Graystripe yawned and padded out of the warriors' den. He spotted Firestar by the fresh kill pile and ran to him. Firestar looked up and Graystripe reached him. The gray warrior grabbed a vole and sat beside Firestar.
"Graystripe," Firestar meowed.
"Hmm?" Graystripe took a bite of his vole, hungrily.
"Would you be willing to make a trip for me?" Firestar asked.
"What kind?" Graystripe asked. "I probably will."
"Will you go check on SkyClan?" Firestar asked. Graystripe nearly choked on a piece of vole.
"What?" He stared at his fire colored friend.
"Will you please check on SkyClan?" Firestar asked. "You know, the Clan that Sandstorm and I helped."
"Well…" Graystripe hesitated. "They can look after themselves, right?"
"Yes," Firestar replied. "But I want to make sure that the rats aren't giving them trouble."
"Firestar!" Sandstorm marched to them. "You're asking Graystripe to check on SkyClan aren't you? I heard your conversation. I'm not deaf you know!"
"Sandstorm, what if Oscar is bothering them?" Firestar asked.
"They'll fight him off," Sandstorm sniffed. "What else would they do? Also, Graystripe will have to find his own way!"
"I just want someone to check on them!" Firestar insisted. "He may be able to figure out how to get there and he could take Mistwind." Mistwind was Millie's new name.
"Well… I'll ask her," Graystripe replied. "We will find our own way."
"But Graystripe…" Sandstorm mewed.
"Ask me what?" Mistwind asked, joining them. "Afind our own way where?"
"Do you want to check on SkyClan?" Graystripe asked. "You know, the Clan that I told you about. That Firestar saved."
Mistwind grinned. "Of course, I would! I love being in ThunderClan but I feel like I'd like to see more sights."
"Alright then," Graystripe mewed. "We'll go." Sandstorm looked annoyed but Firestar looked thrilled.
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"Good luck," Leafpool meowed. "I almost wish I was going. It'd be nice to meet the cat I was named after."
"Yeah," Squirrelflight agreed. "I'd like to meet SkyClan too. It sounded like Cherrytail and I would get along." Firestar and Sandstorm laughed.
"You both have that attitude," Firestar pointed out.
"Only maybe she can control hers," Brambleclaw teased, dodging his mate's playful blow to the ears.
"Oh shut your muzzle," Squirrelflight purred.
"Be careful," Dustpelt meowed. "We lost you once and we can't do it again. You and Firestar help this Clan even if I didn't see it before."
"Thanks, Dustpelt," Graystripe and Firestar mewed.
"Stupid furballs," Sandstorm mumbled under her breath.
"Are you ready, Mistwind?" Graystripe asked. Mistwind nodded.
"Bye, Firestar," Graystripe meowed. "We'll come back soon and I'll be careful to go exactly where you directed me."
"I know," Firestar meowed. "This time, I won't leave."
"Thanks," Graystripe smiled. "See you soon." The gray warrior padded out of ThunderClan territory, his mate at his side.
"Well then," Mistwind mewed, "I guess we're hunting for ourselves until we get there. Thank StarClan it's Greenleaf." Graystripe nodded in his agreement.
"I'll miss Firestar," he meowed. "And the others. Even Dustpelt."
Mistwind rested her tail on his shoulder. "Graystripe, they'll wait for you. We have a mission." She raced ahead and Graystripe ran after her.
Maybe Mistwind is right. They'll wait for me this time, he thought.
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Leafstar gazed down at her two kits. One was a ginger she-cat and the other was a brown and cream tom.
"What are their names?" Sharpclaw asked.
Leafstar looked at her mate then mewed, "The ginger she-kit is Sandkit, in honor of Sandstorm." Sharpclaw nodded.
"What about the brown and cream colored one?" Sharpclaw asked.
Leafstar hesitated. "Would you like to name him?"
Her mate nodded. "How about Eaglekit?"
"Good idea, Sharpclaw," Leafstar meowed. "Eaglekit and Sandkit."
"How are they?" Cherrytail entered the den. "What are their names?"
"Eaglekit and Sandkit," Leafstar mewed.
"Ooh," Cherrytail meowed. "I like that."
"Mintpaw did a good job taking care of me," Leafstar meowed. Mintpaw, Echosong's apprentice, held her head high with pleasure. Sagepaw raced into the nursery.
"It's Shortwhisker! I mean Hutch!" he yowled. Leafstar looked up. "He's here."
"Bring him to me," she meowed. Cherrytail perked her ears.
"Hutch!" she cried, as the brown tabby entered the nursery.
"Hi, Leafdapple," he greeted.
"It's Leafstar now," she meowed. "I'm the leader and Sharpclaw is both my deputy and my mate."
"Sorry," Hutch meowed. "It's urgent. I heard a rumor that Oscar is gathering a bunch of rogues and kitty pets to over throw you!"
"Hutch," Leafstar sighed, "thank you for the warning but Echosong has told me how fast roomers spread in twoleg place."
"I guess your right," Hutch meowed. "Well, bye." He started to pad away, tail drooping on the earth.
"Were you hoping to join?" Leafstar asked.
Hutch looked up. "Uh…. I left, remember?"
"I remember," Leafstar replied. "But you fought with true loyalty. Would you want to join?"
"Well… yes." Hutch looked at his paws. "I've started asking friends in twoleg place to call me Shortwhisker again."
"Welcome to SkyClan," Leafstar meowed. "Are you sure that this is what you want?"
"Yes," Hutch replied. "I'm sure. And please don't let me leave again. My life is boring without Cherrypaw and Sparrowpaw."
"Cherrytail," Cherrytail corrected. "And Sparrowpaw is Sparrowpelt now."
"Great!" Hutch mewed. Leafstar nodded.
"You're ceremony will be at sundown," she told him.
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Graystripe and Mistwind settled down to sleep that night. They were barely out of ThunderClan territory because they had no clue as to where they should go. Graystripe gently slid into sleep.
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Graystripe looked around. He was in the old Fourtrees.
"Graystripe." Silverstream padded to him.
"Silverstream," he purred.
"SkyClan are closer than you think," she told him.
"Where are they?" he meowed. "How do I find them?"
"The river that Firestar followed doesn't just end at the forests edge," Silverstream meowed. "It goes near your territory. Firestar doesn't know it but he traveled very near your new territory. Graystripe, you and Mistwind must travel towards the Moonpool. When you reach it travel away from Clan territory and you should come across the gorge. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Graystripe replied. He nuzzled Silverstream. "But what do we do if they're having problems?"
"Help of course," Silverstream replied. "What else?"
"What if they don't want help?" he asked.
"Leafstar will accept help. She isn't too proud. Don't worry, Graystripe," she mewed. Before he could say more, Silverstream disappeared.
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"Mistwind." Graystripe nudged Mistwind awake. "I know where to go. Come on."
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