DappledleafTheBootiful: Maybe, maybe not.

Petalsplash: You'll have to wait to find out!

Braveocelot: Yep, rain makes everything harder.

Gingersplash: Goldensun got distracted, you'll have to wait for her answer.

Silent Shiver: Thanks!

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 36

Grasspaw was crouched beneath a bush as rain poured down from the sky. Water dripped through the branches, making him uncomfortable, but it was better than nothing. He had been hoping to reach Twolegplace before the storm hit, but he had no such luck.

At least my scent will be gone, he thought with some satisfaction. The clan won't be able to find me. But upon thinking that, Grasspaw felt a pang of remorse. Is this really what I want? He wondered. To live life away from the cats I've grown up with? With a sigh, he curled up and fell asleep.

"What do you think you're doing, so far away from your clan?" A voice snapped. Grasspaw blinked open his eyes to find Streampaw standing before him, her silver fur bristling, and her blue eyes, resembling like a raging river. She didn't wait for an answer before continuing angrily, "How do you think your clan feels, now that you've gone missing?"

Grasspaw avoided the StarClan apprentice's stormy gaze, staring down at his paws. "They all hated me anyway," He mumbled, "They wanted me gone."

"You don't get it, do you?" Streampaw continued, she still sounded angry, but her tone was much calmer. "Foxpaw's the only one who hated you. The way she manipulates her words to get into your head, it makes you think everyone else agrees with her when in reality, they don't."

Grasspaw looked back up at the she-cat, wanting so badly to believe her, but not being able to. "Greystorm hates me too," He pointed out.

Shimmerpaw shook her head stubbornly. "Trust me Grasspaw. I might not have ever been part of ShadowClan, but I know what I'm saying. There will always be cats that turn against you and make you feel worthless, but you have to ignore them. You belong in ShadowClan, Grasspaw. You must return to your clan."

The next morning, Grasspaw awoke with Streampaw's words still echoing in his head. I can do what I want, he thought defiantly. It's not up to some dead cat what I do with my life. He then stood up and shook his head.

"Now to go to twolegplace," he meowed to himself as he stepped out of the bush. He began padding away, though it still felt wrong as he got farther and farther away from ShadowClan territory. He instantly cheered up when another thought popped into his head. What if I can find my father? Foxy Roxy had never told them why they had left their father and Grasspaw desperately wanted to meet him.

If he even lives here anymore it would be hard to find him, Grasspaw realized, not quite as excited anymore. But it's worth checking. Even if I can't find him, there must be other cats there that I could become friends with. Grasspaw looked up to realize that the tall roofs of twoleg nests were beginning to appear in the distance. Relieved to finally be close, Grasspaw broke into a jog, which turned into a sprint, as he got closer. As he arrived at the first twoleg nest, Grasspaw spotted two young, long-furred cats perched on a fence. Drawing nearer, Grasspaw noticed they had perfectly groomed fur and collars.

Kittypets, he realized. From what he had heard, kittypets were plump and lazy, but these cats didn't appear to be either. The two kittypets, who he now realized were she-cats, looked pampered, yet fit. The smaller one, spotting Grasspaw, leaped to her paws.

Her pelt, which was the color of snow, bristled fearfully as she hissed, "Back off you rogue! Your kind has caused us enough trouble as it is!" Grasspaw flinched, staring up at the she-cats. It seemed that even kittypets needed to rub in the fact that he didn't belong.

"I mean you no harm," Grasspaw began, but was cut off when the other she-cat snapped,

"That's what they said before they killed my brother!" She hopped from her perch to stand face-to-face with Grasspaw, her red collar jingling as she did so. "I don't care if you had nothing to do with my brother's death, but if you're a rogue, you're trouble," she continued. "So if my friend tells you to leave you better leave." Grasspaw gulped, his throat feeling dry as sandpaper. He didn't want to leave yet, he had just arrived! He had come to the twolegplace to figure out where he belonged, not to be turned back right away.

He bowed his head in a submissive gesture and sighed, "I have lived my life with cats turning their backs on me, telling me I don't belong. I had hoped kittypets wouldn't do the same."

Grasspaw noticed the she-cat's face soften slightly at his words, and heard her friend meow, "Come on Candy Cane, maybe we should give him a chance."

The larger she-cat, who he now knew as Candy Cane, sighed. "Alright, but don't expect me to let my guard down." She then spun around and padded to a nearby twoleg nest, leaving Grasspaw alone with the smaller kittypet, who hopped down to sit near him.

"Don't mind her," she chirped. "She hasn't been the same since her brother's death. I'm Fluffy by the way."

Grasspaw, surprised by Fluffy's sudden cheeriness stuttered, "Oh, I'm Grasspa- Grass." He corrected himself. "My name is Grass." Fluffy regarded him curiously.

"Grass is almost as uncreative of a name as Fluffy is!" She laughed. "You know, there's plenty of room in my home if you need somewhere to stay the night. I'm sure my house folk wouldn't mind." Grasspaw stared at her blankly. They had just met, yet she was already inviting him to stay with her, albeit temporarily. Although the request had come out of the blue, Grasspaw felt a sudden rush of warmth towards Fluffy. Someone was finally willing to accept him, something he had longed for ever since he was a kit.

"Yeah, sure," Grasspaw meowed after a moment of hesitation. "I'm just going to take a look around twolegplace, I'll be back by sunset."

Fluffy's face lit up with excitement, "Great!" she exclaimed. "I'll be waiting." Fluffy then turned around and hopped back over the fence she came from, leaving Grasspaw all alone. He had barely had time to comprehend what just happened when suddenly his surroundings changed, and he found himself face-to-face with Streampaw.

The StarClan apprentice's eyes seemed to resemble a stormy sky as she spat, "Did you not listen to a single word I said? Don't you understand that ShadowClan is where you belong?" A lump formed in his throat as he was reminded of his clan, but he swallowed it down and returned the she-cat's glare.

"You think just because you're dead, you have the power to boss me around and tell me what to do with my life?" He hissed. Streampaw flattened her ears, looking hurt, and Grasspaw continued, "Well let me tell you this, you don't have control over my decisions! Just let me figure my life out on my own, and decide where I belong. Leave me alone, Streampaw, I don't want to hear from you again." Streampaw's eyes filled with tears, and she took a step back.

"Fine!" She snapped, turning away. As the world blurred around him, he heard her call, her voice full of bitter remorse, "But don't expect me to come to help you when you need me! You're on your own now!" Grasspaw shook his head, as his vision faded away and came back to reality. He felt bad about how he had treated Streampaw but felt it was the best decision for him.

I need time to think for myself, he told himself. With that, he began padding deeper into the twolegplace, his paws tingling with excitement at what he might find.

After spending the rest of the day exploring, the sun was beginning to set and Grasspaw was ready to go back to Fluffy's twoleg nest. He turned around to head back but stopped in his tracks when he heard a mocking voice behind him.

"Look Claw, a little kitty's wandered into our alley." Grasspaw spun around to face two cats, a sleek black she-cat and a brown tabby tom. The brown tabby took a threatening step forward, and Grasspaw took a step back.

"Oh, is the poor kitty scared?" The tom sneered.

The fur along Grasspaw's spine lifted, and he hissed, "I'm not scared!" The she-cat laughed, rolling her ice-blue eyes.

"You hear that, Claw? The runt's not scared." She fixed her cold gaze on Grasspaw, making him shiver. "He should be." She flicked out her claws, almost in a dismissive gesture. Grasspaw backed up, only to find himself pressed against a hard, cold brick wall. He was trapped. As the cats approached him he slid out his claws. I'm not going down without a fight. As he braced himself for their attack, he became aware that another cat was standing not too far behind the other two.

Grasspaw's heart sank further, knowing he'd have no chance against three rouges when the mystery cat raised his muzzle to the sky and let out an earsplitting screech. "Leave him alone!"

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