I was looking at my story and I realized that I now have 31 reviews! That's 11 more than the number of chapters I have (well, more like had now that I've posted this chapter)! So I just wanted to shout out a big THANK YOU! for your amazing reviews! :D Now, as usual, here are my replies to your wonderful reviews!

EradrinSkyleaf: As always, your review made me smile. :) Thanks!

Anova: Okay. XD Sounds good about Aspentail!

Willowdream of ForestClan: I know! Cinderpaw's just great! :D

Now for the rest of Chapter 20!

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS CHAPTER

"S-Smokepaw?" I heard a small voice from behind me and I turned to see the sisters staring at me, looks of awe on their faces.

Vixenpaw stepped forward a pawstep. "I'm Vixenpaw," she said formally. "This is Icepaw." She flicked her tail at her snowy-white sister.

"I'm Smokepaw," I said, sitting down with my tail curled around my paws.

"You… you were really brave," Icepaw meowed. Vixenpaw nodded fervently.

I was getting uncomfortable under the constant attention, so I went right to the point. "I was wondering about… you know, life here. What's it like?"

Vixenpaw and Icepaw looked at each other. After several heartbeats of silence, Vixenpaw finally answered. "Well, for you it'll be better, since you can actually fight. It's all they care about."

Intrigued, I asked, "What, so they don't hunt at all?"

"Well, no, they have to hunt," Icepaw meowed. "But they generally leave that part to the queens and apprentices. They have to hunt for all the warriors as well as themselves, the kits, the elders, and the high-ranking cats."

"The high-ranking cats?"

Vixenpaw looked surprised. "You don't know about the higher ranks?"

I thought back to my made-up past. "I'm from the Twolegplace, remember? I don't know anything, really."

"Well, then. The high-ranking cats include the leader and the deputy. There's also a medicine cat, but he is sort of in a class all by himself. He's not allowed to train a successor until he gets too old to continue his duties and is expected to fight along with the warriors, apprentices, queens, and high-ranking cats."

"Who are the leader and the deputy?" I asked, feeling this would simplify our discussion.

To my surprise, Vixenpaw and Icepaw shrank back fearfully. "We're not allowed to speak their names," Vixenpaw whispered, terrified.

"Okay!" I said, trying to calm the apprentices down. I mentally kicked myself – I was already scaring them and I hadn't even asked them about the Clan group. But I didn't want to just ask them about it while they were scared. There was more of a chance they'd remember I was asking about it and tell Birdclaw about me. So I continued asking about the cats in the group.

"Is this a Clan?" I asked, looking around. "I've heard of Clans that used to live here around the lake."

Icepaw and Vixenpaw looked quickly at each other. It was a fleeting glance, but I still caught the question etched into both their expressions. How much should we tell her? I was suddenly glad I hadn't asked straight out about the Clan group and Ashthorn. If I had, then I might not have made it out of the camp. These two apprentices, harmless as they might appear, were still loyal to their Clan, however strange it may seem to be.

"Yes, there used to be four Clans," Vixenpaw said carefully. "But they had been peaceful for too long. The leaders grew restless and began to attack other Clans."

"A long spell of peacefulness can do that to cats," Icepaw put in.

Vixenpaw nodded. "Exactly. Even though it seems terrible, all Clans need some boundaries; some grudges. They need war intermingled with the peace."

"So they started attacking each other," Icepaw meowed. I noticed that both apprentices were getting caught up in their story and resolved to ask about the Clan group soon, while they were still in a good mood.

"The leaders all died, as well as their deputies," Vixenpaw explained. "Well, except RiverClan. They loved peace so much, they decided to go find a new home away from the lake."

"And the Clans descended into a more organized form of truce," Icepaw finished with a flourish of her tail. "We sometimes fight the other, peace-loving group of fools, but mostly we just learn to survive and help the next generation to survive." She flicked her tail at the trio of kits now tussling again, though I noticed the tom, Thornkit, kept a wary eye out for the warrior who had spoken to them earlier. "The kits are taught good battle moves to help them survive in a world out to get them," she continued. "If they don't learn to fend for themselves, they'll die. It's as simple as that."

These cats really believe in their cause, I realized with a jolt. It's wrong, so wrong, but they actually believe in it. I had to get the information I needed out of them as soon as possible. Glancing up at the sky, I spotted the sun hanging above the trees, slowly descending to the horizon. "What was that you said about a peace-loving group of fools?" I asked, unsheathing my claws and running them along the ground as if sharpening them was really more important than learning about the Clan group.

"Yeah. They've taken up residence somewhere in the old ThunderClan territory, I think. In the camp, probably," Vixenpaw said carelessly. "But do you think you can show us some of your battle moves?" Her eyes were now shining with excitement.

I hesitated. I really shouldn't be teaching moves to the enemy, but it would distract them and let me make my escape. I'd gotten the information I needed – the Clan group was in ThunderClan's old camp. "Well, how about I show you a more basic one? It would be better to build up to those advanced moves I used on Birdclaw."

The sisters shrugged. "Sure," they replied almost at the same time.

"Then watch me."

I crouched, eyes fixed on an invisible opponent. "I have an opponent bigger than me – much bigger. So I shouldn't leap at him because he'd just swat me out of the air. Instead, I wait for him to leap at me, see?"

The apprentices were watching me intently, barely blinking, as if scared of missing a crucial part of the demonstration. They looked a little like owls. I repressed a purr as I concentrated once more on the "enemy".

"Okay, now he's leaped." Quick as a flash, I surged forward underneath him, flipping around and regaining my paws before leaping onto the invisible opponent's hindquarters to land a few blows before backing up again.

The apprentices grinned. "That was amazing!" Vixenpaw exclaimed.

"I wish I could do that," Icepaw sighed, her eyes glazing over as she thought of herself doing that move.

I smiled. I'd made it especially fast for them, so that they'd probably miss a few crucial parts of the move, such as how I'd dug my claws into the ground and how I flicked my tail around to keep my balance as I flipped. "Then how about you practice for a little while? I'd better go hunting for a bit – I didn't bring back any prey earlier."

The apprentices nodded, already beginning to circle around each other to practice the battle move. I backed away a few pawsteps before bounding across the clearing and slipping down the tunnel. It was time to get back to Sootpaw and Rainpaw. They were probably worried sick.

So Chapter 20 is finally done! Did you like it?

AOTD: I was originally planning for three books. According to your reviews, that'll work relatively well.

QOTD: Wow, these are actually getting harder to think of. How about: When do you think Cinderpaw, Sootpaw, and Rainpaw will actually meet their father? Also, if any of you have any questions you'd like me to ask, let me know in a review!

See you tomorrow! Happy Labor Day!