Nightstorm looked at Ebonywing and Lightwhisker. They were purring and rubbing their heads against each other's. So that's what it's like, being in love. He thought. He already had a crush from Mistclan. His crush was Bluewhisper, a light gray she-cat. Nightstorm sighed. He wanted kits and a mate. Ebonywing and Lightwhisker where mates. Lightwhisker was also expecting kits. She was already in the nursery! Nightstorm liked Lightwhisker. She was a good friend. He looked at her. "When are the kits coming?" He asked. Lightwhisker purred. "In about two sunrises." She said. After all, she had been expecting for about two moons now. Nightstorm nodded. He purred. "That's great!" He said. He looked at Ebonywing. Fierce love showed in his eyes. He

would protect the kits and Lightwhisker with his life, and Nightstorm knew it. "I have to go." Nightstorm said. He was going to hunt. Lightwhisker nodded. "Be careful!" She said. Everyone was cautious after Arrow's attack. A rouge had been spotted after the attack. The patrol that spotted it chased it away and warned it if he was spotted on territory again, that they would bite his tail off. Nightstorm wished he had been there and could have attacked the loner instead. Nightstorm hated loners after they had killed his mother, Duskwhisker. Nightstorm headed toward the exit. He went outside of camp and sniffed the air. He smelled a mouse. He saw it, a pounced! He missed, and even though he knew he couldn't catch it, he chased it for fun. He chased it to Mistclan borders,

then stopped. He knew if he chased it over he could risk a fight with Mistclan cats. He started patrolling the border because he didn't have anything better to do. He sniffed the air. All he could smell was Dawnclan and Mistclan. He looked across the border and saw a Mistclan patrol. There were two cats. He recognized them. Fishclaw, a silver tom.... and Bluewhisper! Bluewhisper was his friend in Mistclan. They had known each other since apprentices. Nightstorm wasn't worried about Bluewhisper hanging out with Fishclaw, another tom, because he was Bluewhisper's brother. Nightstorm waved at them with his tail. "Hi!" He said. Bluewhisper and Fishclaw looked at him. "Oh, hi Nightstorm!" She said. Nightstorm looked at her grayish-blue pelt.

He looked at her sky-blue eyes. His face softened more. He was in love. Fishclaw stared at Nightstorm harshly. "We can't talk now. Only at gatherings. We could get in trouble." Bluewhisper stared at her brother and whacked him on the head. "Come on, Fishclaw! Ease up! This is the tom that killed Arrow! We can talk to him. He's our friend." Fishclaw's eyes narrowed. "Fine, but if we get caught, remember I warned you." Bluewhisper rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mr. Suspicious." She said. Then she looked at Nightstorm. "How's your clan doing after the attack?" She asked. "We're doing fine, but a lot of lives were affected by the attack. Fruitfur got hurt badly by a loner. Her eye is infected. Lucky that it's only one." Nightstorm said and shuddered. Bluewhisper nodded. "Oh,

Nightstorm. I just remembered that your mother died in the attack..... I'm still trying to get over it. She was a great cat." Bluewhisper said, her voice soft. Everyone knew that Duskwhisker saved Bluewhisper's mother, Jayeyes, from a badger when she was carrying kits. Nightstorm nodded. "Thank you." He said. Then he looked at the sky. "Great fuzzballs! It's almost mid-sun! I promised that I would be back at camp by mid-sun. I gotta go!" He said. Bluewhisper and Fishclaw nodded. "Bye!" Bluewhisper said, but Nightstorm was already gone. When Nightstorm got back to camp, he heard a yowl coming from the nursery. Nightstorm ran to the nursery. There he saw Lightwhisker laying down, screeching. Herbleaf was there with Pondfur. Nightstorm

realized what was happening. Lightwhisker's kits are coming early! He thought. He gave them space. Finally, after a while, the screeching stopped. Ebonywing rushed in the cave. Nightstorm heard purring. "May I come in?" He asked Ebonywing. "You may." Said the proud tom. Nightstorm came in and saw Lightwhisker with some kits. Two were white with orange spots, and one looked like a mini Duskwhisker. "There beautiful." Nightstorm exclaimed. Lightwhisker purred. "Thank you." She said. Then she turned to Ebonywing. "What should we name them?" She asked. Ebonywing looked like he was thinking. "How about Spotkit for the kit with the black and orange spotted one?" He asked. Lightwhisker nodded. "And Duskkit for the black one, after Duskwhisker." She said.

Nightstorm purred. Lightwhisker smiled at him. "Since you are one of my best friends, you can name the runt." She said. Nightstorm looked at the white and orange kit. His fur reminded him of leaves. "How about Leafkit?" He asked. Lightwhisker nodded. "I like that name." She said. Nightstorm puffed his chest out. He was happy that he had received the honor of naming a kit that wasn't his own. He looked at Duskkit. She was female and Spotkit was female, too. Nightstorm looked at Leafkit. "He's the only tom." Nightstorm said. Lightwhisker nodded, then laughed. "He will have to be flexible with his sisters!" Nightstorm nodded. "I have to go." He said, then walked out of the den. He grabbed a small mouse and ate it. He tried to go to sleep, but he couldn't. He

decided to take a walk. He sneaked past the guard, which was really hard because the night guard was Acornflight, the deputy. He quickly darted past her and bolted into the forest. When he got out, he found himself looking for the Mistclan border. He sniffed the air. He smelled it. He walked toward it and sat down by it. He sniffed the air again. A cat! He thought. He looked over the border. It wasn't any cat. It was Bluewhisper. His heart started beating fast. Bluewhisper smelled the air. "Nightstorm, I know your there, and I know you are nervous." She said. "What's wrong?" Nightstorm stepped out of the shadows. "Hello, Bluewhisper." He said. This is your chance! "I have to tell you something." Bluewhisper tilted her head. "What?" She asked. "I... uh... like