Crowpaw's POV
"So, you really think Aurorapaw is helping her escape?" I asked.
"Yes, it's the kind of thing she'd do." Smokypaw purred, flicking her tail. "It's the kind of thing most of us would do. We simply have the wrong leader guiding us."
"I think she's a good leader." Daisypaw protested, glancing at Grizzlypaw. "She's made decision best for the Clan, like right now! One cat's happiness isn't more important than our Clan's survival."
"DragonClan wouldn't lose a fight to FireClan, not if they had a more skilled warrior as leader." Smokypaw retorted.
"If you hate Goldenstar so much, why don't you become leader?" Daisypaw snapped.
"Cause I'm only an apprentice, dumbass." Smokypaw growled. "Believe me, I'd be more than happy to."
In hindsight, I'm glad that Darkheart told me not to pursue Smokypaw, because she seemed too intense for my own good. But that left me with Aurorapaw, and I barely know her. Whenever she wasn't hanging out with Smokypaw, she was off in her own little world, thinking about who knows what.
But she was my only realistic option, and I was resigning myself to the role of her future mate. But what if she didn't want me? Would I get banished? Would I end up begging her to keep this from happening?
"GOLDENSTAR! WE KNOW YOU HAVE HER!" I heard a tom screech. It turned out to be a orange tom with amber eyes, leading ten cats behind him.
"What?! My apprentice said she was escorting your warrior back to camp!" Goldenstar gasped. "I-"
"Goldenstar!" Aurorapaw cried, running into camp with blood dripping from her face. "I t-tried to stop her, but she attacked me and took off! By the time I found her scent, she was long gone..."
"It's o-okay." Goldenstar sighed. "It was my fault, I should've let Smokypaw go with you. Scorchstar, we cannot go to war, is there any compromise we can make for the loss of your warrior?"
"There is one compromise." Scorchstar decided. "We take one of your she-cats, and they become a permanent warrior of FireClan. It's probably best if you give us that young one that failed us-"
"NO!" Swancry snarled. "She is my only daughter, and she will not be going anywhere! Nor will I, we stay here."
"Okay, fine!" Scorchstar snapped. "So...?"
"I'll go."
"Mom?!" I cried, running out of the apprentice's den. "What're you doing?! You have a family here!"
"My only love never loved me back, and our daughters are willing to tear each other apart for a stupid tom that doesn't love them." Mom told everyone, before turning to Scorchstar. "I'll even be your mate if you'd like. I just want to start over."
"And that you shall." Scorchstar purred, looking at my Mom hungrily. "Come, we must get you accustomed to a life in FireClan, where you'll have kits that aren't failures. That I can promise you."
"Yes, please take me away!" Mom ran to his side and all of the FireClan warriors began to leave. I ran towards them, crying for her to come back. Suddenly, I felt a set of jaws yank me back.
"No son of mine will cry over a bitch!" Dad snarled, and before I could register what he said, I felt his heavy paw slap me across the face. I could feel his claws graze my cheek, and I fell back on my rear.
My world began to tremble, all I wanted was to be happy! I loved my family, and I wanted to keep them happy too, and I failed. Was Mom disappointed in me too? I needed to fix this, I needed to become Aurorapaw's mate so my family can be happy again.
"That's enough!" Darkheart stormed over to my Dad. "That is no way to treat your son, don't you think that he needs you now more than ever? Your daughters need you! Just because you have more kits coming, doesn't mean you should neglect the ones you already have."
"Please, all they're good for is providing kits to the Clan." Dad growled. "Crowpaw can't even fight, so as far as I'm concerned, I have no son."
Dad, or Sandypelt now, turned his tail to me and walked to the warrior's den. I looked at Darkheart, who was staring down at me with big orange eyes.
"I can be your father." Darkheart decided, placing his paw gently on my shoulder. "Have you decided which she-cat you will be pursuing?"
"Aurorapaw." I answered right away. I wasn't completely stupid, I knew that my new Dad had set me up to choose her. To be fair though, it seemed like the safest choice at the time.
"Good, though you may want to soften her of her daring desires. Her recklessness got your mother sent away." Darkheart reminded me. "And try to cut her time with Smokypaw, they spend way too much time together."
I wasn't sure of what he meant by that, but I nodded. I held no ill will against Aurorapaw, since she saved a victim with no idea that my mother would leave. But I was the only cat with a sexuality problem, so I could win her over. Right?
I looked behind me, and I saw Aurorapaw and Smokypaw eating near the apprentice's den. Feeling Darkheart's stare on my back, I stood up, picked a dead sparrow with my jaws, and walked towards the two she-cats.
"Hey, can I join you two?" I asked. Aurorapaw scooted closer to Smokypaw, and the brown she-cat nodded.
"Certainly! We can discuss Clan strategies together." Smokypaw decided. "As I was saying before, perhaps when I become leader, we can give the lower half of our territory to StormClan."
"You sure they'd want it? They seem so used to the cave they live in, but maybe the rumors are true..." Aurorapaw frowned.
"What rumor?" I asked.
"An apprentice from StormClan told me that StormClan used to have half of this territory, but the three Clans drove them out into the mountains." Smokypaw explained. "Supposedly, it happened seasons ago. Perhaps, if we give them the territory back, then we can fight against PhoenixClan and FireClan when the time comes."
"When it comes?" I tried not to shiver.
"Correct, when DragonClan is stronger than ever, I want to force PhoenixClan and FireClan to give their she-cats the right to be real warriors." Smokypaw explained. "No more forcing them to be their kit-stuffers, or refusing their possibilities of leading their Clan. She-cats in all of the Clans could freely pursue their dreams and ambitions. And in the end, DragonClan will be the strongest of all."
"Wow." I whispered in awe. Aurorapaw looked at Smokypaw with a strong intensity, holding on to every single word she said.
"I cannot wait." Aurorapaw grinned, pressing her head against Smokypaw's shoulder.
