Cinderkit's POV:

"Ahh!" NoName's wail made the grey she kit move faster, her tail lashing with excitement.

I have to see the medicine cats in action! Cinderkit grinned widely as she pranced across the wide, empty camp clearing and into NoName's den. It was strangely crowded inside the small, dark space. All of NoName's family had come to see the red she cat give birth.

Shadeheart immediately saw her daughter's entrance, and shot her a glare. "What are you doing in here? Where is your mother?" His tail swept her aside, deeper into the den where she would be hidden behind him in the shadows.

"I snuck out to see." Cinderkit whispered, gazing at NoName with wide eyes. The dark forest leader seemed to be at the end of her kitting; she was panting heavily while nosing a small dark bundle that had been laid at her belly. Shinewing and Wrenpaw sat silently nearby, watching over the red furred she cat like hawks, waiting for something to happen.

"He's beautiful." NoName's voice cracked, sounding even higher pitched than usual. Cinderkit forced down a chuckle- she sounded like a kit!

Dime sat next to his mate, gazing down at his single kit. "Only one." He murmured.

Cinderkit sensed a flash of anger surge through the red she cat, and she hissed loudly. "I should cut out your tongue for using that tone about our kit."

"Calm down." Dime growled back, his green eyes gleaming with defensiveness. "Look," he sighed, "let's just name him."

Strike suddenly spoke up, his red eyes bright. "I know! Pawkit!"

Cinderkit giggled, bringing the attention briefly to her. Luckily no one cared to question her presence. Instead, NoName just snarled. "Get out of here Strike. That was an awful name idea."

The red she cat's brother chuckled, grinning joyfully as he lumbered out of the den. "I think it's pretty good, but whatever."

Shadeheart was next to speak. "What's happening to the medicine cats?" He gave a pointed glance at the two she cats who sat near the end of the den, their heads dipped in submission to their leader.

"They may go. Shadeheart, you take them." NoName meowed, sighing.

Shadeheart rose to his paws and left the den with the medicine cats, leaving Cinderkit exposed. Still, nobody cared to acknowledge her. I might as well be invisible. She tried not to let the lack of attention trouble her, and instead attempted to tell herself it was a good thing. She could easily sneak around camp and spy on events, after all.

Tyler was the next to utter some words, his voice soft and gentle. "How about we name him Obsidian?"

Cinderkit blinked in confusion at the strange name, and glanced at NoName to see her reaction. Her grandmother was silent for a few seconds, staring at her kit thoughtfully. At last she muttered. "It seems fitting, given that Flare named one of her's after Mother..."

"Then it's settled." Dime smiled and nuzzled his new kit. "We're naming him Obsidiankit."

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Silvershy's POV:

The blinding sunlight of early morning attacked Silvershy, causing the silver she cat to roll over with a low groan. Her legs fell onto a body; Spectrum's body to be exact. The black furred Promethean didn't seem to mind the kick, she just rolled away and sat up to groom her fur. Silvershy grumbled tiredly and blinked her eyes open. "Ugh.."

"It's past dawn." Spectrum meowed as she stretched calmly, her pale green eyes narrowed against the morning light. "You should be wide awake already."

"We had a late night." Silvershy muttered, struggling to sit up. Her whole body felt like it was being held down by weights, and her eyes drooped closed. Sleep threatened to take her even when she had forced herself into a standing position. She actually had to sit down again as a wave of darkness took her vision and she shook her head, feeling dizzy. "These kits are making me feel terrible."

"You haven't had a full meal or a drink in a while." Spectrum stated quietly as she helped Silvershy stand up again, her body acting as firm support. "Let's go see what these rogues have to offer."

Her movements hindered by her exhaustion, Silvershy followed Spectrum's lead towards the other end of the large clearing, where some rogues were gathering under the morning sunlight.

The two she cats barely took a few strides before they were stopped by a sceptical-looking Java. "Where are you two headed in such a hurry?" The light brown tomcat stepped in their way, his green eyes staring into them.

Spectrum's lips formed a straight line, but she answered in a friendly tone to the rogue leader. "We were hardly going that fast." The black she cat turned slightly to look at Silvershy. "And she needs something to eat and drink." As if to prove her point, the silver she cat's stomach growled aggressively, making Silvershy flinch at the loudness.

Java sighed and shook his head, muttering to himself. "I don't have time for your problems right now.. I have a nest to run. Ebony can go with you to the forest to hunt for something."

"Show Silvershy to your water supply." Spectrum cut in. "I'll do the hunting myself."

The brown tom narrowed his eyes. "You'll need an escort."

"I don't believe I do." The Promethean smiled at Java. "Trust me when I say I can look after myself."

Java returned her smile, but his was bitter. "I don't believe you. But go ahead if you want, it's your choice."

Silvershy looked up at Spectrum to see the Promethean had already blinked away, leaving Java to take a step back in confusion. The silver tabby she cat grumbled, suddenly feeling very exposed without her Promethean guard at her side. Her tail curled around her swollen belly instinctively and she looked around for where Ebony was.

Luckily, her daughter arrived within heartbeats, her black fur well-groomed and shining under the sun. Silvershy smiled proudly at Ebony, her green eyes travelling over the young she cat's lithe- but sturdy- frame and her bright, alert eyes. She may not have been raised a warrior, but twolegplace had successfully built her into a fierce rogue.

"Let's go find you some water." Ebony flicked her tail for Silvershy to follow her as she trotted away. The silver tabby warrior struggled to keep up, but said nothing to the black she cat. She hated being seen as weak, especially when she was surrounded by tough rogues. What if they saw her weakness as a chance to attack her? To kill her? Silvershy was not safe in her Clan's camp anymore, anything could happen.

Lost in her mind, Silvershy hadn't even noticed that they had left the nest and were trekking across the winding, rocky pathways. She wondered if the walk was going to be much longer. Were there even any streams or rivers in twolegplace? If not, then where did they go for water?

"Here we are." Ebony stopped abruptly, her bright green eyes focused on a pool of foul-smelling, brown water in the hard, crumbling ground.

Silvershy gagged. "I'm supposed to drink that?"

"Water is scarce here." Ebony muttered. "We take what we can. This is an old puddle from the last rainfall a quarter moon back."

"You rely on the rain to give you water?" Silvershy meowed, peering into the murky water, barely able to see her own reflection in the shallow pool. It was quite small; only about two tail-lengths in diameter. "What happens during a drought?"

"We go to the twolegs, if we must."

"Aren't there any streams? Rivers? Lakes?" The silver warrior looked up at Ebony in shock.

The black she cat scoffed. "There's the river that you tried to escape through back in the forest. But that's way too far away to make daily trips to."

Silvershy shook her head. "This is crazy."

"It's called survival." Ebony's paw rested firmly on Silvershy's head, pushing LightClan she cat's muzzle into the puddle. "Now drink."

Silvershy forced back a growl as she brushed Ebony's paw off her, but settled in the ground to force down some sips of the disgusting water. It tasted worse than a thunderpath- ten thunderpaths even- but it quenched her thirst.

When she was finished, Silvershy felt like she was going to be sick. She pulled away from the awful puddle, the brown liquid dripping from her chin, staining her silver fur.

Hopefully Spectrum found something better than this wretched water.

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