"Ow!" Lightningstrike yowled in pain. Barkpelt rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You're going become more scars than a ball of fur Lightningstrike." She meowed as she placed a poultice on his flank. The fluffy black and white cat rolled his eyes and simply shifted as he was lowered on his belly.

Lilyfall looked at Clearwhisper, who was being treated by Cinderwing who seemed to be moving back and forth in her den for healing herbs. "Are you okay?" She asked her littermate.

The yellow eyed tom shifted where he was. "I just have a bite on my leg, but it'll heal. At least I hope so." He replied. The dark gray medicine cat put a poultice of broom on his leg. "I'm treating it so it doesn't get infected," she meowed then looked at Lilyfall. "How's the bindweed I gave you a little bit ago?" She asked.

"It's fine but, you didn't have to treat me before everyone else. I could have waited." Lilyfall replied. Clearwhisper put his tail on hers'. "It was my idea. You've been needing this for days." His voice was low and deep with compassion.

Before Lilyfall could comment on her brother's loyalty, Lightningstrike suddenly meowed, "Did you all see what Icestar did to Deerstar during the battle?"

"Who didn't see it?" Meowed Blacksky, who walked into the den with a squirrel in her jaws for the warrior. Clearwhisper's tail moved back and forth behind him. "I had to stop her before she took a life. I mean he is SnowClan's enemy but, an honorable warrior doesn't kill to win a battle." He pointed out.

Barkpelt blinked through bright blue eyes as she dipped her head. "Good thing you did then." She praised. Lilyfall watched Lightningstrike curl his lip. "Deerstar's probably telling the whole of PeakClan how he nearly died at Icestar's paws during a fight he started." He mumbled angrily.

Dawntail, Brightpaw, and Sparkpaw stood at the entrance as Blacksky walked past them. Clearwhisper greeted his mate with a purr. Lilyfall could truly see the resemblance between her brother and Brightpaw, who padded to her father with a worried gleam in her eyes.

Sparkpaw however had his chest puffed out in confidence. "I totally sent that white PeakClan apprentice running with her tail between her legs!" He gloated to his father.

Dawntail gave Clearwhisper a loving nuzzle. "Are you alright?" She meowed, concern in her gaze. The pale gray tom nodded his head. "I'm fine. It'll take more than a PeakClan skirmish to send me to StarClan my love." He replied. Brightpaw's eyes widened. "But we don't want you to go to StarClan!" She protested. Sparkpaw stood by his sister's side. "Yeah! You promised to teach me a battle move!" He added.

* * *
The following day, Lilyfall hunted by herself. Looking back at her leg, she examined it. It was held together by the bindweed Barkpelt and Cinderwing made for her.

Blinking, she saw a bird peck at a rabbit carcass in the snow. Gathering herself together, she lunged for it and grabbed it with her claws before it could fly off hen gave it a swift killing bite. Looking around, she caught a glimpse of brown tabby fur. She saw Hollowjaw by herself.

Over the slope, came a gray figure with a sturdy body. Lilyfall felt her blood chill in her veins. Was her Clanmate in trouble? Why was she just sitting?

Instead of the cat attacking, she got a good look to see that it was a tom as she moved closer, but not too close to be seen. Hollowjaw thrusted her muzzle into his chest. "I almost thought you wouldn't show up." She meowed.

The sturdy gray tom stared at her. "I always keep my promises. Is everything alright?" He asked. Hollowjaw remained silent. "PeakClan attacked." She finally replied. The tom bristled in rage. "What?" His eyes gleamed with a murderous fury.

"I'm fine. Our nursery was defended. But there's something wrong and I don't know how I can tell..." she bowed her head. Lilyfall could feen intense anticipation beat in her heart. What could be so bad she could barley speak?

"Barkpelt and Cinderwing told be that I think I'm going to expect kits." Hollowjaw meowed. The gray tom curled his tail over his back. "I-I'm going to be a father," he purred. "Th-this is incredible Hollowjaw!"

"But Ashenpelt, these kits will be half-Clan. Half BoulderClan. How will your Clanmates feel about this?" The SnowClan she-cat's voice shook with worry.

"They won't know. BoulderClan only takes intrest in Clan affairs only when it has to. While PeakClan seems to keep their noses in everything," the tom shook his head then concentrated on Hollowjaw again. "I mean, I'm not giving up hope."

The fur on Hollowjaw's shoulders twitched. "You have great faith it's almost hard to believe," she murmured. Ashenpelt touched his tail to hers and he moved closer until their cheeks brushed. "I know this seems like it makes things harder, but our kits will beautiful like you and brave like me. They'll be fine BoulderClan kits! And SnowClan kits! They'll be our precious kits, and that's all that matters. Do your Clanmates know about us?"

The she-cat began to knead snow with her paws. "Barkpelt and Cinderwing told me that I would be having kits, but I never told who the father was. After the rockslide that was reported at the last gathering, the whole Clan seemed preoccupied." She explained.

"You can join BoulderClan with me! We could be together. There would be no more secrets, and we could raise our kits side by side." The BoulderClan warrior blurted out.

Lilyfall wanted to rake this cat's spine from the top of his head to the tip of his tail. Keeping her slowly burning anger down, she saw Hollowjaw stiffen. "I can't do that. You know I can't." She stared at her paws.

Ashenpelt wove around her affectionately. "But it might be the best option for our kits, the best thing for us." He meowed. Only then did the brown tabby she-cat meet his gaze. "I just need time to think about this. I got to go. We'll talk again." She turned and took a step forward before looking over shoulder.

Lilyfall could hardly believe what she had just witnessed. Her Clanmate was in love with a BoulderClan cat!