Silvershy's POV:

Spectrum stuck close to Silvershy's side, guarding her with a stiff stance. "I don't like this." The black furred Promethean muttered as they followed the two rogues towards twolegplace. "It could be a trap."

"You can get us out then." Silvershy responded confidently.

A soft snort came from Spectrum's lips. "You put too much faith in me." Her pale green eyes glanced at her for a heartbeat. "My reserve is small, and I burn through my powers quickly."

"How do you become as powerful as Zeye then?" Silvershy muttered back, keeping her gaze on the two rogues leading the way through the forest. "Or is it purely lucky genetics?"

Spectrum sighed tiredly. "Different families have different abilities, plus our powers' strength is partly fueled by the love and support of friends and family."

Silvershy suddenly connected the dots between Zephyr and Flare back in NoName's camp. "So that's why Zephyr was able to stand up to Zeye in that fight."

"Good observation." Spectrum complimented softly. "Even the affection of a single cat gives a Promethean heaps more strength, if harnessed correctly."

"So you must be pretty lonely." Silvershy teased, looking at Spectrum.

There was a pause, and then the black she cat muttered. "Friendships are hard to maintain for me. You are currently the only positive company I've had in a while.. And I doubt it'll last much longer."

Silvershy frowned. She didn't want to lose the bond that had formed between them. They were good friends, and Silvershy wouldn't let anything get in the way of that anytime soon.

She shook her head with a sigh. "You Prometheans are strange."

"And surprisingly common in this area of the world. Something's drawing them all here." Spectrum grumbled.

"Perhaps you attract each other without realising it?" Silvershy meowed.

"We tend to stick to our own families. Very rarely do we tolerate foreign Prometheans on our turf." The black she cat picked up the pace, having noticed that they were falling behind.

"Then where's your family?" Silvershy asked curiously, trotting to catch up to Spectrum.

The black she cat answered with a flat voice. "Dead."

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Cinderkit's POV:

"Alright Cinderkit." Shinewing instructed. "Your job is to gather all the old moss and put it in a pile right here." The golden she cat patted the ground in the centre of the old, messy den before turning to the back of the den, where Wrenpaw was picking up all the dead herbs and throwing them into a seperate pile. "We're going to have this place spotless and ready for injured warriors by tonight!"

Cinderkit smiled, already giddy with excitement. The small grey she cat turned to the corners of the den, where the dead moss was at it's thickest, and started gathering it. Shadeheart watched her from the den entrance, smiling proudly. Why can't Mother be more like Father?

The introductions had gone well. Shinewing and Wrenpaw had welcomed Cinderkit into the den with joyous meows, and were happy to let her become a medicine cat apprentice. Especially since Marigoldfur was gone, they needed the empty space left by the deceased medicine cat filled. All they needed to do was make NoName agree to let Cinderkit become a medicine cat apprentice. Shadeheart, thankfully, had vowed to help her at any cost. Cinderkit made a note to one day find a way to give back what she owed her father. What he was doing for her was life-changing and it made her so glad to have a father like him.

As she pushed a pile of crumbling, dry moss into the centre of the den, Cinderkit glanced across at the dead herb pile that Wrenpaw was making. "How many different kinds of herbs are there?" She asked, her sharp green eyes shimmering with awe.

"Too many to count." Wrenpaw replied. "Hopefully if we're allowed outside of camp to gather them it'll be easier to show you." The young she cat smiled at her as she turned back to the herbs littered across the den wall and floor.

Cinderkit went back to collecting moss, but as she headed to the other end of the den she saw Shinewing pawing at something on the ground, her eyes sorrowful. Cautiously, Cinderkit approached the sad medicine cat. "What's wrong?" The grey she cat asked, peering down to see Shinewing was pawing at a tuft of brown fur.

"It's.. nothing." Shinewing sighed wearily, brushing the fur aside and looking over at Cinderkit. "That was Nutwhisker's fur." The golden she cat's face crumpled in grief. "This was his den. His still scent lingers here, after all these moons. His pawprints are imprinted into the ground.. even the way the herbs have been left are all his doing."

Shadeheart's soft voice made Cinderkit whip around to face her father as he strode into the den to join them. "But now you're a successful medicine cat who is going to take Nutwhisker's place. You will make him proud."

Shinewing scoffed, suddenly turning cold and bitter. "I can't ever fill the gap he left behind. I'll never be as amazing as he was. And now I have to raise Wrenpaw and Cinderkit to be as good as they can be.. But how can I do that when I'm not good enough?"

Cinderkit watched as her father flinched at the she cat's harsh words, and he struggled to find the right response. "Shinewing, don't put yourself down like that. Nutwhisker has been.. gone.. for ages now. I witnessed his death when I was a kit. I bet he's watching over you right now, proud as ever. Starclan is proud of you."

"Fox-dung." Shinewing hissed, her tail lashing. Cinderkit backed away, feeling the tension rise in the air. "Nutwhisker is gone, and he isn't in Starclan because your sad excuse of a mother took his soul!" Her voice turned vicious and she stood some menacing steps towards Shadeheart, her eyes blazing with anger and sorrow. "And Starclan hasn't contacted us since we were taken over. Our ancestors have abandoned us."

Cinderkit looked at her father, seeing a side of him she wished didn't exist. His golden eyes stared at Shinewing in terror as he made a sudden and hasty escape from the den, leaving his kit behind. What a coward. Cinderkit looked at her paws. Someone raises their voice at him and he's running away before the fight's even begun.

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