Chapter 1

Silverheart stretched in the morning new leaf sun. She loved the mornings, and now that leaf bare was over, she loved the warm, dewy mornings.

"Silverheart! You're on the dawn hunting patrol with me!" Tulipflower yowled from across camp.

Silverheart was overjoyed. Tulipflower had become one of Silverheart's closest friends, along with Shadeflower and Oakstorm.

She bounded across the camp to her friend, and asked, "who else is coming?"

"Grayheart, Oakstorm, and Duskfoot."

"Yay!" She purred. "Is Duskfoot leading it?" She asked.

He nodded his head, and then called for the others.

When they came, they started the patrol. Silverheart slowed to match their speed with Tulipflower and Oakstorm. "I'm glad we get to patrol together."

"Me too," Oakstorm purred.

"Shut up and let's hunt." Duskfoot scolded sharply.

"Yikes," Oakstorm whispered. "Duskfoot's having a bad day."

"I think he's always like this." Silverheart whispered, careful to not let Duskfoot hear.

"I can't believe that someone as sweet as Thornfur would decide to be his best friend." Tulipflower gasped.

"I heard that they became mates!" Oakstorm whispered with a glow in her eyes.

"Like me and Ravenfur. We should stop gossiping, he's gonna hear us!" Silverheart hissed.

Luckily, the white tom was focused on a mouse nest under a tree's roots, swishing his tail back and forth impatiently.

"Duskfoot?" Silverheart mewed, carefully not to disturb his hunt.

"What?" He hissed.

"Tulipflower and I are going to go and check the abandoned two leg nest. Okay?"

"Sure, whatever. Just be back soon."

"Okay," Silverheart nodded.

She left with Tulipflower to the abandoned two leg nest and began hunting.

"I smell vole." Tulipflower meowed, keeping his gaze fixed on a small opening in the ferns.

"Me too," Silverheart said tasting the air.

"Do you want to catch it?" Tulipflower asked. "I can look for something else, and I saw a squirrel's nest just a second ago.

"Thanks," she nodded her head. She crouched and tried to pinpoint where the vole was hiding in the luscious green ferns. She waited for a few moments, and when she finally saw movement in the ferns, she pounced. But something wasn't right, right then she felt sick and weak. She gasped, and fell on her side next to the ferns, while the vole scurried away.

"Silverheart! Are you okay?" Tulipflower rushed to her side, dropping his squirrel carefully.

She groaned when she sat back up. "I feel sick." She whimpered. "It happened so fast! I leaped, and in midair, I felt nauseous, and I fell."

"Here, I'll help you up." He nudged her to her paws, and she leaned on his shoulder while they walked back to the patrol.

"Duskfoot, I feel sick." Silverheart meowed when they reached Duskfoot.

Duskfoot lowered his head and muttered something under his breath. "Tulipflower, bring her to the medicine cats. We will continue hunting, and will be back in camp soon. Tell Duststar."

Tulipflower nodded, and he and Silverheart walked back to camp.

When they reached camp, Tulipflower called for Duststar.

"What is it Tulipflower? Are the snakes back?" He mewed half joking.

Tulipflower shook his head. "Silverheart needs to see the medicine cats. I assisted her here, and came to deliver a message from Duskfoot."

"What is it?" Duststar asked.

"His patrol is going to continue hunting, but will come back to camp soon."

Duststar nodded his head. "Thank you for telling me."

Silverheart started padding towards the medicine den. Her mate, Ravenfur was the first to greet her.

He purred, "how is my mate and the best cat in the Clans?"

"Sick," she meowed sadly.

"Really?" He paused for a second. "Cedarleaf! Come here!"

His sister came around the corner of the medicine den. "What?" She asked sharply.

"Silverheart, tell her what seems wrong. I promised Shadeflower I would meet her near the FrostClan border to show her a new herb I found. Don't worry, Cedarleaf can help you. Will you be okay?" Ravenfur gazed into her eyes.

"I'll be fine. Go meet Shadeflower, Cedarleaf can help me."

"Of course I can." Cedarleaf mewed. "I'm a medicine cat after all."

Ravenfur nodded, and left the den.

"So what's wrong?" Cedarleaf asked, shuffling her herbs together. "Make it quick. Mistythorn has a scrape on her leg, and I need to put these herbs on it soon."

"I feel sick. I went hunting with Oakstorm, Tulipflower, and Duskfoot this morning, and Tulipflower and I went to go and hunt near the abandoned two leg den. I was stalking a vole we found, and when I leapt, I felt nauseous and fell. I still feel kind of bad."

Cedarleaf paused her mixing, and came to Silverheart's side. She gave her a few sniffs, and then meowed, "can you lay on your side for me?"

Silverheart did as she was told, and let herself fall carefully onto a nest of feathers.

Cedarleaf studied Silverheart for a few moments, and then gently pressed her paws onto Silverheart's belly. She sat down for a minute, amusement and delight glowing in her amber eyes. She padded back to her herbs and began mixing again.

"Cedarleaf? Is something wrong?" Silverheart was nervous.

"No, it's wonderful news!" She purred, going back to Silverheart.

"What?" Silverheart was confused. If she wasn't sick wouldn't Cedarleaf tell her?

"You're expecting kits! Congratulations," She mewed.

Silverheart was shocked. "Kittens?" She asked.

"Yes! I am assuming my brother's."

Silverheart nodded, feeling her face warm. "How many?" She purred.

"Only time will tell, but I think only a few. Probably two or three if I had to guess."

"I have to tell Ravenfur!" She burst out of the den and ran to the FrostClan border. "Ravenfur!" She called. She caught a glimpse of his black fur with Shadeflower's long gray pelt.

"What?" He asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, and I have great news! I'm expecting kits!"

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