A/N: I'm not going to update for some time, so here's a little gift for you. Next update will most likely be somewhere between Jan. 2 and Jan. 8. I'll be gone between then, but I'll find somewhere to update, don't worry. Bringing my USB stick. (see? that's how loyal I am to my readers! lol jk jk jk) See ya laterz!

Apparently StarClan were approving GroundClan so far, so Tinycloud didn't try to stop Sharpclaw as he crept silently through the SkyClan camp toward the Whispering Cave. Rockfall had snarled angrily, but Tinycloud hushed him with a flick of her tail to remain silent.

Tinycloud felt a glimmer of relief as the sun began rising over the gorge and Leafstar padded diligently out of her cave. The SkyClan leader padded calmly over to the two new warriors, who were stifling yawns of tiredness.

"You may speak now," she meowed, and Tinycloud instantly parted her jaw in a yawn. She got to her paws and watched as Rockfall trotted immediately to the path leading up to the warriors' cave.

"Leafstar," Tinycloud murmured, struggling to keep her eyes open. "Sharpclaw came by last night to receive his nine lives from StarClan."

Leafstar nodded. "I figured he'd do that soon."

Tinycloud nodded as well. "Batwing and Night were there, although I think Night has a warrior name now."

Leafstar sighed. "How can StarClan approve of GroundClan?"

Tinycloud shivered, the weight of the responsibility pushing down on her shoulders suddenly unbearable. "Maybe they approve of the idea of GroundClan, just not Sharpclaw's leadership."

"Then they wouldn't grant him nine lives," Leafstar mumbled. "Oh, I don't know, Tinycloud. Everything's so confusing."

Tinycloud brushed her white tail across her leader's flank. "Don't worry." She shivered as she continued, "I'm sure StarClan have something planned."

Leafstar nodded. "Why don't you go and get some sleep? You must be tired."

Tinycloud nodded, and without another word, trotted up to the warriors' cave. She no longer slept in the cosy, easy-to-get-to apprentices' cave at the bottom of the gorge wall.

When she made her way into the cave, she noticed how much bigger it was than the apprentices' cave. It was definitely made for more cats. And to her pleasant surprise, Thorntail was seated patiently beside Brackenpelt and Stormcloud.

"Hello, Tinycloud," the tabby deputy meowed as if he hadn't told her he loved her last night. "I bet Sharpclaw came last night."

Tinycloud nodded, padding over to where her brother was already snoring. "Yes, he did."

"Did you chase him off?" Stormcloud asked.

Tinycloud shook her head. "I have a strange feeling that StarClan approve of GroundClan."

Brackenpelt snorted. "But Sharpclaw is a terrible leader; he'll probably destroy SkyClan before our noses."

Tinycloud shivered at the prospect. Right now, she didn't want to think of Sharpclaw's capabilities.

As Stormcloud and Brackenpelt padded out of the cave, Thorntail made his way over to Tinycloud, who turned away from him purposefully.

"You said that you forgive me," Thorntail meowed lightly.

Tinycloud laughed nervously. "I do. But you can't expect me to act as if nothing happened last night."

Thorntail chuckled. "Right," he meowed. "That."

Tinycloud could feel his icy gazed on her back as she pawed together some moss for a nest beside Rockfall. She wanted to turn and press her nose into his soft tabby fur, but bit back the urge. She could tell that he was waiting for her to say that she loved him too.

Tinycloud sighed and turned around, gently staring into Thorntail's eyes. "I guess I can't hide it anymore," she sighed with a soft purr. "Thorntail, I love you too."

Thorntail's golden eyes gleamed with happiness as he watched Tinycloud curl up inside her new nest. He quickly rasped his tongue over her ears before trotting out of the cave to schedule the patrols and talk with Leafstar.

Tinycloud sighed. She felt relieved that Thorntail now knew of her feelings, and she was glad that he shared them with her. Thank you, StarClan, she thought before slipping into a dreamless sleep.

Tinycloud awoke just as the sun was starting to sink down toward the horizon, melting behind the top of the gorge and disappearing from sight. The white warrior padded with a small yawn out of the den, at first wondering why she was all the way up the side of the gorge. She then remembered her previous warrior ceremony and made her way down to the pile of fresh-kill.

As she trotted down to the main clearing, she noticed that the river had completely thawed and that only small patches of snow remained. Leaf-bare was ending, and soon the bright and beautiful sights of newleaf would be filling the world around the SkyClan camp. The trees in the GroundClan territory would start becoming laden with leaves and prey, along with the river with fish and the small portion of SkyClan territory with trees and undergrowth. Tinycloud could already smell the prey-scent, when she realized that Rainsong was returning with a hunting patrol.

"Good morning, sleepy head," meowed Bouncestep from beside her. He was crouched over a chaffinch.

Tinycloud purred in laughter. "The sun's setting, mouse-brain," she retorted playfully. Without waiting for a response from her brother, Tinycloud reached forward and grabbed a plump water vole from the pile. She dug in hungrily, finishing off the food quickly.

"Hello, Tinycloud," meowed Thorntail from somewhere behind Tinycloud. She looked up eagerly to see the massive tabby tom lingering over her. "Did you sleep well?"

Tinycloud nodded. "Sure did."

Thorntail crouched down beside her. "May I join you?"

"Of course."

Tinycloud noticed Bouncestep's apprehensiveness toward the SkyClan deputy. Especially as Flowerpaw began stealthily making her way over to Thorntail's other side. "Hello, Thorntail," she meowed smoothly, brushing her tail affectionately along the tabby's flank.

"Hello, Flowerpaw," Thorntail replied, and Tinycloud could tell he was dazed by her beauty. But she shoved all envious thoughts away, remembering that Thorntail loved her, not Flowerpaw.

"We're going to train a lot today, aren't we?" Flowerpaw growled in the same voice, staring deep with her golden eyes into Thorntail's.

The brown warrior gulped. "I…guess so."

Before Tinycloud could intervene, the two disappeared down the gorge and into the training hollow. Tinycloud gazed after them and caught a glimpse of Flowerpaw casting a glance over her shoulder, her expression smug.

"That little piece of fox dung!" came the little voice of Mintpaw. "Can't she see that Thorntail doesn't like her like that?" The grey she-cat stared up at Tinycloud. "Thorntail loves you, doesn't he?"

Tinycloud felt her ears grow hot with embarrassment. "Um…" she stuttered.

"Mintpaw!" Petalnose scolded from the other side of the heap of fresh-kill. "Stop being nosy."

Tinycloud chuckled as Mintpaw tried to scuttle away toward her mother, but Bouncestep stopped her. "You're going to have to learn to not run to your mother every time something bad or embarrassing happens."

"Bouncestep's right," Petalnose meowed, although Tinycloud could detect some embarrassment in her tone. "Don't come running to me anymore. You're an apprentice now."

Tinycloud noticed Clovertail gazing at her and her brother from the other side of the flowing river. She got to her paws and padded silently over to her mother.

"What is it?" she questioned, settling down and drawing her tongue across her mother's shoulder.

Clovertail sighed. "I see the way Thorntail looks at you…" she paused and glanced at Tinycloud, "and the way you look at him."

Tinycloud stopped grooming her mother's pelt and looked away, across the river to where she could see Flowerpaw energetically pouncing on Thorntail. "He…well…"

Clovertail sighed. "I know you love each other," she murmured. "Just don't get into too much trouble with him?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Tinycloud asked, resuming her wash.

Clovertail sighed once more. "He seems like the type to get you into trouble, that's all. I don't want you acting like Sharpclaw's treachery is your responsibility, understand?"

Cloudstar, Rainfur, and Skywatcher's prophecies grounded themselves into Tinycloud's heart as she listened to her mother's fretful words. How could she reassure her mother if she knew it was a lie? StarClan obviously wanted her to defeat Sharpclaw, and her mother was against that. Was it possible that if StarClan put her daughter in danger that Clovertail would replace her beliefs with reality?