If any of you were confused at what "Mottled grey tom" meant in Fidgetfoot's description, here ya go! That's how I imagine him anyways:)

The next two moons flew by. Reedthicket chose to stay in the apprentices den while his brothers went to the warriors den. Even though he wouldn't admit it, everyone could tell he had feelings for Fernpaw. Fernpaw obviously liked him back and didn't put up an argument about it. Amberpaw had grown closer to Parsleyseed since their talk, meeting him secretly at night in the woods. She knew this was wrong, but she couldn't help it! He was handsome and he obviously liked her. She wouldn't even think about getting pregnant with his kits, so she saw no harm in it.

Speaking of kits, Tigerlily had moved to the nursery, expecting Macgyver's kits. Fidgetfoot had taught Amberpaw how to feel the unborn kits by rubbing her paws over Tigerlily's flank. She learned that borage helps a queen's milk come, while parsley stops it. She had memorized almost every herb and their uses by the time Fidgetfoot came up to her one day.

"Tonight is half moon. We'll go to the Whispering Cave at sundown."

"The Whispering Cave," Amberpaw breathed. There was something magical about the name. "What do we do there?" She asked. Fidgetfoot had always gone by himself, telling her she wasn't ready yet.

"We share tongues with Starclan."

"Great!" She wasn't about to tell him she shared tongues with Starclan without going to the Whispering Cave.

She washed her paws in the small pool inside their den and raced out to find Parsleyseed.

"Hey. Can we talk?" She asked, out of breath when she found Parsleyseed.

"What's going on?" Duskpeak's mew sounded behind them.

"I just...uh...got to check a...thorn scratch Parsleyseed has." She stammered, holding her breath hoping to convince the warrior.

"Oh, alright then. Catch up later, Parsleyseed." He called over his shoulder.

Amberpaw breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, what's wrong?" Parsleyseed asked, licking her cheek.

"I can't meet tonight cause I'm going to the Whispering Cave to be accepted by Starclan."

Parsleyseed purred, 'That's okay. Going to the Whispering Cave means Fidgetfoot finally thinks your ready!"

Amberpaw brushed her cheek against his. "Thank's for understanding!"

"Of course."

* * *

Dusk was starting to cover the green landscape and rays of oranges filled the gorge. Amberpaw had been mostly sorting herbs and checking on Tigerlily, mainly to satisfy Macgyver. And now, she found herself in the Whispering Cave. She knew now, why it was called that, for she could her faint whispers all around her. The walls were covered in thick, green moss and there was a big, glistening pool in the center.

When they got there, Fidgetfoot told her to sit down before he lifted his muzzle to the sky and spoke, "Starclan! Tonight, I present to you this young apprentice. Se has chosen the ways of a medicine cat and I hope you will send her good dreams and messages!" He turned to Amberpaw, "Lie down and touch your nose to the water.

Amberpaw did as she was told and the second she touched the water, she was whirled into a dream. This dream, though, she was not expecting. She was surrounded by searing flames in the middle of a rocky gorge. She looked around but she was the only one this time. "Skystar?" She called, "Anyone there?" He words were drowned out by the snapping and roaring fire. She looked closer at rocks and sand around her and, gasping, realized she was standing in the middle of her camp. The tree bridge to cross the river was engulfed by flames and the leader's den was covered with fallen, burning brambles.

"What's happening?" She cried

This time, her cry was answered, "Times of great change are coming; Seek the other side of the flames. For it is your only way."

* * *

Fernpaw trekked wearily out of of the apprentices next to Reedthicket. They were so close, their pelts were brushing. Fernpaw stifled a purr when as she remembered Reedthicket's desire to stay in the apprentice den while his brothers went to the warriors den.

"Uh, Blazestar?" He had said, "Is it okay if I...um... stay in the apprentice den for a while?"

"Why?" Blazestar had asked.

"Well, I know the warriors den is pretty full and I didn't want to take up more space...You know?"

Blazestar had shot a glance at Fernpaw, smirking, and said, "Very well, Reedthicket. You may stay in the apprentice's den," Even though Reedthicket wouldn't admit yet to even Fernpaw that he liked her, the whole clan could see it.

Fernpaw shook her head to clear the memory and padded over to Skyheart, Cherryfrost, and Mistfeather. "What are we doing today?"

"Your final assessment!"

Fernpaw light up in excitement, "Already?" She knew a moon had passed since Amberpaw had visited the Whispering Cave, but it had still came up on her like a wall.

"Yes, we believe you're ready." Skyheart mewed.

Fernpaw bounced in excitement.

"Then we'll finally be able to patrol together!" Reedthicket exclaimed.

"Right. Reedthicket, you're going to join this patrol to help assess Fernpaw and Prinklepaw."Skyheart mewed.

"What? Me?"

"Yes, you." Mistfeather retorted.

They padded out of camp and headed toward a grassy clearing.

"We're going to leave you two alone to decide where you're going to hunt ." Skyheart mewed to Fernpaw and Prinklepaw. "You may choose to hunt together or separately'."

"Reedthicket, Skyheart, and I will all be assessing you as you hunt."

"Ready...Set...Go!" Mistfeather called as the warriors raced away.

"So, where do you think we should go?" Prinklepaw asked.

"I think we should go separately so we're not distracted," Fernpaw answered, turning away and heading deeper into the undergrowth. She stopped and tasted the air, opening her jaws slightly, hoping for a scent of squirrel or rabbit. Immediately, a sharp scent of squirrel bathed her tongue. She spotted the red-pelted animal a second later. It sat on its haunches nibbling an acorn. Fernpaw dropped into a hunting crouch, making sure her fur didn't touch the dried leaves on the ground, she slowly crept toward it. It flicked its bushy tail, having no idea she was there. When she was close enough, she pounced. Fernpaw landed short with a soft thud. The noise made the squirrel spring up and slither up a tree. Fernpaw regained her balance and leaped after it. I'm a Skyclan cat! She thought. I was born for this. She sprang up the tree leaping after the squirrel from branch to branch. Just as it was about to disappear into a hole, her claws snagged the end of it's tail. She brought it to her muzzle and snapped it's neck with a quick killing bite. Fernpaw scooted down the tree with the squirrel dangling from her jaws and buried it next to the roots.

"Nice catch!" A voice sounded behind her.

Fernpaw whipped around to see the dark brown tabby shape of Reedthicket. "I thought I wasn't supposed to see you?"

"Oh, right." He licked his chest in embarrassment.

Fernpaw purred in amusement. She rubbed her cheek against Reedthicket's before dashing off to finish her assessment.

* * *

"You're doing fine, Tigerlily." Squirreltail mewed softly. Her kits, Fallowkit and Meadowkit were already almost five moons old, close to being apprenticed. The two she-kits poked their heads up to watch, but Squirreltail scooted them away with a shove of her tail.

Amberpaw ran her paw along Tigerlily's flank as she had seen Fidgetfoot do with Squirreltail. She felt the muscles ripple as the queen pushed her first kit out. She shrieked until a small, wet bundle dropped into the soft moss with a thump. Amberpaw nipped the sac and handed it to Squirreltail, who licked its fur the wrong way to warm it up.

"It's a little she-kit!" Squirreltail exclaimed.

Amberpaw turned her attention back to Tigerlily. "Feels like only one more," She encouraged the queen.

Tigerlily screeched and pushed, but the second kit wasn't coming. Amberpaw massaged her flank until she felt the pressure go away. The kit slithered out and instantly let out a cry.

"It's a tom!"

Amberpaw guided the two kits toward their mother's belly and they started suckling.

"You can come in now, Mistfeather!"

Mistfeather burst through the barrier to the Nursery and gazed proudly at his daughter and son.

Amberpaw gave Tigerlily some borage before leaving the family alone.

* * *

"Let all cats, old enough to climb trees, gather near the rockpile for a clan meeting!" Blazestar's sudden announcement made Amberpaw scatter the herbs she was mixing.

"Fox dung!" She muttered. She turned, abandoning the herbs, and padded outside to the rockpile. She curled her tail over her paws and saw Fernpaw and Prinklepaw standing in the front, their tails bushed up in excitement. This must have something to do with my littermates. She thought.

"First, I would like to welcome Doekit and Waspkit. The two newest members of Skyclan!"

Amberpaw's clanmates cheered around her.

"Second, Fernpaw and Prinklepaw have completed their Warrior Assessments and it is time they became Warriors of Skyclan!" Blazestar exclaimed. He leaped down the rockpile and faced Amberpaw's littermates. "I, Blazestar, Leader of of Skyclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code and I commend them as warriors in their turn." He paused to gaze straight at the apprentices his amber eyes blazing with pride. "Fernpaw, Prinklepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do!" Prinklepaw exclaimed, his brown ears and tail quivering.

"I do!" Fernpaw mewed, a little quieter.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Fernpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Fernwhisper. Starclan honors your bravery and intelligence." He turned to Prinklepaw, "Prinklepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Prinkleleap! Starclan honors your speed and enthusiasm."

"Prinkleleap, Fernwhisper!" Amberpaw started the cheer for her littermates.

As the chanting dwindled, Sagenose suddenly lifted his muzzle to the sky, his nose twitching as he took in deep breaths. "Anyone smell that?" He asked. "It's thick, almost as if it was smoke..."

At that moment, Dewfrost, who was guarding the camp from Skyrock, narrowed his eyes at the woods, "FOREST FIRE!"