Heartstorm watched. He watched as Blizzardpaw snapped Bumblepaw's neck. He watched his own son die. And he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't move. He didn't even cry out. Heartstorm just stood there, doing nothing. Then Blizzardpaw looked up. His eyes were the same as Stormpelt's. He gave a small smile. His work was done. He would return to his mother and sister, happy with the news of his first kill. A kill which ShadowClan had been planning for a long time. Still Heartstorm didn't move. He just stared as Blizzardpaw disappeared into the grasses. And then Heartstorm padded forward. He ran to Bumblepaw's body and bent down. Dead. Bumblepaw was stone cold, wet and dead. It had happened. Silverdrop's dream had been true. Heartstorm cursed himself for not knowing sooner. Cursed himself for being the one responsible for his own son's death. 
             "Wake up." Silverdrop's swirling blue eyes stared down at Heartstorm. He shuddered and shot up in his nest. An owl hooted. 

              "It was just a dream," Silverdrop whispered. Just a dream. Heartstorm felt as if were more than that. He just nodded and curled back to sleep. He wondered if he'd have nightmares every night. Probably. But he would get used to them, like how Silverdrop got used to her. Plus, he deserved them, he had, after all, laid there doing nothing as his son had died.  

Heartstorm padded to the camp entrance to meet Snowfur. He had just announced to the Clan that Heatherpaw was to be the next medicine cat apprentice. Blacktail was right behind him. Heartstorm was glad for her support. 

            "Hello Snowfur. Heatherpaw is willing to be you apprentice," Heartstorm said, dipping his head in respect. Snowfur gave a nod. 

            "Are you sure about this?" Snowfur asked Heatherpaw seriously. Heatherpaw gave a firm nod. Cloudbreeze and Acornheart stood nearby, looking proudly at their kit. 

             "then we will start immediately. We do not have much time," Snowfur said. Then they disappeared out of camp. Heartstorm turned back to Blacktail. 

           "Are all the patrols done?" he asked. Blacktail nodded. 

           "Our Clan is going back to normal," Blacktail told Heartstorm. "Which means you must become leader soon. And appoint a new deputy." Heartstorm wasn't sure if he was ready. but he'd made a promise. So he nodded. 

            "right...," he said. 

            "And I don't think I should be the deputy," added Blacktail. Heartstorm frowned. 

           "what? Why not? You've been great help!" exclaimed Heartstorm. Blacktail shook her head. 

            "Reedstar didn't think I was ready to lead. And I think... I think he's right," Blacktail said. "Don't argue with me. If you make me deputy, I will not accept." Heartstorm didn't know if she could do that. 

            "I-" Heartstorm started. 

            "let's not talk about this," Blacktail sighed. Heartstorm nodded. 

RiverClan life was slowing slipping back to normal. Cats still mourned for their dead Clanmates and things were not the same as before but there was more prey, cats were more relaxed and death and worry had mostly left RiverClan. Heartstorm waited at the entrance of the apprentice den. He was going to lead RiverClan. He wanted to be the best leader he could. He wanted to help RiverClan. This was his way to do it. But he also wanted to be a good father. And he knew that he hadn't been a very good father the past moon. Brightpaw slipped out, yawning tiredly. She smiled when she spotted Heartstorm. 

            "Morning," she said. 

            "Good morning," smiled Heartstorm, padding beside her. "You don't have lessons today. I want to talk to you." Brightpaw shrugged and nodded. They walked out of camp. The air was cool and the sun had begun to rise. A few morning patrols were headed out. They greeted Brightpaw and Heartstorm when they passed. Heartstorm felt the warm soil underneath his paws and took deep breaths of the fresh air. Leaf-fall would arrive soon but Heartstorm wasn't going to worry until it came. 

            "What did you want to talk to me about?" asked Brightpaw. 

            "I don't know. Anything you'd like to talk about," Heartstorm said lightly. They walked in silence for a while.  Brightpaw didn't know what to say. "I haven't been a very.. present father to you this past moon. It's been hard for me but I know it's also been hard for you. I should've been there for you. I want to be here for you from now on." Brightpaw smiled. 

            "Thanks," she said, touched. "I really miss him. I miss them. Bumblepaw and Sagekit. But they're together now. You know, in the apprentice den sometimes, when we both couldn't sleep, Bumblepaw and I would talk about Sagekit. You know, wonder what he's doing up there in StarClan..." They walked in silence once more. Heartstorm didn't know what to say. Emotion choked him. He finally realised what Brightheart had meant. She hadn't wanted Heartstorm to blame himself for Bumblepaw's death. But Heartstorm did. He did blame himself for watching his son die. For not being able to do anything about it. But there was nothing he could do now. He couldn't bring Bumblepaw back. So he was going to do what Bumblepaw would have wanted him to do. To help the Clan. To be there for Brightpaw. To keep living. Brightpaw and Heartstorm talked for a long time more. They walked by the river and stopped for a swim then even raced through the forest. By afternoon, Brightpaw was wearing a big smile and Heartstorm too. 

Blacktail approached Heartstorm. 

           "It's time," she said. Heatherpaw trotted over to them, a bunch of herbs in her mouth. 

            "Here," she said. "For both of you." Heartstorm thanked her. He chewed on the herbs. They were sour and strong but he gulped them down, making a weird face. Blacktail licked her lips without complain and they headed for the camp entrance. A few cats greeted them goodbye. Silverdrop trotted up to Heartstorm and licked him on the cheek. 

           "Be careful," she warned him lovingly. 

          "I will. See you later," Heartstorm assured her. Brightpaw ran up to him. 

           "Bye! I can't believe you're going to be Heartstar when you get back!" cried Brightpaw. Heartstorm chuckled. He felt a nervous twitch inside him. 

            "And you better be asleep by then," Heartstorm said seriously. Blacktail flicked her tail and Heartstorm followed her out. They made their way purposefully to WindClan border. There, they crossed the river by the tunnel. WindClan was silent, nobody disturbed the passing cats. Memories flood Heartstorm's brain. He spotted the hill. The hill where Bumblepaw had died. A rage bubbled in his stomach. Heartstorm felt the urge to run to ShadowClan and kill every cat who had hurt RiverClan. But he didn't. He kept his breathing under control and kept padding beside Blacktail calmly. The war was over. It was over. ShadowClan had gotten what they had demanded, a fight. And they had lost. A thought in Heartstorm's mind popped up. In a way, ShadowClan had still won. They had taken away some of the most important and precious things in Heartstorm's life. 

           "Don't dwell on the past. It cannot be changed," Blacktail told Heartstorm knowingly. "But the future... The future is yet in your power."