invisible? How cool is that!" he gasped, but his sisters hushed him.

"Midnightkit had three best friends. They were all brothers. Their names were Blazekit, Tornadokit and Strikekit. Each of the brothers was very, very special. Blazekit was a big red tom with green eyes. He would grow up to be the best hunter in all the clans. Even though he was a Stormclan cat and loved the water like any other Stormclan cat, he could hunt rabbits on the hills like a Rainclan cat. He could hunt among the trees like a Lightningclan cat. He could hunt amongst the shadows like a Cloudclan clat. No cat knew how.

''"Tornadokit was a small tom with big black eyes and matching black fur. He could run so fast that Rainclan cats envied him. He could outrun a Twoleg monster." ''Streamkit became a little teary-eyes at that part.

"Our father, Greenclover, was killed by a Twoleg monster." she explained.

"Well, Tornadokit would never be touched by any monster. The third brother, Strikekit, didn't have to worry about running away. By the time he was an apprentice he would be killing dogs. By the time he was a warrior he could defeat a whole clan single-pawedly. He had pale blue fur and bright blue eyes. Together, the three toms could survive alone. But they didn't have to. Instead, they played with Midnightkit in the nursery until they became apprentices.

"One day, Midnightpaw fell into the lake and the current was very strong after a thaw. She was the best swimmer in the clan but she was still unable to get out. Her father, Greatclaw, loved her very much. He tried to save her but he failed. Her mother, Ironpelt, was frantic. No cat dared rescue them for fear of drowning. But Blazepaw already loved Midnightpaw and knew how to fish perfectly. There was no time to rescue both but he managed to save Midnightpaw. The two fell in love, but Greatclaw drowned.

"Ironpelt was furious with Blazepaw for letting Greatclaw die, because she loved her mate more than the world. She tried to persuade her daughter to stop loving Blazepaw, but Midnightpaw was hopelessley in love at the time and refused. At first they kept it a secret, but Midnightpaw soon discovered she was expecting kits.

"Ironpelt was no longer mentally stable. She beat her daughter so badly that she lost the kits, and forced her to lie that a dog had attacked her. But Blazepaw found out what had happened. He followed Ironpelt and Midnightpaw one day, and as Ironpelt began to beat her daughter again, Blazepaw rushed out and killed the dominating mother.

"Midnightpaw was relieved she had been saved, but could not bear to look at Blazepaw again. She promised to keep it a secret but they were no longer mates.

"Tornadopaw loved the she-cat too now. He, Midnightpaw and Strikepaw became warriors together. Their first assignment was to go on a patrol, but they were attacked by a dog and Tornadofoot almost died. He only just survived but was confined to the duties of a medicine cat.

''Midnightblaze, who had been named for her first love, at first still loved Blazepaw (who was now known as Blazeheart) but was soon charmed by Tornadofoot's unknowing wit. When she realized she was expecting his kits, they knew they couldn't claim them as their own. So Midnightblaze pretended to love Strikeclaw, and he loved her back with all his heart. When she had one kit, Opalkit, Strikeclaw was certain he was the father of the kit. ''

''But one day, Tornadofoot and Midnightblaze were caught talking about their kit. What was worst was that they were caught by Moonpaw, Tornadofoot's apprentice. He knew he couldn't hunt and longed to be medicine cat, but Tornadofoot was in the way of glory. So Moonpaw killed Tornadofoot too.''

"Midnightblaze was heartbroken. For many moons, she lay in the nursery, unable to tend to Opalkit, who felt neglected and alone. Only Strikeclaw offered comfort, but she could never love him back truly. The sadness turned to depression and one day, Midnightblaze decided to end her misery and go to Adderplace to provoke a snake. But Tornadofoot, up in Afterclan, wouldn't let her die. He loved her too much. So he used his Afterclan powers and made her forget about him. Midnightblaze did not know she had lost her mate. She believed that Opalkit was the daughter of Strikeclaw and herself. And she fell in love with Strikeclaw.

''"However, one day, Midnightblaze lay in the nursery with her three new kits, Yellowkit and Mudkit. No cats knows the name of the third kit. Rainclan and Stormclan had bickered for many a moon over who owned Adderplace, and Rainclan they attacked. Midnightblaze was forced to fight and protect her kits. But one kit, Mudkit, wandered astray and was killed by a Rainclan apprentice, for Mudkit was very big and had resembled an apprentice to the small Rainclan tom. Midnightblaze was heartbroken again, but this time her life had no meaning. The Afterclan magic had begun to wear off and the pain of loss was returning, although she could still never remember Tornadofoot. She gave herself up to the other clan. It was not till her dying moments that the Afterclan magic completely wore off and she remembered Tornadofoot up in Afterclan. She loved him again, and forgave Blazeheart, but would never forget Strikeclaw either. His loyalty had made her love him just as much as Blazeheart and when he joined Afterclan, the three brothers were all very good mates to the beautiful she-cat..."''

"Oh, thankyou Hillheart. Finally some peace and quiet!" Shadowpelt bustled into the elder's den again.

"Thankyou, Shadowpelt. You have raised these kits well. They will make fine warriors some day." he rasped. His daughter looked down at the floor, embarrassed.

"What do you say to Hillheart?" she reminded her kits.

"Thankyou!" they chorused.

"You're welcome." he purred loudly. Another of the elders, a she-cat named Rosepelt, snapped at him;

"Quiet, you old furball!" Hillheart looked so sad that it was clear to even the three kits that Rosepelt felt guilty.

"Now, it's time to go."

"No! No!" Streamkit and Brookkit squeaked. Riverkit, as ever, remained silent. She had not spoken the whole time, and Shadowpelt looked at her with eyes full of concern.

"Don't argue with me. You've stayed long enough." she said sternly.

"Mother, would you mind if I could ask Hillheart something?" Riverkit squeaked in a tiny voice.

"Certainly." Shadowpelt exclaimed, breathing a sigh of relief.

"How come..." her siblings whined as they were lead out the nursery door.

"Now, what is this ever-so-important question?" Hillheart bent down to the height of the tiny silver kit.

"Who was the third kit?" Riverkit asked quietly. Hillheart looked away.

"I am a very old cat, young kit. I cannot be expected to remember..." the look in her eyes made him purr.

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you." he bent down.

"The third kit was called Hillkit..."