A/N

The Unnamed Guest (guest): They weren't sure who it was because of the chaos in the battle, and they couldn't just go around blaming ThunderClan for stealing kits. However, when Spidertail and Mudclaw both told Oakstar they saw a red-eyed ThunderClan apprentice, Oakstar and Sandfern put two and two together. At the first Gathering Hawkpaw went to, Oakstar was going to confront Smokestar after everyone delivered their news (as not to displease StarClan) but couldn't because of Fallenstar attacking their camps.

Lemme start off by saying how truly sorry I am. I didn't mean to fall this far behind in updates. School is super stressful and making a deadline for a myself only caused me to be more stressed throughout the entire week until I published a new chapter, and the cycle continued, because I wrote one chapter ahead in order to try and stay ahead of updates. This created an unhealthy circle where I eventually just gave up. Now, I'm back, and the update schedule is different.

There is no longer a set update date, but rather a general idea. I plan to update monthly, or even bi-monthly.

Speaking of bi, I feel I should mention something since it caused a bit of an issue in the original story. Yes, this story with contain LGBT+ characters. Yes, I know these are cats. Yes, cats can be gay. No, we don't know if cats can be trans or nonbinary. No, this is not going to stop me from making trans or nonbinary characters.

If you have a problem, leave. I have no need for your hate. Keep in mind I approve all guest reviews, and if your guest review is a hate message, I won't publish it to the reviews page. If you're a member and hate review, I'll just report you.

Now onto a lighter note! I'll be in Michigan in the third week of June for an undetermined amount of time, so June may be sparse in terms of updates.

So without further ado, here is the long awaited chapter 8!


Chapter 8: Promises, Promises

Hawkpaw dipped her paws into in the river, staring down at her reflection. Her sleek black pelt had always been oddly glossy for a Thunderclan cat.

Mist sat with her tail curled over her paws. "Something wrong, Hawkpaw?" she asked, flicking her ear and shifting her eyes curiously.

Hawkpaw slumped. "I… have you ever been told you're one thing your whole life, only to learn it's all fiction? That it's all a… a lie?"

Mist gazed off, as she seemingly did often when she thought about what Hawkpaw said to her. "I'm not really told much," she admitted.

Hawkpaw made a noise in the back of her throat and hunched over, staring at her rippling reflection with half-lidded eyes. She curled her tail close to her, a deep frown on her face.

"Did something happen then?" Mist asked.

"Yeah…" Hawkpaw said absent-mindedly. "I… My parents… aren't my parents."

"Are ya gonna tell me what or just look all mopey?" Mist blew out her cheeks, half-exasperated, half-teasing.

"It's hard to explain… I guess… I was taken? As a kit," Hawkpaw struggled to find the words. "And today- I- found my birth parents. They're a lot nicer than Smokestar and Gingerroot, but how can I forsake the cats who raised me? I'm not ungrateful or anything, but what they did was wrong?" She seemed to state it more as a question than a statement.

Mist's expression somehow reflected almost perfect understanding. "Even if they ain't your blood kin, they still raised you, and you still have some feelings for 'em, yeah? I've got a sorta cousin who despises me, but I doubt I'd wish her away if it came to it. Can't blame yourself for how you feel, but I'd stick with the people you actually know as family. I wouldn't give up Russet if it meant I could meet my mom. She's the one who raised me and my sibs, cous."

"I guess, I just- no matter what I do, they're never proud of me," Hawkpaw sighed. "J-just take today for example. I was missing the entire day, and they didn't even notice I was gone, but they noticed my friend Mintpaw was missing. My birth mother told me that it's not normal to question if they love me, and I question that every day."

"I guess go with the ones who you want to love you?" Mist advised, but it sounded more like a question itself. She was shuffling oddly. "And whoever loves you the easiest, you go for."

"Well Sandfern and Oakstar are my parents so I guess I love them now," Hawkpaw stammered. "But I barely know them, and if I leave ThunderClan I'll be leaving everything I've ever known. My friends, my brothers, my mentor, everyone. But then again, a lot of them don't like me. But then who's to say RiverClan will like me!" Hawkpaw rambled, eyes wide as she had begun to pace.

"RiverClam? That's the water fellas, yeah?"

"RiverClan, and yeah. Apparently me and my brothers were stolen from them when we were very little," Hawkpaw explained.

"Well at least you know you weren't given away," Mist said. "And you said your adoptive ma 'nd pa don't treat you right? You could always tell your brothers and ask them to leave with you."

"I'd have to begin my apprenticeship all over again, and who knows if Rainpaw and Pinepaw would even want to come with me," Hawkpaw whined. "I wish I could just live with you, this would make it all easier. Or that I'd never learned I was RiverClan to begin with."

"Well you're probably gonna have to go over everything you learned before you broke your leg anyways," Mist observed. "And hey, if I had two groups that would welcome me, I wouldn't be living in this dump." Her fur bristled slightly as she made the remark.

"What happened to not leaving your family?" Hawkpaw asked. "I'm sure living with people who care about you would be nice."

Mist regarded the question flatly. "Not in a single alley. You try livin' with two littermates, an older sorta-cousin, that sorta cousin's mate, your mommas and your one momma's four kits. I'd kill for some wide open spaces and a place to wash clean off, but if I brought any of 'em along, they'd just complain about how exposed they felt. I like it in the park where there's open fields to run across and a creek to play in, but Soot hasta go with us when we wanna go because Russet says we're too young to leave on our own."

Mist had risen to her feet and absorbed herself with her own string of words. Overhead, clouds were beginning to gather. "I hate that cursed place. It reeks and it's grimey all over. I'd tell ya to leave to save yourself frayed pads before you even entered."

Hawkpaw shifted nervously. "O-oh. Well, what do you think I should do? Stay with the place I'm familiar with, or risk everything to be with my birth clan?"

"Pursue what you want when you have the chance," Mist spat. Hawkpaw was taken aback by the complete shift in her personality and morals. Had she had a bad day as well?

"Hm," Hawkpaw thought. "I don't really know what I want at the moment, but talking to you helps. Is something bothering you, too?"

The tabby fur along Mist's prominent spine smoothed slightly, and then stood back up. "I'm fine," she muttered, avoiding looking at Hawkpaw.

Hawkpaw frowned. "I smell a lie. I'd like to think I can tell when cats are lying to me, not to mention my friend."

"Fine, you got me!" Mist hissed, standing up to her full height again. She paced up and down her side of the bank, digging her claws angrily into the dirt and snarling at the ground hostilely. After a moment, she seemed to have eased some of her edge off.

Mist faced Hawkpaw, expression stony. Guarded. "I just- I do want to stay with my family. I do love Russet and all them more than I love the parents I never met- I just-" The starving she-cat sunk into herself, face drooping. "I hate this place. I try to ask Soot about her sister since she was my birth momma, and Soot is just as good as any momma, but she always blows off or avoids the question. All I know is that her name was Ice. Don't know about my dad. Don't know about Soot's kits' dad. Don't know anything but the city and a few blurry memories of a forest or somethin'."

Mist finished with a huff, resolving to inspect the sand grain by grain.

"Well, there has to be some other cats that knew your mom. Why don't you ask them about her?" Hawkpaw suggested.

"Soot and us don't look much like any city folk, so I don't think our line was bred in the city," Mist said. "But I've tried. Most cats know Russet, but no one knew any she-cat named Ice or any mate she might have had."

Hawkpaw thought for a moment. "You look almost clan-like, if your fur was cleaner. Maybe… maybe one of your ancestors was from the clans! Or even your mom-"

Mist snorted loudly enough to jolt Hawkpaw. "Soot hates even lookin' at the trees past the fences. I doubt she came from 'em. But hm. I s'pose that could be tied to the father of her kits, or even my pa. Dunno."

"Well our dreams must be connected for a reason," Hawkpaw sighed. "Maybe I'm supposed to help you find out about your mom, and you're supposed to help me figure out what clan I belong to?" She suggested, seemingly saying it aloud to see how it sounded.

When Mist tilted her head to the side to mull it over, Hawkpaw noticed that the details of her were smudged and only growing blurrier with each heartbeat. The silver she-cat seemed to notice, but before she could squeeze in her response, she was already gone.

"Congratulations, you two!"

Hawkpaw blinked sleepily, head perking up at the sound of Mintpaw giving regards to two cats. She sat and stretched, wincing a little, and saw Nightbreeze and Snowwing smiling a little ways away.

"Wha?" Hawkpaw mumbled, standing.

"Oh, Hawkpaw," Nightbreeze said softly as she walked over. "Mintpaw's just given me and Snowwing the most wonderful news!" She glanced over to the white she-cat. "We're both expecting kits!"

"Oh! That's… great?" Hawkpaw cocked her head.

"Leaftail and I have been trying for kits for moons," Snowwing said airily. "He's going to be so happy!" She brushed cheeks with Mintpaw. "Thank you!"

"Be sure to visit me for borage!" Mintpaw called over her as she padded out. Hawkpaw saw her speaking to Leaftail, too far away to hear what she was saying, but the brown tabby broke into a wide grin and embraced her joyously.

Nightbreeze kneaded the ground nervously, blue eyes glancing around skittishly.

"What's wrong?" Hawkpaw asked her.

Nightbreeze shook her head. "Y-you wouldn't understand."

"Try me?" Hawkpaw offered.

Nightbreeze sighed. "Alright." She sat down. "These kits… are Brackenfang's. But unlike Snowwing and Leaftail, we haven't been trying for kits. I don't know how he'll react. Less than a full cycle ago, we were still apprentices!"

Hawkpaw frowned. "Okay, you're right. I don't understand." Nightbreeze let out a groan and frowned. "But, I know he loves you. I'm sure he'll be just as excited as Leaftail."

"You can't possibly know that," Nightbreeze pointed out. "I've always wanted kits, so I am really happy, but I want him to be just as happy, and I don't know if he will."

Hawkpaw tilted her head in thought. "I'm not a tom. Maybe talk to Jaypaw?"

Nightbreeze raised an eyebrow. "Talk to my little brother about being pregnant?"

Hawkpaw cringed. "Okay, maybe not. You're close with Shadefur, aren't you? I know he's your brother too, but he knows Brackenfang better, right?"

Nightbreeze lashed her tail. "I guess that's a good idea as any. Thanks."

Hawkpaw craned her neck to see the sleek black she-cat pad over to the dark grey tom, his amber eyes thoughtful as she nervously spoke. Hawkpaw saw her begin to ramble, when Shadefur managed to cut in and give her a hug. Hawkpaw smiled softly and turned to Mintpaw.

"Did you sleep okay?" Mintpaw asked her.

The full force of the previous day's events hit her suddenly and she felt a wave of utter hopelessness and a complete lack of motivation. "I guess."

There was a beat of silence before Mintpaw spoke. "Thank you."

Hawkpaw managed a puzzled look directed towards her friend. "Huh?

"I don't believe I've adequately expressed my gratitude yet," Mintpaw said. "For yesterday, I mean. You stood up for me. I know you don't enjoy confrontation."

Hawkpaw felt familiar itchy heat spread under her dark pelt. She was, for once, grateful for her thicker fur. "i don't like bullies, even when they're mates, parents, and warriors. Thank Vinepaw for teaching me to force bravery, I guess."

Mintpaw chortled. "I wouldn't call her brave, just spiteful. Still, my appreciation stands."

Hawkpaw thought back to the odd looks both she and Mintpaw received. Perhaps some cats saw her resemblance to Oakstar, but Mintpaw? There was no reason for Mothleg to be particularly nasty to a messenger of the stars from Thunderclan.

"Ah-h- uh, Mintpaw…" Hawkpaw avoided meeting Mintpaw's eyes. "Those Riverclan cats- look, I know you don't want to talk about it, and I don't have a right to ask- but they all seemed to know you?"

Mintpaw's hitching breath caused Hawkpaw's ears to prick up. "I could point out how friendly you were with that Riverclan queen," Mintpaw responded cooly. "But I will say Riverclan knew my father well."

Hawkpaw felt her unsatiated curiosity stir. "Was he Berrystorm? Or was that your mother?" She almost looked up, but gulped and dropped her failed attempt at analyzing Mintpaw's visual reaction.

"My thanks only go so far, Hawkpaw. Not all cats appreciate prying- but. Berrystorm was my father. Robinsnow was my mother. The names of parents are usually basic facts about a cat, but it's delicate when it comes to my littermates and I."

"O-oh," Hawkpaw said quietly. She forced her burning curiosity to die out, and she sat up straighter to groom herself.

"You talk in your sleep, you know," Mintpaw said, humor in her tone.

"I do?" Hawkpaw echoed, feeling a bit nervous. Had Mintpaw heard her talking to Mist?

"Yeah, it's kinda cute," Mintpaw chuckled. "What were you dreaming about?"

"Uh- I don't remember," Hawkpaw lied between licks. "Did I say anything strange?"

Mintpaw cocked her head. "I guess, maybe. It sounded like you were talking to someone. You said 'RiverClan' a lot. Did something happen when you were talking to Oakstar?"

"N-no!" Hawkpaw said quickly, perhaps too quickly, because Mintpaw gave her a look. "No, nothing," Hawkpaw said in a calmer voice.

"Alright," Mintpaw said slowly. "I'm going on the hunting patrol to collect some herbs. I'll bring you back from fresh food."

Hawkpaw's head followed Mintpaw wander around the den until Mintpaw stood in front of her. "Okay, bye," Hawkpaw sighed. Mintpaw nodded, and as she turned to leave, her tail brushed across Hawkpaw's nose.

Hawkpaw felt warm chills trail down her spine and she shivered. Her cheeks were hot as she watched Mintpaw disappear from view. She shook her head, embarrassed at her own thoughts.

Hawkpaw's mind wandered back to the night before in RiverClan, and she thought of her brothers. What should she tell them? Should she tell them? What would they say?

As if her thinking of them summoned them to her, Scarface and Pinepaw waltzed through the medicine den. "Hey, Hawkpaw!" Pinepaw chirped happily. Scarface looked as if he'd been up all night. He nodded a good morning to her.

"Where did you go yesterday?" Scarface asked bluntly.

"Rainpaw!" Pinepaw gasped. "We were going to ease into that question!"

"Well forgive me if I'm impatient," Scarface rolled his eyes. "Actually, I don't care."

Anyways," Pinepaw said. "Ignoring how bluntly he asked, where were you yesterday?"

"Uh- well- I-" Hawkpaw stuttered. "Mintpaw took me to the river for some therapy for my leg. We just lost track of time."

Pinepaw looked satisfied with that answer, but Scarface held a more skeptical look on his face. "That can't be it!" He exclaimed, getting in her face. Hawkpaw inched back a little, taken aback.

"Rainpaw, calm d-" Pinepaw started, but Scarface whipped around.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" He hissed. "You can't possibly be okay with her answer! It's weak!"

Hawkpaw felt sick holding in the truth. Lying usually came easy for her, but this was different. This concerned all who they thought they were. Learning she was not truly ThunderClan was tearing her apart. What would it do to her brothers?

"She broke her leg! Of course she's going to have some treatment to make it better!" Pinepaw shouted back. "Don't you want her to become warriors with us?"

"I already am a warrior," Scarface snapped. He motioned to the scarred half of his face. "All thanks to this. I couldn't care less if Hawkpaw becomes a warrior or not."

"You take that back!" Pinepaw gasped. "Hawkpaw deserves to become a warrior as much as anyone!"

"It's not about deserving, it's about adhering to the code," Scarface growled lowly. "And she's lying to us! I know it!"

"Lying isn't against the warrior code!" Pinepaw scoffed.

Hawkpaw felt helpless watching them argue. Her own thoughts were fighting on the the battlefield of her mind.

"We're her brothers! She should trust us!" Scarface growled.

"We shouldn't force her to tell us things she doesn't want to tell us, Rainpaw!" Pinepaw countered, voice growing helpless.

"Don't call me Rainpaw!" He snarled. "I earned my warrior name fighting Fallenstar! And as a warrior, I outrank you, so I'm ordering you to tell me the truth."

"She was just by the river with Mintpaw," Pinepaw said weakly. "That is the truth!"

Hawkpaw's attention flicked back and forth between her brothers and she shrunk back into her nest. Scarface's hackles were fully raised, and his teeth were bared at Pinepaw. She couldn't remember the last time he had been this worked up over something so small.

"Ohhh suuuuure!" Scarface mocked. "For the entire day?"

"It's not impossible!" Pinepaw said back, voice cracking and tears pricking at his eyes. "Why is this such a big deal to you?! It's not like she went beyond the river!"

Hawkpaw's thoughts could no longer be held by the cage of her mind. "WE'RE RIVERCLAN!" She screamed, emotion boiling up and over.

Scarface and Pinepaw went quiet. "Wh-what?" Scarface said, blinking. Pinepaw sat down, face void of anything.

"What do you mean we're RiverClan?" Scarface asked, a little harsher this time.

"I mean we're RiverClan!" Hawkpaw hissed. "We're from RiverClan!"

"How do you know?" Pinepaw asked slowly. Her brothers now sat on either side of her.

She took a deep breath. "Ever since we became apprentices, RiverClan has acted weird around me. I- I thought it was my eyes. But, no, it's not. They recognized me, by my eyes." She felt nauseous just talking about it.

"Fa- Smokestar stole us from this queen, Sandfern, when we were really little," Hawkpaw continued. "He claimed us as his own, and because ThunderClan had attacked the RiverClan camp at the same time, he slunk off into the night and passed us off as his own."

Scarface's and Pinepaw's eyes flitted around the room, processing all she told them. "Cardinalpaw isn't our sister," Pinepaw said numbly.

"How do you know this RiverClan cat- Sandfern- isn't tricking you?" Scarface pointed out, his voice sounding desperate.

"I thought of that!" Hawkpaw spat. "But I don't think so anymore. Didn't you ever wonder why we look nothing like Smokestar and Gingerroot?" She had begun to pace. "How did you two get green eyes when they have blue and brown eyes? How did I get stuck with red eyes?!"

"It doesn't add up…" Pinepaw said. "You're right."

"We look so much like them!" Hawkpaw screeched, anxiety making her voice crack. "StarClan, Pinepaw looks just like Sandfern, but his fur is darker. I know where my black fur comes from now! You both have Sandfern's eyes! I don't see how it can't be true at this point!"

"Who's our father?" Scarface asked, looking Hawkpaw in the eyes.

"He's the leader, Oakstar," Hawkpaw meowed.

"What are the odds our real father is a leader like Smokestar is?" Pinepaw laughed bitterly, scoffing.

"So this is why you were gone so long yesterday, and why you were so despondent when you came back," Scarface muttered. "I'm sorry." He looked up to Hawkpaw and Pinepaw. "To both of you."

"It's okay," Hawkpaw said quietly.

"I forgive you, Ra- uh…" Pinepaw trailed off.

Scarface looked away. "I'm glad Smokestar isn't my father. He gave me this awful name. I hate being called Rainpaw because it reminds me of what could've been if I didn't screw up, and I hate being called Scarface 'cause it just reminds me of how badly I screwed up."

"We can call you Rain," Pinepaw suggested. "I-if you want."

"I like that," he said with a faint smile.

"We love you, Rain," Hawkpaw sighed, a soft, tired smile on her face. She leaned against him affectionately.

"Do we have to move to RiverClan now?" Pinepaw asked meekly.

"I want to confront Smokestar and see the look on his face!" Scarface growled.

"No!" Hawkpaw said quickly. "We can't tell anyone!"

"Why not?" Scarface scoffed. "We shouldn't be here. Smokestar should know we know."

"It doesn't feel right," Hawkpaw said. "It's all going by too quickly."

"Fine," Scarface huffed. "Next time you go to RiverClan, can we come too at least?" We deserve at least that much.

"I want to meet our real parents," Pinepaw murmured.

"Alright, okay," Hawkpaw groaned. "If I go again, you guys can come along."

"If? You aren't going back" Pinepaw perked up in curiosity. "Don't you want to get to know them?"

"I do! I do! Believe me! But I freaked out really badly yesterday, and- it's- it's just a lot to take in!" She stammered. "How are you two taking this so well?!"

"We're just as confused as you!" Scarface exclaimed. "Everything we've ever known is a lie!"

"We have each other," Pinepaw pointed out weakly. "That's the one thing that hasn't changed."

Tears welled up in Hawkpaw's eyes and she raced forward, touching foreheads with her brother. Scarface joined in, his good eye wet with tears.

"Promise me we'll always stay together," Hawkpaw whispered, voice shaking. "Please, promise."

"I promise," Pinepaw said hastily, licking one of Hawkpaw's ears soothingly.

Scarface scoffed. "Of course I promise. What kind of brother would I be if I didn't?"

Hawkpaw sniffed and stepped back. "Thank you," she sighed.

"We stayed longer than we should've," Pinepaw said. "We were only supposed to visit for a moment. Squirrelnose and Mouseclaw are waiting for us."

Hawkpaw gave a sad smile. "Go on, I'll be alright on my own."

"Send someone to get us if you need us," Pinepaw called as he left. Scarface lingered back a moment.

"Something wrong?" Hawkpaw asked, tilting her head at him.

He opened his mouth to say something. "Rain, hurry up!" Pinepaw shouted from outside.

He shut his mouth. "No, never mind. Bye, Hawkpaw." Scarface turned around, and followed Pinepaw out of camp.

Hawkpaw sat up staring where they disappeared for a while before she lied down, debating taking a nap. She closed her eyes and fell into an in between of sleep and consciousness.

She didn't know how long she stayed like that, only that Vinepaw walking in and asking, "Hawkpaw, are you awake?" jerked her up.

"Vinepaw," Hawkpaw greeted, yawning. "How long was I resting?"

"Dunno," she answered. "It's a bit past sunhigh of that helps."

"Oh, wow," Hawkpaw said, blinking a few times in shock. "Weird. I didn't really fall asleep but I wasn't awake either."

"Hm-hm," Vinepaw chuckled. She sat down beside Hawkpaw. "Feeling better?"

Hawkpaw thought back to the previous day. "I don't know. It doesn't feel real."

"Care to share now?" Vinepaw asked, raising an eyebrow. Hawkpaw sighed and laid down on her back. She told Vinepaw about Spidertail and Mudclaw looking at her and whispering, about how Oakstar wouldn't stop staring at her during the Gathering, and how she had been taken into RiverClan territory.

"And… I found out… I'm from RiverClan," Hawkpaw sighed.

"What?" Vinepaw asked, looking at Hawkpaw like she'd gone crazy.

"I know it sounds crazy, but believe me, I've gone over it," Hawkpaw grumbled. "It makes sense. Smokestar stole me, and my brothers. I'm… not ThunderClan."

"Are you going to leave me?" Vinepaw asked weakly.

"StarClan, no!" Hawkpaw gasped. "Or, I don't know."

"Hawkpaw, you're my world," Vinepaw whispered. "I don't want you to leave. I don't care that you're RiverClan. You're… my best friend."

"I don't know what to do, Vinepaw," Hawkpaw whined, burying her face in Vinepaw's soft black pelt. "Tell me what to do."

Vinepaw wrapped a foreleg over Hawkpaw in comfort. "Promise me."

"Promise you what?" Hawkpaw asked, looking up at Vinepaw with big eyes.

"That we'll always stay together," Vinepaw said. "Always be best friends, always… tell each other secrets like this. Promise me that, no matter what, we'll be together." Hawkpaw curled into Vinepaw and closed her eyes.

"I promise you, Vinepaw, forever."

"To the end and then."

A/N

Once, again, apologies for having this long of hiatus.

Oh, and OC submissions are now closed! No more guesses will be permitted. This chapter was beta-ed by SuperBailey. The character of Mist belongs to SuperBailey.