Fernkit sighed. She was sitting in front of Dewfrost while the queen groomed her, watching Whitetalon pick a piece of prey off the fresh-kill pile. Cloudleap was eating a sparrow in front of the nursery, but the tom deliberately padded to the other side of camp to eat.

"She just needs to cool off," Fernkit reflected on her father's words. Hopefully she cools off soon. I can't bear to see them like this.

But, even when she's cooled off, things still won't be back to normal. Whitetalon and she will never be mates again.

"There," Dewfrost purred, jerking Fernkit from her depressing thoughts. "Your fur's all clean. You can go play with your- FOR STARCLAN'S SAKE I JUST GROOMED YOU ALL! WHY ARE YOU PLAYING MUDBALL!?"

Fernkit followed the queen's gaze to where Hawthornkit, Briarkit, Locustkit, and Rabbitkit were hurling pawfuls of mud at each other.

A very dirty Locustkit turned his head, flattening his ears in shame. "S-sorry, Mother. We were bored, and Rabbitkit said this would be fun!"

"Thanks for ratting me out," Rabbitkit grumbled, cuffing his brothers playfully over the ear.

"All of you, get over here now," Dewfrost meowed with a tired sigh. "Fernkit, why don't you find something normal to do while I groom these brainless fur balls."

"Hey! We aren't brainless!" Hawthornkit puffed out his chest.

"Yeah, whatever," the dark gray tabby queen began licking the top of his head. "Sit still! I can't clean you when you're squirming like a half-killed rabbit!"

Whiskers twitching, Fernkit padded towards the tall rock at the side of camp. She scrambled to the tom, careful to keep her silky white fur clean.

Fernkit sighed, gazing at the blue sky with sparkling green eyes. StarClan, can you please not take any other cats that I love from me? She begged silently. I'd really appreciate it. I'm tired of all this heartache and grief.

Pawsteps on the stone behind her made her ears swivel around, then her head. She gasped. "It's you!"

There stood the silver tabby, her fur glowing brilliantly in the bright sunlight. Without hesitation, Fernkit raced up and nuzzled her.

"You came! I really needed someone to care for me, and you came!" She purred happily, her smile broadening more with every passing heartbeat. "But hey, you still haven't told me your name, or who you are... or where you came from..."

The strange cat settled down on the warm stone, motioning with her tail for Fernkit to do the same. As the kit settled in next to her new friend, she felt her fur being tugged by unasked and unanswered questions.

"What's your name? Are you a Clan cat? Do you have kits, or are you expecting kits? Do you have friends or family that are looking for you? Are you lost?" The questions tumbled out, but the she-cat kept her blue gaze on the horizon. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

The silver tabby turned her head and nodded. Maybe she can't speak.

"Are you a Clan cat?"

She nodded.

"A WindClan cat?"

The she-cat shook her head, drawing a paw over her ear.

"RiverClan?"

She shook her head again.

"ShadowClan? SkyClan?" Both times, she shook her head.

"ThunderClan?"

Finally, the silver tabby she-cat nodded again.

"So, you're a ThunderClan queen, right?" She nodded. "Do you have kits?"

The she-cat nodded, her gaze suddenly darkening with sadness. "What's wrong? Are your kits safe?"

She nodded again, her eyes clearing.

"Ok, well, what are their names?"

The silver tabby glanced around, her eyes lighting up when she saw a sandy spot under the rock that hadn't turned to mud from the recent downpour. She leaped gracefully off the rock and grabbed a twig in her jaws. She began sketching something in the sand, and Fernkit leaped down beside her.

In the sand, the she-cat had drawn a blobby circle shape with a line at the top. "Is it an apple?" The she-cat nodded. "So, Applekit?"

The silver tabby nodded her head.

Fernkit smiled. "And that drawing is a bird, right? Birdkit! And the other is... it's a pile of sand... is it Sandkit? No, ok well... oh, you're drawing something else? A Twoleg container... oh, like an herb-holder! The third is Cinnamonkit!"

The silver she-cat smiled, nodding her head happily. "And... what's your name?" Fernkit asked tentatively.

With a sigh, the she-cat drew a snowflake and a heart in the sand. "Snowflakeheart? Flakeheart? Snowheart?" The queen nodded on the last one. "Snowheart... that's beautiful," the kit breathed. "But, why did you leave your kits to come here, to see me?"

Snowheart heaved another massive sigh, leaping back onto the rock. Fernkit scrambled after her. "Wait! I'm sorry! Don't go!"

The she-cat stopped at the top, laying down with her front paws dangling over the ledge. Fernkit did the same, following Snowheart's gaze to the trees on the ThunderClan border. "You didn't choose to leave them, did you?" Snowheart shook her head sadly. "I know how cruel StarClan can be. I'm sorry." Fernkit nuzzled her friend, sighing. "I'm so sorry."