"Will all cats of TreeClan please gather below the Tall Stump for a clan meeting." Acornstar meows. I glance at Pollenkit and frown. I don't want to leave her alone but... This meeting is about my f-family. I think and finally step outside. All cats gather below and Acornstar speaks again. "Yesterday a fellow clanmate went to StarClan. Larkwhistle was a wonderful friend, mate and queen. Sadly her life ended because of Greencough." The cats in the crowd bow their head and whisper goodbye. I quickly do the same. "Larkwhistle's family is to protect her grave at sun-down.

[Two things that happen in the clans when a cat dies is the leader gives a little speech about that cat and the family members sit next to that cat's grave during the night.]

~~~

"Sparrowkit?" My father meows from the clearing "It's... It's time to go." Owlwatcher meows with grief from the entrance of the den. I smile goodbye to Pollenkit and follow family towards the exit of the camp.

"Wait!" I whisper violently to my father "We're not allowed outside of the camp!" Poolkit rolls her eyes and keeps on walking.

"This usually doesn't happen but you're allowed right now. And the burial place isn't far from the back of the camp. " Owlwatcher replies and I follow my dad out of the camp. Torn up leaves crunch underneath our paws as we near a little dirt pile. "This is where your wonderful mother is buried." He meows with tears streaming down his face. After only a few moments Poolkit sighs.

"Can I go yet?" She meows glancing back at the camp

"Absolutely not!" Our dad yowls, rage sparking in his eyes "Have you forgotten that your mother died? Died! The cat that birthed you, that brought you into this world, is gone! She's never coming back!" Poolkit fluffs up and hisses.

"I'm not coming back either!" She yowls and runs back to camp, muttering something. I tear up and glance at Owlwatcher; he's crying. After a few moments he sits up.

"Son?" Owlwatcher meows, breaking the silence that is eating away my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I whisper back, my voice not able to meow

"Being here shows me that I can be gone so soon. There is a tradition you need to know of." I nod and he continues "What is similar between our names?"

"Uh..." I think out loud "Owlwatcher... Sparr--. I know! We both have a bird name!"

"Right son. Now my father's name was," Owlwatcher sighs "was Ravenclaw. Bird name again." I nod again to show I'm listening "And my father's father was Hawkswipe and the tradition continues all the way up to the ancient Birdstar. His dying wish was for all toms in the family to be named after a bird."

"And that's where you got my name." I meow. He nods with a smile then pulls me closer and we cuddle all night until Acornstar wakes us up.

~~~

"Rosethorn?" I whisper, trying to not wake Pollenkit

"Yes Sparrowkit?" She meows, beckoning her tail to come over. I pad over and the smell of herbs goes stronger

"Pollenkit's apprentice ceremony is soon. Will she be able to become an apprentice?" I whisper. Pollenkit shuffles in her nest and gives a small cough. The medicine cat sighs with a nervous smile.

"I don't know, sweetie. She's getting better but... But... She's still pretty sick." I frown and pad out of the den. Snow flurries down and lands gracefully on the cold ground. A cold breeze sends a chill down my spine but the thought of Pollenkit warms me right back up. I pick up a still warm squirrel and glance around the camp. Poolkit is playing mossball with Goldenkit and Streamkit. Owlwatcher is talking and laughing with Ambershine. But it makes me miss Larkwhistle even more. Why did she have to go. And go so fast? I silently yowl in my head Why StarClan? Why? My thoughts stop as I hear several coughs coming from the medicine cat den. I turn around and I start walking back but Acornstar goes in with a nervous smile. I decide to let her and Rosethorn to talk but I hear another fit of coughing. I pad inside and see Pollenkit sitting up. I smile and drop the thrush onto the ground. We eat happily and try not to eavesdrop on the two she-cat's conversation yet it becomes impossible.

"What's the matter?" Rosethorn meows with a confused look on her face

"I think I'm," Acornstar starts and then lowers her meow to a whisper "expecting kits."

"Oh. Uh, okay. Why aren't you excited?" The medicine cat responds

"Well I'm so big already! Clouddrop and I have only been mates for a short while!" Acornstar meows, worry choking her meow

"I'll examine you but its probably just because you're expecting kits and eating more." Rosethorn sighs while Acornstar obediently lays down. She runs her paws across the leader's belly. "I feel several of them! That's wonderful!" Rosethorn smiles "Maybe one will be my apprentice!" Acornstar gets up and nods a thank you. Before Rosethorn turns towards us Pollenkit fake coughs as a signal. We giggle and quickly lay down.

"Oh you guys aren't fooling any cat! Not even a mouse." Rosethorn chuckles. Pollenkit sits up and shrugs. We smile at each other and decide to share tongues. She occasionally stops to cough but it doesn't bother me.

~~~

I see Acornstar leap up onto the Tall Stump. Sadness washes through my pelt as I make sure Pollenkit is asleep. But she isn't.

"It's okay." She meows as if she knows what I am thinking about "I'm f--" Pollenkit pauses to have a coughing fit "fine. I'm fine." I smile and we watch cats gather below the Tall Stump from the edge of the den.

"Will all cats old enough to climb a tree please gather below. Today two kits are becoming apprentices." The leader meows and in moments the clan is gathered. "Goldenkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Goldenpaw. Your mentor will be Foxslash. I know she will pass down all she knows to you." Then Acornstar glances towards the mentor-to-be

"Foxslash, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Flamespark, and you have shown yourself to be brave and a great mentor. You will be the mentor of Goldenpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her. Foxslash and the new apprentice touch noses and go sit together while Streamkit tries to sit up even straighter. Acornstar smiles at the last kit and meows again. "Streamkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Streampaw. Your mentor will be Pebblefall. I know he will pass down all he knows to you." The leader looks down at the new mentor. "Pebblefall, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Rockslide, and you have shown yourself to be noble and obedient. You will be the mentor of Streampaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him. The duo touches noses and follows the other pair to go explore the territory. I smile at Pollenkit and cuddle up next to her.

"It's okay. We'll be apprentices together." She whispers

Thanks so much for reading and long chapter!! Byeeeeeee ~Swift