Chapter ONE:
It is the reign of Larkwing the First, Rushtail the Second, and Willowpelt the Third*. Larkwing, the international leader, had begun his term two years ago and would continue it until the age of sixty-five, when he would be relieved of his duties. Rushtail, the domestic leader, was well into his twentieth year and was reaching the ripe age of forty-seven. He, like Larkwing, would continue his term until retirement. Willowpelt, the Gaian leader, was in his fifties, and was surprisingly youthful despite the strenuous duty of connecting with the earth and holding the forces together. His position was held till death.
There were twelve heritage families currently present—the house of Shadowrim, Riverside, Gustil, Herobexy, Yestermorn, Necrasung, Ebenwing, Zecrorise, Larixmin, Wilstera, Terrum, and Zephyra. The houses of Shadowrim, Herobexy, Necrasung, and Zecrorise have been heritage families since the beginnings of time. The houses of Larixmin, Wilstera, Terrum, and Gustil had been founded several generations after the first three kings. The houses of Yestermorn, Ebenwing, and Riverside were formed three generations from the current date, 3245 A.R. Twenty years ago, the Zephyra house rose from the ranks of peasantry as its current head, Firestar, was recognized for the heritage blood within his veins. He succeeded the falling house of Ripplen and forged a new house in his own name.
The houses of Herobexy, Ebenwing, and Larixmin reached out to Firestar when he began to build his estate and settle into his new position. Bluestar, Whitestorm, and Tallstar were sent to the new head of Zephyra in order to assist in his settlement process. The house of Zecrorise presented a young aristocrat, Spottedleaf, as a prospective bride for the new aristocrat. Firestar was immediately bewitched by the beauty and gentleness of this woman and fell hopelessly in love with her. They courted for a few months before he decided to propose. Several days before the actual engagement, Spottedleaf was killed when her carriage teetered too close to the side of a cliff and all those accompanying the young mistress were killed.
Firestar mourned her death for five years. Under the gentle encouragement of his closest friend, the flame-haired male opened his heart to another woman; a headstrong and moral-driven aristocrat by the name of Sandstorm. The two married after a year of courtship and gave birth to a pair of fraternal twins the year after.
This is where our story begins. Leafpool, daughter of Firestar and twin sister of the brash and strong-willed Squirrelflight, develops into a beautiful woman under the love and support of her parents. Before we learn about her future and the days to come, we must first be introduced to the owner of this story.
Third Person – Leafpool
Leafpool watched the world around her as the leaves spiraled from the branches of the trees and danced their way to rest on the pillowed softness of the grass below. Squirrelflight shuffled overhead, steadily propelling herself upwards as she carefully made her way to the top of a magnificent oak tree. Behind Leafpool, Sandstorm and Firestar were curled up together contentedly, finished with the weeks' worth of complaints from the nearby peasants and answering letters from the capital. Leafpool turned her wide amber eyes to her parents, watching as her father pressed a gentle kiss to his wife's cheek while keeping an eye out for Squirrelflight.
Sandstorm blinked affectionately at Leafpool and opened her arms out to her. Quietly, the eight-year-old climbed into her mother's arms and rested her cheek against Sandstorm's chest. The woman with auburn-colored hair pressed a loving kiss against her daughter's temple and stroked her light brown hair. Leafpool watched as her father gazed at the two of them tenderly before quickly scrambling onto his feet and taking off with a startled yell.
"Squirrelflight!"
Leafpool and Sandstorm ignored the shout and basked in the warmth of the sun. They had gotten so used to Squirrelflight's antics that her knack for getting into trouble was almost routine. Since Firestar was often stuck in his office or away on duty, he was unable to witness the countless times that his daughter took a step out of the safety zone, and thus frequently fell victim to his parental instincts.
A flash of red cut through the sky as Firestar leapt into the air, delicately plucking his rambunctious daughter from the tree and landing carefully onto the grass. "I told you not to climb too high," he chastised her as he carried her back to where the others were waiting. In his arms, Squirrelflight pouted, narrowing her green eyes and puffing out her cheeks.
A small smile touched Leafpool's face as she gazed at her sister. Under the shadow of her smile, however, Leafpool subconsciously noted the startling number of differences between her and her twin. As much as she despised being compared to Squirrelflight, she couldn't ignore the thoughts that filled her mind. Squirrelflight was lively, charismatic, and lovable. Although she was talented in ruining all of her clothes on her constant "adventures", skipped the lessons that tutors painstakingly altered for her, acted loud and was often outspoken, she was loved by almost everyone who knew her. Leafpool, on the other hand, was deemed as the "good girl" and was so obedient that often times, she merely faded out of people's interests. She pursued intellect and knowledge with a ravenous hunger that startled all of her tutors and pleased both her parents. She was talented at the arts and worked exceptionally with her hands. However, being the less charismatic of the two, she was often forgotten in the shadow of her sister.
It wasn't just their personalities that clashed horribly. Their appearances were drastically different too. Leafpool had slightly wavy hair that looked like it was mixed between the colors of blond and brown. She considered herself to be mildly pretty with her large amber eyes and her long, curled eyelashes, but her features were exactly what made her feel as if she was the odd one out. All three members of her family had red hair. Her father had flaming red hair with emerald green eyes while her mother had a much more reserved auburn hair color and pale green eyes. Her sister had dark red curls and green eyes that seemed to be a shade between their parents. Squirrelflight looked like Firestar and Sandstorm's daughter. Leafpool didn't.
As any mother would, Sandstorm had tried to convince Leafpool early on that her brown hair came from her ancestors and frequently referenced living relatives that once had brown hair. Leafpool accepted that excuse begrudgingly, but when her mother failed to come up with a good explanation for her eye color after noting that all her relatives had green eyes, Leafpool decided to drop the matter after realizing it would only make her much more frustrated.
Although her father seemed to be just a little more taken up with Squirrelflight, Leafpool was thankful that her mother kept a very watchful and loving eye on her. So loving, it seemed, that even oblivious Squirrelflight would notice the extra care that their mother bestowed onto Leafpool and would complain about not getting her fair share of attention.
Leafpool snapped out of her reverie as her sister tugged insistently on her arm. "Come on, Leafa," Squirrelflight urged. "Let's explore! You're going to get fat and lazy if all you do is sit around."
"Squirrelflight!" Sandstorm scolded. Firestar deflated slightly as his wife took to scolding the children. With the small amount of time he was actually able to spend with his family, he wasn't given much leeway over family matters. "Don't talk to your sister that way. Remember what I've told you before. Think before you speak."
"Yes mother," Squirrelflight replied monotonously as she continued to tug on Leafpool's arm. Giving in, the brunette allowed her red-headed sister to pull her to her feet and drag her off.
"Don't go too far!" Firestar called.
"Yes, father," Leafpool said just as Squirrelflight shouted, "yes, papa!" When their parents were safely out of earshot, Squirrelflight leaned in.
"Sorry I said that, Leafa. I really didn't mean it."
"It's alright," Leafpool reassured her. "I know you didn't." From birth, Squirrelflight had a difficult time keeping her thoughts to herself and encouraging other people to follow her without being too bossy. Leafpool knew that her sister didn't mean her any harm and would be the first to defend her in any situation. Although there were many things that she envied of her sister, Leafpool was thankful for having Squirrelflight as her closest friend. "So where are we going to do this time?"
"Well, mama said that we're going to have some friends over for a week, so we won't be too bored with all our tutors and lessons and whatnot." Squirrelflight wrinkled her nose distastefully. The corner of Leafpool's lips twitched upward when she saw Squirrelflight run a hand through her hair. She's going to go off on a tangent again, the brunette thought affectionately. "I don't understand why papa even sends them over for me. I think I'm made to fight in the military." As if to prove her point, the redhead brought both hands together and pretended to fire a gun.
"I think it's too early to say," Leafpool said uneasily. It broke her heart whenever her sister mentioned going away and joining the military. According to the books that she studied, wars were far from peaceful and many families paid a heavy cost for their involvement. If anything, she couldn't imagine a life without her sister.
"Well, of course." Squirrelflight rolled her eyes and shook her head fondly at Leafpool. "I need to train a lot more before I can join!" Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "I managed to convince Gray stripe and papa to take me hunting with them later on," she boasted, puffing out her chest proudly. "Papa said that if I behave properly, I'll get to try hunting too!" At the uncomfortable look on her sister's face, Squirrelflight sighed and gave her a small smile. "Leafa, both of us know that you're the smart one. I like to think that I can be your shield—you know? The knight guarding the king..." Her green eyes sparkled. "Wouldn't that be amazing? We can be outstanding in the different things!"
"Of course," Leafpool agreed softly. But it would make me feel better if you weren't running off getting in trouble all the time, she sighed inwardly. "Do you know who's coming over tonight?" She asked, quickly changing the topic.
A quizzical expression covered her sister's face and she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I don't know how many people are coming," she admitted. "But I know that Graystripe, Stormfur, and Feathertail will be coming. With luck, we'll see Tawnypelt, Brambleclaw, and Crowfeather too!" Leafpool stiffened slightly at the last name her sister mentioned and Squirrelflight frowned. "What's wrong? Did Crowfeather do something to you?" When Leafpool failed to respond, Squirrelflight's eyes narrowed. "Why, I oughta…" She grumbled under her breath.
"No, it's not that," Leafpool reassured her. "How do I say this…we're on the on the best terms." Quickly noticing the unconvinced expression on her sister's face, she quickly added, "I guess I'm a bit too shy and quiet for his liking."
"A bit too shy and quiet?" Squirrelflight repeated scathingly. "I'll show him shy and quiet!" She turned on her heel and took a step in the direction of their parents before Leafpool grabbed her arm and dragged her back.
"No, you'll show him headstrong and explosive," she corrected her sister. "It's alright, Squirrelflight. Besides, it's not really a big deal." There were multiple reasons why Leafpool was reluctant to let her sister pick a fight with Crowfeather. First, Leafpool knew she had to learn how to fight her own battles. Second, as much as she felt unappreciated by him, she wanted to make sure that they could at least get along to a minimum. Third, the look on Squirrelflight's face would give everything away, raise their parents' suspicions, and then Firestar would get overprotective and send all her friends away. Fourth…as much as Leafpool hated keeping secrets from her sister, she couldn't help but keep one hidden away. She always felt uncomfortable around him; when he was too close to her, she'd feel her heart start to accelerate or when their hands brushed, jolts of electricity prickled her skin. It was a difficult feeling to understand as an eight-year-old, and Leafpool was convinced that it would die away soon enough. Well, if it didn't, at least she'd be old enough to finally understand what it was until then.
"If you say so…" As expected, Squirrelflight looked unconvinced. However, the begrudging look on her sister's face reassured Leafpool that she wouldn't press the matter.
"So what game are we going to play right now?" Leafpool asked, changing the topic once again.
"Well, why don't we play the knight game again? I could be a knight and you can be my queen and we can go out and defeat monsters!" When Leafpool nodded her consent, the two of them quickly slipped into their roles and began weaving an intricate plotline filled with daring adventures, dire circumstances, and of course, dragons.
"Graystripe!" Squirrelflight squealed, launching herself into the gray-haired man's arms. His amber eyes glowed with laughter and amusement as he squeezed her once and held his arms open to Leafpool. Shyly, the brunette slipped into his arms and relished the warmth of his embrace. Graystripe was so close to their family that he was almost considered part of it. He wasn't an owner of heritage blood, but he was born in the house of Herobexy and therefore was considered an "inherited" aristocrat. He didn't qualify for kingdom, but he was still elevated by his wealth.
Pulling away from Graystripe, Leafpool allowed him to ruffle her hair affectionately before she turned around to watch her sister greet Graystripe's children. Stormfur watched calmly as his sister and Squirrelflight embraced one another and nodded to Leafpool in greeting. Like his father, the gray-haired boy was an "inherited" aristocrat.
Feathertail and Squirrelflight pulled away from one another and the silver-haired girl blinked kindly at Leafpool. According to Graystripe, she looked exactly like her late mother Silverstream, but it seemed that the thickness of her hair was passed onto her by her father. Both of them, much to Herobexy's shock, chose to join their late mother's house, the house of Riverside, in place of following their father. The two of them were at least three years older than Leafpool and her sister. Leafpool smiled shyly at the blue-eyed girl and kept her distance as more people entered the estate. Immediately, Squirrelflight was surrounded by friends and Leafpool was greeted briefly before being left in the shade of the nearby rowan tree.
"Leafpool." The brunette jumped at the gentle touch on her shoulder and whirled around to see her favorite tutor standing close behind her with an amused twinkle in her blue eyes.
"Cinderpelt! Are you staying over too?" When the gray-haired woman shook her head no, Leafpool deflated slightly.
"But I will drop by from time to time," Cinderpelt told her quickly. "Your father took the liberty of giving all of the tutors a week off when he decided that you and your sister would have the entire week to relax with friends! Wouldn't that be fun?"
"Yes," Leafpool agreed, trying to keep her voice cheery. "It definitely will be." She felt a pang at the carelessness of her mentor's words. Squirrelflight often rejoiced in these rare occasions where their father would allow them to rest from their studies, but Leafpool felt completely alone in those moments. Her mother would be busy being a good host and her father's attention would be nearly impossible to catch. The tutors, who were usually the only ones who paid close attention to Leafpool, would be absent, leaving her without a friendly face to talk to. I'll make up something about how I'm not feeling well, Leafpool thought to herself as Cinderpelt patted her one last time on the shoulders and left on a carriage. Otherwise Squirrelpelt'll try to get me to play with her friends.
Slipping away from the crowd, Leafpool disappeared through the front door and into the manor house, unaware of a pair of icy blue eyes that were burning a hole into the back of her head.
As expected, the next few days were uneventful and awkward on Leafpool's half. She dined twice a day with everyone at breakfast and at dinner. During lunch, her mother would go and chat with the other mothers while the men went out to hunt or reminisce about the old days. Squirrelflight and her friends played in the river that crossed the estate or rode horses through the forested acres around the manor house. Meanwhile, Leafpool secluded herself in the enormous manor library and reading underneath the shade of her favorite redwood. Occasionally, Brambleclaw or his sister Tawnypelt would seek her out and ask her to join them, but she continued to decline their requests.
As usual, the two dark-haired siblings were being courteous and kind. Every time they came over, they would ask her to join them despite her protests. From time to time, they would persuade her to at least be present during their activities and in those times, Leafpool abandoned her books and brought out her sketchbook. There, she would draw pictures of her sister and her sister's friends as they played together.
She marked the names of every person under their picture. If anything, she had memorized their appearances after sketching them for so long. Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt were alike in physical stature but their personalities were very different. Brambleclaw was stoic and made his choices based on ethical reasoning. Tawnypelt was more of a "people's person" and made decisions based on her morals and her beliefs. Both of them had dark hair although Tawnypelt had golden highlights to hers. They shared the same shade of amber eyes and a broad-shouldered, well-muscled form.
Feathertail had a delicate frame with long, flowing hair. Her blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight and her gentle smile seemed to mirror the warmth of the hearth. Stormfur had a handsome, square jaw and cool blue eyes. His dark gray hair reminded Leafpool of Graystripe and she frequently wondered if the boy's hair was just as soft as his father's. When she was younger, Graystripe often put her on his shoulders and she would weave her fingers with his hair in order to stay upright. Leafpool smiled faintly at the memory of his feather-soft hair caressing her fingertips.
If there was any person who puzzled her the most out of all of Squirrelflight's friends, it was definitely Crowfeather. He was at least a couple of months older than Leafpool, but he treated her as if she were years younger. He was rude, proud, and cold, but showed a much softer side to the Squirrelflight and his friends. Not to mention that, but the look in his eyes when he gazed at Feathertail bothered Leafpool. It was an unrecognizable emotion that Leafpool was convinced would reduce her to a trembling mess if it were to turn on her. The intensity of his gaze often unnerved her and she would feel frustration gnawing at her mind whenever she was unable to understand him.
Out of all the sketches in her sketchbook, the number of drawings she had of Crowfeather almost rivaled those of Squirrelflight's. Almost every expression she saw of his was recorded and documented in her book. It was embarrassing how many times his face would appear whenever she flipped through her sketches and she often shied away from showing her sister. After counting the number of sketches she had of him, she decided to avoid Squirrelflight and her friends as best as possible in order to resist the temptation of drawing him again.
Today, however, was not one of Leafpool's lucky days. Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt convinced her to join them by the river and Leafpool had only relented out of the amount of respect she held for them. It was a hot summer day and Leafpool sweated uncomfortably under the shade. She shifted the sketchbook in her hands, almost guiltily stroking the last few blank pages. She would definitely have to ask her father for another book—her third book of the month.
A shout caught her attention and she lifted her head, flinching when sparkling droplets of water splashed onto the grass a few feet in front of her. She wrapped her arms protectively around her sketchbook as a drenched figure stumbled toward her. It was Tawnypelt, dressed in swimwear**. "Why don't you join us?" The dark haired girl suggested, eyeing the glass of lemonade that Leafpool had brought with her. The ice had melted away at least half an hour ago. "It's really hot right now."
Leafpool glanced uncomfortably toward the river where the others were playing and down at her white dress. "I don't have swimwear on," she whispered quietly.
"Then why don't we go back to the manor and get you dressed then?" Tawnypelt's amber eyes glowed encouragingly at her. Leafpool felt the skin on her arms prickle uneasily at the dark haired girl's suggestion. It was almost as if she was determined to get Leafpool into the water with the others. "Come on." Leafpool looked hesitantly at Tawnypelt's offered hand and chewed on her lip nervously. It wasn't that she couldn't stand Squirrelflight's friends-it was just that she didn't feel like she fit in. Not only that, but she didn't want to feel as if she was taking her sister's friends away.
Leafpool glanced up at Tawnypelt's eyes one last time, as if giving her one last chance to change her mind, before gathering up her things and taking the offered hand. "Hey, I'm going to head off to the manor with Leafpool for a second," Tawnypelt called to her friends. When Leafpool felt their eyes turn onto her, she flushed immediately, feeling uncomfortable under their gazes. The dark-haired girl immediately shifted, partially blocking the timid artist from curious eyes. A wave of shock and gratitude washed over Leafpool and she felt a smile touch her lips as she stared at the broad back before her.
"Got it!" Squirrelflight called back, waving excitedly. Leafpool glanced uneasily at her sister and felt a stab of guilt at the delight in Squirrelflight's green eyes. It was obvious that the redhead wanted her sister to join her in the water, but she probably respected Leafpool enough to leave her alone. "We'll expect you guys to be back soon!" Tawnypelt squeezed Leafpool's hand to get her attention and smiled reassuringly when Leafpool turned her started eyes to the dark-haired girl.
"Come on," she said, tugging gently. "We don't bite." Letting out an awkward laugh, Leafpool nodded reluctantly and pressed herself into Tawnypelt's damp side. The broad-shouldered girl's eyes widened slightly, but her grin grew at the shy smile on the brunette's face.
"I-if you say so."
Leafpool shifted from side to side, relishing the coolness of the water as it swirled around her shorts and soaked the cotton fabric. Just a few feet away, Squirrelflight was engaged in a splash fight with Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt, who both looked more than determined to drench the redhead. Stormfur watched lazily from the riverbank and Feathertail carefully soaked herself in the cold river water. A splash caught Leafpool's attention and she saw Crowfeather's dark head surface before he disappeared under the water again. She watched him uneasily—she knew of the Ebenwing's reluctance to swim and it was obvious that he was forcing himself to swim.
Five minutes later, Crowfeather was kicking away from the center of the riverbed. Leafpool watched him, expecting him to reach for a towel and dry himself off in the shade. However, he waded through the shallows until he was standing by Feathertail. She watched as the dark-haired boy lifted his head to talk to the silver-haired female and how his cheeks seemed to redden as she praised him.
Leafpool's heart clenched for a second and before she could recognize what had just happened, a cold splash of water drew a startled squawk from her throat. She whirled around, blinking wildly as her drenched hair whipped around and rested uncomfortably on her shoulders. "Look out!" She heard Tawnypelt yell just in time for her to squeeze her eyes closed at another well-aimed splash.
"Squirrelflight! The first one was on accident," Brambleclaw told Leafpool apologetically when she brushed the water away from her eyes. He turned and gave a particularly stern look to the mischievous redhead beside him. "Squirrelflight, however, thought it would be hilarious to splash you…again." Leafpool spluttered at her sister and let out a fond huff. Shaking her head slightly, she turned away as if to climb out before quickly whipping around and splashing Squirrelflight hard.
"Hey!" She couldn't help but giggle when she heard her sister sputter indignantly. "Leafa!" She aimed another splash at Squirrelflight and squealed when her sister splashed her back indignantly.
"Be careful!" Brambleclaw scolded as he slapped his hand against the surface of the water, unintentionally splattering himself and Squirrelflight in water.
"I could say the same to you!" She shouted, shifting her attention from Leafpool to Brambleclaw. Tawnypelt rolled her eyes at them and motioned nodded toward them. Leafpool nodded, understanding the underlying message immediately. She trembled with excitement as the two of them crept toward their unsuspecting siblings and began to flail wildly, drenching Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight under waves of river water.
"Mercy!" Leafpool heard Squirrelflight wail after a couple seconds. She stopped immediately, and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when Tawnypelt's amber eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and fear.
"Look o—" Leafpool didn't hear the end of the dark haired girl's warning before she was dunked roughly underwater. Startled, she spluttered, unconsciously letting go of her breath and losing her air. She struggled at first and her blood grew cold when the hands pushing her head down didn't let go. Squirrelflight? She thought desperately, trying to push away. Her eyes stung wildly as she accidentally opened them underwater and she gasped at the pain, unintentionally inhaling a lungful of river water.
Third Person – Crowfeather
He watched Leafpool linger by the bank as her sister splashed the Herobexy siblings under the water droplets that hung to the ends of his long eyelashes. The brunette seemed lost as she twisted from side to side nervously, wringing her hands as she glanced back and forth from the water to the others in the river. He snorted and turned his head back toward Feathertail, deciding that her attention would be much more preferable to watching people splash one another.
She gave him a tender smile before turning her attention to where the others were. A few feet away, Stormfur dozed, cracking open a lazy eye to gaze out at the loud, squealing group in the river. Crowfeather watched the silver-haired girl, staring hard at her before following her amused blue gaze back to the four who were splashing in the river.
Crowfeather watched as Squirrelflight turned on Brambleclaw and began to slap water in his direction. His eye twitched slightly as the two of them began to engage in a rather intense water-fight. The two of them were famous for their spats and their fights. Often times, the reason was so trivial that Crowfeather was almost convinced that the two of them fought merely to amuse themselves. The dark-haired male blinked in surprise when Leafpool and Tawnypelt ambushed their siblings and initiated a splash-war.
Although he had suspected that the brunette twin had a wild side to herself, he had never expected for her to be so energetic and carefree. Her drenched hair spun around her as she laughed, squeezing her eyes shut as she raised her hands to block a splash. She always looked like she had a problem to solve or a book to read. Here, she seemed as carefree as her sister, giggling and splashing water like a madman. Crowfeather pursed his lips as he continued to watch her. She was the only one out of all of Squirrelflight's friends that he found difficult to understand.
He snapped out of his reverie just in time to see Squirrelflight leap at her sister and push her underwater. Shaking his head in exasperation, he crossed his arms and glanced Feathertail. The amusement in her eyes died out after a few seconds and she let out a warning cry, cutting through the water like a knife as she dove back into the river. Squirrelflight, who was crowing her victory, had flinched at the silver girl's shout and pulled away from her sister, whose head was still submerged. Crowfeather felt something brush up against him and he looked up just in time to see Stormfur race forward, his eyes hard as he skidded to a stop by the bank.
Feathertail hefted Leafpool out of the water; the brunette spluttered and coughed upon impact with the riverbank. She rolled onto her elbows, shaking as she emptied the water from her stomach and lungs. Crowfeather pulled himself from the river and picked his way over to where Feathertail and Stormfur were trying to sooth Leafpool. Stormfur rubbed Leafpool's back encouragingly as his sister cooed to the waterlogged brunette. Feeling a sudden stab of rage at the sight of the brunette twin heaving and crying, Crowfeather whirled around, ready to give Squirrelflight a piece of his mind. However, he froze in his tracks when she pushed past him and fell to her knees beside her sister.
"Oh Starreign, Leafpool! I didn't know—I didn't mean it—I—oh Starreign," she wailed. Brambleclaw was behind her in a second, pulling her away from Leafpool.
"She's going to be okay now," Crowfeather heard Brambleclaw tell her. "Feathertail and Stormfur have a lot of experience with swimming." Meaning they probably know what to do with a half-drowned person, Crowfeather added, immediately understanding the implied message of the boy's words. The two of them were raised by the house of Riverside and were probably taught out to swim ever since they were toddlers. Undoubtedly, they would've experienced a few accidents here and there.
The dark-haired boy listened as Leafpool's painful heaving faded into quiet sobs. He watched as Feathertail brushed the hair away from the brunette's face and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Shh, it's okay," she cooed, smiling gently, "Stormfur and I are going to take you back to the manor, okay? We'll get you some tea with honey and some nice pillows." She glanced at her brother and he nodded before gathering up the shaking girl in his arms. "Gently, now," she whispered to him as he rose to his feet. Glancing back at the others, she smiled apologetically. "I'll send Stormfur back in a bit. I'll stay with Leafpool for the rest of the day."
"I should—" Squirrelflight started, but Feathertail cut her off with a stern look.
"No, you should let your sister rest and recover. You should also tell Firestar and Sandstorm what happened. It's the least you could do," Feathertail told her gently. "Come on, Stormfur." Crowfeather watched the silver-haired girl with a mixture of admiration and pride as she walked away. This was why he was so drawn to her. She was caring and had a way with people. She knew exactly what to say and how to say it.
He glanced back at Squirrelflight, who looked absolutely devastated as she stared after her sister. Brambleclaw was stroking her shoulder softly, but the glances he threw his sister revealed that he was unsure of what he should do.
"I'm heading back too," Crowfeather informed them suddenly. "I'll watch over Leafpool with Feathertail." Turning on his heel, he walked away before the three of them could respond.
Third Person – Leafpool
As expected, her parents had been outraged when they heard of what happened. Squirrelflight was summoned before dinner and didn't return to eat with everyone else. Ashfoot scolded Crowfeather and the others for not realizing it soon enough, but Graystripe quickly rose to defend them from her harsh words.
Leafpool picked at her food uncertainly before setting her utensils down and walking over to her father's chair. The red-haired male paused in mid-chew and raised an eyebrow at her. "Father, may I bring my food upstairs to eat with Squirrelflight?" Firestar blinked at his daughter before swallowing his mouthful and setting down his fork.
"You are aware that she's being punished right now." Leafpool's cheeks blazed as she felt everyone's eyes turn onto hers. Steeling herself, she focused on his face and stood a little straighter.
"I know," she replied stubbornly. "But I know she didn't mean to do it. May I please bring my food upstairs?" She repeated herself.
Firestar's eyes softened and he touched her arm reassuringly. Leafpool quickly relaxed under his gentle touch. "Go and fill your plate," he whispered. "Squirrelflight's isn't allowed to have food tonight, but she's lucky that she has a sister like you." He squeezed her shoulder and gave her a stern look before speaking up slightly. "Please remind her that this is the last time that I will let her off so lightly. I'll tell the chef to send up some dessert for the two of you later." Leafpool's eyes glowed and she wrapped her arms around her father's neck, overjoyed. He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek, a tender look in his eyes as she pulled away and tried not to run to her seat.
Leafpool could still feel the eyes of everyone at the table burning holes into her skin, but she did her best to pile her plate full of tasty tidbits and run off without spilling anything. She groped for the extra fork by her napkin and smiled gratefully at Tawnypelt when the dark haired girl placed the utensil onto the plate and tucked two napkins into her collar. Bowing to her father in gratitude, she headed upstairs with her platter of food and turned the corner.
Although the manor was large, Leafpool found it very difficult to get lost. It seemed as if every room was bustling with some activity or had some use to it. Leafpool and Squirrelflight's bedrooms were located on the second floor with the guest bedrooms and the library. Firestar and Sandstorm's master bedroom was located on the opposite end of the second floor, nicely distanced from the other rooms. The third floor contained storage areas and servants' quarters. The kitchen, the den, the dining room, the laundry room, and sitting area were located downstairs. There were gardens in both the front yard and the back—the flowers in the front were arranged in a semi-circle around a large and wonderfully crafted fountain. The backyard had a "labyrinth" of flowers, open space, patio deck, a river, and a forest of various densities all around.
Leafpool knocked gently on the door and smiled when Squirrelflight gave the okay. The redhead stared at her as she headed in with her plate of food and set it by the bed. "Leafpool? What are you doing up here?" Leafpool saw wariness and remorse shining in Squirrelflight's green eyes, but she said nothing as she situated herself on her sister's bed.
"I convince Father to let me come and bring you food," Leafpool replied, as Squirrelflight gently closed the door. "I thought you wanted to see me."
"If this is pity…" Squirrelflight tugged on the ends her hair with a frown. "I don't need it. I'm sorry, it sounds rude but…"
"It's not pity." Leafpool patted the seat beside her and lifted a forkful of food. "Mouth. Open. Now." Squirrelflight sat down beside Leafpool and opened her mouth in protest, but the brunette ignored her and began shoveling food into her sister's mouth. "If you think this is pity," she grumbled as she fed Squirrelflight another bite of meat, "then you aren't my sister." Satisfied that her sister's mouth was completely full, Leafpool dipped her head and took a bite of green beans.
"Ife buff—" Squirrelflight hurriedly swallowed her mouthful of food, "I mean, I just assumed…I'm sorry. I didn't mean…no, I didn't…"
"You didn't do it on purpose and even if you doubt yourself, I'll prove you wrong," Leafpool retorted, taking another bite of food. She gave her sister a scathing look when the redhead continued to stare. "Are you going to eat or not? Mind you, the food on this plate wasn't meant for only you." As if to prove a point, she stabbed a piece of meat and popped it in her mouth, chewing enthusiastically. "Persuading father takes a lot of energy, you know."
"Hey! Don't eat it all!" Squirrelflight sprung onto the food immediately, nearly snatching the plate away from Leafpool as she filled her mouth. The brunette laughed and speared a chunk of meat before relinquishing the plate to her sister.