Sad Birds Still Sing

Note

If you do comment, I would really appreciate it if it was constructive criticism, so that I can improve this and make it more enjoyable to read. Thank you!

Prologue

‘Yes, I’ve changed. Pain does that to people .’

The wind howled through the trees, and the rain hurled itself at the ground. Bumblebee yawned, and looked out over the rain-swept forest, replaying the days events in her head. The battle with ShadowClan over a scrawny mouse. Finchstar’s death at the claws of Ratnose, ShadowClan's deputy. Frondfern becoming Frondstar, and giving Bumblebee, Appledust, Pricklenose and Firpelt their warrior names. Then...

Bumblebee shuddered at the memory, and Pricklenose ran his tail along her spine gently, calming her down. She sent him a great full look, and he purred softly. She pressed against him, and the memory came flooding back.

Silverpaw, Bumblebee’s sister, had been pregnant. It was uncommon, and apprentice becoming a queen, but not unheard of, and Redtuft, SkyClan’s medicine cat, had assured the Clan that Silverpaw would be fine. He had never been more wrong. While the Clan was gathered for Bumblebee’s warrior ceremony, ShadowClan had struck SkyClan were it couldn’t have hurt more. The nursery.

The most horrible thing about this was the fact that Silverpaw had been kitting. Having already delivered three healthy kits, and busy with the final... she had no chance against the ShadowClan leader. And to make it even worse, before the warmth had even gone from Silverpaw’s body, Scorchstar had finished off the job and killed her kits.

Bumblebee knew that she was the only one to blame. Not ShadowClan. Not Appledust, Pricklenose or Firpelt’s. Hers. Before her ceremony, when she had just been Bumblepaw, she had convinced Silverpaw to stay in the medicine cat den instead of watching Bumblebee, or Bumblepaw as she had been, become a warrior. That was the reason she was dead.

Bumblebee sniffled slightly, and drew herself closer to Pricklenose. He smiled at her, and rubbed her head against her cheek. A faint smile appeared on her lips. And then, the most life changing thing happen to her. She felt the first stirring of kits in her stomach.

Chapter One

'I used to think the worst of the worst was dying... now I know that the worst of the worst is living when someone else passes away.'

Larkkit poked Robinkit's side. "Wake up! ShadowClan invasion!" Robinkit's head jolted up, and she glanced around, eyes wild. Larkkit rolled away from her, giggling. "Got ya." She glared at him. "I was trying to sleep!"

Larkkit shrugged, obviously not caring. "So? It's sunrise! The warriors should be preparing for patrol!"