Leafpool padded out of the camp, ignoring Webfoot's call of, "Where are you going?" She didn't have to answer to any warrior, much less one that used to belong to WindClan. She held her head high, refusing to think about the current state of things. Instead, she recited quietly to herself the list of herbs she needed to gather while she was out walking.
"Marigold for Spiderleg's paw," she murmured, "and for that cut Rainwhisker got in his tussle with Weaselfur. Thyme, because Whitepaw can't sleep. Longtail has a cough, so some tansy. It'd be nice to have some more poppyseed...for myself..."
"Leafpool? What are you doing?"
The light tabby jerked her head up, bristling. A low growl formed in her throat when she saw him - Crowfeather, his slim, lean shape well-sculpted, his short, sleek, gray-black pelt shining in the newleaf sunlight. He pinned his ears back at her less-than-welcoming greeting.
"What do you want?" she demanded, tripping back a couple of pawsteps.
"I just asked you what you were doing!" Crowfeather's own fur began to rise in response to her hostility. There was hurt in his deep blue eyes.
"I'm gathering herbs!" snapped Leafpool, her eyes blazing.
She had tried for moons now to keep away from him, her lover, her nightmare, the cat that raced through her mind, but never left, like it got caught on her mental brambles and couldn't escape. She couldn't escape him. She knew she loved him, but life was too difficult with him around.
Crowfeather paused for a moment, his pools of eyes widening. "Do you need any help?"
"No, I don't," growled Leafpool curtly. She pushed past him and prayed to StarClan that he wouldn't follow her.
But he did. She felt his pelt brush hers as he turned and kept pace with her easily. "Leafpool, I'm not giving up on you," he meowed. "I know you're upset with me, and that when Cinderpelt died, you knew you had to stay with your Clan. But Leafpool, we're in the same Clan now, and -"
"I am a medicine cat."
The words seemed to finally bring him up short. Her eyes blazing with passion, the fur along her spine rippling, Leafpool snarled, "And you have Nightcloud."
Crowfeather flinched. "Leafpool, you have no understanding of me and Nightcloud's relationship."
"And you, apparently, have no understanding of me," hissed Leafpool. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes, and the last thing she wanted was for Crowfeather to see them. She had to get away, and she had to get away quickly. "Crowfeather, leave. Now."
"No. I'm not going anywhere."
"Crowfeather!" cried Leafpool in anguish. She turned and fled, her paws making hardly any noise on the leaf litter as she headed toward the lake - but she could hear his pawsteps behind her, swift, faster than hers. He was WindClan, after all.
No, she thought bitterly. We're all LionClan now. And still I can't have him.
"Leafpool, stop!" shouted Crowfeather. He sounded urgent, but she paid his call no mind. If she ran for long enough - if she could just outrun him -
Suddenly, there was a terrible, low snarl, and something collided with Leafpool on her left side. She was flung into a tree. She slid down, rattled and breathless, and came face to face with a long, narrow red muzzle and amber eyes filled with thoughtless fury.
The fox's jaws opened to reveal a row of crooked, yellow fangs, and rancid breath blew in Leafpool's face, chilling her to the bone.
In a split second, a dark shape had flashed in front of her. The black cat bristled and hissed, yowling, "Rainwhisker! Now!"
The dark gray warrior Rainwhisker flew onto the fox's side, and Thornclaw, Squirrelflight, and Dustpelt flung themselves after him. Leafpool's first savior turned to face her, and to her surprise, it wasn't Crowfeather. It was Spiderleg, his amber eyes full of concern.
"Are you all right? Did it bite you?" he asked.
"No, I'm all right," whispered Leafpool in a small voice.
Spiderleg stepped forward and boldly brushed his muzzle with hers. "Be safe, Leafpool," he meowed. "I saved you once. Don't make me have to do it again."
"Ha! That's what I thought, you foxheart!" came Squirrelflight's familiar yowl as she and her old mentor, Dustpelt, chased after the fleeing fox.
Thornclaw and Rainwhisker approached Leafpool. "You okay?" asked Thornclaw.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. All of you." Glancing over Spiderleg's shoulder, Leafpool caught sight of Crowfeather, and her heart gave a painful beat. He was glaring at her, and at Spiderleg, with narrowed eyes. But she didn't feel guilty - she felt angry.
He hadn't made one move to save her.
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