Lionblaze returned home from school that evening. Squirrelflight swung open the door as he put his hand on the doorknob.
"Where were you?" She gripped her son's hand and pulled her into the house. Jayfeather sat on the couch, reading Braille, while Hollyleaf sat doing her homework, cursing quietly at the large amounts. Lionblaze sighed.
"I had to take someone home," he lied. He was out with Heathertail again, his secret girlfriend. She was from a lower grade, and like Lionblaze, forbidden to date. Education comes first, Lionblaze thought to himself. Squirrelflight set out dinner on the table and demanded her three children to sit there.
"Brambleclaw!" Squirrelflight called upstairs and a tall brown-haired ran downstairs and sat in the chair next to Squirrelflight, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Jayfeather, although blind, sighed and found his fork before eating. Lionblaze rolled his eyes at his brother.
"Jayfeather," he said. "Have you forgotten?" Jayfeather shot up straight, dropping his fork on the stone floor. Squirrelflight sighed and closed her eyes, bowing her head. Jayfeather was deeply religious, his family being less. He claimed he had seen the angels from the sky, but nobody really believed him.
"Dear StarClan, please help our family through leaf-bare, Brambleclaw has been hunting frequently in the forest for deerskins, rabbit fur and meat, and squirrel tails, but from the other hunting families, it has become less. We cannot afford to buy from the market, the prices have risen. Please bless our family, and help us through this, Amen." Squirrelflight opened her eyes and started eating at the rabbit on her plate. The rest of the family opened their eyes and started eating at their food. The rabbit was separated into small portions and the family would have to go without much food to satisfy them. They couldn't eat at lunch each day at school and at breakfast.
"Alright, dinner's over, finish your homework," Brambleclaw ordered. Jayfeather went to another school, a school for the blind. He had come home without homework for the day, so he spent it reading Braille. Hollyleaf was almost finished, Lionblaze had too much to do in the small amount of time left of the day.
"Time for bed!" Squirrelflight called down to Hollyleaf and Lionblaze. Jayfeather fell asleep an hour ago. The two ran upstairs, flossed, brushed their teeth, and went to bed, the morning coming quickly.
