Lionshimmer padded into camp at the back of a hunting patrol carrying two mice. It was the day before the battle and she thought that she wouldn't be tired after the night's sleep but after the patrol she still felt tired. Willowpaw, who had caught a vole on the patrol, watched her with worried eyes. Lionshimmer had decided that she would go talk to Leafpelt while they were out. She sat her prey down on the fresh-kill pile before padding over to the medicine den. She felt Willowpaw's gaze burning into her but she ignored it as she entered the medicine den.

"Leafpelt? Are you here?" she called.

"Lionshimmer?" Leafpelt appeared from the back of the den. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you could tell me," Lionshimmer replied. She explained everything to Leafpelt and the medicine cat nodded.

"Lie down and I'll check you out," she instructed. Lionshimmer did as she was told and let Leafpelt run her paw over her belly. Lionshimmer wasn't sure why she was doing that exactly but she didn't question Leafpelt. She was their medicine cat and Lionshimmer trusted her. She laid there for awhile before Leafpelt let her get up.

"Is anything wrong with me?" Lionshimmer asked.

"No, nothing's wrong. Lots of she-cats go through this when they're going to have kits," Leafpelt answered with a smile.

"I'm going to have kits?" Lionshimmer gasped in shock.

Leafpelt nodded. "You are."

"How many?" Lionshimmer asked.

"Too soon to tell," Leafpelt replied. "You might want to let Lionclaw know. We all knew this was coming. Stormcloud went on and on about it."

Lionshimmer's eyes widened and she shook her head. "I can't tell Lionclaw that I'm having his kits."

"Why not? Don't you want to have his kits?" Leafpelt questioned, looking confused.

"He's having a hard enough time as it is deciding what he'll do after the battle. He knows that Dragonfang is going back to LightningClan afterward and he doesn't know whether he should go with the only family he has left, or the Clan that raised him," Lionshimmer explained. "I don't want this to affect his decision."

She expected Leafpelt to tell her that he should stay with the Clan that raised him but she just nodded, understanding in her eyes. "That is a tough decision, but you have to tell somebody."

Lionshimmer thought for a moment before an idea popped into her head. "I know who I'll tell." She got to her paws and turned toward the exit. "Thanks Leafpelt." She then headed out of the den and gazed around the clearing. She spotted Galaxyheart and padded up to him.

"Galaxyheart, I need to talk to you," she meowed quietly as she stopped in front of him.

"What's up?" Galaxyheart asked.

"We can't talk here. Follow me," Lionshimmer led him out of camp. "We should be fine here," she meowed after awhile.

"What'd you want to talk to me about?" Galaxyheart asked.

"If I tell you this, you have to promise not to tell Lionclaw. You promise?" Lionshimmer questioned.

"I promise," Galaxyheart meowed.

"Alright," Lionshimmer took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm going to have Lionclaw's kits."

"That's great, but why don't you want to tell Lionclaw?" Galaxyheart asked, looking slightly confused.

"He's already having a tough time deciding what he's going to do after the battle. He doesn't want to leave StormClan but he wants to stay with his true family as well," Lionshimmer explained. "I don't want to effect his decision anymore than I already do."

"I understand, but when you don't fight in the battle, won't he know something's up?" Galaxyheart pointed out.

"Who ever said I wasn't fighting in the battle?" Lionshimmer countered.

"Lionshimmer, a cat expecting kits shouldn't fight in a battle! Especially not one as big as this!" Galaxyheart argued.

"I know, but I'm going to," Lionshimmer replied. "This is important to Lionclaw, so it's important to me. I'm not backing down now. Lionclaw won't know that I'm expecting kits."

Galaxyheart looked as if he wanted to argue but he just nodded. "Alright. I know this is risky but I'll trust you on this, Lionshimmer."

"Thank you, Galaxyheart," Lionshimmer meowed.

"You're expecting Lionclaw's kits?" Lionshimmer looked behind Galaxyheart and saw Willowpaw standing there. "And you aren't going to tell him?"

"As much as I want him to stay with me, he needs to make the decision, and I don't want to add anymore pressure," Lionshimmer explained, walking over to her apprentice and licking her head. "Please, don't say anything to Lionclaw, Willowpaw."

"I won't," Willowpaw promised. "But, when we go to LightningClan after the battle, you're staying in StormClan aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Lionshimmer replied.

"I'll miss you, Lionshimmer. I may not have been your apprentice for that long but you're the best mentor I could have," Willowpaw meowed, pressing herself up against Lionshimmer's side.

Lionshimmer smiled at her sweet apprentice. "Thank you, Willowpaw. You're the best apprentice I could have had. I'm sorry I won't be finishing your training, but no matter who your new mentor is, I want you to be the best warrior you can be. Even if that means we might meet in battle one day."

Willowpaw nodded. "I will, Lionshimmer. I'll be the best warrior this world has ever known."

"Good," Lionshimmer meowed. "Now run on back to camp. We'll be back shortly." Willowpaw nodded and dashed back to camp. Lionshimmer stared after her until she vanished from sight.

"She couldn't have had a better mentor," Galaxyheart murmured, touching Lionshimmer's shoulder with his tail in a comforting gesture.

Lionshimmer smiled. "Thanks, Galaxyheart. Let's head back." Lionshimmer let Galaxyheart take the lead as they headed back to camp.

Please R&R :)