Okay, this chapter is slightly longer than usual! Yay! I hope you all enjoy it, Firepaw and Milkkit's dynamic was fun to write. Read, enjoy, and review!

- Mossy

Review Replies:

jabaredjf- I also like Redkit, he's a sweetheart. Darkfang does care about him in her own strange way.

Warriorcat123456789- Thanks for the OC! Echo makes an appearance in this chapter, but Firepaw was listed as the love interest for someone else's OC. It's fine, because now we have a love triangle *evil laughter*

Milkkit opened her eyes, awoken by Fogkit kicking her in the face. Her brother always was a jerk, even when he was asleep. She noticed that he was sleeping peacefully while she was wide awake. Obviously, there was something wrong with this situation. She also noticed that Dovekit was still asleep, snoring like a newborn. Milkkit sighed, Dovekit could be annoying but at least she was more interesting to talk to than Fogkit. The third thing she noticed was that Cinderkit's nest was empty. Milkkit sighed and debated waking up Softsnow. No, her mother would probably panic, and she didn't want to get Cinderkit in trouble. Maybe she could find her brother, and possibly see the territory…

Yes, Milkkit liked this plan.

She got out of her nest as quietly as possible, careful not to wake up her mother or other siblings. She snuck past Snailleap, who was guarding the entrance to camp, an old, crumbling entryway in the wall. The sandy tom was normally unobservant as it was, so it was quite an easy task. I mean, if Cinderkit can sneak out, I definitely can! Cinderkit's as graceful as a lopsided badger.

Milkkit found a small hole in the wall, just little enough for a kit to squeeze through. She was five moons old, so it was a tight squeeze. She saw a small piece of gray fur on one of the stones. Cinderkit came through here!

Milkkit wiggled her way through the hole and gasped. She'd never seen anything so vast in her entire life. She saw thick, tall trees that formed a shady canopy over the forest floor. Various stone structures and monuments littered the area. It was beautifully fascinating and Milkkit longed to look at every single structure in detail, but right now she was supposed to be finding Cinderkit. She walked through the forest, avoiding the various large tree roots.

She was admiring one of the large trees when she heard a crack of a twig behind her. She turned around to see a ginger tom standing behind her. "Firepaw?" she gasped, "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Firepaw said, looking amused, "I heard you sneak out and I followed you."

"Didn't know I had a stalker," Milkkit muttered, "If you wanted my attention so badly, all you had to do was ask."

Firepaw looked confused and then his ear-tips turned red. "W-What?" he sputtered, "You think I'm out here because, I like you?"

"Well, you're stalking me, so you're obviously going the wrong way about it," Milkkit smirked.

"That's not it at all," Firepaw said, embarrassed, "I just didn't want to let an innocent kit get hurt!"

"Yeah, and Goldenpaw obviously likes you," Milkkit stated plainly. Firepaw's ears turned red.

"She does?" he asked, looking curious.

Milkkit sighed, "She's head over heels. Now, if you excuse me, I'm trying to find my brother."

"Cinderkit get out again?"

"Of course," Milkkit said, "And last time Mom was very worried about both us and kept questioning if she was a good mother for almost a moon. Tallflame was furious at Cinderkit, and then Fogkit got mad because Tallflame isn't even our father… The whole ordeal was a mess that I would like to avoid."

"That sounds annoying," Firepaw agreed, "Sorry, about your father."

"Don't be," Milkkit looked down at her paws, "I never knew the guy." But, if Raindapple were still here, would Mom stop questioning herself all the time and Fogkit be happier? Milkkit shook the thought from her head. There was no point in dwelling on stuff like that. "Besides, your sister seems much harder to deal with," she told Firepaw.

"Icepaw is fine!" Firepaw growled, his fur bristling.

"Jeese, someone's a little protective," Milkkit snapped, "I didn't mean any harm. She's obviously not fine though, she almost ran into a wall yesterday and she's not blind!"

"S-Sorry," Firepaw calmed himself down, "It's just that, I get tired of everyone staring at her, judging her all the time. Featherstep is trying her best to try Icepaw and I think she can become a warrior. It's just that, I worry about her. She's my only sister."

"Heh, my only sister is a self-righteous prick, Cinderkit's a reckless fool, and Fogkit's a grouchy jerk," Milkkit replied.

"How can you talk about your siblings that way?" Firepaw gasped, his tail lashing.

"You didn't let me finish," Milkkit explained to Firepaw like he was the kit, "I was going to say that despite that they are all those things, I still love them anyways. Just don't tell them that I said that, especially Fogkit!"

Firepaw chuckled, "So you do have a heart, aye?"

"Don't get used to it," Milkkit grumbled, before seeing another piece of gray fur on a bush, "Come on, Cinderkit went this way!"

"I think I can smell him!" Firepaw said, and Milkkit agreed. Cinderkit hated baths and always stunk.

They came around from behind a tree and saw the gray and white tabby chatting with a silver tabby she-cat.

"Who's this, Cinderkit?" Milkkit asked slightly accusingly, "Your girlfriend?"

"No!" Cinderkit yelled, embarrassed, "Milkkit, what are you doing out here?"

"Trying to keep you from getting in trouble again," Milkkit hissed, lashing her tail.

"Come on Cinderkit, we need to get you back to camp," Firepaw sighed and tried to grab Cinderkit's scruff. Cinderkit jerked away.

"I can walk, I'm almost an apprentice!" he hissed.

"Echo, you should probably get off the territory," Firepaw nodded at the she-cat, who was staring at him with bright red ears.

"Firepaw!" Echo said dreamily, "Sorry, I was actually trying to find your clan when I ran into this little guy."

"You were?" Firepaw cocked his head, "I thought you trying to find your mother?"

Echo looked do at her paws, "F-From what I heard, the rouges got to her before I could. I decided that joining the clan would be my safest bet."

"And out of all three clans you chose Stoneclan?" Firepaw asked, "I mean we do rock, but why?"

Echo giggled at Firepaw's lame excused for a joke and Milkkit rolled her eyes. This was gross. Cinderkit looked at her quizzically and mouthed, "What's going on?"

"Well, you live here," Echo said, her ears obviously burning, "I don't know any of the cats in the other clans…"

"Excuse me," Milkkit interrupted, "But Firepaw, how exactly do you know this Echo?"

"Oh, Echo here ran away from a group of rouges that she used to be apart of. She ran into me and asked if I'd seen her mother one day, and we kinda just kept running into each other. She's nice and would probably make a good member of the clan," Firepaw exclaimed.

"If you say so," Milkkit looked at Echo with her eyes narrowed. She was too lovesick for Milkkit's taste, and obviously just wanted to be in the clan so she could have a happily ever after with Firepaw.

The four cats walked into camp, no point in sneaking in because Echo was with them. Echo gasped as she entered the old Twoleg building that made up their camp.

"Firepaw, why are you here with two kits and a loner?" Snailleap sighed.

"Ahem, Cinderkit snuck out again," Cinderkit flinched when Firepaw said this, "Milkkit and I went to look for him. We ran into Echo here, who wants to join the clan."

"Fine," Snailleap sighed, "I'll tell Featherstep about it." Milkkit prayed that her aunt wouldn't scold them for leaving camp. Featherstep was normally a nice cat, but would be upset with them for upsetting Softsnow. Speaking of Softsnow, Milkkit saw her mother run out of the nursery towards her and Cinderkit.

"My babies!" Softsnow yelled as she smothered them in licks, "I should of been paying more attention, then I would of noticed you all leaving!" Milkkit sighed, Softsnow was going to be upset about this and she was going to get an earful from Tallflame and all of her mother's siblings.

Fogkit stood at the entrance of the nursery and shot Milkkit and Cinderkit a smug smirk. "Somedays, I just really want to claw his face off," Cinderkit hissed.

"Agreed," Milkkit wrinkled her nose. Echo was allowed to sleep in the apprentice den, her ceremony being held the next morning. Softsnow had wrapped her fluffy white tail around Cinderkit and Milkkit all night. It was hot, and Milkkit constantly woke up feeling like she was burning.

When morning came, Featherstep had a word with Cinderkit and Milkkit about "being more responsible." She implied that their apprentice ceremonies would be delayed if they snuck out again, which had sent Cinderkit into a panic.

Tallflame was lecturing them now, going on and on about the same point, "Softsnow has been very distressed ever since your father died. She's trying to raise four kits on her own, and you have to realize how stressful that is. You must realize-"

"Everyone gather around the altar for a clan meeting!" Blossomstar yowled, her muscles rippling as she jumped up onti the alter. Many cats in the clan found the large, golden leader quite intimidating and Milkkit had to hold back a laugh when she saw Echo staying at the leader with wide eyes.

"Sorry Tallflame," Cinderkit said, not looking sorry at all, "We won't sneak out again and we have to go watch this meeting!" Milkkit and Cinderkit ran over to sit next to Softsnow, laughing all the while.

"Yesterday, Firepaw brought back this cat who has expressed interest in becoming an apprentice of Stoneclan. Echo, is that your wish?"

The silver she-cat just nodded.

Blossomstar looked out at the crowd and continued, "Echo, you are over the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Echopaw. Your mentor will be Hazelwind. I hope Hazelwind will pass down all she knows on to you."

The leader turned to Hazelwind, purposely flexing her muscles. Blossomstar always had enjoyed her intimidating look. "Hazelwind, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Dawnpool, and you have shown yourself to be adaptable and intelligent. You will be the mentor of Echopaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Some cats began to cautiously cheer, "Echopaw! Echopaw!" Firepaw was shouting her name as loud as he possibly could. Milkkit saw Echpaw blush and she noticed Goldenpaw glaring at the silver tabby. Great, two lovebirds fighting for Firepaw. Milkkit sighed, and hoped that Goldenpaw and Echopaw wouldn't cause too much trouble during her apprenticeship.

Question: Anyone have any favorite ships yet? Milkkit and Heatherkit have no love interests so far, so I'm open to suggestions.