Hehe…well, this is awkward…

After such a long hiatus I finally decided to finish up this chapter. Um, I can't really promise that there will be more soon after this, because I'm writing the beginning of a sequel to my last Warriors fanfiction, Rising Dawn, but I'll do my best. But I can promise that this one is a long one! Read and review!

"Honeydapple! Honeydapple!"

She sat in front of all of her Clanmates, her chin raised proudly and her green eyes glittered in excitement. Adrenaline coursed through her blood and she nearly shook at the happiness that wracked her body. She felt her father's tail land on her shoulder and turned her head to look up into Blazestar's amused gaze.

Then she was surrounded by her Clanmates and congratulations echoed in her ears. Everything was alight and Honeydapple felt slightly dizzy as her excitement faded. She met their complements with grateful thanks. She was a warrior now and her apprentice days were behind her! It was time for her to start her life free from the bondage of a mentor and hopefully the constant watchful eyes of her father's dedicated senior warriors.

"I'm so happy for you, Honeydapple!" She met Bluefeather's warm and affectionate gaze, and she felt her pride spike. Honeydapple purred as her mother rubbed her cheek along her muzzle.

"Well done." Honeydapple looked back to her father as Bluefeather pulled away, though she remained close. Blazestar leaned his head down to press his nose to her forehead, an affectionate gesture. "You'll be able to begin your leader training soon."

Honeydapple felt herself stiffen as dread filled her and caused the large lump in her throat. She felt guilty about not wanting to become leader like StarClan decreed, but she couldn't help her feeling of opposition. Then she felt herself liven up at a sudden idea. "Can I hunt before my training. I want to be alone for just a little while before the lessons."

Blazestar tilted his head slightly to the side and gazed thoughtfully at her for just a heartbeat before nodding his head in assent. "Be back before sunhigh, Honeydapple. Otherwise, I'll have Morningfrost fetch you."

Honeydapple dipped her head respectfully to Blazestar and she whirled around immediately, racing across the clearing and out of the camp with her tail streaming out behind her and her paws padding lightly on the ground.

Bluefeather stared after her with bemused eyes. When the tip of her daughter's golden tail had disappeared into the entrance tunnel, she turned to Blazestar with narrowed eyes. "You shouldn't be so hard on her. Think of all the pressure on her shoulders whenever she thinks of what she must do to please you and what is to come. She knows that being leader is a big responsibility and she doesn't want to disappoint you."

"She needs to learn of what it feels like to be under such pressure. Like you said, being leader is a big responsibility, and she must know just how demanding it is."

Bluefeather turned her head away from him as he disagreed with her. She sighed softly. StarClan, help her.

Honeydapple moved slowly through the undergrowth, her ears pricked and eyes wide to catch the slightest movements of prey around her. A rustling in the bushes off to her right had her freezing as her eyes zeroed in on the squirrel moving around it, searching for food.

Dropping low to the ground, she crept forward with small movements, careful not to alert her prey to her presence. Her eyes narrowed and her mind buzzing with excitement, she measured the distance between herself and the squirrel.

Clenching her muscles, she sprang forward in a single leap and her forepaws brought down force on the squirrel's neck, snapping it at once. Her eyes glowing with triumph, Honeydapple immediately buried her catch with dirt to ward off any scavengers.

Happily waving her tail over her back, Honeydapple continued on in a careful stance. It was hardly several moments before she caught sight of a magpie rifling through a clump of ferns. Falling easily into a hunter's stance, she shifted forward. Suddenly the magpie went still and then extended its wings and took off into the canopy. Hissing in annoyance, Honeydapple berated herself for not realizing that she was upwind of the bird.

Sitting there and wallowing in her failure, Honeydapple began to pick up the sounds of heavy crashing and the cracking of branches in the distance. Pricking her ears, she went on warily in the direction of the loud noises.

"Honeydapple, run!" Daisystem exploded from the undergrowth, her green eyes wide with fear and her fur fluffed up in terror.

"What? Why?" Honeydapple exclaimed, glancing over her friend's shoulder.

"Dogs!" she panted. "In the forest. I was on a patrol with Birchwing, Mosspaw, and Skyshadow when they appeared out of nowhere!"

"Where are the others?" Honeydapple asked as the fur along her spine bristled at the thought of the mangy flea-pelts in her forest.

"Skyshadow sent me away to get help," Daisystem explained. She looked wildly over her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I have to go and get help."

As she raced off into the undergrowth, Honeydapple's blood pounded in her ears. "I have to help them," she decided aloud. Falling into a sprint, she raced through the trees with her eyes stretched wide. As she neared the heavy sounds, she realized that they were in a small clearing.

Halting just before entering the clearing, Honeydapple peeked through the branches of a bush and saw that there were two dogs. Mosspaw and Birchwing both attained scratches and wounds but they still fought strong. Skyshadow, however, struggled to keep up with the smaller dog. His ear had been partially bit off and blood trickled down his face. A gash on his shoulder gleamed red and blood slicked down his black and white fur. He looked ready to fall any moment.

Springing from the bushes, Honeydapple caught the dog by surprise. "Honeydapple!" Skyshadow exclaimed, surprised. Clawing the dog's face before flitting away, she hissed at it.

"Honeydapple, get away from here," Birchwing ordered from his own fight.

"Nope," Honeydapple replied simply, catching the dog's hind leg as Skyshadow faced it head-on. The dog snarled and growled something incomprehensible. Furiously, batting Skyshadow away with a heavy blow, it turned on Honeydapple. Skyshadow lay still on the ground and her belly churned anxiously.

She hissed in its face, bringing her unsheathed claws up to score its cheek. Before she could do any real damage, a large paw collided with her head. Black spots filled her vision and she cried out as her legs gave out from beneath her. Lying on her belly, she tried desperately to clear her vision by blinking, but even her thoughts had been jarred. She couldn't think straight and her head throbbed painfully.

Then a rotten scent filled her senses and large teeth grasped her scruff. She was lifted off the ground and she hung limply from the huge jaws a heartbeat before she was shaken furiously. Being rattled further, Honeydapple felt herself slipping away. For a brief moment before she was totally under, she heard a vicious snarl and growl that was foreign to her ears. The dog dropped her and her body hit the ground just before she slid into unconsciousness.

Darkshadow slid underneath the dog and he arched his back, pressing against its belly. Grunting, he forced the dog onto its side and he leaped on it, sinking his large claws into the beast's belly and tearing a gash into its flesh. The dog howled in pain and writhed underneath him. A flailing paw caught Darkshadow's shoulder and he was forced from its stomach, but he remained upright, his ears pressed back against his skull and eyes narrowed to slits. Growling a warning, the dog snapped at him once more before retreating.

Glancing at the other LeafClan warriors, he found them still maintaining the other dog. Grunting at their piteous attempts to ward off the mangy creature, he turned away from them and attended to the golden she-cat. Nosing her over, he found that she was not bleeding at all. There was, though, a well-sized bump behind her ear.

Just as he was finishing his examination she stirred and Darkshadow stepped away, careful not to startle her. It was just a few heartbeats before her eyelids slid open and revealed startling light green eyes that had his insides melting. Shaking his head to clear the feeling, he spoke. "It's about time."

The first thing that crossed Honeydapple's mind when she came to was the silence. Her heartbeat had calmed and the snarls of the dog that had attacked her had gone quiet. However, she could still faintly hear the growls and hisses of her companions challenging the second dog.

So why was it so quiet? Where had the dog gone?

With that question in mind, her eyes snapped open and she was blinded by the brightness all around her. As she blinked furiously to adjust her eyes, a deep mew reached her ears. "It's about time."

Just as her vision came back to her, Honeydapple turned her head and spotted the source of the voice. A few tail-lengths away sat a brown tom with black stripes spiraling from his tail-tip to the m-shaped design on his forehead just above his eyes. And weren't his eyes a prize. They were bright amber, like liquid gold. The emotion in them was scarce, however, and she could only see a determined gleam shimmering just below the surface.

Shifting her eyes to the rest of him, Honeydapple took in the broad shoulders and the rounded muscles of his legs. So that was the reason for the dog being gone. That, Honeydapple thought grimly, and the fact that his claws are practically dripping in blood. Living in the forest, she of course had seen blood many times before, but the way it splattered his paws and up his front legs made her want to gag.

Enough looking, she scolded herself mentally. Why is he in LeafClan territory?

Ignoring the pounding in her head, Honeydapple hauled herself off of the ground, doing her best to look more threatening than she felt. "What do you think you're doing here?"

The tom snorted. "Saving your life, obviously."

A thrill of anger rushed through Honeydapple and she growled lightly. "This is LeafClan territory. You shouldn't be in this forest."

The tom studied her closely. Honeydapple felt her fur prickle at his scrutiny and she felt uncomfortable. What was he trying to do? Intimidate her?

Finally, he spoke. "You're a Clan cat? From what I've heard, they're fierce, rugged cats that pick their teeth using the bones of other cats and line their nests with the pelts of their enemies. You look too soft and vulnerable to be a Clan cat if you want my opinion."

There he goes, making her angry again. "Your opinion remains unwanted, fleabag."

The tom huffed. "Moving on to nicknames so fast? Alright, I'll be Fleabag and you'll be Goldie. It sounds perfectly alright for a pretty she-cat like you."

Honeydapple didn't know whether to be flattered by his compliment or furious at his insult to her lineage. She decided on the latter. Curling her lips back in a snarl, she flattened her ears to head. "Get lost, loner, before I have my father line his nest with your pelt."

The tom lifted his paw to lick it and then draw it over his ear, hardly sparing her a glance. "Actually, I would like to have a chat with your father. Blazestar, isn't it?"

Honeydapple stared at him, dumbfounded. "How do you know my father?"

The tom snorted, casting her a disbelieving glance between his grooming. "Isn't it obvious? I'm a Clan cat. I grew up hearing stories about the great Blazestar."

Honeydapple ignored the mocking tone toward her father. Instead, she narrowed her eyes as she realized that the tom before her was worse than a rogue. He was a RockClan cat. "Leave, now. I won't tolerate trespassers."

"And?" the RockClan tom replied. "What are you going to do about it?"

Honeydapple opened her mouth, a ready retort at the tip of her tongue, when a flash of recognition stopped her in her tracks. The conversation had seemed familiar and she had finally figured out why. Now, she scrutinized the tom. His dark brown tabby pelt and his amber eyes struck a chord and brought up an old, buried memory.

"What?" the tom had paused in mid-lick when she still hadn't replied. He was looking at her in anticipation of an insult. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Darkpaw," Honeydapple breathed, her eyes wide in shock. Her suspicions were confirmed when a satisfied look crossed his gaze.

He sighed in relief. "I was waiting for you to catch on!"

"What are you doing here?" Honeydapple asked.

"That's what I would like to know."

Honeydapple whirled around. It was then that she realized that the sounds of her Clanmates fighting the dog had ceased. As they were nursing their wounds, Honeydapple's father sat just a few fox-lengths away, along with Bluefeather, Daisystem, Ashwind, and Wintersnow.

"Honeydapple!" Bluefeather brushed past Ashwind and Blazestar and started to her daughter. Honeydapple purred as she leaned into her mother's affectionate embrace. Looking past her, however, she could see the hostile fire in her father's eyes as he glared at Darkpaw.

"Honeydapple." To her surprise, it was Ashwind to speak up first. He stepped forward and was glancing between her and Darkpaw with a bewildered expression. "What is this RockClan cat doing in LeafClan territory?"

"Actually," Honeydapple began, glancing at Darkpaw, "I've no idea what Darkpaw is doing in LeafClan territory. He said he wanted to speak with Blazestar, but—"

"You have your chance, now," Blazestar growled, cutting Honeydapple off and ignoring her irritated glare. "Explain yourself before I order my warriors to kill you."

Darkpaw didn't even look afraid. He stared calmly at Honeydapple's father with a mild expression. "My name is actually Darkshadow. I am a warrior now after all. For the reason that I am in LeafClan territory…well, I've left RockClan."

Honeydapple glanced sharply at Darkshadow. He met her gaze before his eyes flicked back to Blazestar. "My mother tends to have extreme methods and couldn't agree with them any longer. So, I left RockClan and I'm asking you if I could join LeafClan."

"Absolutely not!" Blazestar hissed, baring his teeth. "Once a RockClan cat, always a RockClan cat. All of you are traitors."

"Father!" Honeydapple exclaimed, surprised at the hatred glimmering darkly in his eyes. She wanted to defend Darkshadow, seeing as how she owed him her life. "He saved me from the dog."

"What?" Blazestar growled. He seemed more outraged now that he was entitled to repay Darkshadow for saving his kit. Darkshadow raised his chin confidently.

Bluefeather gave Blazestar a pleading look. "He saved Honeydapple's life. Give him a chance. You owe him that much at least."

With a snarl, Blazestar's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fine. Darkshadow, I will give you a chance to prove yourself a loyal member of LeafClan. I may have allowed you to join my Clan, but do not think that you've earned my trust."

With that, he whipped around and stalked into the undergrowth back to the camp. With an uneasy glance at Darkshadow, Ashwind followed after him while Whitesnow helped Skyshadow off the ground and Birchwing and Mosspaw followed suit.

"It'll get better," Bluefeather promised softly before she ran to catch up to Blazestar. The two disappeared into the bushes with their fur brushing and tails entwined.

Darkshadow brushed by her, glancing once at her before he began to follow the rest of the patrol. There had been triumph in his eyes, of course. But it was the darker emotion there that caused Honeydapple to shiver, as if he knew something she didn't.

"You sure do pick the good-looking ones, don't you Honeydapple?" Daisystem teased as she slid into Honeydapple's line of vision and cutting off her view of Darkshadow.

Honeydapple twitched her ears in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Are you two coming back to camp?" Darkshadow called over his shoulder, halting whatever Daisystem had been about to say. Honeydapple looked around her and realized that he hadn't been out of earshot of their short conversation.

"We're coming," Honeydapple replied with a sigh of exasperation. Daisystem always did have a habit of saying things at the wrong times.

I told you guys that it was long! I incorporated a few elements from the Lion King (not mine…) but otherwise I did the best I could. :)