Chapter 2
Leafpool raced through the trees to the WindClan border with one thought in mind: Find Crowfeather. Suddenly, she heard the gurgle of rushing water. she slowed, then flopped to the ground when she reached the border stream, trying to catch her breath.
"Leafpool!"
Leafpool's head jerked up. When she saw the lean, dark gray shape running towards her, she leaped to her paws.
"Crowfeather!" she exclaimed happily. The cat she loved splashed his way through the stream, hauling himself out on the ThunderClan side. Leafpool pressed her muzzle into his fur and twined her tail with his, purring.
"Leafpool, I need your help." Crowfeather's blue eyes burnt into hers. "Onestar banished me from my Clan." He hesitated before adding, "I lied at the Gathering when I said you and our kits meant nothing to me. I've never stopped loving you."
Leafpool purred, " I know that, you mouse-brain." Then her voice grew serious. "Crowfeather, I'm an outcast now. Our kits--" She broke off, wondering how to break the news to him.
Crowfeather nudged her gently. "What is it?"
"Lionblaze and Jayfeather are still in ThunderClan. As for Hollyleaf. . . she's dead."
"Leafpool..."
"Don't say it. She tried to kill me and she murdered Ashfur."
Crowfeather looked stunned.
"Look, Crowfeather, we have to go! If we stay here any longer, we'll be discovered."
"You're right. We'll go to where we were before. I'll take care of you Leafpool, I promise," Crowfeather meowed.
Suddenly, the two cats heard paw-steps coming their way.
Great StarClan! Leafpool thought. First I'm banished and now this. Quietly, she hissed, "Run!"
They tensed, preparing to run, but before they had taken one paw-step, a WindClan patrol appeared. At the same moment, a ThunderClan patrol stepped through the bracken.
The ThunderClan patrol, made up of Cloudtail, Cinderheart, Berrynose, Lionblaze, and Spiderleg, stopped as soon as they saw Leafpool. The WindClan patrol, made up of Tornear, Nightcloud, Breezepelt, and Heathertail halted as soon as they saw the ThunderClan cats (completely bypassing Leafpool and Crowfeather).
"What's going on here?" Tornear asked Cloudtail. Then he spotted Crowfeather standing so close to Leafpool their pelts were brushing. His neck fur bristled and Breezepelt and Nightcloud let out threatening hisses. Heathertail didn't look surprised, but she was too busy staring at Lionblaze.
Berrynose crouched down. "I'll drive them out," he offered.
Cinderheart touched him on the shoulder with a flick of her tail. "Stand up." Then she meowed, "You two shouldn't even be here, but I'm not surprised. I just thought you would've learned your lesson from the last time you two ran away!"
The lovers backed away, but whirled around at a snarl from Nightcloud.
"Traitor! I just knew you would go back to her," she growled at her former mate. Breezepelt let out an enraged snarl and leaped at Leafpool.
"No!" Crowfeather yowled. Before he could move, a golden streak moved to stand in front of Leafpool and knocked Breezepelt in the stream. It was Lionblaze. The two of them wrestled in the stream while the two Clans leaped into battle.
"Come on," Leafpool heard Crowfeather murmur in her ear. "Let's go." They slipped away and raced upstream. Behind them, the sounds of battle paused as the battling cats saw they were missing.
"Hey, did we order our prey to go?" Berrynose asked.
"No why?" Heathertail asked.
"'Cause there it goes!" Berrynose yowled.
Immediately the patrols started to go after them, but Cloudtail stopped the ThunderClan patrol, reminding them they had a patrol to finish. "Besides, we have to report this to Firestar."
"Okay," Spiderleg meowed.
Of course, that didn't stop the WindClan patrol. Leafpool could hear them chasing after them.
Fox dung!
Within a few heartbeats, the WindClan cats had caught up to them with Lionblaze and Cinderheart following, keeping themselves hidden.
"Stay right where you are," Tornear growled. He flicked his tail, and the patrol jumped over the stream and fanned out. Leafpool and Crowfeather had no choice but to cross over into WindClan with them.
"What should we do with them?" Nightcloud asked.
Heathertail spoke up. "I think we should take them with us to see Onestar. With a contemptuous flick of her striped tail at her former mentor and Leafpool, she added, "He'll know what to do with them.
"Good idea," Breezepelt agreed. "We might as well take their halfClan kits with us."
"No way!" Leafpool spat.
From behind them came a murmur of agreement.
The six cats jumped, then relaxed somewhat as Lionblaze and Cinderheart came out from their hiding place.
"I have to agree with you," Lionblaze meowed to Leafpool. Next to him, Cinderheart bristled and meowed angrily," You two are making a big mistake! Leafpool, I expected better of you. You're throwing you're life away as a ThunderClan cats again!"
With that, she stalked away, leaving the other cats staring at her in bewilderment. Lionblaze shrugged, and followed his Clanmate into the undergrowth.
Tornear flicked his tail at the loners, sighed, and meowed, "Come on, you two."
Leafpool and Crowfeather exchanged glances then followed them. Immediately, Nightcloud and Heathertail went on either side of them. Breezepelt padded along behind them as Tornear led the way to the WindClan camp.
