Skyfeather poked her head out of the nursery to see if any other cat was still awake and prowling the camp. When she didn't see any cat, she crept out of the brambles and pawed her way over to the leader's den.

Ever since Leafstripe diagnosed Stormstar with greencough, Skyfeather hadn't seen her mate. This time, she was determined to see him, and slipped through the ferns into his den.

Stormstar was curled up on his damp, mossy nest, unchanged moss from never moving from it. Skyfeather couldn't stifle a purr at the sight of the soft and gentle rise-and-fall of his chest as he snored silently.

Skyfeather went over and curled up beside Stormstar. She was careful not to touch him, in case he started coughing and passed the disease on to her.

When she was settled in the dusty earth, she noticed that the rims of Stormstar's eyes were encrusted with dried tears, and that his nose was running. His pelt was dull and matted, as if no cat had washed it for some time. Skyfeather leaned over and began running smooth strokes over the fur, pressing it down.

When she finished, she leaned back over, rested her head on her paws, and stared at Stormstar. His breathing turned wheezy after some time, and he coughed occasionally. Skyfeather wasn't even sure if he knew she was there.

As the sun began to rise, Skyfeather still hadn't slept. Stormstar's breathing grew even raspier, and she didn't want to leave him for one second. Eventually, Leafstripe padded into the clearing and sat down silently beside Skyfeather. She was grateful that he made no attempt to move her, because no matter what, she wouldn't leave.

The two cats watched in silence as Stormstar's breathing grew fainter, and eventually stopped. Skyfeather ducked her head in between her paws as she waited for Stormstar to wake up again.

Please wake up, Stormstar, she silently prayed. I don't know what I'll do without you.

Suddenly, Stormstar's eyes opened. The crust cracked as he looked around the den. Skyfeather noticed that his eyes were still glazed over, as if he wasn't completely cured. But that couldn't be. StarClan healed the wound that took the life of a leader, except for Tigerstar's wound. When he died, he lost all nine of his lives at once, from one simple swipe from Scourge of BloodClan's claw.

"Skyfeather?" Stormstar rasped. "Skyfeather, is that you?"

Skyfeather let out the breath she was holding and crept closer to her mate. "It's me, Stormstar," she breathed. "I'm here."

Leafstripe nodded. "Stormstar, you've lost yet another life," he meowed. "I suggest you be careful with who gets greencough."

Stormstar nodded. As Leafstripe padded away, Skyfeather asked, "How many lives do you have left?"

Stormstar sighed. "Seven."

"That's still a lot," Skyfeather remarked. "You still have some time left with me—us."

Stormstar chortled. "Yes, I do." But as he spoke the words, Skyfeather couldn't miss the note of worry layering his meow. What could possibly go wrong now, though?

When Skyfeather checked up on Tawnyspot in the nursery, she noticed that the tortoiseshell she-cat was upset about something. Reluctantly, she padded through the narrow brambles and sat down next to the young queen. "What's wrong, Tawnyspot?" she questioned, rasping her tongue over her dappled ears.

Tawnyspot sighed. "Skyfeather, you were right," she began. "Oakleaf and I did have something more than a friendship."

Even though Skyfeather could guess that the father was Oakleaf, she still acted surprised. "Oakleaf?" she gasped. "I knew it."

Tawnyspot looked down at her paws. "But I didn't want to have kits, Skyfeather!" she exclaimed. "It was almost like Oakleaf pressured me into doing it."

Skyfeather was shocked at Oakleaf's gesture of unkindness. She never would have thought that he would do such a thing. "Tawnyspot, if he did that, I'm not letting you see him ever again."

Tawnyspot looked confused. "I don't get it," she mewed. "Aren't you mad at me for loving a cat outside the Clan?"

Skyfeather chuckled. "Tawnyspot, dear, that certain section of the warrior code has been broken so many times that it's practically no longer the warrior code," she purred. Then she sighed and touched her nose to Tawnyspot's cheek. "Don't worry about it, dear. I just don't want you talking to Oakleaf anymore."

"But I love him!" Tawnyspot complained. "I love him, Skyfeather."

Skyfeather nodded. "Well then, I guess I can't stop you." She licked Tawnyspot's ear one last time before purring a good-bye and heading out of the nursery.

Fortunately, Moonflower was napping in the afternoon sun, so she couldn't scold Skyfeather for leaving the nursery. Sparrowstripe was crouched with Gingerfoot near the fresh-kill pile, so she trotted over to them.

"Skyfeather, you really shouldn't spend so much time out of the nursery," Gingerfoot mewed in concern. "You should stay in there as much as possible."

"I'm not useless, Gingerfoot," Skyfeather snapped. Then she turned to Sparrowstripe. "In fact, after I take a short nap, I want to go out on a patrol."

Sparrowstripe snorted. "Do you know what Stormstar would do to me if I allowed you to leave this camp?"

"I already go to Gatherings," Skyfeather put in. "Besides, now that Stormstar's cured, maybe he'll be more lenient."

Sparrowstripe shook his head. "I don't know, Skyfeather," he chuckled. "You're some she-cat."

Skyfeather ignored Sparrowstripe's comment and chose a thrush from the pile. She dragged it over to the nursery and sat down to eat.

"Skyfeather!" hissed an urgent voice. It was low, and in a whisper.

Skyfeather looked up. No cat was there, so she continued eating.

"Skyfeather, behind the nursery!"

Skyfeather got to her paws and looked around in confusion. The voice said "behind the nursery." Obediently, she padded behind the dense brambles to where the cats made their dirt. To her surprise, Cherrypaw was there, crouching low in the ferns.

"Cherrypaw?" Skyfeather hissed. "I told you to leave right after the Gathering!"

"I got lost!" Cherrypaw mewled. "When we were eating our herbs, a fox came. Snowstorm, Dustcloud, Frostfur, and Whitepaw are all out there somewhere, but I went another way! Now I'm lost, and in trouble with LightClan."

"LightClan?" Skyfeather echoed. "What about them?"

"I ran into their territory by accident," Cherrypaw explained. "I'm really sorry, but it was a fox! What should I do, Skyfeather?"

Skyfeather pondered the situation for a moment. If the rest of the patrol were out anywhere in the thick forest, Cherrypaw may never find them. "Cherrypaw, you'll have to do your best to scent them out," she finally decided. "If you find them, I'll know it."

"How?" Cherrypaw wondered.

"I will," Skyfeather stated simply. "Now go! Quickly, before another warrior spots you!"

Cherrypaw nodded and dashed away through the thick underbrush. Skyfeather stood there and watched her go until she could no longer smell a trace of her scent. Finally, when Cherrypaw was no longer in sight or in smell, Skyfeather turned around and padded back to her half-eaten thrush. She hoped Cherrypaw found the others. If she didn't, she'd be hopelessly lost in EmberClan's new territory.

Oh, StarClan, why did EmberClan have to move there right after the Gathering? Skyfeather asked silently. Please guide Cherrypaw.

When Skyfeather settled down for her afternoon nap in the sun, Firestar came to her again. Once more, it was in the three-trees clearing. But this time, Skyfeather was sitting on one of the tree forms, with a flaming Firestar atop the rock above her.

"Firestar, is Cherrypaw safe?" Skyfeather blurted out before Firestar could say anything.

Firestar chuckled. "Be patient, Skyfeather," he purred. "Cherrypaw's fine. She'll reach Snowstorm and the others in time. But I have more to say about Stormstar."

Skyfeather's ears prickled as Firestar spoke her mate's name. She listened intently for what he was about to say.

"RainClan has not seen the last of greencough," Firestar meowed, suddenly solemn. "Soon, loved ones will catch it, and those who have helped will suffer. And, most importantly"—Firestar paused to lower his voice into an urgent whisper—"Stormstar has not been cured."

Before Skyfeather could ask any questions about Firestar's words, he vanished, and another cat took his place. This cat was a small, light brown tom with a jet-black tail.

Black tail…Skyfeather thought. The cat with a black ending!

Skyfeather opened her mouth to mew a greeting, but she actually opened her mouth to sneeze, since some dust got up her nose from the earthy clearing ground. She got to her paws and yawned deeply. She felt disconcerted that she'd had no time to speak with the cat.

But she had seen him! She had seen the cat with a black ending! Now, she was sure Cherrypaw and the others would make it.