Disclaimer: I do not own the Warriors books or their main characters. Copyright is Erin Hunter.

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A brief remark on the kits' names in this story (readers have commented that there is a mishap in the naming that I used): Since this story parallels my story Crowfeather's return, I am using the names established in that story. Brightheart's daughter Amberkit died of greencough shortly before Cinderheart had her kits. She decided to name her daughter Amberkit, in memory of Brightheart's kit.

Here is the next Chapter! Please review.


Chapter 3

Over a moon had passed since Firekit and Featherkit were born. Brightheart's kits had been apprenticed and Dovewing moved to the nursery expecting Bumblestripe's kits. Jayfeather wouldn't get much time to catch his breath this green-leaf. There were days the medicine cat thought the whole of ThunderClan consisted of elders and nursing queens. He would walk between the elders' den and the nursery all day and drop into his nest at night totally exhausted.

Leafpool's two kits had begun to explore the stone hollow. Amberkit and Duskkit, Cinderheart's kits, were showing them around the camp.

"This is the apprentices' den. This is where Seedpaw, Snowpaw and Dewpaw sleep." Amberkit explained. "And we will sleep in here soon, too."

"Not until you are six moons old, Amberkit." Snowpaw had come out of the apprentices' den and stretched his legs. Brightheart's son, with a thick white coat like his father Cloudtail, sat down and gave his pelt a few quick licks.

"I want to go inside." Firekit mewed and clumsily walked into the den and sniffed at the nests. Suddenly she was picked up by her scuff and carried outside.

"You have to wait until you are six moons old, Firekit." The white apprentice mewed and licked her between the ears.

"I just wanted to have a look, Snowpaw." The ginger kit replied.

"Snowpaw, are you ready. I want to show you a few more battle moves before nightfall." Ivypool, the white tom's mentor called from the camp entrance. The young cat dashed to his mentor and soon left the camp.

Amberkit nudged Firekit on. "And this is the elders' den. Let's go inside."

"Can we go inside?" Featherkit asked. He eyed the old honeysuckle bush suspiciously. Duskkit nudged him. "Of course, the elders love it when we visit them. They tell us stories."

Firekit's eyes lit up. "They tell us stories? What kind of stories?"

"Any that you want." The golden-and-gray tom mewed.

The kits marched into the den and met Jayfeather. The gray tom was leaning over a huge gray tom with long fur. Sheltered under some low hanging branches of the tree were two additional nests of moss and bracken: a pale ginger she-cat and a dark gray tom were curled up in their nests. Excited squeals erupted as the kits darted at the medicine cat.

"Jayfeather, did you come to listen to a story, too?" Firekit asked.

"No, I have been checking the elders for ticks and fleas. Should I check you, too?"

"Nonsense Jayfeather, they are too little to be bothered with mouse bile." Sandstorm mewed. "Come here kits. Did your mothers let you out of the nursery?"

"We'll be apprentices soon. We can go anywhere." Amberkit said. The pale ginger elder let out an amused purr. Firekit and Featherkit had come closer.

"Are you Sandstorm?" Featherkit asked.

"Yes, I am. And over there are Graystripe and Dustpelt." She pointed at the two toms that lay curled up in their nests. "How did you know my name?"

"Leafpool told us about you." Firekit answered. "Are you going to tell us a story? Duskkit said you would."

Sandstorm purred again. "Well, of course. Sit down here." The elder pointed with her tail to a spot where scrapes of moss still lay around. She made herself comfortable in her nest and waited for the kits to settle down. Just as Sandstorm started with the story on how Firestar, the Clan leader before their current one, became a warrior, Leafpool arrived at the elders' den and called for her kits.

"It's time to go back to the nursery." the pretty queen mewed.

"Sandstorm was going to tell us a story." Firekit complained.

"And she will do so the next time you come to see her. Now you have to go back with me." Leafpool gently nudged her kits back to the nursery. Jayfeather heard Firekit complain to her mother about missing the story that Sandstorm was about to tell them. The medicine cat had left the elders' den as well and went back to his own den.

xxx

The days had become very pleasant, even the nights were warm and cozy. Jayfeather spent the morning in the forest and collected some fresh marigold leaves and feverfew. After sorting his supplies, he went to check on Dovewing again. Her first litter was due soon. Jayfeather pushed his way through the brambles that shielded the medicine clearing and heard excited squeals coming from the camp clearing. The kits must be playing outside. He tasted the air. Crowfeather was drawing moss for them to catch and Amberkit and Duskkit were running after the scrap piece. Firekit tried to catch the moss, too, but the older kits were too fast. Crowfeather let out an amused mrrow. The kits had tumbled over each. Jayfeather was on his way to the nursery with a bundle of herbs for Dovewing when he almost tripped over the scrambling kits. It had become almost impossible for him to cross to clearing without tripping over one of them.

"Why don't you all go over to the elders' den for a story?", he tried to make them get out of the way. Excited squeals erupted as the kits ran to the elders.

The medicine cat entered the nursery and heard the queens talking to one another in low voices. Featherkit lay at his mother's side and was sleeping.

"Dovewing, I brought you some borage. You need to keep your strength." Jayfeather sniffed at the expectant queen. "It won't be long until your kits arrive."

Dovewing ate the herbs that Jayfeather placed at her paws and the medicine cat turned to Leafpool. He had noticed that Featherkit didn't play with his denmates often and wondered whether there was something wrong with the little tom.

"Is he all right? He doesn't play with the other kits.", the gray tabby mewed pointing to the little kit beside Leafpool.

"He is fine. Featherkit doesn't like play-fighting too much. He didn't sleep well last night and now he is tired." his mother answered.

Featherkit stirred and woke up with a start.

"Jayfeather, I dreamed about you.", the kit exclaimed.

"You have been dreaming about me? What did you dream about?" the medicine cat asked, slightly confused.

Featherkit climbed out of Leafpool's nest and licked Jayfeather's cheek affectionately. "You played with me and we had lots of fun."

Cinderheart and Dovewing purred with amusement and Cinderheart mewed. "Well, now you know it was a dream, Featherkit. Jayfeather doesn't play with kits."

"Why?", was the little tom's surprised reply.

"Because I am a medicine cat and have other things to do."

Featherkit seemed disappointed and Leafpool licked him between the ears. "Medicine cats don't work all the time. I am sure Jayfeather will play with you some time.", she told her son.

Jayfeather felt uncomfortable with the queens' eyes burning into him. He turned around and left without another word.

xxx

Green-leaf was here at last. The Clan was out in the forest, hunting and training the apprentices. Soon, Cinderheart's kits would be apprenticed too. Half a moon ago, Dovewing had her kit; a little tom by the name of Stonekit. Jayfeather was happy that the pale gray queen didn't have more kits. He already had his paws full with Cinderheart's and Leafpool's kits.

Jayfeather thought the kits were following him around the camp. Wherever he went the kits would be there or arrive shortly after him. A few days ago, he met Firekit and Featherkit in the elders' den. The medicine cat meant to search the elders for ticks and treat Dustpelt's sore throat, but Featherkit had been at his paws all the time. The little tom was so excited about tending to the old cats that Graystripe told him to take him as his apprentice. Leafpool had told him the exact same thing.

"He told me, he wants to be a medicine cat apprentice, Jayfeather. You are free to take an apprentice. I think Featherkit would be a wonderful medicine cat one day. He is so gentle and concerned about his Clanmates. What do you say?" Leafpool had said to him.

"I will take an apprentice when it's time to find a successor." Jayfeather replied.

"What?", Leafpool mewed outraged. "But Featherkit wants to be a medicine cat." The tabby she-cat was clearly upset. Jayfeather did not intend to have an apprentice any time soon. He had come to like his younger siblings and had no intentions of training Featherkit to lead the boring life of a medicine cat.


Continues soon...