“They hardly ever stop!” Ivypool responded, her eyes glimmering with loving amusement.

“And we couldn’t be happier,” Fernsong added.

Ivypool blinked reflectively. “You know,” she confided to Alderheart, “I was so angry when Dovewing left, and I missed her so much. I felt betrayed. But now, seeing my own kits . . . I think I’m learning what’s really important.”

“I’m sure Dovewing had good reasons for what she did,” Alderheart meowed.

“I know. I think she had to be with Tigerheart. And if that’s true, I think I can accept it, now that she’s been gone so long.”

“You must still miss her, though,” Alderheart suggested.

“Yes,” Ivypool responded with a thoughtful sigh. “But it’s strange. I’ve been dreaming about her so much. . . . I have the feeling that we’ll see each other again someday.”

“I hope so,” Alderheart mewed, then moved on to Cinderheart, who was curled up nearby with her own kits, who were much older and bigger than Ivypool’s. She was watching Ivypool’s kits affectionately. It must be sweet, Alderheart thought, to get to spend time with her kit’s kits at the same time she tends her own.

“Don’t disturb them!” Cinderheart begged Alderheart. “The only time I get any rest is when they’re asleep.” She stroked her tail affectionately over her kits. “But I wouldn’t have them any different.”

“They’re strong young cats,” Daisy put in from her nest at the far side of the nursery. “They’ll be apprenticed sooner than you know it.”

“We’ll need to make the apprentices’ den bigger,” Alderheart agreed.

He padded over to Briarlight, who lay stretched out among the moss and fern not far from Daisy. When he bent his head to sniff at her, he picked up a familiar sour scent.

Alderheart couldn’t restrain a gasp of dismay. The sound disturbed Briarlight, who opened her eyes.

Immediately Alderheart’s uneasiness grew. Briarlight’s eyes were glazed and her movements sluggish as she tried to prop herself up on her forelegs. Her scent had soured too; Alderheart felt his heart thumping uncomfortably as he guessed what was wrong. She escaped the sickness when she was in the tunnel with Sorrelstripe, he thought, but she has it now.

“How are you feeling, Briarlight?” he asked.

Briarlight hesitated before she replied. “Not so good,” she admitted at last. “My belly has been aching terribly for the last couple of days.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t want to bother you,” Briarlight replied. “I hoped it was just something I ate.”

“I’m a medicine cat. I’m here to be bothered,” Alderheart pointed out. “We’ll get you back into the medicine-cat den right away.”

He popped his head out of the nursery and beckoned to Thornclaw and Poppyfrost, who were the first cats he spotted. “Briarlight’s not well,” he told them. “We need to move her back to my den.”