Quick shout out for my friend, Illuminating Rainbow Light! You should check their stories out! They are really good!

Another quick note: I am not continuing Look Before You Fall until I finish the Path of Hearts series. I lost hope in it for a bit and school is insane. So it may be a few months until I start working on it again.

"I see me through your eyes

Breathing new life, flying high

Your love shines the way into paradise

So I offer my life as a sacrifice

I live through your love…" –I See You by Leona Lewis

Chapter 8

StarClan

Lighthawk paced around a pool of water, anger flashing in her yellow eyes. The beautiful golden brown she-cat glared at the cloudy pool. It was opaque; she only could see blurs of the forms of her former Clanmates instead of the crystal clear picture she was accustomed to. She watched Icewhisp and Olivefur lay on the grass beside it with their eyes fixed. She immediately knew they were contacting Kindlestrike- the poor tom.

She had previously watched Olivefur and Rowanstar fall into a screaming match with Icewhisp on the sideline. Unsure what to do, he accidently sided with Olivefur, setting Rowanstar off.

-Earlier-

"You were never my friend, FireClan scum." Rowanstar hissed cruelly at the white tom. "I guess I stand alone. I failed to make sure my daughter remains loyal, so it is my turn to make it right. I know who will help me, though it is too bad he isn't in StarClan."

"Oh, and will that be?" Her daughter snarled dryly. Her mate looked at her coolly.

"Wait and you'll see." He told her simply as he spun around on his paws and walked away from them. Icewhisp stood next to the furious she-cat, waiting for her to say something.

"I will not allow him to interfere with something that had been set in stone before he was even kitted." She murmured to herself, as if making a promise. Then she turned to the white tom. "Let's go, I know who will help us." Icewhisp shifted uncomfortably and looked at his paws.

"What will happen to you and Rowanstar?" He asked fearfully. Olivefur didn't look at him and looked at Lighthawk instead. She merely held her daughters' gaze; this was their own fight they would have to handle themselves. But she knew she must step in if it interfered with the fate of the Clan.

"I don't know yet. Let's go now."

Lighthawk hovered nearby, waiting for them to return to the part of StarClan she was in from whatever mission they had chosen to use Kindlestrike to do for them. Icewhisp began shuddering and shot up into the air. Lighthawk chuckled with slight amusement. Always jumpy, that one.

The white tom blinked his dark eyes and then noticed her. He dipped his head respectfully and returned to his usual noble state but didn't move from his spot next to her daughter.

This has gotten so much more complicated than it ever should have. Jayfrost should learn his place, I agree with Olivefur, but to take it to the point of it being a battle with Rowanstar? It's not right.

Finally Olivefur stirred and sat up. Her eyes seemed dazed but focused when she saw her mother.

"So, have they forgotten each other?" Lighthawk mused. Her daughter nodded slowly.

"Yes, they think of each other only as Clanmates."

Grayshadow

Fallowfern had returned and deemed part of the caverns safe for them to settle for the night. Grayshadow limped beside Nightheart and the kits as they entered the cave themselves. It was very dark- Grayshadow could not see past her whiskers, but still at least a little warmer than it was outside.

"Why don't we just get some rest for now; we all need it." Grayshadow flicked her ears at the warrior's voice. Like her, the other queens even seemed to be too exhausted to even reply to the warrior's suggestion. A small figure bumped against Grayshadow's leg and curled up on the floor. The distinct scent of her son filled her with comfort as she uneasily lowered herself onto the cold stone floor beside him. She felt Nightheart and her kits gather around them, and soon enough they were all asleep.

-Later-

A soft, cold breeze made Grayshadow shiver as she began to wake. But if she was cold, then…

Fear coursed through her as she looked for Stonekit. The little silver and black tom was curled up in a ball with Sandkit, Whitekit, and Cinderkit beside Nightheart. Grayshadow felt so relieved that she nearly collapsed. Oh thank StarClan.

At the thought of her ancestors, she thought of her daughter. The feeling of loss burned in her chest and she tried to shake it away, but it was in vain. Why would they take her away from me? I should have never left the Clan! She would still be alive!

Grayshadow remembered watching Witherstar slash Redheart's shoulder so easily and shuddered. She and the rest of the queens left under Nightheart and Fallowfern's word…Grayshadow knew she could not bear to leave her kits behind. Emberheart didn't want to, but the dark ginger she-cat had to abandon them. There were too many to keep an eye on and would have died of starvation or cold by now…

I can't even keep more than one kit alive. Grayshadow's vision blurred with pain again as the memory of Stormkit dying from sickness. She looked outside of the cave in attempt to clear her mind. It was a little past dawn now and had stopped snowing, but the place they were at held no beauty.

The scenery was barren dirt and dust, with only a shrub so small that it was swaying in the breeze in the distance.

This is no place to live.

Movement from behind brought Grayshadow's attention back to the cave they were all sleeping in. Streampaw was getting up to check on her mother, Creekfall, who was expecting kits; they were due to arrive soon. She watched the smaller blue she-cat gently prod at Creekfall's stomach with expertise that she had learned from Tanglewhisker.

After finding all was well, the medicine cat apprentice noticed Grayshadow and quietly padded over to her.

"Do you need something for your paws? You were limping yesterday." She whispered, he fluffy silver tail flicking nervously. Does she think I'm frail because I lost a kit? Grayshadow thought as she looked into the apprentice's eyes. They were filled with genuine concern.

Of course, you fool. Any mother who loses a kit should be depressed…or, at least it's normal.

"Yes, and I want you to check Stonekit's paws too, if you have a chance?" She asked. Streampaw looked relieved that Grayshadow asked that.

"Of course! I will see to it." Grayshadow smiled kindly.

"You would've earned your name by now, wouldn't you have?" She mewed quietly. Streampaw nodded sadly.

"I would have, but I am doing what I knew what I had to do. That is serving all of you." She smiled.

"Grayshadow?" The queen looked away from the medicine cat apprentice and turned her attention a pale brown she-cat that trotted up to her.

"Yes, Fallowfern?" She asked. The warrior's pelt looked worn and dull from all the travelling. I wonder how my fur looks. Grayshadow thought dryly.

"I want you to help a few others and I scout in the cave. Do you think you can manage?" Grayshadow considered her paws but nodded. It would help her take her mind off of her daughter.

"Alright, lead the way."

-Time skip-

Cloudecho

The nursery was overcrowded and stuffy with all the she-cats and the kits that were confined to its small space. Except for Cloudecho, to whom it was colder than if it was filled with ice- even when little Tigerkit and his littermates played with their foster mother. She had kept her ears pricked for any sign of her daughter so she could see if she was still alive. It had only been a half-moon since Witherstar took his daughter away from her, and she had not been able to relax whatsoever since, unless Tanglewhisker happened to bring her poppy seeds.

The kind white tabby was kind enough to bring her extras such as honey or piece of fresh-kill. He usually gazed at her with wide, sympathetic and understanding eyes. She hated being pitied, but she had chosen her daughter's fate.

Cloudecho had been staring at the back nursery for the whole night; and into dawn as she watched Crowcloud and Badgerswipe come collect some she-cats for their leader. He doesn't deserve the title. She thought, disgusted.

A scuffle in the dirt made Cloudecho flick her ears. She felt her heart quicken as she hoped she wasn't being called to see their dear leader. A light cough brought her slowly turning around in her nest but was met with the kind face of Tanglewhisker. She sighed in relief and looked at him expectantly and waited for some sort of herb.

"No herbs today." He meowed quietly. "But I need you to listen: I have put many pieces of poppy seed in the fresh-kill, so all the toms in camp right now are going to be beyond groggy in a few heartbeats." His tail flicked nervously and he kept looking over her shoulder. Runningheart, Cherryfeather, Bushytail, Berryheart, Icewing, and Mousefoot pricked their ears curiously and leaned closer in their nests.

"Even Witherstar?" Icewing mewed timidly, white fur bristling fearfully. The others shared her fear and directed their attention to the medicine cat. He nodded.

"I need you all to trust me! Can you promise that?" He asked them. Most of them, including Cloudecho nodded vigorously. He smiled, reassured.

"We can leave when the toms all have the seeds in their systems. That'll be in a little while. I will give you all a signal…do you think you all can escape?"

Mousefoot sighed and shook her head. "I want to, but I cannot let Emberheart down; I promised to stay and take care of the kits." Cloudecho looked at her sadly. As prickly the musty brown she-cat would be, she was loyal to the very end of her tail. She knew Witherstar very well might kill her.

"I am blind; they would find me even with the seeds in their system. I'll stay here with Mousefoot." Icewing piped up. She clumsily made her way over to Mousefoot and her kits and stood close to them. Cloudecho nodded at Tanglewhisker and nodded. "It's been decided then."

"I'll go check now." He told them, and then looked at Cloudecho," I'll get Fernkit, so just focus on getting yourself and the others once I give you the signal." Cloudecho wanted badly to retrieve her daughter herself, but nodded obediently instead of instinct.

She settled back into her nest as he cautiously left the make-shift den and waited. She could only focus on her and the other's breathing. Then, suddenly, she heard a lot of scuffling and a strange yowl that she recognized as Tanglewhisker's voice.

"Let's go!' Cloudecho swiftly launched herself out of her nest with the other she-cats right on her tail.