"Gorsepaw!"

Gorsepaw scrambled to her feet. "What's wrong?" She demanded, her eyes flicking from corner to corner of the barn, looking for any signs of danger.

"No... No it's not that!" Julie panted, drawing Gorsepaw's attention to her. "You were playing with Lily and Cherry... And... And they ran over to me and said that you just dropped... They thought that you were dead... Oh Gorsepaw! Are you okay???"

"Wait—What?!"

Julie took a deep breath. "You passed out."

"Wait--I passed out? For how long?" Gorsepaw demanded, beginning to pace, worry flooding through her.

"One day." Julie breathed.

Gorsepaw jumped. "One day?" She cried. "How could I let this happen?!" She flattened her ears with guilt. "Are the kits okay?" She mewed, locking her eyes with Julie's. The calico nodded, and Gorsepaw sighed with relief. Then she froze.

"I have to go back to the clans." She stated, staring into nothingness.

"What? Why?" Julie asked, taken aback.

"Indeed, why?" Shadow meowed from a corner, who was speaking quietly with Timber just a moment ago.

Gorsepaw took a deep breath. "I need to go home."

Cherry popped her head out of a haystack. "But you are home!"

Lily poked out her head from next to Cherry, scattering hat everywhere. "Yeah! Why would you want to leave?"

An idea suddenly came to Gorsepaw. "You guys can come with me!" She exclaimed, her gaze flicking from one cat to the other.

"But—" Julie began.

"If it means that much to you, we'll come." Timber interrupted, locking his eyes with Julie's. The calico she-cat sighed.

"Of course." She meowed. "We'll come."

"R-really?" Gorsepaw stammered, remembering how the clans had taken in kittypets and loners before. "You'll leave your home just for me?"

"Of course. You're one of us, now." Julie purred. "We wouldn't allow you to go by yourself, especially when you're still easy prey for predators."

"Oh, thank you!" Gorsepaw cried. "Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me!"

Shadow smiled, although he hadn't said anything, his expression explained it all. He was happy to go with her.

"Alright then! We'll leave in the morning." Timber meowed gleefully.

***

Dawn light filtered into the barn, setting the sky a blazing red as the sun rose steadily upwards. Gorsepaw stretched her legs, opening her mouth in a gaping yawn. She looked around, her eyes bleary with sleep. Shadow, Timber, Julie and the kits were sleeping, Timber and Julie were cuddled together while the kits were snuggling by their bellies. Shadow slept a few tails length away from the family, his tail wrapped tightly around his muzzle. Gorsepaw stretched a paw towards Julie and hesitated. She should let them sleep. Anyways, it wouldn't hurt for Gorsepaw to hunt before they wake up, would it? She drew her paw away and tasted the air. After a moment, she had detected a small nest of mice behind a haystack. Once she had caught the mice, she had caught five young and plump mice. The perfect amount to feed everybody since the kits can't eat actual prey. She ate her share and left the four remaining mice in a small pile next to Shadow.

Gorsepaw sighed, and sat down with her tail wrapped around her feet. They'd be leaving the barn soon, and she wanted to savor the small amount of time she had left here.

Fur brushed against wood as somebody woke up. Gorsepaw looked around, slightly disappointed that her moment of peace had ended.

"Up already?" Shadow meowed. Gorsepaw nodded. Shadow looked in front of him. "I see you've hunted already. How long have you been up?"

Gorsepaw's tail tip twitched. "Not too long, actually. Just long enough for me to catch a nest full of mice, to eat one and relax for a tad bit." Shadow dipped his head and chose the smallest mouse from the pile and ate it. They didn't speak as they waited for the others to wake up. And when they did wake, Julie had two mice since there was too many on the pile, and she needed it for milk and Timber had his one.

After eating, the group set off. It was time for Gorsepaw to head back to the clans.