AN: Hello all! Welcome to my second-ever Warriors fanfiction, Leaves on the Breeze. I had an AU I'd been thinking of forever and thought why not try it out? My first fanfic, Redemption, did pretty well so hopefully this one will too! It deals with an AU on if Squirrelflight didn't take Leafpool's kits as her own and the drama surrounding the clans due to that. I hope you enjoy!

"I'm sorry, Leafpool, but I just can't." For a moment Leafpool couldn't believe she'd heard correctly. Squirrelflight couldn't? But why? Didn't she know how important this was-and if what Yellowfang said was true this might've been her only chance. Leafpool had to admit that she was more concerned with what would happen to her and her kits more than her sister's barren state, however. It must make me a horrible sister, truly. She worried at the ground with her paws when she felt the kits squirm inside of her. Hush now, we'll figure this out.

"Why?" Leafpool made sure that the hurt was clear on her voice.

Squirrelflight sighed. "We can't lie to the Clan like that. Sooner or later the truth will come out and it will make things worse for everyone involved. I won't pretend they're mine but you're my sister, Leafpool, I'll protect you and your kits no matter what. You have to believe that." She set her tail on Leafpool's shoulders but despite that Leafpool still quivered with fear.

"I'm afraid for them," she whispered. "What if Firestar exiles us? Just because I'm his daughter doesn't mean he'll be lenient. He has to show no favoritism." She shivered at the thought. Would he at least wait until the kits were born before she was thrown out or would he kick her out while pregnant and leave her to fend for herself? Leafpool wasn't an idiot, she knew that by the time she got closer to kitting she would be in no shape to take care of herself. Even rogues usually had a mate with them but her mate was in WindClan and wouldn't even speak to her. And with leaf-bare coming...

"Firestar's not cruel, Leafpool. It will be alright. Trust me."

Leafpool nodded wearily and started on the path back to camp. She would have to tell Firestar soon. And Cinderpelt. Oh, Cinderpelt! How could she have messed up so, so horribly? Her mentor was dead because of her and she'd promised to go on and take care of the Clan but now? She would be breaking her promise to her beloved mentor.

Dry leaves and bracken crunched underneath her paws and a cool breeze made her fur ruffle. When the two of them entered the hollow, a few cats called a greeting out which Squirrelflight replied to. Leafpool didn't even think she could talk. Casting her gaze around the camp, she saw Firestar headed into his den and she swallowed. It was now or never.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Squirrelflight's heart went out for her sister. She looked so terrified standing by the HighLedge. It'd been a few hours since she'd come out of Firestar's den and immediately curled into her nest. Squirrelflight tried to ask her what happened but nothing came from it. In the time Firestar had briefly chatted with their mothert and most of the patrols had come back. Now he'd called a Clan meeting and both sisters knew that whatever came from it, it wouldn't be good.

"As you know," Firestar said "A moon ago Leafpool left with Crowfeather only to come back to help us when she knew her Clan was in danger." There was a long silence as Leafpool shrunk even lower into a crouch, her tail wrapped around her like she was trying to protect the babies growing inside. Again, Squirrelflight felt the spasm of panic and pain coming from her sister and wished she could take it away. But no, she wouldn't have lied and said they were hers and Brambleclaw's. She knew, she knew, that such a lie would come back to bite them. She had to have faith that her father would do the right thing.

"During the time she was away, a few things went on that neither of them gave any thought to, however, it's apparent we must give a thought to it now." Firestar continued, taking a deep breath. "Leafpool is carrying Crowfeather's kits."

To say there was an uproar would have been an understatement. Ashfur hissed his glare penetrating her sister before turning onto her. They seemed to be taunting her as if to say your family is ruined anyway now. Squirrelflight had to hold back a hiss as well. The damn tomcat was just impossible to get along with now that she was with Brambleclaw again. It wasn't like they'd even been mates for StarClan's sake! Somewhere in the crowd, Mousefur was spitting about how she knew Leafpool was a traitor and no good, and Dustpelt sneered.

"So, is she going to be exiled?" Thornclaw called. "She broke a code-no, two codes! Don't tell me she gets off lightly!"

Cats mewed their agreements and Leafpool's fear scent began to fill the hollow until Firestar yowled for silence. "I have not decided yet whether to-"

"Firestar?" A quiet mew cut him off as Daisy stepped out of the nursery. Her kits were playing by her feet and her eyes were unsure, but she had a look of determination to her. "May I ask a question or two?"

Firestar nodded toward the cream colored queen and Daisy took another long breath before speaking.

"Leafpool, when you ran away with Crowfeather, you weren't planning on coming back where you?"

Leafpool slowly shook her head. "No, I thought we were going to leave the territory and be with each other forever. I didn't think we'd ever come back. But then Midnight came and told us about the badgers and we couldn't just do nothing...and then Cinderpelt died and I promised to protect the Clan and leave the part of me that was in love with Crowfeather behind."

Daisy nodded slowly before continuing. "So, when you mated it was under the assumption that you were no longer Clan cats and thus were not ThunderClan's Medicine Cat apprentice or a WindClan warrior but two loner or rogue cats?"

Squirrelflight's ear twitched. What exactly was the ex-loner getting at?

"W-well, yes." Leafpool said.

"Then since your actions were done under the circumstances that you believed you were no longer going to be Clan cats and not come back as ThunderClan's medicine cat, surely the code isn't technically broken." Daisy continued. "But due to an event you couldn't forsee, you decided that the Clan was more important after the fact. It wouldn't make sense to blame you for an action you did while under the idea you no longer had a code."

By this time Leafpool had stopped trembling so much and a few cats were nodding. Squirrelflight was shocked-they were actually agreeing with the ex-loner? Not that it was a bad thing-if it helped her sister it could only be good-but she didn't think that Daisy of all cats would be the one to turn the tide. The queen had been terrified ever since the battle with the badgers and would barely come out of the nursery.

Ferncloud stepped forward to stand next to Daisy. "She has a point, Firestar. If Dustpelt and I had been from different Clans and decided to leave them behind, we probably wouldn't have factored in any freak battle either. I mean, who would know that the badgers were going to attack? We'd never experienced it before. Kits happen , whether they intend to or not. I think most queens would agree."

Dustpelt's mouth was agape in shock of what his mate had said but she just rolled her eyes. "Hush, you. We became mates right after I got my warrior name. Don't even tell me you didn't freak out when you realized how soon later I was having kits."

"Toms." Sorreltail murmured. She still looked weak from her kitting but she stood with as much strength as she could to speak. "Leafpool saved my life during the kitting once Cinderpelt had gone. She's one of my best friends and I know that she stayed here because she really, really cares about the health and safety of ThunderClan. She could have left again one more to join Crowfeather and let Brightheart or someone else assume the medicine cat position, but she didn't. I think Daisy's right. She couldn't have known she was going to come back."

The clearing below the HighLedge was quite until Firestar spoke once more. "Thank you, Daisy, Ferncloud, and Sorreltail for your input. You make a very good point. We are ThunderClan and we aren't so cruel as to exile expecting queens or young kits. Leafpool will stay and have her litter and we will discuss the situation with WindClan. When the kits leave the nursery, Leafpool will search for a new apprentice, StarClan willing, and once that apprentice earns their name Leafpool will begin warrior training. This discussion is over."

Squirrelflight rushed over to her sister and let her lean against her. She was shaking so hard that she thought she might collapse. "See, I told you the Clan wouldn't exile you."

"Some of the others aren't convinced." Leafpool said, her eyes resting on where Mosuefur and Thornclaw were enaged in a heated discussion.

"Well, that's their problem." Daisy came over, her plumy tail coming to rest around Leafpool's shoulders. "Let's get you settled. So much stress isn't good for the kits. I swear, toms, they know nothing about anything."

Leafpool let out a raspy, half-hearted purr as she was lead into the nursery by Daisy. Ferncloud and Sorreltail closed in around her, all mewing softly.

Squirrelflight felt warm inside, maybe, just maybe, this would work out just fine.

AN: So there's the prologue for Leaves on the Breeze! Next is the Allegiances and Chapter 1! Let me know what you think. I know Daisy and the Queens are a little different than in the books but I wanted to prioritize and show how influencial the queens are to the clans because they deserve that being showcased a bit more. Leave a review if you want to!