Read on to discover the motivation behind a certain tortoiseshell queen's fierce protection for her daughter, and against the cat her daughter was padding after...

Poppyfrost's POV

The sunlight leaked through the medicine den's bramble screen, warming my flank as I anxiously watched Jayfeather, the ThunderClan medicine cat, sniff at the small ginger bundle that was clinging to my fur.

I really hoped that I wasn't showing it, my mind was spiraling with fear and nerves, and heartbeats felt like entire seasons as I anxiously awaited the gray tabby tom's next words. Oh, StarClan, please... I prayed to my warrior ancestors as I pressed myself even closer to my daughter next to me. Cherrykit has already been in here for three days, and I don't know what I'll do if there has to be a fourth...

I then forced myself to break my gaze from my kit, nervously following Jayfeather's movement as he padded to the back of the medicine den. I quickly recognized the strong scent of catmint as he then walked up to sit in front of me and Cherrykit, holding out one of his paws.

The tom didn't even have to say a word. Cherrykit looked up at me, letting out a small, dejected yet determined sigh before licking up the plant, as she had already done many times up until this point. The poor thing... anyone could see that having whitecough and being stuck in this medicine den have definitely tested her spirits, but I can tell that she is trying her hardest to not let it get to her.

I slowly bent my head down to give Cherrykit a gentle lick on the head. "You've been so strong, Cherrykit," I purred softly to the little ginger she-cat as she swallowed the last of the catmint. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be clear of this whitecough in no time."

I heard my daughter let out another sigh as she nuzzled her smaller head into my fur. "Thanks, mother," she meowed to me, before proceeding to shake out her fur, stand up, and raise her chin high. "I know that I will; this silly cough is nothing! If I'm going to be a warrior someday, I'll need to learn to face a lot of difficult things!"

My heart growing with affection, and a purr rising in my throat, I bent my head down once again to rub my muzzle against Cherrykit's head. That's my brave, optimistic daughter... she seems to be braver than I am, sometimes, I realized, my heart seeming to sink as I stared down at her. She's right – she will face many difficult things as she grows up, but... I wish that she didn't have to endure even one as long as she lives.

I then followed my daughter's gaze as she seemed to be looking out towards the medicine den entrance, and the ThunderClan camp. I mean, I've thought that since Berrynose and I first found out that we were having kits at all.

I then let out a shaky sigh as I looked back down at Cherrykit. And I'm sure that neither Berrynose or me could bear to lose Cherrykit or Molekit... not after Honeyfern, I thought, having to screw my eyes shut in pain for just a moment as I remembered my sister, and Berrynose's first mate.

I then gently ran my tail along Cherrykit's flank as I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I can't stand to see my kits in any sort of pain, let alone... go to StarClan like Honeyfern did, I thought worriedly. It won't happen. I won't let it happen. "What are you looking at, sweetheart?" I then whispered to Cherrykit, who was still seemed to be fixated on something beyond the medicine den. Her big amber eyes were sparkling against the sun rays, and her head was slightly tilted to the side.

And I couldn't help but let out a small purr of amusement as she flicked her ears in surprise, shaking her head quickly at the sound of my voice. "What was that?" she asked me, her gaze apologetic as she seemed to jerk herself back into focus.

I narrowed my eyes, briefly flicking my gaze out towards camp. Not too much was in sight from where we sat - just the fresh-kill pile, a bit of the Highledge, and all of the apprentices sharing a meal after their latest training session. "What were you looking at out there?" I asked my daughter again.

For some reason, Cherrykit seemed to hesitate with her answer, giving a small shrug. "Oh! What was I looking at? Well..." I raised a single eyebrow and tilted my head as I watched her stammer. "I... I was looking at..."

I then couldn't help but let out an interested, skeptical grunt as Cherrykit then flicked her ears, her eyes widening with excitement as she flicked her gaze back towards the medicine den entrance. "Molekit!" she then cried out as she stood up. "Molekit is here!"

My curiosity quickly diminished, and was replaced with panic at how much energy my daughter had used just within heartbeats. "Cherrykit, calm down and rest your voice, please!" I insisted to her as I pushed her flank down with my tail. "You most definitely won't be out of here tonight if you don't rest, or if you hurt your voice!"

Cherrykit let out another sigh, not resisting my touch as she lied back down in our moss nest. "Sorry," she meowed more softly, flashing me bashful, slightly embarrassed look.

I returned my daughter's glance before letting out a purr at the sight of my other kit that had indeed made his way into the medicine den. "Hi, there, Molekit!" I meowed warmly to my brown-and-cream son as I touched my nose to his little ear. "What made you want to stop by?"

I then let out another purr of amusement as Molekit practically skidded up to our nest, skidding to a halt just in front of his sister. "I really wanted to tell Cherrykit about what I just did!" he then mewed excitedly. "Berrynose just gave me a battling lesson!"

Cherrykit let out a gasp, her eyes widening with awe as she stared back at her brother. "Really? That is amazing!" Her voice was bright and optimistic, but I could so clearly see the glint of longing and sadness in her amber eyes. "What did he teach you?"

I began to softly stroke Cherrykit's flank as we both watched Molekit excitedly pace the area, and I felt my heart seem to grow with warmth as I listened to him describe what my mate had decided to do with my son. "... and then he showed me how to begin the underbelly slash!" Molekit went on enthusiastically, demonstrating what his father had taught him by lying down on the ground, rolling over, and raising his forepaws up in the air. "Like... like that!"

"Wow..." Cherrykit sighed, her sorrow becoming increasingly more apparent as she flicked her gaze briefly towards the den entrance once again. "That looks like so much fun. I can't wait until I can learn that!"

Molekit quickly leaped back up onto all four of his paws. "What do you mean? I'm sure that Berrynose could teach you right now!" I then felt a pang of sadness as Molekit began to pelt out of the medicine den, looking back to see that his sister wasn't following. His amber eyes seemed to flash with disappointment and realization. "Well... he will once you get out of here," he then murmured.

He then let out a huff, beginning to anxiously knead his paws into the ground. "When is that going to be? It feels like it has been forever!"

Following Molekit's words, Cherrykit looked up at me for a moment, her eyes now full of sadness, before looking back at her brother. "I'm not sure, Molekit," she breathed hoarsely. She then let out a huff, shook her head quickly, and lifted her head once more. "Whenever it is, I'm really, really looking forward to it!" Her voice was lighter, and her eyes were much brighter with these words, which brought me to sigh with relief.

Molekit's eyes also lit up, and he began to hop around in front of the two of us. "Me too!" he squeaked. "It'll be soon. I just know it will!" I then couldn't help but purr again as I watched my son let out a quick sigh, sitting down and waiting patiently as if only moments would pass by before Cherrykit would be given permission to leave.

Nevertheless, I let him sit and watch as Jayfeather returned to Cherrykit's side, beginning to check her over again while I observed anxiously. He had her open her mouth, stand up, move around, and even cough a couple of times.

And all while this was happening, I still noticed that Cherrykit seemed to be taking glances out towards the ThunderClan camp. I really didn't want to think anything of it; after all, she had just shared her desire to be released from the medicine den and go out into camp, but... the glint in her eyes was definitely something that I hadn't seen before, at least... not many times. And for some reason, it doesn't sit right with me, but... I then took a deep breath, forcing myself to push these thoughts away once again. Then again, she's never been cooped up in the medicine den with whitecough before, either.

I then brought my attention back to my other kit, Molekit, who already seemed to be growing antsy from where he sat just a tail-length away, and I felt a pang of curiosity and apprehension as he then jumped up and ran towards an empty moss nest.

He then proceeded to rip a clump of the moss away from the rest, quickly roll it up, and then strike it with a single paw towards Cherrykit. Jayfeather had walked back towards his herbs at the back of the den, and wasn't able to take notice. "Mossball! C'mon, Cherrykit!" Molekit yelped to his ginger tabby sister. "You can do something as easy as passing it back to me, right?"

I ruthlessly pushed down my impatience, trying to keep my voice calm as I flashed my son a warning look. "Molekit! Did you not hear what I just said to-"

"Actually, Cherrykit might be able to pass that mossball back," I flicked my ears with surprise as I heard Jayfeather's voice cut me off from behind me, and I looked back at see that the gray tabby medicine cat was padding back up to us, certainty in his blind blue eyes. "Cherrykit is doing very well; she has recovered very quickly."

I felt my eyes slowly begin to widen, and my heart begin to race with excitement. "Recovered? So, that means..."

Jayfeather gave a single sharp, curt nod. "Yes, Cherrykit is released," he muttered before turning back towards his herbs once again. "And at a good time, too – I can already tell that many more cats are going to be in her position very soon."

Oh, thank StarClan!

I let out a long, relieved sigh, a weight the size of a mountain being lifted off of my shoulders as I heard my daughter let out an excited squeal. "Thank you so much, Jayfeather!" she then meowed cheerfully to the medicine cat. "Thank you for taking care of me!"

I then felt yet another purr rise in my throat as I then felt my daughter's flank press up against mine. "And thank you, mother, for staying in here with me!" I then felt Cherrykit pull away, and I looked down to see her finally bash against the mossball, causing it to pelt towards her brother. "Come on, Molekit!" she then called out to him, who was already halfway out of the den entrance. "Let's play!"

Then, as Cherrykit hit the mossball, she almost seemed to match its speed as she pelted out of the medicine den and out into the camp. I followed more slowly, briefly touching my tail to Jayfeather's shoulder in gratitude before following my two kits out, my heart feeling immensely warm as I watched them play together. I wasn't sure when I'd be able to do this next... I thought solemnly as I decided to settle down just outside of the nursery. When Cherrykit was first diagnosed, I even wondered if I'd ever be able to do it again!

I then lowered my head so that it was resting on my two front paws, and I realized for the first time in a few days just how exhausted I was. Worrying for your kit's life, and then hating that you can't give as much attention to the other is a truly draining, horrible thing to endure, I thought. Every cough of Cherrykit's broke my heart, and each time Molekit would poke his head into the medicine den made me want to yowl out in pain. But it's over now... I tried to tell myself. Your kits are safe. Cherrykit is all better, and now she and Molekit are together again.

I then allowed my eyelids to close for a few moments as I let out a sigh. You have nothing at all to worry about.

Then, once I opened my eyes again, I proceeded to watch, purring and letting out mrrows of laughter as I continued to watch my two kits play their game of mossball. And I found that my curiosity from earlier was beginning to well up inside of me again as I realized that Cherrykit still seemed to be taking glances towards the very same spot that she'd been looking at from inside of the medicine den. Strange, I thought as I felt my eyes narrow down into slits. Very strange.

Now, I could deduce that Cherrykit hadn't been doing it out of desire for wanting to be released from the medicine den. She is looking at something else, but what?

This very question was pressing in my mind as I committed to watch Cherrykit more closely, trying to decipher what kept attempting to steal her attention. And sure enough, the more the I watched her, the more preoccupied that my daughter seemed to be, taking glances towards the fresh-kill pile and the Highledge every few heartbeats.

And eventually, to my complete shock, Cherrykit stopped in her tracks altogether, coming to a stop and not even seeming to notice when the mossball that Molekit had tossed hit her right in the flank. "Cherrykit! What's your problem?" my son called back to Cherrykit, running up to her and giving her a prod with one of his paws before padding back to his original spot. "Pass it back to me! Hurry!"

Even with Molekit's nudge and his words, Cherrykit didn't budge. What in the name of...

I found myself standing up, and taking a few steps closer to my two kits so that I could touch my nose to Cherrykit's ear. Simultaneously, I was trying to push back my strong feelings of frustration and curiosity. "Cherrykit," I muttered to her tautly. "Your brother is trying to get your attention."

Finally, my daughter seemed to snap out of it, letting out a gasp as she shook her head quickly. "Oh... sorry!" she forced out after a moment, then proceeding to leap forward and slash the mossball back towards her brother. "Here you go, Molekit!"

I only looked back at my kits for a single heartbeat as they continued their game, not wanting to waste one more moment trying to figure out what Cherrykit could possibly be staring at so intently.

I was attempting to stare off at the exact place that I'd seen her glance at countless times over, and I pricked my ears with confusion as I observed that absolutely nothing had changed about it since we'd left the medicine den – the Highledge was there, as big and bright as ever as it reflected against the sun; the fresh-kill pile was there, large and abundant; and the apprentices are still surrounding it, enjoying their meals.

I then flicked my ears. The apprentices are there.

All four of ThunderClan's apprentices – Dovepaw, Ivypaw, Snowpaw and Swiftpaw – still remained near the fresh-kill pile. Ivypaw and Dovepaw, the two sisters, were sharing a small finch just near the pile, Snowpaw was eating a mouse just a tail-length away from them...

And then there was Swiftpaw, a couple of tail-lengths from Snowpaw, eating a shrew. Right next to the Highledge...

I then flicked my gaze just briefly back to Cherrykit. And right where my daughter is staring.

My eyes slowly began to narrow, and I felt myself having to hold back a snarl. You've got to be kidding me.

I honestly would have preferred Cherrykit to be staring at a badger tearing away at a rotting corpse. At the moment, it almost seems like that badger has more heart than that pesky little apprentice.

Swiftpaw – Goldenshine and Mousewhisker's only kit – had only been an apprentice for a couple of quarter moons now, but that gray black tom had already managed to push me past my limit. He'd always been a short-tempered, snappy kit from the moment he could speak and comprehend words, but it had seemed that the older he got, the ruder and more hostile he'd become.

And the fact that my daughter was taking the time to even give him the smallest glance immensely concerned me, not when he'd already disrespected her, among many others, countless times. He seemed to snap at her whenever she showed concern for him, and he had the audacity to tell her to be quiet in the middle of one of her coughing fits! I recalled, hardly being able to control my temper as I looked back on that instance from just a few days ago. Who is heartless enough to say something like that to a cat who is sick?

That would be enough to bring me to resent the tom on its own. A cat who messed with my daughter and son also messed with me.

But Swiftpaw didn't give his other Clanmates any less negative attention. He often snapped at his own mentor, Foxleap, scarcely spoke to any cat, and even neglected to speak with his own mother. I hadn't seen the two of them exchange even one word for days. And not only did he disrespect every cat around him, but he also exemplified the complete opposite of what a true Clan cat and Clanmate was.

And my hatred for the tom continued to bubble up inside of me as I watched him and Snowpaw converse from where I sat near the nursery. Snowpaw seemed to be watching Cherrykit and Molekit, her blue eyes bright with interest. "Wow, we haven't played mossball in what feels like moons, Swiftpaw!"

The dark gray tom took the last bite of his shrew, then proceeded to glance towards my two kits, and then give a roll of his eyes and a snort. "And those have been the happiest moons of my life," he muttered in reply.

My eyes managed to narrow even smaller with those words as I watched Snowpaw then stand up. "Oh, come on! We should totally give it a try!" she encouraged Swiftpaw, running back towards the Highledge and snatching up a clump of moss growing on the stone. "Cherrykit and Molekit sure seem to be having a great time! Who's it going to hurt?"

"My dignity, that's what," Swiftpaw then meowed tautly, standing up and shaking out his fur. "Cherrykit and Molekit are enjoying it because they are kits, Snowpaw. I'm sorry if you're slow, but that's not what we are anymore."

Snowpaw rolled her eyes right back at Swiftpaw, clearly used to receiving replies like this. "Oh, fine," she sighed, her ears only flattening for a moment before they perked up again, her eyes lightening up. "Well, how about we go out into the forest and climb trees? That's something that kits can't do!"

Swiftpaw didn't even give Snowpaw a sidelong glance, and began to pad towards the warriors den. "And something that I refuse to do."

Snowpaw began to follow after her friend. "Well, then what about maybe playing some hide and seek? You've always been so good at it!"

Swiftpaw stopped in his tracks for a moment, screwing his eyes and giving a small, frustrated shake of his head that I didn't think Snowpaw even could see. "No, Snowpaw."

"Then what about having a race towards the WindClan border? We could-"

I then nearly took a step back, my ears pricking with alarm as Swiftpaw let out a hiss, whipping himself back around to face the white-and-gray she-cat. "For StarClan's sake, no, Snowpaw! When are you going to take the hint?" he practically growled back at his Clanmate. "All of those things are a complete waste of time, and completely ridiculous! I'm not going to do any of it, so even don't bother trying."

Then, without waiting for Snowpaw's reply, he turned back around and began to pad even more quickly towards the warriors den. "I'm going to find Foxleap, and see if he can take me out training," he then called back to her.

Great StarClan, that horrible...

My heart then felt as if it were physically sinking as I looked back at Snowpaw and saw the hurt look in her eyes. "Fine..." she nearly whispered, standing in her same place for a few moments before slowly turning around to walk back to the fresh-kill pile. "Maybe he can give you a lesson on how to actually have some fun..."

Although the she-cat's words had been too quiet for Swiftpaw to hear, I almost wanted to pray to StarClan that he'd caught at least a sliver of it. Because that sure is what he needs to hear... I told myself. Along with many, many other things, oh, StarClan!

I then finally returned my gaze to Molekit and Cherrykit, who were still deep into playing with their mossball. My eyes quickly fell on Cherrykit, who now seemed to be taking glances towards the very place that Swiftpaw had disappeared into the warriors den. Please, let my premonitions be wrong.

But my gut told me that they weren't, as much as I didn't want to admit it. I now knew why the look in my daughter's amber eyes had seemed so unsettling to me. It was the very same look that my Clanmates had described to me that I had whenever I looked at Berrynose. Oh, StarClan... I repeated to my warrior ancestors. If Cherrykit is admiring Swiftpaw...

I slowly felt my heart's beat begin to increase all over again, and I suddenly felt a sort of urgency for something that I didn't know how to fix. I would be terrified if she was even just a few tail-lengths from him! He is the last cat that I would want Cherrykit spending time with. He sets a terrible example, for one.

I then stood up, taking a few steps closer to my kits before settling down again. And if I can barely stand to see my daughter suffer from a mild cough, I cannot even imagine having to witness the amount of pain Cherrykit would endure if she were to spend time with a cat like that. If he is so disrespectful to his mother, and to his supposed "friend", then I can barely begin to guess how he'd treat my daughter – the sweetest, most thoughtful she-cat that I know.

I then shut my eyes, giving a violent shake of my own head as if to get rid of all of these horrible thoughts. But maybe I'm just blowing this completely out of proportion, I tried to tell myself. Clearly, Swiftpaw doesn't like to think of any other cat outside of himself. Why would he waste his time trying to get closer to Cherrykit?

I then forced myself to take a deep breath, closing my eyes. I hope that I don't even have to worry about it.

But when I let my lids flit open again, I felt my heart nearly skip a beat as my eyes immediately fell back on Cherrykit, who was once again looking off at something in the distance.

I followed her gaze to see that Swiftpaw had left the warriors den, and he was now following Foxleap towards the camp entrance. I then had to hold back a gasp as the dark gray tom's gaze locked with Cherrykit's. He stood frozen, staring back at her for just a moment before actually giving the smallest nod and continuing to follow his mentor out of camp.

I then looked back at Cherrykit, whose amber eyes were too bright and joyful for my liking.

And as she then continued to play mossball with her brother, I found myself having to close my eyes once again. I really, really hope that I don't have to worry about it, I repeated to myself. Cherrykit only deserves the best things. As a mother, I am supposed to make sure that she gets them. And Swiftpaw has already proven over and over that he isn't even close to that.