Author's Note: This story uses a gender-neutral pronoun set consisting of "xe, xir, xirs, xem, xemself". The "x"s may be pronounced with a z-sound. Gendered pronouns will appear later on.

Special thanks to everyone who helped polish and refine this story, especially Rainstar of ShadowClan, kcb500, Glowingsoul, Dustwhisker The Cat, Epic Ranger, Sunmist, ShoutFinder, and Coqui's Song.

Reviews will be much appreciated, and constructive criticism is welcomed. It shouldn't have to be said, but hopefully those who are more hesitant will feel comfortable enough to be honest if they know that it's desired. Additionally, as always, it's nice to hear what the readers like.

CHAPTER ONE

A stream of blood had already begun to seep from the stripes of ginger fur. The cat lay on xir side in the medicine cat's den, eyes clenched shut as more blood welled up from the claw marks and the hem of a tattered ear. Xe flinched as a gray paw touched xir pelt—the medicine cat applying a smattering of cobwebs to seal the wounds.

"Is Emberpaw going to be alright?"

The gray cat did not reply at once, and after a few heartbeats had passed, the speaker asked again, unhappy to be left waiting.

The hairs began to prickle on the back of the medicine cat's spine, but xe did not turn to look at the apprentice's parent, xir gaze committed to assessing the extent of the damage and avoiding the other cat's eyes. "Of course. They're play-scratches, nothing more. This is none of your affair, Daisyfur. Go outside and do your job."

The ginger-and-white deputy lingered a moment longer before turning to leave, not waiting to see Doveheart pick up a plant from xir mysterious store of herbs and means of healing. Xe placed the leaves before the muzzle of the ginger apprentice and then stepped back.

"What is it, Doveheart?" Emberpaw sniffed at the herb and began to open one eye, resulting in red-stained vision and a cry of pain.

The gray paw pushed the clump of greenery closer to the young cat's mouth. "Just eat it, you mouse-brain."

Outside, the Clan was in uproar, and the leader was nowhere to be seen.

"When did Adderpaw learn to be that violent with xir own littermate?"

"Xir mentor would surely have taught xem how to use xir claws. It's no wonder—"

"An apprentice does need to learn—"

"—but against a littermate?"

"—normal part of growing up—"

"They've both been listening to an awful lot of stories from Redfang and Ravenfur."

"What are we teaching our kits about their Clanmates?"

"You're not saying—"

"It was Lilyfang who gave xem the skills."

"An apprentice doesn't need to be taught how to unsheathe xir claws."

"You're forgetting—"

"And to think, if Frostkit—"

All the chatter came to a standstill and all the yowling came to a hush as Daisyfur walked out into the middle of the throng and lay down, tucking xir paws underneath xir white chest. A few cats exchanged uneasy glances, and then a few of them took seats themselves. The deputy did not spare so much as a glance for Adderpaw, who was hiding in a tree.

"Lilyfang, you and Blacktail will take Adderpaw hunting," the deputy ordered, and silence followed, save for the scrabbling scratches of claws against bark as a small brown tabby worked xir way down from the highest branch. The white cat who was xir mentor had only given a sober nod in response, though underneath xe was seething with anger, and Adderpaw was cautious in approaching xem as they set out to leave.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Yewstorm's tabby fur fluffed up again. "My kits did nothing wrong! And Emberpaw is not so weak that xe cannot withstand the play fighting of a littermate!"

"Were you even there, Yewstorm?" Molenose asked.

"No, but had I been, I'd have put a stop to it!" xe exclaimed, a fierce glare burning in xir eyes, and the small black cat who had questioned xe shrank back with flattened ears.

"Of course Yewstorm wasn't there," Leechwhisker remarked. "Hear it from a cat who saw the whole thing. Adderpaw simply lost patience, as all cats do. Doveheart can fix it all up."

"But we shouldn't have to waste time and resources on healing cats who were attacked by their own Clanmates!" interjected a different tabby.

"For once, Brownstripe has a point," Spiderclaw muttered.

Daisyfur unfolded xir paws and stood, xir yellow tabby stripes darkened by the shade. "What remains to be determined is what inspired this behavior." When no cat spoke, xe continued, "The wounds are not serious, and Emberpaw is not in any danger, but we all agree that this is far more bloody a result than we would like to see of the fighting of sibling Clanmates. A punishment for Adderpaw will be announced after I speak with Yellowstar. Until then, there will be no more talk of this."

Not even Daisyfur could put a stopper on Clan gossip, but no cat would speak up to say as much. They understood the purpose of xem saying such things. The cluster of uneasy KnollClan cats watched as their deputy departed from the clearing, no doubt with the intention of seeking out their leader, and then the murmurs began anew, but now with a veil of subdued trepidation, as opposed to the confrontational yowls of a moment before. Soon the crowd of cats broke up and dispersed, returning to their duties and the company of their preferred friends. Yewstorm, for xir part, went to seek out Emberpaw in the medicine cat's den.

Emberpaw, still lying on xir side, let out a melodramatic mew as xe heard Yewstorm enter. The brown tabby replied with a sharp order to hush and to quit being such a kit, at which the apprentice quieted, and then, with a change of demeanor, the warrior crouched down to offer words of comfort. Most cats would take Daisyfur's word for it that the apprentice was not gravely hurt, and would leave it to Doveheart to tend to xir wounds, but Yewstorm was unique in that xe was a most protective parent, albeit an inconsistent one.

Doveheart, whose expression had softened, padded closer to the pair. "Xir treatment has stymied some of the bleeding. Time will take care of the rest."

Yewstorm looked up with troubled eyes. "Is xe free to leave?"

"As soon as xe likes."

Emberpaw, being of a delicate temperament, was still quite shaken by the whole affair, and still had yet to stand back up on xir own four paws. Xe also had yet to develop the maturity not to make a mountain of a molehill.

Doveheart lowered xir gaze to xem and asked, "Are you ready to get up now, Emberpaw?"

Xe shook xir head.

The gray tabby knelt down on the ground beside xem and nudged the apprentice's head with xir own. "Your pelt can repair itself, and the horsetail and raspberry leaves will help. All that remains is for you to be brave."

"No kit of mine isn't the bravest of them all," Yewstorm insisted. "Isn't that right, Emberpaw?" Xe licked the smaller tabby on the head and purred xir encouragement.

Reluctant though xe was, Emberpaw took their words to heart and slowly gathered xemself to xir paws, head and tail low to the ground.

"That's it, my dear." Yewstorm let xem lean against xir side, even though there was no need. "Come with me, and we'll go to see Redfang and Ravenfur."

At this, Doveheart lowered xir tail and broke from xir beaming expression to something more serious. "Oh, er, Yewstorm—"

"Thank you so much for your help, Doveheart. Emberpaw's looking better already. KnollClan is fortunate to have so skilled a healer, even better than those of BrookClan and MeadowClan together."

"And TunnelClan!" Emberpaw interjected.

"We do not speak of TunnelClan," xe snapped. "Well as I was saying, Doveheart, we're very grateful for your help."

"Er, yes, you're welcome, thank you, er, but maybe you shouldn't go to see Redfang and Ravenfur just now. Go and visit Brownstripe instead."

Yewstorm searched the medicine cat's eyes, and then xe came to the same understanding with a slight nod, looking away and swiping xir tongue over xir whiskers. "...Yes. You do have a point, Doveheart. We'll do that. Come on, Emberpaw! To the nursery!" Xe raised xir head, ears perked forward, and helped the yellow apprentice along, making further exclamations amid cheerful goading for the young cat to walk faster.

Doveheart could not help but chuckle at the sight of them as xe took a seat at the entrance to xir den. Brownstripe did not have any kits in the nursery, for Brownstripe was not even a cat-who-can-have-kits, but the dusky tabby who had been Yewstorm's littermate was well-known to frequent that part of camp, even in its emptiness.

Xe curled xir tail over xir paws and shifted xir gaze from the nursery to the fresh-kill pile, noting to xemself that it seemed smaller than it always had been before during this time of year. KnollClan needed kits—the other Clans had each announced new litters at the last gathering, while KnollClan lagged behind—but Doveheart had to wonder whether there would still be enough prey to go around, once there were more mouths to feed. It wasn't a problem that would be delayed until the kits were weaned off of milk, either, as a pregnant queen would be inclined to eat much more to help the young ones growing in her belly. They wouldn't be healthy otherwise. Therefore Doveheart knew that if any warriors began carrying kits now, there might not be time for the prey problem to resolve itself. It was not even certain whether the dearth was cyclical, for that matter. A few warriors had speculated that the dwindling life in the forest was not natural and that someone was stealing, but as of yet nothing could be proved. For all xe knew, this might just be another prank of Brownstripe's again, albeit a joke in very poor taste.

Only a few moments after Yewstorm and Emberpaw had left, Leechwhisker came forward and dipped xir head in respect before the medicine cat, a gracious show of good manners. Then xe looked up and asked, "Had any signs from StarClan lately?"

Doveheart burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright—" Leechwhisker tried to continue the conversation despite failing to stay deadpan, releasing a few chortles xemself at the silly idea. "Honestly now. How have you been?"

"You know how I've been, you old leaf-whacker. Come here." The two friends licked each other's shoulders and rubbed faces to share their scents, purring with merriment.

"You know, I've noticed something—"

"Yes? What is it this time?"

Leechwhisker circled around the medicine cat to enter the den before xe sat back on xir haunches. "Your old littermate, Molenose, seems to be keen on the young Blacktail."

Doveheart nodded. "I know."

"You know?"

"Xe's told me."

"Oh."

"And if you've noticed xir antics, surely you've noticed that Spiderclaw fancies someone as well."

Leechwhisker frowned, uncertain. "What has Spiderclaw told you?"

"Nothing. Xe doesn't need to tell me." Doveheart nodded at something outside, and Leechwhisker turned to look.

A lean black cat was carrying a mouse toward the edge of camp. Xe stopped and dropped it in front of a small tabby named Wrenface, who was quite fetching. Though a hardworking warrior, this particular cat was not known to make unsolicited displays of generosity. As the two watched from the medicine cat den, xe settled xemself beside Wrenface and curled xir tail around xem.

"Oh, I see."

The medicine cat chuckled. "Yes... My hope is that they will bring many more kits to KnollClan. The nursery's been so quiet these days."

Leechwhisker mumbled in agreement. Then the cat turned to look at xir friend with a strange gaze. A mottled pattern of coal black and bright ginger fur surrounded xir pair of bold amber eyes, which had always been quick to shift their focus from one puzzle or discovery to the next. They narrowed now with a twinge of concern, intermingled with cautious scrutiny. "Doveheart, have you ever... regretted?"

"No." When the warrior continued to gaze at xem, as though this answer were not enough, xe added, "and I never will."

Only then did the warrior look away. "Well, in that case," xe began in a resigned tone, "when you go to the next medicine cat gathering, be sure to rub that in Acornstripe's face for me."

Raising xir whiskery eyebrows, Doveheart showed some surprise at that remark. There were, in fact, some rumors that xe hadn't heard.