AN: I'm back. For real.

Snowkit let out an exasperated sigh as Leafpelt thoroughly sniffed her over. "You have been sniffing me for moons. When can I go to the nursery and see my new friends?"

Leafpelt paused, looking up at Snowkit. "I need to make sure you have no infection or anything. Living in the Ratplace can be dangerous; a rat could have bitten you and the wound could have been infected."

The medicine cat once again buried her nose into Snowkit's fur. Letting out a deep sigh once more, Snowkit strained to her left, perking her ears up.

"...don't know if Icefeather will approve of this." Snowkit recognized Thornfrost, the golden brown tabby tom who was Dawnstar's mate and her foster father.

Leaning more towards the left, Snowkit could barely make out the golden brown tom and Dawnstar behind the ferns, deep in conversation.

"Well, right now she doesn't really have a choice." Dawnstar's voice was tinged with fatigue from the moons and moons of leading a Clan. "We have to accept Snowkit. Besides, it will be good for us to be parents, especially since Leafpelt told us I can't have kits."

Thornfrost frustratingly dug his claws into the earth, still moist from the rain from the previous night. "I know...I just wish she really was ours. I hate having to lie to the Clan because of this."

"It is because of the Clan we must lie. Imagine what would happen if we revealed Snowkit was actually a rogue. Our Clan would be split in two - one for us accepting the rogue, the other against it. We can't have that happen to DarkClan. We must stay together as a Clan as leaf-bare approaches and the other Clans threaten to stir up arguments."

There was a brief silence as Thornfrost stared at Dawnstar, his thoughts calculating in his mind. Eventually he let out a sigh. "Very well. We will keep her a secret."

Snowkit sat in silence as Thornfrost and Dawnstar's voices drifted away. Could she really possibly cause a Clan fight? Was she worth all that trouble?

"Left, right, left, right...no, you messed up again!" Larkkit's lazy voice rose above the chaos of kits as they practiced their fighting skills. She was perched up on top of a rock, nonchalantly nibbling on a piece of fresh-kill.

Snowkit frustratingly dropped her paws. Over and over again had they been slicing the air with their paws. Swallowkit, Larkkit's brother, sat next to her, showing equal frustration.

Sure, Larkkit was her best friend. She had been the first one to really accept her. However, Larkkit wasn't perfect. SHe had her flaws.

"Larkkit, c'mon," Breezekit complained. "We've been doing this forever! We started at dawn, and now it's sun high! Thornfrost promised to take us exploring, and if we continue doing this, we won't go!"

"Oh, pity you." Larkkit sneered. "And of course you're the one that's always messing up the moves. What about ou, Swallowkit? Snowkit? What do you think?"

Snowkit kept her jaws clamped shut. She knew better than to talk back at Larkkit. If she spoke one word against her, Snowkit's eyes would be clawed out. Apparently, Swallowkit didn't know this, for her said, "I'd like to go with Thornfrost and Breezekit."

Larkkit glared at Swallowkit. "What? After all this hard work and training?"

Swallowkit shrugged. "I think we've trained enough. Besides, maybe we'll learn something from Thornfrost. He is the deputy."

"Well, you won't learn anything from Thornfrost," Larkkit retorted. "You won't get any real information until you're six moons old!"

"At least it's better to have some background information," Breezekit countered. Snowkit tensed as Larkkit's fur fluffed up. She wondered what her best friend was going to do...

"Fine. Go." Larkkit's voice was brittle like ice. "Your loss, anyway. Snowkit and I will be the better warriors - just watch."

Breezekit and Swallowkit glanced at Larkkit. "We'll tell you how good it was," Breezekit meowed. Larkkit rolled her eyes. "Trust me, it won't be any good. But, it's your choice. And it's just my opinion."

Breezekit and Larkkit angrily stared at each other as Thornfrost padded up. Snowkit straighted her back and puffed out her chest as her father approached. She wanted to impress him; especially after what happened that morning.

"Is everything all right here?" Thornfrost boomed, flexing his broad shoulders.

Larkkit nodded. "Yes, Thornfrost. We were just training."

Thornfrost chuckled. "Training, eh? How many of you are coming with me to the forest?"

"We are!" Breezekit and Swallowkit chimed. Thornfrost glanced at Larkkit and Snowkit. "Are you coming with us?"

Snowkit shook her head. "No, we're staying to train some more."

Thornfrost chuckled again. "You'll make great warriors, I'm telling you. Just take my word."