Edited ✔️

During the whole trip down the mountain, Gold talked her whiskers off. Icetail remained silent, constantly responding to things that Moon had to say to him. Thorn seemed a little upset and so did Red, but Hawk altogether looked eager.

After a while, the group finally made it down to the base of the mountain. A quarter moon was high in the sky—everyone was becoming quiet.

Icetail was happy to finally be in his own territory after a long day. His paws were aching, his eyes felt heavy, and his stomach growled. The mouse hadn't sustained him as long as he thought it would. But he knew that he would have to use the remaining energy to convince Brightstar to let these five cats join MoonClan.

He heard a few cats padding through the forests. He easily caught the scent of Dewfang . . . and some cat else. Perhaps it was Dawnstripe?

Well, Dawnstripe had always had her eyes on Dewfang. He looked in the direction they were going. They were quite a distance away, but since Icetail had good vision, he could easily spot them. They could not see Icetail's patrol since their backs were turned.

But Icetail could figure what they might be talking about.

Dawnstripe probably wants Dewfang as a mate. He's lucky . . . With all these dreams, I never had thoughts about having kits, yet alone a mate. He never realized how lonely he felt even being surrounded by so many cats. His amber eyes darkened with sadness.

"We're almost at camp," hissed Sharpfang through the night sky.

"It's awesome," Squirrelpaw told Gold. "There's so many cats. And at night, the moon always bathes over our Clan since the sky above our camp is clear of trees."

Thorn sighed. "I miss the mountain and Bells," he mewed. "She must be so lonely."

"I'm sure my mother is fine," Red said. "Besides, she wished for our departure. Bells always gives us the right advice."

Icetail nodded. He wondered what kind of cat Bells was to StarClan. Was she a medicine cat once a long time ago? Had she ever been a warrior?

He sighed and shook away the thought. Moon nudged him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

The camp entrance was right up ahead. He sped up and ducked through it with the entire patrol of cats following behind. He stood still in his spot when he emerged inside the clearing, expecting everyone to be asleep, but he immediately saw every single Clan cat awake, surrounding each other in feasts of prey.

Brightstar worriedly looked at him. "Icetail!" she gasped. "There you are!"

Sparrowheart and Vinetail, who was right beside their leader looked up as well. Sparrowheart's worried eyes suddenly clouded with relief.

"Why were you three gone all day?" his father asked, padding up.

"Did that tunnel, perhaps, lead somewhere?" asked Brightstar. Then, her eyes widened once more at the cats who followed him. "And who are they?"

"This matter has to be discussed in your den," Sharpfang said. "As for the cats, I'll leave Icetail to explain it."

Icetail sighed. He'd known all along that the explaining would be dumped on him. He looked around the camp, hearing little chatters about the newcomers.

"Who are they?" he heard his Clanmates whisper.

"They can't possibly be kittypets!"

"Where did they come from? They smell strange!"

Icetail's gaze on his Clanmates shushed them. "Please be hospitable," he told everyone. "We found these cats during our mission." There's no way in StarClan that I am going to tell my Clanmates that there was a path to the mountains. Bells obviously doesn't want visitors.

Immediately, Silverpaw padded up to Gold and Moon. "Hi!" she said. "I'm Silverpaw, Squirrelpaw's sister."

Moon froze stiff, looking shy, but Gold's enthusiastic personality got the best of her. "You're so cute!" she gushed.

Silverpaw's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Your pelt—it's so silver. And you're so small but so lean. Everyone else, too. Everyone seems so strong!" Gold exclaimed.

Squirrelpaw purred with amusement, and Thorn padded up. "Please excuse my sister," he apologized.

Icetail turned away, realizing that these five cats were in good paws. He was hoping that his talk with Brightstar wouldn't take too long since he wanted to introduce them to the Clan before any cat gets the wrong ideas.

"Let's go," Brightstar said to Icetail. She led him in her den, and sat down at the very back where no cat could hear them.

For the first time since Icetail was still training under Brightstar's instruction, the two were completely alone.

"So, my apprentice," Brightstar said, purring. Icetail instantly recalled those memories. Even though he'd only been a warrior for a few moons, it felt like those times were ages ago. It especially felt like seasons since he trained under Ashtail's mentorship. "Before I get an idea who is visiting our camp, I'd like to know what you and your patrol discovered."

"Well, it certainly wasn't a good thing," he began with a sigh.

Brightstar leaned in closer as Icetail lowered his voice.

"No cat, and I mean no cat is allowed to go down there. It's too dangerous. The hole leads to a tunnel, a tunnel so deep that even Sharpfang and I got lost. Eventually, we reached a tall cave. There were Twolegs, monsters, everything you could imagine down there. The Twolegs are . . . constructing something." He paused. "Yes, I think it was construction. Like I mentioned, there were monsters and tree-eaters and a lot of angry Twolegs. It wasn't good. Sharpfang, Squirrelpaw and I patched up the hole that led into our territory so it wouldn't affect us anymore. But I am suggesting that the outer hole should be patched too. I don't want any cats accidently running into that mess."

His leader nodded slowly, taking it all in. "I understand. That isn't a good thing. I will tell Sparrowheart to send a third patrol out this dawn to get the job done."

"Good."

"And what about those five newcomers?" Brightstar asked.

Icetail looked outside of the leader's den and spotted them talking and feasting like Clan cats. I think they are going to fit in just fine, Icetail thought.

"There was another tunnel. One led to the mountains, Brightstar." He thought about the view that he was sure he'd never see again. "There was a cat up there named Bells. She said that you'd know her."

"Bells?" murmured Brightstar, tilting her head. For a moment, Icetail was scared that she wouldn't remember. Then, his leader's eyes lit up and widened. "Bellflower? She's my kin, my sister!"

Icetail watched as Brightstar stood up. So it's true! His heart warmed up at Brightstar's kit-like excitement.

"I . . . I haven't seen her since we were young! It's been so long. Too long. How is she, Icetail?"

He purred. "She is well. Her daughter is here with us along with her mate and three kits. Bells wanted to know if they could stay with MoonClan. She seemed very serious about it, too."

"Bellflower was the medicine cat that trained Vinetail. She'd always had a close bond with StarClan. So close, that I think it even drove her away." Brightstar took a deep breath as she remembered those times. "MoonClan was so different then. She'd be surprised at how the times have changed."

Icetail could understand what Brightstar meant. He used to hear all kinds of tales of how peaceful MoonClan used to be. Things had only gotten harder as DarkClan grew bigger, though. They had constant troubles with MoonClan regarding territory and kin. Those troubles were gone, though, replaced by worse things such as war. Icetail wished that DarkClan was like the other Clans overall.

Brightstar broke Icetail's chain of thought. "I understand. If it is Bells' will, then I don't need to think twice about letting these cats join MoonClan."

Icetail nodded gratefully. "There must be a ceremony, then. The she-cat is called Red, and her mate is Hawk. Their white-furred daughter is Gold, her sister is Moon, and the tom is Thorn."

"I will do it while it's still dark," Brightstar said, exiting the den. Icetail followed her and sat at the base of the rock besides his father. Sparrowheart purred and meowed his greeting. But then, Brightstar leaped to the top of the Moonrock and looked down. "All cats of MoonClan, gather here!" she called, her voice high above the chatter.

Every cat looked up, already gathered.

"We have five newcomers joining MoonClan tonight. I am sure you have met them. Red and Hawk, come forth!"

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Gold trembled with the excitement of a kit about to become an apprentice, not noticing the comments of the Clan. Red and Hawk padded up in the middle of the crowd together and looked up at Brightstar. The leader nodded down with approval.

Brightstar began. "Red, I . . . am proud to have you and your kin joining this Clan tonight. Your mother was a very honorable cat, and so I am sure your skills and contributions to MoonClan will not be in vain. I have decided to call you Redsky in honor of where you come from." She had always lived close to the sky, realized Icetail. "Living under the stars like us is something you should be proud of. StarClan will watch over you as you journey into the world of becoming a warrior."

She leaped down the Moonrock, and murmured something in her ear. Redsky nodded, and Brightstar lied her head on Redsky's, while Redsky gave a respectful lick to her neck.

The Clan instantly chanted her name. "Redsky! Redsky!"

Some cats are not chanting.

Brightstar had given the name Hawktalon to Redsky's mate, and went on to naming the kits. "Now Moon," the leader said. "You are young, but old enough to be an apprentice. Dawnstripe is worthy of having an apprentice after long, hard training. She is a good hunter, a loyal cat and she has a strong heart. You are worthy of being her apprentice. I will now name you Shiningpaw, in respect to MoonClan's name."

Icetail froze with fear when he remembered that she went out. What if she wasn't here to recieve her first apprentice? But much to his surprise, the warrior stepped up from the crowd of cats. He thought that Dewfang and Dawnstripe would take longer, unless . . . did Dewfang reject her?

Dawnstripe's eyes looked sad, after all. He did reject her! But why? She's a good cat!

As Icetail kept thinking, Brightstar named Goldpaw, and apprenticed her to Swiftbreeze. Thornpaw was apprenticed to Crowflight. "I gave this ceremony under the moon's bright light, so MoonClan's ancestors may watch over these cats in hopes of helping them to be full Clan cats!" Brightstar announced.

Most cats cheered.

He watched as his Clan bathed in the moonlight and greeted the newcomers with interest and excitement.

Icetail glanced up at the mountain's shadowy form, wondering if Bells was watching them.