The snowy branches rustled as Poolpelt's Clanmates filed into the den, bringing with them the tang of a cold leaf-bare wind.
They had just returned from the Gathering.

Poolpelt lifted her head. "How was it?" She yawned, wanting only to go back to sleep.
She had been so tired lately, drowsiness weighting her black paws through the day, her sleep heavy at night.

She'd felt unusually clumsy in the cold hollow, too, and was relieved that Splashstream had been made a warrior, along with her sisters, Riverpelt and Robinheart.
With no more training sessions to attend, she'd had a chance to let her battle practice slide.

Amberleaf kneaded her nest and stepped on it. "I'll tell you in the morning," she murmured, closing her eyes.

Duskwing was more talkative, clearly still buzzing from the Gathering as she plumped up the moss in the nest on Poolpelt's other side. "Sparrowstar lost his ninth life," she announced. "He died from old age."
Poolpelt sat up. "He's dead?"

Duskwing nodded. "Yeah! And you'll never believe this! Pineclaw was found dead in DawnClan, so Sparrowstar had chosen a new deputy before he died."
Poolpelt gasped. "He chose a new deputy?" She was shocked. She never really liked Pineclaw, but didn't expect his death to rattle her so much.
"Yes. Sunstar's the leader of DawnClan now."
Poolpelt narrowed her eyes. The kittypet friend is the leader of DawnClan? Won't that make DawnClan look weak?

"Who is the new deputy?" Poolpelt pricked her ears. She knew Goldenfur had set his heart on it.
"Foxflight."
Foxflight? But Goldenfur is Sunstar's best friend. How could she overlook him like that?

She kept the thought to herself.
She hadn't seen Goldenfur in the last moon—not since they'd met at Fourtrees.
She'd avoided the Gathering by telling Icestar that she'd wretched her shoulder jumping down the ravine.
She couldn't bear to see the trees where they'd sat, or the remnants of the nest they'd made together.
And to see Goldenfur himself and not be able to share more than polite words would have been agony.

"And there was a fight," Duskwing breathed.
"At the Gathering?" Poolpelt was shocked.
"A new SmokeClan apprentice called Nightpaw went for two DawnClan apprentices. Goldenfur had to break it up."

He was there! Pain pierced her heart like a ice.
He would have been looking for her. She hoped he understood why she hadn't gone.

"Shadowfoot wanted to join in," Duskwing added. "Blackfrost practically had to sit on him to stop him. Darkstar was so embarrassed. He assigned Nightpaw to clean the elders's den for the next moon. You should have seen Crowsight's face when he did that. He was furious. He acted like he was proud that his daughter nearly shredded two apprentices."
Duskwing shook her head. "SmokeClan is turning into a bunch of fox-hearts."

Poolpelt settled back into her nest, picturing Goldenfur as her eyes grew heavy with sleep.
Duskwing chanted on. EchoClan's cats had lost their plumpness already. DawnClan had acted like they'd never had Icerocks in the first place...
Poolpelt dozed.

"I'm not surprised you didn't come tonight." Duskwing's comment jolted her awake.
"Why?"
"Have you told Icestar yet?"
Told her what? Poolpelt's heart began to race.
Did Duskwing know something?
Had someone at the Gathering given their secret away?

"Told her what?" She asked shakily.
Duskwing blinked at her. "That you're expecting kits."
Expecting kits?
I can't be! Poolpelt stared at her denmate in horror.

"Don't worry about being nervous," Duskwing brushed her tail along Poolpelt's flank. "It's natural the first time."

Amberleaf was awake now. "Poolpelt! You're having kits? Why didn't you tell me? Does Braveheart know yet?"
"Keep your voice down!" Poolpelt hissed.
Amberleaf ducked closer. "Sorry," she whispered. "But I'm so pleased. I knew there was something going on between you and Braveheart. He'll make a brilliant father."

Duskwing's ears twitched. "I didn't know there was anything going on between you and Braveheart."
There isn't! Poolpelt bit back the words.

They'd only want to know who the real father was. "Don't say anything to him," she pleaded.
"You want to tell him yourself, of course," Duskwing purred. "I understand. But you're going to have to say something soon. You're getting awfully big. Even the toms will be noticing soon."

As Duskwing and Amberleaf settled down to sleep beside her, Poolpelt gazed into the darkness at the edge of the den as a streak of tear fell down her cheek.

When morning came she heaved herself from her nest, suddenly aware of the extra weight in her belly.
How had she not noticed?

Outside, the warriors were gathering around Hawkflame, who was assigning duties for the day.
Rainpelt slept in the medicine den now, and had pretty much given up her role as deputy.

Poolpelt stumbled past her Clanmates and headed for Icestar's den. Pausing outside, she called from the lichen. "Can I speak with you?"
"Is that Poolpelt?" Icestar's voice echoed from inside. "Come in."
Poolpelt nosed through the lichen, fighting queasiness.

Icestar was sitting beside her nest, washing her face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm not feeling well," Poolpelt told her. "May I be excused from patrols?"

Icestar tilted her head to one side. "Is it something you've eaten?"
"Maybe."
"Of course you're excused, but you must see Flowertail if you don't feel better by sunhigh."
"I just need some fresh air," Poolpelt assured her, backing out of the den.

She padded for the camp entrance, seeking the solitude and peace of the snowy forest.

Braveheart broke away from the knot of warriors and caught up to her as she neared the stone tunnel. "Are you okay?"
"Fine." Poolpelt didn't even look at him, but kept walking.
Braveheart fell back and left her alone to squeeze through the tunnel.

It hurt her sides, as she could feel the stone pressing against her fur.

Her belly had swollen.
Poolpelt felt heavy and tired as she hauled herself up to the side of the ravine.
She was breathless by the time she reached the top.

She sat and looked down at her round belly.
Were there really kits growing inside her?
A rush of protectiveness surged through her, and she leaned down awkwardly to lick the soft fur.

The sound of the first patrol leaving the camp made her stand up and trot into the snowy cover of the ferns.
She kept going until the noise faded behind her.
When she looked up, the trees ahead were thinning, outlined against the sky.

Her paws had led her to the river.
She was honest enough with herself to know that she wanted the reassurance of Goldenfur.
She wanted to share her news.
But would he still be looking out for her?

She padded down the smooth stone slope and sat at the water's edge.
The far bank had been stripped by leaf-bare frosts, and she could see far into the trees.

What would happen now?
How would she explain these kits?

Sun will destroy you.
What this what the prophecy meant?
Having kits that were half-DawnClan?

Clouds covered the sky, yellow and heavy with the threat of heavy snow.
Poolpelt shivered and scanned the far bank once more.
She couldn't wait any longer.
She was hungry and cold.
As she turned, disappointed, to head up the bank, a flash of movement on the other side of the river caught her eye.

She leaned forward hopefully, her heart quickening when recognized the thick-furred, golden tabby pelt of Goldenfur.
But there were other cats with him. He was on a patrol, flanked by Stormclaw and Sparkshine.
Poolpelt backed away as the DawnClan patrol padded to the river's edge, but it was too late.
The cats had spotted her.

Stormclaw scowled across the water. "Hoping to hunt on our territory?" he sneered.
Goldenfur didn't look at Poolpelt. "IceClan doesn't like getting their paws dirty," he meowed to the tom. "You two go back to camp and tell Sunstar that IceClan is at the border," Goldenfur told his Clanmates. "I'll stay here and see how many more of them are hanging around."
Stormclaw and Sparkshine hared away into the trees.

Goldenfur stood on the shore with water lapping his paws. "It's been a while," he called across the dark, swirling river.
"I—I need you."
Hope flared in Goldenfur's eyes.
Did he think she'd come to tell him they could meet in secret again?

He slid into the water and swam across, unswerving despite the tug of the current, gliding through the water as smoothly as an otter.
He padded onto the stones and trotted to her side. "What's the matter?"

Poolpelt looked at her black paws.
She couldn't just come out with it.
She hadn't seen him in a moon.
How would he react?

"Your best friend didn't make you deputy," she meowed.
"No."
"But I thought you wanted to be leader one day."
"She offered. I refused. I haven't earned it yet. But I will." Goldenfur glanced over his shoulder. "We don't have long. What's the matter?"
"Are you disappointed—about not being deputy?"
"Poolpelt!" His mew grew stern. "Sunstar is about to send a patrol."

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to have kits."
Goldenfur's eyes widened like an owl's.
"It'll be all right." He pressed against her, his wet fur icy on her pelt. "Our kits will be great. Brave and strong and clever—good at hunting and climbing trees!"
Poolpelt flinched. "We're in different Clans," she reminded him.

"That's a problem," Goldenfur admitted. "But you can join DawnClan, or I can join IceClan. It's been done before."
"Has it?" Poolpelt asked.
"There's a cat in your Clan—Crowclaw—whose father was EchoClan. Didn't you know that?"

Poolpelt shook her head, shocked. "Are you sure?"
So that means Blackfrost and Featherfall have EchoClan blood!
"Yes."
"So why does no one talk about it?" she asked.

Poolpelt knew why. "Because if it's true... the IceClan cats who let Crowclaw be raised in their camp, the EchoClan cats who didn't claim him as their own.. They'd rather forget it. Do you want our kits to grow up like that?"

"But if I joined IceClan, they'd be IceClan kits," Goldenfur argued.
Poolpelt stared. "You'd do that for me?"
"For you and for our kits, in a heartbeat."

"But you want to become leader one day. You could never do that in IceClan. You'd always be an outsider."
Goldenfur lowered his gaze. "There are plenty of cats in DawnClan who want to be leader."
"But you could do it!" Poolpelt felt wretched. She couldn't let him give up his dream. "You can't leave your Clan."

"Then will you leave yours and come to live with DawnClan?"
"I can't."
"If you're worried about hunting, I'll teach you, like I promised."
"It's not that." Poolpelt thought of Blackfrost with ambition burning in his eyes, and Flowertail's words: Blood lies in his path. Flames lies in yours.

"My Clan needs me."
Goldenfur's eyes glazed. "I need you, too."
Poolpelt slowly shook her head. "No, you don't. I'm going to raise these kits as IceClan. My Clanmates will assume that a IceClan cat is the father."

Goldenfur drew away sharply. "Any cat in particular?"
"No!" It came out as a sob. "But this is the only way it can be. Don't you see that? To give our kits the best chance, I must raise them as if they were pure IceClan."

"What about me?" Goldenfur protested.
Poolpelt let tears sprout. "It's my problem!" She sobbed, turning to leave. "I'm the one having these kits! I'll be the one raising them without a father!"
"They can have a father if you want," Goldenfur breathed.

Poolpelt felt something move in her belly.
The kits were starting to fidget.
Did they know what was going on?
I'll make it okay, she promised them as she headed up the bank.

"I'll be here if you need me," Goldenfur called after her. "I love you, Poolpelt. Whatever happens, they will always be my kits, too!"