a/n: .Leafpool_3000: hiii Silverstep is referred to genderless bc they identify as nonbinary. Silverpaw, in the real books (Fire & Ice, Forest of Secrets, Secrets of the Clans, not Silverstream) isn't ever referred to with pronouns and tbh i just wanted to keep it that way. Tigerstar genders them bc he's a big ol asshole.

ok seeya

"You look like you and a tree branch got into an awful skirmish," Russetfur meowed bluntly, "What happened to you?"

"She looks in pain," Blackfoot answered instead, "She doesn't need to answer."

"...lost my life," Leopardstar answered bluntly, quietly. Her throat burned with each word.

"Your first?" Russetfur went on.

"Only medicine cats know the amount of lives leaders have," Blackfoot said, lightly smacking her with his tail. Leopardstar shook her pelt, taking a step away from Blackfoot. He could go on to be Shadowclan's leader. Neither of them needed kits, and half-clan ones at that.

...but that would be kinda nice, huh?

Leopardstar shook the thought away. No way. Not with him killing her deputy. In camp she immediately skidded to Mudfur's den.

"Hello," he greeted.

"Hi," she meowing and sitting in front of him, "So I um," she lowered her voice so it was just hardly louder than a breeze, "I lost my first life. And whenever I went to Starclan, I saw Brightsky and Carpkit and everyone… and, um, they said that I'd should either have kits with Blackfoot or let him become Shadowclan's leader."

"Well," Mudfur said simply, "He is Shadowclan's deputy."

"Yeah, but-! They said if he did the leader after him would lead the clans to anarchy, and I don't know if I'd be alive to stop it."

"And if you have his kits?"

Leopardstar shook her head with a shrug, "The clans would be fine for moons and moons after."

"Well," he answered with a deep breath, "Having his kits sounds better for Riverclan. We don't need to be taken over again, and could always use more warriors. But he's a Shadowclan warrior…" he sighed, giving her head a lick, "Follow your heart, honey. It's not sneered you wrong yet."

She sighed, smiling, her headache ebbing. "Thanks, dad."

Mudfur simply nodded, "Now go grab a bite and take a nap. I'm sure losing a life drains you."

Leopardstar didn't argue. A snack and sleep sounded great. Outside, the clans had just about settled down for the day. Silverstep was washing their bad leg and chatting with Brownpelt. Runningnose and Littlecloud were sharing a fat chub with Boulder and Ratpaw. The rest of the apprentices were sharing another. Blackfoot was giving Darkflower and Tallpoppy, who were sunbathing with their kits curled in their bellies, a frog.

"Hey, Leopardstar!" he called, "Wanna share this vole with me?"

Leopardstar nodded and padded over, settling down. Every other bite Darkflower took she spat back out for her kits to eat, while Tallpoppy quietly ate and winced whenever her kits nipped at her. The vole wasn't very big, though that was to be expected with leafbare right around the corner. After she finished she ducked into the elder's den and quickly fell asleep.

"How were their assessments?" Blackfoot asked quietly after Oakfur and Boulder stepped into camp, their apprentices long out of earshot.

"He did wonderfully," Oakfur meowed, "He found a snake, and was about to get attacked, before he grabbed it by the neck and just smacked it against the rock."

"Boulder?"

"Snowpaw didn't do anything extravagant, but she did complete the assessment correctly."

Blackfoot nodded, padding to Leopardstar's den. The sun was low in the sky and he knew now wasn't the time for a warrior ceremony, but he knew that Tigerstar would refuse to warrior them as long as he could.

He slunk it, lightly nudging Leopardstar, hoping she wouldn't be too angry he woke her.

"Mrwgh?"

"Hi,Leopardstar?"

"What do you want," she said groggily, voice not really in a question.

"I wanted to ask for advice on Ratpaw and Snowpaw's warrior names," he muttered as Leopardstar stood and stretched a bit, "Snowpaw is a very cautious, graceful cat. She tries to follow the rules and do an elegant job doing it. Ratpaw's more reckless, he, heh, got a massive scar across his shoulders his first week of training. He wants to get the job done no matter how messy he needs to, and, sometimes, he gets a little, uh, overly messy."

Leopardstar took a deep breath in and out, "For Snowpaw… I think she'd fit Snowcloud, Snowbird, Snowfeather, maybe? Ratpaw, well, obviously you've got Ratscar, if he sees it as a prize rather than an embarrassment. Ratclaw, maybe Ratstorm? Ratstorm sounds dumb. Storm of rats."

Blackfoot chuckled, "Thanks. Do you think you could come and do the head touch thing? I'm worried Starclan won't see their names as valid if a leader doesn't."

Leopardstar just sleepily shrugged, sliding out, Blackfoot right behind her. He hopped to the bottom of the Bonehill.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Bonehill for a clan meeting!"

The clans gathered outside of their dens, worried murmurs rippling through them as to why the deputy was calling a meeting.

"Ratpaw and Snowpaw, please step forward."

The two obeyed, though were more anxious than excited.

"I, Blackfoot, deputy of Shadowclan, call my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. The leader has told me that he refuses to make them warriors-" the twos faces shifted to shock, but quickly turned excited, "But I believe they have trained hard to understand the ways of their clan and your noble code, and I now commend them to you as warriors. Snowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and your clanmates, even at thecost of your life?"

"I do!" she squeaked.

"Ratpaw, do you promise to do the same?"

He excitedly nodded.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your names. Snowpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Snowbird, for your grace and pedantry, and Ratpaw, you will be known as Ratscar, for not seeing your scars as guilt, and flaunting them proudly. Starclan, Shadowclan, and Tigerclan welcome you as warriors!"

"Snowbird! Ratscar! Snowbird! Ratscar!" Called the clans, any hint of nervousness gone. Leopardstar padded up to do the head-resting ceremony. Now valid warriors, in Blackfoot's words, the two hopped around and wrestled for a minute, rolling over and sitting up. Leopardstar yawned and went back to the den.

Snowbird lowered her voice, clearly only meant for her brother, though Blackfoot heard. "I'm a bit nervous sleeping next to Silverstep," she fretted.

"Hey," Brownpelt growled, close enough to hear as well. His fur started rising but before he could go on, Snowbird clarified.

"Because I don't want to roll on their leg! Ratscar and I are both fidgetters."

Brownpelt glanced back at Silverstep "They can sleep next to the wall. Kick me."

Blackfoot hummed, "You two can have your vigil tomorrow night. Figure out your sleeping situation first. You'd be welcome in the warriors den if there was any room.

If any of them responded, Blackfoot didn't hear. He just padded off to Leopardstar's den, lightly pressing his nose to her cheek and quietly thanking her before backing out.

Starclan… Leopardstar thought as Blackfoot's cold, wet nose quickly pressed and left against her, Starclan tell me I'm not falling for him.