A/N: This is another shorty, but with good reason. I like it alright though. It's a nice, compact chapter. If my estimate is correct, there should be... 2 more chapters. I guess we'll see ;)

To my reviewers~

Kai Lover911: I just couldn't go through three months of Hollystep doing next to nothing xD Same with this chapter. Fun fact: My cat had kittens (I'm sure I've mentioned that 8 million times but) and the birthing process is 1: really quite gross and 2: not nearly as dramatic as the warriors series makes it out to be xD No stick required, just a couple hours, a couple of contractions, and plop plop plop, kittens! So I always try to convey that now that I know.

SierraStanley: I'm glad you liked the chapter and kits! I think they're a perfect blend of Rainwhisker and Hollystep personally. And don't worry... there's much more in store. It's just going into a NEW STORY :D

Stormbreeze: Thank you so much for the review, and for the suggestions! I think I'll use one or two :D The mentors have already been decided unfortunately, but I really liked your warrior name ideas. Hope you keep reading and reviewing!

Enjoy!

Chapter 26

When the first golden light of dawn touched the forest, Hollystep collected her catch and trotted quickly back to camp. She dipped her head to Brackenfur, who was on guard, and pushed her way into the hollow as it slowly came to life. Brambleclaw sat next to the fresh-kill pile, ready to assign patrols. When she deposited her prey, Hollystep flicked her ears in greeting.

She didn't stay to chat, though. The tabby queen caught sight of Firestar sitting beneath the high-ledge with Sandstorm and went to join him.

"Good morning, Firestar," she bowed her head respectfully.

"Good morning," the flame-pelted tom's whiskers twitched in amusement. "You sneak out of camp more and more as your kits grow."

"Speaking of," Hollystep tilted her chin up. "I think it's time my kits were apprenticed."

Sandstorm purred warmly. "They have reached their sixth moon, Firestar. They grew so quickly…"

Firestar nodded. "Very well. We'll hold their ceremony at sunset, and celebrate ThunderClan's strength in this mild leaf-bare."

Hollystep nearly bounced with excitement. "Thank you, Firestar." She spun and hurried back to Brambleclaw.

"I'll take the dawn patrol tomorrow."

Brambleclaw blinked curiously at her, and Spiderleg snorted, "Those kits are going to be into all kinds of trouble if they find out you'll be gone from dawn until sunhigh."

"By dawn tomorrow that will be their mentor's problem," Hollystep countered, pleased by the excited murmurs that followed her indirect announcement.

"I don't think we've ever had so many apprentices in leaf-bare…!" Brightheart's tail flicked eagerly.

"Has Firestar told you who their mentors will be?" Birchfall inquired. Beside him, Speckledpaw's eyes stretched wide.

"Will you mentor two apprentices?"

Birchfall rolled his eyes and touched his nose to his apprentice's ear. "No, Speckledpaw," he laughed. "There are plenty of other warriors ready to take on their apprentice." The tortoiseshell and white she-cat looked equal parts disappointed and relieved.

"I'm going to go tell them," Hollystep took a couple of mice from the fresh-kill pile for her kits. "Firestar said the ceremony would be at sunset." With feather-light paws, Hollystep brought the fresh-kill to the nursery. As soon as she approached, Fawnkit cannoned out.

"Have you been hunting again?" Her eyes glowed as she took in the fresh-kill at Hollystep's paws.

"Yes," Hollystep put her paw over the mouse Fawnkit was all but drooling over. "Wake Sweetkit and Sootkit and then you can eat."

"It's not my fault they're not awake yet," Fawnkit pointed out fussily. "I'll leave them plenty…"

"Now." Hollystep narrowed her eyes at the kit, and she instantly turned tail and disappeared back into the nursery, muttering under her breath. StarClan watch over whomever Firestar chooses to mentor her.

Sootkit slipped out of the nursery only moments later, a large yawn stretching his jaws. "Good morning," he mumbled. He jumped as Sweetkit burst out behind him.

"What a pretty day…!" She flicked her fluffy tail apologetically in Sootkit's direction and padded to the fresh-kill Hollystep had brought them. When Fawnkit rejoined them she stepped back to let them choose what they wanted. Fawnkit snatched the mouse she'd been eyeing, leaving a vole and another mouse for her siblings. Hollystep watched the camp while they ate. She knew Rainwhisker had already taken the dawn patrol, and Brambleclaw was leaving at the head of a hunting patrol. Leafpool and Redpaw were carefully lying leaves out in the sunlight. Hollystep had been surprised by Redpaw's choice initially, but over the last four moons he had shown as much compassion and talent as she'd been told Leafpool had once shown. It's good to see Leafpool with an apprentice finally, Hollystep realized with a sigh. She's been shouldering the health of ThunderClan on her own for far too long.

When the kits had finished eating, Hollystep waved her tail to get their attention. "Now before you run off and cause trouble," she growled. "I want you to know something." Three sets of eyes rose to meet hers, two as brilliantly blue as their father's and one of bright golden-amber. When she was certain they were listening, Hollystep continued, "I've been to see Firestar this morning, and he's agreed that it's you all became apprentices." She cut off their excited squeals with a lash of her tail. "But! If you set even a whisker out of line before sunset when he calls for the ceremony to begin, I'll have you tails—and tell him that you're not ready after all."

"But we are!" Fanwkit bounced up and down. "We been six moons old for days!"

Sweetkit nodded energetically. "And besides, you want to get out of the nursery as much as we do," her eyes flashed mischievously as Hollystep swatted at her playfully.

"I know you'll all do wonderfully," she rasped her tongue across Sootkit's tufty black ears a few times. "Just remember—a single whisker…"

"We know, we know," Fawnkit stood on her hind legs and swatted at the air. "We'll behave, we promise!" Sweetkit let out a playful growl and knocked her sister off balance. Hollystep shook her head, but couldn't bring herself to feel exasperated. I'll be back in the warriors' den tonight…!

She settled in the sunshine outside the nursery and watched her kits play, trying to guess who Firestar would appoint to mentor them. Sweetkit would need a patient mentor—one that would put up with her jokes and antics without getting too cross. Fawnkit, Hollystep thought, would need a mentor that could challenge her, as Cloudtail had Hollystep herself. Cloudtail's tongue was as sharp as her own, and his ability to brush off her attitude—and her to brush off his—is what made them so compatible. Sootkit needed a challenge as well, just of a different type. He was soft-spoken and uncertain of himself, and would need a mentor that could push him to have more confidence. Who would you choose…? She tried to think of it from Firestar's perspective as opposed her own as their mother.

She was still puzzling over it when Fawnkit and Sootkit broke apart. She looked up and felt a purr rising in her throat as Rainwhisker approached.

"I heard the news," he touched his nose to each of their kits' in turn. "You must be excited."

"Will you mentor one of us?" Sweetkit's eyes glittered hopefully.

"Of course not," Hollystep snorted. "Parents never mentor their kits." It's a shame, she conceded silently. He'd make a fine mentor for Sootkit.

"That's not fair," Fawnkit spat. Rainwhisker rolled his eyes, but licked the fiery kit's head.

"Firestar will pick a good mentor for each of you," he promised them. "Train hard and make us proud."

When the sun finally began setting, Hollystep thought her kits were going to come out of their fur. Fawnkit paced outside the nursery, her tail lashing. Sweetkit was grooming her thick fur for the hundredth time, and Sootkit sat near his sister, his amber eyes on the horizon. Firestar emerged from his den and all three sets of eyes snapped to the high-ledge.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high-ledge for a Clan meeting!"

"It's time!" Sweetkit sprang to her paws.

Hollystep gave them each a brisk lick between the ears. "Remember," she purred quietly. "No matter who your mentors are, you're going to blow them away." With that, she ushered her kits to the front of the gathering Clan.

"I've called you here for one of my favorite duties as a leader. It's time for three kits to join life in the forest as apprentices." Hollystep puffed her chest out proudly as her Clan-mates shared approving nods and whispers of anticipation. "Come forward, you three." They stepped forward side by side, Fawnkit and Sweetkit pressing encouragingly against Sootkit's flanks.

"Sweetkit, from this moment, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Sweetpaw. Brackenfur, as one of my senior warriors, I trust you will pass on all of your skill and wisdom to this young apprentice." The golden-brown warrior stepped forward and graciously bent to touch noses with Sweetpaw. The little gray she-cat looked awestruck as she touched her startlingly pink nose to his. Good choice, Hollystep thought with a silent sigh of relief. Firestar turned to Sootkit next.

"Sootkit, from this moment, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Sootpaw. Squirrelflight, you journeyed to the sun-drown-place and are beyond ready for your first apprentice. Pass on all you've learned on your journey's as well as your own courage and independence to young Sootpaw."

Another good choice, Hollystep blinked warmly as Squirrelflight touched her nose to Sootpaw's and murmured a soft encouragement to him. As they moved aside Firestar addressed Fawnkit.

"Fawnkit, from this moment, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Fawnpaw. Hazelfang, Thornclaw did a fine job training you, and I think it's time you took your first apprentice. Pass on all of your strength and skill to young Fawnpaw, and never hesitate to ask older warriors for advice." Hollystep's whiskers twitched as Fawnpaw thrust her head up to bump her nose gracelessly against Hazelfang's.

"Sweetpaw! Sootpaw! Fawnpaw!" Hollystep started the cheer, leaping to her paws and rushing to greet her kits by their new names. Rainwhisker was only a step behind her. Nettlepaw and Duskpaw hurried to the newly named apprentices.

"Come on," Nettlepaw nudged Sweetpaw towards the apprentices' den.

"We'll be sharing a den again," Duskpaw head-butted Sootpaw. "We've got to get your nests situated."

All of the apprentices ran for their den, chattering loudly.

"It's good to see so many young cats," Mousefur rasped. "Our lives will be even easier from now on."

Longtail purred an agreement. "Especially if Hollystep's kits take after her."

Hollystep ducked her head, knowing that the elders were referring to how fond they'd grown of her while she'd taken care of them for a moon as a punishment when she'd been an apprentice.

Slowly, the Clan began gathering around the fresh-kill pile, brushing pelts and exchanging warm pleasantries. Hollystep took large rabbit from the pile and brought it to Rainwhisker.

"Want to share?"

The gray warrior's whiskers twitched. "Of course I do."

Settled between Rainwhisker and Birchfall, surrounded by the warmth and comfort of her Clan-mates, Hollystep could only feel hopeful for the seasons to come. This mild leaf-bare is only the beginning of our prosperity.