Hey everyone, sorry I haven't updated in a while - I had major writers block. It's gone now I am happy to say.
Here are my responses to your reviews, both from last chapter adn the one before:
Snowfur - I updated! Squirrelflight's reaction will only be seen next chapter though...
Hollypaw - I love to be loved xD
Pouncepelt - Oooh, very nice prediction. Though a cat doesn't irectly intrude on their meeting you were very close... Sorry about the shortness of the last chapter. In the origional version of TAL there was more of a reunion, but in this one I had more awkwardness between them. That's just my take on what would have happened though...
Sparklingstar -aka Sparkles... - I know, you find a cliff and I'll Nightcloud off of it.
Grace of Masbolle - I'm so happy so many people want a sequal!
Troublestripe - Thanks for your enthusiasm, it rocks! xD I love this story too. Here's a Crowfeather plushy.
Adi Sagestar- Yes, there is dramaticalness just for you ;). This chapter has a lot of Squirrelflight/Leafpool interaction. And they are a lot less awkward around each other this time.
snowybreeze - Here is my update.
shadowwing - Whisperkit is the main character of the sequal, but Flightkit and Stormkit will linger in the background of it.
Tawnyleaf - sorry, I'll try to add chapters faster. The grey toms ARE Crowfeather (or at least images of him) but when it says that her mate wasn't there anymore, it means the cat that loves Leafpool and that Leafpool loves wasn't there. Does that make sense?
PearlaH. Sweden - Squirrelflight doesn't want to shwo Leafpool how much she missed her, because then all the hurt wil come back. She is firendlier in this chapter though.
Dreamingcloud - I love my sotry and love it when others do too. xD
deviL a. waken - The argument between LeafxCrow was because Leafpool was saying how because she wasn't with ThunderClan Cinderpelt died and Crowfeather thought she was saying that she wished she hadn't gone with him and her got very hurt because he thought she didn't love him anymore. THe kits haven't joined the Clans yet, they are still with Crowfeather.
Silverstar's Shadow - Crowfeather IS the best tom in the WARRIORS series. I know - Nightcloud has the most awesome name and she shouldn't! She should be like... Meanheart or something. Okay, that name is just pathetic, I'll think of something for her though...
shadowpup from timbreclan - Yeah, I have that problem. T. Roxie I. -an author on my favorite's list - has a bunch of good names in her "Names" story. If you still have trouble finding some, PM me and I'll help :).
SC-Bradley - I love LeafxCrow too.
euphoricLIES - Here's a shelf to keep your plushies on -tosses shelf-
Spottedfeather - She definatly does xD. Thanks for the compliment!
Kira2667 - I love her too, Leafpool is my favorite cat in the series, next to Crowfeather and Tawnypelt.
Klnsh - Thanks.
Alright, now onto the story!
Thoughts
Disclaimer: I'm not Erin Hunter, don't sue me.
"Squirrelflight?" Leafpool called softly, slinking through the deep shadows of the Island, her tabby pelt glowing silver under the moon. She swiveled her head from side to side, scanning the undergrowth with her wide amber eyes for any trace of her sister's ginger fur.
"Mrrrrrooowww!" a fearsome screech sounded from behind the rogue, making her fur stand on end and her back instinctively arch. She began to spin around to face this unknown intruder, but wasn't quite fast enough. Four paws with outstretched claws connected with her tabby striped back, and she felt pain tear through her as sharp teeth connected with her shoulder.
"Get out of here intruder!" the cat screeched. The voice seemed younger than Leafpool would have expected from the way this cat attacked.
Shaking off her thoughts Leafpool unsheathed her claws and hissed as she flipped onto her back. She heard a satisfying whoosh of air as she knocked the wind out of the cat beneath her. Leafpool scrambled to her paws and turned to face her attacker. To her surprise she saw not a warrior, but a small dark brown tabby apprentice. What's more, when Leafpool parted her jaws slightly the scent of ThunderClan greeted her.
"What are you doing here?" the ThunderClan she-cat snarled, her amber eyes gleaming as she stalked up to Leafpool , pushing her muzzle right up into Leafpool's face.
"What is ThunderClan concerned with the affairs of rogues?" Leafpool asked coolly, forcing her fur to lie flat again.
"ThunderClan makes it a point to drive out all intruders," the she-cat spat, her stiff tail swiping back and forth eagerly, as though she were preparing to spring at Leafpool again, "whether they be ShadowClan, kittypet or loner!"
"This here," Leafpool murmured, waving her tail at the small forest around here, "isn't ThunderClan territory you know. Or has your mentor not taught you that yet ThunderKit?" she taunted.
StarClan, what am I doing? She'll never believe I'm just a passing rogue – how am I supposed to act like one?
"Of course Rainwhisker has taught me that!" the she-cat spat indignantly, "he's taught me everything! But this is still Clan territory, and since you are part of no Clan it is my duty to drive you out." Leafpool noticed that the she-cat looked as though she had beaten a fellow apprentice in an argument over whose pile of fresh-kill were bigger, not like a ThunderClan cat who was about to dive out a loner.
"Sparrowpaw, what are you doing here?"
Leafpool felt relief spread through her as Squirrelflight's familiar voice flooded the clearing. A moment later the ginger warrior emerged into sight, her emerald eyes flashing as she stared at her Clanmate.
Instantly the look of triumph on Sparrowpaw's face faded into a look of guilt. Not meeting Squirrelflight's gaze she scraped her paws nervously across the ground. "I was going to meet Foxpaw here tonight," she mumbled, a look of longing spreading across her face as she turned to look behind her, in the direction of ShadowClan's territory.
Leafpool couldn't help but be alarmed. Foxpaw was training to be a medicine cat – ThunderClan's medicine cat! If he were betraying the warrior code by meeting this she-cat… what would ThunderCLan do?
"But I found this rogue here instead!" snapping her head up Sparrowpaw sent a look of intense anger at Leafpool, and her tabby fur instantly began to stand on end again. "Come on, let's drive her out together!"
"No," Squirrelflight's voice was icy, "you are going back to camp. And tomorrow you will be spending the entire day, if not longer, in camp taking care of the elders and queens." Squirrelflight hesitated for a moment, a softer gleam appearing into her eyes, "I know you miss your brother," she murmured gently, "but if you want to see him that badly you should ask Firestar to arrange it, not sneak out in the middle of the night," Squirrelflight bent her head and gently licked the she-cat's head as though she were a kit, then pushed her towards the bridge with one paw, "now get!" she hissed.
Sparrowpaw sent one last look at Leafpool, but then obeyed Squirrelflight's orders and bounded away towards the fallen tree.
"That apprentice gets into more trouble than a nursery full of kits," Squirrelflight hissed angrily, but Leafpool did not miss the affectionate gleam in her eyes as she stared after the brown tabby. Suddenly a though dawned on Leafpool, and she glanced suspiciously at her sister out of the corner of her eyes.
"Just like her mother?" she mewed slyly, flicking Squirrelflight's ears with her tail-tip.
"Is it that obvious?" Squirrelflight mewed with mock-apallment. After a moment she nodded and murmured, "Sparrowpaw is my daughter, her brother Foxpaw is my son. Brambleclaw and I also have an adopted kit. His name is Runningpaw; Brambleclaw found him when he was less than a moon old by that old abandoned Twoleg nest. We couldn't let him de, so I offered to take him. He is two moons younger than Foxpaw and Sparrowpaw, and was apprenticed a quarter moon ago and is training with Sparowpawto be a warrior," Squirrelflight purred softly, and her eyes gleamed with affection, "Foxpaw is training to be a medicine cat," pride and sorrow mingled in Squirrelflight's face as she spoke of her son, "but it is hard with him living in ShadowClan on all of us, but especially Sparrowpaw. They were so close…" she whispered, turning her head away from Leafpool.
Just like us… Leafpool could practically hear her sister's thoughts.
"Leafpool, there is something I need to tell you," Squirrelflight whispered at last, sorrow gleaming in her eyes as she slowly turned back to face her sister, "the reason why Foxpaw has to train under Littlecloud as a medicine cat. Shortly after you and Crowfeather left our camp was attacked by badgers, they were angry that we had driven them out when we moved into the territory by the lake, and wanted to destroy all the Clans, starting with ThunderClan. During the battle Sorreltail began to kit. Cinderpelt went into the nursery to protect and help her, but a badger broke in…" Squirrelflight's voice quivered and Leafpool felt her mind go numb. She knew already that her mentor was dead, but she hadn't known for sure how she had died. Now she knew it had been her fault, "Cinderpelt sacrificed herself to save Sorreltail and her four kits," as Squirrelflight finished her voice was barely audible over Leafpool's pounding heart. Awkwardly, Squirrelflight wrapped her tail around Leafpool, trying to comfort her sister.
Leafpool welcomed her sister's touch. It had been so long since she and Squirrelflight had been together, and her compassion healed Leafpool better than any herb.
After a long moment Leafpool was finally able to speak past her grief, "What are the kits' names?"
"Molepaw is the only tom; he is a golden tabby like his father. He's my apprentice," Squirrelflight's voice brightened slightly as she spoke of her apprentice, "Honeypaw is also a gold tabby, she is being mentored by Sandstorm. Poppypaw is a tortoiseshell like her mother; she is being mentored by Thornclaw. The last kit is grey with blue eyes and was named after Cinderpelt. Cinderpaw's mentor is Cloudtail. They are all due for their warrior ceremonies soon."
"Beryypaw, Hazelpaw and Mousepaw have already become warriors I assume," Leafpool murmured, remembering the two toms she had seen at the Gathering.
"Berryclaw, Hazelstripe and Mousefang are warriors," Squirrelflight purred, "in fact Hazelstripe just moved into the nursery this morning with Rainwhisker's kits."
Leafpool purred happily, she had always had a soft spot for Daisy's three kits, she was glad to hear that they had at last finished their apprentice ceremonies.
"Speaking of kits," the rogue murmured, "whose kits are Sparrowpaw and Foxpaw?" she had a suspicion, but wanted Squirrelflight to confirm it.
"Brambleclaw's," Squirrelflight mewed proudly.
"So you two worked things out," Leafpool purred, "congratulations."
"Thanks, Ashfur wasn't too happy though," Squirrelflight's voice was regretful as she spoke of her near-mate, "he still won't talk to me or Brambleclaw."
Leafpool rested her tail on Squirrelflight's shoulder gently. "Has there been any news of Graystripe yet?" Leafpool asked, trying to turn her sister's mind away from Ashfur.
"He returned to ThunderClan!" Squirrelflight mewed happily, "He is living with the elders now."
"That must be hard for him," Leafpool murmured, remembering the strong, proud warrior she remembers. She couldn't imagine him in the elder's den, being watched after by apprentices and deemed helpless by the Clan.
"It's harder for the Clan," Squirrelflight snorted, "he amuses himself by stealing the queens' kits out of the nursery and hiding them. He's nearly gotten his ears scratched off by Whitewing on a few occasions. Luckily Ferncloud's two kits are about to be apprenticed, so that's two less kits for the queens to worry about."
Leafpool mrrowedin amusement at the picture Squirrelflight had painted, Graystripe holding a group of kits hostage while Whitewing clawed at his face.
"Which other queens have kits?" Leafpool asked, curiosity nipping at her tail.
"Well there's Whitewing and Ferncloud, they are the only queens who have kitted already, and Sorreltail, Sandstorm and Hazelstripe are expecting." Squirrelflight said, her ears twitching as she listed the names, "I think this is the most kits ThunderClan has ever had at once."
"I can imagine," Leafpool mewed fervently. ThunderClan was going to have its paws full with kits for a long time. "But more kits can only be good right?"
"Yeah," Squirrelflight nodded, "I'm just not sure we'll have enough warriors to mentor them." Suddenly the faintly amused expression flew from her face, and she turned so that she looked directly into Leafpool's face.
"Why did you come back?"
"What?" Leafpool was taken aback by her sister's direct question, as well as the sudden change in topic.
"Why did you come back to Clan territory?" Squirrelflight's eyes were level as she stared Leafpool down. Leafpool knew there was no getting out of this one… she had to tell Squirrelflight about the kits.
Opening her jaws, she took in a deep breath…
Cliffy! Ha-ha!
Sorry that I didn't go into much detail about Runningpaw, there'll be a lot more of him in later chapters I promise.
Also, the part about Graystripe stealing kits was inspired by T. Roxie I.'s character Swiftfoot who did the same thing. I used the idea because it's funny, and am not claiming it as my own. Just making sure no one blows up at me about that...