A tiny growl sounded and a hiss followed soon after. "Swiftkit! I hate it when you pretend you're in charge! Brightkit is! And I hate how you always pretend she'll die!" The she-kit tried her hardest to speak loud and intimidating. The she-kit Swiftkit snarled a warning. "All I'm doing is trying to act for the good of the gr-""No!" Jayfeather could picture the two tiny kittens turning on each other, fur on end.

The snarling and hissing stopped spontaneously. "Brightkit?" Swiftkit asked. "Yup! And you wouldn't believe the story I-""Not now" Robinkit hissed. "We're under attack." Jayfeather could feel Brightkit's excitement melt away. "Uh, oh." Brightkit said with a hint of realization. "Uh, oh is right. Come on, let's go." Robinkit growled, spinning around on her heel and began stomping most likely towards an exit.

"No, like, I met Lion's Roar and Jay's Wing not too long before I Warped here." Jayfeather felt Robinkit stop. She turned with a wave of admiration rolling off of her. "The Jay's Wing?"

Brightkit nodded furiously. "But we still need to get out of here. Swiftkit, climb onto my back. Robinkit, lean on my shoulder. I'll help you walk to the Moor Tunnel." Robinkit opened her mouth to protest but closed it and accepted the help.

Jayfeather could hear the tiny pawsteps fade away and Lionblaze shift to whisper in his ear. "That's, so sad. These kits, all alone. We could take them back to Thunderclan. Teach them the Warrior Code." Jayfeather nodded. He could teach them about the ways of the Tribe of Endless Hunting. In secret, of course.

Silently, the two tom cats slunk after the kits. Lionblaze felt immediately guilty. He knew quite a few of these tunnels from the night absences that he had met with the Windclan apprentice, now warrior, Heathertail.

When Jayfeather could feel the gentle breeze wafting from above, he knew they were at the entrance. "Come on, Robinkit! Just a little further, now! Don't give up!"

Lionblaze felt his heart break and shatter into a million pieces and his stomach flip. This poor little kitten!

He dropped into a hunter's crouch, and leaped, grabbing the oldest she-kit, Brightkit, by her scruff, sending Swiftkit tumbling off and away and Robinkit stagger and collapse into the snow-covered grass. While Robinkit gave a shuddering cough as she tried to leap to her paws, Swiftkit lay slumped in a brown-and-white heap a few tail-lengths away, not giving any other reaction other than shallow breathing.

Brightkit, struggling, threw a look over her shoulder and held her breath. "SWIFTKIIIIITTTT!" She screamed full blast, the high-octave hurting Lionblaze's and Jayfeather's ears. "No, fhee's ofay, fhee's ofay!" Lionblaze soothed through a mouthful of fur. "I've fot fer!"

Jayfeather rolled his eyes. No, she's okay, she's okay! I've got her! Is what his brother meant to say. Lionblaze galloped over to Swiftkit and scooped her up in his paw. Together, all five cats were on their way to Thunderclan, blizzard permitting.

Minutes later, the Thunderclan cats and the kits padded through the Thorn Barrier, kits weak and exhausted. Except for Brightkit, of course, who took every opportunity to yowl angry words at Lionblaze. When they reached the middle of the clearing, they gently lay down the fragile bodies. As soon as Brightkit's paws touched the ground, she hissed and gathered her littermates closer. The newly appointed Bramblestar padded towards them, confusion and shock lighting his gaze. "And who might these kits be?" Lionblaze opened his jaws to speak moments before his brother interrupted.

"Don't be so suspicious, Bramblestar." Jayfeather snapped. "These are the new Three. These are the kits of Hollyleaf."