Another short chapter perfectly on time! Enjoy, everyone!

Having grown up in an overpopulated Clan, Blossomstar had never imagined that she would one day worry about the lack of kits; but there she was. Of course, it was objectively an atrocious time for newborns, with the growing cold and all that, but the nursery had been empty for moons now, and all the apprentices were ten moons old. MistClan had a lot of reliable young warriors, yet she still worried: accident and diseases, potentially deadly, were unpredictable. While it was terrible to think in terms of quantity rather than individuals, it was a truth that a Clan going for too long without kits would dwindle and disappear.

At least, leaf-fall was rather mild this time around. Plenty of prey still roamed the forest and they didn't live with a constant hunger pulling at their insides. No later than the day before, she had congratulated Tawnypaw for catching a hare – under the proud gaze of his mentor, Buzzard. As he was Hootpuddle's son, maybe hard work ran in the family…

Interrupting her musings, Pricklesong let herself in the leader's den, yawning with all the grace of a freshly awakened cat. They spent a little more time together now that Bayfur was officially a medicine cat. Her friend gave more responsibilities to her former apprentice 'to let her learn how to work by herself' and 'to get the Clan used to her'. From a warrior apprentice's point of view, it seemed silly – ultimately, despite the teachings, the patrols and the general social aspect of Clan-life, hunting and fighting were things that a cat did on their own – but now that Blossomstar was a leader, she understood. It sometimes felt like half of her work was preparing MistClan and Snaildapple to the moment she would be gone.

"I've got good news," the brown and white she-cat mewed in between yawns, "Alderwhisper and Mumblepond are at it again."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Kits, Blossomstar. A new litter, by the end of next moon I'd say."

This season, good news easily wiped her worries away. Almost too easily. But she didn't have Webhollow's intuition – and for what good it did the younger warrior to constantly wonder if each and every feeling meant a disaster was coming, Blossomstar considered herself better without it – so her only choice was to accept things as they came and do her best.

"Well, since he's partially responsible, Mumblepond will have to take over Rainpaw's training," she decided.

The medicine cat nodded as she began to groom herself. After all, it was the least they could do to avoid turning the kit's apprenticeship into a nightmare when she was just a few moons shy of ready to be made a full warrior.

Hopefully, the next update will be in two weeks - and this time, the chapter will definitely be longer.