The forest outside was exactly how I dreamed it would be. The warm smell of prey filled the air making my mouth water. "Come on, we have a long way to go." Sparkheart meowed.

"Can we hunt?" I asked eagerly.

"Not today," my mentor's whiskers twitched in amusement.

We trotted through the trees until we came to a strange stone path. Grass was pushing growing along the edges. "What is this?" I tilted my head as I placed a paw on the stone. It was warm from the sun.

"That is the old Twoleg path. They built it with stone they took from the hollow." Sparkheart meowed.

I blinked in surprise. "So if it weren't for Twolegs we wouldn't have a camp?" This caused a mixture of unease and gratitude to squirm in my belly.

"That's right." Fernsong meowed.

"Didn't Twolegs drive us out of our own home though?" I shook my head. "It is odd that the same creatures who drove us from the Old Forest also provided a secure place for our camp."

Nightpaw gave me a playful shove, "You think too much." I looked at him and saw the laughter in his gaze.

"Well, some cat has to." I replied coolly before bounding after our mentors.

We quickly came to a stream that separated the woods. "I smell rabbits, heather and gorse." I said sniffing the air.

"That is the scent of Windclan. This is the border between our territories." Sparkheart explained. I padded forward and crouched down to take a drink. The water felt cool and fresh, untainted by the earthy tang of moss. Suddenly the bank beneath my paws crumbled and I fell head over tail into the icy water. Fear gripped me as I thrashed about. "Help!" I yowled.

"Try standing up, mouse-brain." Nightpaw teased.

I thrust my paws down and felt relief flood my pelt when I realized I could stand. "You really should be more careful Flowerpaw." Sparkheart shook her head. She leapt gracefully down to stand beside me. The water didn't even brush her belly fur thanks to her long legs. She gave me a boost and I scrabbled for a hold on the slippery bank.

"What are you doing in our territory?" a harsh voice demanded.

I gave a frightened squeak and slithered back down the bank and into the icy stream. Standing on the opposite bank were three angry looking Windclan warriors. "Greetings, Crowfeather." Sparkheart dipped her head to a smoky gray-black tom with bright amber eyes.

"What are you doing on our territory." A gray she-cat next to him demanded again.

"I-I fell in the stream." I stammered as Fernsong leaned down and grabbed my scruff. "I didn't mean to trespass." I finished feeling hot beneath my pelt as Fernsong set me down.

"It really was an accident, Crowfeather." Sparkheart meowed leaping up our side of the bank.

"Well, be more careful next time." Crowfeather sniffed.

I watched them go and turned to my clanmates. "Sorry." I shook the water from my pelt.

"Don't worry about it. It was just bad luck." Nightpaw licked my cheek.

The sun was sinking below the treetops, turning the sky blood red with its fiery light, when we returned. "Are you tired?" Sparkheart asked, flicking my ear with her tail.

"My paws feel like they are about to drop off." I groaned. "But I know Dovekit can't wait to hear about my first time exploring the territory." I added brightly. A high-pitched keening reached our ears, turning my blood to ice.

"Something is wrong." Fernsong flicked his tail uneasily.

"That's Ivypool." I said as a second realization struck me. "Dovekit." I gasped taking off at a run. 'Please Starclan let her be okay.' I burst into the hollow skidding to a halt. Bumblestripe and Alderbark were pacing at the edge of the clearing, their tails bristling. I spotted Whitewing crouched in the middle of the clearing with Stormcloud. Both were covering Ivypool with licks of comfort. Laying between my mother's paws was the tiny body of Dovekit. Whitewing looked over at me and murmured something to my father. He looked up and the grief dulling his gaze made my legs buckle beneath me. "I'm so sorry." Nightpaw whispered giving my ears a lick. His sweet scent wreathed around me and calmed me enough to pad over to my family. Rain began to fall as I approached my mother and sister. Ivypool lifted her head and looked at me with a blank gaze. Recognition flashed in the depths as her gaze hardened. "Get away from her." She snarled. I ignored her and crouched next to my sister. "I will still keep my promise." I murmured burying my nose in Dovekit's cold pelt.

It was dawn when Stormcloud roused me with a gentle nudge. I lifted my head and blinked up at him. "It is time to bury her."

I nodded and heaved myself to my paws. My limbs felt stiff from sleeping on the cold wet ground. After giving each leg a shake I went to stand by my mother, forgetting about how hostile she had been toward me the night before. She didn't say anything, but snarled with her hackles raised. I saw a white paw flash toward me then felt her claws rake my cheek. I wailed in shock and fear, scrambling away from her.

"Ivypool!" Stormcloud meowed sliding between Ivypool and myself. I could only stare at her in horror. There was no love for me in the silver and white tabby's gaze, only cold hatred. "You just attacked your kit."

"That murderer is not any kit of mine." Ivypool snarled lashing her tail. I pressed my belly against the earth, wishing it would open and swallow me.

"That is enough!" All of us turned in surprise at Whitewing. The elderly white she-cat was usually so quiet and composed, but now her eyes blazed with anger and the fur along her spine was bristling. "Ivypool, I know you are grieving." She said gently. "It was a hard blow for all of us," She gestured to Birchfall, Bumblestripe, Lionblaze and Squirrelflight. "To lose Dovekit so soon after Dovewing." Ivypool let her fur lie flat. "But it isn't Flowerpaw's fault. You should be grateful that at least two of your kits are healthy and strong." She pointed to Nightpaw and myself. I pressed against Nightpaw's warm flank. Everyone knew that Nightpaw was Dovewing's only remaining kit since Milkkit died shortly after birth. "Dovekit will always be with us and so will Dovewing."

Ivypool nodded and scooped up Dovekit to carry her out into the forest for burial. The rest of us followed silently behind her. "Give her time to grieve." Nightpaw whispered in my ear. "She'll be back to her old self soon."