Icecloud padded up to her mother Daisy as she emerged from the nursery for her morning stretch, Daisy looked at her daughter with sad eyes and pushed past her. "I'm sorry Icecloud but I do not want to speak right now." She made her way to the fresh-kill pile and sat down beside Spiderleg, whispering something too low for any cat to make out.

She felt hurt, she wasn't used to the way her mother had been acting lately, since she had found out she was with kits even her father seemed to be acting different. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and padded to the medicine den to see Jayfeather. Hopefully that would help her feel a little better than she was.

"Hey Icecloud." Jayfeather mewed as his mate walked into the den, he could sense that something was bothering her, he quit sorting out the old cat-mint from the new stems he and Icecloud had gone to harvest the day before so that he would have enough for leaf-bare. "What's wrong?" He asked worry filled his eyes, though he was blind he was looking straight at Icecloud picturing her beautiful long white fur.

"Daisy and Spiderleg have been acting different since they found out we're having kits." She mewed sadly. She pressed her nose into Jayfeather's fur and purred softly even though she was sad. "I'm glad we're with kits though. I feel like I finally have purpose in the clan, like my mother, she stays in the nursery even though she doesn't have kits, but she keeps the queens company, and watches over their kits when they're out of the nursery for a little bit."

"Well don't fret over it, once the kits are here she'll change her actions. She's probably just worried, you have to remember, she is still your mother even if she isn't ready for you to have kits." He licked between her ears. He could feel the happiness start to return to her through her touch. "Want to help me collect some mallow?"

"Sure, some time away from the camp might do some good." She said half-heartedly. She got to her paws and padded beside Jayfeather out of the thorn tunnel.

"Jayfeather!" Firestar called from the Highledge. His orange pelt shone like fire from the setting sun. "I need to speak with you before you leave."

Jayfeather padded to the Highledge and climbed up the rocks to meet his leader. "Yes, Firestar?" He could sense uneasiness from his leader and began to wonder what was troubling him.

"StarClan came to me in a dream last night, I'm very proud of the work you have done as a medicine cat, however, you need to name your apprentice soon, I fear that this leaf-bare will be the toughest one yet, and one medicine cat won't be enough if we have another outbreak of greencough."

"I have one in mind, when should I announce it to the clan though?"

"We'll hold a ceremony at moonhigh tonight, now carry on about what you were doing."

Icecloud looked up at Jayfeather as he climbed back down from Firestar's den, "What was that about?" she asked with concern in her mew. "You're not in trouble are you?"

A mrrow of laughter rose in Jayfeather's throat, "No, he just said I need to have an apprentice by moonhigh so that when leaf-bare comes around we'll be prepared in case there's another outbreak of greencough again. Come on let's get going." He padded towards the thorn tunnel and could feel by the weather change that it was getting close to dusk. He quickened his pace so he would make it back in time.

Icecloud padded to the water's edge when they got to the lake and laid beside it, her mind clouded with the thought of her mother's strange behavior. She remembered how it felt to be nuzzled against her mother's belly suckling when she was a kit. A purr rose in her throat when she knew exactly how she was going to be when her kits came. Her thoughts were interrupted by Jayfeather calling to her that it was time to head back to the camp.

When they had padded back into the clearing Blossompaw bounded up to them. "Am I going to be your apprentice Jayfeather?" She asked with excitement in her mew.

Jayfeather nodded then headed to the medicine den to store the mallow that he had collected. Suddenly he could see the clearing, and noticed the tortoiseshell fur of Spottedleaf padding towards him.

"Hello Jayfeather," her mew was compassionate, "I see you have an apprentice chosen, she shows a lot of promise, and I believe she will make a great apprentice to such a great medicine cat, teach her well young one." She laid her nose between Jayfeather's ears.

Darkness clouding his vision again he turned and padded to the clearing to sit beside Blossompaw. He could sense the excitement bursting from Blossompaw, it was a wonder to him how she was sitting still.

"Let all cats old enough to gather their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Firestar called out from the Highledge, he bounded down the slope of rocks that led to his den and sat in clearing as the rest of the cats slowly made their way from their dens to the clearing.

"Today we gather in the clearing for the naming of the new medicine cat apprentice. Jayfeather?"

Jayfeather stood beside Firestar and looked straight ahead, "I have chosen Blossompaw as my apprentice, StarClan told me she showed much promise as a medicine cat, and I am glad to say that I full-heartedly believe she will be greater than even myself."

"Blossompaw!" Her littermates called out and the rest of the clan joined in the celebration of having a medicine cat apprentice. They began to scatter as the rain began pattering down in the clearing, turning the floor of the clearing to mud.

Icecloud padded up to Jayfeather and pressed her muzzle into his fur, her pelt was wet with rain, and her breathing had become irregular.

"Are you okay?" Jayfeather asked with concern, "Your pelt feels warm, come back to the medicine den with me, we don't want you getting sick." He knew she had a fever, he didn't want her to get ill since she was carrying their kits. Once they got into the medicine den Jayfeather constructed a nest next to his lined with feathers and the softest moss he could find. "Here lay down here. I'll get some feverfew for you." He squeezed himself into the cleft that led to all the herbs, grabbing some feverfew and poppy seeds. "Take this, it'll help you sleep through the night. Don't worry, I'll be right here if you need anything."

Icecloud lapped up the herbs Jayfeather had laid in front of her, she felt Jayfeather's pelt against her as she drifted into slumber.

Jayfeather gave his mate a gentle lick between the ears and let sleep wash over himself as well.