"Emberpool..." Snowheart's voice trailed off. Sleek had dragged Moss to the back of their den, and Dapple was baring her fangs, and kneading her unsheathed claws into the soft earth. The russet and black tom turned towards Snowheart. "Are you coming?" He asked. Snowheart wanted to say no. She'd battled with these feelings before she came. She wanted to go back home. Or, to the mountain forest that certainly seemed like home for her. But, like she had before, she threw her instincts away, and replied, " Of course I'm coming, furball. I didn't come all this way just to go home, did I?" Emberpool purred softly. "No." He whispered. "You didn't" He led Snowheart out of the nest, not caring about the snarling cats behind him. She followed him into the barn, where is was warm, dry, and smelled heavenly of mice. With a few agile jumps, Emberpool was in the hayloft. Snowheart followed him, slipping on a few of her jumps. In the hayloft, Snowheart could make out some nests woven from hay. She smelled the milky scents of newborn kits, and she suddenly felt a huge tidal wave of nostalgia wash over her. She remembered the scents of the nursery in Thunderclan, where tiny little Flowerkit snuggled by her belly and batted at her tail. "Oh Flowerkit..." Snowheart thought "Your life should have been better..." Snowheart jerked herself back into reality. Flowerkit was safe in Thunderclan. She shouldn't worry about her. She turned towards Emberpool, suddenly feeling hostile towards him. "Why did you have to kick nursing queens out of this hayloft?" She hissed softly. "Emberpool shrugged, a normal move from him. "I'm top cat." He explained. "I'm the only one who knows how to heal. I can't let mere kits usurp my position." Snowheart growled. "Mere kits are what grow groups into Clans. They are the center of everything." Emberpool looked shocked for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "It doesn't matter right now. I need to tell you about things, Snowheart. So many things that you must know about, that only I can tell you about. You must listen, Snowheart. This is the only way Flowerkit can survive..."