Last Chapter! (even if it is semi-rushed)

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. Erin Hunter does.

Leaving

The next few moons passed pretty peacefully. The rogues stayed near their territory, the prey was coming in the cave in loads, and Leafpool spent every moment she could with either Squirrelflight or Storm.

"We've got visitors," Ice whispered in her ear. Leafpool felt the heat drain from her body.

"Who is it?"

"Brambleclaw and Firestar!" Leafpool could tell from the tone she had that she was excited. Leafpool yanked herself from Storm's grasp on her. Storm retreated back quickly, sensing trouble. Leafpool's fur bristled.

"What are they doing here for?" Leafpool snarled, fury washing over her body in hot waves. She hadn't seen her father or her sister's mate in two moons and then they suddenly turn up now? she unsheathed her claws. "The nerve!" Ashe hissed.

"Why don't you want to see them?" Storm asked quietly, padding closer to her to sooth her ruffled fur. "They're your kin."

"Not my kin," Leafpool meowed defiantly. "I got rid of them when I took the name Leaf That Floats in Pool."

"You think I'm exactly happy to see Brambleclaw?" Squirrelflight snapped, coming up from behind her. Squirrelflight and a tom named Sheer had been spending a lot of time, so much time, Leafpool guessed that she was pregnant with kits.

"Look at Firestar!" Leafpool sneered, turned towards the orange tom that she used to call her father. He was chatting calmly with Stoneteller and then glanced over at the trio that was glaring back at him. Leafpool recoiled internally.

The reason why she didn't want to see them was because she had left them behind and taken a new name, making it final that she had moved on and forgotten the clans. But seeing Firestar and Brambleclaw made her stomach churn. They weren't supposed to be here! They shouldn't have come! She needed to get over the clans and with them there that would be a whole lot harder! It had hurt so much to leave her Clan, and now she was getting those reminders.

"Leaf, it's alright, he's your father, he just came all the way from the clans to see you, be nice to him," Storm pleaded. Leafpool rolled her eyes and then turned towards Firestar and Brambleclaw who were padding up to them. The four cats stared at each other, eyes looking in all directions, not making eye contact. The silence stretched for a long time until Firestar opened his mouth.

"Hello," Firestar meowed politely. "It's good to see you both again." Leafpool gave a curt nod.

"I joined the Tribe," Leafpool stated flatly. "My real name is Leaf That Floats in Pool."

"Mine is Flight of the Gliding Squirrel," Squirrelflight added coldly. "We took them to get rid of the Clans. We have moved on," she paused and looked at Brambleclaw indifferently, "Obviously, you haven't gotten over us, yet."

"You think I could just give you up like that, Squirrel—"

"Flight," Squirrelflight corrected stiffly. "I'm called Flight now."

"She's called Flight," Another voice interrupted at the same time. It was Sheer. Squirrelflight's mate.

Leafpool stopped seeing her sister as 'Squirrelflight' at that very moment. The way she had said it, with the ringing force of believability and pressure that was on that one single word made it final. Flight. Her sister had moved on, and if she had, then so had Leafpool—or Leaf.

"I'm called Leaf," Leaf chimed in.

"You both look like you're eating well," Brambleclaw meowed. "That's good. I knew Squirr— Flight would come here."

"Really? Did you?" Flight challenged him quietly, her green eyes flashing with fury. "You both should leave. Come on, Sheer, I'm sick of talking to them." Flight flicked her tail in the general direction of the Clan cats.

Once Flight had left, Leaf and Storm just sat quietly, waiting for Brambleclaw and Firestar to get over the shock of seeing her that way.

"Is that…?" Brambleclaw asked.

"Yes, that's her mate," Leaf paused. "I think she's having kits, but I can't tell for sure, I haven't practiced lately." She glared in their direction.

"Leafpool!" Firestar's tone was calm yet his eyes blazed with hurt. "I'm sorry. I really am. I wish I could've known and helped you, maybe stood up for you. "

"But you didn't and we were left to get here by ourselves," Leaf meowed bluntly. And then her voice softened. "Look, Firestar, we're happy here, it hurt us so much to leave the clans, and we've just gotten over them. But you coming here, it wasn't a good idea.

"It's like reopening a wound when it's trying to heal, it hurts twice as much. Can you really blame Flight? Or me?" Leaf sighed. "I love you, but we can't see you anymore, nor you Brambleclaw. It'll hurt more than leaving. It'll hurt more than you watching Sandstorm die."

"Would you like to know something?" Firestar murmured. "It hurts to see you both act like this. It hurts to see you hurt. It hurts not knowing you're safe."

"And we are," Leaf whispered. "Father, I'm happy here in the Tribe. So is flight. We have exactly what we wanted. There are no secrets, no troubles. I love it here; I love it more than the clans. There are no rules, no troubles, nothing. I'm happy." Firestar's eyes closed and then opened.

"Then, Leafpool, forgive me if I don't call you Leaf, but I got to name you after Spottedleaf when you were a kit, and you're still my kit. I'm happy for you. If you're satisfied here, then so am I," Firestar laid his head on her head. "You'll always be my kits, Leafpool."

"Well, we'd better get going, as you can see, we've left ThunderClan without a leader and a deputy for far too long," Firestar gave Leaf a lick on the head and then whispered. "I love you and Squirrelflight, don't ever forget it." Firestar flicked his tail at Brambleclaw, who had stared speechless after Flight had left, indicating they should leave.

*****************

"That went better than I thought it would go," Storm whispered in her ear that night. "Leaf," he paused and Leaf pressed her nose against his fur, snuggling up closer to him.

"Yes?" She murrmured.

"I love you." Leaf looked up into his blue eyes.

"I love you too," she meowed softly in his ear. Storm blinked happily and then closed his eyes.

"Leaf, I'm really glad you joined the Tribe."

Leaf paused and then meowed to her mate, "Me too, me too, Storm." Leaf laid her head on her paws and closed her eyes. Beside her, she could hear Flight's steady breathing and her tribe-mate's snores around her. She had left the Clans. She had left her job a medicine cat. She had left Crowfeather. She had left them only to greet the Tribe, to become a prey-hunter, and to meet Storm. She had a home now with everything she wanted. She was done leaving.