Coalkit peeked outside with Blizzardkit hiding behind him.
"What do you see?" Blizzardkit whispered earnestly.
Coalkit silenced her with a swish of his tail; his bright blue eyes glowed with adventure. "Stick by me, and keep quiet!" he hissed.
He stepped out slowly from the den, and then turned back as his sister said nervously, "We're gonna get caught! We'll be in so much trouble!"
"Shush!" Coalkit said, his back arching with annoyance. "Do you want them to hear us? Then we really are going to get caught!"
Firestar had called a Clan meeting, which they hadn't been allowed to attend. Coalkit had suggested sneaking out, and before Blizzardkit had thought it was a good idea, but now she was acting like a…well, a kit!
"We're warriors, remember? Not kits! Now stop acting like one and be quiet!" Coalkit said, and finally Blizzardkit was silent.
They crept past some warriors who were facing the Highledge and hid in the empty apprentices' den.
"I know that you are all alarmed, as am I." Firestar was saying. "But for StarClan's sake calm down!"
"Honeytail shouldn't be with Jayfeather!" Dustpelt spat angrily. "Has every medicine cat in ThunderClan gone mad? First Leafpool, and now him!" He pointed his tail accusingly at Jayfeather, who was sitting beside Honeytail at the base of the Highledge.
"I'm not mad, nor am I unfaithful to StarClan!" Jayfeather yowled back defensively, leaping to his paws. His sightless eyes glinted with unmasked hatred. Honeytail, who was by his side, murmured something in his ear and he sat back down with difficulty.
"What about the warrior code?" Sorreltail said, rather quietly. "Have you any respect for that?" Obviously she didn't approve of her daughter being with the ThunderClan medicine cat, but at least she wasn't as upset as Dustpelt.
"What's happening?" Coalkit asked Blizzardkit.
"Jayfeather likes Honeytail!" Blizzardkit squeaked knowingly, but her eyes held surprise.
"Wait, but he's a medicine cat!" Coalkit protested.
"Exactly." Blizzardkit replied, her voice slightly saddened. She let out a soft sigh. "A forbidden love."
Coalkit rolled his eyes and pricked his ears forward again to the crowd.
"What exactly are you saying I should do?" Firestar said, his voice weary. "They are in love. And it is strong."
"Make them leave!" Mousefur proclaimed. "Better off where Leafpool and Crowfeather are then with us!"
Jayfeather and Honeytail looked stricken at the elder's words. "Leave?" Honeytail croaked. "But my life is with ThunderClan!"
"And your heart is with Jayfeather." Birchfall said; his eyes shadowed with a shock. He actually felt as if he was being broken inside. "But, Honeytail, you can't be his mate!"
"Tell me why!" Honeytail proclaimed. "Lionclaw has just told you, StarClan has accepted out love. It is wrong to cage a heart, and they now understand that."
"So, the real question is," Jayfeather murmured just loud enough for the kits to hear, "if the clan accepts us."
The clearing was silent until Hollywhisker said, "I believe their love is true. We should accept this as is and move on. We can't stop them from longing for each other."
Brambleclaw nodded. "If this is what my son wants, then for StarClan's sake, I will let him be."
Mutters of agreement rose up from the crowd, and Lionclaw, who was at the bottom of Highledge, appeared triumphant.
"Wow!" Coalkit said, his eyes wide. "I'm glad we snuck out. We would have missed the excitement!"
"Oh, we wouldn't want that."
Coalkit and Blizzardkit spun around, their wide kit eyes sheepish. "I'm really sorry Ashfur, we-"
"Were not doing as your mother told you to do." Ashfur's voice was hard, but his eyes glinted with amusement. "Go back to the nursery. This meeting is for warriors and apprentices."
"Can we please stay?" Blizzardkit begged.
Ashfur hesitated and then reluctantly agreed that they could stay until the end.
"Yay!" Coalkit cried, and they bounced around, happy of getting their way.
"Keep silent, though." Ashfur said. "Please don't try to be a nuisance." They both nodded and tried to remain still.
"We have another account of business." Firestar said. "Cindercoat's body will need to be buried after this meeting. I need a group of warriors who are willing to bury her."
"Why aren't the elders doing it, as accustomed?" Ferncloud asked, confused.
"Mousefur is very ill, she is too weak to do it. And Longtail cannot do it himself." Firestar said softly.
"I will go." Squirrelflight volunteered, and Brambleclaw and Ferncloud volunteered as well.
"The last matter of business is that we should start preparing for leaf-bare. It can't be far off." Firestar said. "I would like extra patrols issued so that we can store up on our prey. Conservation is key."
Brambleclaw nodded in agreement, but grumbles issued from around Coalkit as warriors complained of extra patrols.
After their father herded the two kits back into the nursery, Blizzardkit's eyes were shining thoughtfully. "Poor Honeytail. She's lost all her littermates, hasn't she? First Molekit, then Poppypaw, and now Cindercoat. She must feel awfully lonely."
Coalkit tipped his black head to the side in wonder. "That's true. I never thought of that before."
"I hope she's my mentor. She's so brave." Blizzardkit sighed.
"But she betrayed the warrior code! Weren't you listening?" Coalkit protested.
"Weren't you listening? Lionclaw said that StarClan approves."
"What if Lionclaw is lying? He scares me." He hated to admit being scared of anything, but Lionclaw's presence left him with shivers.
Little did he know, the golden warrior would one day save his life, and the life of the entire clan.