Hemlockhearts kits wiggle and squeak at her belly.
"They're so cute!" Ceaderstripe giggles as Copperkit climbs over Rainkit.
"Very hungry," Hemlockheart laughs as Birdkit eats hungrily.
Two days had passed since the kits birth and they were growing quickly.
"Copperkit is very determined," Shrewtail mews, "he's also the biggest."
"Birdkit is definitely the smallest," Brightpaw adds.
"And Flamekit and Rainkit are about the same size," Ceaderstripe mews.
"I'm going to ask Hazelstripe if she wants to hunt with me," Brightpaw pads out of the cave to where Hazelstripe is sitting outside.
"I think I'll take Cocoapaw hunting," Ceaderstripe mews.
She turns and leaves the den, squinting in the light. The sun was just past its highest point so by the time they finished hunting it would be night.
"Cocoapaw, I'm going hunting, do you want to come?" Ceaderstripe asks.
"Sure," the tom stands up from where he was sitting, staring into the trees.
Ceaderstripe glances to Brightpaw and Hazelstripe who seemed to be heading off downstream and decided that her and Cocoapaw would hunt upstream.

"What do you smell, Brightpaw?" Hazelstripe mewed, staring at the colorful non-cat expectantly.
Brightpaw parted their mouth. They received a smell they hadn't smelled before, even though it t was similar to, "a bird of some form?" They guessed, getting a disapproving glare from their mentor in return.
"It's an eagle," Hazelstripe growled, pointing her tail at a brown-feathered thing in the tree. "Quite a big one, actually. Would be great for later, or even tomorrow. Now, kill it."
"What?!" Brightpaw trembled, "W-won't it kill me?!" They had hunted a couple small, kind scary birds, like jays, but never one large as they had seen in front of them.
"Not if you do it right," Hazelstripe replied apathetically.
"O-okay." Brightpaw leaped up the branches, perching themself on one just a foxlength or two away from the bird. Now they could see the white head and the sharp, menacing beak it had.
"Stop shaking!" Hazelstripe growled from the ground, even though she seemed a bit too loud to them.
Not wanting to disappoint her mentor, Brightpaw quickly worked up the courage and leaped off the branch, straight toward the eagle.
Or the ground. You know, that worked, too.

•••

Brightpaw awoke in an unfamiliar clearing. They didn't recognize anything, but it felt just like home. They tried to stand up, but their legs felt too weak, so they just lay there, waiting.
"Wow, she was kinda stupid." An old tom's voice whispered.
"What will we do?" Another voice, this time a mother-like she-cat, questioned.
"It was obviously a suicide," A third tom growled, "She should've known that jumping from that height would kill her."
"But it seemed like an accident," The she-cat argued, "She was trying to feed the others."
"Who are you?" Brightpaw asked, trying to stand up, but falling over again, "And where am I?"
Suddenly, three starry cats appeared in front of her. The first was a gray starry siamese, the third was a blue-gray tom with star-filled blue eyes, and the second a...
"Mom!" Brightpaw exclaimed, about to run up and greet her, but then remembering her legs.
"It's nice seeing you, my dear," She replied, stepping forward, "But we should wait to settle into this place another day."
"Huh?" Brightpaw couldn't believe what the first tom was about to say.
"Brightpaw, you're in StarClan." He looked quite content for telling someone that they died.
"And you'll be staying unless you get over here," The blue-gray tom added.
Brightpaw got up, wincing at the pain, but not wanting to fall again. They slowly padded over to the starry cats, pain jolting through her every time she took a step with her front paws.
"You should be dead right now," The first tom started. Brightpaw realized how large and strong he looked compared to the others. Maybe he was a leader? But all the leaders are still alive. They told themself.
"But the prophecy cats are going to need you," the third tom added.
"So we must give you a power for you to be able to catch up to the others." Their mom told them, "We have decided to let you change your size, from a tiny mouse to a strong bear. I hope you use these powers for good, Brightpaw. I believe in you."
"Thank you," Brightpaw bowed their head, "I promise that I'll help save OceanClan, no matter the cost."
"Good." The blue tom replied, then he looked to the big tom and mewed, "But what about her injury, Treestar? They've already gotten as far behind as time will permit."
"Treestar?" Brightpaw exclaimed, "But all the leaders are still alive, right?!"
"That's for another time, Brightpaw," Her mom silenced her with her starry ginger and black tail.
"We can't heal her all the way, but enough so she can walk." Treestar announced, "Goodbye, Brightpaw, I hope to get to know you better someday."
"B-" Brightpaw started, but the starry figures had disappeared in front of her.