The next day, Horsekit was practicing walking outside the Nursery, when Cinderstripe came up to her.

Horsekit smiled weakly, flinching a little. She was ready for the harsh words.
  
"I'm sorry." Cinderstripe looked ashamed. Horsekit was surprised. "I didn't mean those words I said to you in the medicine den. I was just mad from grief of losing Redkit and you getting injured pretty bad. I'm really sorry, Horsekit. Please forgive me. I need my baby back." She looked very sincere and was on the verge of crying.
  
Horsekit was touched, but she didn't really believe her. She cocked her head in a question, and her face showed disbelief.
  
Cinderstripe still tried to apologize. "I'm really sorry, and I would never actually say that, and if I did, I wouldn't mean that. Please, I'm sorry, Horsekit!"
  
Horsekit believed.
  
She smiled and nuzzled her mother in the cheek. She nodded happily. Cinderstripe cried with joy. She licked her kit in the head. "By the way, you're apprentice ceremony is in a few days!"
  
Horsekit stopped, with a blank face. She was excited, but nervous. Her mother saw that.
  
"It's okay to be nervous. But get excited! Soon you'll be a warrior like your mother." Cinderstripe giggled and pumped out her chest. Horsekit tried to laugh, but there was no sound, but right now that didn't matter. Her mother smiled warmly, then frowned. "I feel very bad for you, my sweet kit. You didn't deserve this. Neither did Grindkit or Redkit. I'm so very sorry."

Horsekit looked at her and mouthed, "I know. It's okay," Last night, Horsekit thought of a new way of communicating with others: mouthing words. If she said them very slowly, and used her tail, she might be able to communicate. She tried it with her mother.

Her mother looked taken aback. "Are you trying to talk without words? Like mouthing them?"

Horsekit nodded.

"It'll work. We just need to practice, and let every cat in the clan know that that's how you'll talk to them. I'll go tell Stormstar right now." Cinderstripe smiled and headed out over to the leader's den. Horsekit waved her tail.

She went back to walking. She was actually improving. Horsekit was proud; today was the first day of reaching thirty six steps! She was very proud.

A cat came up to her. Horsekit sighed; she knew who it was. She turned sharply to Cavekit and and smiled extremely wide so he could see her disapproval. He smirked.
  
"Hey, Horsekit." He smiled back unpleasantly. Then, he glowered at her. "I said hey!" He showed his teeth, then he frowned in a sympathetic pout, that was obviously fake. "Oh I'm sorry. Cat got your tongue?" He laughed menacingly. Horsekit looked at her paws, extremely embarrassed. She could feel her face getting hot and tears welled up.

"Hey, be quiet fox-dung!" Yowled a voice. Horsekit looked up, sniffing. Grindkit? She thought.

Nope. It was not his orange pelt. It was a white pelt with brown spots. Is that... Whirlkit?
  
The slightly younger kit was standing  up, not at all ashamed of his actions. His claws were unsheathed. His brown eyes were narrowed, as if daring Cavekit to say another word.

Cavekit was more stupid than he looked. "What are you going to do about it?" His loud tone voiced a challenge.

Then Whirlkit pounced.

"H-hey!" Cavekit yelled as the kit slammed into his body, knocking the breath of of him. Whirlkit's claws were unsheathed as he tore at the other kit's fur. Cavekit tried to fight back, but Whirlkit surprised him, so he couldn't get the advantage of even one slash back. Finally, Crowpelt heard the commotion and came up.

"Woah, woah!" She interrupted, coming between the bristling kits. "Why are you fighting?" She turned to Whirlkit and Cavekit.

"He started it!" Whined Cavekit to Crowpelt.

"Yeah, probably from something you did. Am I right?" She glared at Cavekit. He nodded, ashamed. She sighed in resentment. "I feel sorry for the warrior who has you as an apprentice." She mumbled to herself. Horsekit caught it. She giggled silently.

Crowpelt looked at them. "I thought you both knew how to act. I was wrong. Now, go clean out the Elder's den. That is your punishment." She flicked her tail in the direction of the retired warriors sleeping place.

Cavekit groaned in complaint. If Whirlkit felt annoyed at cleaning it too, he hid it well. He walked over to Horsekit as Cavekit trudged to the Elder's den.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Horsekit, but me and you both knew that he deserved that. I hate bullies!" He smiled awkwardly. "Well I've got to go help my new enemy now. I'll see you later, okay?" He smiled again and left. When he was a few fox-lengths away, he turned around and meowed, "By the way, you're welcome. Even if you can't say thank you, I know you mean to." He looked at her, and she looked at him. A new friendship was growing, even if they knew it or not.