Squirrelflight was in a hollowed out tree, with Leafpool. Both of them were absolutely stunned. "Sister, why did we come out here anyways?"

"H-he musn't know." Leafpool's tone was shaky and slightly bitter but reminiscent. She was obviously thinking about Crowfeather, though Squirrelflight was thinking about Brambleclaw and Ashfur. Suddenly she remembered, and began to lick her two kits; one was sort of a grayish color, and another one, a golden tabby. Leafpool was licking a kit also; this one was very dark colored; and it would probably be black. A jolt went down Leafpool's spine as Squirrelflight's emotions went on high. "B-but, one of my kits looks like Ashfur! Do you think he'll suspect...?" Squirrelflight was now frantic, as Leafpool's emotions pitted to one side and another. I must calm her down! Its too soon after a kitting to be like that... Leafpool hunted in her small bunch of herbs she had brought. "Thyme, thyme...where is it?"

No thyme was to be found.

Squirrelflight buried her face in her paws woefully. "What shall I do, Leafpool? I can't just tell him I have one of Ashfur's kits!"

"Calm down, just calm down." Leafpool tried; though she knew that her efforts wouldn't do.

"B-but.."

Leafpool stood in thought for a moment, then tried to calm herself down. Of course! If her emotions were on high, then Squirrelflight's would be even higher. Herbs that substitute thyme...Chickweed? No...Chamomile? Was it in the bundle? Leafpool sniffed through her bundle, and sure enough, there was just the smallest trace of chamomile, and some poppy seeds. "Here." She pushed the herbs under Squirrelflight's nose, and her sister ate them; she was too tired to be stubborn. Leafpool curled around her own dark kit, as Squirrelflight became drowsy and curled around the golden tabby and gray tabby.

Cold winds seeped through the tree, howling. "This is no proper nursery.." Leafpool started digging and pitching snow out. Then she would scrape some soft bark from the rotting tree, and lichen. That might make a decent nest; and if she could catch a bird, yes, that would work. She had left her kit mostly in the care of Squirrelflight, since she was the one who knew medicine. Squirrelflight had scooted into the corner of the area, so as to give Leafpool room. Great Starclan, my paws are freezing! Leafpool's thoughts buzzed as she licked the snow off of her paws. Back to work she went, scraping down some of the half-rotted wood and lichen. A small squeak emitted from the corner as one of the kits most likely shoved their paws on another. "Leafpool, kits aren't supposed to open their eyes that fast, I don't think.."

The gray tabby's eyes were wide open, and blank as snow and lichen brushed into them. "Great Starclan, no. Close your eyes again!" Leafpool panicked. This is my fault! My sister's kit, got blinded by ME! The kitten closed his eyes again. "H-he'll be fine." Leafpool bluffed for her sister's comfort. At least both of them didn't know medicine. "No! He won't. Its my fault, I wasn't wrapped around him as well. I stopped licking him first." Leafpool's emotions jolted from side to side as her and Squirrelflight both felt guilty. My fault, her fault, my fault..her fault...MY fault.

"I'll..go catch us something." Leafpool said, and she padded out of the hollow.

A bird's wing flashed in front of Leafpool's face. "Mousedung!" She spat. Her reflexes were now slower from not hunting in a while. She opened her mouth slightly. The scent of mouse flooded into it. Directing her gaze toward the scent; the mouse was sitting on a root, nibbling a seed. Light footed, then pounce. Leafpool balanced her weight on her haunches, and pounced on the mouse. Finally, a good catch.

She padded back to the hollowed tree, with the mouse in her jaws. "Hey, Squirrelflight, I got us a mouse..." Squirrelflight was dozing, with her tail wrapped around the kits. Leafpool smiled, and sliced her claw along the mouse, dividing it into two. She set the larger half over for Squirrelflight, and dug into her small half. She wasn't the one who had kits to provide for. Not..anymore, at least. She had decided to give Squirrelflight her kit as soon as her sister woke up.

A few hours had passed since Leafpool came in from hunting; mostly, she and her sister had been sleeping. "Ehh, whuzzat?" Squirrelflight drowsily rose her head as a kit poked her.

"Your finally up, huh? Theres mouse there for you." Leafpool said, touching her sister's shoulder with her tail. Squirrelflight eagerly ate her share of the kill, carefully shifting from under her kits. Leafpool curled around them while her sister ate, fondly looking down at the small kittens. Guilt shot through her when she saw the gray tabby again. He'll probably end up blind, and its my fault.

"No he WON'T!" Squirrelflight hissed, sensing Leafpool's thoughts through their connection. "He'll be fine! Even you said so."

"I-I know that." Leafpool bluffed again, curling her tail around the gray one. "Will you, take my kit for me?"

"The black one?" Squirrelflight's tone became less denial, and more understanding.

"Yes, the black one."

"Of course. Do you have any name requests?"

"Yes; her name is Hollykit--it is a she, I checked. Please don't tell her that I'm her mother, though."

"I'll make sure she won't find out." As Squirrelflight said so, Leafpool felt a sense of security again. Hopefully I can avoid trying to tell Crowfeather again...

It had been two days; the winds had let up, and it was getting warmer. On the dawn of that day, the sisters had left with the kits in their mouths and on their backs, and soon arrived in Thunderclan territory again. The bushes rustled, and out stepped Brambleclaw. "What? Kits?" He was surprised. "Squirrelflight had her kitting on the journey, thats all."

"They're wonderful." Brambleclaw soon went from surprised to absolutely extatic. "Come on, I'll escort you back to camp. Firestar will want to know what Starclan said."

It was over. All over, never to haunt Leafpool again...