Ryeheart

## Description

**Ryeheart** is a russet tom with red eyes.

## Extra Story

Ryeheart pushed past the gorse leading into FireClan, prey in his jaws. He was grateful that he had found prey in this cold season. He dropped his catches on the prey pile and padded over to the patch of dead grass where he rested every day. He spotted the warrior Willowclaw watching her kits Hawkpaw and Lunarpaw play in the dust. When Lunarpaw cuffed Hawkpaw’s ear a bit too hard, the she-cat gently pushed her away, scolding the apprentice for hurting her sister. He purred and thought about Lilacpath and how gentle she was. He shook his head violently, pushing the memories out of his head. *There’s no use thinking about a cat you left ages ago. You can’t change the past*. Hawkpaw padded up to him, tipping her head.

"Ryeheart? You seem upset about something."

Ryeheart licked her ear gently. "It’s fine, Hawkpaw, really. Just thinking about hunting, that’s all."

Hawkpaw studied him. "Are you sure? You always seem so distant."

Ryeheart purred. "No, no, really, I’m fine. You don’t need to worry so much. You’re an apprentice, I’m a warrior. I’m used to dealing with everything, good or bad."

Hawkpaw frowned but seemed to give up. "Can you give me a hunting lesson, *please?* My mentor is away, and I don’t want to play fight with Lunarpaw anymore."

    Ryeheart nodded and stood up. He stretched and basked in the sunlight for a second and then began to casually stroll into the dying trees. In a way, the scenery was amazing. The trees were bare, but if they had any leaves, they were golden, yellow, and rufous. It had snowed a few days before, so a pale white layer of snow covered the forest like a thin blanket. Hawkpaw trotted after him, disturbing a chipmunk. The small rodent took off, tapping through the snow as if it was the middle of spring.

The cats stopped at a patch of dry, golden grass next to a bubbling stream, which hadn’t yet frosted over. They sat down and watched the small fish swim lazily in the brook, and Ryeheart felt at peace for the first time in years. Hawkpaw leaned into him, and he rested his head on hers. He wouldn’t admit this, but he felt something in his heart that he hadn’t felt since Lilacpath. He was falling in love with Hawkpaw.

\* \* \*
Many moons later, Ryeheart was sitting by the brook where he first fell in love with his current mate, Hawkfeather. It was early spring, and small buds were beginning to blossom on the rare green patches of living grass surrounding FireClan. The chorus of small chipmunks chittering provided a harmony. Ryeheart closed his eyes and let the sun warm his pelt.

"Ryeheart!" He opened his eyes, seeing Hawkfeather race toward him. "Ryeheart, I’m going to have kits!"

Her eyes glittered with happiness, and he purred excitedly. "That’s great news!"

She crashed into him, knocking him to the ground. She collapsed on top of him and began nuzzling him affectionately. He nuzzled her back. She purred mischievously and they began rolling around in the grass, purring and nuzzling and enjoying each other’s company. Ryeheart and Hawkfeather finally stopped and collapsed on the ground, still purring. Ryeheart curled up next to Hawkfeather and breathed in her rainstorm-over-jasmine scent. He soon fell asleep, his heart warmed by the thought of his mate carrying his kits.

A few moons later, Firestar approached Ryeheart, who was relaxing by the warrior’s den. "Ryeheart, get to the training area. The prey's coming out."

Ryeheart obeyed his leader. He stood up and headed out of camp, but as he left, he spotted the medicine cat Lightningtail talking quietly to Hawkfeather. Hawkfeather fell to the ground and bowed her head, speaking urgently to him.

Ryeheart shook his head and pushed past the gorse, heading to the training area. As he hunted, horrible thoughts went through his mind. *Is she sick? Are the kits okay? Did something happen to her?* These thoughts distracted him so he missed a lot of easy catches. He managed to catch a slow, old chipmunk. He returned to the camp, dropped his prey, and scanned the camp for Hawkfeather.

He spotted her standing by the warriors' den, her head bowed and her tail drooped. He padded toward her and stopped right next to her. He licked her ear comfortingly. "What’s wrong?"

Hawkfeather looked up at him, a pained expression on her face. It looked like all happiness had been ripped harshly from her body. She wailed with grief and pressed against him. "I-I went for my checkup with Lightningtail. He told me that he was sure I had been expecting kits. He had felt them move. I was showing all the signs, but it’s been three moons and my belly isn’t getting any bigger than it was two moons ago. Lightningtail told me that the kits grew for at least a moon, and then... they died.... He told me that was his guess, but he said that I was most likely infertile... so I shouldn’t try for kits ever again."

She wailed loudly and crumpled into the soft grass. Ryeheart felt a sharp pang in his heart. *My... my kits are dead? My mate is infertile?* Ryeheart calmly sent Hawkfeather to the nursery where she could rest. One of the other queens gave him a look. She probably knew what happened and was wondering why Hawkfeather was still in the nursery. Ryeheart shot her a harsh look right back and left the nursery. He used a secret tunnel that he and Hawkfeather had discovered, one that led right to the brook. He laid down in the wilted grass and watched the brook tumble over rocks. The face of his dead mother appeared in the brook, stars in her fur and a calm expression on her face.

"Ryeheart."

He looked away. "What do you want, Mother?"

She shook her head. "I’m just visiting you, my son. You need your mother here to help you. I can understand what you’re going through. I’m here to tell you that Lightningtail is right. Hawkfeather can't have kits, but I’m also here to say that your kits are here. They are alive. Someday you will see them."

Ryeheart stared at her, confused. "My kits are dead. Hawkfeather is infertile. What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "Not those kits. Your other ones."

Ryeheart was furious. "I have no other kits! Go away, Mother!" He leaped at the stream and clawed it. Her face disappeared, and he lifted his wet paw out of the water. He stalked away, anger still rising.

*I have no kits.*

## Gallery

SeveranceSeverance V2Falling StarsOnce a FireClan WarriorKit to Leader

## Episode Appearances

***Games***
Severance, Severance v2, Once a FireClan Warrior, Falling Stars, Kit to Leader
***Books***
Sliverstone's Destiny
Firewing's Pride