As the patrol to WindClan returned to camp, a loud screech pierced the air. With a pang, Russetfur realized the cry had come from the nursery, and thought to herself despairingly, What has happened now? Fearing that Tallpoppy or her kits were hurt, she hurtled to the den. Inside, she was shocked to discover that it was Foxheart, having her kits. They weren't due for half a moon, Russetfur worried. The two kits that lay by Foxheart's stomach were quite small, but they appeared to be breathing.

Runningnose, who was crouched by her, stood carefully. "That's the last of them. I know they were born early, but they should be strong and healthy. Send for me if something is wrong." he meowed and exited the den. Foxheart, who looked positively exhausted, looked happily down at her kits. A wide smile spread across her tired face when Cloudpelt entered the den, his tail twitching nervously.

"They're all right?" he asked concernedly, looking down at the pair of kits, one ginger tabby with white flecks and a single white paw, and one white with a single ginger paw. Foxheart nodded, and the fur along his spine lay flat. "What shall we call them?" he asked, sitting down.

Foxheart studied the kits. "They're both she-kits. I think we should name her Sleetkit." She said, nuzzling the mostly white kit. Cloudpelt dipped his head in agreement.

"And perhaps Gingerkit, for her?" The tom suggested. Foxheart smiled and nodded in agreement. "Sleetkit and Gingerkit. Look, they stole each other's paws." he joked, seeing that they each had one mismatched paw, both on their left foreleg. Foxheart laughed, and Russetfur smiled in relief that her sister was alright. As Cloudpelt and Foxheart murmured happily to each other, gazing lovingly at their kits, Russetfur padded silently over to Tallpoppy, across the den. Dusk was setting in, but the tabby queen kept inching further and further towards the mouth of the den as the sun receded.

The dark ginger she-cat dipped her head in greeting and flopped down on the ground beside the queen. "Some day, huh?" Glancing over with kind golden eyes, Tallpoppy nodded.

"Some day. What happened with WindClan?" she inquired, nuzzling one of the sleeping kits when they started twitching.

Letting out a light sigh, the warrior replied, "Heatherstar died. That idiot Tallstar is leader now- the one who hurt Whitewater. He wouldn't give us Mudclaw. Raggedstar said that if he didn't give us Mudclaw before three suns have passed, there will be a battle." As she informed her sister of this, a nervous, frightened part of her curled up in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't scared so much that she would get hurt, but that pointless blood would spilled. Yes, Mudclaw should pay for what he had done, but was it really worth risking the lives of all their warriors?

"Oh, StarClan. I hope we fix everything up with WindClan before my kits are old enough to fight; I don't want them mixed up in this anymore than I want to be." The queen said sadly. As she spoke, the kit who had been twitching opened his eyes. They were a bright gold, like Tallpoppy's, but with a splinter of green in his left eye. "Tanglekit!" Tallpoppy smiled. The tabby kit smiled back up at her.

Tanglekit looked curiously around the den, seeing everything for the first time. His eyes finally landed on Russetfur, and he cocked his head sideways inquiringly. "I'm Russetfur, Tanglekit. Your mother is my sister." The tabby kit dipped his head. His handsome coat gleamed in the sun, and he carefully got to his paws. "Where are you off to?" Russetfur asked lightly. The kit only grinned and started trying to scale her sides. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, sliding down and slipping on the silky fur, he managed to get his paws safely onto her almost-spine. this was the highest point since she was lying on her side. He nimbly scampered toward her head before curling up on the warm fur just above her shoulder, his small warm body heating up Russetfur's neck. He nudged his chin under hers, so that his head was tucked under the warrior's chin.

Tallpoppy blinked amusedly at her kit's antics, a light purr rumbling in her throat. As her sister's kit slept on her neck, Russetfur wondered if she would have kits one day, to run and play and curl up at her stomach-or on her neck, as it were. A strange sense of longing pierced her heart, and she knew that she did want kits, one day. But for now, she had her sights set on keeping her family - and all its new additions - safe. The warm comfort of Tanglekit lulled her to sleep after the tiring events of her day, and Russetfur fell into a light doze.

Before the sun had completely dipped below the horizon, Raggedstar summoned the Clan, making Russetfur jerk awake. Tanglekit slid slowly down to the den floor from the movement, and Russetfur gently placed him next to his mother before trotting out of the den. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and wondered why Raggedstar had called the meeting. Taking her place near the pine, Nightpaw came and sat beside her. The apprentice was easily as big as his mentor, and he wasn't done growing.

"ShadowClan. As you know, I led a patrol to WindClan this sun. Tallstar, the new leader of WindClan, will not hand over the scum Mudclaw. I told him that I will not let his warriors continue to destroy the lives of ours, and that he has three days to give us Mudclaw." Raggedstar told the Clan in his booming voice.

Lizardstripe, sitting angrily at the edge of the crowd, got a slight flash of satisfaction in her eyes. "Also, four of our apprentices are long overdue to be warriors. I would like to hold the ceremony now." Raggedstar continued. Russetfur's eyes widened in surprise as she met gazes with Nightpaw. It had to be him and his littermates! Russetfur swiped her tongue over his ear proudly. This may be the last moment to think of him as Nightpaw. Pride roared inside the warrior like a lion- her apprentice was going to be a warrior! All the effort and training she had put in to make sure he was a credit to his Clan, the friendship she had forged with the black furred tom, it was all paying off because this was one of the best days of her life.

Forgetting all about WindClan, forgetting her worries about becoming a queen, Russetfur focused on this moment, a moment sweeter even then that of her own warrior ceremony, because this...This was something she really made happen. Was this how Hollyflower had felt at her own warrior ceremony? "Brightpaw! Stumpypaw! Nightpaw! Clawpaw! Please step forward." Raggedstar said, pushing all other thoughts from the ginger warrior's mind. "Warrior of StarClan, I ask you to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Oakfur, Foxheart, Russetfur- are you each satisfied that your apprentice has earned the name of a warrior?"

Foxheart, calling loudly from the mouth of the nursery, and Oakfur replied affirmatively at the same time, and Russetfur added fervently a moment later, "Yes." Her green eyes blazed with emotion as they rested on the midnight pelt of the cat that wouldn't be her apprentice for more than a few minutes more.

"I also agree that Clawpaw is ready to be a warrior. By the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names! Brightpaw, you shall be known from now on as Brightflower, in honor of the qualities even StarClan admires in you; your grace and dangerous beauty." The black and white she-cat flushed, but accepted her name proudly, licking Raggedstar's shoulder as the leader rested his head on her muzzle.

The new warrior backed away and Raggedstar continued. "Stumpypaw, you will be known as Stumpytail. StarClan honors your strength and determination." In the brief silence while Stumpytail and Raggedstar exchanged gestures, excitement built its fire higher in Russetfur. Nightpaw's next, she thought. She was proved right when Raggedstar spoke again. "Nightpaw!" This is it, Russetfur purred mentally.

"From this day forward, you shall be known as Nightpelt, for your dark coat. StarClan respects your loyalty and patience." Russetfur's not-apprentice licked her leader's shoulder, and the she-cat felt as if she was going to explode with pride. Nightpaw- Nightpelt, Nightpelt was a warrior. Clawpaw was named Clawface for the injuries that he had gotten during the day's patrol. Though his face was swathed with cobwebs, you could still see a happy smile on his muzzle, a rather rare occurrence for his temperament.

The Clan cheered for the new warriors, and Russetfur yelled happily, "Nightpelt! Nightpelt!" The black warrior made his way over to her, his amber eyes glowing. "I'm so proud of you, Nightpelt." They crossed their necks and pressed their heads against each other's shoulder comfortingly. Simply smiling happily, Nightpelt licked his friend's ear and went to join Brightflower at the camp entrance for their vigil.

The night was settling in, and Russetfur looked back at the entrance. Four pairs of eyes gleamed there, alert but happy. The four new warriors had finally gotten their names, and they seemed to be a bit wary. Russetfur had felt the same when she had become a warrior; it was a happy occasion but the responsibility that came with it was slightly daunting. Soon enough, those littermates would have apprentices, mates, kits, and they were pretty much all on their own. They had their friends and family, but no cat can help you the first time your apprentice steals prey, or when you fall in love and can't say a word. No cat can help you when you're a new mother or father, with tiny, helpless bundles of life that are completely yours to care for and to protect.

Sadly, Russetfur reflected the loneliness of warriorhood, even in the midst of your own Clan. Peeking back in the nursery on her way to the warrior's den, she saw that Tanglekit was still awake, and sitting shivering a couple tail-lengths from his mother. Russetfur blinked warmly at him, and he nodded back at her. The kit was probably wondering what it would be like when he himself became a warrior, since he had undoubtedly heard the ceremony. The warrior wondered who he would be. Would he be a kind, gentle tom who is as as softspoken as Cedarheart? Or would he be more like Blackfoot, fierce and ready for battle at any moment? What would Tallpoppy's other kits turn out to be? What about Foxheart's? The questions swirled endlessly about Russetfur's mind.

Turning away from the nursery, the she-cat padded softly to the warrior's den. Her nest was still on the outskirts of the den, so she pulled some moss together and made a second nest in the empty space beside her, hoping Nightpelt would know it was for him. Curling up in her own nest, lined with soft moss and a couple of feathers, Russetfur curled up with her tail over her nose and slept, delving into her dreams.


A/N: Another short, late chapter. Sorry. Been really busy, and I probably will continue to be throughout the week, since I have State Music Festival coming up. I will hopefully have the next chapter up ASAP but I'm not promising anything. Tanglekit's cute though, isn't he? Just wait :) If I recall correctly (and I must check my little timeline thingy) there will be another timewarp in this next chapter, but I'm not altogether sure... Yeah, I dunno :/ However, what I do know is that we are finally approaching the very exciting part that I started writing this whole damn story for: yay! I'm not saying it's in the next chapter, though it could be, but it will be in the next ten. Ha ha ha ha ha SUSPENSE! Also, does anyone feel the need for a third allegiances what with all the kits, or should I wait a couple chapters for that? Let me know.