Jayfeather realized he was in a dream, he saw a beetle in the grass. He watched as it climbed to a hilltop, it took off into the dawn sky.

As he was watching it fly away, he saw Firestar walk to his side.

"Jayfeather, ThunderClan will lose more warriors. You will lose another clanmate, one who is still bitter."

"I can't think of any warrior who is bitter besides Spiderleg." Jayfeather huffed.

"I'm serious, ThunderClan will need you even more." Firestar snapped. "Goodbye Jayfeather."

It had been two days since Dovewing's kitting, and Larry couldn't be more bored. His heart broke with sadness as every sound of his friends, as they reminded him of his best friend and mate leaving him and all of them behind.

I wish she would've expected my kits before I was trapped in this god forsaken role, words cannot describe how much I miss her.

"Larry!"

He was surprised to hear his twoleg name in so long and saw it was Kim, looking very sick.

"Oh no." Jayfeather hissed under his breath. "Not greencough again!"

"Greencough?" Larry and Kim asked at the same time.

"Chest infections, disease can spread like wildfire." Jayfeather explained, frantically looking for catmint. "Beetlepaw, do you see any catmint?"

"No, what does that look like again?"

"C'mon Beetlepaw, you can't possibly be useless at medicine cat duties too!"

Beetlepaw turned around and saw Poppyfrost giving him a bitter glare. He was confused why she of all cats was glaring at him when he remembered she was Berrynose's mate...till Carrie killed him.

I was his last apprentice, I know she couldn't think I killed him, but she thinks I let him down...no wonder she's so snappy.

"The Gathering is tonight." Jayfeather sighed. "It's not a good time for our Clan to catch greencough."

"Isn't this awesome?" Corey purred outside the den, with Burdenpaw right behind him. "Your first Gathering!"

Larry sighed as he saw the rest of the Grojcats with their apprentices, Laney excitedly telling Firepaw stories while Badgerpaw and Dustpaw were listening intently.

I have a dead mentor, a blind cat forcing herbs upon me, my only friends left are seducing toms, and my mate is out and about away from the territories...possibly meeting a better tom...

No!

Larry leaped on all fours, sending herbs scattering.

"What in the name of StarClan Beetlepaw?!" Jayfeather snarled. "We're looking for catmint and you decide to throw all the herbs in a bigger mess?!"

"I..."

"Save it. If you're only going to make this harder, then go walk it off till you're calm." Jayfeather growled impatiently.

Beetlepaw did so but stormed out of the den only to be stopped by a growing crowd of cats, making him wonder what the heck was going on.

"Thornclaw? How many lives does Bramblestar have now?" Brackenfur demanded to the deputy. He reeled when the deputy started shaking violently in his own pelt.

"You have greencough too!" Hollypetal gasped.

"Bramblestar..." Thornclaw started but started coughing in his sentence. "...has only one life left."

"Wait what?" Corey stammered. "What does that mean?"

"Leaders have nine lives." Kon explained. "When he dies on his last life he won't come back!"

"Wouldn't ThunderClan need a new deputy soon?" Laney asked curiously.

"Yeah, but you need an apprentice first-"

"I have an apprentice!" Corey smiled. "Think of it Laney! I could be the next Clan leader!"

"That would be...a really big task Core!" Laney gasped. "And we should probably see how this 'greencough' goes before you decide anything."

"Both the leader and the deputy are sick!" Kon sighed. "I-"

"KON!"

"Konnie?!" Kon gasped, he bolted to the Nursery and ran to the medicine cats. "She's having our kits early!"

Jayfeather walked into the den, Larry just sitting near Corey and Laney. The former putting his paw on the latter's paw.

They're bound to become mates soon enough, meanwhile deadbeat Larry is just sitting here forced to accept seasons and seasons and seasons of helping cats with herbs...no, I can't possibly do this that long...I'd throw myself off a cliff before I did such a thing.

"Beetlepaw!"

Larry sighed and went into the Nursery and realized he was helping his own friend have kits, he suddenly felt motivated to help.

"Konnie?" Larry meowed. "Take deep breaths, I'll go get you a stick to help you."

He ran to the forest and as he was about to pick up a stick, he saw the sky vast and beautiful, mostly orange with shades of pink.

It'll be too late to save Carrie if I wait tomorrow...I'm leaving ThunderClan. But I should at least help our friend have kits.

Larry told a tough branch and brought it over to the Nursery and brought it over, he saw Kon was already reassuring her. And soon enough, Konnie gave birth to a yellow tom with orange stripes.

"Is...there anymore?" Kon asked Jayfeather, to which he shook his head.

"Well, hopefully he'll be enough to impress both of us." Konnie purred weakly, licking the tom vigorously as he crawled to her belly.

Oh, it would be just wonderful if me and Carrie could do that. Maybe I find her again and we could start over, with cats who actually care about us. I hope she's found some great friends.

"What will the kit's name be?" Larry asked, more cheerful at the prospect of getting out of this wasteland.

"Cheesekit!" Kon and Konnie yowled at the same time. They looked at each affectionately and started nuzzling.

"What in the name of StarClan is a cheese?" Jayfeather muttered. "Oh well, that be his name then. Going to make dirt, Beetlepaw?"

Larry froze as Jayfeather caught him in mid-escape from the camp and turned around and sheepishly nodded.

"Well, be quick." Jayfeather replied, as he turned to check on the kit.

Larry knew there was a hole in the dirtplace in which he could escape and was delighted that Jayfeather unknowingly reminded him.

What a stupid old bat, soon I'll be with Carrie again!

Larry crawled out the hole and made a dead sprint for the WindClan border.

Finally, that stupid Clan will never keep me apart from my Carrie ever again!