Another chapter. That took a while. Sorry for the long wait. I've taken a TINY break off writing... except it equaled more to months. I only remembered to finish this because of I had this chapter in my flash drive when I was looking through the files today . I hope this chapter isn't too sloppy. This is my first of many I hope to write up after such a long break without typing another fanfic.

Anyway, enjoy this next piece. It's longer than the others, goody.

Kai equals Life Energy equals headaches

ShadowClan was in silent pandemonium. The last Hunting Patrol to be teleported by Goku all arrived safely. Or so they thought.

Toadfoot was the first to notice something was amiss.

"Where's Applefur?" The young warrior asked to the group at large. He had been part of the hunt as well. And he had broken off his conversation with his sister when they all latched onto Goku to teleport back to camp.

Russetfur frowned. She knew Applefur was part of the Hunting patrol. So she should be here with everyone else. "Goku!"

The black tom was off talking quietly with Vegeta. But upon the deputy's command he bounded over at once, his face serious. "I know," he meowed before the deputy could open her mouth. Worry spiked the tom's black eyes. "I was just talking to Vegeta about it. One of our clan-mates is not here."

Russetfur narrowed her eyes when Goku said our in the sentence, but pushed it aside. "Do you know what happened?" She asked quietly. She didn't want to start a panic with her Clan yet. She noticed Toadfoot listening and pulled Goku over to where Vegeta was standing by himself. "Did she forget to touch one of us before you teleported?"

Goku shared a look with Vegeta. Russetfur didn't understand, but she could tell from the silent he exchanged from the small black tom that it wasn't good. And she didn't like it.

"Goku." The black tom turned. "Scouts reported foxes in our last hunt! Whatever you do, find Applefur at once. If you don't, ShadowClan may not see this as an accident." If it is one.

Goku nodded once to show he understood. He placed his paw on his forehead, and with a soft whoosh disappeared. Russetfur blinked at Vegeta before padding away to give her report.

((_endpage_))

Applefur felt as if she was in a nightmare.

She was hidden under a log, pressed against the back of a felled tree. Terror griped her as a large furry paw scrapped under the log, reaching out with long blunt claws to snag the she-cat. She yowled threateningly, swiping her claws. It did nothing but aggrevate the large creature further.

Applefur didn't know what happened. She had grabbed onto Russetfur like everyone else. But when Goku made everyone disappear, she was surprised to find that she was still here. In this unfamiliar territory. All alone, with no one around.

Then this... monster, large brown and lumbering, as big as a Twoleg, came along. And Applefur dropped the prey in her mouth and streaked under a log. To her dismay, the monster spotted her before she completely hid from view. And now it was trying to grab her.

Its claws scrapped her fur and Applefur let out another wail of terror.

Suddenly, the paw retreated and disappeared. There came scuffling noises, a large roar. What sounded ilke lightning thundered the air. The monster growled again, but much quietly. It sounded scared.

Applefur pricked her ears, panting heavily, her nostrils clogged with her own fear. Heavy paw-steps thumped the ground, but much father away. And growing fainter and fainter. The brown monster was leaving.

Applefur waited, tensed and shaking. Something that smelled like burnt leaves reached under her hiding place. What was that? Did lighting really strike? She inched forward causually. That couldn't be right, it's still light out!

A dark figure appeared in the entryway. Applefur shrieked and lashed out a paw, thumping the creature on the face. She spat, her body tensed and ready.

Goku staggered back, surprise alighting his face. "Applefur!"

The brown mottled she-cat blinked for a moment. Was this a trick of her eyes? "Goku?" she whispered. She blinked again. But the tom didn't disappear. He stood, shaking his pelt of twigs and debris.

He reached out a paw, concern etchecd on his face. "Are you okay?"

Applefur didn't answer. She searched warily for the monster. But nothing disturbed them. Just the forest, and birds singing away the golden sun rays. Something else caught the she-cat's eyes though. What looked like blackened areas littered just a few feet away from the log. And she could make out large paw prints disappear over bushes.

"Applefur?"

Said she-cat looked around. Goku still had his paw held out to her. "You don't have to worry about that bear. I took care of it."

Applefur ran forward and buried her nose in his fur. Goku meowed in surprise from the sudden gesture. "I want to go home," she whispered quietly. She didn't know what a bear was, nor did she care. She felt like a kit greeting a mother. But that didn't matter to the she-cat. She just wanted to go home to her familiar territory, family, friends, and threats she was used to. "I was left all alone, and this great big monster came, and I was just so confused and-"

"Applefur," Goku repeated. He shushed her gently. "I'd love to hear the rest of your story, but we have to get back now. Before your clan-mates start to worry about you, alright?" He could have teleported her now, while the she-cat was talking. But from his stay in ShadowClan, Goku learned that the cats didn't like to reveal their "weakness" in front of one another.

He'll give her time to regain herself before he took them home.

Applefur nodded quickly. She took a few deep, steadying breathes. And reached out a paw to touch his shoulder. "I'm ready."

Goku nodded. In the blink of an eye, both he and the she-cat vanished, to return back to ShadowClan.

((_endpage_))

It seemed any trust Blackstar hoped for ShadowClan to share with Goku and Vegeta was ruined. Applefur turned out to be okay, but she had been shaken deeply by the bear's assult. Besides working together during hunts and patrols, few tried to speak to Goku. And no one even bothered to go anywhere near Vegeta save Crowfrost. His look was all that was needed to be said.

Blackstar himself was having doubts about these cats. But he wanted to give it one more try before he completely gave up on them.

"Goku?"

The black tom's ears pricked, but his attention was fixed on his large fish he caught from the lake. It's been three days since Goku introduced his Instant Transmition to teleport hunting patrols to specific areas in other forests' not yet ravaged by Leaf-bare. And for three days ShadowClan had the most comfortable parts in their lives they've ever had during a snow day.

But after what happened with Applefur, Blackstar felt it was best if they relied only with their own territory to hunt for prey. Although Goku still used the teleporting technique to bring back prey every now and then. So ShadowClan were not starving, but they were not full fed either.

However, there were still cats such as Russetfur, who frowned using what she called "Outsiders" help. And felt they were not putting enough trust in StarClan by relying too much on Goku and Vegeta.

But even with the incident with Applefur, Blackstar could see some who were not complaining. Mainly those with full bellies or kits that were well fed thanks to their mothers' health. Especially Spiderfoot, who somehow looked to Goku as a hero after the tom saved him from a badger. And Applefur began looking to Goku as a father figure, much to the tom's embarassment.

"Blackstar?"

The ShadowClan leader shook his thoughts away. "Goku, I had been wondering: have you always had these powers? To fly, shoot light and... well, all this strengh and speed?"

Goku shook his head. "Nope. I only knew martial arts. A form of fighting style," he added when Blackstar furrowed his eyebrows quizically. "But everything you see me do, I had to go through special training and work myself for it." He smiled that goofy smile. "But it all payed out in the end."

Blackstar felt excitement bubble underneath his pelt. He kept his voice calm as he meowed, "So, you're saying anyone can learn how to fly and use these... light attacks?"

Goku nodded. "Yup. Why? Do you want to learn?"

Blackstar stared. The Clan life around him muted. He could't believe it. This was perfect! Goku-and maybe Vegeta, if he was up for it-teach ShadowClan how to become stronger-no Clan would truly be a match for them.

Nothing would.

He could imagine his warriors, teleporting freely across vast regions for prey if their own territory's not fit for it. A lone Warrior challenge and defeat a fox, or possibly groups of foxes, easily without trouble. To be able to fly and save energy. They'd be unstoppable!

The ShadowClan leader took a deep breathe. He had to choose his next words carefully. "Goku, it's not just me. I was hoping if you could teach my warriors how to fight like you too. We'd really appreciate it. Consider it as payment for teaching you our way of life," he added.

"Sure." Goku's eyes swiveled around camp. "But do they want to learn?" Doubt edged his tone and a few cats who noticed his stare glared back.

They'd better. "Of course they will. In fact I'll announce it right now."

"Silence!"

The furious yowls that sliced the air gradually quited. Every ShadowClan cat had their head tilted back to gaze up at their leader perched on the High Branch. Ready for another bout of arguing. Blackstar stared back with defiance.

"Now listen," he snarled. "Do you not see the advantages if we learned how to manipulate their powers? This is a gift we more than could have asked for-"

You mean what you asked for, Russetfur thought. None of us asked for this.

"-and I think the best thing to do is take it now while they're still here. Do you think Goku and Vegeta will be here forever? Remember, they're only here to learn from us, and in exchange help the Clan. After they've learned all they need from us, they will move on."

His words affected them all. They looked at one another, doubt swirling their hardened features. Then up at the snow-covered pine trees. He had them in his grasp. He looked over at Goku and Vegeta confidently. Goku was too busy munching on his large fish. But the small black tom was staring at Blackstar suspiciously. The Shadowclan leader couldn't understand why though.

"We must learn from them, so that we can become stronger. I've thought up some training programs we can have with them at the training grounds. A total of five cats will be trained by Goku in Sunrise. Five more will by Vegeta in Sun-high. And we start again tomorrow with five different cats."

He eyes bore into his Clan-mates, willing them to agree. They were scattered before him in their many colored pelts, but all with a single goal: to become stronger.

None of them said a word. They all looked at each other doubtfully. Even Applefur looked as if she didn't like the idea of flying, but rather happier on her paws. Although there were a few excited glances, especially from Pinepaw. But still, no one said anything.

Blackstar felt his heart drop.

Tawnypelt dipped her head. "I'll give it a shot." Rowanclaw shot his mate a surprised look.

"Me too," Toadfoot took a step forward.

Murmurs of acceptance flowed through the cats. Goku shared a look with Vegeta. Blackstar missed the message exchanged between them.

He was too focused on his cats. He felt he can take ShadowClan to much better places. One not even StarClan could reach. And he'll make sure they're all safe and loyal to each other, ensure they won't need to look to anyone's elses' help but each other, or die trying.

This would be the beginning of a new era for ShadowClan.

((_end page_))

"Again," Goku commanded.

Scorchfur groaned. "This feels silly," he protested, scuffling his paws on the snow in irritation.

It was morning. The sky was muddled with gray clouds that reflected the five cats in the training grounds. Today Goku was to teach the five of them the basics of mental work. After going through a thoroguh explanation about how the mind is essential is creating and harnessing the energy, Goku got them all to raise their paw and concentrate. He presented mind relaxing techniques and breathing excercises to help with their training.

But that didn't make it any less easier. Tawnypelt felt silly standing there staring at her paw to will something she doubt could happen.

A freezing wind blew past the small group, shivering them to huddle into a group for warmth. Goku raised his eyebrows at Scorchfur. "This is just mental training. Give it a chance before you make up your mind so soon. We've already done some physical stretches to limber up your muscles and feel more positive. Just take your time."

The gray tom grumbled but said no more. Tawnypelt personally felt he had a point. Try as she might, there was just no way she could produce this soft white light Goku showed them before the start of their lesson."

Goku walked around the cats in the training grounds, creating small trails on the frosty white ground. "Remember, it's all a matter of controlling your kai," he explained. "It's like trying to learn how to hunt. Once you get by the basics, it paves way for hundreds of thousands of different techniques on how to stalk and hunt almost anything you need. If you can do that, anything's possible."

"But how can you be sure we have this kai you keep talking about?" Tigerheart chimed in. His face looked scrunched up, as if he had to make dirt. His eyes burned into his paw.

Goku stopped beside Russetfur. "All life has kai.. It's the very thing that gives life the energy to, well, be alive," he finished lamely.

He stared off for a moment. Scorchfur shared a confounded look with Russetfur. Goku looked back at them. "I suppose you could call it life energy. And everything that lives, breathes and consumes has that."

He patted scrubbed the snow off the pine that grew just out of the training hollow, it's branches sloped over them to create a sort of rough roof. "Even this tree here has energy of its own. It's just learning how to control it that's hard" He patted the rough bark confortingly and pulled away, his paw sticky with sap. He made a face while the cats around him sneezed in laugher.

"A tree that has kai too?" Crowfrost muttered to Tawnypelt's ear. "What's next, a flying log?"

I hope not, Tawnypelt thought. Otherwise we'd truly be in a forest of crazy.

Goku, grooming his paw, heard. "Not in that sense, no," he put in between licks. "Althought if the tree had a conscience, it probably could. Nature itself saved my life more times than I can count whenever I needed to borrow some of their energy for the spirit bomb."

"Spirit... bomb?" Pinepaw tilted her head. "What's that."

"I'll explain some other time." Goku leaped back in front of the cats. "Back to positions peopl-I-mean-cats!"

Reluctantly the students got into line and stood before Goku again. Tawnypelt raised one of her paws and stared intently, determined to relax her mind. To focus on the apex point of that energy that flowed within her. She couldn't help but feel a bit silly. Goku had to be leading them on a wild frog chase. How else coul-

"I got it!"

Tawnypelt looked around. As did everyone else. Pinepaw's excited expression immediately glumed. She stared at her paw. It didn't look any different. Just a black paw. "What happened? It was glowing and everything, and then it just stopped..."

Scorchfur blinked. "Are you messing with us?" Russetfur narrowed her eyes as she regarded the apprentice thoughtfully.

"No, I swear!" Pinepaw insisted. Her fur bristled indignantly as the cats around her stared back dubiously. "I was relaxing my mind and everything. And felt something on my paw, and light came out of it! Goku, you saw it right?" she asked, looking to the tom for help.

Goku shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry Pinepaw. I didn't see."

The apprentice let her head fall. "So no one believes me."

Before Goku could respond Scorchfur meowed, "Are you sure it wasn't the sunlight or something?"

"No." Althought doubt now began to creep in her voice. "I mean, I don't think it was." Tawnypelt could see the clear disappointment and confusion in Pinepaw's eyes as she struggled to find a clear explanation. Ratscar shook his head at Scorchfur and patted his apprentice's head.

"She's telling the truth."

Scorchfur snorted at Goku. "How can you be sure? You just said you didn't see-"

"I don't have to see to know," Goku interrupted. "I felt it."

"Felt it?"

"A small spark of energy." Goku turned away from the disbelieving look on the gray tom's face and smiled down at Pinepaw. "You did very good. The problem was you lost focus, surprised from the abrupt expelling of energy. But that's a very good start Pinepaw. I'm proud of you."

The apprentice's eyes glowed wild with excitement. Scorchfur and Ratscar glared at Goku, along with Russetfur. Trust issues still had to be settled. Tawnypelt herself didn't know whether to believe it or not. Goku was possibly just trying to cheer her up or something, she decided.

"An after thought," Goku called. "This isn't easy. An attempt to use kai can drain you a lot if you can't control it. How does your paw feel?" he asked the apprentice.

Pinepaw lifted it experimentally. "A bit numb, almost as if I've been running on it all day." She looked worried. "Is that normal?"

Goku nodded thoughtfully. "That's normal. If you feel too tired, take a break and relax yourself. Focus on meditation if it'll help."

But Pinepaw didn't want to relax. She practiced with the other cats as they began to try and replicate their kai again.

As Tawnypelt concentrated on her paw again, willing for something to happen, she couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of irritation at the thought that an apprentice was able to do something a trained warrior like herself couldn't do first.

That small bit with Instant Transmission is to show us that, as a cat, Goku and Vegeta are not completely in control of their abilities. It'll take them some getting used to manipulating and controlling their power in foreign bodies like felines. So it would cause trouble when performing complicated attacks like the Instant Transmission every now and then. Or to try to eat ice cream on a cone with no opposable thumbs :C

To answer the questions from the previous chapters, I am thinking of including another DBZ character into the fanfic. But I gotta think about how this might affect the current storyline. This isn't all random. It will be explained why Goku and Vegeta are cats and how they ended up in ShadowClan.

Reviews are greatly appreciated!