Eventually, Maplepaw came to a long pathway made out large, smooth stones that lay implanted in the ground. The trees surrounding her were thin and spindly, and looked to be naked and dead at first, until one looked up and saw the pretty bright greenness of the leaves on the treetops. "I've never been here before. Are we still going the right way?" Maplepaw asked as she bent down to sniff the moss-covered stones.
As soon as Badgerstorm heard his mate call for Cherryblossom, he knew it was time. As fast as a rabbit, he raced for the nursery and squeezed inside. "Wolfsong! Wolfsong, are you okay?"'
Dustpaw pricked up his ears at the sound of Wolfsong's yowl and then Cherryblossom's call. "Okay, I'm coming!" With an apologetic glance at Fadedpaw, he took off and tailed Cherryblossom into the nursery. "What do we do first?" he asked his mentor nervously. Normally Dustpaw was very confident in what he did, especially for an apprentice, but he had never helped a kitting queen before.
When she was sure that Sparrowpaw could handle himself, Ashstream slowly released the scruff of his neck. "Now you're getting the hang of it!" she purred. "Let's see if you can make it to that branch up there." She nodded up at a branch that was only a few tail-lengths higher than where they were at the moment.






