A rasping cough rattled through the night air, waking Aurorastar. She raised her head, ears pricked.

The cough repeated again, this time followed by a quiet murmur.

It must be Searose, Aurorastar thought.

After visiting StormClan a half moon ago, Searose had seem to have grown more tired. Lately Aurorastar noticed that her eyes were beginning to glaze over, as well as she had gained a cough and wet, runny nose.

"I'm fine," she kept insisting, but anyone could tell that Searose had contracted whitecough and could possibly be in danger of getting greencough.

I must send her to Starwhisper, Aurorastar decided. Ignoring her protesting muscles, she walked out of her den, only to find that her job had already been done.

Nightsun and Searose were walking towards Starwhisper's den, though Aurorastar noticed that Nightsun seemed to be leading more than walking with his sister. When he noticed Aurorastar, he winked one of his golden eyes. Aurorastar gave him a grateful glance, and behind it, love.

Though Nightsun had recently become Aurorastar's mate, Nightsun had moved back to the warrior's den. After realizing that his sister may be sick, he wanted to take good care of her. Aurorastar respected his choice since she knew how it felt to want to care for a sibling.

Aurorastar watched when the two cats disappeared behind the brambles of Starwhisper's den. She waited, and when Nightsun did not come out of the den after a little while, she turned her eyes to the tree branches above her.

The branches covered the camp like a canopy, though now that the leaves were turning color, they scattered to the ground. Now the branches and remaining leaves were covered in a layer of pale, white frost, shimmering in the moonlight. The air tasted dry and cold, causing Aurorastar to sneeze.

When Nightsun finally exited Starwhisper's den, Aurorastar turned her gleaming eyes to him. She was pleased to see that Searose was not with him.

Good. I don't want Searose to wear herself out.

Nightsun glanced up at Aurorastar, then slowly padded towards her.

Aurorastar's stomach tightened. Every time she looked at him, her fur would prickle and her heart would race.

I love him so much.

When he reached her side, Aurorastar buried her nose into his shoulder fur.

"We haven't taken a walk together in a while," Nightsun started quietly. "Care to go for a little nighttime stroll with me?"

Aurorastar's eyes brightened. "Yes," she replied.

A warm look passed over Nightsun's face. Pelts brushing, the two cats ambled their way over to the entrance.

Eaglefeather was guarding the camp that night. "Have a good walk," he mewed, his blue eyes glowing with amusement.

Aurorastar and Nightsun walked on for a little while, fur brushing, tails twined. A cold leaf-fall breeze blew through the air. Aurorastar shivered.

"Cold?" Nightsun asked.

"A little," Aurorastar admitted.

"How about a little run to warm us up?" His ears were now flattened playfully.

"Okay," Aurorastar meowed, and without giving Nightsun time to reply, she shot off towards the lake.

"Hey!" Nightsun growled, pounding after her. Though his voice was stern, his eyes shined with laughter.

Aurorastar raced ahead, but she could feel Nightsun's warm breath on her tail.

She yowled with alarm as her front paw caught in a bramble trend, tripping her and causing her to slam into the ground. She let a hiss of pain as a trickle of blood appeared under her thin paw fur.

"Are you okay?" Nightsun asked through panting breaths. He gave Aurorastar's paw a small sniff before grabbing the bramble carefully in his teeth, pulling it off his mate's paw.

Aurorastar's fur prickled with embarrassment. I must look like some mousebrained kit needing help from its mother. She got up from her sprawled position on the ground, giving her paw a brisk lick. She suddenly eyed Nightsun.

He was lying on his back next to her. His gaze was on her for a moment, but once realizing that her paw was okay, his gaze drifted up to the starry sky above him.

Aurorastar starred at him warmly before plopping down next to him.

"The stars have always amazed me," Nightsun whispered. "There are just so many of them. How could every single one of them be a StarClan warrior?"

"Well, there are eight Clans, and they have been here for a very long time. Not to mention the time when only ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan lived in the old forest."

Nightsun's eyes began to glow with amusement. "I bet that star is the spirit of my mother, Goldenshade." He pointed a paw at a bright star that almost looked like it was cornering a group of other stars. "She was always arguing and trying to pick fights. She could be a bit mousebrained sometimes."

Mocking amusement shimmered in Aurorastar's eyes. "Well, now you know where you got that trait."

Nightsun let out a growl, cuffing her over the ear playfully. He got up and towered over her as if to attack. Aurorastar squirmed away from his paws, got up, and raced away, Nightsun chasing after her.

Letting out a mrrow of laughter, Aurorastar kicked out her back legs, showering Nightsun in brown, crispy leaves.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. With a wave of his tail, he grabbed a wad of leaves in his mouth and tossed them at Aurorastar. She screeched excitedly, then quieted down, realizing she was acting like a kit.

Nightsun snorted in amusement, his golden eyes shining. Aurorastar locked her gaze with his.

"I love you," Nightsun said, his voice soft and full of love.

"I love you, too." Aurorastar stepped forward and pressed her nose against his, not releasing her touch.

They stood there for what felt like a moon before Nightsun whispered, "You will be a wonderful mother someday."

Aurorastar gazed up at him. He suddenly looked away, a look of embarrassment in his eyes. "I'm sorry..."

"No." Aurorastar rested her tail on his shoulder. "It's okay." Her pelt began to prickle with embarrassment, but she pushed that feeling away. "I would like to have our kits someday."

Nightsun starred at her with a look of happiness. "Then I will be proud to be the father."

And the two cats stood there, gazing, until the sun began to rise in the slowly brightening sky.

Some NightxAurora action in this chapter :) Sorry it was kinda short. I hope to try and post another chapter today. Hope you enjoyed this one. Please review!

~Lunar