He was in his dreamworld again. Rowankit stood in the forest this time, not in the camp. The forest around him was blurry except for the clearing that he stood in. In the clearing, the sun beat down on his pelt and he felt safe from the shadows that haunted him.

Rowankit opened his jaws to taste the fresh air, to savor the sweet scent of wildflowers and fresh rain. The dirt beneath his paws still felt slightly damp and he wondered how it could rain in his dreamworld. Wasn't it only exactly how he imagined it?

Suddenly, the undergrowth quivered and Rowankit froze in fear. His heart started racing in his chest. The tall grass parted and a white face popped out. It was the same white she-kit from last time!

She purred a greeting and bounced around him excitedly. "I missed you, Rowankit! Why did you have to leave?"

"I'm sorry," He meowed, and he sincerely meant it. "I didn't want to leave." He nosed her white fur and purred. "You never told me your name."

"I don't have one." The white she-kit stopped prancing around and stopped. She lowered her head and avoided his gaze. "Mama never gave me a name."

Rowankit frowned and studied her in a quizzical manner. "What do you mean she never gave you a name? All mothers name their kits!"

She shook her head slowly. "Only if they have the chance to live first."

~

Rowankit opened his green eyes and found himself back in the HiddenClan nursery. Oh no! He'd promised her that he wouldn't leave! Now she was all alone in whatever that place was.

He sat up and tried to come to terms with it. Why didn't she have a name? And what had she meant by "only if they have the chance to live first"? It made no sense!

The nursery was empty except for Starlingwing, the pregnant tortoiseshell queen. She would have her kits any day now, at least that's what he'd overheard the medicine cat, Mistypool, say. Rowankit crept past her and left the nursery.

Outside in the sunshine, Rowankit was reminded of the white she-kit. He pitied her that she didn't have a name. Even he had a name and was despised by his entire clan. She seemed stuck in some kind of alternate world all alone. Rowankit didn't think she was in StarClan because then there would be other cats there with her, right?

What if he gave her a name? It might make her happier and then he wouldn't have to keep referring to her as the "white she-kit". Rowankit sat outside the nursery in the shade as he thought about names. He's never had to name another cat, so he had no idea.

Maybe he could ask Mistypool? The medicine cat was probably the one cat in the clan that didn't hate him. She had been there at his kitting and told him many times the story of his mother's death.

Rowankit couldn't blame the clan for hating him. Mistypool described his mother as the most beautiful and beloved she-cat in the clan. Her name was Ivorymoon and she had a snow-white pelt with faint black tabby stripes and striking blue eyes. She was compassionate, friendly, and an excellent warrior.

Mistypool explained that if the clan were like one big family, Ivorymoon was the tiny sister that everyone loved. The one that could do no wrong. Everyone in the clan loved her. She was the darling.

She died because of him. Rowankit took away the clan's beloved darling, their precious sister. It was his fault, everyone said so. He's been told countless times since birth that it was his fault, and now, he was beginning to believe them.

Rowankit pushed away those thoughts and approached the medicine cat den. He poked his head inside and heard Mistypool towards the back. There's been countless nights where Rowankit would seek refuge in Mistypool's presence. Mistypool was about the only cat in the clan whom he trusted.

"Rowankit?" Mistypool came from the shadows, leaves of different herbs sticking to her long-haired gray and white pelt. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just had a question." Rowankit mewed softly, sitting down before her.

"Alright, ask away." Mistypool settled herself in front of him, ready to listen.

Rowankit hesitated, unsure of how to start. "Well, um, let's say that a white she-kit were to enter the clan, but she had no name. What would be a good name for her?"

Mistypool studied Rowankit skeptically. "Where is this coming from, Rowankit?"

"Nowhere!" He insisted. "This is just a 'what if' situation."

Mistypool sighed and decided to play along. "Um, perhaps Snowkit, Cloudkit, Frostkit?"

A name came to mind, but not one that Mistypool listed. "I've got one! Thanks for the help, Mistypool!" Rowankit jumped to his paws and raced out of the medicine cat den.

He didn't look where he was going, and Rowankit ran straight into Wolfpaw. Rowankit tumbled into the dirt and hit his head. The world was spinning and blurry, but he could barely make out the figure of Wolfpaw standing over him. When his vision cleared, he was looking into the angry eyes of Wolfpaw.

"Watch where you're going, Deathkit!" Wolfpaw spat. At his side was his mentor, Nightfang. Rowankit hoped that the black warrior would have the decency to defend him, but Nightfang made no move to discipline Wolfpaw.

Rowankit lowered his green eyes to stare at his paws. "Sorry, Wolfpaw," Rowankit mumbled. "It won't happen again..."

Wolfpaw pounced on Rowankit and he was pinned down by his throat as Wolfpaw's claws pricked at his vulnerable neck. The dark gray apprentice curled his lips back into a snarl. Rowankit squirmed underneath the bigger tom.

"You better watch out, Deathkit. You may be protected for now, but when you're an apprentice you'll be fair game." Wolfpaw clawed him across the face.

Rowankit screeched in pain as hot blood seeped from the wound. Wolfpaw bashed Rowankit's head against the hard ground and the world started spinning again. Then it all faded into blackness.

~

Rowankit opened his eyes and sighed in relief when he found himself in his dreamworld. He lay in a warm nest of moss in the nursery and he noticed a presence with him. When he turned his head, he saw the white she-kit sitting nearby.

She jumped to her paws when she saw him awaken. "Rowankit! I was so worried! Are you okay?"

Rowankit nodded even if it wasn't true. He didn't want her to worry. "Someday, I'll be old enough and big enough to defend myself." He promised her gently.

She purred and rubbed her head against his chest. "Why can't you stay here with me forever? I would never hurt you Rowankit, not like your clanmates. They're supposed to protect you, but instead they cause you pain and fear."

"I just need to prove myself to them," Rowankit reassured her. "They think that I've done something horribly wrong."

She narrowed her blue eyes. "Like what?"

"It doesn't matter," Rowankit murmured even though it did matter. "Hey! I decided that if you don't have a name, I could give you one?"

Instantly, her eyes brightened and she sat up straighter. "Really? You'd do that for me?"

Rowankit nodded, "I've already picked it out: Sweetkit."

"I love it," the newly named Sweetkit purred.

~

"Rowankit? Can you hear me?"

Slowly, Rowankit opened his eyes. The world was spotted and blurry, but Rowankit could make out a figure. It was Mistypool, Rowankit realized when he caught her scent.

"Mistypool?" Rowankit moaned. Gradually, his vision started to clear. From the darkness, Rowankit guessed that it was night.

"What happened to you, Rowankit? Who did this to you?" Mistypool demanded.

He should've told her. It could all be done with and Wolfpaw would get what he deserved. But then Rowankit realized how it could turn the entire clan on him and they'd all call for his blood. Rowankit wanted to earn the clan's respect, not ruin it completely.

So he lied.

"No one, Mistypool," Rowankit lied, letting out a moan for effect. "I fell and I must've hit my head."

Mistypool studied him as if she didn't believe him. After a while, she sighed and let it go. "You're going to sleep in here for the night,"Mistypool decided.

He nodded and let out a yawn. "Thank you, Mistypool." Then he drifted off to sleep in search of Sweetkit.