“Let all cats old enough to hunt gather here to hear my words!” Silverkit woke up to Heatherstar’s yowl. She heard cats crowding around an area near Heatherstar’s den.

“A Clan meeting?” Silverkit asked Moonwhisker, confused.

“Apprentices and warriors, all cats able to hunt, gather near that rock,” Moonflower angled her ears toward the rock Heatherstar was leaping onto, and where all the Clan cats were gathered. “For warrior ceremonies, deputy ceremonies, apprentice naming ceremonies- you get the point.” Moonwhisker explained.

“Oh.” Silverkit meowed. “So I can’t go?”

“Heatherstar won’t mind. She knows you’re curious to see how the clan lives and it’s traditions.” Moonwhisker purred.

Silverkit and Moonwhisker trotted out into the clearing near where the queens gathered. Suddenly a hush ran out across the crowd of cats, and Heatherstar began to speak.

“The naming of new warriors is one of the most important acts of Clans throughout time.” she began.

Silverkit glanced over at the group of apprentices near the front of the crowd. Bushpaw whispered something in Silentpaw’s ear.

“Silentpaw, step forward.”

Silentpaw trembled even closer towards the base of the rock.

“I, Heatherstar, leader of LeafClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice.” Heatherstar began. “She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.” She hesitated, but then continued. “Silentpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

“I do.” Silentpaw mewed.

“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Silentpaw, from this moment you will be known as Silentstep. StarClan honors your speed and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LeafClan.”

Heatherstar leaped down from the rock she was standing on and rested her muzzle on Silentstep’s head, and in return, the newly named warrior licked Heatherstar’s shoulder.

“Silentstep! Silentstep!” The Clan cheered.

“Silverkit!” Mosswind called.

Silverkit hurried over to the medicine cat den. It had been seven sunrises since Silentstep’s warrior ceremony, and Silverkit had been observing how Mosswind and Creekpaw worked, but she hadn’t gotten an opportunity to help.

“Would you like to help Creekpaw gather some feverfew near the edge of camp? Glassfoot has been complaining of a headache, and we are running dangerously low.” Mosswind meowed. 

“Would I?” Silverkit exclaimed. “Of course!”

She trotted over to the edge of camp near Heatherstar’s den where Creekpaw was looking for the feverfew. “Oh, hello, Silverkit.” Creekpaw began, still concentrating on finding feverfew. “What do you need?”

“Mosswind asked me to help you find some more feverfew for Glassfoot.” Silverkit responded. “May I?”

“Yes! It is so hard to find in all this brush!” complained Creekpaw, swiping at the thick bracken.

“Moonwhisker! Too rough!” Silverkit complained.

“You must look your best for your father!” Moonwhisker purred, seemingto lick Silverkit harder. “Done.”

“Finally!” Silverkit exclaimed, walking over a few mouse-lengths. Shewrapped her tail around her paws, bristling with excitement to see her father for the first time. He was there for Moonwhisker’s kitting, but Silverkit hadn’t seen him yet, even as she explored the camp. I guess he’s very busy… Silverkit thought.

“There he is!” Moonflower exclaimed.

She was looking at a white tom. He had a gray tail tip and blazing yellow eyes. He carried a vole in his jaws but quickly dropped it onto the well-stocked “fresh-kill pile” as Bushpaw had told her. Woah… Silverkit thought to herself. I want to be like him...

While Silverkit was caught up in her thoughts, she realized Lightstorm was bounding right over to her!.“Silverkit!” Lightstorm exclaimed. “You’ve gotten so big!” he stepped back in awe, looking quite surprised.

“Really? I’m only a little more than a half moon old,” Silverkit mewed.

Lightstorm purred, exchanging joyus glances with Moonwhisker, but Silverkit's mother looked worried. “Silverkit, how about you spend some time with your father?” she suggested.

“Alright!” Silverkit exclaimed happily.

“Lightstorm!” a gray tom with maroon markings yowled to Silverkit’s father. “We need you on the sundown patrol with Bushpaw, Sunpaw, Glassfoot, and Dusttail!”

“Sure thing!” Lightstorm yowled back. “I’ll see you later, Silverkit.” he added to her.

“Bye, Lightstorm!” Silverkit mewed as he was walking away.

As her father walked away, Silverkit headed back to the nursery to her mother when a sharp cry arose from the nursery. Silverkit sprinted into the nursery, joining Creekpaw near Featherfur. She was having her kits.

“Featherfur’s having her kits!” Creekpaw howled to Mosswind where shewas sharing tongues with Heatherstar. Immediately she bounded into the nursery where Creekpaw and Silverkit were, staring at the young and agonized Featherfur. Creekpaw went over to the medicine den and, returned with a stick and some leaves with jagged edges.

“Good!” Mosswind voiced. “Raspberry leaves! Just what we need to reduce Featherfur’s pain.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Silverkit asked, worried for her denmate.

“Yes, don’t worry.” Mosswind soothed. “Moonwhisker? Could you fetch Glassfoot? He can’t see, but I’m sure he will comfort her.”

“Of course,” Moonwhisker replied sweetly as she slipped out of the nursery. Back in the blink of an eye, Glassfoot followed Silverkit’s mother into the nursery. The blind white tom approached his mate, he began to lick the fur in between her ears and whisper things into her ear.

Mosswind placed the stick Creekpaw had brought to her near Featherfur’s mouth. “Bite down if you feel pain.” Featherfur nodded weakly, gasping for breath. Silverkit watched as Creekpaw placed some purple-blue berries into Featherfur’s mouth. Creekpaw whispered something into the queen’s ear and she began chewing.

Suddenly, a sack encasing a small kit slowly rolled onto the soft ground of the nursery.

“One!” Mosswind meowed. “A tom.”

Creekpaw began to lick away at the sack encasing it until a white ball of fur fell out.

“He’s… beautiful…” Featherfur gasped at the wet scrap of white fur.

“Another!” Mosswind said while a white and gray tom slid onto a bramble.

Glassfoot lifted up the first tom, then the second, and placed them at Featherfur’s belly. Featherfur drifted into a soft sleep as she nibbled on the poppy seeds Creekpaw had given her. Silverkit couldn’t believe it. She wouldn’t be alone anymore. She sighed quietly so that no-cat could hear. And what about Deerheart’s kits? Silverkit thought. We’ll and have no room!

She stood up and stepped over to where Mosswind and Creekpaw had left Featherfur lying. Silverkit gazed at the tiny, helpless kits suckling at the queen’s belly.

“It won’t be long until this place is even more crowded,” spoke Deerheart from the back of the nursery. “My kits will be coming in just about two moons,”

Mosswind sighed. “Yes.”