If I Survived: Spottedleaf's Story

(This takes place in between Forest of Secrets and Rising Storm)

It was a warm Greenleaf night and a gorgeous dappled tortoiseshell lay in her den. Her amber eyes glowing with warmth. All of a sudden a handsome ginger tom walked in and a smile appeared on the tortoiseshell's face.

"Fireheart! What are you doing here? You're not injured and I know you're not sick! Are you here to see me?" The she-cat meowed with a hopeful look in her eye.

"It's like you can read minds or something, Spottedleaf," Fireheart meowed. "Are you busy?"

"No, are you? The Clan deputy must be too busy to waste his time with foolish medicine cats..." She let out a mmrrow of amusement.

"But it wouldn't be a waste of time." The ginger warrior rubbed noses with Spottedleaf then showered her with licks. "I was wondering if you wanted to go hunting with me?"

"I'm a medicine cat! I don't go hunting!" She meowed. "But I don't have anything better to do, so, okay!" All of a sudden a long-haired gray tom walked in.

"Hey Spottedleaf, can I get some herbs? Speckletail's pads are cracked," he informed.

"Of course, Graystripe." She gave the herbs to the gray warrior. Graystripe left the den and Spottedleaf and Fireheart were alone once more.

"Are you ready?" Fireheart meowed. Spottedleaf nodded. They went out to Sunningrocks where Spottedleaf tried to catch a vole, but was unsuccessful.

"See? I told you I wasn't a good hunter!" Spottedleaf joked around.

"You were doing it wrong it's gotta more like this..." He pounced on Spottedleaf playfully.

"No it's a bit more like this!" She kicked Fireheart off then pounced on him. After several hours of playing and sharing tongues they headed back to camp.

"Best night ever?" Spottedleaf meowed. Fireheart didn't have to speak or nod; the warmth in his eyes was enough.

It was like that every day for a moon until she found out her news. As a medicine cat, she could tell when something was wrong or right with a cat. She met Fireheart to tell him her news.

"Spottedleaf? Oh there you are; you said you wanted to tell me something?" Fireheart meowed.

"Yes there was. I'm expecting kits!" There was excitement in her eyes but mostly love for her mate.

All of a sudden everything disappeared around her and once again she was in StarClan. She looked down at Fireheart who was with his mate Sandstorm. Fireheart had loved Spottedleaf and still did but he moved on. Once again she was stuck wondering what might have been. How she wished things had been different. If she survived...

Sometimes I wish that Sandstorm would just disappear and I was his mate, Spottedleaf thought. She knew it wasn't true and was kind of happy he wasn't still mourning over her. ''If only I could be in her place... I say that a lot ... if only, if only...''

The next day she woke up in the ThunderClan medicine cat den, clear as day. She stepped outside the den to find Fireheart standing right outside the entrance. As he wrapped his tail around hers she gave a subtle purr.

"Fireheart? Shouldn't you be with Sandstorm?" Spottedleaf meowed.

"Who?" Fireheart asked. "You're my mate!" Spottedleaf smiled at the fact that she was Fireheart's mate. Wait, she thought to herself, Am I still dreaming?

Fireheart's eyes gleamed with excitement and pride. "To our kits!" he purred as he brushed his fur against hers.

"To our kits" Spottedleaf loved the sound of it. "Did you hear my sister, Willowpelt, had two kits; Rainkit and Sootkit?"

"Yeah, Whitestorm's their father, right?" Fireheart said. He went back to talking about their kits.

"I hope our kits will be as beautiful as you." He licked his mate's ears. Then he heard Spottedleaf's words.

"The kits are coming!" Spottedleaf screeched. Only one kit was born. A dappled tortoiseshell with a white chest and paws.

"What should we name her?" Fireheart meowed.

Spottedleaf gave it some thought, then she found the perfect name. "Sorrelkit...." All of a sudden her spirit started to go back to StarClan...

"SPOTTEDLEAF! NOOOO!" Fireheart yowled loud enough for Ravenpaw to hear all the way past Highstones.

"Listen Fireheart, I will always be with you... Give Sorrelkit to Willowpelt and make sure she tells everyone she's her kit... I love you Fireheart"

"I will... I promise..." He touched noses with her for the last time. A tear ran down his face and dripped down his ginger muzzle.

Spottedleaf was in StarClan once more and Sandstorm was back in ThunderClan. Spottedleaf turned around to see her brother, Redtail, look at her in an affectionate way. He simply said, "Wish Granted" as he started to share tongues with his sister, talking about his new niece....