"Great news!" Cloudlight and Eagleclaw came bursting though the ground hole. "The tribes have all returned to their camps!" Cloudlight bounced.

"Tigerstar, you must meet the other leaders right away." Eagleclaw slashed his tail. "I'll leave right away." Tigerpelt nodded.

"Starfly, will you come with me?" Tigerstar asked. "You don't have to ask me twice. Just let me check with Grassleaf. Make sure I'm good to go."

Starfly turned towards Grassleaf, who was by the one warm rock that was in the camp. "Can I go with Tigerstar to meet the other leaders?"

"Yes. I think that Nightsky and I should go to." Grassleaf got to her feet. "The leaders will want to meet us as well as Tigerstar."

~~~

"This is the Tribe of Thunder." Grassleaf padded up to a very large rock. "They can teleport, so they don't need any tunnels or entryways.

Grassleaf padded up to the rock. She scratched her claws on the rock, then stepped back.

A beautiful cat appeared. She had a tan pelt and yellow eyes. Her horn was on her forehead and her tail was fluffy, like the rest of her body.

"Hello. I'm Sunstar. Who are you?" Sunstar sat down. "I'm Grassleaf. This is my leader, Tigerstar, our deputy, Nightsky, and Tigerstar's mate, Starfly." Grassleaf spread her wings and bowed.

"My mother spoke a lot about the other tribes when I was a kit. Come in and meet my clan." Sunstar had the cats stand next to her.

A few moments later, they were inside the hollow rock. "This is my camp." Sunstar jumped up to a rock inside the rock.

"Everyone, please gather beneath the Underrock for a clan meeting!" Sunstar's voice was loud for a small cat.

~~~

Cats of all ages came together under the rock. Every cat was wearing a shined horn on their heads. "The Tribe of the Sky has come to meet us."

The older cats were cheering and chanting. The younger cats were confused. "I shall bring some cats to go with me to the next tribe." Sunstar nodded and dismissed the clan.

"Wait here." Sunstar disappeared. When she came back she had two cats with her. "This is my deputy, Thunderstrike, and my medicine cat, Tinynose."

The cats paced towards the Tribe of Shadows. "Be careful." Sunstar warned. "They could be anywhere." The cats nodded and continued towards the unknown camp.

Sunstar approached another large camp. "This is their camp." Grassleaf whispered.

"They climb like lizards." Grassleaf explained. "Which is why their entryway is at the top of their leaf dome. They can also disappear by changing their pelts to look like their territory.

Starfly nodded. "I'll go first." Starfly flapped her wings. "No." Tigerstar jumped into the air. "I'm the leader, I'll

go first. Besides, I don't want you to get hurt." Starfly nodded and placed herself on the floor next to Grassleaf.

"I'll go with you." Nightsky took off and followed Tigerstar into the camp.

Starfly scraped at the ground. Then, Tigerstar came up with another four cats. Tigerstar landed and introduced the cats. "This is Camostar, the leader. Toadfoot, the deputy. Leafwind, the medicine cat, and Pinepaw, Camostar's apprentice."

The cats moved on towards the Tribe of Wind. "They run super fast." Starfly whispered. "I know Whitefeather's ancestor was from this tribe. Oh, right, Rabbitfoot."

Starfly padded up to the large plain. This territory was similar to the Tribe of the Sky's territory back home. Only her territory had taller grass.

Grassleaf came up to a hedge. "This is the camp boundary. We just need to find the entrance." She looked both ways. "It's this way." Grassleaf hurled herself in one direction. She slowed her pace and entered a low entryway. Tigerstar squeezed in after her, followed by everyone else.

~~~

"I'm Breezestar." Breezestar was large and black. He had gray stripes across his pelt. His paws were either covered with white socks or gray toes.

"Greetings." Breezestar approached Tigerstar, with a green star on his forehead. "I am Tigerstar, leader of the Sky. This is Camostar, leader of the Shadows. Sunstar, leader of the Thunder. We came to meet our fellow tribe."

~~~

Breezestar paced at the back of the group next to two other cats. Clawface, the deputy, and Thornfoot, the medicine cat.

Grassleaf was at the front of the group of cats. Whenever she turned, the other cats fell in sink and turned with her.

Grassleaf stopped. "We'll have to swim." Grassleaf turned. "Everyone is capable, right?"

Pinepaw shuffled his paws. "I can't swim."

Camostar stood next to his apprentice. "It's not his fault. He's never swam before."

Grassleaf nodded. "Of course. I'll carry him." Grassleaf picked up the apprentice and flew over the large swampy land. Everyone else either swam, ran, or teleported to follow them.

"We all have to swim to get in this part." Grassleaf sighed. "Sorry, Pinepaw. You'll have to stay here." Pinepaw gasped, "All alone?"

Grassleaf sighed, "Of course not." She looked around,"Your tribe will stay with you."

Camostar pricked his ears, as if it was a trap. Then nodded. "We want the leader to come meet us as well." Grassleaf dived into the water without replying to Camostar.

Starfly jumped into the water after Grassleaf. Tigerstar followed her. Starfly had to swim very far under the surface to get to the entrance. By the time Starfly got to the bottom, she was close to drowning. She was out of breath and exhausted.

Starfly started to turn up after going under the entryway. Starfly tried to open her wings to help her float up. Starfly kicked her feet and needed air. Her lungs and legs screamed for a break.

Starfly couldn't go any further. The still water carried her down to the sandy bottom of the water. Tigerstar came through the tunnel and gasped, letting out a flurry of bubbles from his mouth.

Tigerstar grabbed Starfly by the scruff and hauled her upwards. Tigerstar kicked his legs and shut his eyes. Tigerstar stopped kicking for a second, then found this unknown energy and shot upwards. Surfacing.

Tigerstar put Starfly on the sandy beach by the water. "I need a medicine cat!" Tigerstar hissed and growled at the camp.

Grassleaf had disappeared. The cats in the camp turned to the larger, stronger, tired cat. "Where's your medicine cat?" Tigerstar hissed.

The cats stood in shock and one disappeared into a den. A beautiful calico she-cat strolled out of the den towards Tigerstar.

~~~

"I've done this before." Marigoldnose sat over Starfly, who was starting to cough and splutter out water. "She'll be fine. She won't have enough energy to get herself home until tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!" Tigerstar growled. "I'll carry her home!" Marigoldnose shook her head. "With Starfly so close to having kits, carrying her could hurt the kits."

Tigerstar sighed. "I'll stay here." Marigoldnose didn't look at the younger, scared cat. "You'll have to pass that with Rainstar."

~~~

Everyone was waiting outside. The leader and deputy of the Tribe of River were talking to Camostar. Grassleaf turned to Tigerstar. "She's alright. Right?"

"She'll be fine." Tigerstar sat down, soaked by the freezing water. "She has to stay overnight." Tigerstar turned to Rainstar. "Rainstar, may I stay with Starfly until she's healthy?"

Rainstar nodded. "I know how you feel."

Tigerstar bowed his head. "Nightsky, you'll take my place in the gathering tonight." Nightsky bowed his head. "My honor, Tigerstar."

Rainstar lead Tigerstar back into the camp. The other cats went to inform their tribes. Tigerstar broke to the surface inside the camp.

Rainstar was white with black flecks. Her blue eyes matched her blue star upon her head. "We'll feed you two pieces of fresh kill each. One each for tonight, and one each for tomorrow morning." Rainstar narrowed her eyes before jumping onto a hill in the middle of the swampy area.

Tigerstar rolled his eyes before marching into the medicine den. "Tigerstar?" Starfly's voice was shaky. "Is that you?" Tigerstar could smell fear coming from Starfly's voice.

"I'm here. You'll be alright." Tigerstar curled around Starfly. "Be strong. For me, for our kits." Tigerstar's voice was strong and kind.

Tigerstar got up and padded to the fresh kill pile before moonrise. He picked up a squirrel. Tigerstar scanned the clearing before going into the medicine den.

"Starfly?" Tigerstar entered. "Eat, you'll be stronger." Starfly opened her eyes from her sleep. Her eyes shone like a thousand stars. "I couldn't ask for a better mate." Starfly whispered.

Tigerstar watched Starfly eat the squirrel. When she laid back down, he ate the leftovers. "Get better soon. We need you back at our camp soon. I can't stand the thought of having our kits in this swamp."

"It won't be that bad." Starfly whispered. "Our kits might get some super swimming as well as their wings."

Tigerstar mumbled. "They might be better at swimming just because we were in here. Breathing swimmers air, eating swimmers food.

Tigerstar groomed Starfly's pelt until she fell asleep.

~~~

Starfly woke up to the smell of vole. Starfly opened her eyes. Tigerstar wasn't asleep next to her. Starfly padded out of the den, finding it hard to squeeze though the entry. "Tigerstar?" Starfly tried to find her balance.

Tigerstar trotted up to her. "You should be in your nest." Tigerstar nudged her into the den. "I'm fine. Want to go home?"

Tigerstar's eyes sparkled. "Thought you'd never ask."

Tigerstar bounded to Marigoldnose. "Can we get some warriors to help Starfly though the water?"

Starfly couldn't hear any more of the conversation. She padded to the fresh kill pile. Grabbing a plump mouse.

Starfly ripped the mouse to shreds and chewing it carefully. Tigerstar crouched at her side. "Marigoldnose is getting warriors to help you though the water.

Starfly looked up from her mouse as Tigerstar grabbed a vole. "Thanks." Starfly whispered. Tigerstar looked at her. "For what?" Starfly shuffled to lay next to Tigerstar. Her pelt touching his. "For staying with me."

"If the slight chance that our kits were born here, I wouldn't want you to be back at home." Starfly licked his cheek. Tigerstar touched his nose to her ear. "Anything for you."

"Ready?" Tigerstar asked. "You don't have to be." Starfly took a deep breath. "I'm ready." Tigerstar hesitated before slipping into the cold water. Starfly followed with a bunch of River warriors right behind her.

Tigerstar pushed as fast as he could. Kicking though the water. Tigerstar reached the entry and turned up. Starfly made her way though the water, careful but fast.

Tigerstar broke to surface. Starfly came up next to him. "I'll escort you to the border." A swimmer headed to the border. "We can walk." Tigerstar stated flatly.

"I can't take that chance." The swimmer wouldn't take no for an answer. Starfly spoke, "Do you really think that we'll attack?" Starfly didn't take it personally. The swimmer paused and slowly turned and slid into the water.

Tigerstar rolled his eyes, "Good riddance."

~~~

Starfly and Tigerstar silently made their way back to camp. They didn't speak, they didn't have to. Tigerstar's nose was a short ways in front of Starfly's nose. Tigerstar had his pelt against Starfly's pelt the whole way back.

"I better get to the nursery." Starfly pulled away from the tiger tabby. His eyes sparkling. Starfly closed her eyes and turned to the lonely den.

Everyone had moved into the proper dens now. Tigerstar in the leader's den. Grassleaf in the medicine cat den. The three apprentices in the apprentice den.

Starfly felt alone and sad in the nursery. Starfly had to sleep in the nursery, but she begged to sleep in the leaders den with Tigerstar.

"Hey, Starfly." Whitefeather crawled though the brambles. "I hear you're having kits!" Whitefeather smiled. "That's fantastic!"

Starfly groaned, "How is it fantastic when you are all alone?" Starfly felt a tear of joy and sadness run down her cheek.

"You're not alone." Whitefeather whispered, "I'm moving in, too." Starfly's eyes flew open, "Really? That's great! It'll be just like old times. Everything is about each other and." Whitefeather interrupted Starfly's excitement. "Don't be to crazy about it." Whitefeather whispered, "Everyone thinks I'm moving in just to keep you company."

Starfly nodded, "Either way, thanks." Whitefeather smiled and curled up in the nest across from Starfly's. Whitefeather held her head up while Starfly rested her's on top of her paws.

"I just can't believe that you actually waited this long to move to the nursery." Whitefeather sighed. Starfly didn't move, "Grassleaf says I'm a strong warrior and that I didn't need it until the kits were just about ready."

Whitefeather nodded slowly, "You are strong, but normally, a medicine cat would have you in the nursery within a few moons before the kits are due."

Starfly mumbled, "I guess that Grassleaf knows what it fells like to be cooped up in a nursery. Doing nothing but

eating and sleeping, while everyone else is hunting and patrolling."

Whitefeather smiled, "That would make sense."