Okay, and, since I made you wait so long (and I feel so guilty!), here's CHAPTER TWO!!!

Remember, I do not own Warriors... That honor belongs to the Erins... *sigh*

Chapter Two

Galewind padded slowly back to the nursery after Breezestar finished with the ceremony. She was tired and troubled, and knew she would have a hard time getting to sleep. For once, she sincerely wished she could sleep in the warriors' den, surrounded by her Clanmates' warm bodies and soft breathing. Even with Aquastorm and her kits, and Icefur and hers, the nursery just felt so… empty. Besides, Aquastorm would be back in the warriors' den very soon- her kits were practically six moons old.

Sighing, Galewind padded towards her nest off to one side, where Cherrykit slept soundly. The little calico she-kit had been out for hours, and had not even woken up to watch the ceremony, which was most unusual. Galewind sighed again as she curled up beside her daughter and began to rhythmically wash her fur. Cherrykit was one thing that was weighing heavily on her mind. Her only kit troubled her.

It wasn't that Cherrykit was a troublemaker, or was too carefree or serious, or was annoying or nosy, or that she whined or begged or got on everyone's nerves… no, Cherrykit was a perfect little angel. Galewind couldn't have hoped for a more polite, better-behaved kit. What troubled her was that Cherrykit was strange, in ways. She was special. And it wouldn't have been bad, except that Galewind just didn't understand it. And it worried her.

For one thing, her little kit seemed to know things that she shouldn't know. Occasionally, she would say something that would catch Galewind completely off guard, and when asked where she had learned it, would be unable to answer. Cherrykit also seemed to know exactly what Galewind was thinking or feeling just by looking at her. It was unnerving.

Galewind stopped washing and curled up with her tail over her nose. She was fortunate that she had such a good kit… Her gaze drifted over to Icefur, who lay with six kits at her side. If she had had a litter that big, Galewind knew that she would not have been able to deal with it. Sometimes, she wished she had had more than one kit… but she had. That was the thing: she had had two kits… and one, a little tom, had died just after birth. Shadypelt had tried desperately to save him, but he had been small and sickly. In the end, there was nothing any of them could do, and the little tom-kit was left to the paws of StarClan.

Galewind felt tears springing to her eyes. She couldn't think about her lost son, whom she had named Thunderkit. For days after his death, she had been a wreck, to the point where Shadypelt feared for the queen's life. Only Cherrykit's presence had kept Galewind alive. The Clan knew not to speak of the lost kit- Galewind pretended he had never existed. But even without being reminded, Galewind could not forget about her son, and it hurt her deeply that he had died…

Despite her sorrow, slowly Galewind had begun to move on, though she still thought bitterly from time to time that Thunderkit's death was StarClan's punishment for taking a mate from another Clan in secret and without consent. Thunderkit was the only kit to have died in CallistoClan since before her own birth.

But at least Galewind had Cherrykit. The queen gazed affectionately at her little angel curled up a mouse-length away, long-furred flank gently rising and falling. She had Cherrykit, thank StarClan above… And Cherrykit was enough, even if she could not completely fill the void left by Thunderkit in the queen's heart.

Watching Cherrykit sleep, Galewind began to relax, but then grew more concerned the longer she lay there. Cherrykit had been awfully tired today… The queen suspected that her daughter had not been completely honest after the battle earlier.

She was a mother, and mothers know. She knew that Cherrykit had not simply been watching the battle. She was far too tired to have done just that. And there was also the torn ear, which the kit adamantly insisted was from a thorn. Galewind had not argued it very much, though she suspected that Cherrykit had been lying. She probably would have forced the truth out of her daughter were it not for one thing: Breezestar's added insistence that Cherrykit had been only watching the battle.

For whatever reason, her sister and Clan leader had lied for the kit… So Galewind let the issue rest. She knew her sister incredibly well- well enough to know that she would not lie without very good reason. She supposed she had a reason for not telling the whole truth…

Galewind closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath. She was fortunate, she supposed. Her life was good. She had wonderful Clanmates, a beautiful daughter, and a good life as a warrior of CallistoClan. Her sister was Clan leader- how glad Galewind was that she was not in her sister's place! She simply did not believe that she could handle leading a Clan.

Galewind let out a soft purr, thinking back to a discussion she had had with Suntail a while back. Her best friend had asked her if she ever grew jealous of Breezestar, and Galewind had answered completely honestly. She was not jealous of her sister in the least. True, she envied her natural flair for leadership, but jealous was not the right word to describe how she felt. She felt proud to have such an important sister, and happy that Breezestar was happy. And often, she felt worried about Breeze, who pushed herself- in Galewind's eyes, at least- far too hard at times.

No, she was perfectly content to let Breezestar lead. She would stick to being a loyal warrior… Or, for the time being, a watchful mother. As much as she enjoyed the nursery and raising Cherrykit, she missed her warrior duties. The next two moons would be long, but she'd survive, of course.

Very slowly, Galewind drifted off into a light sleep, dreaming silly peaceful dreams. First, she was chasing a butterfly through a field of tall wildflowers in all shades of pink and purple and gold. The sun shone down warm and bright from a cloudless blue sky, and a cooling lavender-scented breeze blew softly, sending the flowers swaying. Galewind was thoroughly enjoying herself: she hadn't played like this since kithood! She continued to chase the butterfly in blissful joy until the dream shifted and she was no longer in the field.

Now, tall trees with trunks wider than any she had ever seen surrounded her, and the air was heavy with the woodsy scent of leaves and pine. She stalked a mouse through soft undergrowth that tugged nicely at her fur but did not snag. Again, she was thoroughly enjoying herself, especially after spending the past four moons mainly cooped up in the nursery. It felt wonderful to be out and hunting, carefree as the wind.

After stalking leisurely for some time, Galewind sprang, toned muscles rippling smoothly between her soft creamy pelt. She caught the small creature easily, and ate it on the spot- she knew she was dreaming, so there was no reason not to enjoy her catch while she had the chance.

The mouse gone, Galewind stretched out on her back in the soft moss, gazing up into the canopy of leaves far above. It was a beautiful day… And then the dream shifted again, and she was on the bank of the Great River, at the Pawsteps, gazing across the rushing River at the FoamClan border.

Her heart gave a lurch, and she wished fleetingly that she were back in the field or the forest from before. She didn't want to be here. It was painful… and he was here, too… padding towards the bank, alone. She knew it was Sleetfoot before he even came close enough to distinguish his handsome dark gray fur speckled with silver and white or his kind, glowing gray eyes.

As much as she wished to leave, Galewind waited patiently on her side of the River as her secret love drew nearer and paused, only fox-lengths away, on the other bank. His gaze was warm when he looked at her, and she felt the urge to run to him and entwine her tail with his… but she resisted. And after a few moments, he turned away and headed back into the heart of his territory without a backwards glance, fading into the mist gathering thickly all around.

Galewind wanted only to chase after him, but she did not. They couldn't be together… it just wouldn't work. Her Clan would think her a traitor if they ever discovered who the father of Cherrykit was. The kit herself did not know. Only Breezestar knew of her sister's secret, though the rest of the Clan must suspect that Galewind had mated outside of the Clan. But no one had said anything- a queen had the right not to tell whom the father of her kits was, and Galewind had made use of that right…

She had not told her Clan for two reasons: to protect Sleetfoot, and to protect Cherrykit. She did not want her Clanmates to treat Cherrykit differently for being half-Clan. Galewind herself would have hated it if she had been half-Clan! She doubted her life would be nearly as nice if she had been half-Clan and her Clanmates had shunned her for it… Then again, who was her father? Mosspelt had never mentioned who her mate was, and no one else seemed to know. Galewind suspected he had been some CallistoClan tom that had died before her birth, and the death had been too much for Mosspelt to talk about…

She sure knew how her mother felt, if that was the case. She knew well enough what it was like to be apart from her love, and to have lost a kit…

But aside from just wanting to protect Cherrykit, Galewind had kept quiet with Sleetfoot in mind. She knew he had not told his Clan about her, and she didn't want him to get in trouble with his them.

It was raining. The rain jolted Galewind from her thoughts. She realized that she still stood on the bank of the Great River, and it was raining now. She could hear the River roaring even stronger as it swelled, though she could not see it. Even though it was less than a mouse-length away from her, thick mist blocked it from the queen's view. The mist was swirling and dancing in the downpour, forming oddly realistic pictures in the moonlight. Galewind watched them curiously, trying to distinguish one from the other, but it was impossible: the mist shifted too quickly.

And then the mist was thicker than just water vapor. Galewind squeaked with alarm as she felt it closing in around her, like stone. She grew more panicked the longer she stood there and the more solidly it held her. She began to struggle- she was having a hard time breathing! But she could not break free- the stone-mist was too hard!

Galewind looked frantically around, but saw only more mist, as the pressure on her lungs increased to the point where she was gasping for air…

With a shuddering heave, Galewind awoke to find that she was in the nursery. There was no mist, no stone slowly suffocating her. She was safe. With a relieved sigh, she fell limply back on her side, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Very slowly, she fell back asleep.

٭ ٭ ٭

"Mum!" A sharp prod in the side startled Galewind awake from a deep and dreamless sleep.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" she asked drowsily, blinking sleep from her eyes. Cherrykit stood over her, eyeing her with impatience etched on her face.

"Can I go with Dewkit and Thrushkit and Lilykit to listen to one of the elders' stories? Please? It's all wet and chilly out, and we don't wanna play in the clearing!"

Galewind yawned and stretched, then looked her daughter in the eye with playful seriousness. "You'll be good, right?"

"Of course I will!" Cherrykit exclaimed. "So does that mean I can go?"

"I suppose. But bring some fresh kill with you- I'm sure Mosspelt, Splitfoot, Featherflight, and Flowershell would appreciate it, and I doubt they've eaten yet. What time is it, anyway?"

Cherrykit's mismatched eyes grew bright. "Thanks, mum!" she mewed. "And it's not too long after dawn," she added, as answer to Galewind's last question.

"Are you sure they're even up yet?" Galewind knew some warriors wouldn't even be up yet- surely the elders wouldn't be!

"Uh huh, they're up! Aquastorm was the one that suggested we go listen to one of their stories. She said that Splitfoot offered to tell us one, since it's such an icky morning."

Galewind suppressed a purr. Now here was Cherrykit acting like any other kit. Today- or at least this morning- she seemed to be in one of her kit-like states, where she acted completely normal. Sometimes, though- like yesterday, for example- she acted much older. Almost like a well-seasoned warrior… "Well, go on. And remember your manners!" she called after as the little kit bounded excitedly away, to where the three older kits waited.

Galewind purred again at her daughter's joy. As if she honestly needed to remind Cherrykit of her manners… The den quiet again, Galewind sat up in her nest and began grooming her fur, starting with the shoulder that bore the scar from her accident as a kit. She had many scars from various battles, but this wound was the most memorable of all. Laughing quietly, she thought back to her kithood, and that fateful day when she'd fallen and received the wound that would leave the scar.

It had been mere days before she was to be apprenticed, and Galewind had gone along with Oakpelt, Breezestar, Moonfur, and Suntail in a little adventure. It had been Oakpelt's wise idea… he always had been the one to come up with plans that never failed to get them in some sort of trouble. This scheme had involved the kits slipping out the back of the nursery and climbing the slope behind it, up to the ridge. Galewind had thought the idea tons of fun… that is, until she missed a jump and tumbled down to the ground far below. Then it had been painful. Galewind sure was glad Cherrykit was not the troublemaker that she and her siblings had been at the kit's age…

Reminiscing done, Galewind got to her paws with a yawn and padded towards the den entrance. It was darker than usual for morning, so she knew before leaving that it was cloudy. After purring a soft good morning to Icefur, who laid nursing her kits snuggled in a warm nest, Galewind pushed her way into the clearing.

A chilly breeze instantly hit her, and sure enough, it was cloudy. And foggy. Very foggy. Galewind didn't think she had ever seen so much fog in camp. Even when the forest got foggy, it rarely invaded the clearing. But today it had, and she could barely see to the other side of camp. It was no wonder the kits had opted to visit the elders today.

After getting over the fact that the fog reminded her all too well of her dream from last night, Galewind padded over to the tree stump, where Aquastorm sat eating a wood pigeon.

"Hello Galewind!" the other queen purred cheerily.

"Good morning, Aquastorm!" Galewind replied.

"Care to join me?" Galewind nodded, settling down beside her friend to share the prey. "How are you this morning?"

"Tired. I slept badly last night," Galewind mewed between bites.

"Aw, I'm sorry. How about this fog, though? I don't think I've ever seen it this thick!"

Galewind laughed. "Me either," she agreed. "At least, not in camp. I kinda like it, though." Even though the heavy closeness of the fog was very like the mist from her dream, Galewind was rather enjoying the morning's weather.

"It's sorta nice, I suppose," Aquastorm agreed. "I've heard that FernClan and FoamClan get fog like this a lot. Have you ever seen it hanging over their territories during dawn patrol? It looks so neat!"

Galewind laughed. "Yeah, I've seen it. It always reminds me of cobwebs. Hey, did the kits take fresh kill to the elders like I asked?"

"I think so. At least, Cherrykit headed for the fresh kill pile when they left the nursery. I dunno whether the kits just took food for themselves or what."

"I should probably check," Galewind mewed. Aquastorm nodded. "See you later, Aquastorm!" With a friendly wave of her tail, Galewind headed in the direction of the elders' den. Though she couldn't see it clearly through all the fog, she knew the camp well enough from years of living there to find it. Heck, she could probably have found it if she was blind and couldn't smell!

The creamy queen stuck her head around the bramble barrier of the den, calling, "May I come in?"

A purr issued from within, followed by Mosspelt mewing, "Of course!" Galewind pushed her way through the withering vines of what was, in Newleaf and Greenleaf, thick honeysuckle that draped the den. Inside, it was warm and dark and cozy amid thick moss carpeting and tall ferns that edged the interior. Off to one side, the four elders lounged, the four kits crowded eagerly in front of them. The remains of a meal sat between them, evidence that the kits had done as asked.

"Galewind! What a nice surprise!" Splitfoot purred with a humorous chuckle.

"Hello Splitfoot," Galewind purred to her old mentor, stepping carefully over to the group, so as not to upset any of the elders' nests. "Hi Mosspelt, Featherflight, Flowershell," she nodded warmly at each of the three she-cats in turn.

"Morning, darling," Mosspelt purred back. "Care to join us for a story? We were just about to start another one."

"Sure," Galewind replied, settling down across from the elders. She had nothing else to do- why not enjoy a nice story? She hadn't listened to one since kithood, when the elders were old Greenfern, Creekwave, and Spruceleaf.

Her mother eyed her mischievously. "You always did like a good story," she laughed.

"You know it," Galewind replied with mock seriousness, then laughed herself. "So, what story are you gonna tell?" This question started a chorus of excited questions and suggestions from the quartet of kits.

"Yeah what story?" Thrushkit asked.

"How about the one about Foxheart and the badgers?" suggested Lilykit.

"Or the one about Moonshine's journey to FlameClan?" Dewkit chimed in.

"No, I wanna hear the one about Eagleeyes and his run in with the elk!" Thrushkit exclaimed.

"But what about the one about DesertClan's journey here?" Cherrykit suggested.

"We heard that one last time!" Lilykit pointed out. "I wanna hear about Riversnow and Seaflight's forbidden love!" The little she-cat got a dreamy look in her eyes. She was obviously a romantic. "It's such a sweet story…" she purred.

"That one's boring!" Dewkit rolled his eyes and cuffed his sister about the ears playfully. "I wanna hear a story with action and adventure and brave heroes and fierce battles!"

"Yeah, tell us one with battles!" Thrushkit agreed enthusiastically.

Galewind laughed. If she didn't know any better, she'd say all these kits were three moons old!

"Okay, okay, settle down!" Featherflight purred. She exchanged glances with the other elders. "I think I know which story we're going to tell. And it's one that you've never heard before."

"Is it exciting?"

"Is there romance?"

"Are there battles?"

"Or foxes?"

"You'll see! But only if you all calm down and listen!"

Immediately, all four kits fell silent and fixed their gazes obediently on Featherflight. The beautiful she-cat, youngest of the elders, who had to retire early due to failing sight, settled down more comfortably and began, "Long ago, before the time of the four Clans, there was a Clan called ElementClan. And before ElementClan, there was only chaos."

The kits' eyes widened. Featherflight purred. "Our story takes place in Oceanland, the land by the sea that was the home of our most ancient ancestors. I begin my tale seasons before the formation of the great ElementClan, in a time of danger and ever-shifting alliances. I begin with a young tom by the name of Snake.

"But before I get to Snake's story, you must understand what the time was like. It was a difficult time- the cats of Oceanland lived not in Clans, but in bands that fought constantly for overlapping territories. There were no laws, no Warrior Code… there was not even a StarClan, as far as the cats knew. The Oceanlanders lived by one rule and one rule only: fend for yourself. It was the only way to guarantee survival. And sometimes, it couldn't even guarantee that much."

"Wait, no StarClan?" Thrushkit interrupted. "How? Why?"

"Oh, there was a StarClan, young'un," Splitfoot laughed. "The Oceanlanders just didn't yet know that it existed."

"So what did they believe in?" Lilykit inquired curiously.

"They didn't have any beliefs beyond the living world. And they feared death. That's part of the reason they fought so much."

"But wait," Dewkit mewed, "if they feared death, then why would they fight? Isn't that just a surefire way to die?"

"Well yes," Mosspelt explained, "but they fought to survive. Their goal through battle was not to kill one another, but to guarantee their own survival."

"Then-" Cherrykit put her tail over Thrushkit's mouth, silencing his question.

"Shh," she scolded. To Featherflight, she asked sweetly, "Can we please get on with the story?"

"Of course. Where were we?" The young elder closed her eyes briefly, then went on, "Ah yes. So anyway, Oceanland was a perilous place in those days. There were many small bands of cats- over three dozen- that were constantly breaking apart and reforming and shifting alliances with one another. Of those bands, there were three most powerful.

"These three bands were known as the Band of the Surf, the Band of the Sand, and the Band of the Sun. These bands were the three largest, and the three most dangerous. And they were mortal enemies.

"You see, each had control over land that was desirable to everyone else. The Band of the Surf had control of the Tide Pools, where there were lots of fish to eat, the Band of the Sand had control over marshy areas where the most herbs grew, and the Band of the Sun had control over the rocky highlands, where there was the most shelter and best places for nesting.

"Those three Bands often fought one another viciously for control over the land that the other Bands owned. Each wanted to be the most powerful of all. But they were evenly matched, and no one ever really won. No, the battles had only losers. Cats were always killed, and the smaller bands of cats suffered when the larger Bands fought. The smaller bands all depended upon the larger Bands for protection at one point or other, and they often swore allegiance to one or another of the large Bands in exchange for use of their resources."

"When do we get to hear about Snake?" Dewkit interrupted, a slight whine of impatience entering his mew.

"Soon, soon. Be patient. In fact, I was just getting to him," Featherflight replied. "All in all, it was a hard life. The cats that were best off were the members of the large Bands, even with the constant warfare between Sand, Surf, and Sun. Snake was born into the Band of the Surf.

"As a young kit, Snake grew used to the constant warfare. Indeed, he had no choice, as his Band was under siege by the Band of the Sun for most of the first seven moons of his life. Snake lost both of his parents and his two siblings while only four moons old to an attack by the Band of the Sun. After the death of his parents, Snake- at a mere four moons old, mind you- began to learn fighting."

"You mean he was apprenticed? At four moons?" Lilykit looked scandalized.

"Wish we'd been apprenticed at four moons," one of her brothers mumbled.

Splitfoot laughed. "Not apprenticed, per say," he corrected. "You have to remember, these were very different times. By the time a kit was three moons old, they knew how to hunt and defend themselves."

Lilykit still looked thunderous. Featherflight mrrowed with laughter and continued, "So Snake, barely beyond kithood, learned to fight. He dedicated himself to it body and mind, and learned quickly. By the time he was twelve moons old, he was vying for leadership of the Band of the Surf."

"He wanted to be leader?" Lilykit asked shrilly. "He wanted to be leader before the time most apprentices complete their training?"

"Mmhmm," Featherflight nodded. "And a few moons later, he succeeded."

"How?!?" a chorus of mews demanded.

"Remember, leadership of the Bands worked very differently than Clan leadership works. Band leaders, or chiefs, didn't have nine lives. And leadership changed constantly. It was always the most able tom that led the Band."

"What about she-cats?" Cherrykit demanded.

"They never led. It was their job to raise the kits and help feed the Band. They were not fighters."

Cherrykit snorted. Galewind rolled her eyes. That was so her daughter. Cherrykit sounded a lot like Breezestar, too, the queen thought.

"Anyway, Snake challenged the current Band chief, and won. Within a moon, the Band of the Surf was the strongest in Oceanland, and Snake was waging war on both the Bands of Sun and Sand at once. You see, his kithood had sparked a hatred of the other Bands. But for Snake, it went beyond the normal desire to control the territory and resources of the other Bands.

"No, he didn't just want power and control. He wanted revenge. He wanted to make the Band of the Sun pay for the death of his family and best friend from kithood. He wanted to annihilate them, and the Band of the Sand, simply because he did not want competition.

"By the time he had been chief for six moons, the Bands of the Sand and Sun were in ruins. And his own Band was not faring much better. They had suffered devastating losses from all the battles Snake had made them fight. But if he realized this, he didn't let up. Instead, he continued his assault on the other Bands.

"A moon later, the Band of the Sun was practically gone. With them out of his way, Snake turned his attention on the Band of the Sand. It was on the day that he led what was to be his final attack on them when he met Clover.

"After his attack, the Band of the Sand had only a few cats left. One of them was Clover. Clover was a beautiful young she-cat in the Band of the Sun, the last of her family. And Snake fell in love with her instantly.

"Snake was merciless, and yet he did for her what he had never done for anyone else. He planned to let her live. He wanted her to be his mate, to love him. But she refused. Snake had been the one responsible for the death of all of her family, and the destruction of her Band. She hated him with a passion. She turned him away.

"And Snake did something he had never in his life done before: he begged. He begged Clover to forgive him, to give him a second chance. He said that he had realized his flaws- whether or not he actually did is unknown. But he said he did. Clover bought none of it. She thought him no better than the evil tyrant that he was. She turned him down over again. And then she killed him.

"It was Snake's death that brought about the fall of his Band. Without their tyrant of a leader, they stood no chance against the angry revenge that the other bands aimed to take. They fell. And it was after the fall of the last of the three great Bands that the band system disintegrated almost entirely, and Oceanland fell into total chaos- that is, until StarClan made themselves known to Elementsoul.

"Snake's tyranny and the fall of the Bands into chaos led StarClan to act and lay down their law upon the Oceanland cats. They never again wanted to see their descendents killing one another in cold blood. And they did not want to see them destroy themselves completely."

"But what became of Snake?" Dewkit asked.

"They say," Featherflight whispered, "that he became the first cat ever to be exiled from the ranks of StarClan, into the Dark Forest."

All four kits shuddered. Galewind, too, felt chill at the mention of the Dark Forest. It was the place where only the most evil of cats went. The place for the ones that did not deserve the honors of the ranks of StarClan.

"And that is the story of Snake," Featherflight finished.

"Wow," Lilykit mewed softly. "That was creepy."

"There's a lesson behind that, isn't there?" Cherrykit asked. Galewind could see the young kit's other side showing through- the wiser, more perceptive side.

"There always is," Mosspelt laughed. "Can any of you guess what it is?"

"Don't be a tyrant?" Thrushkit asked.

"Follow the Warrior Code?" Lilykit tried.

"Begging gets you nowhere?" Dewkit guessed.

"Not quite. Cherrykit, what about you? Care to guess?"

The young kit looked thoughtful. After a few moments, she ventured, "Is it to act wisely, and know that there are consequences for everything you do? Nothing you do is ever completely right for everyone, and you have to act with others in mind, and not just yourself?"

"Exactly. Always be aware of the results of your actions, and think things through before you act. Sometimes, getting a second or third opinion is helpful. Remember that." Featherflight stretched. "Okay, enough stories for today. It looks like it's sunnier now- why don't you go play in the clearing for a while?"

"Okay!" the kits mewed. They bounded for the den entrance, pausing to call back their thanks for the stories.

Galewind got to her paws as well. "I had better go keep an eye on them," the queen mewed. "Thank you for the story, though. Where did you hear that one, Featherflight? I had never heard it before…"

"Neither had I," Mosspelt added, and Flowershell nodded in agreement that she had not heard it before either.

"I heard it from my mum when I was young," Featherflight mewed. "Greenfern never said where she'd heard it. It's probably an old tale, but doesn't get told often anymore because it is so old. And a little violent."

"I had heard it," Splitfoot mewed. "When I was a kit- Greenfern was just an apprentice then- our elders told the tale to me. But they didn't tell it often. Like you said, it was an old tale."

"Well, it was an interesting one, at any rate," Galewind mewed. "Do any of you need anything? I'd be happy to help out."

"No, I think we're fine, dear," Mosspelt purred. "You run along and watch over those kits. It was nice of you to hang around and listen."

Galewind gave her mother an affectionate lick. "Thanks again," the queen mewed as she departed the den. Four mews- three old and one still rather young- called goodbyes after her.

Out in the clearing, it had indeed gotten sunnier. The fog had dissipated, and with it the chill had left, too. It was around sunhigh, and the camp was abuzz with activity. The sunhigh patrol was about to depart, a hunting party was just returning loaded with prey, and the kits play-fought with Cinnamonpaw, Lavapaw and Airpaw by the apprentices' den. Breezestar stood waiting by the entrance tunnel looking worried. Lavapaw and Snowheart soon joined her, and the three departed camp. Galewind remembered that her sister was going to the MoonFalls.

With a yawn, Galewind turned her face to the bright sky. It was such a lovely day… she wished she could go hunting…

That's what I'll do, she thought suddenly, and went looking for Aquastorm. She found the young queen in conversation with Icefur in the nursery. Her friend immediately agreed to watch over Cherrykit for a few hours, and Galewind was out of camp moments later, making her way towards the southern stream for a bit of relaxing hunting.