Enjoy! The LightningClan members are under the first Chapter so you can go back & forth to it if you have to.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything by Erin Hunter, just LightningClan.

Chapter 2

Leopardkit followed her mother as they entered the thorn structure and into LightningClan's camp.

I can't believe I'm actually here! I thought happily.

Leopardfur used to tell Tigerkit, Lionkit, Skykit, and I all sorts of stories about LightningClan and were they came from.

Skykit, I thought, Why did he have to join StarClan?

I stumbled into a clearing next to Leopardfur with Tigerkit and Lionkit. I shivered in the cold, and Leopardfur nuzzled me.

"You okay little one?" She asked.

"Yes Leopardfur," I whispered, nuzzling her back.

"Wait here," the ginger tom that greeted us rumbled before heading for a rock cave in the center of the camp.

"Leopardfur, who is that?" Lionkit whispered to her.

"That is Thunderblaze," she answered, "One of LightningClan's senior warriors."

"He's big," Tigerkit stated.

"That is because he is older than you," Leopardfur purred in amusement.

Thunderblaze padded out of the cave.

"Shellstar will meet with you," he mewed waving us towards the cave den with his tail.

"Come along," Leopardfur told us as she walked towards the entrance.

I'm meeting Shellstar! I thought excitedly.

I entered the cave, and was amazed. The floor and walls were entirely covered in moss. There was no ceiling, so light was able to come in.

"Greetings, Leopardfur," a mew sounded. A pure white she-cat, with long, flowing hair stepped forward. I noticed she had one blue eye, and one green eye.

I gaped at awe in the obvious power the she-cat held.

"Shellstar," Leopardfur responded, bowing her head.

"I see you have brought kits," The leader said, eyeing my brothers and I.

I sat up straighter, despite the cold.

"Yes," Leopardfur started, "Darkness is spreading, Shellstar, I know you feel it. My kits, they need a home. And RiverClan is not that home."

"Why not?" Shellstar questioned, tipping her head.

"My kits are half-clan," Leopardfur stated.

"Ahhhh," Shellstar nodded, "Is the father from LightningClan?"

"No," Leopardfur responded, "Their father is Tigerclaw, of ThunderClan."

"But you could not take them to ThunderClan, due to the fact their father was recently exiled," Shellstar guessed, tipping her head to the side.

"Yes, Shellstar," Leopardfur nodded, "That is correct."

"And you wish for them to join LightningClan?" The white leader asked.

Leopardfur nodded.

"I would gladly accept them into the clan," Shellstar said, "But I must consult with some of the senior warriors, medicine cat, and queens before."

"Of course," Leopardfur agreed.

Shellstar mewed and Thunderblaze again appeared in the cave.

"Please fetch me Shadowblaze, Hawktalon, Sweetflower, and Blackberry, Thunderblaze," Shellstar asked him.

"Of course," the ginger tom bowed his head before disappearing again.

Shellstar turned back to my mother.

"Please introduce me to your kits, Leopardfur," she said.

Leopardfur nodded and turned to us.

"This is Lionkit," she said pointing to my bigger golden-pelted brother. Lionkit bowed his head to Shellstar.

"This is Tigerkit," she pointed to my dark tabby brother, his white underbelly and chest gleaming in the darkness like Shellstar's pelt. Tigerkit bowed as well.

"And this," Leopardfur said, "Is Leopardkit."

I bowed to Shellstar as well.

Leopardfur placed her tail on me, and I looked up at her. I knew I looked like her, which is why I was named like her.

"Appropriate names for all three of them," Shellstar nodded, eyeing us.

"Don't forget Skykit!" I squeaked.

Shellstar dipped her head, "Skykit?"

Her eyes traveled to my mother.

"Skykit is now watching us from StarClan," she said quietly.

"I am very sorry," Shellstar said bowing her head and looking sad.

"Everything is meant for a reason," Leopardfur responded with grief-filled eyes.

Shellstar nodded with agreement as a greeting mew came from the entrance.

"Come in," she mewed back.

Four new cats entered, as well as Thunderblaze.

"Leopardfur," Shellstar started," This is my deputy, Hawktalon."

She swished her tail to a huge dark brown tom that came to her side.

"This is Shadowblaze," she continued nodding to a huge all black tom, "Our medicine cat, Blackberry."

A smaller black tom that had white spots bowed his head.

"And one of our queens, Sweetflower," Shellstar finished.

A long-furred black she-cat with a white underbelly, chest, and four white paws bowed her head. Her belly was swollen with unborn kits.

Thunderblaze took a seat on the other side of Shellstar.

"Greetings," Leopardfur responded, bowing her head to all of them.

"What have you brought us here for, Shellstar," came the gruff voice of Hawktalon.

"Leopardfur has brought her kits here, to join us," Shellstar said calmly.

I felt the strong gazes of the three warriors, as well as the softer ones of the queen and medicine cat come across me.

"Leopardfur has told me how she can not bring the kits to there fathers clan, which is ThunderClan," Shellstar explained.

"Who is the father," Sweetflower questioned.

"Tigerclaw," Shellstar answered, looking at her.

Hawktalon snarled, "She brought a traitors kits' here!"

His fur fluffed up and his gaze went to my mother.

"You have some nerve Leopardfur!" Hawktalon growed at her.

"I only want what is best for my kits," Leopardfur hissed in response.

"That is understandable, Leopardfur," Shadowblaze voiced for the first time. His blue eyes landed to me and my brothers, "I don't see what the problem is, letting them into LightningClan."

"The problem is they are half-clan!" Thunderblaze stated, eyes flashing.

"And the fact that their father tried to kill the ThunderClan leader!" Hawktalon added.

What? I thought, Leopardfur has never told us that!

"My kits have done nothing wrong!" Leopardfur interrupted, growling, "They do not deserve to be haunted or judged by a crime they did not commit."

"Leopardfur is right,"Sweetflower agreed, "I believe the kits should be welcomed to LightningClan were they can have a new beginning."

New beginning? Is Leopardfur not staying with us?

"I agree," Shadowblaze rumbled, nodding his massive head.

"I do as well Shellstar," Blackberry added, "I do not see why they couldn't."

"But-" Thunderblaze interrupted, eyes flashing.

"Enough!" Commanded Shellstar, hissing, "Have you forgotten our clan originated from outsiders, half-clan, and exiled cats? Tigerkit, Lionkit, and Leopardkit will all be welcomed in LightningClan." She gazed at Hawktalon and Thunderblaze, who bowed there heads after a few moments.

"Thank you," Leopardfur said, "I will be in your debt."

"I'll go and tell Willowfrost," Sweetflower said.

Shellstar nodded, "Leopardfur, follow her. You three may go to."
She told my mother, brothers, and I.

I bowed my head before jumping up with my brothers and padding or of the cave, following Sweetflower. Leopardfur was right behind us.

"Willowfrost recently lost two of her kits," Sweetflower told Leopardfur, "But she still has Adderkit; and plenty of milk for you three." Her warm eyes looked at Tigerkit, Lionkit, and I.

"We eat fish and birds already!" Lionkit boasted, puffing out his chest.

"Oh I believe you," Sweetflower purred.

We followed her to a bramble entrance on the far side of the clearing.

"This is the nursery," Sweetflower told us, "Come on in."

Leopardfur went in first, I followed as well as Tigerkit and Lionkit.

Moss covered the entire floor, and the den was warm and milk-scented.

Sweetflower took us to the back of the den, where a silver she-cat was laying down, a squirming kit by her side.

"Sweetflower," the she-cat exclaimed, "Why do I smell RiverClan?" Anxiety flashed through her eyes, and she wrapped her tail protectively around the kit.

"It's alright, Willowfrost," Sweetflower soothed, "Leopardfur of RiverClan has brought her kits to us... They are now members of LightningClan." Sweetflower turned to us and beckoned us forward with her tail.

"This is Leopardkit," she said placing her tail on me, "This is Lionkit, and this is Tigerkit."

Willowfrost looked at each of us, "Hello," she mewed gently, all the fear gone from her eyes.

"Hello," my brothers and I squeaked back.

"What's your kits name?" Tigerkit asked, leaning forward.

"This is Adderkit," Willowfrost told us, "He's only a half-moon old, so you must be gentle."

"Don't worry, we'll be good!" I said.

"When he's bigger can we play with him?" Lionkit asked.

"Of course," Willowfrost purred.

Leopardfur came forward,"Thank you for taking care of my kits. But I must be going." She then bowed her head and left the nursery.

"Wait!" I yelped, following her. Lionkit and Tigerkit scrambled after me.

I noticed the sky becoming lighter. Dawn was coming.

Leopardfur was talking to Shellstar. As my brothers and I came closer she turned around. So much pain was in her eyes.

"Listen, little ones," Leopardfur said gently, "It's time for me to get back to RiverClan. You are all going to stay here, and become big and strong warriors. I'll always be proud of you." She licked us each on the head, and then breathed our scents in gently.

Then she got up and turned around to walk back through the thorn entrance. What she told us sunk into me.

Leopardfur's not staying with us! I thought, She's leaving us!

"Wait!" I yowled leaping forward, "Leopardfur! No! Don't leave us!"

My brothers leaped forward too, "Leopardfur!" They cried together.

But Leopardfur didn't stop; or turn around to look at us one last time. She just kept walking. I started running to follow her, but a paw stopped me.

Blackberry, the medicine cat, held me close with his paws.

"You'll be okay, Leopardkit," he mewed gently, "You'll still see her."

But I barely heard his words. I kept shaking my head, trying to convince myself this was just a dream, and I would wake up back in the twoleg nest, Skykit still with us and Leopardfur at my side.