The sunlight filtered through the lichen that covered the entrance to the leader's den, waking Tulipstar from her sleep. The orange she-cat slowly sat up, Amberleg had already left the den, his scent stale. She sighed softly and began grooming down her orange fur, only enough to be presentable, before padding out of her den. The camp was buzzing. A hunting patrol was already returning, Ashwhiskers and Russetpelt dumping prey on the fresh-kill pile. Amberleg was speaking to Stonehead while they watched Spiderpaw show off a battle move on Stormsong. The leader raised her gaze to the sky to see the sun on its way towards sunhigh.

Did I sleep in? Why did no one wake me? She padded towards Amberleg, purring as she touched her nose to her mate and deputy's cheek.

"Tulipstar," Stonehead said, dipping his head before calling out to Spiderpaw that they were joining Troutclaw on a border patrol. The apprentice bounced up and ran for the camp entrance, mewing a goodbye to Stormsong.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" The leader asked Amberleg as she sat down beside him.

"You didn't sleep well."

"I slept fine," she argued.

"You were tossing and turning in our nest all night. When I woke up you looked so peaceful and beautiful, I just let you sleep," Amberleg's tongue gently lapped over her ear.

"What do you need me to do today?"

"You can go hunting with Stormsong and Mooseleg later or just rest."

Just rest? Why is he treating me like I'm sick?

"I don't need to rest," Tulipstar responded, flicking her tail.

"If you're," Amberleg broke off to cough, the golden tom lowering his head as he gasped to catch his breath. "If you're sure you don't need to rest."

"Are you alright? I think your cough is getting worse."

"It's nothing. It always gets worse when the weather gets colder."

"If you're sure," she eyed the tom for a moment. "I'm going to go speak to Greenheart for a moment. Then I'll join the hunting patrol." The orange she-cat pushed onto her paws and padded towards the old hollow and burrow. She ducked her head down and padded into the cozy cave.

"Tulipstar!" The massive medicine cat looked surprised as he lifted his large head from the herbs he was sorting. "I was wondering when I was going to see you."

"Oh? Then I suppose you know why I'm here."

"Of course. Congratulations," he padded over, leaning down to sniff at her stomach.

"Congratulations?" She asked.

"On the kits."

"Kits?"

"You didn't know?" The black tom asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Didn't know what?" Tulipstar asked, panic rising in her chest.

"That you were pregnant?"

"I had... I had no idea."

"Then why did you come here?"

"Amberleg's cough. It's getting worse," the leader sat down, looking downwards. She had noticed that she was feeling tired more and getting plumper but she never thought about being pregnant.

"There's nothing I can do for his cough. He refuses to relax and he's worried about you."

"Why is he worried about me?"

"Are you mouse-brained?" The massive medicine cat asked as he turned towards his herbs. "You're having his kits, yes he's worried about you!" He picked out a few herbs and set them in front of her. "See if you can get Amberleg to eat these. Coltsfoot and tansy, they'll help with his cough and shortness of breath."

Tulipstar picked up the herbs and walked out of the medicine cat's den in a daze. She set down the herbs in front of Amberleg who looked at her nervously before leaning down to chew the leaves.

"I'm not going hunting but I am going for a walk. I need to clear my head," the leader told her deputy softly.

"Let me send someone with you," her mate said softly.

"I just need to be alone to think about becoming a queen," she whispered. Her nose touched Amberleg's cheek for a moment before she padded for the fern tunnel. Once out of the camp, she broke into a trot, heading for the hills on the edge of their territory. There was an old oak tree, where she and Amberleg used to sneak off to when they were apprentices and young warriors. When Soloswoop was still around. When she didn't have to worry about her Clan.

The orange she-cat enjoyed the sun on her pelt, the warmth in the air, and the scent of the different plants around her. She wasn't ready to be a mother, and especially not with leaf-bare approaching quickly. As she reached the oak tree, she sat down on its roots, sighing. She wouldn't be back out here for almost nine moons, once her kits were apprenticed.

"Hello!" A very friendly voice came from above her and Tulipstar raised her gaze to see three cats looking down at her.

"Hello," she said softly, pushing onto her paws. "I have to inform you that you're trespassing on FlowerClan territory."

"Oh, we're aware of that!" The light brown tom said as he climbed down the tree. "We were waiting for one of you to find us."

"Why?" She felt her pelt bristling as the other two toms climbed down after their friend.

"We wanted to join your Clan. We've been our own since we were kits," the brown-black tom said with a shrug of his broad shoulders.

"Well. Not on our own own, but us three have been on our own but together," the gold tom said with a flick of his tail. "I'm Falcon."

"I'm Eagle," the light brown one said.

"I'm Hawk," the first voice, the dark-brown tom said with a purr.

"I'm Tulipstar," the leader responded.

"So... Can we join?" Hawk asked, shifting back and forth.

"I'd have to ask my deputy and senior warriors but... I'm sure they'll agree to it."

"Great!" Falcon said eagerly, padding towards the camp.

"You'll have to learn our ways," Tulipstar said as sternly as she could. "With leaf-bare coming, we need warriors that can hunt and follow the warrior code."

"I can't wait to get started!" Hawk said, rushing ahead to lead his friends. Tulipstar fell into step beside the broad-shouldered tom.

As they entered the fern tunnel, Tulipstar could hear Amberleg coughing violently. She sighed softly before she led the three toms into the camp. She padded towards her deputy, who was crouched beneath the High Rock.

"Who are they?" Elksong asked, looking up from the shrew he was sharing with his mate. Troutclaw narrowed her eyes at the three toms, her tail flicking nervously.

"They're loners," she flicked her tail to Squirrelfur and Mooseleg to come. "Stonehead," she called. "Will you fetch Greenheart and meet us in my den," the orange she-cat's gaze focused on Troutclaw and Elksong. "Get our guests something to eat and keep an eye on them," she mewed before padding behind the High Rock to slip into her den. She settled into her nest as Amberleg, Squirrelfur, and Mooseleg gathered around her. Stonehead slipped in before Greenheart crouched down, only his front half in the den.

"There are three loners in our camp. They want to learn what it means to be a warrior and join us."

"Isn't that good?" Mooseleg mewed, wrapping his fuzzy tail around his paws.

"I think it's wonderful," Tulipstar responded. "But I wanted everyone's opinion."

"Let them join," Amberleg said with a rough purr.

"We always need able-bodied cats," Squirrelfur said happily.

"Who's going to train them?" Stonehead asked, tilting his head. Tulipstar paused for a moment to think.

"Ashwhiskers, Stormsong, and Mooseleg. They're not apprentice-aged but we'll make them apprentices until they've been fully trained." The leader pushed onto her paws.

"I'll go get Ashwhiskers and Shadowwing," Stonehead offered. "Before you call the Clan Meeting."