Gah, it's been a long time since I've updated. I really need to get around to writing chapters more.

Leopardstar2002: Yeah, it's about time, isn't it?

Willowdream of ForestClan: Both are true! But which should Cinderstar focus on? Also, how far along are you on that mega-drawing of yours? :) I'd love to see it when it's finished!

QLKwriter: Thanks! But yeah, there weren't too many openings for theories last chapter, were there?

EradrinSkyleaf: I'm glad! :) Here's what happens next! Acting is fun, but I have problems memorizing my lines. -_- DI is really fun, though! You get months of prep so I can easily memorize lines. I'm actually going to a Christian camp this next week starting tomorrow, so fingers crossed I'll have a blast like you did at your conference!

ShadowHawk540: Mossystar. xD Yeah, it would cause a lot of sibling angst which I kind of feel is nonexistent between Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar. And it really is good to get to bed before 3 am. o_o

ilovewarriorcat: Naw, it's fine! :) It's been like a week since I updated so I think it's fair. And yeah, I'm definitely going to make the trio act more like leaders, or at least get their butts kicked in that direction. It really is about time. Sorry about the outdated allegiances, I was a bit lazy about making new cats and I thought it would be interesting to put in some canon characters. :S

Rainstar's POV

A forest formed around me, boughs reaching high into the starless sky. I blinked, eyes adjusting to the brightly illuminated nighttime of StarClan. It was much darker down in WindClan territory.

From the faint mist emerged a gray figure I recognized immediately as my father. "Ashthorn!" I cried, bounding forward to embrace him. Then an image of Sootstar's angry, betrayed face swam before my eyes and I skidded to a halt, paws sliding along the undergrowth of weeds. On the moors, I didn't have to deal with this stuff.

Ashthorn blinked sadly at me. "What stopped you, my son?" he asked despondently.

"Um…" I hesitated, wondering if I should tell the truth. Then I shook my head. This was my father, for StarClan's sake! Why shouldn't I tell him the truth? "It's Sootstar," I confessed, hanging my head. "If he knew I was happy to see you…"

"Are you?" Ashthorn asked, stepping forward. "Are you pleased to see me?"

I nodded sadly.

"Well then what's stopping you from spending time with me?"

"Sootstar—" I started again, but Ashthorn interrupted me.

"Wouldn't Sootstar want you to be happy?" I bit my lip. Yes, he would, but this was Ashthorn. Sootstar still hadn't forgiven him for refusing to bless his warrior name. Bit stupid, really. "Does Sootstar have to know you're here?"

I shook my head. "No. But just… don't tell him, will you? I don't want our relationship to fade."

Ashthorn's eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "You need to stop relying on your littermates, Rainstar," he reprimanded. "You need to stand alone. SkyClan has physically cut you off and your leadership has mentally cut you off from them. Now you need to cut yourself off emotionally."

I looked up at him in horror. "But… they're a part of who I am! I can't ever just forget them!"

"I'm not asking you to forget them. I'm asking you to remain separate from them. This isn't a joint Clan you're leading. It's yours."

"But—"

Ashthorn blew out an exasperated breath. "But what, Rainstar? What? Your own Clan is getting sick and tired of you constantly wondering how Sootstar and Cinderstar are doing. It's been an entire season. It's time to step up and become your own leader."

I remained staring at the ground. This felt impossible. How could I just cut myself off from my littermates? I'd grown up with them, gone on adventures with them, found who I was with them. And now I had to face possible war against them? How could I possibly do that?

"Can you at least promise me you'll try?" Ashthorn asked gently. "I'm not asking you to fight them. I'm asking you to show me you can stand on your own."

I took a deep, shaky breath. "Okay."

Ashthorn purred, pressing his muzzle against my forehead. "That's my brave son," he whispered.

The cold woke me first. I rolled over, burrowing deeper into my mossy nest, trying in vain to fall back asleep. But the cold, cruel wind blew straight through the side of my bush den and right into my fur. Shivering violently, I rolled onto my back, gazing out at the sky. It was still nighttime, the moon and stars trying in vain to shine through a swiftly moving bank of clouds. I groaned to myself—snow was coming again.

"Rainstar?"

I blinked as the upside-down face of Aspensplash came into view. "Aspensplash?" I muttered, rolling onto my belly. "What are you doing here?"

Aspensplash gave her chest fur a couple licks. "Well, I thought I heard you tossing and turning around and thought you might want some company, you know?"

Well, okay then. I dipped my head to her. "I'm fine. Thank you for checking on me." I made to curl up again, making sure to point my back at the wind this time.

Aspensplash hesitated again, then blurted out, "Do you want to come for a run with me?"

I lifted my head again, staring at her. What was going on? Did Aspensplash like me?

"I mean—" Aspensplash hurried to explain. "I mean it might warm us up a little. You know?"

Well, I was getting cold again. Maybe I could go running with her until the wind blew a different direction, at least. "Okay," I meowed, getting up and stretching luxuriously, though freezing my belly fur in the process.

"Really? I—I mean, great, let's go!" Aspensplash bounded beside me as we made our way across the clearing, her hazel eyes aglow as if they were tiny moons. Turning away so she wouldn't see—I didn't want her to get any false implications—I smiled to myself. She looked so excited to be out with me. She was like a super-hyper Silverdapple.

But I couldn't think about her now. This run was meant to be fun, not sentimental and grieving. So as soon as we cleared the camp entrance, I broke into a swift run, hoping to leave my worries behind.

Aspensplash loped easily beside me. Not in the slightest out of breath, she grinned at me. "Remember our race in the Twolegplace?"

I purred. "You've always been a better runner than me."

"I've had more practice," she said mischievously, darting ahead. I pushed my paws harder against the ground, trying to keep up. But slowly, slowly, she kept pulling ahead. Panting, I watched her tail whipping ahead, white patches illuminated by the starlight. For a moment, I worried about losing her in the darkness, but almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind Aspensplash began to slow down.

We decelerated, trotting down the slope as our momentum slowed. Finally, walking together, I caught a glimpse of our destination.

It had to be the most romantic place on the entire territory tonight. We stood on an embankment looking over the frozen lake, snow dusting the icy surface. The moon cast a smudged, white reflection. All around us, wind tugged softly at our fur and snow lay in crystallized drifts, hard enough to walk on top of without fear of falling through and being buried. Stars glimmered weakly in the partly cloudy sky, surrounding the moon with hazy light.

I glanced over at Aspensplash, slightly amused. Then I realized she might mistake that expression for love and quickly looked away again, instead staring up at the sky. "It's strange how the bottoms of clouds are so dark during the day, but so pale at night," I murmured.

"It's all in perspective," Aspensplash replied simply. "Against a bright background, clouds look dull and lifeless, but at night they look so soft and inviting."

I wondered if her words had a deeper meaning about love. Inwardly shrugging, I continued gazing skyward. My mind was too exhausted from the late hour and the run to think.

The stars continued twinkling overhead. I wondered if Silverdapple was up there, looking down with love on me. I love you too, Silverdapple. Wait for me, won't you?

Aspensplash followed my eyes to the stars. She sighed to herself and I wondered if she knew what I was thinking about. "There are so many cats up there that ought to be down here still. And maybe more are going to follow soon."

I turned quickly, staring at her. "Are you suggesting—" I paused, trying to gain control of my frantic tone. Ashthorn had told me to stop worrying about ThunderClan and ShadowClan and I'd said I'd try. I'd better stick to my word. "Are you suggesting a battle?" I asked in a much calmer voice.

Aspensplash shrugged. "Well, no. But now that you mention it, cats might be forced to go to battle. Over lack of prey," she added to my confused look. "That's actually what I originally meant. Cats are going to start starving soon."

I grimaced and looked out over the frozen lake. "I wish there was something I could do about it."

"I know." Aspensplash pressed herself against me and I stiffened automatically. Then, realizing how soft and warm her fur was, I began to relax. Friends were allowed to press against each other, weren't they? "But sometimes you can't save everyone."

"No. Especially not when they die saving you." I pulled away, suddenly feeling guilty. But why should I? Friendly pressing of fur wasn't against the warrior code, was it? Would Silverdapple be jealous?

Aspensplash was quiet for a moment. Then, eventually, tentative as a piece of prey coming out of its burrow, she meowed, "I… I heard from other cats that you knew another cat before you met me. That she…"

"Died?" I finished bitterly. "Yeah. She died right before Ashthorn did in a huge battle."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Aspensplash biting her lip nervously. Then she continued, "Do you still think about her?"

"Sometimes. She gave me one of my nine lives, you know?"

"Love?" Aspensplash guessed, staring hard at the ground.

"No, strength. Strength to get over my grief."

"Oh." Aspensplash's eyed widened in sudden surprise. Maybe also relief? I sighed; I was too tired tonight to think about Aspensplash's pretty obvious crush on me. Maybe if I was more awake I'd feel more defensive. Sorry, I've already got a mate! Well, sort of. I never actually asked her, but we were totally going to be come mates once I became a warrior!

"She was amazing. Beautiful and smart and funny all at once. And she liked me back. I saw it every time I looked into those blue eyes." I squeezed my eyes shut to get rid of the burning sensation. Stop it. Silverdapple wouldn't want you to cry now.

But what if crying meant Aspensplash sees I'm still in love with Silverdapple and give up on me, instead falling in love with another tom? What then?

What does Silverdapple want?

"It's cold out," I meowed abruptly, getting to my paws. "We should probably get back to camp."

Aspensplash looked slightly disappointed, but also rather resigned as she cast one last glance out over the silent lake, then followed my tracks as I padded back up the slope, heading back to camp.

For the second time that night, I dreamed of a StarClan cat. Only this time it wasn't Ashthorn.

"Silverdapple!" I cried joyfully, bounding toward her. For a heartbeat, I could have sworn I saw my excitement mirrored in her eyes. But then she turned away, closing her eyes with a slight grimace.

I skidded to a halt, legs splayed on the ground of clouds. "What's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"Nothing." Silverdapple looked back up at me, her face a mask of sorrow. "Nothing at all."

"Nuh uh. You're all sad. What's up?"

Silverdapple sighed and the trace of a smile crossed her lips. My heart did a double take at the sight of it. "Always straight to the point, aren't you? Especially when someone you love is upset."

"Ha," I grinned, hoping to cheer her up. "You admitted you're upset."

"Only because you still love me."

My grin disappeared faster than a rabbit down a rabbit hole. "What?"

Silverdapple sighed. "Rainstar, I'm dead. I live in StarClan. I have for moons! You need to move on."

"But…" I protested, staring at her in horror.

Her intensely blue eyes stared straight into mine and I felt my knees weakening. How could I not love her? Not when she was so intensely perfect. "You need to get on with your life. You're not old enough to waste it pining for a lost love. There's a perfectly good she-cat down in the real world just waiting for you to say yes."

"But even if I said it I wouldn't mean it," I argued. "I love you and only you. You've always known that."

"And if you truly loved me you'd let me reside up here peacefully, without the guilt and worry stemming from your ignorant grief."

I sat down, staring at Silverdapple's paws. I couldn't meet her eyes. What would I see there? Pain? Regret? Grief? Love?

Probably not love. I could have clawed myself to shreds. How could I have been so selfish? Silverdapple was suffering in paradise because of me. How could I do that to her?

"It would make me so happy to see you sharing that unconditional love of yours with another she-cat," Silverdapple purred. "Only do me one favor, will you?"

"Anything." I glanced up at her eagerly. Silverdapple's last request. I was ready.

"Don't you dare tell Aspensplash you love her if you don't mean it."

More love interests!

QOTD: What do you think of Aspensplash's crush? (also do you think I made Silverdapple waaay too much like Spottedleaf? :S I think I did)