Thanks for the reviews everyone! Sorry I haven't been uploading any chapters recently, I have school and other things on my hands right now, but still thanks ~ Mapleleaf

Chapter 4

Slowly placing one paw in front of the other, Leafpool followed Littlecloud into the Shadowclan camp. Leafpool immediately recognized the black and orange tortoiseshell pelt of Tawnypelt sitting by the fresh-kill pile. Her mate, Rowanclan, was beside her and looked up when he heard the bramble entrance rustle.

Springing up, he quickly made his way over to Littlecloud and her. "Littlecloud, what is the meaning of this Thunderclan cat to be in our camp!" he growled. "You will know as soon as I have talked to Blackstar." Littlecloud rasped.

Tawnypelt came over to her mate "come on, it's only Leafpool, she's the Thunderclan medicine cat. If she's here with Littlecloud maybe she needs help." "Actually, I'm not a medicine cat anymore; I was taken from that role when Hollyleaf announced my secret at the gathering." Leafpool said sadly.

Rowanclaw studied her for a moment before moving aside to let them pass. Littlecloud quickly led her to a large oak tree with a hollow at the bottom. "The hollow there is where Blackstar's den, he makes his announcements on that branch up there." Littlecloud said pointing his tail towards a long branch that almost loomed over the camp, making it easy for any cat to see their leader.

Littlecloud called outside the hanging moss barrier that blocked any view of the inside of the den. "Come in" a gruff voice called from inside. Following Littlecloud in the den, she saw Blackstar easily in the dim light. "So, Littlecloud, can you explain why a Thunderclan cat is in our camp and in my den?"

Coming out of the den Leafpool followed Littlecloud underneath the High Branch. Blackstar climbed up the tree swiftly before resting easily on the branch. The sun turned his white fur golden as he called his clan together.

"Cats of Shadowclan, as you know Littlecloud brought the Thunderclan she-cat, Leafpool, to Shadowclan this morning. The reason being that he needs a medicine cat to train a new apprentice, he says that he is too weak to take care of us. So I have agreed to let her stay and help." Blackstar finished.

Leafpool braced herself for the hurtful and accusing comments about to come but surprisingly everycat stayed silent. Then Rowanclaw stood up and came to the front "Blackstar, what if she is a spy for Thunderclan? She has now seen our camp what if she was to learn more about our way of life and report back to Thunderclan behind our backs!?" he yowled. Immediately the Shadowclan started yowling out supporting their deputy.

Littlecloud leaped to her defense "She would never do that! Leafpool's a medicine cat, troubles between clans, unless medical, don't concern her!" He yowled, his tabby fur bristling.

Leafpool stepped forward "Stop! This is one of the reasons I left Thunderclan, I was tired of being called a traitor, of being accused of everything, but mostly not being trusted by the clan that once called me their friend." She growled shakily.

Shadowclan started to calm down as Rowanclaw and Blackstar seemed taken aback by her sudden outburst. Leafpool was shaking now as Tawnypelt raced up to her "You heard Blackstar! If he said she could stay than who are we to disobey that? We all know that Littlecloud could use the help. If he would join Starclan too soon then who would care for Shadowclan?" She called out.

A lot of cats murmured agreement as Blackstar called the meeting to an end. Tawnypelt gave Leafpool's ear a lick before going to join her mate. Littlecloud came back over to her "Now that you can stay I'll show you the camp." He rasped.

"As you already know, Blackstar's den is the hollow in the tree." He led her over to a much-secured den woven with twigs and brambles. From the warm scent of milk coming from the den, Leafpool figured it was the nursery. She quickly got excited hoping to be able to meet her new apprentice.

"This is the nursery." Littlecloud said. He ducked down and went in the entrance with Leafpool following. Inside were two queens, Littlecloud nodded to both of them as he turned to Leafpool "This is Kinkfur, she is the mother of Dewkit and Mistkit." He said pointing to a tabby with fur that stuck out at all angles. Beside her were the two kits, Dewkit was a very pale blue-gray while his sister, Mistkit, was silvery-gray but she shared her mother's stuck out fur. Mistkit was looking at Leafpool and Littlecloud with great interest in her eyes, while her brother lunched himself at Leafpool's tail.

"Now, Dewkit is that anyway to treat our guest?" the black and white tortoiseshell called out from her nest. "That is Ivytail, she is expecting a litter with Crowfrost." Littlecloud said, before leading her out of the den.

"Next is the apprentice den, at this moment we only have three." He said poking his head in the den to show Leafpool. None of the apprentices were in but Leafpool was glad about that, 'I don't think I'll be able to remember everyone's name if I meant them all at once.' She thought.

Next was the warrior's den that near Blackstar's den. It was facing the entrance, which Leafpool figured was a way for the warriors to get to the trouble first, incase something attacked in the night. Inside were at least five warriors, who all seemingly accepted Leafpool as Littlecloud introduced her to them. 'The black tom was Smokefoot, mottled brown she-cat was Applepelt, no Applefur.' She shook her head as she tried to remember their names as Littlecloud led her past Blackstar's den. 'The white she-cat was Snowbird; the light brown tabby was Owlclaw; and the mottled brown and ginger tom was Redwillow.' She was proud that she remembered the last three cats' names right.

After Blackstar's den, it was the elders' den which was a large thorn bush. It had small pine branches woven into the brambles, that gave off a pleasant scent. Littlecloud introduced her to Cedarheart, a dark gray tom; Tallpoppy, a long-legged light brown queen; Snaketail, a dark brown tom with a striped tail and a temperament as he seemed to not like her; and Whitewater, a very nice white she cat with one blind eye.

Finally, he showed her the medicine cat den, which was beyond Blackstar's den in a far corner of the camp. In the den the branches above weren't so bunched together, Littlecloud explained that was where he would decipher the signs from Starclan.

"Once you get the new apprentice, I will sleep in the elder's den. This den is only big enough for a medicine cat and an apprentice. I'm pretty sure while we were in the nursery, you could tell who your new apprentice was." He said.

Leafpool nodded "I'm pretty certain it will be Mistkit." "Yes, since she was three moons old, she has been helping me in my den. By now she knows the usage of some of the most used herbs for small things like cobwebs for bleeding or mouse bile for ticks and fleas. She is pretty intelligent and hardworking; I know you'll like her. Both her and Dewkit are having their ceremony at sunrise tomorrow, so I will leave you to settle in." he rasped and then disappeared out the leafy entrance.

Leafpool curled up in the hollow of the pine tree trunk, she could see in the den that there were large but deep grooves in the bark that held the herbs, some more valuble herbs were placed in holes dug in the ground so they will stay fresher longer. Each herbs familiar scent floated around Leafpool, reminding her of her old den in Thunderclan. She was tired from the night before and decided to take a nap, she knew she wouldn't sleep for long, she wanted to get to know her future apprentice before the ceremony tomorrow.