open Shadowheart's neck? Wolfheart sighed and shook her head. "I never did trust him..." She muttered. Ripplepool rested the white tail tip of her tail on Wolfheart's shoulder. "Shadowheart is coming along much better than I had expected. I actually think that he might come along well."

Wolfheart knew that Shadowheart was a fighter, and never liked to give up- he was very determined. Wolfheart knew that, no matter what the scratch, Shadowheart could probably pull through anything. Wolfheart nodded and said, "Hey, have you seen Hazelheart around?"

Ripplepool smiled and said, "And more. Hazelheart had her kits not long ago."

Wolfheart pricked her ears, then remembered that it had probably been about five moons by now. "I'll go and see them them." She meowed. "Thank you for caring for Shadowheart, Ripplepool." She added. Ripplepool smiled and meowed, "You're welcome." Wolfheart gave her a respectful nod and walked out of the den.

The light was more intense outside of the medicine cat den, and Wolfheart had to blink a few times to get used to the light. Then she limped in the direction of the nursery.

When she came into the nursery, she found Hazelheart with three kits. Wolfheart looked down on them and smiled. "Have you named them yet?" She whispered. Hazelheart nodded. She pointed to the first one with her nose and meowed, "Barleykit, the only tom." Then she moved to the next kit and meowed, "Sapfirekit, a she-cat" Then went to te last kit and said, "Bumblekit, the last she-cat."

"Has Ravenpaw seen them?" Wolfheart asked. Hazelheart shook her head. "No, he's on dawn patrol. He'll see them when he gets back."

Wolfheart wondered when she'd be sent out on a dawn patrol, it had been long before she had joined the nursery when she went on her last one. And she'd never been on a dusk patrol. Perhaps she could suggest to Firestar that she would like to go on it tonight? Would that be so wrong?

Then she remembered that Firestar had to pick a new deputy- since Soundstep was killed in the battle- before moonhigh. Honestly, Wolfheart wouldn't be surprised if he picked herself- or maybe even Ravenpaw or Graystripe- but Wolfheart didn't really want to be deputy anyways. She didn't want to have to give such incredible responsibility to the Clan- much less lead them if Firestar died before she did!

She looked up into the sky and saw that sunhigh was almost here. She went and sat near the Highrock, and watched as Firestar climbed up onto the Highrock and yowled out for the Clan to gather.

Darkpaw stepped up to the front- his pelt glossier than ever before

"We have an apprentice that is becoming a warrior." Announced Firestar. He looked down at Darkpaw. "Darkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Darkpaw gave an excited shudder. "I do."

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Darkpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Darkpelt. StarClan honors you and welcomes you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Firestar jumped down from the Highrock, and put his head on Darkpelt's, and Darkpelt licked Firestar's shoulder.

The crowd of cats cheered, "Darkpelt! Darkpelt! Darkpelt!"

Darkpelt was shaking with excitment, and Wolfheart made her way through the crowd of cats. "You have to sit your vigil." She reminded him. Darkpelt nodded and said, "I know. Thank you, Wolfheart."

Wolfheart slid back through the crowd and began to head off to Ripplepool's den to check up on Shadowheart.

She entered the den, and felt darkness overflow in the rock den. When she entered, she found Shadowheart, cobweb wrapped around his belly and his neck. Ripplepool was sitting by his side, her eyes dark with tiresome.

Wolfheart frowned. "How is he doing?" She asked, expecting the worst. Ivypool shook her head. "Very badly- much worse than he was at dawn. I'm going to be honest with you, Wolfheart- he may not make it to moonhigh. He may not be the next ThunderClan deputy."

Wolfheart gave the tinniest nod she could. She looked at Shadowheart's fast and shallow breathing. Wolfheart almost knew that this was his last night in ThunderClan. She almost knew that he would be joining StarClan tonight.

"Has he been awake at all?" She asked. Ripplepool shook her head. "Nope." She replied.

"Why can't Treepaw take over for you for a while?" Asked Wolfheart. "She's out picking herbs." Explained Ripplepool. "Ah." Meowed Wolfheart, begining to feel awkward. "I could take over for you for a while." She meowed finally. "Would you?" Asked Ripplepool, relief begining to flood into her green eyes. Wolfheart nodded. Wolfheart could tell that Ripplepool needed a break- her slick buish-gray pelt was begining to get rough and dirty, and her white muzzle and chest fur was almost brown with dirtiness. Ripplepool needed a good bath- and some sleep, for that matter.

Wolfheart lay down beside Shadowheart, and tucked her paws under her chest.

Wolfheart yawned. She was extremely tired- and if she requested dusk patrol tonight, she'd need some rest. She lay down her head, and fell into a dark, dreamless sleep.

Wolfheart blinked sleep out of her eyes and yawned. She got up off of the ground and arched her back. Ripplepool was coming back into the den- a bunch of herbs stuffed in her mouth. Treepaw was close on her tail, and her pelt looked much glossier and clean. Wolfheart figured that she had gotten a pretty good bath.

"May I go?" She asked Ripplepool. Ripplepool nodded, and Wolfheart left the den. She felt the dim light of sunset wash over her, and she saw Firestar arranging dusk patrols. She hurried up fast, and, once Firestar spotted her, he smiled. "Wolfheart, can you lead the patrol?" He asked her. Wolfheart nodded. "Am I to choose the cats that need to come?" She asked. "Yes." Meowed Firestar. He gave her a nod, and went back into his den.

Wolfheart looked around the crowd of cats, trying to choose atleast one apprentice and two warriors. "Echobreeze, Emily and..."

She looked around at the two sibbling apprentices- Pebblepaw, Cheetahpaw- and Redpaw- standing there with hopeful eyes. Wolfheart smiled, but couldn't seem to take her eyes off of Pebblepaw. But she knew the apprentice that really deserved to go on the patrol- Redpaw. Redpaw wasn't recognized enough. His mentor, Dustpelt, didn't seem to take him out to train much, and he was the only apprentice that hadn't ever been on a patrol.

"Redpaw, you can tag along." She finally meowed, and the cats began to pad out of the camp.

The cats got back just in time to find Firestar about to appoint a new deputy. They hurried over to the Highrock and found a spot as close as they could.

They only got to hear the last words, which were as surprising as daylight. "Rosefur, you will be the new ThunderClan deputy."

Some cats dropped their mouthes in awe, other began to cheer. Soon, the entire Clan got into the flow of a complete cheer. "Rosefur! Rosefur!"

Rosefur nearly fell out of her pelt, and Wolfheart chuckled a bit. She felt bad about leaving so early, but she needed to go and see Shadowheart.

She limped across the clearing towards the medicine cats den. She had just about recovered from her foot injury.

She stepped into the darkness of the den, and saw Shadowheart, curled in a ball near the back of the den. Surprisingly, his green eyes were open, but only slightly, and they looked tired and painful to look at.

"Shadowheart?" She whispered as she took small, gentle, quiet steps towards him. "He twitched his ears and meowed, "Wolfheart is that you?"

Wolfheart took the final step towards him, and lay down next to him. "How are you?" She whispered. He groaned. "Bad." He said the word as if nothing could be worse. "Just wait until you're a warrior again." Wolfheart supported. Shadowheart twitched his tail. "Wolfheart, I'm not going to become a warrior again."

Wolfheart felt shock come over her. "Why not?" Was all she could say. "Because, Wolfheart. I'm highy dissabled. Look at me. I can barley stand up. Wolfheart, if I even survive I'm goin to have to become an elder. Wolfheart, I'm going to be honest with you- I'd much rather die than have to live the rest of my life like this..."

Wolfheart was stunned. "Shadowheart, you've worked harder than almost any other cat in ThunderClan- you do deserve many seasons of rest." Wolfheart knew that what she said was true- but she felt as if Shadowheart didn't believe her. "You could be right." He sighed, "But what if I don't want many seasons of rest, Wolfheart? What if being a warrior is what I love doing best? What if I want to die a warrior, like Whitestorm?"

Wolfheart twitched her whiskers. He was right. She went back to what she felt like, when she was crammed into the stupid nursery for almost eleven moons straight. What would Shadowheart feel like if he were shoved into the elders den for the rest of his life, where all there is to a day is sleeping, eating, and getting ticks and fleas pulled out of your fur by apprentices?

Wolfheart sighed. "I guess you're right." Wolfheart narrowed her eyes. "But I'm not letting you die. If you want to become a warrior once more, you need to actually try."

Shadowheart sighed and lay his head on his paws. "How else can I try, Wolfheart? I can't even walk." Wolfheart was begining to get frustrated. "Eat the herbs you're supposed to, get plenty of sleep, eat a normal amount, and once you're able to walk