Since there was no room in the medicine-cat den for all the sick cats, Alderheart had sent all of them except Plumkit into the apprentices’ den, and moved Twigpaw and Finpaw into the nursery.

“There’s room,” he murmured. “The apprentices are helping over there, after all. And if we move Briarlight, we’ll have space over here for Whitewing. I’d like to keep a closer eye on her.”

Jayfeather’s only response was a grunt.

Alderheart stuck his head out through the bramble screen, wincing at the cold rain that showered down on him. Glancing around, he spotted Lionblaze padding past, his golden pelt darkened and plastered to his sides, a squirrel dangling from his jaws.

“Hey, Lionblaze!” Alderheart yowled. “I need your help.”

“Okay,” Lionblaze mumbled around the mouthful of prey. “Whatever it is, I can’t get any wetter. Let me just drop this on the fresh-kill pile.”

“Find another cat to help too,” Alderheart called after him.

A few moments later, Lionblaze returned with Bumblestripe, Briarlight’s brother; Alderheart guessed he had been on the same hunting patrol, because he looked just as wet as Lionblaze.

“Don’t even think about shaking your pelts in here,” Jayfeather snapped.

“How can we help you?” Lionblaze asked Alderheart, ignoring Jayfeather’s irritable tone.

Alderheart explained about needing to move Briarlight to the nursery. Immediately Bumblestripe’s eyes stretched wide with alarm.

“You mean she’s in serious danger?” he asked, then went on rapidly without waiting for an answer. “Yes, of course she shouldn’t be around sick cats. Let’s get her out of here right now!”

“For StarClan’s sake!” Briarlight hissed at her brother. “There’s no need to get your whiskers in a twist. Maybe my back legs don’t work, but I’m still a strong cat. It’ll take more than a bit of sickness to finish me off!”

“We’re going to move you anyway,” Alderheart meowed, hoping to calm both cats down. “Better safe than sorry.”

With Lionblaze’s help, Alderheart hoisted Briarlight onto Bumblestripe’s back. Then, with the other two toms steadying her on either side, Bumblestripe padded out of the den and splashed through the puddles to the nursery on the far side of the camp.

“You should thank me,” Briarlight murmured into her brother’s ear. “I’m keeping the rain off you!”

It did look fairly crowded in the nursery, Alderheart thought, as he and the others maneuvered Briarlight down the tunnel into the heart of the bramble thicket. Blossomfall and Cinderheart were there with their kits, along with Ivypool, her belly bulging as she drew close to giving birth, and Daisy, who always stayed in the nursery to help the queens with their litters. The two apprentices weren’t there; Alderheart guessed they were away somewhere, training with their mentors.