Ravenfrost of RiverClan: Yup the world is painful. And as for the motivation part... We'll see. :)

Announcement: Sorry for slacking off of the uploads I just had a LOT of schoolwork and other life things to tend to. Just be patient! Anyways enjoy! :D

Chapter 26:

Flame:

Age: 25 moons...

I follow Dawn, nearly cringing. I had yet another one of those emotional episodes... And now I brought yet another complete stranger into it. But Dawn seemed different. She just seemed a lot more reasonable and good-humored than Sky or Leafstar.

I try to keep my fur flat as I follow the large she-cat. She wasn't overweight or anything like that... She was well muscled, and just tall in general.

Wait.. Am I seriously staring? I shake my head, clearing it. Stop being an idiot! Flame!

"Watch out!" I hear Dawn hiss. Before I could react I walk head first into a tree, hitting my head against it. Ouch! I see stars in my vision.

"Mousebrain.." Dawn growls, helping me steady myself.

I blink and glance at her. "Sorry."

She rolls her eyes. "Your mind is almost as unusual as your size!"

"Don't even think about teasing me!" I hiss warningly. Realizing that I snapped, I sigh. "Sorry again."

She steps away from me, starting down the trail again. After a few moments she looks over her shoulder. "Are you going to follow me or not?"

I hesitate. "Uh.. Yeah?" We both dont speak as we trudge through the lush green undergrowth. I spent most of my moons living with Sky here, so I knew each and every tree and where it was with my eyes closed. I hadn't really payed attention to the forest and its sounds before, and I found it quite interesting.

(a short amount of time later)

"There you are!" Sky imediately greets us when we get back to the camp. She ignores Dawn after a few heartbeats and sniffs me over, obviously concerned. "Flame.. Im so sorry.."

"Don't be." I mew, thinking carefully about what I was going to say. I notice that almost the entire "Clan" and Sky's patrol was watching from the edges of the camp, curiously. Dawn sits down next to me, her long cream tail resting over her paws. I unnarrow my eyes, letting my green pupils show clearly.

"Where is Sol?" I ask.

"He left in a hurry. I highly doubt he'll be back here for a while." Sky explains. She looks around at her cats."You all are making a habit of staring! Go back to sleep!"

The cats groan, slowly creeping back into their dens. Leafstar flicks her ears at her patrol, and they disapear through the tunnel.

Leafstar sits down beside us. "Shall we get back to camp?" I sigh, glancing at the two she-cats with sorrow. I didn't know what to say... What do you want me to do Hollykit? I know you're listening!

"Of course I'm listening silly!" I drone out the leaders and listen to the StarClan cat's voice. "Listen... I have to return to the skies that StarClan walks. Either you are going with me, or you are staying here just so you have to constantly deal with drama like that!"

Hey! Since when did I say I would go back? I suddenly remember back to the talk I had with the senior SkyClan Warriors. Oh..

"Flame? Hello?" I get brought back to the present when Dawn flicks my ear.

I look down. "What?"

"Go with Leafstar, she's waiting for you."

I hesitate, taking in the sight of the pretty cream-furred she-cat. Sky was staring at me in the corner of her eye, expressionless. "Do you not what to stay with SkyClan? Or do you wish to stay with me?" She asks, her green orbs hopeful.

"Yes!" I answer loudly. "I mean... No. I don't belong there."

I spot Leafstar standing at the exit of the tunnel, waiting for me to follow. She had this look on her face that spoke stories. I could see compassion and understanding there. For whatever reason I wasn't entirely fond of Leafstar, but deep down... I knew she would understand.

She walks up to me, standing beside Sky and Dawn, who was also watching. I sigh and shake my head at her. I loved all these cats. They had helped me time and time again and kept me in the right track. Sky looked crestfallen. Tearing up a little, I stand as tall as I can.

Now it was my turn to choose my destiny!

I first lived with Sky, my adopted mother that loved me dearly. But we could never get along that well like a mother and son should.

Then Leafstar. She was like a mentor to me, teaching me the ways of the Clans so that I could be reminded of my true nature. But I wasn't built mentally or physically to live in the gorge with all those tough cats. I wasn't good at leaping, or keeping up with even the smallest apprentices of SkyClan.

Then there was Hollykit... Who offered me a chance to see what my life could have been. I knew now that I was a ThunderClan cat. She never did tell me what Clan I was originally from, but after hearing many stories about the ThunderClan cats from SkyClan.. I was absolutely certain that I was born there. I wish I could remember my father or my mother. Or even my siblings! She offered me a chance to see them again!

Which could I choose? It seemed so difficult!

Then there was another problem. I didn't want to leave the only cats I've ever known.. Especially Night and his gang. And believe it or not, the cat I was worried about leaving the most was Dawn. She just seemed like the perfect cat to be around. Good humored, always cheerful, definitely the opposite of what I was.. A dramatic, overcritical tom with absolutely zero sense of humor.

I could see her bright pelt clearly in the moonlight. Her amber eyes looked like caramel. Her long fur neatly brushed back to make her look almost like a short-fur.

If I do this, I will sacrifice the chance is seeing any of these cats ever again. I think carefully, under the burning gazes of the three she-cats.

Suddenly Sky speaks. "I see. You wish to return to your real home?"

"I-I..." I hesitate.

"I want to go home, to ThunderClan."

My name is Flame. And I decided.

I will return!