Okay I got bored so I'm posting another chapter. This chapter is crucial to the whole story.

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-Lilith

Ashclaw surprised me that afternoon.

"Twigpaw, I want you to come with me to see Grey tonight." He said as he approached me.

I almost choked on the trout I was gnawing on. Looking around, I made sure we were completely alone. Lucky for me, Thymepaw was out with her mentor on a hunting patrol, the other apprentices were nowhere to be seen, and Jayflame had called our training session done early so she could spend time with Ospreytalon. It was just a couple of cats dotting here and there, since everybody was either on border patrols or hunting patrols.

"Tonight?" I asked, still surprised.

"Yes, tonight." He hesitated for a moment before adding on more. "I know that you are nearing your warrior ceremony, and I want you to see Grey one time as an apprentice. I was your age when I first met Grey, you know."

I was still in shock. "Is there some motive I need to know about?" I asked, wondering if I was missing something.

"No. Just want you to see your mother." His reply was honest enough that I believed it.

"Oh, okay." I say, and then to busy myself I continue eating on the fish, trying to ignore the sudden uncomfortable silence.

"I should warn you." He said after a moment. "She doesn't know whether or not you're dead or alive."

I choked yet again. "Didn't you tell her about what happened?" I asked.

"No."

"Why not? She deserves to know."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Think about it: if she knew about RiverClan, what would she do? She would try to find it, and might get bullied by Stoneheart or stumble into enemy territory or something that will scare her half to death. She won't let me leave her and the kits alone again."

I opened my mouth before shutting it, realizing it was pointless. He was right. It was dangerous to tell Grey about everything.

"So what's my cover story?" I asked.

"You lived wild in the woods for the entire time, and I, of course, was with you the entire time. Nothing about RiverClan or Blazingstar or Thymepaw: just say vaguely that you lived wild in the swamp with me. Got it?"

I swallowed before replying. "Got it."

I didn't want to lie to Grey: it seemed so wrong and kind of a fluff-brained move. But I trusted Ashclaw, no matter what he pulled me through.

Deep down, I hope he's right.

*Later that night*

"Are you sure this is the right way?" I asked him, peering through the trees as I tried to remember the correct path I had taken many moons ago but for a different reason.

"Positive." Ashclaw responded, sounding sure ahead of me.

We had left right after the last border patrol left the camp. Blazingstar volunteered to lead the patrol, along with Stoneheart, Owlflight, Yellowfur, and Mosspaw. Thymepaw turned in early as well, claiming she had work to do in the morning: helping Firepaw prepare for her warrior ceremony.

Firepaw had a strange case. She was supposed to have received her warrior name moons ago, but when Yellowfur caught her sneaking out she had the ceremony delayed. Lizardpaw, Viperpaw, and even Goldenpaw received their full names: Lizardpaw became Lizardtail, Viperpaw changed to Viperfang, and Goldenpaw received her medicine cat name, becoming Goldenpool. Firepaw remained an apprentice for a few moons, watching her old denmates becoming warriors without her. While she told everybody she wasn't jealous, I could see the envy in her amber eyes when she watched Lizardtail lead a patrol, or Goldenpool taking Daisyleaf's place to go to the Moon pool.

Even though I was alone in a sense, without the comfort of my friends or my mentor, I was excited.

"I can't wait to see them!" I exclaimed, remembering when Robin was little and when Grey would have to keep us from messing with the old, mangy dog that used to live near us. Had they changed? I knew that Robin had, of course, but only in size. Would they still greet me as one of them, still count me as family, even though I hadn't seen them for many moons? I didn't know.

The trees suddenly ended, and I was facing the street. Dirty, littered with small rocks, cool to touch, still and lifeless. The old willow was still there, but I could see streaks of green in its branches: it was still thriving, even after the cold bare-leaf. The moon cast its light, revealing small patches of grass and weeds that grew in clumps along the edge of the curb. Across the street, the pile of Twoleg trash didn't seem as threatening and overwhelming as it did when I was a kit.

While these were only small changes, the biggest change was the additional three cardboard boxes.

These looked exactly like the box Grey used to live in, but these were less weathered, not as flimsy. While Grey's box had creases and marks to where it had almost flipped over, these were unblemished. All were dark and still, no sign of life in them.

I looked up at Ashclaw questioningly. "Grey made Robin, Blue, and Branch get their own boxes since they were too big to share the box with her anymore." He told me, understanding my confusion.

We stood there for a minute, drinking in the place. It was filthy, it was ratted and torn down and not the perfect place for a rogue to live in. But as I stared at it, my heart swelled in my chest, and I knew that it was a perfect of a place as RiverClan was.

"Well, let's go. Grey will be expecting me." He said, and we crossed the cool, gritty street with soft strides.

As we did, we heard a rustling sound, and then a gasp. Grey bounded out of the first box, eyes wide as she skidded to a stop. "Twig?" She asked, as if she wasn't sure she was seeing me or not. Then she rushed forward, totally ignoring her mate, to my side and began bombarding me with questions and licking.

"Where have you been?" She asked between licks as she smothered my face. "Why haven't you visited? How long have you been gone? Have you eaten at all? I hope you haven't been getting into trouble, since not only will you have Ashclaw to answer to-

"Grey, I'm fine!" I say, and she stops to get a good look at me.

"You look well fed. Not many scars. Have you been hiding in the woods all this time?" She asked me.

The commotion brought out my littermates. They stared at me with confusion, then shock, then joy as we all reunited.

And for once, even after a long time, I felt completely whole.

So yes, I may post another two to three chapters before finishing the whole thing off with an extra chapter that has nothing to do with the story (a thank you, this is how I got my inspiration kind of chapter) before starting on the next story, which I am going to do in Thymepaw's POV.

Also if you have specific questions/requests that you want to be answered (Where did I get the idea for Falling Twig? Who did I base Twigpaw's character off of? How long do you plan for this story to be?) Please either PM me or ask in the form of a review. That would be awesome.

Also the number for my poll has changed: seven people have voted. One says maybe, seven yes. Only three more to go for yes and then I will definitely post a little story for Petalpaw! Keep up the good work!

Comment!

-Lilith