A moon passed with little excitement. Cinnamon was renamed Poppystripe and eventually accepted by the Clan, learning how to hunt and fight from Snowtail and Sagefang. Doted upon by the Clan, her kits had no idea they were born in a Twoleg den and not the nursery. The other Clans, however, were scornful when they heard about her.

"You let a kittypet into your Clan?!" a WindClan warrior yowled at Palestar when she announced Poppystripe's arrival with her kits. Poppystripe, sitting with Hawkfeather, ignored the tom and kept her eyes fixed on Palestar as though he had never spoken.

"ShadowClan welcomes anyone who wants to live by the warrior code," the leader had growled. Below her, a snort sounded.

"I can't imagine a worse way to disrespect the warrior code," Gooseclaw scoffed. "Is she your attempt to replace your lost warriors?"

Palestar fixed him with a cold stare. "Lost friends can never be replaced," she snapped, tail flicking. "And a true disrespect to the warrior code is killing another warrior without need, Gooseclaw."

He narrowed his eyes. "As is accusing a Clan of a crime for an excuse to maul their warriors," he spat back.

"As is trespassing on another Clan's territory!" Palestar snarled.

Though the fight with ThunderClan had been addressed in the previous Gathering, both Clans held a grudge and neither would admit fault. While ThunderClan hadn't suffered any casualties, their warriors bore the scars of wounds ShadowClan had left.

Lightstar, between Cherrystar and Reedstar, didn't say anything. Though his warriors had contention with ShadowClan, the leader himself tried to advise peace and cooperation when the issue was brought up at the last Gathering. Now, though, he was getting weaker as his age was catching up with him. He had barely been able to climb onto the boulder, needing Reedstar to pull him up by his scruff the last few Gatherings. He had tried to sit at the foot, but Reedstar and Harestar had insisted that the Gathering wouldn't begin until he was in his rightful place on the boulder with the other leaders. Everyone knew the whole forest would mourn when he passed, no matter their Clan.

Cherrystar pushed her way in front of Palestar, breaking the stare-off she and Gooseclaw were engaged in. "We're all happy to hear about new Clanmates," she mewed to Palestar, "but surviving in late newleaf is different than surviving in leaf-bare. Some concern is natural."

Palestar flicked her tail. "ShadowClan can take care of itself," she said. "We don't need the other Clans to worry about us."

The Gathering ended much earlier than usual, tensions still high between ShadowClan and ThunderClan. Stormpaw could only nod to Mosspaw - Moss-storm, now - as she left, not at all eager for a conversation. The warrior bore a scar on her shoulder from Stormpaw clawing her, and the guilt she felt when she saw it wouldn't dissipate no matter how much time passed.

A few days after the Gathering, Stormpaw was patrolling RiverClan with Shadefrost, Duskstorm, and Snowtail when she saw Bramblewhisker and Lionheart approaching them.

"ThunderClan ahead," she whispered to her mentor, falling to the back of the patrol. Shadefrost, narrowing her eyes, raised herself to her full height as the two got closer.

"Bramblewhisker, Lionheart," she greeted them. "Care to explain what you're doing so deep in ShadowClan territory?"

"Lightstar passed away early this morning," Bramblewhisker mewed sorrowfully. "We're headed to the Moonstone."

Snowtail gasped and even Duskstorm looked shocked.

"I'm very sorry to hear that," Shadefrost replied, dipping her head. Her voice was low, grief seeping into her tone. "He was a fine leader. Our hearts go out to your Clan."

"Thank you," Lionheart rasped, the old she-cat looking tired. "We'd best be on our way, though."

Shadefrost stepped to the side. "StarClan guide you," she said as farewell, leading her patrol back to camp.

"I wonder who his deputy will be," Snowtail wondered aloud, padding beside Stormpaw.

"Probably Dovepelt or Willowwhisker," Duskstorm mewed.

"So long as it isn't Gooseclaw," Stormpaw mumbled, her tail flicking.

"Whoever he chooses will have a lot of responsibility," Shadefrost put in, psuhing through the entrance. "Deputies have a lot of weight on their shoulders. Palestar! We have news!"

The leader left the nursery, looking annoyed. "What is it?" she asked, her tail flicking.

"Lightstar has joined StarClan," Shadefrost informed her. "Bramblewhisker is ThunderClan's leader now."

"You're kidding!" Firepaw called from the elders den.

"Who's his deputy?" Rosefur asked, her tail flicking.

Shadefrost shrugged. "We met him and Lionheart on their way to the Moonstone. I didn't think to ask who he had picked for deputy."

"We'll probably find out from the next ThunderClan patrol," Leafspring said, pinned to the ground by Poppystripe's kits.

Maplekit tumbled off Leafspring, bounding over to the patrol. "Shadefrost! Shadefrost, can I go into the forest with you and Stormpaw, please?"

"You know kits have to stay in camp, Maplekit," Shadefrost mewed, watching him as he wound around her paws.

"But there's so much more outside than in camp!" he cried, jumping to grab at her tail.

"There's plenty in camp for you to do," Stormpaw mewed, plucking him off Shadefrost's tail tip. Her mentor blinked at her gratefully, lifting her tail out of reach of any kits. "Have you tried asking the medicine cats if you can help them?"

He blinked at her, green eyes curious. "Wolftail and Ivyleaf? They need help?"

"Everyone needs help sometimes," Stormpaw told him. "If you offer, they may give you something to do."

He gasped and turned to bound toward the hollow tree, his tail high above his back. Shadefrost twitched her whiskers, looking at Stormpaw. "Clever," she said, touching her tail tip to Stormpaw's shoulder.

"Shadefrost!" Hawkfeather padded toward the pair, Owlpaw beside him. "Join us for battle training?"

"That's a great idea," Shadefrost replied. "Owlpaw and Stormpaw can spar."

Owlpaw brightened as Stormpaw mock-wailed, "She's going to crush me!"

Owlpaw purred, bumping her sister's shoulder. "We can hunt together tomorrow and you'll crush me then, that sound fair?"

"Oh, alright," she laughed, flicking Owlpaw's ear with her tail. "Lead on."

Icefoot bounded over as best she could, Poppystripe beside her. "Can you take Poppystripe with you?" she asked. "Eaglefeather doesn't want to leave me alone, but she could do with learning how to fight."

"Of course," Shadefrost mewed. "Poppystripe, do you know who's going to watch the kits?"

"Maplekit is in the medicine den and the others are bugging Leafspring," she replied, flicking her tail toward each place in turn. "They're safe in camp, I know."

Shadefrost nodded, her tail kinked high over her back. "Let's get moving, then."

When they arrived, Thistlepaw and Cloudpelt were already in the training hollow, working on a badger defense.

"Cloudpelt! Want to join us?" Hawkfeather yowled, startling the warrior enough for Thistlepaw to knock him over.

"Are you trying to scare off half the prey in the forest, Hawkfeather?" Cloudpelt growled, kicking Thistlepaw off of him. The apprentice tumbled in the dust, getting up and shaking his pelt out like nothing had happened.

"Are we battle training?" Thistlepaw asked, eyes bright. "Can we spar?"

"Yes, we're sparring," Shadefrost told him.

"Can I fight Stormpaw?" he asked, tail waving. "I never fight her!"

Hawkfeather touched his tail tip to Thistlepaw's shoulder. "Another time. Poppystripe is joining us, and I don't want her fighting Owlpaw just yet, so you'll be practicing with her."

Thistlepaw's tail drooped momentarily. "Alright," he mewed, shaking himself again before turning to the queen. "We can practice over here, the moss is softer than the dust to land on."

Poppystripe purred, following him. "I appreciate the thought," she mewed. Cloudpelt padded after them, ready to oversee the session. Shadefrost and Hawkfeather led Stormpaw and Owlpaw to either side of the dusty clearing, whispering instructions.

"Owlpaw is bigger and heavier than you," Shadefrost murmured, "so her attacks tend to be more straightforward. She'll expect you to take advantage of your smaller size and weave around her, so stay light on your toes and try to make direct hits. Jumping over her or going under are key, as are making what hits you can in those moments. What are the easiest parts of a cat to attack?"

"The tail and ears are vulnerable because they stick out," Stormpaw recited under her breath, loud enough only for Shadefrost, "the sides of a flank are large and easy to hit, but the belly bleeds the most when cut."

"And what do few cats expect?"

"Bites to the legs or having their legs swept out from under them." She flicked her tail. "Tucking in my tail will affect my balance but give them less to grab. Flattening my ears can impair my hearing but protects them from claws. Keeping myself low to the ground protects my belly and throat."

"Good," Shadefrost breathed, taking a small step to the side. She straightened while Stormpaw stayed crouched. "Keep your breathing even and keep your head clear as you fight. Emotions cloud, instincts can mislead. Your mind is the strongest defense you have."

She nodded, watching as Hawkfeather backed away from Owlpaw. Her sister was in a similar crouch, though her tail was extended low to the ground and her ears were shoved forward.

"No claws and no deep bites!" Hawkfeather reminded them, padding away to sit in the grass with Shadefrost. The two apprentices padded forward until they were only a few fox-lengths from each other.

Shadefrost flicked her tail. "Begin!"

Owlpaw leapt, paws outstretched to aim for Stormpaw's head. Crouching low, she darted forward, twisting and batting Owlpaw out of the air. As her sister fell, she jumped away and turned on her paws. Owlpaw recovered quickly, rolling and lunging at Stormpaw. She slammed her shoulder into Stormpaw's chest, knocking the wind from her. Sucking in a panicked breath, Stormpaw swiped at Owlpaw's legs, knocking her forepaws out from under her. Owlpaw growled and pushed forward, pinning Stormpaw on her back and planting her paws firmly - a forepaw on the ground beside Stormpaw's shoulder, the other on her chest, a hind paw on her belly, the last on the ground beside her haunches.

"Owlpaw wins!" Hawkfeather proclaimed.

Gritting her teeth, Stormpaw surged upward, kicking her forepaws into Owlpaw's chest and rolling up into a sitting position. Launching herself forward with her hind paws, she landed by Owlpaw's hind legs, batting at them a few times with a sheathed paw. As her sister turned to swipe at her ears, she ducked and darted under her. Keeping her ears flat and her tail tucked under her, she bit Owlpaw's tail lightly, keeping her weight on her toes before jumping onto her back. Owlpaw snarled, whipping around tipping to one side, catching Stormpaw underneath her.

Stormpaw shoved her off with her hind paws, pulling herself into a crouch and swiping at Owlpaw's chest. Owlpaw lunged and headbutted the shoulder of Stormpaw's lifted foot, knocking her to the ground and planting her paws firmly on Stormpaw's side.

"I win!" Owlpaw proclaimed, eyes glinting.

Stormpaw growled, tail flicking for a moment before sighing. "Yeah, you win. I put up a good fight, though, right?"

Owlpaw purred, nosing her sister fondly. "Of course you did."

"You both did well," Shadefrost praised them, padding over with Hawkfeather. "You used your strengths to your advantage and kept your opponent's clear weaknesses in mind."

Stormpaw sat up, shaking the dust out of her fur to listen with Owlpaw.

"Owlpaw, you used your greater strength to make direct attacks. Stormpaw, you kept yourself light and agile to account for your lesser strength," Shadefrost mewed. She looked at Hawkfeather and waited for him to nod before continuing, "Owlpaw, you need to work on agility and speed. You're strong, but you're heavy on your paws and it slows you down. Work on keeping your weight on your toes. And try out what Stormpaw did with her ears and tail; it takes some adjustment, but the fewer places your enemy can land a blow, the fewer injuries you'll end up with."

Owlpaw nodded, wrapping her tail around her paws and glancing at it. Lifting a paw, she prodded Stormpaw's shoulder.

"Don't bite as hard next time, sharp-teeth," she mewed lightly, lifting her tail. "There are blood spots, look!"

Stormpaw leaned forward, seeing the red flecks crusting her Owlpaw's white fur. "I'm sorry!" she mewed, leaning back. "I thought I was biting lightly!"

"You were is the thing," Owlpaw replied, licking her fur clean. "You just have weirdly sharp teeth, it takes no pressure for you to break skin."

Stormpaw pulled her ears back, lifting her gums to show off her teeth. Hawkfeather peered at them, mewing, "That's ridiculous!"

Shadefrost raised an eyebrow at Owlpaw and Hawkfeather. "They're teeth," she said flatly. "They're supposed to be sharp. If you drink water after you finish eating, you won't get fur and prey stuck in them."

They both looked at her in awe, making her sigh and shake her head. She turned to Stormpaw, who straightened, snapping to attention.

"Stormpaw, you can do to put more power in your strikes," she said. "You have your agility down to accommodate for your size, but you need to account for your lack of weight and build up your confidence. You were hesitant and tentative, and while that's acceptable and expected in training with a Clanmate, it could be a fatal mistake in battle. Building up your muscle will help, as will increased battle training."

She nodded, flicking her tail. Thistlepaw, Poppystripe, and Cloudpelt padded over, the other apprentice butting his head against Stormpaw's shoulder.

"You did better than I thought you would," he whispered, sitting beside her. "I thought she'd have you pinned in one move."

"I'd never go down that quickly," she told him, flicking his shoulder with her tail. "Not without a good fight."

He purred, letting his tail fall next to hers. "I get to spar with you next time," he insisted, yellow eyes bright. "I'm not as good as Owlpaw, but I bet I'm better than you."

She growled playfully, "Bring it on." Her eyes flashed with determination, reflecting her brother's expression.

"Challenge each other to battles later," Cloudpelt sighed. "Now, you're going to hunt. Catch as much as you can by dusk and then return to camp. Try not to interfere with any patrols and avoid the ThunderClan border."

"You weren't in camp when we told everyone," Stormpaw mewed. "Lightstar passed away this morning, Bramblewhisker and Lionheart are at the Moonstone now."

"You're kidding!" Thistlepaw gasped. "I could have sworn Harestar would go first."

Cloudpelt cuffed his ear lightly. "Guessing which leader is going to pass next isn't something you should do, Thistlepaw," he told him firmly. "As Clan cats, we hope every cat lives and serves their Clan for as long as possible."

"I know, but the whole forest knows that Harestar and Lightstar have the fewest lives left!" he argued. "Reedstar is older than Harestar, but he has more of his lives left."

"How do you know how many lives the other leaders have?" Cloudpelt asked.

Thistlepaw blinked. "Rushpaw heard from Emberpaw and told me at the last Gathering about Reedstar," he mewed. "And everyone knows WindClan stays small for a reason, Harestar may not be the oldest but her Clan goes through the most trouble. It just makes sense."

Cloudpelt shook his head, sighing. "You should learn what to keep to yourself and what to share, Thistlepaw. Don't go telling the other Clans about ShadowClan business, understand?"

"Oh, I wouldn't," he assured his mentor. "But the more we know about other Clans, the better. Besides, Applepaw told me that the other Clans know as much about ShadowClan as they do, which is what we share at Gatherings and what they can glean from passing patrols. We're the best kept secret in the forest."

Cloudpelt still looked exasperated while the others were amused, twitching their whiskers.

"Go hunt," Poppystripe told the apprentices. "We'll be in camp when you arrive."

"Hey, who are the mentors here?" Hawkfeather challenged her.

"Take control first and you can hand out orders," Poppystripe purred, nosing his cheek. "They need to get moving, it's past noon."

"Noon?"

"Sun-high."

"Ah, kittypet words."

Shadefrost nodded to the apprentices, pulling their attention from the bantering mates. "Go. We'll assess your catches at camp."

The three littermates charged out of the hollow, reaching the twisted sycamore that marked the halfway point of their territory before stopping.

"I'm going to hunt in the groves," Owlpaw told them. "I can get practice for squirrels there and pick up mice on the way back."

"I'm gonna try the field," Thistlepaw decided, "and the treeline. Leafspring said the rabbits were coming out of their burrows with babies, I want to test it out."

"Just make sure not to get scratched by the hares," Stormpaw advised. "I'm going to stay in the trees, between camp and the ThunderClan border. Good luck." Her littermates bid her the same as she plunged deeper into the trees, ready to start her hunt.

Pausing once it was quiet, she opened her jaws to scent the air. Badgerpelt and Blackpaw had passed through with Foxstep and Frostfang, though it was faint. A mouse in the distance, a squirrel and birds above her...there! A vole, close enough to catch.

Dropping into a crouch, she found the trail and followed it, spotting the vole scuffling the ground by the root of a pine. Keeping her paws silent, she made a quick kill of it, scratching dirt and needles over the catch to return to later. As she marked the tree with her tail, she opened her jaws again, spotting a nest in the branches above her. She crouched and took a measured leap, propelling herself up the tree with her front claws gripping the bark and sheathed hind paws pushing forward.

'Perfect!' The nest had four eggs in it, speckled and shining. Picking up the nest carefully, she descended the tree and placed the vole beside the eggs. 'The kits will love this.'

A bird call sounded above her and she saw a woodpecker swooping toward her. Bunching her muscles, she leapt and grabbed it with her forepaws, biting it as she landed.

'And the mama for the queens.'

By the time the sun touched the mountain, she had caught another woodpecker, three mice, and two squirrels. 'Prey's really running today,' she realized, carrying her final catch of a blackbird to the nest. The father woodpecker had shown up after she caught her squirrels, joining his family when he dove at Stormpaw. 'Did I overdo it?'

As she carried her nest through the woods - with some trouble, it was piled high and the prey didn't want to stay put - a high note resembling a cat's yowl sounded above her. She set the nest down to take a breath and spotted a mockingbird sitting in an ash with its back to her. Lowering herself to a crouch, she stepped forward slowly.

'Just one more,' she thought, springing and catching the bird with unsheathed claws, knocking it from the branch to land with it. She raised her tail high, purring as she placed it with the others. With pride, she thought, 'I'm like a hunting patrol all on my own!'

Before she could pick up her nest, a moan sounded behind a tree. Tail flicking, she trotted over to it, gasping when she found the source.

"Icefoot!" she cried, bounding to the queen. "What are you doing out of camp?"

Icefoot was breathing heavily, her sides heaving. "I went for a walk and-" She broke off, hissing. Eyes dark, she whispered, "I think they're coming."

"What? No!" Stormpaw looked at Icefoot's belly. "They're not due for a half moon!"
"A quarter moon," Icefoot corrected. "Stormpaw, I can't get back to camp."

"I'll get Wolftail-"

"No!" Icefoot cried. "No, don't leave me alone, Stormpaw, I'm scared!"

"Okay, okay, I won't!" She pressed her nose to Icefoot's ear. "I'll be right back, I promise, just hold on."

"Hurry!"

Practically flying through the forest, she found her nest of prey and grabbed the side, dragging it with her to Icefoot.

"Did you catch all that?" Icefoot asked, incredulous.

"Yeah," Stormpaw mewed, plucking out a mouse. "Shadefrost and Hawkfeather and Cloudpelt told Owlpaw, Thistlepaw, and I to hunt till dusk a little after sun-high. Eat this, you need to keep your strength up."

"It's just going to come back up," Icefoot lamented.

"Then I'll clean it away and have you eat another piece of prey," Stormpaw mewed firmly. "We don't have raspberry or borage to keep your strength up. Come on, eat it. I can tear it up if you want."

Icefoot shook her head, biting into the mouse and chewing it slowly. "It's still warm," she mumbled around it, eating slowly and wincing occasionally. Stormpaw could see her belly rippling, contractions starting to happen with more frequency.

Tentatively, she placed a paw on Icefoot's flank, feeling the kits moving around. "I...At the next contraction, start pushing," she murmured, leaning forward to put her ear against Icefoot's stomach. "I'll catch them and put them by your stomach when they come out."

Icefoot nodded, panting.

"How many are in there, do you know?" Stormpaw asked, pressing her paw down gently.

Icefoot hissed, managing to say through gritted teeth, "Two or three, Ivyleaf said. Oh, here they come!"

Icefoot yowled as she pushed, the first kit tumbling out in its kitting sac. Nipping it free, Stormpaw picked it up and placed it by Icefoot's belly, licking it dry. "A she-kit," she breathed. Resting her paw on Icefoot's flank, she urged her, "Come on, again! Two more!"

Icefoot yowled again, the second kit falling out and breaking its sac when it landed. Cleaning it and placing it with its sibling, Stormpaw praised Icefoot, "Another she-kit, well done! You're almost there, Icefoot, last one now."

Grunting and digging her claws into the ground, Icefoot snarled as she pushed out the last kit. Stormpaw gave it the same treatment as its siblings, purring as Icefoot relaxed and her kits started suckling.

"A tom," she told her, nosing the kits. "They're beautiful, Icefoot, look."

Icefoot looked at the kits, her purr breathy and weak. "Oh, they're perfect," she breathed. "Look, they look like Eaglefeather!"

Stormpaw nodded, licking the kits. "They look like you, too. He's different, though," she mewed, nudging the second she-kit back to her mother when she lifted her head.

The first she-kit, the largest of the litter, had Eaglefeather's golden tabby markings with her mother's white covering her lower half - white paws, white tail tip, underbelly, chest, up to her nose and a blaze up to her temple. The second was more mottled, golden tabby patches around her white fur like patches of grass under snow. The tom had the same white as his eldest sister, but instead of golden tabby, he was dark gray, the fur over his eyes so dark it looked black.

"He looks like my father," Icefoot breathed, wrapping her tail around the kits. "His name was Stonethroat, he passed away the leaf-fall before you were born."

"He's beautiful," Stormpaw whispered, her tail tip flicking despite being wrapped tightly around her paws.

They were quiet for a while, Stormpaw looking up and around to keep guard. As the sun sank halfway behind the mountain, she sighed.

"We need to get them back to camp," she mewed. "I can run to camp and come back with Eaglefeather and Leafspring."

Icefoot shook her head frantically. "No, don't leave me alone," she cried. "There are owls at night, I don't want to lose one of them."

Stormpaw shuffled her paws, looking around worriedly. The forest was darkening and the hooting of owls was beginning to echo through the pines. Something rustled behind her, setting her on edge.

"Stormpaw?" She turned to see Bramblewhisker and Lionheart. "And Icefoot?"

"And kits!" Lionheart gasped, darting forward to sniff them. She sighed after a few moments, relieved. "They're healthy, thank StarClan. What were you doing, being outside of your camp so close to kitting?"

"I just needed a walk," Icefoot mumbled, her tail flicking.

"Why are you here?" Stormpaw asked, tail twitching. "Why aren't you in ThunderClan?"

"We thought it best to greet ShadowClan on our way back," Bramblewhisker mewed. "So I could introduce myself as leader."

Stormpaw blinked. "You're Bramblestar now?"

He nodded and she dipped her head. "May StarClan guide you." Looking at the kits again, she asked, "Would you help us carry the kits and this prey back to our camp? They are your kin, after all."

Bramblestar brightened, padding forward to look at them. He purred, "They're beautiful. I can see you and Eaglefeather both in them - and Stonethroat."

"Lionheart, Stormpaw, and I can carry the kits," Icefoot panted, struggling to her paws. "If you could carry the prey, Bramblestar?"

He dipped his head. "It would be my pleasure."

Stormpaw picked up the tomkit, leading them slowly to camp. When she cleared the entrance, the camp was in pandemonium, but Shadefrost spotted her and blinked.

"That does not look like prey," she observed as Stormpaw padded to her, placing the tom by her feet.

"Icefoot was in the forest and started kitting," she mewed, turning to nod to the other three cats. "Bramblestar and Lionheart found us and agreed to help us carry them back." She realized that the camp was quieting as Icefoot and Lionheart joined them with the two she-kits, Leafspring and Hawkfeather trying to calm down Eaglefeather. Bramblestar set the nest down by the fresh-kill pile while Icefoot stopped beside Shadefrost, panting.

"Your apprentice," she puffed, "is one of the best cats in the Clan. She helped me with the kitting, without herbs or a medicine cat."

Stormpaw touched her nose to Icefoot's gently. "I did what any Clanmate would do," she mewed. "Nothing more."

"You saved me and my kits," Icefoot told her. "I'll be forever grateful."

Shadefrost rested her tail across Stormpaw's shoulders. "She'll be one of our finest warriors," she mewed, eyes glowing with pride. "Now get to the nursery, you need rest."

Eaglefeather raced over, fussing over his mate and kits. Stormpaw stayed with Shadefrost while the mates and ThunderClan medicine cat took the kits to the nursery, watching Bramblestar approach Palestar and Leafspring.

Shadefrost licked Stormpaw between the ears, pressing her nose to her temple. "You're growing to be a fine young cat," she murmured, flicking one of her ears with her tail. "Did you catch all the prey in that nest?"

Stormpaw nodded. "I gave Icefoot a mouse. The nest has eggs in it, the kits - the older kits will enjoy them."

Shadefrost trotted over, nosing through the prey. "You did wonderfully," she praised Stormpaw. "Few cats can catch mockingbirds."

Stormpaw purred, bursting with pride. "The woodpeckers were the ones who made the nest," she mewed. "They didn't like me taking it. The blackbird was a lucky find."

"They're all fine catches," Shadefrost assured her, examining them. "Clean kills that will feed your Clanmates."

"I'm going to give Poppystripe and Icefoot the woodpeckers," Stormpaw mewed, pawing the prey out of the nest and into the pile. "And the kits the eggs."

"I'll give the mockingbird to the elders," Shadefrost said, picking it up. "They'll appreciate such a fine catch."

Stormpaw felt like she was glowing as she took the nest - now only eggs and woodpeckers - to the nursery, her tail hooked high over her back.

"Stormpaw!" Icefoot purred, finally in her nest with her kits suckling. "Oh, and you brought us prey!"

Stormpaw nodded, setting the nest down. "I found eggs on my hunt and thought the older kits would enjoy them," she said, placing a woodpecker between Icefoot and Eaglefeather.

The kits clamored as she gave Poppystripe the other woodpecker, eager to try an egg.

"Let her breathe, kits," Poppystripe sighed, settling in her own nest.

As Stormpaw showed them how to get into the eggs, one for each kit, and taught them to lap at the clear liquid and save the rich yolks, Eaglefeather and Icefoot were discussing names. Hawkfeather, Cloverfur, and Leafspring had piled into the nursery, Leafspring shuffling to the side to let Bramblestar look at his ShadowClan grandkits.

"What have you come up with?" Cloverfur asked in a purr, flicking Bramblestar with her tail.

"The bigger she-kit is Sunkit," Icefoot mewed, "and her sister is Honeykit."

Eaglefeather, chest puffed with pride, said, "We were hoping Stormpaw might name the tom."

"Oh, I couldn't!" she mewed, tail flicking.

"The kits wouldn't be here if not for you, Stormpaw," Icefoot told her firmly. "Please, name him?"

Stormpaw sighed. "Oh, alright." She padded forward, leaning to peer at the tom. His fur was so evenly gray and white she couldn't give him a name that preferred one over the other. Looking at the darker fur around his eyes, she purred, realizing the perfect name.

"Shrikekit," she determined, turning to his family. "He can be Shrikekit."

"Shrikekit, Sunkit, and Honeykit," Bramblestar mewed. "They're beautiful."

"What did Sparrowclaw name her kits, again?" Leafspring asked. "I know Falconheart's are Fawnpaw and Rosepaw."

"Doekit, Stagkit, and Wrenkit," he replied. "Doekit is a brown and white tabby, Stagkit is a brown tabby, and Wrenkit is a tortoiseshell tabby - brown and ginger and white." Pride shown in his eyes, his tail tip touching Cloverfur's. "Fawnpaw and Rosepaw are doing so well, Fawnpaw went to the Moonstone and was formally accepted at the last half-moon, and Rosepaw has already caught her first squirrel!"

Cloverfur purred. "Oh, you're all growing up so fast," she mewed, touching her nose to Eaglefeather's ear. "You have kits of your own and Hawkfeather's apprentice is so close to being a warrior." She sighed fondly, looking at Bramblestar. "The next generation is coming in."

He snorted. "StarClan, you're making me feel old and I have nine lives to lead."

"The forest needs us old cats," Leafspring mewed. "Otherwise the young ones wouldn't know what to do!"
Stormpaw twitched her whiskers, lifting her tail up and down for Applekit and Amberkit to play with. Emberkit was sitting under Leafspring, his head tipped back to look at his great-uncle.

"I know what to do!" Maplekit chirped, bouncing away from Poppystripe and cutting his grooming short. "I want to be a medicine cat!"

"Do you now?" Hawkfeather asked, pulling his son to him with a paw. "I thought you wanted to be a warrior."

"That was before I helped Ivyleaf and Wolftail, Dad." Maplekit shook his father off, bounding to Stormpaw. "Stormpaw told me I should offer to help them and I did and they know so much! There are so many herbs to memorize, but every one of them can help a cat with something different!"

"They can," Stormpaw mewed, touching her nose to his ear. "But it takes a lot of studying and learning to be a full medicine cat. Wolftail didn't get his name until nearly three seasons after Rosefur."

"I'll wait as long as I have to!" Maplekit declared. "I'll study hard and be the best medicine cat ShadowClan has ever seen!"

"That's quite the ambition," Bramblestar purred. "But if you dedicate yourself, you'll be sure to reach your goal."

Maplekit glowed, his green eyes shining. Stormpaw stood, carefully pulling her tail from the kits' grip.

"I'd best get to my den," she mewed, edging her way around the cats and dipping her head to Bramblestar. "May you lead for many seasons, Bramblestar."

He dipped his head in return. "Thank you, Stormpaw. I hope I will."

Halfway through the entrance, she paused and turned. "Who did you pick for your deputy, if you don't mind me asking?"

Bramblestar blinked. "Willowwhisker," he replied. "I appointed her last night."

Stormpaw thought for a moment. "So Duskstorm was right," she said. At Bramblestar's confused look, she explained, "We were wondering who your deputy would be after we saw you earlier. She guessed Dovepelt or Willowwhisker."

Bramblestar looked shocked, making Cloverfur laugh. "We're observant, Bramblestar," she purred. "More so than the other Clans realize."

"Apparently," he breathed, shaking his head.

Stormpaw purred and left, spotting Foxstep dozing on one of the stone slabs.

"Room for me?" she asked, jumping to land lightly beside him.

"Of course," he mumbled, waking up. Reaching behind him, he dragged a squirrel between them. "And dinner for two."

She purred again, tucking into the prey. When all that remained were scraps of fur, she tipped her head back, looking at the stars. Foxstep watched her, laying his head on her paws.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"The prophecy," she murmured. "We're thriving, but will we survive the colder months?"

"Greenleaf and leaf-fall have yet to come," he told her, licking one of her ears. "We have time to adapt and prepare for whatever comes."

She kept her eyes on the stars, her tail still behind her as she lowered her head to lay atop Foxstep's. "I hope so," she whispered.

He simply twined his tail with hers, his breathing evening out the longer they laid on the stone. She didn't fall asleep but watched the camp throughout the night, from the pitch darkness of night to when the sky began to lighten and the stars started to fade. She saw Bramblestar and Lionheart depart, watched her Clanmates retreat to their dens and listened to their snores leak into the clearing as Brindlestorm kept watch from the stream. When the dawn patrol left - Brightflower, Bluefoot, and Frostfang with Redpaw and Sootpaw - she watched the last of the stars disappear as the sky went from black to navy to clear sky blue.

'This is my home,' she thought as the Clan started to wake up and begin their days. 'I will defend it with my life.'

Pretty much filler. It's a slow part of the story, is all. It'll pick up soon.