Chapter 36:
Lakestar took a deep breath before scrambling up Sugar's fence. "Sugar?"
"Lake?" The tabby she-cat plodded out from behind a rose bush. "What are you doing here again?"
"I came to say I forgive you." Lakestar meowed. "And my name is Lakestar."
Sugar's eyes pooled with relief. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that . . . Lakestar."
Lakestar looked over her shoulder. She would need to go soon.
"Listen, Lakestar before you go," Sugar hesitated. "Your brother has something to ask of you."
"My brother?" Lakestar asked in confusion.
"Yes, your half-brother Tuxedo." Sugar replied.
"Oh. Right." Lakestar nodded, remembering now.
"Yes well, he and his mate Lily have something to ask of you." Sugar began again.
"What?" Lakestar asked uneasily.
"They have two daughters, Breeze and Feather." Sugar continued. "And they want them to live in Windclan with you."
"Sugar, we've been over this. It is very difficult living in Windclan." Lakestar sighed heavily.
"Please Lakestar." A pale gray and white she-cat approached them with a silver tabby and a black she-cat with a white chest following her. Tuxedo trailed after them.
The younger she-cats appeared to be around seven or eight moons, not much older than Echostorm's kits.
"The black one's Breeze and the tabby is Feather." Tuxedo meowed.
"What are they talking about?" Feather whispered to her sister.
Lakestar looked away from her nieces. "Why do they want to live in Windclan?"
"We don't want to!" Breeze's eyes widened.
"Hush." Lily ordered them. "My housefolk are talking about taking them away."
"Why can't they stay with their father?" Lakestar glanced at Tuxedo.
"My housefolk doesn't like Tuxedo living with us, he'd never allow Breeze and Feather to stay." Sugar explained.
"We can stay in the barn" Feather suggested.
"No." Lily snapped. "You're going to live with Lakestar."
"Nothing's decided." Lakestar meowed hastily.
"Please?!" Sugar begged.
"Alright fine." Lakestar relented.
"Thank you so much!" Lily's eyes brimmed with gratitude. "Off you go." She nudged Breeze forward.
Breeze stumbled forward a few paces. "Why don't you want us?"
Lily closed her eyes. "Come on Tuxedo." She turned around and padded away.
Tuxedo hesitated before following.
~*O*~
"What are you going to tell them?" Feather asked curiously.
"That I found in the Twolegplace and you'll be joining." Lakestar replied.
"Huh." Breeze growled. The black she-cat seemed far more upset than her sister about the transition.
"More kittypets?" Hazelmist asked incredulously.
Lakestar took a deep breath and jumped onto the Tallrock before calling the clan together.
When every cat was in the clearing, Lakestar told them the vague story.
"You just found them?" Jaggedclaw tipped his head to one side.
Lakestar nodded slowly. "Yes."
Jaggedclaw shrugged and sat back down.
"Now, Breeze, Feather, are you sure you want to be Windclan cats?" Lakestar asked the two she-cats.
"Like we have a choice." Breeze muttered.
"Feather, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Featherpaw. Your mentor will be Grayleaf." Lakestar ignored Breeze's ill temper.
"Breeze, you will be known as Breezepaw and your mentor will be Grasstail."
"Breezepaw. Featherpaw." The clan sounded uncertain as they called the new apprentice's names.
Lakestar flattened her ears. Her clan would never accept outsiders, not even her.
~*O*~
"Lakestar, you need to see this." Rosewind meowed uneasily.
"What is it?" Lakestar yawned. "Shouldn't you be resting? It's not even dawn."
"This can't wait." Rosewind shook her head.
"Alright, I'm coming." Lakestar murmured, following the medicine cat out.
~*O*~
"Where are we going? We're really close to the Twolegplace border." Lakestar meowed uneasily.
Rosewind stopped abruptly. "There."
"What is it?" Lakestar lowered her head and sniffed what appeared to be a silver chunk of fur. "Darkfang?"
Rosewind nodded. "She left, Lakestar."
"Darkfang never would." Lakestar argued.
Rosewind sat down. "She didn't leave the clan, she left."
"You mean she died?" Lakestar frowned.
Rosewind hesitated and shook her head. "I'm not sure but I know she hasn't abandoned the clan."
"How do you know that?" Lakestar asked slowly.
Rosewind sighed. "I just do. I'm going to have to leave soon too."
"Did she tell you where she was going?" Lakestar demanded.
"No." Rosewind replied firmly.
"Where are you going?" Lakestar shifted her weight.
"I'm dying, Lakestar." Rosewind answered. "I have been for a while."
Lakestar bit her lip. She knew this was coming, Rosewind was the oldest cat in the clan now, but she still wasn't prepared. "Then I guess we should go back to camp." She meowed softly.
Rosewind closed her eyes. "Yes, I suppose we should."
(Sorry for taking so long to update everyone. Life has been hectic since school started again and my mom is flipping it because I have a C in algebra)