A/N: I made a lot of changes to this chapter. Pebblepaw is now Mistpaw and he acts a little different. Also, Hailfrost has a smaller part.

RiverClan

Mist sprayed up out of the stream as the light gray tom crouched beside the edge. A bunch of herbs lay beside him, carefully wrapped in broad leaves to keep them from getting wet. His light blue gaze rested on the three apprentices as they practiced their fish catching skills, the brown furred toms and she-cat impatiently waiting for fish to get within range. The last attempt had startled all the fish into disappearing for more than a long moment. Mistpaw found it amusing to watch.

He felt no envy for the other apprentices, even though he had much to be envious of. Anyone of them had two siblings and he had none; and they were training to become warriors when he was not but a medicine cat apprentice with the barest of hunting skills. They had a life many kits grew up envying.

But Mistpaw felt no envy. He knew he was destined to be a medicine cat through and through. His entire being was dedicated to the art, gathering supplies and helping others in other clans – as a Medicine Cat should. Everyone in the Clan knew he was the next one, even though Whitewater, their current medicine cat, was still so young. Mistpaw was okay with this, and his patience earned him that respect.

When the three apprentices gave up and started to bring back to camp their solitary catch, a medium-sized trout that Leopardpaw and Reedpaw landed together, Mistpaw stretched his limbs and gathered up his herbs for his own trip back. He padded through the stream surrounding their island home, walking around the small drinking pool outside the Medicine cat den before slipping inside. The familiar smells of herbs and sight of his mentor made him pause at the entrance, watching the back of his oddly busy mentor as the gray and white cat packed up some herbs.

"What's going on?" he asked, dropping his herbs next the pile and sitting with his tail over his paws. "Are you packing traveling herbs?"

Whitewater's paws moved like a blur in a familiar pattern and Mistpaw recognized the herbs she had piled next to her in three piles. Two were traveling herbs, but one was different.

"Volefang and Redstar are headed to the Moonpool?" he guessed. "And this is for Splashpelt?"

Whitewater nodded mutely, which made Mistpaw frown. "Are you okay, Whitewater?"

The medicine cat's eyes flashed as she had a duplicate pile to the traveling herbs. "I'm going with them."

Excitement prickled his pelt and his eyes widened. "Not that I don't love the idea of taking charge while you're gone, but is something wrong?"

The gray and white cat smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I don't think so."

Mistpaw frowned. Whitewater wouldn't be going if something wasn't wrong, but he knew his mentor well enough to know she wasn't about to divulge that secret. The medicine cat life was filled with secrets between the leader and medicine cat, something no one else could share. Since Mistpaw was so young, neither Redstar or Whitewater had said anything to him about their secrets. "Alright then. Should I take Splashpelt her herbs now or later?"

"Later," Whitewater said dismissively. "She'll survive until a little after sunset." She padded away to the back of the den and poked at the moss. "I would suggest refreshing these before we get back."

"For Splashpelt?"

The she-cat paused. "Yes."

Mistpaw nodded. "Alright."

He watched his mentor in silence, excitement prickling his pelt and paws. It would be first time the entire Clan was left in his paws, as well as an expecting queen. He was confident in his abilities; he had kept his nose buried in the herbs every other day, memorizing all the textures and smells until he could recognize them all with his eyes closed, just like Jayfeather of ThunderClan had done when the cranky blind cat was still alive.

Thinking of Jayfeather reminded him of Firestar. His Clan whispered too much about the legendary leader of another Clan. Mistpaw had gotten so used to the quiet murmurs that he didn't notice it anymore. It was background noise.

Mistpaw's attention snapped back to his mentor as she made an unexpected movement towards the door. "You headed out right now?"

Whitewater purred in amusement. "Yes," she responded, amused. "You can handle yourself while I'm gone, can't you?" she asked, pausing by the door as if half-expecting to say no.

"Of course I can," he purred proudly, his chest puffing out.

His mentor gave her white tipped tail a thoughtful flick before heading out the den entrance and padding across the island like clearing. Mistpaw padded out to the entrance and watched her gray-and-white form disappeared into the reeds surrounding the island before vanishing into RiverClan territory. He watch silently, half-expecting her to come tearing back across the open camp to check up on him. When she didn't, he let out a relieved breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and he turned back towards the supply depot. As if to assure himself that everything was under his command, he began rearranging the den, making it tidier than when she had left. Whitewater had a tendency to not put things back up when she was done with them; well, Mistpaw was more than willing to prove himself by making sure everything was exactly where it was supposed to be when she got back. When that was done, he pulled out all the moss and put in new bedding. Then he settled down to rest, patiently waiting for some cat to come through the entrance.

He lifted his head at the sound of pawsteps near the entrance and was slightly disappointed when it wasn't the white and gray she-cat he had come to know. The head that did appear through the thorn branches was the pure white face and icy-blue stare of the deputy, Hailfrost. The big tom's eyes sparkled as he looked at Mistpaw.

"She finally left you alone to yourself, huh?" the warrior asked, amused.

Mistpaw's disappointed was quickly covered up. "Yes, she did," he said. "Can I help you?"

Hailfrost gave a rumbling purr. "Whitewater said that you'd have some traveling herbs ready for Redstar for his journey to the Moonpool."

"Yes, hang on a moment," he said, turning away to the medicine cat stash.

Redstar had been planning on heading to Highstones after the last warrior ceremony, but they'd been busy keeping their borders secure from possible invasion from the ShadowClan cats. Splashpelt and Volefang had become warriors three moons ago and tradition meant that they had to go to the Moonstones to meet their warrior ancestors for the first time. Normally, they'd have done this within the first moon, but Redstar had held it off after tensions rose with ShadowClan. He wanted to make sure his Clan was safe before he left it to Hailfrost's paws.

Unfortunately, when that time finally came around, Splashpelt was too busy with her swollen belly to go on her first trip, forcing her brother to make the journey on his own. Splashpelt would make the journey in another moon or so, when her kits were born and she was well enough to make the journey. Mistpaw's fur prickled whenever he thought of the day he would have to help Whitewater deliver her kits; excited over the prospect of new lives in Clan.

Mistpaw piled up a new batch of traveling herbs and handed them over to Hailfrost. "Is that all?"

The white tom raised an eyebrow at that, but he took the batches without comment and headed off towards the thicket which housed the leader's den.

It wasn't long afterwards that another head poked its way underneath the medicine cat bush, but Mistpaw recognized the green eyes of his fellow apprentice Leopardpaw. The young tom looked over the medicine cat den before his eyes landed on Mistpaw.

"Whitewater's gone?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes," Mistpaw asserted, his chest fluffing out in pride before checking himself. "Can I help you?"

"No, I'm just surprised that she'd leave you here." The comment made Mistpaw bristle, but he reminded himself that this was Leopardpaw, and he knew his friend well enough to understand that sometimes Leopardpaw just didn't get the nuances of friendship.

"Any reason why you came to visit?" Mistpaw asked, hoping to dispel the awkwardness of the situation.

"Oh," Leopardpaw said, slinking inside the den, his tail sticking out and gleaming spotted gold in the sunlight. "I came to tell you that I'll be needing mouse bile."

When Leopardpaw didn't explain further, Mistpaw shifted on his nest and looked around. "Right, mouse bile." He padded over to the supplies and pulled out mouse-bile soaked moss, which he carefully handed over to Leopardpaw. "Make sure to wash it out of your paws when you're done," he said, cheerfully repeating Whitewater's words for whenever an apprentice came asking around for mouse bile. Leopardpaw came by so many times that it was practically already made before he even walked into the door. Mistpaw never asked him why, though he guessed it had something to do with Mudsplash always getting her tail in a bunch after they were done training. The gray tom knew Leopardpaw was stubborn at times, and he wished he could help to tom but Leopardpaw never wanted any help from any cat.

He marched back over to his nest and lay down.

At this rate, he mused to himself, Splashpelt's going to have her kits before Whitewater gets back!

The thought reminded him that being in the Medicine den sorting through herbs was only part of a medicine cat's duties. Eager to have something done, he started out of the den and headed towards the nursery, eager to relieve himself of his boredom.

The welcoming darkness and smell of milk brought back nostalgia of his kithood days, and he sighed as he breathed them in. Anxiety prickled his pelt as an image of himself, alone, standing over Splashpelt flashed through his mind, blood soaking the nursery floor. He shuddered, hoping it wasn't a vision. He'd never had a vision before, but it could have been one.

"Splashpelt?" he called, peering through the darkness for the brown-and-white she cat's familiar pelt. "Can I come in?"

A pink tongue shown through the gloom as Splashpelt yawned. "Morning, tom," she greeted him with a purr. "How's the fish flopping?"

Mistpaw purred. "As floppy and as slippery as ever." He stepped toward her and looked over her swollen belly. "I came to check up on you," he meowed.

She snorted. "Medicine cats. They never leave you alone in peace." Her purr betrayed her amusement and the tease washed over Mistpaw, melting away his anxiety and confirming that she was indeed okay.

"Are you sure there's nothing else I can do for you?" he asked, amused.

"Not really," she admitted, after some thought. "Though I am tired." She looked at him expectantly, but he shook his head in mild reproach.

"Poppy seeds are harmful to unborn kits," he recited, flicking an ear in apology. He tilted his head in curiosity. "Why do you ask?"

She rumbled, her voice dropping to a secretive whisper while her eyes darted around. "Can I tell you a secret?"

He leaned forward, eagerness tingling his paws but he kept his voice level. "Sure," he meowed.

"I can feel them," she said, her voice calm though he could feel her excitement in the air. Her eyes flashed. "In my belly. They're moving." She erupted into purrs and Mistpaw whiskers twitched.

"That's great!" he purred, excited because she was excited, but he suddenly became more serious. "Do you think they'll be coming soon?"

She nodded. "They'll be coming soon." Mistpaw felt his heart jump in his chest but Splashpelt didn't notice, her face beamed. "I can't wait for the moon to pass and see my kits for the first time!" She failed to see Mistpaw visibly relax.

"I can't wait to see them either," he purred. "New kits for the Clan! And new apprentices!"

Splashpelt nodded enthusiastically. "You'll be happy to have a few more apprentices around, wouldn't you?" she purred.

Mistpaw felt the briefest flash of annoyance, his grin never slipping. "Sure! Then we'll have more warriors for the Clan."

The queen shook her head, decidedly less amused. "Ah, yes, they grow up so fast." She looked thoughtfully at Mistpaw before glancing at her paws.

The young gray tom blinked. "You okay?" he asked, glancing wearily at her belly.

"Oh, just fine!" she said, flustered. She looked thoughtful again and sighed. "They'll be apprentices soon after they're born."

Mistpaw rumbled in confusion but leaned forward and nudged the queen's shoulder gently with his nose. "You'll see them every day," he murmured.

"Right," she meowed firmly to herself, looking at Mistpaw warmly. "And you'll see them in StarClan, won't you?"

Mistpaw nodded, but internally frowned. Splashpelt had a darkness inside of her, something morbid that Mistpaw felt afraid to touch. He mentally shuddered, wondering if something might be seriously wrong with the young queen or if it was natural for queens to be this way.

"Of course," he promised, feeling that he was supposed to promise something. She nodded.

"Great," she breathed.

Mistpaw purred before realizing that he might be needed elsewhere. "I should probably head back to the den. Whitewater might have gotten back by now." He said in way of apology.

"Go ahead," Splashpelt meowed, dismissing him with a distracted flick of her tail.

Bowing his head in thanks, he tried not to seem too rushed as he headed out of the nursery, before racing across the camp to the medicine cat den. He knew the white-and-gray medicine cat hadn't returned but the excuse had been enough. Mistpaw suddenly found himself with little else to do. He padded over to the pool beneath the thorn bush that made up the medicine cat den. He frowned down at the still water at his solid gray pelt and sighed as he stared at the boring coat color.