A green-leaf breeze stirred the long green grass. Shadows cast over the WindClan camp as dusk approached. Roseblossom padded into the camp, dropping a plump rabbit off at the fresh-kill pile.
       As she returned from her hunting patrol, she noticed a light ginger cat slip through the rock crevice. Roseblossom twitched her tail, curiosity tugging her towards the medicine cat den after her former mentor.
       She slipped into the den, half-light filtering through the rock crevice. Firepool pushed a leaf with honey on it toward Crookedwing. The ginger mentor lapped it up.
        "How long has your throat been hurting?" Firepool narrowed her eyes at her sister, then turned her gaze to Roseblossom. "What do you need?"
       Roseblossom shuffled her paws. "Oh, nothing." She turned away hastily, heading for the entrance. But as she slipped through the entrance, she flicked her ears back.
        "About two days," came Crookedwing's raspy voice as she gave a drowsy sniff.
Roseblossom twitched her whiskers, hoping her former mentor wouldn't lose her voice.

        Two sunrises had passed since Crookedwing had visited the medicine cat den. Now she was confined to camp, retiring her duties until she got better. She had lost her voice. She also was coughing and sneezing and was tired all the time. Roseblossom had overheard Firepool reporting to Fawnstar about her sister's illness.
       "I've never seen this before," Firepool had growled in frustration. "I gave her homey and tansy, but nothing seems to be working. I even tried catmint."
       Roseblossom could only hope that Crookedwing would get better, and that the sickness wasn't contagious. Now, Fawnstar addresses the Clan, with Sandheart beside her on Tallrock.
       Fawnstar waved her tail toward her deputy. "Sandheart has some exciting news." Though her tone was light, Roseblossom couldn't help but worry for her leader, who's amber eyes were glazed over in weariness.
       The black tom stepped forward, yellow eyes calm, but tail waving in happiness. "Duskspots is expecting her second litter of kits!"
      Meows of approval and congratulation erupted, and Roseblossom saw Jaggedswirl nuzzle his tortoiseshell-patched mother in happiness.
       Duskspots addressed the Clan as the yowl of congratulations died down. "They will be born in about a moon."
       As the WindClan cats broke apart, murmuring to each other in excitement, Roseblossom couldn't help smile to herself. The times have been tough this past season, with the borders high with tension, but maybe new life will bring hope and prosperity to WindClan after all.
                             •*•*•*•*•*•*•
       Roseblossom dozed lazily under the open dawn sky. Her fluffy gray tail rested over her pink nose. She perked her ears when she heard yowls of surprise stir around her. She lifted her head, eyes frantically searching the clearing.
       She stood to her paws quickly when her eyes rested on the returning dawn patrol. Frozenheart led the patrol, gray tabby pelt slick with blood. Jaggedswirl was beside her, flank battered. Dapplesplash was behind them, her ginger tabby-patched pelt stained crimson, and amber eyes wide. Flamepath pushed through the gorse bushes last, ginger tabby pelt unstained for the most part, but his ear had been nipped and his nose welled with blood.
       Roseblossom trotted worriedly over to her father. He rested his tail-tip gently on her shoulder, before turning toward Addertuft. She nuzzled him, worry glittering her hazel eyes.
       Fawnstar stalked over from where she had been sitting, eyes glazed and unfocused. "What happened..?" Her gazed rested on Frozenheart, then flickered around the rest of the patrol.
       Frozenheart raised her head to her leader. "Another border skirmish, this time RiverClan crossed over to our side of the border." Frozenheart shared an anxious glance with Dapplesplash. "They were trying to mark scent lines on our territory, but we managed to drive them off."
       Fawnstar's fur began to bristle, not with fury, Roseblossom noticed, but with anxiety. Her gaze flashed with something Roseblossom couldn't understand, and she trotted quickly to the Tallrock.
       "Every cat old enough to run over the moorlands, join here beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting," Fawnstar's mew was loud, but it was faint and distant.
       Roseblossom padded over to find a spot beside Ambernight, her gray and white tail twitching, worry rising for her leader.
       The black and white she-cat glanced around at the cats below her. "I have been thinking for a long time," she began.
       Her eyes flickered with emotion. "And I have decided, for the best of WindClan, that I must resign my duties as Clan leader."
      Gasps of shock and yowls of protest sounded below her. Roseblossom could feel nerves flitting through her. She had noticed the change in the way her leader had acted, but never guessed this would happen.
       Fawnstar continued over the yowls. "I feel that WindClan will need a strong and honorable leader, and through these hard times, I'm afraid I can't measure up to those standards."
       The shock slowly started to die away, replaced with suspicion. Firepool stepped forward.
       "StarClan gave you your nine lives," she growled, tail lashing. "You can't just give up and go against the will of StarClan."
       Yowls of approval rose among the clearing, and Roseblossom could hear Oliveclaw and Brackencatch protesting the loudest.
        Fawnstar dipped her head in defeat. "I will be known as Fawntail now, and retire to the elder's den with Heathermoon," she glanced down at Sandheart. "Sandheart will be a strong leader, and serve WindClan better than I ever could."
       Roseblossom watched as Fawntail leaped down from Tallrock, joining her mother beside the elder's den. Heathermoon welcomes her daughter with a flick of her tail.
       Sandheart took Fawntail's place on the Tallrock. "I will travel to the Moonpool with Firepool tonight to receive my nine lives," he gave an apologetic glance at Fawntail. "I hope I can serve WindClan with the best of my abilities."
      Roseblossom was shocked at Fawntail. The usually gentle and reasonable cat had turned weary and hard over time. Sandheart is decisive and calm, and will make a good leader through these hard times. Roseblossom gave a shiver. She only hoped a new leader would make WindClan stronger.