Chapter 1

Leafpool stepped out of the warriors den, still feeling out of place. She still wasn't comfortable sharing a den with so many cats. During the time while she still served as Thunderclan's medicine cat, the only cats in her company were the occasional overnight patients and her apprentice. Jayfeather. Was she supposed to think of him as her son? She had obviously kitted him, but Leafpool knew she had never been a real mother. A real mother wouldn't have made the choices she had.

Trying to push those thoughts away, she padded to the fresh-kill pile. Leafpool could feel her ears growing hot as she experienced the other reason why she wasn't relaxed with her new position as warrior. It seemed like every cat in the clan was glaring at her. Some of the senior warriors, Graystripe Dustpelt, and her own mother Sandstorm, were a little ways off, seemingly discussing hunting patrols. Thornclaw bounded up to them, joining in the discussion. Leafpool saw Thornclaw say something to Duspelt, but she was too far off to hear what it was.

Dustpelt turned around and glowered at Leafpool. She shrank inside of her pelt, unable to relax even when her mother shot her a loving, sympathetic look. "Hey, move over!" Spiderleg snapped at her. Leafpool jumped, frightened out of her fur. She had been too lost in her thoughts to be aware of her clanmates! She stepped away from the fresh-kill pile. Spiderleg grabbed a mouse and trotted off to where Birchfall and Whitewing were sharing a sparrow. Leafpool could hear Spiderleg complaining to the pair about her.

Leafpool suppressed a sigh, as she looked around for someone to eat with. Her sister was being sent on patrol with Icecloud, Brightheart and Berrynose. Lionblaze and Cinderheart were taking their apprentices for battle training. Brambleclaw was speaking to Firestar, his tail waving back and forth as though emphasizing something. Her father listened intently, then called over the group of senior warriors

The brambles that made up the entrance to the den waved wildly as the rest of the warriors padded out. Almost every one of them gave her a sour glance as they waited for Brambleclaw to assign them to a patrol. Daisy appeared out of the nursery. She grabbed a bird off the fresh-kill pile and headed back to share it with Ferncloud and Poppyfrost.

Thunderclan is so busy, yet I feel like a loner here. Hardly any cats wanted to go on patrol with her, even her old friend Sorreltail had cast her aside. Squirrelflight, Sandstorm, Graystripe, Brightheart, and Hazeltail seemed like the only cats who were willing to forgive her.

Yet, her heart still ached as she remembered Crowfeather. The look in his eyes, the feel of his dark fur against hers, his slim tail twined with her fluffy one, his long limbs stretched out. The image of Crowfeather disappeared, to be replaced with one of Cinderpelt. Her heart ached more. Her beloved mentor and friend was gone to her as well. Leafpool still couldn't help feeling responsible for her death.

"Leafpool!" Brambleclaw called, his voice radiating with annoyance. Guiltily, she scrambled over to him.

"Yes?" her soft voice asked. Bumblestripe, Rosepetal and Millie were lined up beside him. The former medicine cat guessed she was being assigned to go on patrol with them.

Sure enough Brambleclaw's next words were, "Millie is leading a border patrol to renew the scent markers by the Shadowclan border. Watch out for badgers. There has been one scented around the area. And for Starclan's sake! Be more attentive next time!" He snapped at her. Leafpool blinked in surprise. She had known that Brambleclaw was mad at Squirrelflight for lying, but it hadn't occurred to Leafpool that the deputy was upset at her too. But to be fair, she should have been listening.

Millie dipped her head to the dark pelted tabby before dashing off into the forest. Her clanmates streamed after her, leaving Leafpool to hustle after them awkwardly. The brown and white tabby she-cat skidded to a halt when she saw the border. Bumblestripe was checking their territory for any signs of intrusions. Leafpool joined him, sniffing all the bushes. She stopped short when she encountered a very well known scent.

Littlecloud! What could he be doing here? He was sick and old, the tom needed to conserve his strength, especially when he still didn't have an apprentice. And anyway, if he had needed something from Thunderclan, surely he would have gone to Firestar. Medicine cats had the special freedom to travel into another clan's territory, provided they had good reason. Leafpool couldn't remember seeing her friend in camp.

"Smell anything suspicious?" Milllie asked, her tone flat with annoyance. Leafpool had noticed most of the clan spoke to her this way, as though they were unhappy they had to talk to her. It always made her irritated, but there was nothing she could do.

Leafpool meowed, "No." She was surprised when Millie and Rosepetal eyed her distrustfully. What did she do now?

"Why does it look like you're hiding something?" Rosepetal asked.

Bunblestripe returned at that moment, announcing, "No scents but our own!" His cheerful tone was a stark contrast to those of the rest of the patrol. He seemed to pick up on the tension quickly. The tom swung his furry gray head to look at Millie and Rosepetal, then to Leafpool.

"I'm not hiding anything! You asked if I smelled anything suspicious, and all I can scent is Littlecloud. He's no threat!" Leafpool cried in outrage. Her anger fueled in defense of her friend, and of herself. She had practically been called a traitor.

Millie let out a huff of breathe and flicked her ears in frustration, while Rosepetal's tail-tip twitched. "Give us a straight answer next time!" Bumblestripe snapped. Millie began the trek back to camp, her younger clanmates falling behind her. Leafpool rolled her eyes in annoyance. She didn't want to go back to camp, to be glared at for the rest of the day. But her stomach growled and she didn't have any other options.

Upon her arrival into camp, Brambleclaw was waiting for her. "Why didn't return with the rest of the patrol?" Leafpool looked into his amber eyes, seeing hostility there. Having no reasonably good response, the brown tabby just shrugged her shoulders. "Don't wonder off on your own! The forest is dangerous to be out by yourself. A fox could eat you!" Brambleclaw scolded her fiercely.

Cloudtail, who had past the two cats on his way to the fresh-kill pile, muttered under his breath, "Oh don't we all wish." Leafpool glared at her uncle, but he was already out of earshot. She turned her attention to the deputy. He had a satisfied expression on his face, and Leafpool wasn't sure if it was from Cloudtail's remark or having made his point clear about the forest. The dark tom waved his tail, dismissing the she-cat. She dipped her head to him and walked toward the fresh-kill pile. Even if Brambleclaw was being mean, he was still the deputy and deserved respect. But how about some respect for me?

She grabbed a sparrow, and was happy to see her sister had already got back from patrol. Even better, Squirrelflight was sharing tongues with Hazeltail, who had already forgiven her. Leafpool hurried over to join them. Squirrelflight and Hazeltail greeted her happily and Leafpool touched noses with both of them.

"Hungry?" She asked. The smoky she-cat shook her head. Leafpool glanced at her sister, who nodded. The two littermates shared the bird and talked to Hazeltail. Leafpool almost choked when Lionblaze walked through the thorn tunnel with a patrol behind him. Surely her own kits wouldn't make cruel remarks to or about her? However, she realized, Lionblaze's thoughts were on someone else.

She watched her son as he searched the camp. His gaze fell on Cinderheart, longing, love and sadness lingering in his irises. Leafpool was completely sympathetic. I know what it's like to love someone so much it aches, and to know you can't be with them. Should she say something? No, he wouldn't thank me for interfering. He'd tell me to stay out of his fur or something.

"What about you, Leafpool?" Squirrelflight's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Mousedung! I really have to stop doing that! Leafpool tried to hide it, but her sister could tell she didn't know what they were talking about. Hazeltail let out an amused purr and Squirrelflight smiled and repaeated the question, "Would you mentor Cherrykit or Molekit if you could?"

"No, and Firestar wouldn't pick me anyway. I'm hardly a good warrior since I've never had any training. Besides it wouldn't feel right." Her friends nodded agreement. Hazeltail's ear twitched, and she turned to see Jayfeather come out of the medicine cat den. Leafpool and Squirrelflight followed her gaze. Leafpool's breathe caught in her throat as the blind medicine cat stumbled on a pile of debris from the fallen tree. Jayfeather hissed and shook his paw. Leafpool was relieved to see that he could still walk on it and without limping.

The gray cat walked up to Lionblaze, who was eating a shrew. The tom moved over to share it with Jayfeather. Seeing her sons together made Hollyleaf's absence painfully obvious. Oh my brave daughter, I'm so sorry. "He's okay." Squirrelflight meowed, having been worried about Jayfeather as well. Leafpool knew her littermate loved the brothers just as much as she did. I don't regret having them. They are fine cats, and I love them. I just wish no cat found out they were mine.

A/N: Hey guys! I know this was unexpected, considering you were expecting the sequel to Silverkit's Stuggle. But I am still working on ideas and I saw this story was up for adoption and I really liked it. The whole storyline and all the ideas come from Russell Scottie, whose also my beta for this. So these aren't my ideas but the story is mine. Anyways, I know this chapter is just kinda average, but there are some pretty awesome ideas to come. Thanks for reading, please review!