It was the sound of hushed voices that woke Sootkit that night.

When he finally, reluctantly, opened his eyes, he noticed to things; it was too dark to see anything, and Antkit wasn't in the nest with him.

After a brief moment of panicking and looking around blindly, his eyes finally adjusted. Antkit wasn't in the nest, but standing right next to it. Staring at the entrance of the nursery.

But there was nothing there.

Sootkit carefully outstretched a paw, meaning to get his brother's attention.

"I want to show you something." A voice whispered.

Sootkit froze, and looked back towards the entrance of the nursery.

There was someone there now.

A huge cat, bigger than even Icefeather. The dim moonlight shined subtly off their gray tabby coat.

Sootkit racked his brain for memories of a warrior he had seen in camp that looked like that cat. The closest one he could think of was the tom who had been with Icefeather earlier that day. Although, that cat had been very dark gray, almost black, and had no stripes. He was also much smaller.

"It's over here." The new cat murmured, his voice soft and hypnotic.

Antkit, overridden with curiosity, began calmly approaching. The cat outside smiled and began leading him. "It's called the medicine den. I think you'll really like it."

A sudden surged of panic raced through Sootkit, and he realized that his paw was still completely outstretched in midair.

He stood up and cautiously peeked out of the nursery. Antkit continued on, seemingly without fear or doubt. The stranger led him on, watching over the tom with a warm amber gaze.

"Trust me. I think you'll find it more interesting than warrior things."

For a moment, Sootkit considered following them. Then Hickorypelt made a sound, and weakly reached the nest he shared with his brother. He quickly went back to his nest and pressed his head against his mother's paw, to assure her nothing was wrong.

When she calmed down, the kit slipped back outside as quickly and quietly as he could. Antkit and the other cat were now standing outside the medicine den. The gray tabby was speaking animatedly, while Antkit nodded along, looking around the inside of the den.

He took one step towards them, and suddenly, the cat was looking directly at him.

Sootkit noticed uneasily that he could only see one amber eye, even though the cat was facing him. It looked like he had the other one shut for some reason.

Instead of being angry, like cats were supposed to be when someone spied on them, the tabby look on him with patience and understanding. They tilted his head the tiniest bit towards the nursery. "Go back to sleep. He's fine with me." That gesture said.

Sootkit lingered for a few moments longer. Slowly, the panic he was overwhelmed with earlier disappeared. What was he so worried about earlier.

With the amber eye still watching him encouragingly, Sootkit nodded and went back inside. He curled up in his nest, pressed himself against Hickorypelt's paw again, and slept soundly, while Antkit developed a new interest.