(Cat above is Hawkswoop)

Stormspot crouched beside Cloudwing in the milky warmth of the nursery. He was so full of joy he felt like he would burst like a river overflowing its banks. His mate was exhausted but her eyes shone with love for the three new kits that were tucked close to her belly by her tail.

"They're beautiful." Cloudwing whispered. "Our first litter."

Stormspot gently pressed his muzzle to hers. "You did good. I'm proud of you."

Cloudwing returned the gesture then gazed back down at their kits. "That speckled gray tom looks just like you." She commented.

Stormspot smiled down at his speckled son. "And that white tom looks like you." He mewed, pointing to his snow white son with his tail.

"And our daughter, looks like both of us." Cloudwing meowed, gently running her tail over her gray and white daughter.

A shadow fell over the den entrance. Fernshade padded in followed by Fireclaw and their kits. The three kits bounded up to Cloudwing a little too quickly and were stopped by their father's tail. They looked up at Fireclaw who mouthed "Slowly."

"We were told we could visit now." Fireclaw mewed, looking back up at Cloudwing.

"Can we see them?" Willowkit asked, quietly.

"Yes," Cloudwing answered. "but, be careful. They wers just born."

The three kits softly approached their new denmates, just as their father had instructed. They gazed down at them with round eyes as if they were their own.

"When can they play with us?" Sparkkit asked.

"Not for a couple of moons." Fireclaw told his eldest son. "They're too small and they'll need to adjust to the clan first."

"Have you named them?" Dewkit squeaked.

"I thought of some names." Cloudwing mewed. She pointed to each kit as she named them. "Rainkit for the speckled tom, Snowkit for the white tom, and Hazelkit for the gray and white she cat."

Stormspot let out a purr and licked his mate's head. "Those are perfect names."

Fernshade turned and gently ushered her kit out of the den. "Come on, you three. Cloudwing needs to rest."

Sparkit, Dewkit, and Willowkit bounded out of the den followed by their parents. Stormspot curled up next to Cloudwing amd wrapped his tail around her and thier kits.

Welcome to ThunderClan, my kits.

*

*

*

Stormspot padded across the clearing, a shrew dangling from his jaw. A few days had passed since his kits were born. That morning they had opened their eyes revealing three pairs of blue eyes.

He slipped into the nursery and dropped the shrew at Cloudwing's paws. "I thought you'd be hungry."

Cloudwing smiled. "Thank you."

Stormspot turned to leave when suddenly her heard Whitepool and Pinestripe talking with an unfamiliar voice. Stormspot carefully poked his head of the den. He spotted Whitepool and Pinestripe sitting by the thorn tunnel talking with Hawkswoop, a ShadowClan warrior.

Next to the large dark brown tabby was a small black and white tom. The little tom didn't look injured at all and Stormspot guessed he became an apprentice after the attack. Hawkswoop, on the other paw, had visible scars that looked like they had been treated. Stormspot tuned his ear to listen.

"How did your wounds heal?" Pinestripe asked.

"Wolfstar didn't want the help but I went to RiverClan and asked Icewind to help us." Hawkswoop replied. "Wolfstar lost a life due to his injuries. Icewind said he could have lost two if I hadn't have gone to him for help."

Pinestripe's tail twitched irritability. "Wolfstar too blinded by his intentions to even care about himself."

"I'm not surprised." Hawkswoop mewed. "This is how he is."

"It's What he's become." Pinestripe growled.

The three cats sat in silence for a moment. "Who is this?" Whitepool asked after a moment, pointing to the black and white tom.

"Is that Badgerkit?" Pinestripe asked.

"Yes." Hawkswoop answered. "He and his siblings became apprentices a couple of days ago. He wants to be a medicine cat though Wolfstar wouldn't allow it and assigned him to a warrior. I convinced him to let me bring him here so you could train him."

Pinestripe gazed down at Badgerpaw. The young tom looked up at him with wide amber eyes. He quickly lowered his head as if her thought Pinestripe wouldn't want to train him.

"You came at a good time." Whitepool chimmed. "It's almost time for the half moon meeting. He can be accepted by StarClan when we go."

"He can and he will." Pinestripe meowed. "I will train him. Badgerpaw will stay here until he earns his full name and there's no more I can teach him. After that, I'll send him back to ShadowClan." Under his breathe he mumbled,"With all of StarClan's wishes going with him. He'll need it."

Hawkswoop dipped his head. "Thank you, Pinestripe."

The ShadowClan warrior turned to leave but looked back and flashed a reassuring smile at Badgerpaw. Badgerpaw returned the smile then followed Pinestripe and Whitepool to the medicine den.

Stormspot continued out of the nursery and across the clearing to the warriors' den. Larkwatcher slipped through the entrance and the two warriors nearly bumped into one another.

"Sorry, Larkwatcher." Stormspot mewed. "I'm a little distracted."

"That's alright." Larkwatcher meowed. "Did I hear Hawkswoop?"

Stormspot nodded. "Yes. He was here just a moment ago."

Larkwatcher's tail twitched. "What for?"

"He was bringing a new ShadowClan apprentice to Pinestripe so he could train him." Stormspot explained.

Larkwatcher let out a snort then padded off. "Looks like Wolfstar's finally tired of not having a medicine cat."

Stormspot watched the tortoiseshell tom leave. Something in his mind made his pelt prickle. ThunderClan had recovered well from the attack but Stormspot couldn't help but wonder, even worry, about the condition of ShadowClan. He contemplated whether or not it was right for him to worry about them.

They did start this back and forth attacking. He thought to himself. And they killed Marshtail and partially blinded Ashshade.

The more he thought about it, Stormspot began to think this was less of a battle between ShadowClan and ThunderClan, and more of a war between Wolfstar and Fallowstar.

But why?