Leopardstep padded away from Sharpfrost, barely able to keep the bounce in her paws to herself. He... He asked me to meet him! Her black and white pelt quivered with excitement. Is there any chance? No... why would he like me? Leopardstep stopped walking for a moment and looked down at a puddle, studying her reflection. I'm not one of those pretty slender she-cats who are always happy, I'm almost as big as Sharpfrost. And I'm not a beautiful calico like Lilyheart or a pretty brown like Shadewhisker. I have random patches of black and I'm never as happy as some cats.

But... why would he invite me then? Hope rose in her chest.

Leopardstep thought over that question the whole day. Thankfully her brothers hadn't bothered her, yet. She waited excitedly for dusk and once the sun begun sinking she immediately went to her nest. The night dragged on, as she lay there, waiting for the Clan to fall asleep. The black and white she-cat could tell that her brother, Foxfoot who had his nest in between hers and Larchclaw, was still awake due to his tail tip flicking up and down every few seconds. Please go to sleep! She begged him silently.

A few moments later, Foxfoot and Larchclaw stood up slowly. Leopardstep watched them with one eye slightly open, curious. They made to leave the den, and Leopardstep tried not to flinch as Foxfoot's tail tip brushed her face accidentally.

Leopardstep waited a few heartbeats before standing up and stalking out of the den. She quickly snuck out of camp and could smell her littermate's scents. She stood in the cold forest for a second, feeling torn. Should I follow Larchclaw and Foxfoot and find out what they are doing.. or go to Sharpfrost? I.. I promised Sharpfrost I would be there.

She turned and started walking towards the meeting place, her fur quivering with excitement. Leopardstep was almost there when she heard a soft voice. "-Has agreed to my plan. It's already in motion. The dogs-" The voice continued but Leopardstep was to far away to hear the rest. Who's? Foxfoot or Larchclaw? But... It was a she-cat. I need to find out. Leopardstep looked over to where the meeting place would be. It was quite a few fox-lengths away, and she couldn't tell is Sharpfrost was there or not.

"I'm sorry Sharpfrost." She whispered. "ButI have to put my Clan above my feelings."

The black and white she-cat turned to where the voice had come from and stalked forward. Leopardstep shivered as something cold landed on her back, and she realized it had started snowing. She shook out her pelt and continued walking towards where she thought her brothers were, and the cat who'd spoken.

"Him?" Leopardstep heard a cold laugh, and she froze, crouching low to the ground. "He's nothing, that stupid tom thinks he has me on a leash, he's wrong. As soon as I don't need him anymore I'll..." another laugh. "Get rid of him."

Leopardstep barely had any time to react as the voice continued; "Anyways, WindClan will fall first, when I give the signal you two will come to WindClan camp and assist the others with taking over. I will be keeping a eye out for the five."

The eavesdropping warrior gasped and stepped back, accidentally snapping a twig. She froze, hoping the cats didn't hear her. The shadow of the female's head raised. "What..?" The head snapped towards Leopardstep. "Get her!" She said loudly and Leopardstep could hear two other cats moving quickly towards her.

She stood her ground, and her heart sank as Larchclaw and Foxfoot walked out of the bushes, malice glittering in their identical eyes. My littermates.. They are making plans to take over the Clans.

Leopardstep knew that they hated her, but she didn't know this.. how could they?

The black and white she-cat felt a small part of her break as Larchclaw laughed at her shocked expression.

"Why?" She choked out. "Why are you doing this?" Leopardstep could sense that the mysterious she-cat, the assumed leader, was long gone.

Larchclaw and Foxfoot stepped closer to her and Larchclaw grinned madly. "I should have been chosen to be a leader! You're nothing! I'm better then you at everything, you don't deserve anything you have been given, if I do this everyone will know my name as second in command of all of the Clans!" His words were terrible, but she felt responsible.

Leopardstep closed her eyes, she'd known there'd always been a darkness in Larchclaw, even as a kit he never noticed the small things. "What about you?" Her heart twisted harder as she turned her gaze onto Foxfoot. "You-You promised me. As kits." Her voice cracked as the memories flooded back to when the three were kits. Everything had been so simple then. "You promised me we would always be together." What had happened to him? He'd been so sweet as a kit.

Foxfoot refused to meet her gaze until Larchclaw nudged him. "You were foolish to believe me. I am apart of something bigger now." He said, narrowing his eyes.

Leopardstep shook her head in disbelief. Calm down, Leopardstep. You have to challenge them. They're attempting to take over the Clans. Deal with your stupid emotions later.

She steeled her gaze and glared them, "I can't let you return to camp." Leopardstep unsheathed her claws, lowering her body up into a defensive crouch.

Larchclaw laughed loudly. "It's two against one, sister, what are you going to do?"

Leopardstep growled and leaped towards the two, hoping to surprise them. Larchclaw slipped under her and the black and white she-cat crashed into Foxfoot instead. her orange brother snarled at her and lashed out, giving her a small wound on her hind leg.

She stomped on his tail, making him hiss with pain, and began aiming blow after blow at him. Foxfoot tugged away from her, stood tall, and leaped. Leopardstep ducked underneath him and Foxfoot flew into Larchclaw who was stalking behind her, knocking the two to the ground.

Foxfoot said something to Larchclaw quickly and the two stood back up. "Stop this. We all need to get back to camp." Foxfoot was favoring his right forepaw, and Leopardstep felt triumphant about that.

She growled at them. "Why would I let you go back?!" The fur on her neck rose angrily.

Larchclaw purred at her. "Good luck finding proof of what you heard." He and Foxfoot turned, heading back to camp.

Leopardstep watched in shock as they walked away from her. They're right, she realized. I don't have any proof... She padded solemnly back to camp, slipping into her nest next to Foxfoot's. She sniffed, trying to ignore her brothers. Her leg stung, but didn't seem to be bleeding.

Leopardstep pushed her head into her paws. Don't cry. Don't cry. She pleaded with herself. After long a while, she finally drifted off to a uncomfortable sleep.

—

She stumbled out of the Warriors den and sat down in a corner of the camp, still in slight shock from what happened the night before. I always knew Larchclaw was capable of this, even as a kit he always liked the villains in the elders story's and he held this kind of darkness inside of him. But... Foxfoot, he was the opposite of Larchkit. We were best friends, until that one day when I came back from seeing my friends. He changed so suddenly.

"H-Hey are you okay?" Leopardstep was so deep in thought she didn't notice the tom walking up to her. She looked and it was Icefur, Snowdrop's brother. He was a dark gray-blue tom with bright, kind amber eyes.

"I'm fine," She said, faking a smile. She could see he didn't believe her.

"Oh, okay then. U-um, what are you doing?" He asked.

Leopardstep shrugged. "Nothing really, I just didn't sleep that well last night." That's the understatement of the season.

Icefur nodded, flustered. "O-oh. Sorry for bothering you then." His ears twitched nervously. He backed up a few steps.

"Wait!" Icefur turned back to her. "...Can you stay for a little bit? A-and talk?" Leopardstep looked down awkwardly. Oh fox-dung, that sounded really weird. ...But, I'm lonely.

"Sure!" Icefur said, sitting down next to her. He smiled, and she managed a weak one back.

They began talking, just normal talking, about the Clan. It felt nice to have a normal conversation with someone, Leopardstep realized. No talking about weird Moonpool dreams, no evil brothers taking over the Clans, no impending doom looming over them.

As they sat in the cold snow together, Leopardstep slowly cheered up. This is actually quite nice, she thought contentedly.