Okay, Brownstar and I (Dewfrost) are co-writing a series of one-shot "what-if" fics. This first one is done by moi, Dewfrost, and it's: "What if Silverstream didn't die?"

Here's my version of it. Takes place about Rising Storm, after Tigerstar's banishment. Fireheart's deputy, only Silverstream DIDN'T die in Forest of Secrets.

A lone cat sat at Sunningrocks, his ears pricked towards the rushing river. The setting sun caught his ginger pelt, and like lightning to a tree, it flared a fiery orange. The cat was waiting for something. You could see the curious longing in his eyes as he looked towards the opposite shore. Finally he saw what he was looking for; the flash of gray fur through the reeds. A sleek gray cat slipped into the river and swam strongly to the other side. The flame-colored cat sprang forward to meet him as he reached the bank, dodging sideways to avoid the water that streamed from the gray tom's pelt.

"Hey, Fireheart," meowed the gray cat cheerfully.

"Finally you're here," Fireheart complained. "I thought you'd forgotten to come."

"How could I ever forget to come see you?" the gray cat rolled his yellow eyes, butting his friend in the side.

"You'd forget your own tail if it wasn't attatched." The retort came from a beautiful silver she-cat that had just arrived on the RiverClan bank. "Honestly, Graystripe."

Graystripe purred in amusement, while Fireheart lifted his tail. "Hello, Silverstream."

Silverstream dipped her head, and then stuck her muzzle back into the reeds. "Come on now," she coaxed. "There's nothing out here to hurt you."

"I smell ThunderClan!" The reply was high-pitched; a kit's voice. Fireheart pricked his ears again. "You brought them?"

"Yeah." Graystripe puffed his chest out proudly. "They're too small to swim the river. You'll have to go across yourself to see them."

With Graystripe's encouragement, Fireheart leaped into the river and made it to the other side. Silverstream hauled him out as he struggled on the slippery bank, snorting at the water trapped in his fur. "You ThunderClan warriors need to eat fish," she meowed. "What cat would ever want such thick fur?"

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it when I was in ThunderClan," teased Graystripe, and she touched noses with him, her whiskers twitching. "That was different."

"Who is that?" The little voice was different this time, a bit lower.

"Come out and meet him," Graystripe returned.

Two small kits came out of the reeds. Their big, young eyes were wide with surprise as they noticed Fireheart, and their soft kit fur fluffed out. "Ew! He's from ThunderClan!"

"Hey! I was from ThunderClan once." Graystripe biffed the offending kitten on the head, and the dark gray tom flicked his ears, looking reaproachfully at his father. The other kit, who was silver tabby like her mother, her long limbs and fine head already promsing the same beauty and grace, took a couple of steps forward. "I don't know you," she mewed to Fireheart, her blue eyes narrowing slightly. "But I've heard of you. Graystripe tells us of you all the time. Are you Fireheart?"

"That's right." Fireheart twitched his whiskers and bent down to be eye level with the kit. "And who are you?"

"Featherkit." She spoke with every bit of dignity that Silverstream held, and Graystripe poked her mother with her tail. "Where does she get that, I wonder?"

"And I'm Stormkit." The more burly of the kits rushed forward, pushing his sister aside to get a good look at the ThunderClan deputy. "Did you really fight rogues and ShadowClan?" he demanded. "And bring WindClan home?"

"I did," Fireheart meowed proudly, and then added, with a glance at his old friend, "But you know what? I never did any of that without your father to help me."

"But not anymore." Stormkit's already thick, puffy fur fluffed out even more. "Why, Father? How come you don't live in Fireheart's Clan like you used to?"

"Well..." Graystripe swallowed, and for a minute it looked like he was searching for a reason. Silverstream pressed her side against his sympathetically. Finally he mewed, "I needed to come to RiverClan. Who else would watch out for my kits, for me? And your mother. I couldn't stand being apart from her."

Fireheart blinked, and he remembered that day when Graystripe had made his decision to join RiverClan. It had been the day Silverstream's kits had been born. She had somehow made it all the way to Sunningrocks so Graystripe could be there to, and as soon as he had seen his kin for the first time he had gone rushing back to camp to confess everything to Bluestar. She- and, surprisingly, Crookedstar- had understood, and in the end he had gone to RiverClan to be with Silverstream and his children, avoiding judgement from ThunderClan at the same time. Fireheart understood his reasons, but that didn't make him regret his friend's choice any more.

"Come on, then." Silverstream, with a glance at Graystripe, began to herd up her kits. "We'd better be getting back to camp. I promised Mistyfoot I'd go hunting with her later, and I've got to bed you two down with Mosspelt before that. Say good-bye to Fireheart now, and thank him for not clawing you to pieces for being in his territory."

"Thank you!" Their earnest, squeaking voices as they raced away made Fireheart purr with laughter. Graystripe did too, as they stood side by side and watched Silverstream and her kin depart.

Graystripe's eyes were sad as he turned back, his gaze fixing on the ThunderClan side of the river. Fireheart prodded him with a paw. "Do you miss it much?"

"Of course I do," Graystripe meowed. "It was where I was born- and I'll never get used to coughing up fish scales. But still, what would I do without Silverstream and Featherkit and Stormkit?"

"You love them." Fireheart lifted his head. "I understand, Graystripe."

"Thanks." Graystripe's whiskers twitched. "But you're deputy now. That's got to be great, huh?"

"It would be better if you were there to help me." Fireheart's response was the truth, and Graystripe sighed. "I'm sorry. But I'll still see you."

"Yeah." But it won't be the same.

Graystripe seemed to be thinking along the same lines, for he turned away. "I should get back," he meowed.

Fireheart nodded. "Me too."

Graystripe touched noses with him. "See you."

"I hope so. Take good care of your kits. And Silverstream."

Graystripe let out a mrrow of laughter. "She can take after herself, I'm sure."

Fireheart's whiskers twitched feebly as his friend turned away, and he didn't miss the slight eagerness in Graystripe as he leaped back into the river, back to his mate and his children. Fireheart waited until he disappeared before he began to make his way along the bank to the stepping stones. He wasn't swimming the river again if he could help it.

The scent of RiverClan was on the breeze, and it had been in Graystripe's fur. His friend was truly a part of that Clan now. He had left ThunderClan behind. For Silverstream, and for their kits.

The thought made Fireheart cold inside, despite how happy he was that Gryastripe had found himself a mate that he loved so deeply, beyond even the Clan loyalty he had been born with. Graystripe had moved on, he knew. And as he turned his eyes away from the reeds, as his paws touched the first of the stepping stones, Fireheart knew that it was time he moved on too.

Well, that's what I thought would happen in the end if Silverstream lived- Graystripe moving to RiverClan anyway, only he wouldn't come back. 'Tis sad, I know, but at least Graystripe is happy.

Next chappie will be by Brownstar!

And, from Dewfrost: Reviews are appriciated!