Steel Plated Bambi: Because you seem to care, I'll go ahead and update for you. But please review every chapter, because I really am getting tired of seeing 69 review stories with only a few chapters. I am so serious right now it's not even funny. Oh yeah, and check your email because I sent you a private message replying to your review. XD There is happiness in Leafpool's future. ...Just not now...

THERE IS A POLL ON MY PROFILE NOW PERTAINING TO THIS STORY, PLEASE GO AND VOTE IF YOU CARE! XDD!

StarClan Bless,
Gladewing

"Do you want to come hunting with me?"

"No, Spiderleg. I need to be alone."

"You may need help gathering herbs..."

"Don't follow me, Spiderleg."

Leafpool walked alone. Her beautiful, light brown tabby fur was fluffed out against the chill, and the tentative light of a crescent moon shone down and gently touched her white chest and delicate paws to a pretty shade of silver. But at that moment, Leafpool felt anything but beautiful. She felt like a rogue, ragged and torn and adhering to no code of nobility, no honor of a warrior. She felt low, like she'd dipped further than any traitor had ever dipped before - she felt lower than Tigerstar, which was saying something. She felt lower than Bramblestar, who she was convinced had killed her father and thus caused her mother's suicide. She felt lower than Hawkstar, who she was just as convinced had been the one to convince Bramblestar into treachery to begin with.

She felt so low, she might as well have been walking in the Place of No Stars, were not the stars still twinkling disapprovingly in the sky.

Don't hate me. StarClan, don't hate me. I love them so much...

A twig broke behind her. Such was the medicine cat's depression that she didn't react. She stared straight ahead as the lake lapped at her silver-tipped paws.

"Leafpool..." whispered a voice gently.

Leafpool finally tore her eyes from Silverpelt and looked to see an all-too-familiar gray-black pelt, turned as silver as her paws in the moonlight. She gazed deeply into his bright blue eyes. "Crowfeather..." she murmured. With her rush of love for him she felt, if it was possible, even lower. Not only was she disloyal to StarClan - and then Crowfeather with her love for Spiderleg - but now Spiderleg as her feelings for the gorgeous WindClan warrior resurfaced.

"Do you need to be alone?" asked Crowfeather softly.

He isn't WindClan anymore. He's LionClan, like me...

Without a reply from her, Crowfeather stepped back, his paw brushing against the broken twig again, and she meowed quietly, "Please don't leave me, Crowfeather."

The warrior's voice grew hard. "Do you mean leave you now? Or leave you for life? Because, baby, you left me, and you said for life."

"I don't know," whispered Leafpool, every word rubbing her throat raw. "Just please don't leave me."

Crowfeather stepped closer, and his pelt brushed against hers she felt that familiar shiver that raced first through the fur along her spine, then in her nerves. She couldn't stop herself; she pressed close to his side, a gentle purr forming in her chest. Moving slowly, he very gently pushed her down, and she did nothing to stop him.

A while later, she lay staring up at the stars with him, and only then did she remember the words of the voice on the whipping gale: Your kits will be both Crowfeather's and Spiderleg's.

She murmured, turning her head to stare into Crowfeather's deep, attentive eyes, "Can I please be alone for a while, Crowfeather?"

He seemed to understand. With only a loving look at her he padded away, but she knew he'd never understand. He had no idea of her relationship with Spiderleg, just like the long-limbed warrior had no idea of her continued love for Crowfeather.

It is the same with Squirrelflight.

Leafpool beseeched the glittering stars for an answer to her uncertain question. What had Squirrelflight done? It couldn't be anywhere near as bad as Leafpool's betrayal; after all, her sister was no medicine cat. But it still gnawed at her heart that Squirrelflight had done something, and she just didn't know what...

She narrowed her eyes. Her sister's kits would be born in a moon and a half, if she went through the typical three-moon gestation period. Maybe then she would know who the other father was.

Meanwhile, she had to think about her own problems - which were gigantic. She felt the whole of the world on her shoulders as she lay down by the lakeshore and closed her eyes.

A rather short chapter, but an update nonetheless. REVIEWS. I'm serious. REVIEWS.

I looked up a cat's gestation period - it's about 63 days, so Squirrelflight's expecting time should be about correct.