Warning: This is a Sequel. It contains major spoilers so please read Silverkit's Struggle before reading this one. I know it isn't the best but I have gotten so much better.

Prologue

Silverstar was sharing a trout with Reedpelt while they discussed the next day's patrols. It was almost Sunset and most of the clan had already retired for the night. "So Icefur will lead the hunting party and Wetfoot and Shadowfoot will lead the dawn patrols then?" her deputy asked her.

The she-cat nodded and meowed, "Yes, and Cloudfall and Sandclaw can lead the sunset patrols. I'll lead a hunting patrol tomorrow, too."

"Sounds good, Silverstar." Reedpelt swallowed his last mouthful and gave his fur quick lick. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes. Be sure to tell the hunting patrols to stay away from the gorge. I'm still getting reports of fresh dog scent."

"Yes. I'll let them know. Goodnight Silverstar." Her friend dipped his head to her and padded off to the warriors' den. The young leader stayed out in the clearing by herself; for some strange reason, she didn't feel tired at all. Why do I feel something important is about to happen? Whatever her feelings, she needed to return to the nursery. Even after kitting four moons ago, she still couldn't believe she was a mother and found herself missing her old den. The nursery didn't seem as comfortable.

But as always, when she saw her kits a smile lit up her face. They were curled up with Shinewhisker in her nest. Even though her single kit, Galepaw, had moved to the apprentice den almost four moons ago, Shinewhisker had stayed to help Silverstar with her kits when her duties as a leader complicated things. I suppose I'll be forever grateful to her. Oakstorm had been really helpful too.

Most fathers had left the caring of their kits to their mate. Oakstorm couldn't give them milk, but he spent all his free time with their litter. He washed, cared and played with his offspring and Silverstar was grateful of his understanding.

Her kits seemed to have inherited his understanding; they never complained about how often they saw Silverstar. All my responsibilities have made what time we have all the more special. Sliverstar left her kits with Shinewhisker and crawled into her nest without waking them. Sorting out patrols the day before meant they might possibly have more time together tomorrow and she didn't want to wake the young cats; they needed their sleep.

She tossed and turned all night and the sleep she managed to get came in quick snitches and were accompanied by nightmares. When the sun greeted her in the morning, she yawned and closed her eyes again. "Silverstar, Silverstar!" She opened her eyes to see her three young ones gazing at her happily and all her tired feelings evaporated.

They rushed to her side and the mother gave each of them a lick. "It's so wonderful to see you three. Have you been behaving yourselves?"

"Yes, yes of course!" Sootkit squeaked.

"Hey! What about that time you put fire ants in my pelt!" Birchkit meowed indignantly. Moonkit purred at her brothers and snuggled closer to her mother.

"I've been good. I have, ask Shinewhisker." She told Silverstar. The leader gave her daughter a lick and smiled at all her kits.

"Silverstar, come play with us! Please!" Sootkit begged.

"It'll be more fun with you, you hardly get to see us!"Moonkit added. Silverstar looked at her kits' hopeful faces and sighed. As much as she loved them, she still wasn't sure if it was the proper thing to do as a leader. Wouldn't the clan lose respect for her if she acted like a kit herself?

Oakstorm plays with them, and Reedpelt played with Galepaw when he was younger. "All right, lets's go!" She secretly longed to escape all the worries of leadership, especially if the time was spent with her kits.

With happy squeaks, the kits and their mother left the nursery. "Sootkit, Moonkit, there's some moss here! Let's play mossball."Birchkit purred. Mossball was their favorite game.

Birchkit started scraping the moss together and then lumped it into a ball. When he struggled, Silverstar rushed over to help.

"Here, little one." She pushed it over to him and he picked it up.

"You know, I could have done it myself. You just didn't give me enough time." The little brown tom muttered.

"Yes, I know." They had hardly started the game when all four cats were interrupted.

"Silverstar, Shadewhisper! Come quick!" It was Icefur. Shadewhisper bounded over immediately but Silverstar hesitated.

"Go ahead, we'll be fine." Moonkit told her mother, knowing she and her brothers were the reason she didn't rush off right away. Her brave mew didn't keep the sadness off her face and her expression was mirrored by her brothers.

"Thank you dears. I'm sorry." She followed after her sister and Icefur. The white she-cat led them through the forest to the very edge of the territory. "I'll be as quick as I can! Maybe we can play later!" She called over her shoulder.

"Is that yowling I hear?" Shadewhipser panted worriedly.

"Probably." Icefur answered, her blue eyes wide with panic.

"Has there been an attack? Perhaps that dog scent-" Silverstar wondered aloud.

"No, no. Nothing like that." Icefur cut her off. Silverstar looked as though she wanted to press for more information, but Icefur said merely, "We're almost there!"

The three she-cats picked up speed till they were all out sprinting. "There, There!" Icefur panted. Silverstar saw an unfamiliar cat lying on the ground. She appeared to be in a lot of pain. Her ginger and brown pelt might have been sleek but now it was matted and in need of a grooming. Her leaf green eyes were wild with panic and despair.

Shadewhisper was already at her side. Silverstar saw her sister's eyes widen in astonishment and surprise. "She's having kits!"

The rest of Icefur's hunting party had been sitting half circle around the expectant queen. Now, a couple of them got to their feet.

"Can we bring you anything?" Thrushwing inquired

"You don't have any herbs." Rosedrop added.

"She needs to try giving birth without medicine. Her kits would be better off." Shadewhipser told her clanmates. To the she-cat she said gently, "I'm Shadewhisper. I can help you with your kits."

The loner simply nodded. Shadewhisper placed one of her front paws on her large stomach. Her eyes closed in concentration.

A little ways off, a dark tabby and his allies stood watching the scene. If RiverClan had turned around, they wouldn't have been able to see him, but he was there all the same. They didn't hear him when he spoke to his comrades even though his voice was loud and commanding. "They are almost here. We will soon see if this cat has what it takes."

"We already have someone picked out and only one is needed for the job." A ginger and black tom told the dark tabby.

"No, no you fool!" His leader, the dark tabby, snarled. Still, none of the RiverClan cats took notice. "That cat will need one of these new kits if he is to finish the job. And if one of these kits should die, we have another recruit to join us. Remember we need more done than just this one job for our plan to be successful."

"The first one's a tom! Silverstar!" Shadewhisper's mew brought her leader front and center. "Lick his fur the wrong way so he can warm up." Her instructions given, Shadewhisper turned her attention back to the ailing queen. The leader licked the tiny tom. His golden pelt was wet and sticky, but under Silverstar's care he began to warm up.

"A she-cat!" The medicine cat mewed. Thrushwing stepped forward to warm the newest kit, whose pelt was as white as snow. Shadewhisper gave him the kit.

"This is the last one. Give one more push and you can rest. Come on, push!" Shadewhisper urged. The mother heaved and the last kit made his appearance. "Another tom!" Icefur warmed the last kit as Silverstar and Thrushwing placed the other two at their mother's belly.

"Oh thank you. Thank you all." Her mew was tired but gratitude and happiness shone through as bright as the sun. Her first two kits began suckling instantly. When Icefur finished with the third kit, gray fur shone sleekly. She laid him beside his littermates and he too started suckling.

"That little white she-cat could be just what we need for our chosen cat." The dark colored tabby tom observed. "She seems strong. We'll keep an eye on her."

After the mother and her new litter had some rest, she felt stronger and able to go on. "We'll take you back to camp. You can stay there till your kits are old enough to travel farther." Silverstar assured her.

"Thank you. My name is Sapphire. I'm sorry; I don't want to cause you any trouble." The loner mewed.

"It's no bother." Icefur told her.

"Didn't you realize you were close to kitting? Why aren't you in your den?" Shadewhisper asked curiously.

"This is my first litter and I've not had any experience with kits. I wouldn't have gone out if I had known."

The rest of the trip was quiet. Thrushwing, Silverstar, and Rosedrop carried the kits while Galepaw and Shadewhisper supported Sapphire. When they arrived at camp, the sight of a stranger with kits created a stir. The elders sat outside their den talking about it and the warriors blocked the way to the nursery, trying to get closer to the strange cat. She looks scared out of her mind! Poor cat!

"Hey, hey! Give us some room here! We have to get her to the nursery." Silverstar meowed to her clanmates.

The dark tabby had journeyed back with them, but he was alone now. His eyes glittered and he watched the white she-cat with interest. "She shall be an important aspect in my plan. Yes, Oh yes. The time has almost come."

A/N: Oh how good it is to write with these characters again. And writing Silverstar's kits has been great too! I recently read over Silverkit's Struggle and was surprised. I remember being so proud of it and now I realize my style is so different now. So if this story doesn't sound like the first, I'm sorry. But it's been probably 9 or ten months since the first so it would be weird if I hadn't changed. Thank you all for reading and thanks to those that review. You mean the world to me.

Been thinking a lot if I should write this two shot idea in my head. It would be a canon story featuring Hawkfrost and a ThundeClan cat. Let me know what you think.