MOUSETAIL STRAIGHTENED AND let her fur lie flat when her mother stepped in between her and Sparrowfeather. "Then it's settled," Lynxstar declared, looking around at the cats around her. They all exchanged glances. Mousetail glanced over her shoulder at Skystorm and their kits worriedly. "Sparrowfeather will stay, but only for a little while until I can decide if he is trustworthy. I understand that he has vowed to try." She nodded to Hollyfern. "But I must do some observing first."

     "Why would you do that?" Cloudsky demanded.

     Lynxstar looked at him, alarm sparking inside her eyes. "Because I do have faith in him. But I will be keeping a close eye on him. I've known him since he was a kit-I think I know when he can be trusted or not." She shot Sparrowfeather a look.

     Sparrowfeather continued looking immensely uncomfortable. He looked hopefully at Hollyfern and Gorseberry, but his kits just looked back at him blankly as if they weren't at all happy that he was back. Mousetail could understand. Sparrowfeather kept terrible secrets from them and left them and their mother that had so much faith in him unexpectedly.

     "Right. Like he's not going to kill another one of us while he's staying here," Spottedsong growled, a small shake of fear edging her voice. Gorseberry nodded, a bit hesitant.

     "I highly doubt he has any plans for murder," Hollyfern pointed out. "He might be a traitor, but I think he's changed."

     "Easy for you to say," Frozenfang called out.

     "Once a MoonClan warrior, always a MoonClan warrior," Flycrest-who was just made a warrior the day before with his brother, Icetail-muttered.

     Sparrowfeather's ears pricked up. He whirled around to face the white tom. "What do you mean? I was never truly a MoonClan warrior," he snarled.

     "Hm," Frozenfang murmured, her eyes narrowing. "'Once a MoonClan warrior' doesn't mean 'born a MoonClan warrior.'"

     Mousetail's heart raced when she saw Sparrowfeather's claws slide from their sheath. She jumped forward before a fight started. "Let's not fight about this. Maybe we can come to an understanding." She glanced hopefully at Lynxstar, then at Skystorm. Both of them looked clueless. But then Skystorm stood up, the kits huddling closer to him as he did.

     "Mousetail is correct. Just because a former FrostClan warrior-turned-traitor is here doesn't mean we should start throwing out accusations. Like Lynxstar said, we should welcome him for now, but if we have evidence that he is not here for the good of the cats closest to him, then we can do something about it," he suggested.

     "Sure, let's wait until one of us dies because of him and then send him away," Hollyfern hissed.

     "I thought you were on my side," Sparrowfeather told Hollyfern, a flicker of hurt coming to his eyes.

     Hollyfern met his gaze bravely. "I was. But now I realize that there's no point in being on your side. You've done us no good, while all I've wanted since we came here was for us to be happy and at peace. But has that happened? No; it just got worse. You don't help make it better." Hostility crept into her voice. "I can't even properly call you a father after what you've done."

     Silence settled over the clearing. Sparrowfeather stiffened. "Look, Hollyfern, I understand I haven't been the best father. But I just want you to understand that all that I've done has been a struggle between my kin and life itself. I just ask that you give me a second chance."

     Mousetail glanced at Gorseberry as he padded to Hollyfern's side. Hollyfern looked at him, then at Sparrowfeather again. "Gorseberry? What about you?"

     Gorseberry and Hollyfern glanced at each other, then at Sparrowfeather.

     "Please?"

     Gorseberry gave Hollyfern a look, and Hollyfern held his gaze so intently that Mousetail thought they could read each other's thoughts.

     "I know you don't, well, like me, but please at least answer."

     Hollyfern gave a single lash of her tail and took a step toward Sparrowfeather. "You know what? He can't, because the Clan that you joined injured him, so now he's unable to talk! How does that make you feel? That the Clan you betrayed us for injured your son!"

     Mousetail felt the tension in the air tighten its grip around them. Her heart ached with sympathy for Hollyfern, Gorseberry, and Sparrowfeather and the rest of their kin. Of course, they had gone through just as much as most of the rest of them have, but they showed it the most.

     Gorseberry flattened his ears self-consciously as Sparrowfeather turned his gaze to his son. "Great StarClan, I didn't know . . ."

     Like you even believe in StarClan anymore, Mousetail thought bitterly. Hollyfern glanced over her shoulder at Mousetail as if they were sharing the same thought. But when Hollyfern looked away, Mousetail thought, Maybe Sparrowfeather really does want to be better. Maybe he really will try. I really hope so, for his mate and kits' sakes. And for the rest of us.

***

     The end of the day was near, and the sun dipped into the horizon, its fading rays painting the vast canvas of a blue sky many beautiful colors. The Clan was settling down for the night now. It was particularly quiet after Lynxstar allowed Sparrowfeather to stay. Possibilities were thrown around all day, but Hollyfern's suspicion were the most popular. "He's going to kill one of us off before we can even suspect it!"

     Mousetail sat in her nest, only half-watching her kits as they played. They were all growing up fine. Violetkit was a natural warrior and leader. She bossed around her littermates daily and often beat them in play-fights. It was clear that Leopardkit wanted to be just like Violetkit. Honeykit was quiet, but she always took part in her littermates' horseplaying. Snowykit was very playful and even jumpy, despite his breathing disability.

     Mousetail and Skystorm found out about Snowykit's condition when he was unable to breath for a moment or two a day ago. There was nothing stuck in his throat or anything, it just happened. For the rest of that day, Snowykit refused to play around with his littermates because he was scared he wouldn't be able to breathe again, but today it was like he never said anything about that.

     "Mother! Something's wrong with Snowykit!" Leopardkit skidded to a halt in front of Mousetail's nest, his eyes wide with terror. Mousetail immediately rushed to Snowykit. The small black tom-kit was crouching, eyes wide, mouth wide open, coughing loudly.

     "Stay with your brother. I'm going to get Badgertooth." Mousetail ran out of the den toward the medicine den. I spoke too early. Er-thought, I guess, she thought as she came into the medicine den. "Badgertooth! Snowykit's not well."

     Badgertooth gave her a quick glance, then quickly followed Mousetail to the nursery. "This shouldn't be happening," he muttered.

     "What-never mind." When Mousetail and Badgertooth arrived, Snowykit was already beginning to calm down. He was laying down in the nest, his flanks heaving as he caught his breath. His littermates were surrounding the nest, looking terrified.

     "Snowykit! You're okay!" Mousetail gasped, rushing over to her kit and nuzzling him, covering him in affectionate licks.

     "It was all Honeykit," he squeaked weakly.

     "Honeykit?" Mousetail looked at the tiny red she-kit in surprise. "Really? I'm so proud of you."

     Honeykit shuffled her paws self-consciously. "I didn't do much," she mumbled, her eyes on her paws. "All I did was tell him to lay down, like Badgertooth did the first time."

     Mousetail and Badgertooth exchanged impressed looks. "Your daughter is certainly talented," Badgertooth mused. "Now, Snowykit, do you think you'll be all right?"

     "Yeah," Snowykit mewed.

     "Okay. Even so, I'll fetch some herbs to help you with your breathing." Badgertooth dipped his head and left the nursery.

     Mousetail watched as he left, feeling as if another burden began to weigh on her shoulders. She turned to Snowykit and touched his tiny head with her nose. "Are you okay?"

     Snowykit nodded.

     Mousetail purred with relief. "Good. When Badgertooth comes back with some herbs for you, it's time to settle down and go to sleep."

     "Aww!" Violetkit and Leopardkit chorused. "But we haven't decided who the strongest warrior is yet!" Violetkit protested, fluffing up her gray-and-white fur indignantly.

     Mousetail purred in amusement and licked Violetkit's ear fondly. "You can find out who the strongest warrior is tomorrow. And look-Badgertooth's here."

***

     Mousetail curled her tail tighter around her sleeping kits, suddenly feeling more protective and maybe even . . . paranoid? She couldn't find out why, though. Maybe it was the thoughts that endlessly swirled in her head that she couldn't stop. For example, what would Snowykit's future look like with his condition?

     I need to go get some air. Mousetail glanced at the entrance to the nursery, then back at her sleeping kits. I can't leave them. Especially not Snowykit. She looked back at the clearing and saw Lynxstar padding by. Mousetail's spirits lifted. "Lynxstar," she called softly.

     Lynxstar looked in her direction and, without hesitation, came over. "What is it?" she asked, settling down beside Mousetail's nest. "Is it because of Snowykit?"

     "How do you know about that?"

     "I'm the Clan leader. I know everything that happens here," Lynxstar answered. "But really, what is it?"

     "Well, a lot. Mostly Snowykit, though. I've also been thinking about Dovesong. And what happened today with Sparrowfeather. You know, things like that," Mousetail meowed, turning her gaze to her kits. "I just can't help but worry about the other three, too."

      "I can't blame you for any of that," Lynxstar murmured, licking her daughter comfortingly around the ears. "I've been worrying a lot about that as well."

     "Is that why you were away from your den?" Mousetail asked.

     "Yes, but that doesn't matter. Do you want me to stay here for a little bit, or are you okay if I go back to my den?"

     "C-can you stay here?" Mousetail asked, all of a sudden feeling more like a helpless kit than a mother of four kits.

     "Of course." Lynxstar made herself comfortable beside Mousetail's nest, and Mousetail even made some room for her to lay down.

     Mousetail nestled deeper into the nest, her flank pressing against her mother's in a comforting way. She did feel significantly better. "Thank you," she murmured as she drifted to sleep.