Whiteheart's face got calm again. "Oh. Just a false alarm. These kits are kickers!" She took a deep breath. "I wished that was the time. I can't keep doing this. They are wearing me out! This is going to be my last litter. The clan can find another queen to provide the most kits for the clan."
   
Horsepaw sighed with relief. She couldn't deliver her kits. She almost killed Whirlpaw a while ago! What if she killed Whiteheart or her kits? Oh, it wouldn't happen, because her kits weren't even coming! It was a false alarm, thank StarClan.

"Are you going to become a medicine cat?"

The question came as a surprise. "Well, maybe." She said mutely to Whiteheart. "I don't think so. I've always wanted to become a warrior, and I think Creamleaf should take another apprentice." Horsepaw shrugged.

Whiteheart nodded once, then put her head on her paws.

"Creamleaf!" Wailed a voice from outside the den. Horsepaw's heart quickened. The cat entered the den. "Cream–" Cavepaw's lip curled. "Oh. Hello, Silentpaw. Where's our medicine cat?"

"She went to talk to the other medicine cat's for something." Whiteheart answered for her. Horsepaw shot her a thankful glance.

"Well, I have a thorn in my paw and I thought Creamleaf could get it out, but she's not here so I'll just go now," Cavepaw meowed, lumping out.

"Wait!" Whiteheart called. Horsepaw turned to her and shook her head wildly. "Horsepaw could get it out! She knows how!" Horsepaw looked at her paws in embarrassment.

Cavepaw spun around and stared at her for a moment before saying, "I'd rather limp than have her help me," Then he stalked away, tail high.

"Apprentices these days!" Hissed Whiteheart. "That piece of rabbit-dung. I wish he hurts even more." Then she peered at Horsepaw. "I'm sorry. I was only trying to help. I didn't know he didn't like you."

"It's okay," Horsepaw said with no sound. She made sure to look at Whiteheart so she could see her lips move. "I don't like him either. But I hate how he calls me Silentpaw." She sniffed. "Is that all he sees me like? Silent? Nothing else? Like I'm your medicine cat apprentice, give me some respect!" She found Whiteheart's gaze.
"Is that how everyone sees me as?" Her eyes narrowed. "I'm never going to be good enough for this clan! I have three legs, I can't talk, what else is wrong with me!" She collapsed next to Whiteheart, and his her face underneath her paws.

Horsepaw felt Whiteheart's long tail lay across her shoulders. "No one sees you as that." She meowed softly. "You're just different, and that's it. That's you." Whiteheart chuckled. "We all have something different. I'm the clan's kit producer, Cavepaw has a slightly inverted paw, for StarClan's sake!" She looked at Horsepaw, who's eye was only visible from under her paw. "We all have a voice to speak up about our differences. You just have to say yours differently. With your actions, Horsepaw. Use your actions as your voice." Whiteheart smiled sweetly.

Horsepaw remembered. "Someone told me something like that when I was a kit," She mouthed.

"I know. Redkit was wise for his age." Whiteheart sighed. "I wish I was half as wise as he was," She stared in the distance.

"You are!" Horsepaw protested in disbelief. She stood up as quickly as she could with only three legs.

"I don't think I am," Whiteheart mewed again. "Us queens have lots of time to share tongues, since we're locked up in the Nursery all day, watching the kits, so we always thought that you're your wisest form when you're dying, and about to join StarClan. Do you think that's true?" Whiteheart blinked at Horsepaw, who was awkwardly grooming her tail.

She looked at the queen and instantly stopped her grooming. "I think you're your wisest when you are," She mouthed simply, and continued licking herself.

Whiteheart shook her head, as if to clear it. "I think you're right. But, how do you know when you're your wisest?"

Horsepaw looked dead into her eyes. "You just know,"

"You're talking like a StarClan warrior giving a prophecy! You are talking in tongues, Horsepaw." Whiteheart warned. "Sometimes you can confuse yourself. Be careful what you tell other people when you talk like that," Whiteheart smiled at the apprentice.

Horsepaw nodded. "I wish I could talk," She mouthed sadly.

Whiteheart looked out the den. "Me too,"