When Flameclaw got back, he went straight to the medicine den. He came up to her and said, "Snowpaw, I have great news."
"What is it?" Snowpaw asked.
"Blackclaw has been banished," Flameclaw said.
"Really, that's great," Snowpaw said.
Then Blacktooth came out of her herb stores and said, "Good, Flameclaw is here. I need to talk to both of you."
"What is it?" Flameclaw asked.
"Snowpaw's leg will heal, but it will take two moons," Blacktooth said.
"It'll only take that long?" Flameclaw asked. "I mean, she could have a lot of training done by then but it's great she will be healed that soon,"
"I'm glad I'll heal that soon," Snowpaw said. "I keep thinking that none of this would have happened if I hadn't of made the mistake I did and ended up here. I wouldn't be laying here, Blackclaw wouldn't be banished right now, and if he had taken Sunpup and I wasn't here, you would have lost him,"
"What?" Flameclaw asked. "What do you mean we would have lost Sunpup?"
"Blackclaw had that look in his eyes like he was going to hurt or even worse kill Sunpup," Snowpaw said.
"How where you able to recognize that look when the rest of us didn't?" Flameclaw asked.
"I had seen it before," Snowpaw said. "That look meant that he was going to hurt Sunpup to make a point. When he first started going towards Ravenheart, I saw that look in his eyes, it was faint but it was there. I wanted to scream at Ravenheart to not let him near her pups, but I couldn't. That is why I fought him, I wanted to protect Sunpup. When he grabbed him, it felt like he was trying to kill one of my sons. Ravenheart is like a sister to me. When he flung her across the clearing, it was too much for me to handle and I let my temper get the best of me."
"Hold on, I'll be right back," Flameclaw said and rushed out of the medicine den. He came back moments later with Stealstar. "Tell Stealstar what you just told us," Flameclaw said.
"I attacked Blackclaw because I recognized the look in his eyes. He was going to hurt Sunpup, if someone didn't stop him. When he took Sunpup, it felt like he was trying to hurt one of my sons and I wouldn't stand for it," Snowpaw said.
"I can't believe you cared that much about a pup that isn't even yours," Stealstar said. "I'm proud to call you my packmate."
"Thank you," Snowpaw said.
"We need more warriors like you. I hope you are a fast learner because I want you to have an apprentice as soon as possible," Stealstar said.
"Really," Snowpaw said "But I'm an apprentice myself. How can I have an apprentice now?"
"That's why I hope you are a fast learner," Stealstar said. "You know, Blackclaw was one of our best fighters. I actually trained him myself."
"It must have been hard for you to banish him then, huh?" Snowpaw said.
"A little," Stealstar said. "But I was a warrior then. Now I have to think about what's best for the pack. When I was a pup I fought a fully grown warrior from another pack. He had tried to hurt my mother and brothers and sisters. I defeated him and got away with only a few scratches. No one ever messed with Eaglepack after that until Blackclaw."
"Did you really fight a warrior when you were a pup?" Snowpaw asked.
"Yes," Stealstar said. "Shortly after my first apprentice was made a warrior, we got into a territory fight with Darkpack. Foxstar was Darkpack's deputy at the time. He killed our deputy and after the fight was over I was named the new deputy."
"Now you are the leader of the pack you fought to protect," Snowpaw said.
"Yes and it is your turn to fight for this pack, now," Stealstar said.
"Thank you," Snowpaw said.
Two moons later, Flameclaw and Snowpaw where both eagerly waiting for Blacktooth to finish examining Snowpaw, when she finished she said, "You can walk but take it easy for the next few days. Your leg will probably be sore, so be careful and stay inside the camp. I still want you sleeping in here so I can see how you are doing. Flameclaw, I mean it. She has to stay in the camp. I don't want her injuring her leg any further. So, don't be ruff with her and she is not to fight any dog. Got it?"
"Yes," Flameclaw said.
"I'm going to tell Stealstar that she needs to stay inside the camp and be taking it easy," Blacktooth said and left the medicine den.
Snowpaw stood up, shakily, and started walking towards the entrance. She stumbled and Flameclaw was instantly at her side steadying her. She walked around the camp and every time she would stumble he would instantly be at her side helping her. His eyes were glued onto her so he could catch every tiny trip. "Wow, not moving for that long has made it hard to move," Snowpaw said. She walked around the camp until about sunhigh and then went back to the medicine den.
At sundown Stealstar came into the medicine den and said, "Snowpaw, how are you feeling?"
"Fine," Snowpaw said. "Why? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing is terribly wrong," Stealstar said. "Stormpup started running a low fever about sunhigh. She is going to stay in here for a few days, Okay?" he stuck his head out the entrance and said, "Come in," and Ravenheart carried Stormpup in.
"Okay," Snowpaw said. Blacktooth nodded to a nest on the other side of the medicine den from Snowpaw and Ravenheart put Stormpup on it. "No," Snowpaw said. "I want her to sleep with me,"
"You might get sick," Blacktooth said.
"I don't care, she'll freeze if she's alone," Snowpaw said.
"Fine," Blacktooth said. "Ravenheart put Stormpup with her mother." Ravenheart picked up Stormpup and placed her with her Snowpaw.
"Thank you," Snowpaw said and Stormpup curled up as close to Snowpaw as she could.
"No. Thank you for putting my son before yourself." Ravenheart said.
"Like I told Stealstar, you are like a sister to me," Snowpaw said.
"You and Stormpup need to sleep," Blacktooth said. "The rest of you need to leave." After the others left Flameclaw looked at Blacktooth and she said, "You may stay." He lay down and the three went to sleep.
When Snowpaw woke up, the next sundown, Flameclaw was gone. Where is he? she thought. When Blacktooth came out of her herb stores Snowpaw asked, "Where is Flameclaw?"
"He went on the sundown patrol," Blacktooth said.
"He usually wakes me up when he leaves, why didn't he wake me up this time?" Snowpaw asked.
"I don't know," Blacktooth said. "Maybe he loves you so much he wanted to let you sleep."
"How do you know he loves me?" Snowpaw asked.
"I heard you talking, the other day. Didn't you wonder why I knew exactly what you wanted me to do when you looked at me?" Blacktooth asked.
"No, it never crossed my mind that you might have herd us," Snowpaw said.
"Well, I do know, but why can't you tell Stealstar?" Blacktooth asked.
"If we tell him, he might change my mentor and I'm worried that if my mentor is switched, my new mentor won't let me see Flameclaw," Snowpaw said.
"You really don't want me to find out that you love your mentor," Stealstar said as he walked into the medicine den.
"Stealstar!" Snowpaw exclaimed. "Does this mean you don't think I'm loyal anymore?"
"No, of course not, you'll always be loyal in my eyes. I understand why you didn't want me to find out," Stealstar said. "I actually figured it out a long time before now,"
"How?" Snowpaw asked. "Blacktooth didn't tell you, did she?"
"No, Blacktooth doesn't betray secrets," Stealstar said. "It's the little things you do for each other,"
"Like what?" Snowpaw asked.
"The way he watched you so carefully and reacted so quickly when you stumbled, the other day, when you were walking around the camp. That and the looks you gave each other told me that you love each other," Stealstar said. He looked at Blacktooth and froze.
"Are you okay, Stealstar?" Snowpaw asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Stealstar said and collapsed, dazed.
"Are you sure?" Snowpaw asked.
"Yeah," Stealstar said. "I just never thought I would think what I just did again." He looked at Blacktooth again and Snowpaw was confused.
"What was it?" Snowpaw asked.
"I was thinking about Blacktooth," Stealstar admitted.
"What?" Snowpaw asked.
"I have hid this from the pack for countless seasons," Stealstar said. He looked the sky and screamed, "Skypack, forgive me!"
The clearing outside was quickly filled with dogs that were worried about their leader. Flameclaw was the only one that came in. "What happened?" he asked.
"Nothing," Blacktooth said.
"Then why did Stealstar scream?" he asked.
"He had a bad dream," Blacktooth said. "He came to me complaining about pain in his side and I gave him some poppy seeds. He fell asleep and had a bad dream. Now leave my den before I claw your ears off."
"Okay," Flameclaw said and left.
Snowpaw listened to him telling the dogs outside that everything was okay then she asked, "Why did the thought of Blacktooth make you collapse?"
"It was my thoughts towards her," Stealstar said.
"What do you mean?" Snowpaw asked.
"I love her," Stealstar said. "For a while after I realized that she was a medicine dog apprentice, I couldn't do my duties and almost got replaced as deputy."
Blacktooth licked his ear and said, "I have always loved you, too, but being a medicine dog wasn't my choice, it was Skypack's choice. I knew it was impossible for us to be together."
"I love you but I don't want to lose the respect I've worked so hard to get," Stealstar said.
"I love you but if I lose my connection with Skypack, I won't be able to be as good a medicine dog," Blacktooth said.
"So, you would rather be miserable for the rest of your lives that let your hearts help you decide what to do?" Snowpaw asked. "I'm sure Skypack and Eaglepack would want its leader and medicine dog happy,"
"Really?" they asked.
Snowpaw could tell they would take the chance if she was sure what she just said was true so she said, "Yes, I'm sure they would,"
Flameclaw poked his head in and said, "Blacktooth, can I come in or are you going to claw my ears off if I do?"
"No, I'm not going to claw your ears off," Blacktooth said. "Please, come in."
"I was wondering how long it would be before I can take Snowpaw out of the camp," Flameclaw said as he came in.
"In three or four days you can take her out of the camp, but she still needs to take it easy," Blacktooth said and Flameclaw turned to leave. "And Flameclaw," Blacktooth said. "We both know you love Snowpaw, so quit pretending you don't,"
He stopped dead in his tracks, whipped around and stared at Snowpaw. "How could tell them?" he whined at her. "Now they are going to tell the other packs that I fell in love with a doggiepet." Before she could say anything he ran out of the medicine den.
Snowpaw glared at Blacktooth and said, "How could you tell him like that? He's never going to trust me again. Are you happy? You ruined both of our lives. Come on Stormpup."
Stormpup started to protest but Snowpaw grabbed her and carried her into the nursery. She gently put Stormpup with the others and said, "I'm sleeping in here and don't try to tell me I can't." She lay down next to her pups and closed her eyes. She drifted off into sleep, not meaning to.
