It isn’t always like this, Hollypaw wanted to tell the tiny kit, not sure if he was old enough to understand.

Lionpaw reached out a forepaw to steady Millie as she scrabbled down into the clearing, stones cracking behind her. “We’ll bring the others,” he promised.

“Thanks.” Daisy put Toadkit down and he bounced away, fluffing up his fur.

“Watch out!” Daisy shut her eyes as he careered straight toward Graystripe.

The gray warrior sidestepped him. “Why don’t you go make sure there’s enough moss in Millie’s nest, little one?” he meowed.

“Okay!” Toadkit raced away to the nursery.

Graystripe blinked at Daisy. “He’s obviously not too shaken.”

Daisy’s pale eyes darkened. “He just thinks it’s an adventure.” She sighed.

“Perhaps it’s better that he does.” Graystripe took Briarkit from Millie and followed Daisy to the nursery. Millie padded beside him, pressing her pelt to his.

Lionpaw was already bounding up the rocks. Hollypaw scrambled wearily after him and followed him into Firestar’s den.

It was dark inside. Hollypaw almost tripped over Rosekit, crouched in the entrance. Behind her, Longtail was trying to hush Bumblekit. The tiny gray-and-black-striped tom was wailing for his mother.

Longtail ran his tail gently over him. “Shh, you’ll wake your sister.”

Hollypaw could just make out Blossomkit curled against Mousefur’s belly, sound asleep.

“Don’t disturb her.” Mousefur waved Hollypaw away with her tail. “Graystripe can fetch her down later.”

Longtail nudged Hollypaw’s shoulder with his nose. His blind eyes were round with worry. “Did you see it happen?”

He meant the vanishing sun.

“Yes.”

“What does Jaypaw say?” Mousefur asked, her eyes gleaming in the half-light.

Lionpaw shrugged. “He doesn’t always tell us what he learns from StarClan.”

Hollypaw caught his eye. Is he thinking what I’m thinking? If they were really more powerful than StarClan, Jaypaw should know what the vanishing sun meant. Lionpaw looked away.

“Perhaps he’ll share dreams with them tonight,” she mewed hopefully.

Mousefur wrapped her tail around Blossomkit. “I hope so.”

Hollypaw grabbed Bumblekit by the scruff and swung him into the air. He squeaked with surprise and churned the air with his tiny paws.

Rosekit backed away. “I’m not being carried down!”

“Oh, yes, you are!” Lionpaw scooped her up and headed out of the cave.

Her paws scuffing the ground with tiredness, Hollypaw followed him to the nursery, where Graystripe was waiting to bundle the kits inside.

“Blossomkit’s sleeping,” she told him as she passed Bumblekit over. Pain flashed from a scratch on her neck. “Mousefur said you can fetch her later.”

Graystripe nodded and disappeared into the brambles.

Cinderpaw trotted over. “Are the kits all right?”

“Lionpaw!” Leafpool called from across the clearing. “Take Foxpaw out to fetch more cobwebs.” She was smearing pulp over a cut on Honeyfern’s shoulder.