Lighting the way
Chapter 1
Hello people of the internet. I do not own the warrior cats! Please enjoy.
"I'm sorry Leafpool, but by having kits you have disgraced the code of the medicine cats and by taking a mate from another clan you have also completely disregarded the warrior code. Therefore, I have no choice but to sentence you to exile"
What? Leafpool froze in front of her leader, no, her father; looking like a deer caught in the headlights. This can't be happening! I know what I did was wrong... but haven't I been punished enough? Leafpool's heart skipped a beat and her legs buckled beneath her; her whole world was collapsing beneath her paws.
Firestar felt despair well up in his heart as he watched his daughter come to terms with her punishment. "Leafpool, if you don't leave the territory by sun rise you will be hunted down and face the consequences" Leave! Don't you see that I don't want to hurt you! Firestar though desperately, clenching his teeth together; willing Leafpool to understand.
Leafpool finally regained her ability to function. She shook her head, the dazed look in her eyes gone and replaced with a fierce determination. "Fine. Act as if I did nothing for Thunderclan. Act as if I what I did was out of pure selfishness. Well listen here, I followed my heart, and it resulted in three wonderful kits that are far from a mistake. My parting words to you are that I am sorry. I only wish that I could remain a medicine cat for many more seasons, but I leave that position in Jayfeather's capable paws. Farewell. With a last fleeting glance at her three beloved children, Leafpool raced towards the brambles; away from everything she had every known and loved. I will never forget you my darlings!
The remaining Thunderclan cats sat in silence, not sure what to say or do as Firestar's intense gaze nearly set the brambles aflame.
"To the Dark forest with this!" Squirrelflight suddenly jumped to her paws and with fur bristling she stood muzzle to muzzle with Firestar and hissed "How dare you just send your own daughter away! How could you be so fox hearted?" Squirrelflight swung her head around, looking at the rest of her clan mates and snorted when they were unable to met her gaze "the rest of you are no better! Who looked after you tirelessly when you had green cough? Who cared you when you got thorns stuck in you pads? Who showed endless patience and kindness when the queens kitted? Leafpool! And you'll all just toss her aside like a piece of rotten fresh kill! Well I won't stand for this, I'm leaving with her. I belong with my sister, we were never meant to be apart". After her passionate speech Squirrelflight abruptly ran in the direction of Leafpool's scent before any of her clan mates could voice their objection.
Brambles scratched her muzzle and branches caught on her fur, but Squirrelflight didn't register the pain; she only hoped that she could reach her sister in time before she lost her forever.
Leafpool didn't stop running until she had reached the lake. She gazed into the cool water, stained navy by the night sky and wondered certainly the entire forest could do without me... should I just end my suffering now? No! That would be more than I deserve... The lake was calm, giving Leafpool time to process the rash events and grieve her loss; she felt desperately alone.
"What am I to do now Starclan? I have lost everything" Leafpool whimpered. Suddenly a gust of wind disturbed rustled the leafs and rippled the lake, the stars reflections appeared to glow brighter; a familiar soft voice echoed in Leafpool's ears 'you are not alone, remember that Starclan will be beside you every paw step of the way' The words seemed to wash away all her doubts and worries, "Thank you Spottedleaf" Leafpool whispered in return.
Silence returned to the secluded area as Leafpool reflected on the weight that had been relieved from her conscience. My secret has been told. The secrets and lies that have plagued my life are known to all cats. For the first time in seasons I feel free.
The sound of rustling bushes to her right made her freeze in apprehension, the clan were supposed to wait until sun rise before they were to hunt her down. Leafpool jumped to her paws and was ready to run when she was struck dumb by a familiar meow "wait! Leafpool don't run!" She watched in utter shock as her sister Squirrelflight burst out from the bushes, covered in injuries; including a rather nasty scratch above her left eye, which was bleeding rather badly.
Leafpool's medicine cat instincts kicked in immediately as she ran to her sister and frantically sniffed at her wounds. "Nothing too serious" Leafpool concluded "However, that scratch above your eye is pretty deep, we'll need cobwebs to stem the bleeding and either sorrel or yarrow to soothe pain and prevent infection; dock would do as a last resort." As Leafpool started to sniff around for the specific herbs, Squirrelflight collapsed onto her side, fighting to get her breath back.
"I never... knew you were... that fast Leafpool" Squirrelflight gasped
Leafpool let out an amused purr as she nipped at some dock leafs "neither did I. Perhaps Starclan was with me; guiding my paws" Squirrelflight's only response was rasping breath. Leafpool continued to chew up the dock leaves and apply them to Squirrelflight's scratches. "You know this may sting a little" Leafpool mewed, as he heard her sister hiss and finally relax when the painful sensation had subsided.
Squirrelflight got to her paws and stretched languidly, "Thanks Leafpool, the bleeding is stopping so I don't think I'll need the cobwebs" she brushed her pelt soothingly against Leafpool "how would I ever survive without you" she purred.
Leafpool's eyes narrowed, she wasn't going to get distracted by her sister's flattery "You wouldn't. Anyway, what are you doing running through the brambles like a fox in a fit? You could have poked an eye out, not even Starclan can heal that"
Her sister's eyes hardened "I've decided that any clan that doesn't have you is no place for me, you're my sister and I couldn't bear to let you go on your own. Besides, we both lied, it's not fair if your punished and not me" Squirrelflight admitted and refused to meet her sister eyes, in case her eyes reflected disappointment. She almost jumped out of her fur when Leafpool's muzzle touched her ear.
"Thank you Squirrelflight, your loyalty is all that I have left, but what about Brambleclaw?" Leafpool meowed softly.
Pain pierced Squirrelflight's heart like a sharp thorn at the mention of her ex-mate, but she took a deep calming breath "Brambleclaw couldn't care a mouse whisker about me anymore, so why should I stay to be constantly reminded that he hates me" She hoped that her voice didn't quiver.
Leafpool's tail lay sympathetically on her sister's flank, as she too knew the sting of rejection from someone that you loved. Crowfeather... your cruel words still echo in my mind, sharper than the sharpest claw. Do you really care so little for our kits... for me? Was I just a replacement for Feathertail? "No you were not! How dare you even suggest that!"
Leafpool's melancholy thoughts were interrupted by Squirrelflight's shocked meow, she realised that she must have unknowingly muttered the last part aloud. Embarrassed, Leafpool lowered her head and slowly stumbled over to the lake to stare at her reflection "You heard what he said at the gathering" She muttered "The kits and I mean nothing to him"
Squirrelflight followed her sister and fluffed up her fur against the cold night air "cats say things they don't mean when their angry, it's only natural that Crowfeather would be shocked to find out that he had kits he never knew existed." She brushed her tail along Leafpool's side reassuringly before leading her towards the trees "now come on, we need to move on before sun rise".
The Starclan's warrior's glittered overhead and silver pelt was a beautiful as ever. All of a sudden Leafpool was struck with an impulse to go to the moon pool; it was calling her, like a kit to its mother's milk. "We must go to the moon pool, and there, Starclan will show us our new path" Squirrelflight only nodded as she remained concentrated on not falling down any holes in the dark. Leafpool felt warmth flow through her heart; her sister's faith in her was a blessing.
After what seemed like an eternity, the two sisters made it to the river that would lead them to the moon pool; on the other side was the Windclan border. Tension hung in the air so thickly that Leafpool struggled to keep her fur flat; they didn't want to get caught. Windclan was already on edge with Thunderclan and the truth revealed at the latest gathering had only made things worse.
The only light available was the light from the full moon that was close to setting, making room for the rising sun that signaled the end of their lives as clan cats and the start of lives as rogues. As Squirrelflight and Leafpool carefully made their way through reeds, careful not to give themselves a way, a foreboding scent that Leafpool knew all too well grew stronger and a large red body flitted between the shadows of the trees. Before Leafpool got a chance to warn her sister, a dreadful bark made her blood run cold and Squirrelflight hissed.
"Fox!"