Leafpool and Crowfeather's Journey
The Beginning
Leafpool and Crowfeather have decided to leave the clans. As they are approaching the hills, they start to have second thoughts. They both rethink everything, and make a decision for the best.
Leafpool walked further and stopped to smell the air. Her paws were aching from all the walking up the big hill. A breeze brushed past her warm, brown pelt as she caught her breath. Still, she kept her eyes, ears and mouth alert for any trouble. She turned around, resting her paws softly on the long, cool grass underpaw. She looked at everything in awe with her big, golden amber, sparkling eyes.
The sun was just under moonhigh; it shone all over the lake territory. She could see the hills of Windclan. How they sloped up and down, and were filled with windy life. And Riverclan. Where Mothwing lived . . . Her thoughts flashed back to when she and Mothwing first met. And when she and Sorreltail had stumbled onto Riverclan territory back in the old forest. When Hawkfrost almost killed Sorreltail, but Mothwing saved them. Happiness and nostalgia filled Leafpool's soul. She remembered how she and her sister . . . How she and her sister tackled the great journey together. And . . . When her sister was conflicting over Brambleclaw . . . She sighed and looked grimly on. She saw the lake with anticipation. It was so radiant with the sun shining on it. All the stars distantly reflected onto it, every ray of light, every tree, every fish, every shrew that walked. It . . . It was like all of Starclan. . . . A thought slowly made itself clear in her mind. No! The thought struck her mind like an uncontrollable fire. No, you're not a medicine cat anymore. You can never see your clan again. You can never heal them. You can never feel the warmth of a kit's soft fur. You can never see Squirrelflight . . . Or Firestar or Sandstorm . . . Or . . . Cinderpelt . . . The fiery grief disappeared and left her with dullness.
"Are you alright?" Crowfeather's voice rang out. She turned her head to look at him and she stared deeply into his shining, worried blue eyes. A memory flashed into her mind of when she was hanging off a cliff. Clawing and scrabbling, desperate to hold on. And then almost falling . . . And . . . And, then him, saving her. Pulling her up, looking back at her, saying those word's she'd never forget. Her realising, that she loved Crowfeather. He was so caring, and smart, and handsome.
"Yes," She said uncertain, her eyes confused and unfocused. She continued looking at the ground and looked to her left, and then back and quickly repeated the same action. She looked up at him. "I'm fine.
"Do you want to go back?" His voice spoke so calmly, but with a fog of fear blowing in his mind. Leafpool knew that he wouldn't have said those words, if he had a choice. She knew how much he wanted to be with her, to run away, to never have to look at the Warrior Code in the face again. To . . . To . . . Maybe have a family . . . Leafpool snapped out of her thoughts and recognized her situation.
She loved Crowfeather and Crowfeather loved her. She would always walk with Squirrelflight, in her heart, and nothing would ever break that. And she knew that . . . That Cinderpelt would forgive her.
"No," She replied with confidence. She stood up and touched noses with him. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the trees and his fur. Crowfeather paused and looked at her with wide eyes. He snapped out of her worry and fears too, and brushed his fur with hers. She moved closer to him and he circled her, touching her body with his tail.
"I love you" He spoke with his eyes closed; his body, mind and spirit at rest, living in the moment.
"I love you too," Leafpool mewed. She nuzzled him and felt happy, complete content. Everything in the world was perfect.
They both broke off and looked at each other. They simultaneously started walking to the top of the hill, their pelts brushing, and legs moving with great strength and bounce. Walking past grass, and flowers, they both reached the top, turned back, and looked at their previous home. Looking at their pasts, they turned away, and looked into the new direction. They both set their paws forward.
"Leafpool, this is our life now, together. We'll find a home, past the mountains, past the old forest, past the many Sundrown places we'll find. But, I promise you this, we'll find our paradise." Leafpool stared back at him. They shared the moment of peace and deep love. She purred and placed her paw on his. "This is our journey" Leafpool stretched out her paw forward and started walking beside him; both filled with love. They started down the hill, onwards to their future.