New buds had just started to bloom as sunhigh approached. Daisytail had settled in fabulously, and already Berrykit, Mousekit and Hazelkit were leading Lakekit, Acornkit and Barkkit out to play.

"Get back here!" Lavenderfur corralled the six away from the apprentices' den, where Acornkit was tellingly holding a large ant.

"But mum..." Acornkit protested.

"Oh, no. You're not getting out of this by calling me mum." Lavenderfur picked up the kit by her scruff and carried her to the den.

Daisytail burst through the thorn tunnel, Mistleflight following sedately behind with a couple of small voles.

"How are the kits?" She asked no one in particular. Lavenderfur, finished with her task of wrestling the kits into the nursery, popped her head out.

"They're healthy, but they need a good scolding."

Now Daisytail's expression changed from one of worry to one of exasperation; she shook her head. "What did they do?"

"They tried to prank Hollypaw, Larchpaw and Birchpaw. Acornkit in particular had a fire ant."

"They didn't."

"Oh, they did."

"Berrykit! Mousekit! Hazelkit! What do you have to say for yourselves?"

The sounds of scolding emanated through the camp as Crowfeather and Feathertail showed up. Feathertail winced at the harsh noise, steadying her wreath as she was greeted by her family.

"So, when can we expect your mating ceremony?" Squirrelflight asked. Her wreath sat jauntily on her head as her fur shone in the early newleaf sun. Stray blooms were tucked into her bushy tail.

"Next sunset." Feathertail purred.

"Well, we'll be there, if you agree?" Brambleclaw turned to Squirrelflight, receiving a small nod of confirmation that signalled her willingness to go.

"Who's getting scolded in there?" Crowfeather asked. He had lost some of his grumpy air today; every hair on his pelt was fluffed up in excitement.

"ThunderClan's kits. They tried to prank Hollypaw, Larchpaw and Birchpaw."

"What's this about a prank?" Swiftstrike asked, coming in with the SkyClan delegation.

"We have kits who tried to place fire ants into the apprentices' nests."

"Well, whichever queen that is has a set of lungs on her." Finchfur mewed.

"I feel lucky that you all tended to be more serious." Goldenflower chuckled, looking around at her kits in the camp.

"...And you're not going outside today!"

"Was that scolding punishment for us or for the kits?" Leafpool asked, coming to exchange friendly greetings with the guests.

Tawnypelt and RiverClan's invitees arrived near the same time.

"I had to shake Applepaw off. She was curious." Tawnypelt huffed. "I told her to go straight back to camp and check the elders for ticks."

"You were just as curious, dear." Goldenflower gave Tawnypelt a lick on the cheek.

"Hi, Mum! How've you been getting on?"

"Prey's running well in SkyClan. It's been a bit of trouble to get used to being full-fed every night."

"Yeah, this place is definitely more prey-rich then even the forest in its prime." Tawnypelt licked her lips. "Especially since learning how to fish. ShadowClan are used to scales – so fish is one of our new delicacies."

"Glad to hear of it. Have you gotten some salmon yet? Those are the best." Tadpolefur joined the conversation, along with Primrosepetal.

"Someone has a crush." Squirrelflight whispered teasingly to Primrosepetal, whose blush was visible even under her winter coat.

"Oh, shut up, will you?" Primrosepetal groused. "I get enough of it from Reedwhisker."

Mothwing had slipped off to Leafpool's side; Firestar called everyone to order and Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight moved below the Highledge.

"Clanmates and guests, Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight have gathered here as they express the wish to be mates until StarClan takes them both. Do you take each other as your mate?"

"I do." Squirrelflight seemed to embody the sun; joy radiated from every hair on her pelt.

"I do." Brambleclaw was steady and sure; rather than reflect his joy for the world to see, it was contained in his eyes, only for Squirrelflight to see in that moment.

"Then I pronounce you mates for life." To no one's surprise, it was Squirrelflight who made the first move; to everyone's surprise it was gentle and soft; she simply curled herself around Brambleclaw and licked his cheek.

"Squirrelflight! Brambleclaw!" The crowd chanted.

"Help yourself to some prey, we have plenty." Firestar magnanimously offered.

"That's really kind of you." Tadpolefur purred, taking a squirrel from the pile.

Lavenderfur snagged a pair of fish from the pile and dragged them into the nursery; Whitestorm took a vole to share with his fellow elder, and the rest of the Clan descended. A small squirrel and a pigeon were left in the middle of the pile for the new mates, which they eagerly took even as the apprentices fought over a particularly large rook.

"There's more prey in the pile!" Brightheart chided them. "Share!"

Finally the apprentices settled, and the clearing was filled with the sounds of eating and laughing.

"How's Talonpaw?" Leafpool asked Tawnypelt.

"She's Talonfeather now; Smokepaw is Smokeflight. They're doing well; Talonfeather's going to the Moonpool to get confirmation."

"For what?" Mothwing asked through a mouthful of starling.

"She's trans; StarClan changed her gender as an apprentice, but they require one more visit to 'confirm' it. It's to stop apprentices from doing anything they regret."

"Interesting."

"How's Rowanclaw?" Squirrelflight teased.

"Oh- he's, yeah, he's fine. Super proud of Talonfeather."

"And he seems to have attracted at least one she-cat's gaze." Squirrelflight purred.

"Who?" Tawnypelt asked. Her face betrayed a small hint of jealousy.

"You, silly!" Squirrelflight chuckled.

"As aloof as you try to be, it's really not hard to read you." Brambleclaw laughed.

Tawnypelt huffed and they continued their easy conversation.

The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when the guests set off. Full-fed, most of them walked slowly, just slowly enough that they were in earshot when Applepaw was found on the border.

"Applepaw!" Tawnypelt cried; there was a rushing sound as the guests (and most of ThunderClan) hurried back.

The mottled brown apprentice was lying in the grass; desperate claw-marks indicated where she had tried to escape. A large gash was eminent down her throat and smaller bites and scratches littered her body. But between her claws was a scrap of green fabric, which gave away the identity of her attacker.

"Those kittypets." Brambleclaw hissed, disgusted.

"We need to teach them a lesson before they do it again." Feathertail hissed.

"We? This is a ShadowClan problem!" Tawnypelt protested. Leafpool and Mothwing hauled the ShadowClan apprentice up, making a steady pace toward camp.

Firestar joined them, with icy fury in his eyes. "No. The moment any of the Clan's youth gets harmed, it is a problem for all of us."

Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw: *Get cat-married*

Squirrel / Bramble: Ah, a perfect day.

Applepaw's mortal injury: Good evening.