Crookedstar's Promise/Chapter 39

==Chapter description==
:Crookedstar offers to fetch honey for Willowbreeze, but Brambleberry declines, stating that Willowbreeze has greencough. She adds that the catmint isn't working. Coughs shake the nursery and Crookedstar asks what he can do for her. Brambleberry tells him that Willowbreeze wants to name their kits and prompts him to go in. 
:Willowbreeze's eyes are streaming, and she says that she is sorry for leaving him to raise their kits. Crookedstar states that he won't let her leave him. She purrs that he will be a wonderful father, and that she loved being with him. Crookedstar tells her to stop talking like that, and his mate tells him to help name their kits. Crookedstar says the gray kit's name will be Minnowkit, and the black kit's name will be Willowkit, after Willowbreeze. He says the palest kit's name will be Silverkit. Willowbreeze echoes the names, and says that they are lovely before closing her eyes to rest. Crookedstar wraps himself around her, closing his eyes as well.
:Brambleberry enters the den and tells Crookedstar that the names that he'd given his kits are beautiful. She then says that she is sorry that Willowbreeze has gone to StarClan. Crookedstar realizes that his mate is cold to the touch, and his anguished yowl rips through camp. He states that he never promised her this, and his Clanmates are shocked. He races out of camp, yowling Mapleshade's name. He asks where she is, saying he takes back his promise. Oakheart calls his name, and Crookedstar collapses. His brother asks what he had promised, and Crookedstar states he can't say. Oakheart tells him to come back to camp, since their Clanmates are worried. Crookedstar blindly follows Oakheart. 
:Sunfish is squeezing out of the nursery, Silverkit in her jaws. Brambleberry tells Crookedstar that she is taking Silverkit to the elders' den where she will be safe. When Crookedstar asks where Willowkit and Minnowkit are, the answer is that they are still in the nursery. He barges into the nursery, letting out a agonized moan. Crookedstar curls into the nest with his kits and holds them tight. Brambleberry soothes his worried Clanmates. Crookedstar closes his eyes as the kits grow quiet.
:Mudfur wakes him up at dawn, saying that the two of the kits are dead and are with Willowbreeze now. Crookedstar stumbles blindly across camp as Fallowtail and Graypool say they are sorry the kits died. He thinks he can't escape his promise. Thinking he is destined to lose every cat he cares about, memories swirl in his head. He thinks of Willowbreeze's death and other tragedies that occurred during his life. Angry at Mapleshade, Crookedstar wills himself to go to the Dark Forest, where Mapleshade greets him. 
:Rage scorches through him, and Crookedstar lunges for Mapleshade's throat. Mapleshade ducks away and slams her forepaws against his cheek. Crookedstar stumbles to the ground, then spins away in time to knock aside another strike and flings Mapleshade away with his claws. Mapleshade throws herself at him, but Crookedstar slides underneath her, swiping her hind legs away. As Mapleshade struggles to find her paws, Crookedstar lands on her back and snaps his teeth around her spine. Mapleshade pushes up with a force that surprises him and Crookedstar flies back. She then pins him to the ground.
:Crookedstar tells her to kill him for he has nothing to live for now, but Mapleshade states that letting him live would be better revenge. Crookedstar asks what he ever did to her. Mapleshade's eyes flame with hate, and she tells him that he was always destined to be leader of RiverClan. Mapleshade states that she should've been ThunderClan's leader, but she had been cast out when it was revealed she had a RiverClan mate. Mapleshade's eyes blaze harder, and the she-cat tells him that their kits were perfect, but they had drowned. 
:Crookedstar tries to wriggle away, but Mapleshade yanks him back to face her. Mapleshade tells him that their father had blamed her, and that RiverClan had also cast her out. Mapleshade states that she earned her place in the Dark Forest. The she-cat tells Crookedstar that what made it worse was that her mate then took another mate, and their daughter had a son. Mapleshade reveals that the son was Shellheart, and asks if he understands. Crookedstar asks what he is supposed to understand, and Mapleshade calls him a mouse-brain, saying her kin should've been the leaders of RiverClan. Mapleshade tells him that she endured so much betrayal, and that many cats hurt her. Mapleshade states she wanted to test her loyalty to see if he would betray her, and recites the promise Crookedstar had made all those moons ago, telling him that she could take all of his loved ones because he promised. Crookedstar tells her that she is crazy, and Mapleshade states that because she is dead, he can't hurt her. Crookedstar wakes in his nest with blood welling on his pelt.
==Characters==
===Major===
*Crookedstar
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Deaths==
*Willowbreeze: Succumbs to greencough.
*Minnowkit: Succumbs to greencough.
*Willowkit: Succumbs to greencough.
==Notes and references==
fr:La promesse de l'Élu/Chapitre 39
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Crookedstar's Promise
Category:Super Edition arc