Mistflower turned her body best she could, landing hard on her paws. Her legs collapsed under her and she let out a pained yowl. Her left paw hurt the most, she'd probably twisted it. She looked up through her tear-blurred eyes to see if Maplestream was nearby. Hope fluttered in her chest when she saw he wasn't there… but most likely he was still fighting Falconheart, or they'd been swept away….

"Maplestream!" Mistflower cried in desperation. She whimpered as she stood, pain spiking up her left leg. But the pain was pushed out of her mind by the ache in her heart. Where was he? Was she too late?

"Mistflower?" came a voice down the bank. Mistflower ran without regard for her injured paw, calling her mate's name hopefully. The rain was starting to pour down, and the clouds covered the sun so it was darker. As Mistflower sloshed through the rising riverbanks, she kept looking around for Maplestream's red pelt.

"Maplestream, tell me where you are? Are you okay?" Mistflower waited for an answer. She pricked her ears up suddenly when she heard a sound. A rock crumbled from the ridge above and fell down. She whirled around to see what had caused it, and saw Maplestream, panting, his fur soaked with rain and blood.

"Mistflower, look out!" he yowled suddenly, his eyes wide with terror and anger. He leapt from his spot on the rock and sailed over Mistflower's head, landing on something behind her. Mistflower turned back, astonished to see Falconheart under Maplestream's paws.

"Get off of me, fox-dung!" the traitorous cat hissed, shoving Maplestream violently off. Mistflower gasped as Maplestream fell, his breathing slowed.

"How could you?" Mistflower screamed, her eyes blazing with hatred as she turned to look at Falconheart. He turned his stunning yellow eyes up to look into her icy blue ones, but the heat she'd normally felt didn't come. Only the heat of pure loathing.

"He attacked me," Falconheart mewed simply, pacing a wide circle around her. Mistflower turned with him, never letting him out of sight. "You believe me, right? You always did."

"You lousy piece of crow-food!" Mistflower spat, baring her teeth and unsheathing her claws. Her fur bristled as best it could when it was weighed down with rain. The roaring of the water in the river and the rain falling rang in her ears, but she let no sound distract her from Falconheart.

"Why are you talking to me like that?" Falconheart purred, sounding so genuinely hurt that it surprised Mistflower. She let her guard down, but only for a moment. Enough to let Falconheart take one step closer.

"I swear I'll rip you into tiny scraps if Maplestream…" Mistflower's words caught in her throat and she looked briefly at the nearly-motionless body of her mate. He was alive, but he needed a medicine cat. Fast.

"Why do you care about him?" Falconheart asked, flattening his ears against his head. "In the old days, you couldn't stand him."

"Things have changed," she said, regaining her threatening stance.

"Not for the better," Falconheart persisted, stepping a little closer. Mistflower hissed menacingly, but Falconheart ignored it and kept walking closer. "That's why I joined the rouges. They knew that our way of life, caring for others, waiting back for others… it wasn't the way to true power."

"You're crazy," Mistflower muttered.

"But they excepted me," he continued, dismissing her comment. "They knew that I rightfully deserved that power…"

"You don't deserve to die quickly and let your body rot in the sun," Mistflower spat, lurching forward. Falconheart tensed his muscles, but otherwise knew she was feinting. Mistflower coiled back, finding she was once again next to Maplestream. Throwing Falconheart a quick glare, Mistflower bent down to check on him. His pelt rose and fell shakily. She had to help him, quick. He most likely had the wind knocked out of him, and with all those scratches, all that blood….

"Then they threw me out…" he sighed, lashing his tail and looking wistfully at the darkened sky, rain pouring still. "Mooneye was going to tell Featherflight about the raid."

"They're attacking ForestClan?" Mistflower asked, arching her back.

"Yes," Falconheart replied, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Mistflower," he whispered, softly and tenderly. Mistflower hissed and lowered herself as Falconheart stepped forward, but as usual, he didn't acknowledge her threats. His eyes shone with affection, the same she saw in Maplestream's the night at Crossing Rock. It frightened her.

"I don't love you anymore," she growled, and lightning struck in the sky. Falconheart lashed his tail, sending droplets of water soaring into the river.

"I will soon be the leader of the whole forest," he murmured, as though talking to a kit. "After tonight, when CaveClan defeats ForestClan, I will return and take over as leader. With me as your mate, you would be in charge. You could have anything you want."

"I want to be with Maplestream," she said, partially to herself. "Nothing more. To live with him, in ForestClan, where we'll be safe and happy. And in newleaf, we'll have a wonderful family to look after."

"Kits?!" Falconheart snarled, his eyes flickering back to their enraged flare. He began his circling again, but Mistflower stayed by Maplestream's side. "HIS kits?"

"Naturally," Mistflower said, holding her head up.

Falconheart let out a yowl of fury and leapt at her, claws out and ready to claw her throat. Mistflower tensed up, ready to catch his underbelly. Suddenly, a cry exploded from Maplestream as he stood up, taking the blow and throwing Falconheart away.

"I thought you were going to die!" Mistflower whimpered, relief flooding her body.

"Me?" Maplestream purred, rubbing his muzzle against hers. "I'd never leave you. Or our kits. Now, let me handle this."

"What about my dream?" Mistflower complained breathlessly.

"It was just a dream," he assured her, but Mistflower didn't believe him.

"I'll help you," she said with finality.

"You need to stay safe," Maplestream countered. "Our kits can't afford to have you die."

"I said that I'd help," Mistflower argued. Maplestream opened his mouth to speak, but Falconheart had gotten up and rammed Maplestream's side. Maplestream lashed out with his paw and hit Falconheart's muzzle. Falconheart recoiled, and Maplestream pounced forward and landed on his back, gripping his shoulders tightly with his claws. Mistflower's heart nearly stopped. This was her dream… she had to stop them!

Mistflower tried to move, but she was so tired… it was the kits, she couldn't move too much, she had less energy. She was hungry. 'Why am I worried about food at a time like this?' Mistflower silently demanded. She saw Falconheart flip over just as he did in her dream, and sure enough, Maplestream clawed at his underbelly. Falconheart desperately caught one of Maplestream's paws as the blood began to bloom over his brown and gold fur.

Maplestream fell over in surprise, and Falconheart took the chance to pounce. Maplestream rolled to his paws and dodged him, grabbing his back and throwing him once again onto his back.

"Maplestream!" Mistflower cried. She had to stop him, or Falconheart…. She ran forward as the two cats tussled, rolling into the river slightly until mud clung to their fur and weighed them down. With a grunt of effort, Falconheart clawed at Maplestream's belly with his back legs, and thrust them out.

"No!" Mistflower wailed as the red tom landed heavily in the river. She turned on Falconheart suddenly, determined to claw him limb from limb. She leapt at him with strength she didn't know she had, and by the look in Falconheart's eye, he didn't know either. She grasped his neck in her mouth, pure fury giving her strength to hold on as he lashed out. He clawed at her, catching her many times. A stinging sensation in her side distracted her slightly, and just in time, Falconheart fell to the ground. Dead.

Not wasting time to think of how she felt about killing Falconheart, Mistflower turned her attention back to Maplestream, floating down the river quickly. Mistflower leapt in, ignoring the cold she had expected to come as the water churned and swallowed her up. She broke the surface, gasping and watching Maplestream's head bobbing farther away on the blacked waves.

"Maplestream!" Mistflower yowled, kicking the water with new strength. She caught the scruff of his neck and kept him afloat, desperately clawing out for any foundation. So far her dream had played out just as she'd seen it, but she hadn't seen anything after Maplestream went into the river… she didn't know how it would turn out.

With a frantic swipe, Mistflower caught a small rock with her good paw. She struggled against the rapid current, the rain blurring her vision. The spray hit her from each wave and each current tugged at her, but she gripped the rock as best she could.

'I'm sorry, Maplestream...' Mistflower thought as the blackness began to creep into her vision. 'I can't hold on much longer…' Her vision went dark, and as vaguely as a wisp of cloud, she drifted off into the darkness of the river. 'Maplestream.…'

"Mistflower." Mistflower half expected to wake up and find herself in the warrior's den, to find Maplestream as she had the night she'd had the dream. Was it all a dream… even the night at Crossing Rock? ((If you're wondering why she keeps referring to Crossing Rock, don't think she's thinking about the part they decided to become mates. In fact, you should know by now what happened after that….))

"Wake up, you annoying fur ball!" Maplestream. His usual, taunting tone. She remembered their time as apprentices.

"I AM awake, you mouse-brain…" Mistflower purred. She opened her eyes and found herself laying in the medicine cat's den. Ashenstripe, Rainwhisker and Maplestream were all staring at her, purring with relief.

"About time, Mistflower!" Maplestream scolded, rubbing his head against hers. "I was afraid you'd never wake up!" She noticed a hint of anxiety in his tone.

"She did hurt her paw really bad," Ashenstripe commented.

"What happened? At camp? And CaveClan?" Mistflower sputtered, remembering what Falconheart had said.

"They came," Rainwhisker said. "But not to fight. They told us about Falconheart, who had planned the attack under Dreamstar's nose. Mooneye tried to warn us, but he killed her. Only then did Stonetalon go to Dreamstar and tell her about the raid. She kicked Falconheart out, even though she told us he'd run away. Then Dreamstar came to the camp with Stonetalon and his son, who apparently tagged along."

"I wanted to see you guys!" came the familiar mew of Pebblefur. The little gray warrior hopped out of the darker corner and walked over to her. "See? I'm back! And guess what?"

"What?" Mistflower asked absently.

"I'm joining ForestClan!" he burst excitedly. Mistflower's eyes widened.

"What?!" she exclaimed. "What about your father?!"

"He's staying too," Pebblefur mewed. "That's why I'm staying."

"He said he wanted to be with his oldest son," Maplestream explained. Mistflower looked out of the medicine cat's den to see Stonetalon sharing tongues with Copperstreak near the fresh-kill pile.

"What happened to Ebonycloud?" Mistflower asked, lifting her head.

"It was a snake," Rainwhisker answered. "Luckily, we got the poison out before it affected him severely."

"Thank StarClan," Mistflower breathed. "Am I allowed to leave?" Mistflower asked Ashenstripe. Her sister shook her head.

"You were hurt pretty bad." Ashenstripe mumbled. Mistflower heard her heart beating in her ears slowly.

"Are my kits okay?" Mistflower managed to squeak.

"I… I can't be sure," Ashenstripe muttered. "We'll have to wait until your kitting. But in my opinion, I think they'll be fine."

"You're still gunna name one Sunkit, right?" Pebblefur asked. "Remember, you promised?"

"I did," Mistflower purred, though inside she was still worried.

"Now let Mistflower get some rest," Ashenstripe scolded them all good-naturedly, herding them out. Pebblefur squeaked a quick "see ya!" before rushing out. Maplestream rubbed his head against her muzzle before leaving, and Mistflower closed her eyes once again, falling into an easy sleep.

The sunlight filtering into the nursery was bright and golden, the sweet smell of new flowers wafting through the air. The moss covering the den seemed to be ringed with a white light as Mistflower watched it absently, following the slight waving. It couldn't distract her from the pain stabbing in her stomach.

"Mistflower, it's okay, keep it up," Ashenstripe prompted.

"One's almost here," Rainwhisker announced. Mistflower shifted her paws and let out a whimper. Maplestream pressed his muzzle into the scruff of her neck.

"I'm here," he muttered. A sharp pain above the others caused Mistflower to let out a yell.

"It's okay, it's okay," Ashenstripe assured her. "Rainwhisker, give the kit to Silverclaw to lick." Mistflower focused her eyes briefly as Rainwhisker handed a small, red kit to Silverclaw. 'Sunkit…' Mistflower thought, before more pain came, worse than before.

"It's okay!" Maplestream echoed Ashenstripe.

"Maplestream, lick," Ashenstripe ordered, passing a sandy kit delicately to Maplestream. Maplestream looked down at the kit, pride swelling in his throat as he began licking his kit. Mistflower purred quickly before the pain returned once more, and she heard Ashenstripe barely over her own yowling, ordering Rainwhisker to lick the newest one.

'Is it over?' Mistflower asked silently, her sides heaving with the effort to breathe. Then the pain stabbed at her again, and she screamed yet again.

"Here it comes!" Ashenstripe said, as the pain throbbed in Mistflower's stomach. Then, "Winterheart, lick!" Mistflower couldn't see her passing the kit over to Winterheart. All she saw was the moss swaying in the breeze up ahead. She drifted slowly to sleep.

"They're so tiny!" Oceanpaw's mew broke through the dark silence.

"I know," Fernpaw commented.

"Leave her alone," Silverclaw scolded them gently, and Mistflower heard the sound of them being dragged away. Mistflower opened her eyes and lifted her head. "You slept pretty good," Silverclaw said, nuzzling her weary daughter. "It's already sunhigh." Mistflower nodded, just as Maplestream came in.

"They're so beautiful," he purred, brushing his head against hers. Mistflower looked over towards her side to see the tiny balls of fur suckling. They were no bigger than her paw, with thin fuzz covering their tiny bodies. Mistflower curled her tail around them, then froze.

Sure enough was the black kit, with the white arrow. Next to it was the sandy-colored kit, and just beyond it was Sunkit. But suckling beside Sunkit was an ash-colored kit, with a white arrow on its back.

"Four?" Mistflower asked in awe and confusion.

"Quite a few," Ashenstripe commented, and Mistflower noticed her sitting behind Maplestream. "I know you were hoping for three only. They'll be more of a paw-full."

"Maplestream, hunting patrol," Ebonycloud said, brusquely leaving the den without waiting for an answer. Maplestream said goodbye to his mate and licked his kits quickly and carefully. Silverclaw set off with her four kits, probably taking them to the fresh-kill.

"I had a dream," Mistflower started as Ashenstripe began to leave. Her sister turned her blue-green eyes towards her inquisitively. "In it," Mistflower continued breathlessly, "I only had these three." She touched the first three gently with her tail. "But the ash-colored one…"

Mistflower stopped with alarm at the look on Ashenstripe's face. Her eyes were wide and seemingly vacant, not a trace of emotion. "When fire burns the forest down," she meowed eerily, "all that remains is ash." And, as though nothing had happened, she left.

"All that remains…" Mistflower repeated, looking at the fourth kit. "is… Ashkit?"

AN: CLIFFIE!!!!!! And YES, that is the end of FITM! I will start the third one eventually. I finally finished my second story! In my eagerness, I probably left out a bunch of things, so tell me if you guys are confused.