Allegiances

Driftclan

Leader: Thornstar: thick, golden-furred tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Lionleap: large yellow tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Eaglepaw

Med. Cat: Raggedfern: old tortoiseshell tom

Warriors: Oakleaf: broad-shouldered tabby tom with blue eyes

Apprentice , Silverpaw

Applefall: reddish she-cat with blue eyes

Seedspot: white she-cat with grey patches and amber eyes

Redwing: dark ginger tom with hazel eyes

Blackrock: smoky black tom with amber eyes

Brightfire: small red she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Rosepaw

Embernose: dusky orange she-cat with green eyes

Cloudpelt: thick-furred white tom with blue eyes

Apprentices: Rosepaw: pale ginger she-cat with with blue eyes

Eaglepaw: dark brown tom with white chest and amber eyes

Silverpaw- silver she-cat with dark amber eyes

Queens: Rainstep: blue-grey she-cat with dark blue eyes (mother to Lionleap's kits: Ashkit, a light grey tabby she-kit with green eyes, Sunkit, a yellow tabby tom with blue eyes, and Mallowkit, a blue-grey she-cat with black ears and green eyes)

Blossomfur: pretty calico she-cat with bright green eyes (expecting Thornstar's kits) (Bearkit, large brown tom with green eyes, Nettlekit, mottled grey she-kit with amber eyes, and Stormkit, a small dark grey tom with one amber eye and one green eye)

Elders: Cedertail: blind, dark grey tabby tom

Poolstep: pale grey she-cat with amber eyes

Mistclan

Leader: Hazelstar: pale grey and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy: Pineshadow: black tom a white tail and green eyes

Apprentice, Darkpaw

Med. Cat: Whitebird: petite white she-cat with hazel eyes

Warriors: Shadowblaze: dark grey tom with a white chest and blue eyes

Greywind: grey tabby she-cat with brown eyes

Apprentice, Sootpaw

Sorrelfoot: tortoisesehell she-cat with amber eyes

Wolffur: dark brown and cream tom with a torn ear and dark eyes

Apprentice, Brackenpaw

Tigerstreak: dark brown tom with a ginger belly and amber eyes

Apprentice, Sandpaw

Perchleap: thin grey tabby tom with brown eyes

Shadestream: cream and grey she-cat with brown eyes

Tinyshadow: white she-cat with black patches and green eyes

Leafpelt: dark brown tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentices: Sandpaw: pale brown tom with blue eyes

Brackenpaw: golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Darkpaw- mottled grey she-cat with blue eyes

Sootpaw: dark grey and white tom with amber eyes

Queens: Vixenfur, dark ginger she-cat with fierce green eyes (mother to Shadowblaze's kits: Morningkit, a pretty ginger and white she-kit with green eyes, and Plumkit, a light grey she-cat with small white paws and blue eyes)

Frostfall: long-haired white she-cat with bright blue eyes (mother to Wolffur's kits: Berrykit, a long-haired cream she-kit with dark eyes, and Clawkit, a tortoiseshell tom with blue eyes)

Elders: Smokeear: a deaf grey tom with blue eyes

Prologue

The sky was dark the night that Blossomfur's kits were born. Their ancestors had shied away, fearful of some unknown enemy, and all that remained in the sky were thick clouds the color of pitch. Even the forest and air were still with mysterious tension. However, Blossomfur was not aware of any of this. She was much too focused on her pain.

"Has anyone seen Thornstar?" The question came from a dusky orange she-cat, her eyes bright with urgency.

The cats who had gathered in the clearing to hear news of the kitting looked to each other inquisitively. There was a quiet pause before a small red she-cat stepped forward and said, "I think he left to patrol the Boundary with Oakleaf and Silverpaw."

Embernose, the orange she-cat, tore at the ground with her claws. "If you know where he is then go find him and bring him back," she yowled. "And be quick!" The small she-cat was quick to scamper off, her fur ruffled.

A thick-furred white tom placed his tail lightly across Embernose's shoulders. "You're too quick to anger at times, Embernose. Try to remain calm. Brightfire is not the one at fault here."

Embernose tucked her paws neatly in front of her, her ears burning with shame. "I'm sorry, Cloudpelt, but not everyone one can be as composed as you in a time of crisis!"

Cloudpelt gave a soft purr of affection for his former apprentice. "Don't worry about Blossomfur. Raggedfern is with her and he's helped many queens with their kittings. Your sister will be fine."

"But she looks like she's in so much pain! And she keeps whimpering for Thornstar." Embernose cast a wistful look toward the nursery. "I only want to help Blossomfur."

Cloudpelt nodded. "And you can. How about you wait with her in the nursery and I'll stay out here and keep watch for Thornstar."

"Thanks, Cloudpelt," she mewed, heading back into the nursery. Typically, the den was cozy, but Embernose now found it to be uncomfortably hot and cramped, even with Rainstep and her kits sleeping in the elders' den. Her sister was stretched out in her nest, the clan medicine cat, Raggedfern, beside her.

Blossomfur raised her head to glance at Embernose. "Thornstar?" The queen held a stick in her jaws, but she still managed to inquire after her missing mate.

"He's out on patrol, but I sent Brightfire after him," Embernose replied. She kept a careful distance from her sister so as not to get in the way.

Raggedfern grunted as he placed a paw on Blossomfur's side. "He better get here soon, then. The kits are ready to come." The old tortoiseshell medicine cat paused a moment before asking, "Are you ready, Blossomfur?"

The queen nodded, her green eyes wide as another spasm of pain rippled through her. Embernose took a hesitant step forward, desperately wanting to stop her sister's pain.

Raggedfern beckoned her even closer. "When the kits come, be ready to help bathe them. They'll need all of the warmth they can get."

Embernose nodded, sitting beside the medicine cat. She gasped as Blossomfur's whole frame shuddered, and the first kit soon arrived. Raggedfern leaned forward to nip open the kit sack, then gently pushed the kit toward Embernose. The orange she-cat began to furiously lap at the kit.

"Push," Raggedfern instructed, and Blossomfur gave a small cry of pain as another spasm took her body, and the second kit arrived. Raggedfern again opened the kit sack and gave Embernose the kit to bathe. She kept the first kit close to her for warmth as she groomed its sibling.

"Not much longer, now," Raggedfern soothed. "One more to go."

Blossomfur gave a small nod, but Embernose saw that her sister's eyes were glazed with exhaustion, and the stick had diminished to little more than splinters in her jaw.

Raggedfern had two paws on Blossomfur's side again, ready to help her push. It was an agonizing wait, Blossomfur's screams the only sound in the still night air. Finally, the last kit slithered out, and Embernose released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Congrats, Blossomfur," Raggedfern meowed, his voice laced with fatigue. "You have three healthy kits."

"Two toms and a she-kit," Embernose added, pushing the kits closer towards their mother. "Do you have names for them yet?"

Blossomfur tucked the kits to her belly. She touched each one with her nose in turn. "This one is Bearkit," she mewed, pointing toward the eldest kit, a large brown tom. "This is Nettlekit," she said, licking the head of the mottled grey she-kit.

Embernose motioned towards the last kit, a tiny dark grey tom. "And what about him?"

"Do you have any ideas?"

Embernose thought for a bit. The kit would need a strong name, but one he could grow into. She also took his dark appearance into consideration. "How about Stormkit?"

"That is a fine name, for a fierce warrior." The words had not come from Blossomfur, but Embernose noticed her sister's eyes immediately light up. Turning towards the entrance, Embernose saw that Thornstar had come in behind her.

The golden-furred leader padded over to his mate, observing his kits with obvious pride. "Driftclan is lucky to have such strong future warriors," Thornstar meowed.

Blosssomfur purred. "Well, right now they're only small, defenseless kits."

Embernose noticed Thornstar suddenly tense. "But Starclan knows that they are destined for great things."

"How do you know? Did Starclan share a vision with you?" Blossomfur asked. Her ears had pricked at her mate's grave tone.

Remembering himself, Thornstar shook his head. "No, but I know it in my heart. Nothing less could come from our kits." He leaned forward to lick Blossomfur's cheek. "Make sure to get some rest." He nodded to Embernose before exiting the den.

During this time, Raggedfern had made himself unobtrusive against the moss-lined wall of the nursery. He padded over to Embernose. "Stay with her tonight and come get me if she starts to feel more pain."

"Okay Raggedfern, thanks." After the medicine cat had left, Embernose settled into Rainstep's empty nest, listening to the soft sleeping sounds of Blossomfur and her sister's kits. They would be more formally announced to the clan tomorrow by Thornstar. Content in the milky warmth of the nursery, Embernose quickly drifted off to sleep. Her dreams, however, were filled with questions of what exactly Thornstar thought his kits were destined for.