Although the light of evening streamed through the windows of the camp buildings, inside it was dusk. Through the open door came the thuds of the nightly leaping game, and now and then, murmurs and meows of approval.

Kestrelsong and Blossomthorn came into the darkening nursery together, seeing Smoketail and Halfkit across the hall in the elder's den. Blossomthorn tossed a half-eaten mouse to Smoketail, who frowned before reluctantly taking a bite and passing it along to Spottedfur.

Kestralsong said, "Oh StarClan! I don't know how we're going to get Halfkit to settle down in the nursery. He'll want to sleep in the elders den with Smoketail. We'll have trouble, then. He doesn't know his own strength."

There was a thud outside and a little cheer of voices. The warriors were doing their nightly leaps.

Blossomthorn smiled. "I love the bond you and Halfkit share," She admitted. "I hardly ever saw that kind of bond with EmpireClan kits."

"Well, why not?" She asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I suppose just because the kits are in a lot of danger here--with the tall buildings and all. The queens are usually very strict."

"I suppose--Halfkit may be a little off-centered, but he isn't mouse brained. He wouldn't leap." She said confidently. "I suppose I'm not too bright, either. Halfkit tends to get in a lot of trouble, and I've always got to stop him."

Blossomthorn nodded. "So, why'd you really leave IvoryClan?" She asked. She sensed a little doubt. "Was it only for Driftmask?"

Kestrelsong frowned and lowered her voice so the kit and elder couldn't hear. "Funny, I used to think that it'd be wondrous--having a kit of my own. Used to play around with him in the nursery and watching his every move because his brain is a little slow. The other kits would make fun of Halfkit, and play jokes on him, but he never noticed. He laughed along, not knowing that they were laughing at him and not with him."

She breathed to continue. "There a little pool in the camp which StarClan refills for us, for fresh water."

Blossomthorn nodded. "And we have one in the medicine den,"

She nodded. "Well, one day the older kits told him to jump in. So he jumped in. Why, he just puts so much faith into other cats. So I grabbed his scruff to pull him out, or he would've drowned. Dawnstar delayed their apprenticeships."

"After that, he was still so nice to those kits--he completely forgot about them telling him to jump in! Well...they never did anything like that ever again," She finished, kneading her paws on the carpet.

"He's a kind kit," said Blossomthorn. "He doesn't need any sense to be nice."

Kestrelsong nodded and began to move around the soft moss in her nest. The warriors of EmpireClan cheered outside as they successfully leapt from building to building. The moonlight shone through the open windows, and a chilling breeze entered the room.

"He's nice, all right, but sometimes...sometimes he really is a mouse brain. Like what happened in IvoryCla--" She looked alarmed and peered over to Blossomthorn. "You wouldn't tell any of the other warriors, right?" She asked.

"What happened over in IvoryClan?" She asked, sitting on her haunches and curling her tail over her paws.

"You wouldn't tell? No...no you wouldn't."

"What happened over in IvoryClan?" Blossomthorn repeated.

"Well...Halfkit was in the nursery with this queen who had a long tail. She kept waving it...back and forth. And he just wanted to be like the apprentices--catching prey. And the kits! Pouncing on anything that moves. Well, he pounced on Cherryhawk's tail, and lightly bit on the tip. She screamed out, and then Halfkit got all mixed up. So he held his bite, even harder, too. I was by the fresh-kill pile...and I heard Cherryhawk--just like a loud bird. I came runnning, and Halfkit was so scared that he wouldn't let go of her tail. He kept biting down harder and harder--so hard that he ripped off her tail tip," She sighed.

Blossomthorn's eyes were level and understanding. She nodded slowly, shivering at the thought. "So then what happened?"

Kestrelsong waved her tail and clawed at a bit of moss. "Well, Cherryhawk went to Dawnstar, saying that I couldn't control my own kit. And Dawnstar told me that he was always getting into trouble, and that we would probably do better in another clan."

Blossomthorn sat in silence. "Halfkit really did some damage, huh?" She asked.

Kestrelsong frowned and nodded. "He didn't know, and Cherryhawk gave him such a fright with her screaming. Her tail's got a bite mark now...That night I went to the border here, and met Sunstar. We made a deal, so I can stay here as long as I work hard."

"Seems fair enough," She said. "Halfkit isn't mean. I can tell a mean warrior from tree lengths!"

"No, he isn't really. Just a little kit who puts too much tr--"

Halfkit wobbled through the door, the odd, shining little ring in his jaws. He had taken it everywhere since he first saw it. Spottedfur followed closely behind, making sure he didn't fall.

"Hi, Halfkit," Said Kestrelsong. "How do you like that little thing?"

"It's shiny!" He squealed happily.

"Maybe you shouldn't bring it everywhere--you could lose it!" She advised.

"I didn't bring it anywhere," He lied.

Kestrelsong sighed. Old Smoketail came through the door and into the nursery. "Hello, Blossomthorn. Hello, Kestrelsong. Why aren't you out playing Night Leaps?"

"I don't like to leap every night," Blossomthorn explained.

Smoketail went on, "Well, I suppose your muscles do get sore after a little bit."

Spottedfur smiled and chuckled. "Isn't it great to be a young warrior!" She exclaimed, chuckling.

Her laughs were cut short and replaced with a series of coughs. Blossomthorn's face fell. "She said that her age would surely be the death of her," She said and ran over. "I'll get her to Bluefeather!" She meowed and helped the old elder to the medicine den.

Smoketail yowled out, for Spottedfur had been his best friend since he was born. Kestrelsong held him back with all her might.

"No!" She meowed. "You can't right now. You need to give her space, alright?"

Smoketail calmed down and looked to Halfkit. "I...but..." He stuttered before breaking the queen's grip and racing out of the nursery.

Kestrelsong picked Halfkit up by the scruff as she chased the elder to the medicine cat den, where it was too late.

Bluefeather's fluffy tail was rested on Spottedfur's back. Smoketail lay down by the nest, listening closely to her shallow breaths. The five cats listened quietly as Spottedfur mumbled something to herself.

"The...the excitement is gone..." She whispered. "So...so am I..."

Smoketail raised his head to wail, but when the breathing stopped and the thud of her tail hitting the ground was heard, he lowered his head to his paws.

The door creaked open a little, and Fallowpaw entered. "Blossomthorn," He greeted politely.

The warrior looked to the apprentice from Spottedfur. "Huh? Oh! Hello, Fallowpaw. What's wrong?"

"Er...Sunstar just wanted you to go on a late night patrol," He explained.

"Tell him that I've gone on one already. He must have forgotten," She replied briskly.

The brown apprentice nodded and slowly walked out.

* * *

"Mama, how long will it be? Un...until I become an apprentice?" Halfkit yawned, curling up in the nest with his mother.

"I'm not too sure yet, little warrior," She bit her lip. "Only a little longer."

"Tell me about it!" He eyes shone in the moonlight.

"Well, you'll have a great mentor. And learn how to help out EmpireClan," She said. "And you could learn to hunt, and--"

"And don't forget about learning to fly!" He squeaked excitedly.

Emberglow came into the nursery, tail whipping back and forth. Blossomthorn tiredly trudged behind him. "Why can't you just look after Raincloud yourself? I've got my own duties to do. If you let her stay in the warriors den, and treat her like any other cat, then maybe we wouldn't have this problem!" She meowed angrily.

"I'm just asking you," Emberglow scoffed. "Thought that you might of seen her!"

"Why don't you just tell her to stay in the warriors den, where she really belongs!" She cried in frustration.

Kestrelsong groaned at the fighting. Halfkit giggled to himself. They both rose out of the nest, watching the warriors in the dark.

"What are you laughing at, oversized kit?" Emberglow growled in disgust, his tail lashing.

Halfkit's lip trembled. "I...I was just--" He stared at the deputy's lashing tail.

"What? What's your kit looking at, queen?" He spat. "My tail?" He growled in annoyance, turning his back to Halfkit and waving his tail mockingly.

"No, don't!" Blossomthorn warned.

Halfkit jumped up and bit down on Emberglow's tail. He hissed, starting the shout. Halfkit's eyes widened and he waved his tail, trying to flick him off--but Halfkit only bit down harder, becoming even more frightened as he tasted a little bit of blood. The deputy lashed his tail frantically back and forth, and ultimately ended up raking Halfkit's side. The kit's shout was muffled as he bit down harder and harder, clawing at Emberglow's pelt with his tiny, sharp claws.

Kestrelsong's eyes widened. "Halfkit! Let go!" She screeched. "Let go!"

The yelling only made Halfkit more scared, and he held on with all his might. Emberglow growled as he threw Halfkit off with a blow, causing him to land on the nursery ground with a cry. He turned to see his beaten tail with multiple chunks of it missing.

"Why didn't you keep him out of control!" He spat with rage.

"I...I can't sometimes!" Kestrelsong snapped, hugging a crying Halfkit to her. "And you fought a kit!" She added.

Emberglow bit his lip, growling lowly. Blossomthorn said, "You're tail got stuck in the vents, alright? We had to claw you out,"

The deputy curled his lip in a snarl, nodded, and quickly left.

Halfkit sniffed. "I'm...I'm not going to become an apprentice, mama!" He cried.

"Yes, one day you will, my little warrior," Kestrelsong assured. "Come on now, let's clean you up and try to get to bed."