Okay, so I am SO, SO, SO sorry that this update is very very late and very very short. I have actually written this chapter like 5 times, but kept deleting it because it was AWFUL. It's still not very good, and I am really, really sorry about that. By the way, Sunstorm HAS had her kits, even though you won't meet them until the next chapter, and the names are:

Mistkit, Tanglekit, Youshallnotknowyetkit, and Tobeconfirmedkit!

Thanks to jjfoxheartlvr007 and Icefeather for the name suggestions! Tanglekit's name was suggested by jjfoxheartlvr007, and Youshallnotknowyetkit (that's not really his/her name, just to be clear) was suggested by Icefeather! Also, I may have to change the description of Icefeather's kit a little, based on Duststripe and Sunstorm's appearances. Hopefully you don't mind! Gender will of course remain the same. Oh, and Sunstorm had one tom (Tanglekit) and three she-cats. Tobeconfirmedkit is my OC, and Mistkit belongs to a friend of mine :).

Thanks to jjfoxheartlvr007, Icefeather, Kaleb Owen and Leafstar16 for reviewing! You have no idea how much your reviews mean to me. Sorry for the long author's note, and on to the story!

Chapter 8, Part 2: Decisions and Realizations.

Dawnpaw stretched out on the soft nest. She had been staying with Amber for over a moon, and while she knew she'd have to go back eventually, she was inclined to delay her departure as long as possible. What will I say to Skycloud? She'll be so disappointed in me. I can't even tell her why I left, because I don't want to get Smokepaw in trouble. And Smokepaw! He must hate me now. Actually he's probably a warrior now; Smokeclaw, maybe? Oh... My littermates might even be warriors too, by now. How much have I missed of Clan life? Am I even considered LightningClan anymore? Would they chase me off if I tried to return? Too many questions, too many ifs. Yes, it was better to stay with Amber, for now at least.

The kittypet had been very welcoming. She willingly shared her food, water and nests, and told Dawnpaw when to hide because her twolegs, housefolk she called them, were coming. Amber also was full of information about this other Clan called SkyClan, and even knew a bit about ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan. Her faith in StarClan was as strong as any warrior, and Dawnpaw could see the awe in her gaze when she told her about her dreams from their warrior ancestors. She would've made a good warrior, The silvery apprentice mused. Perhaps I should invite her to come with me if -no, when- I return.

"Hey Dawnpaw," Amber greeted cheerfully. The pretty white and ginger she-cat padded over, her fur sleek and eyes shining.

"Hi Amber," Dawnpaw mewed in reply. "What do you want to learn today?" She had been teaching the kittypet about healing and herbs.

Amber shrugged. "I don't know... it seems like you've already taught me everything there is to know!" She mrrowed with amusement. "Perhaps I should start teaching you instead!"

Dawnpaw twitched her whiskers. "I've taught you everything I know," She corrected. "Skycloud would know more..." Her words drifted off quietly.

Amber looked troubled. "Have you thought about returning to your Clan soon? I'm sure they are worried about you."

She nodded. "I have, but how can I go back? They probably think I'm dead, so when I come back, they might be relieved at first but then they'll just be disappointed and angry. Smokepaw will hate me now since I ran away like a coward, and he'll actually probably be a warrior now. I'll have missed Sunstorm's kitting, which should've had been my first kitting I helped with as a medicine cat apprentice. And for all I know, my littermates have been made warriors!"

The kittypet's amber eyes, flecked with green, softened. "It will be hard," She agreed. "But you must trust StarClan to guide you. I have loved having you as a friend, yes, but you have been away from your home too long."

They were both quiet for a long while. "You could come with me," Dawnpaw suggested.

Amber shook her head. "No, I would never fit in. You see, SkyClan was disbanded, then recreated. Over half the cats have kittypet or rogue blood. But LightningClan... your clanmates have the blood of your ancestors. They would not accept me, and I would rather wait forever to return to SkyClan than live in a Clan where I would always be unwelcomed."

Dawnpaw blinked. She is very wise. She can't be more than a season older than me, but she speaks with the wisdom of Skycloud, or Streamstar. "You are right." She meowed regretfully. "You wouldn't belong in LightningClan, just like I don't belong here. I have to go back, today."

"Go, now," Amber mewed. "Let StarClan give you speed and strength for your journey. Go!" Dawnpaw looked at the kittypet for a moment, nodded gratefully, and leapt for the opening the kittypet called a window. Her paws thudded to the ground as she tensed her muscles, then shot off into the trees lining the edge of twoleg place.

She wove between the trunks and leapt over roots, struggling to remember the path she had taken when she had left, almost two moons ago. She stopped at sunhigh to catch a vole, eating the prey in neat bites. After she had filled her stomach she continued onward, scenting the air for signs of the LightningClan border.

By the time Dawnpaw stumbled over the familiar scent marks, the sun was setting beneath the trees. Her paws ached and her stomach growled with hunger, but she knew the camp was not far off. It's good to be back, She thought in wonder, looking around at the undergrowth. Sun Brook was not far away either, just over those rocks and behind some ferns. Suddenly, her nose twitched as she caught a scent. Patrol! Dawnpaw thought, bristling as she tried to remind herself that these were her clanmates, not the enemies she felt like they were.

She waited, crouched on the roots of a tall oak, for the patrol to find her. Dawnpaw heard the crunching of leaves under her pawsteps as Shadewing pushed her way through the bracken followed by Eagleheart, Sablepaw, and Smokepaw.

Her sister's amber eyes widened in shock. "Dawnpaw!" She yelped, being the first to break the heavy silence. Shadewing looked suspicious, Smokepaw angry, and Eagleheart pleasantly surprised.

"I thought you were dead!" Sablepaw mewed, rushing up to Dawnpaw and nuzzling her sister. The mottled she-cat had become even more slender and beautiful over the past moon, as lovely as their mother.

Dawnpaw licked her sister's ear. "I'm sorry," She meowed, and realized she genuinely was sorry. Sorry for hurting Smokepaw, sorry for scaring her sister, sorry for letting down her mentor. Sorry for abandoning her Clan.

She looked up and saw Shadewing studying her curiously. She remembered her from the nursery, being a fierce yet gentle mother. Dawnpaw had heard that Streamstar had picked Shadewing as her deputy for her diplomatic skill and fighting abilities, and she was hardly a cat to be trifled with.

"So, you are back," Shadewing stated, her eyes knowingly flickering around the clearing. The tension in the air between Dawnpaw and Smokepaw was tangible. "Skycloud will be glad to have her apprentice again."

The silver apprentice looked at her paws with shame. "I made a mistake," She mewed softly. "But I would like to rejoin the Clan, if you will have me."

Shadewing shook her head. "You can't rejoin." She meowed, and Dawnpaw's stomach dropped two inches.

"As far as I'm concerned, you never left."

A/N: Just to be clear, cause I was a little confused myself, Shadewing was saying that in her opinion, Dawnpaw had always been a part of LightningClan even when she ran away from them. I PROMISE, for real this time, that the next chapter WILL be up BY WEDNESDAY.

Question this time: If you could save any one- and only one -cat that died in any of the Warriors books, which would you save?

My Answer: There are so many cats I wish I could save- Firestar, Bluestar, Yellowfang, Silverstream, Cinderpelt, Hollyleaf, etc., etc. But I think my choice would have to be Feathertail. :'(, why did she have to die?! I'm curious to read your answers, so let me know. See you by Wednesday!