Dawnsky watched as the busy camp prepared for Raggedpelt's kitting. Apprentices scattered, trying to find the freshest moss. Everyone was excited for this gift of new life, especially Raggedpelt. There hadn't been kits in the clan for a while, due to the very harsh leafbare.

Too bad my kits never got to see the clan... she thought sadly, they would have been fine warriors. I wonder what they're doing now. I bet they've grown a lot. The sound of an agonized wail interrupted her thoughts. Raggedpelt was having her first kit, "I better see if Lakeheart needs any help..."

She brushed by Nightpelt and Agileclaw who were chatting silently, "I wonder who the father is." She heard Agileclaw meow curiously.

"Yes, I'm beginning to wonder about that, too..." Nightpelt growled skeptically.

Dawnsky rolled her eyes, he's so suspicious about everything! Such an annoying furball. She didn't stay to hear the rest of their conversation, and she padded into Lakeheart's den.

She could see her rummaging through her collection of herbs. Dawnsky cleared her throat and Lakeheart lifted her head, "Oh, hey Dawnsky! Can you do me a favor?"

She perked her ears, "Yes of course! What do you need?"

"I'm running low on borage leaves, could you go find some for me? Raggedpelt will probably need some."

"Sure!" She mewed, glad that she could help with something.

"Thanks. You can find them pretty much anywhere in the forest," she explained hastily, "their leaves are kind of hairy, and, well you probably already know what they look like."

"Okay," she nodded, starting to leave.

"And Dawnsky," she mewed.

"Yes?"

"Be careful out there." She mewed, her eyes filled with sadness from the memory of Featherpool.

"I will. Don't worry." She promised, heading into the forest.

She sighed happily, taking in the fresh pine scent. She looked around once she got to a place filled with undergrowth. She parted her mouth to try and see if she could scent the herb, "There it is!" She finally mewed.

She carefully gathered the leaves in her jaws until she could carry no more. Once she was satisfied with the amount, she started to turn towards camp. Suddenly, she picked up the scent of a cat.

Oh great... that's probably Storm looking for Willowfur again.. she groaned in her mind. She almost ignored it and moved on, but curiosity got the best of her and she started to follow his scent. She placed her borage leaves where she knew she would find them again, and padded after him.

He wasn't too far ahead, and she was quickly gaining on him. She could see his shadowy figure through the dense undergrowth and she inched closer. He had stopped in his tracks and was looking around. She could pick up a scent of urgency from his pelt as he continued to look around.

"Hey!" She hissed, "Storm!"

Storm nearly leaped out of his fur. He whipped his head around and sighed in relief, "Oh, Dawnsky, it's only you." He mewed, trying to hide his embarrassment, "I thought you were someone else..."

Dawnsky rolled her eyes, humor showing in her blue gaze, "So are you looking for Willowfur?" She mewed, her mood darkening again.

"Actually, I was looking for you." He admitted.

"Me? Why?" She asked.

"Because I wanted to warn you about Bear." He meowed.

"Please Storm," she groaned, "I have heard this a million times. I know he's dangerous. But I am doing very fine staying away from him in case you haven't noticed."

"But Dawnsky," he pleaded, "you don't understand. Bear is not happy right now and he won't be happy until you're dead!"

"What else is new?" She snapped sarcastically.

"Well your kits-"

"What about my kits?!" She meowed, urgency in Dawnsky's voice, "How are they? Are they okay?"

"They're fine." Storm assured her.

She calmed down a little, "Okay... that's good... soo what are they like?"

Storm flinched a little, avoiding her gaze, "They're... different. Patch is really, really big. He's barely six moons and he's as big as I am. Maybe bigger. He's.. a lot like... Bear."

She nodded, "And what about Sky? What's she like?"

Stormed completely avoided her gaze, his head down, "She's uh pretty good I guess. I haven't seen her in a while, though."

What's he so hesitant about? She thought with frustration.

"They're definitely not kits anymore." He commented.

"Kits!" She gasped, "I forgot the kits!"

"Wait wha-"

"Raggedpelt's kits! I forgot about Raggedpelt's kits!" She turned away and started to run back, "See ya later Storm! I got to go."

"But Dawnsky!" he called after her, "Bear is after you! He's going to kill-"

She didn't hear the rest of his sentence as she burst through the undergrowth and back to the tree where she left the borage leaves. She carefully picked the leaves in her jaws and raced back to camp.

She rushed into the entrance and she saw Lakeheart padding out of the nursery. She turned her head and walked towards Dawnsky, "What took you so long? I expected you to be faster than that." She scolded.

"Sorry," she mewed, "here's the borage leaves."

Lakeheart took them from her and beckoned for her to follow. Dawnsky padded after her and entered the nursery. The scent of fresh milk filled her nose, and she immediately felt comforted in the cozy nursery where she was born.

Raggedpelt was lovingly staring at her two kits, who were busily suckling milk. Dawnsky smiled, purring at the tiny kits.

"They're beautiful aren't they?" purred Raggedpelt, not taking her eyes off the kits.

Dawnsky and Lakeheart nodded, and Lakeheart placed the borage leaves in front of her, "Here, eat these. They will help with your milk."

Raggedpelt nodded and slowly chewed and swallowed the leaves. Dawnsky felt a pang of sadness, looking at the queen and her kits. She remembered the day when she had kits, how happy she was. Now she felt only emptiness where the happiness used to be.

"What are their names?" Lakeheart asked, snapping Dawnsky out of her thoughts.

"This one is Leafkit," Raggedpelt pointed to a small tabby tom, and then looked over to the she kit that was black with a little bit of white, "and she is Darkkit."

"Those are wonderful names!" Lakeheart complimented her, nudging Dawnsky to do the same.

"What? Oh, yes! They are great names. Your kits are beautiful, and I'm sure they'll make great warriors." Dawnsky mewed.

Raggedpelt nodded her thanks, and Dawnsky could see the exhaustion in her eyes. Lakeheart nodded her head to the nursery's exit, "Well, we will leave you alone for now. You get some rest, and if you need anything, just call for me."

Raggedpelt yawned, "Okay, thanks Lakeheart." She rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes.

Dawnsky followed Lakeheart out of the nursery and sighed. She could see that Specklefrost and Orangetail were happily chatting about something. I wonder what's up.

Almost as if Specklefrost had heard what she was thinking, she bounced over to Dawnsky, not trying to hide her excitement, "Dawnsky! Guess what!"

"What?" She asked curiously, smiling at her enthusiasm.

"I'm expecting kits!" She purred joyously.

"That's awesome! I'm so happy for you." Dawnsky mewed.

"Thanks," she beamed, "you know... you and Firefur would make a pretty cute couple." She whispered.

Dawnsky blushed, laughing nervously, "Nah, we're just friends."

"Come on! I thought that about Orangetail, but look where we are now!" She purred, "Haven't you had feelings for anybody?"

Yes, and I regretted it more than anything, "I guess I just never really thought about it. Well, I'd better go. It's getting pretty late."

Specklefrost rolled her eyes as Dawnsky shied away. She didn't ever want a mate again. Not after what I went through...

She could see her sister entering camp with prey in her jaws. She didn't even glance in Dawnsky's direction as she brushed past her towards the fresh kill pile. She sighed, wondering if they would ever make up. She shook her head and walked into the warriors den, curling up in a ball. She closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.