I have Sky!

I don't expect Owlnose to make it to leader, but interesting nonetheless! Poor Frostpaw, though, I can only imagine how much pressure must've been on her. And I also like that they're actually acknowledging the family tree, when usually extended kinship wouldn't be touched on at all.

Jayclaw's brother Owlnose (Frostpaw's uncle)? Oh, he is so going to die!

Sunbeam is happy doing menial chores around the camp to keep her mind off Blazefire and Lightleap. Blazefire has caught Rowankit's cold and Rowankit is getting sicker by the day. Shadowsight and Puddleshine mentioned earlier that their catmint stocks are pretty low, and Shadowsight hopes SkyClan can spare some catmint. Puddleshine left a little while earlier to try and talk to Fidgetflake and Frecklewish.

Cloverfoot is organizing patrols, while Hopwhisker and Snaketooth share a mouse. Scorchfur and Grassheart stand amongst the grass against the wind. Puddleshine has come back with no herbs, and Sunbeam angrily tells him that Blazefire needs catmint now. Tigerstar beckons Puddleshine over to him, and isn't pleased that SkyClan refused. Puddleshine tells him that Frecklewish shut him down almost immediately and even denied ThunderClan foraging rights. Tigerstar says she's clearly hoarding it all. Puddleshine insists Frecklewish isn't the type of cat to hoard herbs, especially with sick kits, gesturing towards Rowankit. Dovewing interjects and asks why she wouldn't. Tigerstar calls Frecklewish selfish, but Puddleshine stares him down and says Frecklewish is very kind, but she clearly can't spare any as her Clan needs it too.

Dovewing seems to understand, but Tigerstar angrily says that she's denying help to a sick kit. Puddleshine insists Frecklewish wouldn't try to harm any cat, but she's loyal to her Clan and an honorable medicine cat. Tigerstar breathes, and growls that if SkyClan won't help, then they'll go to the other Clans. Cloverfoot comes into the conversation and says it might make them look weak. Tigerstar says it's not weak to ask for help, and then tells Cloverfoot to send patrols to the other three Clans. Puddleshine mutters under his breath that it's pointless to go and demand herbs at a time like this. Cloverfoot ignores him and says she'll organize some when the border patrols are done. Tigerstar says that won't do, and to do them now. Sunbeam then offers to join one of the patrols, and Cloverfoot assigns her to the RiverClan patrol with Scorchfur, Hopwhisker, and Snaketooth.

As the three reach the border, Sunbeam says they should wait there. Scorchfur, the patrol leader, says they're not going to wait considering a kit is sick. Sunbeam recalls the last time they encountered RiverClan when Hopwhisker had been injured, and how Lizardtail and Nightsky forced her to go back to ShadowClan for help as opposed to just bringing her to their camp for help. The reeds begin to rustle as Sunbeam spots Mallownose and Splashtail emerge. Scorchfur mews that they'd like to talk to Mothwing, and politely says they have little time to discuss the details. Splashtail narrows his eyes and says that Mothwing isn't available. Mallownose, flattening his ears, snorts that he can get Frostpaw for them. Scorchfur insists that it'd just be easier to go into their camp, and Sunbeam can see he's holding back annoyance. Snaketooth begins to step forward, but Mallownose shoves himself in front of her. Snaketooth growls that if he has a problem with her, then now isn't the time for it. Hopwhisker asks if something is wrong in their camp, narrowing her eyes.

Mallownose quickly mews that of course they're fine, making Sunbeam and Scorchfur suspicious. Sunbeam meows that Lizardtail and Nightsky were doing something similar to her and Hopwhisker last time they were at the border. Mallownose snarls that everything's fine and to mind their business. Splashtail grunts to just get it over with. Mallownose doesn't agree, but mutters to just follow him and beckons the patrol with his tail. As they reach the camp, Sunbeam sees Gorseclaw and Sneezecloud eye them warily. She internally wonders where Mistystar is. Mallownose catches her eye and grunts that Mistystar is out hunting. Sunbeam feels uneasy as while she's aware having visitors can be uneasy, something feels truly strange about RiverClan right now. Mallownose bellows for Frostpaw, and the medicine cat apprentice comes scurrying out of the den. Sunbeam notes she looks like she hasn't slept in days and how unkept she looks. Sunbeam wonders if Frostpaw is also sick. Snaketooth explains that they need catmint. Frostpaw glowers that it isn't leaf-bare yet, and then trails off as if she doesn't know what catmint even is. Scorchfur is about to speak, but everyone spots Mothwing's dappled golden coat in the camp entrance.

She stares at the ShadowClan warriors, and then demands to know why they're here. Snaketooth retorts they need catmint. Sunbeam adds that Rowankit is sick. In her head, Sunbeam thinks that Mothwing might be reasoned with since Tigerstar took her in after Mistystar exiled her. Mothwing seems "oddly relieved" and asks how sick Rowankit is. Sunbeam says he hasn't woken up this morning. Mothwing's gaze turns sympathetic and says she unfortunately cannot spare any catmint. Hopwhisker says they can just look around the territory and take what they need, but Mothwing hisses that they won't do that. She reiterates that they don't have enough to spare, and asks them to leave. Sunbeam sees Scorchfur staring at Mothwing, and she herself can't help but feel Mothwing seems too defensive about their territory, and wonders if she was hiding something. She decides no, as Mothwing was once ShadowClan some moons ago, and it's just stress getting to the older she-cat. Sunbeam mews that perhaps Flaxfoot and Whorlpelt had better luck with WindClan, and Snaketooth grunts she hopes so. Mothwing mews that she's sure WindClan can help, and asks them to leave again. Mallownose stands beside Mothwing now, and insists they have Clan business to do. Splashtail begins to usher them out. Scorchfur snarls they don't need an escort, but Splashtail snarls back that they're on RiverClan territory. Sunbeam can clearly tell they aren't wanted there, but something tells her they're hiding something.

As the patrol returns, Puddleshine is disappointed, though not surprised, that RiverClan had none to spare. Scorchfur is reporting to Tigerstar, and the leader keeps shaking his head like he was expecting different results. Hopwhisker mews that they seemed way more defensive than usual, which Sunbeam agrees with. Flaxfoot and Whorlpelt then appear from the camp entrance. Puddleshine's face lights up, but then darkens as Flaxfoot only has paltry stems. Whorlpelt explains it was all they could get. Puddleshine mutters he's not surprised but seems in disbelief that no cat seems to have catmint in the slightest.

Spireclaw and his new mate, Fringewhisker, are replacing old bedding in the warriors' den while Berryheart, Yarrowleaf, and Stonewing stand together. Berryheart grumbles that it's usually later they deal with a whitecough outbreak, glaring at Fringewhisker. Yarrowleaf concedes, and they should have done more to prevent cats from catching it in the first place, also now glaring at Fringewhisker. Fringewhisker shrinks beside Spireclaw, who stares back at Yarrowleaf indignantly. Scorchfur has finished telling Tigerstar the news, and Tigerstar bellows Puddleshine over and orders him to call an emergency medicine cat meeting. Tigerstar then goes to the medicine den, talking to Shadowsight about Rowankit's condition.

Sunbeam listens back to Berryheart and Yarrowleaf. Berryheart snorts that she heard there was an outbreak of whitecough shortly before Fringewhisker left. Fringewhisker says there was, but she didn't catch it. Yarrowleaf meows that she could have carried it over. Berryheart hisses that if it turns to greencough, it could be the reason why SkyClan denied them herbs. Sunbeam realizes that perhaps Berryheart had a point in her beliefs; if cats could change clans as they pleased, they could bring sickness with them too. Flaxfoot steps beside Fringewhisker and tells Berryheart it's useless blaming anyone for something like this. Hopwhisker agrees, and says that sickness is a part of life and no cat can be blamed for natural causes. Stonewing glares at both of them, and says it'd be easier to manage if warriors kept to their Clans instead of switching as they want. Spireclaw hisses at the older cats and tells Fringewhisker to come hunt with him. Berryheart says under her breath that it's important to recognize loyalties. Spireclaw wraps his tail around Fringewhisker protectively, but doesn't say anything, only gently nudging the despodent Fringewhisker out of the camp.

As Tigerstar exits the medicine den, his gaze dark, Sunbeam hopes they can find catmint soon. Because if Blazefire dies, then she doubts she can truly be happy again.

Poor Fringewhisker. This isn't her fault. Dovewing is worried sick for her son, but she does seem to understand about the lack of catmint. And this is how the journey starts. I hope Rowankit and Blazefire will be alright.

The father of Yarrowleaf's kits, Hopwhisker and Flaxfoot, was also a part of The Kin. At least Hop and Flax stood up for Fringe.