Two sunrises had passed since Ravenkit's heroic act. The queens and kits were still asleep. What should I do today? Ravenkit wondered as he sat up from his bed. Perhaps he should listen to Goldenflower reminisce about how she had gotten her nicked ear. The pale ginger she-cat had moved into the nursery, expecting Runningwind's kits. But Goldenflower was still asleep. Or Ravenkit could help clean out the queens' bedding. Definitely boring, but it seemed to be the only choice left. Anything other than going outside. He shuddered at the thought.

He lifted his head and found himself face to face with an elderly speckled gray tom with pale blue eyes. The tom opened his mouth to speak and Ravenkit recoiled at the sight of his yellow teeth.

"Smallear?" Ravenkit whimpered. The tom chuckled, and Ravenkit tried not to breathe in the reeking breath.

"No no, son. A good friend of Smallear, but not him. I am Goosefeather."

Silence filled the air. Ravenkit thought his best two choices were to either scare away this Goosewhatsit, or to wake the others. But what good was it to get the others tangled in this mess, too? He had no choice. The black kit raised his tiny paws and unsheathed thorn-sharp claws.

Goosefeather's eyes widened. "Now, you wouldn't dare hurt Bluestar's kin, would you?" Ravenkit lowered his paw.

"Y-you're Bluestar's kin?"

Goosefeather purred, "Yes, of course. I was her mother, Moonflower's, brother. I was also the medicine cat of ThunderClan many seasons ago, when Bluestar was still a kit."

Ravenkit gazed in awe at Goosefeather. This wasn't a dirty, mange-pelt he was talking to. This was once ThunderClan's wise and noble medicine cat! And Bluestar's kin! Ravenkit thought. "

Dustkit!" he called. "Wake up and come meet Goosefeather, ThunderClan's former medicine-"

His voice was muffled as Goosefeather's tail slapped across his mouth.

"Shhh, son. No need to wake the others. StarClan sent me down here so I could talk to you and to you only."

"You're a StarClan cat!" Ravenkit was bouncing on the tips of his toes now. Of course! Did he think Goosefeather would still be alive by now?

"Now," Goosefeather continued, "why don't we go outside into the open and talk a little bit."

Ravenkit stopped dead. "Um, you can go ahead! I'll just stay in here and, uh, listen while you talk outside!"

Goosefeather cocked his head to one side, then quietly meowed, "Do you ever ask yourself why you never come outside?"

Ravenkit knew why. "Because it's so dangerous! What if there's foxes, or badgers? Or-" he shivered "-ShadowClan warriors?"

The StarClan cat snorted, "What do you think warriors are for, then? Don't you think they'd protect you?"

Ravenkit gave up. "Yes, yes, I know!" he squeaked. "I just don't want to go outside because sooner or later, they'll make me an apprentice, and I'll be a warrior, and I'll have to fight bigger warriors! I don't want to hurt them! What if I get killed?" Words tumbled out of Ravenkit's mouth. He paused, gasping for breath. "If I stay in here, everyone will forget about me, and Bluestar won't ever make me an apprentice to start with!"

Goosefeather nodded. "I see. So you want to spend the rest of your life cleaning out the queens' ticks and beddings?"

No! That was the last thing Ravenkit wanted to do.

"You now see what a boring life staying inside." Goosefeather meowed. "You have a great destiny, and you can only fulfill it by taking your first step outside. ThunderClan needs you, Ravenkit. This is the start of your path, your great path. Follow it, and remember that your ancestors are watching over you always…"