Gah, school started and is currently death. *-* Homework is killing me slowly... I didn't have any time to write really since I got back from my trip. This chapter (and probably chapters from now on) is shorter, only about 1,200 words. But I figured I'd better get it out as I haven't updated in like 2 weeks.

Nightbird1648: Yeah, both of them would be options. I can see why you're not sure, I only gave out the information that the cat is a tom and from SkyClan.

Leopardfire2002: You seem pretty sure of Bouncefire. Most other people thought it was one cat or another, not one in particular. Any reason why? :3

QLKwriter: Yeah, I tried to make it like Cinderstar had matured but Sootstar was held back by his grudge. And it would be ironic if SkyClan saved them seeing as Sootstar originally thought they were the ones stealing the fresh-kill.

ShadowHawk540: Just because he spoke out doesn't mean he's evil... Any other reasons or do you just feel like it's him?

Writing With A Smile: Cool new username! :) Originally I didn't recognize you but then I looked at your profile and realized you were actually EradrinSkyleaf. xD Glad your camp was amazing and life changing! Mine was too ^^

EmilyOwl1: That's a lot of books! ^^; I think I've read most of the super editions, some manga, and a couple books into the fifth series. And yeah, Nettlesplash's brothers are Rabbitleap and Creekfeather.

Willowdream of ForestClan: Are you still doing that? ^^; If you aren't I understand but if you are I'd love to see it! And yeah, sorry it took me so long to update so I think your review time is pretty good comparatively.

Sootstar's POV

Half a moon had passed since the Gathering. I sat under the Highledge, washing my paws. They were clean and had been for a little while now, but I dreaded putting them back down on the cold earth.

Dawnshine waddled over, her soft gray fur a shade lighter than the snow. "If you don't stop licking your paws, all your fur will fall out," she joked, sitting heavily beside me.

Wincing at the cold, I finally put my paw back down. Dawnshine had apparently waited until most of the Clan could see before telling me she was pregnant. In the time since she'd grown alarmingly wide, and Goldenwing had pronounced only last night that the kits would be soon in coming.

"More mouths to feed," she had remarked worriedly.

"Dawnshine eats enough for all of them already," I had joked, nuzzling her. Goldenwing had told us we were having two, maybe three kits, though one might be hiding behind the others. I'd suggested naming one Featherkit after Featherpaw, but Dawnshine was insistent that the name of Feather be unique to her sister. I didn't press the issue, as I'd found out the hard way earlier she was much more emotional whilst pregnant.

Rustpelt bounded over, his russet fur dusted with snow, giving the impression of an elder's graying pelt. "I'm taking a couple cats out hunting," he reported. "If any cat has any questions regarding patrols, they'll come to you for the afternoon."

"Sounds good," I nodded. "Good hunting."

"Thanks," Rustpelt grinned. He glanced briefly at Dawnshine and added, "Hope your kits are doing well!" then trotted away again.

"He's always working for the Clan, it seems," I murmured.

Dawnshine snorted. "Yeah, and nosing into other cats' conversations. Hasn't he ever heard of waiting at a respectful distance?"

"Hey be nice!" I chided, nudging her with my shoulder. "We weren't talking or anything. We were just sitting here. Plus, hunting patrols do need to go out. Our fresh-kill pile is always low nowadays." The addition of the new territory was extremely beneficial, but even that had recently begun to run dry. Our daily rations were getting lower and lower each sunrise.

Something ran into me, jolting me for the second time out of my musings. Glancing down, I saw Maplekit, Amberwing's brown-and-cream she-kit, blinking up at me in a stunned sort of way. No wonder, I thought to myself. To her, I must be like the side of camp. She's so much smaller than her brothers. Running into me would definitely take a moment to recover from.

"Hello, kits," Dawnshine purred.

"Hi Dawnshine!" Sunkit meowed, bouncing past his sister on his toes, tail in the air. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"Hey, Amberwing said I could tell her!" Birchkit, the largest of the three kits, tackled his brother, pinning him to the snowy ground. They tussled there for a moment, kicking up snow.

Dodging a pawful of snow, I suggested, "How about you tell Amberwing, Birchkit, and you can tell me, Sunkit?"

Sunkit's head shot up. "Yeah!" he agreed.

Birchkit still seemed rather sullen, but rolled off his brother anyway. "Fine," he grumbled.

I raised my eyebrows. "Or you could let Sunkit tell both of us," I offered. Sunkit grinned.

Birchkit's eyes widened in horror. "Uh, no, I'd much prefer the first one," he stammered, looking scared. I stared at him for a moment, and he added, "Th-Thanks."

I smiled and Birchkit relaxed. "Okay then, if you really do want that." I looked over at Sunkit. "Okay, what is it?"

Sunkit opened his mouth but Birchkit flicked his tail over it, muffling his brother's voice. "I get to tell Dawnshine first!" he complained.

Sunkit looked sullen but didn't object. "Sootstar, don't listen," he pleaded. I turned away and pretended not to hear as Birchkit took a deep breath and blurted out, "Amberwing said we should be getting our apprentice names soon!"

"Amberwing said we should be getting our apprentice names soon!" Sunkit echoed. I stared at him intently, ears shoved forward, exaggerating my attention to him. He giggled a little at my reaction, amber eyes dancing.

"Wow, really?" I asked, startled. She hadn't spoken to me about it at all.

"Yeah, we're right around our sixth moon!" Maplekit interjected, padding forward to stand in front of me. "Amberwing said you must be figuring out our mentors by now!" She shyly scooted up closer to me and whispered, "Can you tell me who mine will be?"

I forced a smile to cover my uncertainty. "Not yet, Maplekit, you have to be patient," I chided gently. "I'll tell you during your ceremony, okay?"

"Oh. Okay." Maplekit backed away, turning back to her brothers. "Guess what?" she asked enthusiastically, leaping up and down in her excitement.

"What?" Sunkit asked, Birchkit echoing a heartbeat after. "What?"

"I know a top-secret apprentice battle move," Maplekit meowed smugly.

"What?" Birchkit appeared flabbergasted. "But we don't have any apprentices!"

"I was watching Iceheart practicing with Robinchest," she boasted. "Watch me." She dashed off across the clearing, heading for the edge of camp. Birchkit and Sunkit skidded after her, paws slipping on the packed-down snow. Upon reaching the side of camp, Maplekit suddenly leaped up, bounding off the stone and twisting in midair. But her tail was too short and she lost her balance and, paws flailing wildly, hit the ground on her back.

"Smooth," Birchkit snorted.

"I was meant to land on my paws," Maplekit shot back grumpily, staggering upright again. "Or maybe on your back." Birchkit leaped at her in retaliation.

"Maplekit really is a different kit around her littermates," I meowed, recalling her shy demeanor when talking to me. "Maybe she should have a mentor who knows her well."

"Like you?" Dawnshine rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you haven't figured out their mentors yet."

I laughed. "Would it matter if I said no?"

"Well in this state I can't attack you or anything," Dawnshine grumbled, nosing her belly fur. "I wish these kits would just come. I'm getting impat—"

"Sootstar! Sootstar!" I glanced up to see Rustpelt dashing toward me.

"What now?" Dawnshine muttered.

Rustpelt slid to a halt in front of me, breaths coming in gasps. "I… the territory…"

"Slow down!" I ordered sternly. "Catch your breath. Then tell me."

"No time!" Rustpelt said urgently. "No…" He heaved a deep breath, then continued in a slightly more under control voice. "Scents. All across the territory. Other Clans."

"What?"

"The other Clans' scents are tracked… tracked all across our territory!" Rustpelt insisted. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dawnshine paying close attention, eyes narrowed.

"What does it mean?" I muttered, standing abruptly. "What…"

"I know," Rustpelt meowed grimly. "It… It didn't make sense to the hunting patrol either. But they're there and we have to deal with them." He sounded almost back to normal now. I marveled at his recovery speed. If I'd run across half the forest to get back to camp, I'd certainly take longer to catch my breath.

I clenched my teeth, sinking my claws into the ground in frustration. What in StarClan did this mean? What? Had the other Clans perhaps crisscrossed our territory to find prey? But they could easily have gone away from the lake into unclaimed territory for that, why spike up Clan tensions?

"We need to figure out if this happened with other Clans," I meowed finally. "If it's a common issue, we might be able to figure this out together. But if it's just us, then…" I picked up a paw, letting clumps of earth fall to the ground. "We might just be involved in the start of a war."

Sorry that was rushed. ^^; Wanted to get a chapter out.

QOTD: Who do you think Amberwing's kits' mentors will be?