Lying next to Lionblaze in the nursery, I feel so comforted. I found out a half moon after the battle that I'm expecting his kits. It's been five moons now. Everyone in Thunderclan was so excited when they all found out.

After the battle with the Dark Forest, Thunderclan lost so many. Bramblestar's half brother, Hawkfrost, personally killed my best friend and Lionblaze's sister, Hollyleaf. Bramblestar's father, Tigerstar, killed our former leader, Firestar, and two unkown cats killed one of the permanent nursery queens, Ferncloud, and one of our elders, Mousefur. Every single one of them was murdered in cold blood. Every. Single. One of them.

I've already picked out names for our kits. Hollykit, Firekit, and Fernkit. If we have four, we'll name one of them Mousekit. Lionblaze and I have agreed on those names. We can't think of a better way to honor our fallen clanmates than naming our kits after them. We haven't told anyone else in the clan the names we've chosen, it's to soon to know how many we'll have, anyways.

I nestle myself deeper into Lionblaze's side, breathing in his wonderful, musky smell. I can feel him curl himself closer around me. It's still a while before dawn, but I'm feeling restless.

"Lionblaze. Lionblaze. Come on, wake up lazy bones." I whisper to him.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" he jerks his head up in alarm, and looks at me with eyes full of concern. "Is it the kits?"

"The kits are fine, now, quite down before you wake up Brightheart! I'm feeling restless, so I'm going on a walk." I reply to him purring. I stand up, shake myself off, and begin to pad out of the den.

Jumping in front of me and blocking my way, he mews "Hold on a second. You're not going anywhere outside of camp without me."

"Lionblaze, I'm not helpless. Now, let me out!"

"Cinderheart, I know you're not, but I'm still coming with you. Don't you remember what happened to Sorreltail?"

I shuddered at the memory of my mother's last litter, now apprentices, Lilypaw and Seedpaw. Sorreltail had gone on a walk in the woods and before she could get back, she'd gone into labor. Luckily, Dovewing heard her sceaming and had fetched Jayfeather, but I wasn't going to make the same mistake.

"Alright." I nod. "Let's get going." His gaze softened, and he stepped out of my way. I just managed to squeeze out of the nursery. After I was outside, I sat and groomed myself while waiting for my favorite Thuderclan tom.

"Ready?" He asked, before heading towards the camp entrance.

"Wait! I can't go as fast as you can with this big belly!" I call after him, trying to haul myself off the floor of the hollow.

Whirling around and racing back to my side, his ears are pressed against his head, I can practically smell the embarresment radiating off of him. "I'm sorry, I'm always forgetting how hard it's getting for you to get around, especially with that big belly of yours." He said, pressing his muzzle against my swollen side, feeling the movements of our kits wiggling around.

"Are you feeling okay? Jayfeather said that they'll be here by quarter moon. That's only a few sunrises away!" pulling up his head, he looks me in the eye.

Resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes, I murmur "I'm fine, you don't have to keep worrying about me. I'll tell you if I feel anything, even if I think it's nothing, okay?"

I can feel him breathe out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. That makes me feel much better. Now, let's get going." Licking my ear, he gets up and, after helping me, we pad out of camp together.