Heartstorm woke up to a cold wind. He shivered and fluffed up his fur, stepping out of his nest. He trotted outside. Camp was covered in snow. Heartstorm brushed out of the warrior's den, noticing a few cats watching him and muttering. He spotted Blacktail and quickly trotted faster towards the nursery. But Blacktail caught up with him. 

          "Heartstorm," she said. Heartstorm turned to face her. 

          "Hi erm, congratulations," Heartstorm said. 

            "I didn't think my apprentice would give up when things get hard," Blacktail said questioningly. 

           "B-being deputy just wasn't for me," Heartstorm forced the lie out. 

           "I thought I taught you better," Blacktail said. "I had hope in you. My own apprentice, becoming deputy." 

            "I'm sorry," Heartstorm said, slightly annoyed. "But now you're deputy. Aren't you happy?"

            "I don't understand why you gave up," Blacktail said.

             "I need to go," Heartstorm said and pushed past her. He headed for the nursery and slipped inside. Cloudbreeze was talking to Heatherkit and Daisykit. Silverdrop smiled when Heartstorm entered the nursery. His kits squealed and ran up to him. 

            "It's snowing outside!" he told them. 

             "Can we go out?" Brightkit said, her eyes lit up. 

              "It's cold!" exclaimed Silverdrop. 

              "please," begged Bumblekit. Heatherkit trotted towards them. 

               "Yeah, let's go together," she said. 

              "I'll watch them," Cloudbreeze promised Acornheart. 

               "I'll be there as well," Heartstorm agreed. The kits squealed. 

                 "It's cold," Acornheart replied firmly. 

              "And there might be slippery ice," Silverdrop added. Cloudbreeze rolled his eyes at Heartstorm. 

              "We're warriors," he told Acornheart and Silverdrop. "We'll be able to take care of a couple of kits." 

              "Four kits," Acornheart said. 

              "Yes, we can take care of four kits," Cloudbreeze said. 

               "Please?" begged Daisykit. 

               "Come on! There's so many things to see," cried Bumblekit. 

                "Yeah! I've never seen snow before," Brightkit exclaimed. 

                "Fine," sighed Silverdrop, giving Heartstorm a firm look. "Take care of them." Acornheart relented as well and Cloudbreeze and Heartstorm trotted out of the den with four kits in tow. Brightkit and Bumblekit tumbled around in the snow. Heatherkit stared around in wonder and Daisykit started to roll about. 

                 "Wow! It's so white!" exclaimed Bumblekit. The kits ran around, taking in all the new sights. 

               "Be careful!" called Silverdrop from inside the nursery. 

               "Of course we will!" answered Cloudbreeze.

                "Come on," Heartstorm said, let's go to the stream, see if it's frozen." The kits all sprinted towards the stream with Heartstorm and Cloudbreeze behind them. Heartstorm smiled when he spotted the stream. It was a silvery road of ice. The kits scrambled towards it happily. Bumblekit started to pad carefully on the ice until Heatherkit bumped into him and he sprawled. His eyes widened as he slipped around, trying to get up. Heartstorm laughed and picked him up. 

              "I don't really like ice," cringed Bumblekit. "My stomach hurts." 

              "Let me see," Heartstorm said. Bumblekit rolled over. Heartstorm peered at his stomach but it seemed fine. "Do you want to go see Frogleap?" Bumblekit nodded. 

              "Yes please," he mumbled, scrambling to his feet. Heartstorm didn't look forward to seeing Frogleap, not knowing what Frogleap would say to him. 

              "Cloudbreeze, take care of the kits alone for a while, please," Heartstorm called. Cloudbreeze nodded. "I'm taking Bumblekit to Frogleap." Bumblekit followed Heartstorm. They trotted towards the medicine den. 

               "What do you think Frogleap's going to do to me?" asked Bumblekit. 

               "Just check on you, I'm sure," Heartstorm assured Bumblekit. But Bumblekit wasn't scared. Mostly amazed. 

               "How does he know what he has to do?" asked Bumblekit. 

               "I expect the medicine cat before him knew," Heartstorm explained. 

              "What if he doesn't know what to do?" asked Bumblekit. 

                 "He'll know. Go on in." They slipped into the dimly lit den. Frogleap looked up.

                 "Hello Bumblekit," he said, peering at Bumblekit curiously. Bumblekit trotted towards a pile of weird looking leaves.  

                 "What are those?" asked Bumblekit. 

                "Herbs," replied Frogleap. "Burdock root to be precise. And this is catmint. Many cats get greencough in leaf-bare. The worst time for a medicine cat. Last leaf-bare nobody got sick which made my job much easier, but you never know." Heartstorm stood by the corner, trying to avoid as much eye contact as he could. 

                "Well, back to you," Frogleap said, turning to Bumblekit. "Why are you here?" 

               "I fell on my stomach," explained Bumblekit. Frogleap nodded thoughtfully. He bent down. 

                "Show me," he said. Bumblekit rolled over. Frogleap nodded once again, pursing his lips. 

              "I know just the thing," Frogleap exclaimed. Frogleap peered at his pile of herbs and took out some green leaves. Heartstorm was surprised. He hadn't thought Bumblekit would have needed anything. He was a little more worried now. Frogleap crushed the leaves and applied it to Bumblekit's stomach. 

              "What's that?" asked Bumblekit. 

             "Comfrey," Frogleap replied. "Right, you're good. Run along now." Bumblekit smiled. 

              "Thanks," he grinned, gave another look at the pile of herbs and padded towards the den entrance. Frogleap approached Heartstorm. Heartstorm's heart raced, hoping Frogleap wouldn't say anything bad. 

              "The comfrey won't do anything," Frogleap whispered into Heartstorm's ear. "But it'll make him feel better about it." Heartstorm nodded thankfully and trotted after Bumblekit. So Bumblekit wasn't seriously hurt. 

              "Wow, my first real injury," exclaimed Bumblekit. Heartstorm chuckled.      

            "You're a very brave kit," Heartstorm said. 

              "What do you think Silverdrop will say?" asked Bumblekit happily. 

             "She'll probably shout at me," Heartstorm sighed. "Come on, let's go see your sister." They spotted the kits and Cloudbreeze my the stream, rolling about and wrestling. Cloudbreeze smiled. 

            "Better?" he asked. Heartstorm nodded. 

             "I'm healed now," smiled Bumblekit. Heartstorm grinned and settled down to watch his kits play around the frozen ground. He couldn't believe how big they were now. He'd miss them when they became apprentices in new-leaf. He watched them fondly, feeling the love for them warming his heart. His thoughts flickered to Sagekit. He imagined Sagekit there, playing with Bumblekit and Brightkit, smiling brightly. He imagined Sagekit, turning back to beam at him, his eyes lit up. As Heartstorm refocused, he stared at Bumblekit, Brightkit, Heatherkit and Daisykit... and Sagekit was gone.