Hi guys! I apologise for being a little late, I've had a lot of homework and a lack of motivation, so yeah.

There's no Fan Fiction of the Week this week as there were no reviews to last week's one and it's supposed to promote other awesome stories on this wonderful site, but you guys seem to have lost interest. I didn't have the time to find one either, sorry, I don't really read many Warriors Fan Fics any more.

So, you guys asked some of the characters from Blue Moon a few questions in your reviews, so here are their answers! ^^

Leafpool; How do you know what insomnia is?

'Insomnia? I've never heard of it.'

(It was Frecklewish, not Leafpool, who diagnosed Snowfall as having insomnia. She learnt about it from her mother, who was a kittypet.)

Dewclaw; Describe the exact moment that you knew you fell in love with Redflower

'Oh, um, I don't know really. I think it might have been when we were on the journey and a hawk dived for her. It just occurred to me that I didn't want the hawk to catch her. In that moment, I realised that if the hawk got her, I would have to live in a world where she didn't exist and I realised that I didn't want to live in that world. When the hawk was dead, I felt no pride, only relief. I'm not sure what I would've done it it had caught her. It didn't quite occur to me at that moment though that what I was feeling was called love.'

Ambersky; If you found out you were expecting Molespots' kits, what would be the first thing you do?

'I... I don't know. He's not my mate, or at least not yet. Maybe one day we will be, I know I like him a lot and I know he likes me, but is it love? I don't know. I suppose I'd tell him, I'd want him to be the first to know.'

Molespots; Do you regret spying on the divisions cats?

'I suppose I do and I don't. If I hadn't, maybe Ambersky wouldn't have the disease? Maybe Specklekit wouldn't be dead? But we know how the divisions work now, we know their weaknesses. Only time will tell I think. Though, if I could go back, I don't think I'd do it. If Ambersky dies... I'll never forgive myself.'

Whitefern; Why weren't you nice to Redflower when you found out she loved Dewclaw?

'It started when the division cats found out about it all. One of their cats had seen Dewclaw and Redflower meeting and then they confronted me about it by singling me out by the border. I don't know all of their spies, but they somehow knew I was Redflower's sister. So I was forced into working for them and they told me if I talked to Redflower about it or told anyone, they'd kill Redflower and they'd kill me. I kept my distance from Redflower because everytime I saw her I felt so guilty. I was so worried I would end up telling her and so I turned to being snappy to deter her. It was the only way that I knew I wouldn't tell her, so I could protect her. I just hope she can forgive me for it all.'

~ Review Replies ~

FrostOfTheWarriorCats ~ Haha, yup! Redflower! :3 I'm so excited. ^^ Thank you so much! Your words are much appreciated and mean a lot to me!

berkswarriors ~ Haha, thank you! Don't worry, your secret's safe with me, I do the same with my sisters' sweets. xD

Spottedmoth123 ~ Thank you so much! Yeah, my response to not knowing how to start a chapter quite often is to do some really scary dream which tricks the readers into thinking everyone's dead. xD

Alwayssearching2012 ~ Thank you! I find Dewclaw quite a refreshing character to write about. He's had a real character arc; over the course of the series, you can really see a development in his personality and he's just quite a relatable character I think. He's far from perfect, but we all love him anyway.

Seaflower ~ Haha, I know right? If they could get over their fear of humans, life would be so much easier. xD Thanks!

Briarthorn ~ It is amazing indeed. Yup! There's a little AmberxMole this chapter. ^^ Snowfall, the constantly injured tom. He's just an unlucky little thing, bless him. c: Haha, yes, I thought he deserved an apprentice. He was originally going to be the mentor to Finchpaw instead of Spiderleg actually, but I wanted to give him a little more time to grow up before becoming a mentor. Thank you! ;w;

Orangeflight ~ xD Yeah, Snowfall's okay, he's just a clumsy little cat. Thanks!

WyldClaw ~ We shall just have to wait and see about the cure...

Lightningstar-Of-NightClan ~ Dang. I literally just realised I've sent your sneak peak to you FanFiction account instead of dA. Sorry!

Nightfeather ~ xD Well, everyone loves cake, so I would assume that they would too. xP I always look forward to your reviews, thank you, as always!

Silverkitty16 ~ You're not interested in Dawn of the Clans? ;O; I absolutely adore Dawn of the Clans! The first and second book are okay, but from the third book, it's amazing! It's really refreshing to have a whole new cast of characters and even though there are a few really cliché plotlines, it's great! Anyway, thank you for the review!

Without further ado, Chapter 6 of Dark Skies! Enjoy!

It was the sun that awoke them, much to each and every cat's surprise. Just as with the day before, brilliant golden light splashed in through the spreading branches of the Stone Hollow's bramble dens, caressing the occupants of each den with gentle warmth. The clan were slow to rise from their nests, surprise slowing their movement as they spilled from their dens, blinking up at the sunlight in pleasant disbelief.

Dewclaw awoke just after dawn, but many of the nests around him were already vacant. Slipping into an easy stretch, satisfaction rippled through the dark grey tom as the weariness in his limbs ebbed away, as if burned off by the sunlight. It was a new day and with the rising of the sun, hope was renewed. The sun promised of an end to all these dark skies and with it perhaps the end to this war? It was nothing more than wishful thinking, but after spending much of his life in a negative mind-set, Dewclaw was easily succumbed to the hopeful, positive thinking that was whispered of throughout camp.

His pawsteps thrumming lightly against the moss, the dark grey warrior surfaced into the brightness of day, soaking up the warm light upon his shady pelt. From a brief glance, life in the Hollow was as it should be. Lionblaze sat tall atop the Highledge, his pelt drenched in sunlight and giving him a golden appearance as the day's patrols rolled confidently off his tongue. A small gathering of cats had collected together below the ledge, listening as the ThunderClan deputy announced each patrol. Despite his camp confinement, the dark grey tom found himself listening in for his name, his ears angled slightly towards where Lionblaze sat as he settled himself in the sunlight and began to smooth down his ruffled pelt. The flicker of disappointment still came when his name was not called and the golden tabby tom leapt down from his spot to converse with Pebblefall and Honeyflower, two of his children. Dewclaw's eyes followed him for a further few moments, then he blinked, letting his gaze return to his own paws once more. But they didn't linger there for too long before they went wandering once more.

"Dewclaw!"

His amber orbs were quick to find Leafpool. The light brown tabby she-cat was carefully making her way towards him with light, dainty steps. When she reached him, she gave a dip of the head, "I've spoken with Bramblestar," she told him, her eyes not meeting his but instead focusing on the cliff face behind him, "And he's said that he'll allow the camp confinement to be broken briefly if you help with moving the sick cats to the Twoleg nest?" her gaze was expectant, though her paws were constantly shifting and her right ear was consistently directed towards the Medicine Cats' Den behind, in case her presence should be required, "We need a few extra paws to help out, and seeing as you don't have any duties and your paw is almost fully recovered…"

The dark grey tom didn't initially find much interest in the offer, carrying sick cats back and forth wasn't on top of the list of activities he wished to carry out before he joined StarClan, but after a while of contemplation and the tantalising thought of being able to at last venture beyond the enclosing walls of the Stone Hollow, he had a change in opinion. He hesitated for a further heartbeat, "I'll be allowed out of camp?" he meowed cautiously, taking a tentative step forward.

"Just for today, whilst you help," Leafpool replied, shooting a brief glance over her shoulder. She paused before asking, "So, can you help?"

An image of running free in the forest swept through the dark grey tom and with a deep inhale, he nodded. It might only be for a day, but being restrained within the Stone Hollow for at least a half-moon, the thought of being free, even if only just for a little while, made his heart ache with longing. Although, that means I'll have to see Ambersky, he realised, a lump forming in his throat and his chest tightening. He'd been avoiding visiting the pale grey-and-white she-cat ever since she'd come down with the disease and though guilt streaked through him whenever he turned down an opportunity to see his sister, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. It'll be okay, he tried to assure himself. A tiny voice in the back of his head seemed to ask why he feared seeing her so much, but he quickly brushed off the question, tossing the thoughts to the back of his mind.

A relieved smile spread across the light brown tabby she-cat's face and she gave a soft exhale, nodding, "Thank you," she murmured, her ears twitching lightly, "Would you be able to get another warrior or two to help?" she tipped her head a little to one side questioningly, "I've got to get back to my patients now, otherwise I'd do it myself."

Dewclaw gave a nod of the head, remaining mute.

Leafpool's gaze flickered over him for a brief moment before she gave a faint smile, "When you've got help, come and find me," she murmured, her tail giving a sharp flick before she bowed her head and was quickly one her way once more, dissolving into the shadows of the medicine cat's den.

The dark grey tom sat quite still, absorbing the many thoughts that were floating around his head. When he at last felt ready, he lifted himself to his paws and with a brief glance up at the sun, he drew in a deep breath, Now, he thought privately, his gaze sweeping the clearing, Just to find a couple of other warriors up to the task. That shouldn't be too hard.

Finding help was much harder than the dark grey tom could've predicted. As to be expected, many of the cats were already assigned to patrols or out hunting already. A large group of mentors and apprentices had shortly set off for a paired hunting training session. Amongst those cats had been Snowfall, who despite dislocating his leg the previous day, was determined to prove himself as a new mentor by taking out his apprentice, Nettlepaw, training. Dewclaw knew his brother was still in a fair amount of pain, more than the white tom was willing to let on, but he'd been rather insistent on the matter. It was only his second day as a mentor and his apprentice was none other than one of Bramblestar's kits, he felt a great need to live up to expectation, even if that did mean enduring pain.

However, the dark grey tom had eventually managed to round up two other cats; Daisy and Molespots. He'd been a little surprised that of all cats, it had been Daisy, the soft, cream-furred queen, who'd stepped up to the task. She was the last cat Dewclaw would've expected to offer for such a task, but then again, she'd shown a change in mentality over the last couple of moons, proving why she'd earned her place in the clan by helping out the apprentices with their duties and even joining a hunting patrol. Even though she hadn't brought back any prey, just her presence had been welcomed. Molespots' company was not quite so unexpected, but nonetheless, Dewclaw was surprised to find that the dark grey tom wasn't taking out his apprentice, Redpaw, with the other mentors. Instead it was Birchfall who'd taken out the fox-red apprentice. The light brown tabby tom had taken over training of Redpaw whilst his mentor had been away, observing the divisions and gaining an insight into their lives. The brown-and-cream tom hadn't seemed the same since he'd returned, he just seemed… empty…

He didn't bear that confident, easy-going outlook which he was renowned for, instead he was very quiet. He was often checking in on Ambersky, but the pale grey-and-white she-cat had always been deep in sleep when he'd been visiting.

It was with the two cats at his side that Dewclaw could at last return to the Medicine Cats' Cave. Sun-high was fast approaching, the day growing hotter as the sun climbed higher in the sky. The presence of the three approaching cats was soon noticed by Jayfeather, the blind tabby tom poking his head through the den entrance and casting out his senses before padding over to the three cats. The grey tabby tom didn't do a very good job at disguising his surprise at Daisy being one of the cats to volunteer, but after a few moments he blinked it off.

Dewclaw sat quite still whilst the grey tabby tom explained about the tasks ahead, though there were a few parts of the conversation in which he dropped in and out, finding little interest in the grey tabby tom's words. It was pretty straight forward, they just needed to help with moving the sick cats and then the herbs to the twoleg nest, but Jayfeather was being very pedantic about little details, such as how they must carry each herb and how certain herbs shouldn't be mixed with other herbs.

When the blind medicine cat at last closed his jaws shut, the words ceasing to tumble from his jaws, Dewclaw gave a nod of the head, blinking. He couldn't quite tug his thoughts away from visions of the forest, in all it's green-leaf glory; the lush greens of the grass under-paw and the leaves above, their branches swaying softly in the breeze. Wildflowers poking up from the shadows and embracing the sunlight, their petals open and their heads leant towards the golden light of the sun that sloped in through the canopy. The enticing fragrances on the breeze that whispered of life and warmth, the vibrancy of bird song.

It's not just about that today, Dewclaw, a tiny voice in his head reminded his sharply, Today's not a day to be selfish. This is about helping Leafpool and Jayfeather, the sick cats, your sister. This is about protecting ThunderClan, it's about stopping this disease from claiming any more lives.

He swallowed the shudder of guilt that suddenly came racing through him, dropping his gaze to his paws. Of course, mouse-dung. I need to stop thinking about myself.

"Okay, Daisy, Leafpool can bring out some herbs for you to take in a moment, in the meanwhile, Molespots, Dewclaw, come with me," he gave a flick of the tail, motioning for the two cats to follow before disappearing through the lichen screen into the medicine cats' den. Dewclaw noticed that the grey tabby tom had assigned Daisy one of the simplest tasks, one that didn't require carrying sick cats through the forest, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he followed as Jayfeather had instructed, swallowing the lump of fear in his throat as he entered the shadows of the den. His expanding pupils took a moment to adjust to the darkness, but when they did, they were quick to fall upon the nearest nest.

Curled up in the moss the pale grey-and-white form of Ambersky was just visible. The dark grey tom's breath caught, his heart faltering a little. Oh. She looked so frail, so small. With each rise and fall of her flank a raspy wheeze resounded from her maw. Her pelt was unusually ruffled and the dark grey tom couldn't help but notice how dull it was. Usually Ambersky ensured it was well preened and glossy to the last hair, she'd always been very obsessive about it.

He swallowed, taking a small step backwards. It's okay, it's okay. You've got to be strong, for both of you. He drunk in a deep breath, clearing his mind and focusing on harnessing any emotions that were floating around in his chest. Instead, he concentrated on breathing, on the gentle rise and fall of his chest as each breath entered and left his body. He let all of his thoughts become consumed by that single task. If he simply focused on himself and staying calm, he'd be alright.

"Okay, seeing as Ambersky is closest to the den entrance, we can take her first," Jayfeather meowed, getting straight to the point, "She's on poppy seeds right now, so she shouldn't awaken, but be gentle anyway," he sat down, letting his tail curl around his paws and giving a dip of the head to allow the two cats to begin.

Dewclaw's gaze travelled to Molespots, who flanked his right side. The brown-and-cream tom was staring intently at the pale grey-and-white she-cat, his gaze hollow; the older warrior was making no effort to disguise his fear. Dewclaw wasn't sure whether to admire how openly he displayed his emotions or to find it odd. Instead he blinked it off, drawing in another breath before meowing quietly, "Okay, I'll take her back end, you can take the front," his gaze flickered over the brown-and-cream.

For a moment he though the warrior hadn't heard his words, then Molespots blinked and gave a nod, murmuring in a volume almost inaudible, "Okay."

The dark grey tom's whiskers twitched and he lowered himself to be closer to the pale grey-and-white she-cat, nosing her gently towards him. He didn't allow himself to spare a second thought about how limp and easy she was to move. Molespots echoed his movements from near her head. Giving a nod to the brown-and-cream tom, Dewclaw eased the grey-and-white she-cat, gently lifting her until part of her rested across his broad shoulders. Molespots did the same just a moment later, relieving some of the weight.

For a couple of moments, the two cats shuffled about, trying to distribute the weight between them as evenly as possible. Jayfeather blinked, rising to his paws and picking up a bundle of herbs neatly between his jaws. With a nod of the head, the grey tabby tom led the way out of the den, giving a sweep of his tabby striped tail, "Come on, we haven't got all day."

With a brief sidelong glance at Molespots, the dark grey tom drew in a deep breath before at last following.

Eyes fluttering open, the pale grey-and-white she-cat was startled to find bright sunlight glaring down upon her, her eyelids quickly falling shut. Great StarClan, this isn't the medicine cats' cave. When the tide of sleep had swept her away that previous day, her last sight had been of the dark sloping stone walls that formed the medicine cats' den. It had become a rather familiar sight. But this, this was far from familiar.

After her heartbeat began to slow, she at last dared peel open her eyes, blinking off the sunlight. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. She simply let herself breath, not at all surprised to find the usual rasping wheeze accompanying each inhalation. But after a further few moments something came to her. The typical sharp pains that had made residence in her chest were absent. All that remained was a faint, lingering ache. Confusion swept through her, Huh?

The pale grey-and-white she-cat at last turned her attention to her surroundings. Stone walls still enclosed her, but these stone walls were a rusty red colour and made up of many little precisely formed stones. What in StarClan's name… She sunk into the leaves beneath her, head spinning. Her eyes remained tightly shut as she tried to conjure up images of familiarity; the steep stone walls of the Stone Hollow, the amber of her brother's eyes, The night sky, anything but this.

"Ambersky?"

But it was a light chirrup from nearby that really brought familiarity. Her eyes lightly fluttered open, taking a moment to focus upon the figure picking his way over to her from the opposite side of the den. And it was as her eyes picked over the cat's sturdy frame, the dapples of colour that flecked his pelt and the concern in his amber gaze that her heart faltered, her eyes widening.

Her jaws opened to let words out, but noise refused to leave her jaws and she was just left staring. The brown-and-cream tom came to a halt before her, quickly falling into a crouch, his pupils wide, "Oh my StarClan, Ambersky," he murmured, concern flashing behind his round eyes.

Molespots. A little smile lit her face, a fluttering sensation awakening in her chest, "Molespots," she croaked, her whiskers twitching, "I… I…" she struggled to voice the vast number of emotions that fogged her brain and made it almost impossible to think straight, "You're here," her eyes shifted for a brief moment to the surroundings, "Where… Why?"

The brown-and-cream tom gave a faint smile, pressing himself against the ground. Though there was a tinge of warmth in his gaze, the unease remained ever present, "Bramblestar and the medicine cats wanted to move the sick cats here to stop infection," he explained in a quiet, hushed tone. The expression on his face was just the same as when the brown-and-cream tom had first spotted her awakening from the deep slumber which had cocooned her in darkness, it read something along the lines of a mixture of excitement, fear and was it longing? It was hard to tell. She didn't have much longer to think about it, because the brown-and-cream was quick to shoot a question at her, "How are you feeling? Any better? Are you tired? Does it hurt anywhere? Do you"-

A murmur of amusement entered the grey-and-white she-cat's gaze and she blinked, "I feel a little better," she shifted a little in her nest, but her gaze remained fixed upon the brown-and-cream tom, "My throat's still a bit sore and dry, but my chest doesn't hurt any more," she tried to pull herself up to be closer to the dappled tom, "I just want everything to be back to normal."

Hope, only a tiny glimmer of it, but nonetheless, hope, had crept into the older warrior's gaze. He sat blinking at her, "Thank StarClan," his words were directed towards their Warrior Ancestors, but Ambersky caught them, "You're going to pull through, okay? You hear me? I won't let you die, I won't," his words were meant to sound firm and confident, but they wavered, fear lapping at the edges of his deep amber gaze, "Great StarClan, I've missed you so much, Amber. I've been so worried, it's just made me realise, how, how," he hesitated, trying to find the right string of words to truly express his thoughts, "how delicate everything is. How little time we have," he paused, his gaze clouding for a moment before he meowed, "As soon as you're better, because you will get better, don't worry, we're going to something fun. We could go down to the lake or we could"-

"Not when I get better," she put in quietly, her gaze slowly lifting from him to the sky above, "If. Life is delicate, it's like you said. What if I don't live? We only have now," she rasped, "today is what counts, not tomorrow."

The brown-and-cream tom's head slowly lowered and he shifted his paws awkwardly. For a moment, all was silent, but then the birdsong filled the void left by the lack of conversation.

Molespots swallowed, as if still trying to digest the information, then he gave a small nod, even if he looked a little reluctant to accept the pale grey-and-white she-cat's words, "I… I suppose," his shoulder sagged a little and he looked a little defeated, "I just…"

Sympathy tugged at the pale grey-and-white she-cat and she longed to nuzzle the brown-and-cream tom, but in fear of spreading whatever this disease was that had taken claim of her she held back, "I just don't want you to get your hopes up," she whispered, "Just… Just in case."

Molespots gave a slow nod, but he didn't utter a word. Instead, he lifted his head to the sky above. As sun-high drew nearer, the golden orb of light that was the sun lifting higher in the vast blue of the sky, the heat of the day grew. Ambersky welcomed the warmth upon her pelt; after spending the last few days in the medicine cats' cave, it was a blessing to feel such heat upon her fur. It was hot, perhaps even a little too hot? The patched warrior was content to simply enjoy the light; for all she knew, this might be the last time she felt it.

"Amber?"

"Yeah?"

The brown-and-cream tom drew in a deep breath, preparing himself for something, but before he could come out with whatever he'd been about to say, Jayfeather suddenly came hurrying over. The grey tabby tom looked mildly irritated, "What are you doing?" he demanded bluntly when he reached the two cats, his sightless blue eyes narrowing to slits.

Molespots head lowered. Obviously whatever he'd been about to say had been important. He looked about to respond when the medicine cat cut in once more.

"The whole reason why the sick cats have been moved here is to stop further infection," Jayfeather snapped, "Sick cats are to be separated from those who are healthy, we can't risk it," he gave a sharp flick of his tail, "Come on, we need your help with Brackenfur."

"But I…" the brown-and-cream warrior stammered, his gaze flitting back and forth between Ambersky and the medicine cat, "It was only for a couple of minutes, I"-

"Now," the grey tabby tom meowed coldly, "What, do you want the whole of ThunderClan to die from this disease? Isn't that why you brought it in the first place?"

Ambersky winced at Jayfeather's words. That was too harsh.

Molespots visibly flinched. He sent one last regretful glance to Ambersky before reluctantly rising to his paws and moving to stand beside the medicine cat, his head lowered in shame.

Jayfeather just gave a toss of the head before striding off. As the brown-and-cream warrior padded after the grey tabby medicine cat, Ambersky found a part of herself following too, her eyes not leaving Molespots' familiar form before he disappeared from sight and into shadows of the forest.

With a groan, the pale grey-and-white she-cat slithered back into her nest, her heart weighing heavy in her chest. If only she could wish it all away; the disease, the war too. She gave a heavy sigh, If only.

It was just over a half moon until the kits were due. Three quarters of a moon if you were being precise, just under three quarters of a moon if you were pedantic about it. That was what Frecklewish had estimated, at least, Redflower very much doubted it would be exactly that.

It all seemed so far off. Even when she'd told Dewclaw the news felt like many moons ago, when in reality it had only been a moon or so. Since then, her belly had become well-rounded with the weight of the number of small lives growing within her. She still found it something of an oddity that there were little ones inside of her, cats who she'd never met, but within a few moons, would know like the back of her paw. It was something to look forward to, at least, in a world that had become somewhat bleak.

"Redflower!"

The slightly muffled mew had come from a couple of tail-lengths from where she was sat in the glorious sunshine and the dappled she-cat lifted her head, quickly distinguishing it as her sister. In her jaws the white she-cat bore the limp body of a blackbird.

Whitefern stopped directly before her, dropping the prey at Redflower's paws, "Hi, feel like sharing?"

The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat's gaze travelled to the green eyes of her sister. There it was, that same look which she'd seen so often in the white she-cat ever since her confession about being a spy. It was hope, hope that she could prove herself after all her wrongs, hope that she could recover everything they'd lost. Although Redflower had come to accept the white she-cat's actions, she still couldn't quite see her as how she'd done before, when they'd been not only sisters but best friends. It would take a long time to recover from it all, Redflower still couldn't quite come to terms with the fact that her sister, of all cats, had been betraying not only her but SkyClan.

It was then that she realised she hadn't given the white warrior an answer. She blinked, her eyes widening as if resurfacing from a daydream, meowing, "Oh, sure, okay."

Whitefern dipped her head thankfully, slipping into a comfortable position beside her littermate. Redflower swallowed, shifting a little away from the white she-cat, not so much that it was noticeable but just as to put a little distance between them.

The white she-cat gave a sheepish smile, her ears flickering. The white she-cat nosed the prey towards her, allowing her sister the first bite. At first the dappled tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat eyed Whitefern with caution, then she leaned in and took a bite.

Whitefern relaxed visibly, her tail flicking softly from side to side, but Redflower still wasn't quite at ease. So many thoughts and visions were flashing through her head, of Whitefern and the division, bringing back information, sneaking around SkyClan's camp, retrieving secrets. She shuddered inwardly, pushing the memories aside, You've got to put that behind you. She's told you the truth and besides, it wasn't her fault. She said they forced her into it.

The young queen swallowed, putting on a smile, "So, how… how is everything?"

Her words hung in the air for a moment before Whitefern at last replied, her whiskers twitching a little, "Normal, I guess," she ducked her head awkwardly, "How're you?"

It was odd having such an ordinary conversation after the events of the previous moons. She waited politely for the white she-cat to take a mouthful of the prey before responding, "Eh, these kits are making me fat," she grumbled quietly, "They're getting a little heavy too, what are they; rocks? They'd better get a move on and just be born soon."

A tiny flicker of amusement danced behind Whitefern's green eyes, "What can I say? You're going to be a wonderful mother," she teased, gaze glittering as she gave her a playful prod, "It'll be Redflower and her rock kits, that's what they'll call you."

Redflower couldn't surpass a light chuckle, but she didn't quite understand how Whitefern could act so normal when there'd been such a tension between the two of them for so many moons. It was like it had never happened!

She shuffled her paws, "I don't know, I'm not sure whether I'm cut out to be a mother," she muttered, "I'm not really a motherly sort of cat."

Whitefern sent her a reassuring smile, "Don't be feather-brained," she purred softly, "You'll be an amazing mother, your kits are going to be the luckiest little things," she leant over to nuzzle her sister, but Redflower moved away.

The dappled she-cat caught the hurt in her sister's gaze, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. She appreciated her sister's support, she just wasn't sure if she was ready to pick up that relationship with the white she-cat so soon. She needed time to come to terms with everything before she could even attempt to recover what they used to have.

"But how are they going to be without a father?" she dropped her voice, conscious about the cats that frequently padded past on their own duties.

"They won't know any different," Whitefern murmured, her gaze clouding, "They'll be fine."

There wasn't much conviction to the white warrior's words and Redflower frowned. The scuffling of paws from across the Gorge caught her gaze and she lifted her eyes from her paws to the source of the sound. Wildpaw and Wolfpaw were tussling in the sunshine, their eyes narrowed in the utmost of concentration. It was odd to see such a serious expression plastered across the faces of cats so young. Bouncefire and Nettlesplash, their mentors, watched from nearby, their knowledgeable eyes picking over the two cats. Every now and then one of them would intervene and offer a piece of advice before allowing them to continue.

Much of the clan were enjoying this spell of brightness, the camp flecked by the blissful forms of cats, lapping up the sunlight. Green-leaf had brought an abundance of prey and there'd been no activity from the division cats since the battle in the camp and so it was only natural to enjoy this peace. It was on days like this you could almost forget there was a war going on.

It was in that moment that she found her mind travelling to Dewclaw. She knew she shouldn't be thinking of him, he was supposed to be gone from her mind now that she had ended their relationship, but the same feelings still lingered in her chest and no matter how many times she tried to push the grumpy lump of fur out of her mind, he kept clawing his way back in.

I wonder what he's doing right now?

He tried to conjure up his face, but no sooner had the image appeared it was distorted like the rippling surface of water. At first she thought it was pain that destroyed the image and brought her mind back to reality. It came from her belly, from within her. Then she realised.

It was movement. Something, or rather somebody was stirring within her stomach. My kits!

A shiver of excitement rushed through her and a grin spread across her face, They're moving! Oh my StarClan, this is amazing! She wasn't sure if it was just one of them, but she could definitely feeling rousing from within and she quickly rolled onto her back, her eyes trailing to Whitefern, pushing aside the tensions that flickered between them, "They're moving!" she squeaked, her green eyes widening, "My kits, they're kicking!"

A warm smile lit up Whitefern's features and she moved closer to her sister, resting her paw lightly upon round of her belly. It was quite a wondrous feeling. There was nothing that could quite describe it. It was if what had once been rocks sitting within her had suddenly blossomed into life and were now living, breathing kittens.

Although the dappled queen was terrified about the prospect of the moons ahead, there was something quite soothing about feeling the kits move for the first time. It gave her a sense of hope and even though she was so scared about becoming a mother, it send a rush of warmth sweeping through her.

"Wow," Whitefern breathed softly, slowly pulling away, her green eyes lit by the bright flame that was wonder and it burned brighter than ever.

She'd seen that flame burning in her eyes before. Many moons ago, but suddenly it seemed like just yesterday. It was just one look, but suddenly the dappled she-cat found herself buried amidst her memories.

"Redkit! Breezekit! Come look at this!"

The little tortoiseshell-and-white she-kit's head jerked up from the ball of moss that rested between her paws, her wide, owl-like eyes travelling across the den to where Breezekit was poised, those blue eyes of hers which had previously been watching Redkit intently moving to the den entrance, where their final littermate stood in the mouth of the Nursery Cave.

"What is it?" the dappled she-kit asked, bundling over to her littermate and stumbling to a halt beside the slightly larger she-kit. What was Whitekit so interested about? It was so cold! What was she doing standing outside?

Then her gaze lifted to the sky and she saw it. At first she wondered if it was her mind doing crazy things and she blinked, green eyes widening in disbelief. Many little flecks of white were drifting down from the sky, filling the air with their ever shifting presence.

"Wow," the dappled she-kit breathed, the words spilling from her jaws into the cool air. Usually she would find a fascination in the way her breath billowed into soft clouds, but this time her heart was captivated by something far more wonderful.

Whitekit reared up upon her hind legs and then sprang up into the air, batting playfully at the little white clusters with her forepaws. She swiftly withdrew, giving a brisk shake of her paws, "It's cold!" she exclaimed, her eyes round with fascination, "What is it?"

"It's snow, silly," Breezekit mewed matter-of-factly, coming to stand beside the two of them. Although the light grey she-kit was doing her best to appear mature and unfazed by all the white stuff, Redkit caught the tiny glimmer of excitement behind those blue eyes.

Tentatively, the dappled she-kit took a step forward, emerging from the shelter of the cave mouth and into the flurry of life around her. Her legs trembled beneath her, but her eyes were all for the white stuff, the snow. That's what Breezekit had called it.

"Snow," she tried out the word, giggling when a tiny snowflake landed and melted on her tongue. Whitekit was right, it was cold, but… amazing. She gave an excited squirm, "Snow!" she mewed, bunching her muscles and leaping into the snowy air. It was so beautiful! Each falling flake of snow took its own individual course to reach the stone covered ground, where it had begun to settle in a thin white layer.

After a moment's hesitation, Whitekit followed. She bounced forwards to the centre of the gorge, where she opened her jaws and lifted her head to the sky. When the first fleck of snow melted upon her tongue, she gave a shiver of excitement, her whiskers trembling with excitement, "This is amazing!" she squealed. Her green eyes were bright and within them Redkit was sure she saw fire. Fire. Green fire, burning bright with wonder.

Breezekit was the last to succumb to the great urge of play when she at last raced forward, letting out a shriek of excitement. The light grey she-kit sprung into the air, attempting to catch a snowflake between her two paws. When she missed, she came clattering to the ground, scattering stones where she fell, but she wore a wide grin.

"It's on your nose!" Whitekit pointed out, letting out a purr of happiness.

Breezekit wrinkled up her nose, her whiskers twitching, but her eyes warm.

It was from nearby, under the shelter of an overhanging rock ledge that Cherrytail and Sharpclaw kept a watchful eye on their three kits. They sat with their pelts pressed together, their tails intertwined and their eyes soft with love. At the sight of such innocence, Cherrytail let out a soft purr, nuzzling into her mate.

The three kits' carefree play had also caught the attention of others. The newly named apprentice, Brightpaw, had paused to watch for a moment. Her gaze was filled with longing to join them, but her mentor, Harveymoon, was quick to usher her on, muttering something about catching prey before the snow settled properly. The curious eyes of Brackenkit, who was a couple of moons older than Redkit and her littermates, had appeared in the entrance to the medicine cat den. The light brown tabby tom blinked thoughtfully before retreating back into the shadows of the den.

But the dappled she-kit's eyes weren't on any of them. Her heart was captivated by the snow. It was growing thicker now and she let out a euphoric squeal, pouncing on a snowflake which had just fluttered to the ground nearby. The speck of white melted beneath her paws, but she was undeterred.

"Aw, look at them," Cherrytail whispered softly, watching the kits adoringly, "Their first snow. I just hope they don't catch a cold."

Sharpclaw gave a warm purr, drawing his tongue lovingly over the tortoiseshell she-cat's head, "They'll be fine," he murmured softly. His eyes fell back to the kits and his whiskers twitched in amusement, "They're so small now. Just think, when it snows next leaf-bare, they might even be warriors," he blinked quietly, his tail flourishing from left to right, "They'll be all grown up before you know it…"

It was just like that she was whisked back to the present. Blinking back at her was the same white kitten she'd known so many moons ago. She might've been bigger, but her eyes were the same green and her pelt was the same snowy white colour. She was the same cat on the outside, but there was so much that had changed within her.

"You okay, Redflower?" the white warrior tilted her head to one side, searching her sister's gaze, "You drifted off."

The dappled she-cat hesitated before giving an answer, "Yeah," she breathed softly, her heart aching at the memories.

So much had changed since that snowy day. It had only been a couple of moons later that her other sister, Breezepaw, had crumbled under the stress of living in a clan and abandoned her life as a warrior to become a kittypet. A moon or so later and it was Redflower finding her lifeless body on the thunderpath. She walked the stars now. Perhaps Sharpclaw was at her side? She hoped so.

By the time the next snow fell, it would be her own kits losing themselves in its wonder. The thought sent warmth through her heart, but it also brought a pang of poignancy. Just like she had been, they would be naïve, so oblivious to the cruelty of the world. She vowed to do whatever she could protect them from that cruelty, no matter what it took.

"You sure you're okay?" Whitefern pressed, her green gaze clouded.

The dappled she-cat let a soft breath spill from her jaws, "I'm fine."

Ugh, I really don't like this chapter. I was going to make it longer, but I've had a bit of writer's block.

Remember, if you leave a review, you get a sneak peak of the next chapter! Also, I'm making this special christmas surprise thing and anyone who's reviewed every chapter of Dark Skies will be featured in it! Tempting enough?

Live, Love, Read and Review,

Leafy x