Hey guys! Sorry for the wait but I was sick yesterday and could only write half a page before I gave up. The good news is that I'm better now! Whoop! So I have a question for you guys to ponder (Ooooh big word;)) this book is almost over, there are two more chapters after this one. So my question is do you want them spread out over a long period of time, (And I would like to know how long) or do you want them fast? Know before you decide that I have absolutely no idea where to go from here. I don't have a plot from the next book or a name. I have a very vague idea. The only thing I do have is the first chapter because this one ends in a cliffhanger so I know that the cliffhanger needs to be wrapped up.

Now on top of not knowing where to go next I know I'm probably going to have to figure it out without Echo which is problematic as she's always helped me map out the plots. I don't know what she wants me to do regarding the story, her character, or her kits. I'm trying to get in contact with her through friends but mostly I'm getting: "Well I don't think that will work. I'll try though." Which is siriusly unhelpful. (See what I did there?)

So basically I'm afraid that it's going to take a long time for the next book to come out=( so think on my questions!

Brambletail88- Thank you so much for your support! And while reviewing may seem small it really does lift me up=) So just keep reviewing and we'll be good;) I'm glad you liked the chapter! I always like the ones with cats standing up to the Dark Forest=) Sorry about the wait but I hope you enjoy this one!=)

Graywhisper- Thank you so, so much=) I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! Don't worry I'm definitely relaxing! Hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Spottedmask12- Glad you loved the chapter! As for Moonkit, do kids ever listen to their parents?;) Hope this update wasn't too long! Hope you enjoy it!

Arianna Flamepelt- Thank you for your support=) I'm glad you love the story and I hope you love this update!=)

Oh did anyone catch the Percy Jackson reference in the last chapter? I forgot to point it out :P

Quote time! It's a song lyric today: "It don't matter what you see, I know I could never be, someone that'll look like you, It don't matter what you say, I know I could never face someone that could sound like you" ~All the Right Moves by Onerepublic


Chapter Fifty One

"No Blazefeather." I mew shaking my head at my deputy as we stare out over camp from Highledge.

"Why not?" he asks mulishly.

"Because, and I've told you this before, I'm not comfortable with it." I reply wearily.

"Well I've told you I'm not comfortable with the current situation." He shoots back furiously.

"Well unfortunately for you I am leader and this is what I want."

"Fine." Blazefeather mutters but he's pouting like a child.

"Go visit Creamlight." I tell him as we walk down the path.

"You go visit your kits." He replies. I shoot him a sharp look and he mutters something unintelligible. We go our separate ways at the foot of the path and I wander through camp.

I'm debating checking on the elders when a cat shimmers into existence in front of me. "Hey Feathertail," I mew in surprise, "Long time no see. How was that mission?"

"Long." Feathertail replies with a sigh. "I went to fetch Stormfur and Brook. They have their kits with them so please don't attack them."

Noting how exhausted she looks I nod and mew soothingly, "I'll go meet them. I'll bring Graystripe along too."

Feathertail sighs heavily, "I'll go find them." She shimmers away and I find Graystripe entertaining mine and Echo's kits.

"Hey Graystripe, you might want to see this." I mew joining them.

"What?" Graystripe asks in confusion.

"Just trust me." I say with a small smile. He shrugs and follows me out of the camp. I spread out my senses and find them, not too far down the path from us. I set off along it and Graystripe follows me. Then their shapes appear and six cats come into focus, three just kits and one Feathertail.

I've never met Stormfur and Brook, but I have heard many, many stories. Graystripe gasps and then streaks forward, greeting his son jovially.

"Stormfur! Brook! What are you doing here? And who's this?" he asks looking down and greeting the kits, who look just a few weeks older than mine.

A white she-kit with black tabby markings steps forward and mewls, "I'm Moon."

"Moon Beam that Lights Our Path." Brook corrects gently and licks her ear.

A brown tom with gold stripes joins his sister and mews, "I'm Bramble that Watches Over the Forest." Then he looks up at his mother and asks, "Did I do all right?"

"Brilliantly darling." She replies.

Lastly a she kit with light gray fur moves up and mews, "I'm Feather, Feather Floating on a Gentle Breeze."

"It's very nice to meet all of you; I'm Midnightstar, leader of ThunderClan." I smile lightly and continue, "Please let's get to camp."

They all nod and step forward wearily. Brook and Stormfur pick up the sisters while Graystripe gently lifts up Bramble. As we walk back Feathertail joins my side.

StarClan brought them back to assist in the war against the Dark Forest. She says in my mind as Graystripe attempts talking around the kit in his mouth.

But the kits? I reply feeling worried.

I tried to get Stormfur to leave them but he wouldn't listen to me. I thought they'd be safe with Lark and Pine, that's their older siblings, but something must be wrong in the tribe and he's not telling. Feathertail thinks and I can sense her concern.

Well I suppose they'll be as safe as any of our kits… I reply hesitantly.

They know the risks. They wanted to come just as much as we needed them to.

All right. I shrug lightly as she frowns.

I have to go, StarClan wants my report. And then Feathertail's gone. We round the bend to the thorn tunnel and Stormfur sighs nostalgically.

"It looks just the same." He mews setting down Feather.

"Well," I mew turning to face him, "On the behalf of the entire Clan, welcome home." Stormfur grins widely and we enter camp.

I underestimated just how popular the two of them had been. As soon as we step foot in camp, Squirrelflight gasps, "Stormfur! Brook!", squeals, and runs up to them while the Clan goes into an uproar of surprised delight.

"Stormfur?" Echosong mews coming up behind me.

"Brook?" Nightwhisper asks on my other side.

"Like from the stories?" Echosong continues.

"The ones who went to the mountains?" Nightwhisper mews.

"Yep." I reply.

"But what are they doing here?" Nightwhisper asks sounding bewildered.

"StarClan asked them to return, to help us." I explain.

"But they brought kits." Echo mews in shock.

"Thanks for that brainstorm Captain Obvious." I mew dryly.

"Anytime Lieutenant Sarcasm." She replies with a smile.

I fight my way through the crowd to stand in front of our newcomers, "SHUT IT!" I bellow. They crowd goes quiet.

"Well as you all can see, ThunderClan has some new guests. And as excited as some of you are to see them," I mew my eyes sweeping over the older warriors, "I would ask you to first let them rest before you catch up. They have traveled a long distance and I am sure they and their kits would like to rest. Please let them have this opportunity."

"Sure." Comes the drawling voice of Spiderleg, "But first, enlighten me."

"Trust me I've been trying to." I mutter under my breath before asking louder, "Yes Spiderleg? What is your question?"

"What are they doing here in the first place?" he mews coldly.

"StarClan came to me. My sister Feathertail led us here. She said you needed help." Stormfur mews sounding insulted.

"So to help, StarClan gives us two cats and three kits. Oh yes that makes sense." Spiderleg sneers, rolling his eyes.

"Spiderleg for once in your life hold your tongue. Show some respect!" I snarl. He falls silent but smirks at me, slipping back into the crowd.

Of course he's done what he's meant to – the mood in the hollow has shifted drastically. "Graystripe, Echosong, please get our guests settled. Everyone else back to work. Now." I mew, my voice sharper than entirely necessary.

The crowd disperses and I follow Echosong as she and Brook walk to the nursery, the kits trailing behind them.

"I have to say, I've missed this place." Brook mews with a smile.

"What was all of that noise?" Ferncloud mews as she steps out of the nursery. Then she gasps, "Brook!"

"Hello Ferncloud." Brook mew smiling widely, "How have you been?"

"Uh well, well." Ferncloud mews, recovering from her shock.

Her green eyes sweep over Brook's kits as Brook mews, "Allow me to introduce my youngest kits, Feather Floating on a Gentle Breeze, Moon Beam that Lights Our Path, and Bramble that Watches Over the Forest."

"Oh they are just adorable. Come let's get them in a nest." We enter the nursery and Ferncloud mews, "You can use my nest for now while we make you a new one. How have you been dear?"

"Oh all right." Brook mews with a smile as she settles down into Ferncloud's nest and the kits climb over her.

My kits walk up and so do Ravenclaw's, Eaglekit leaning heavily on Emberkit. "Mommy who is this?" Featherkit asks politely.

"This is Brook and her kits." I mew as an introduction.

"Oh my gosh!" Heatherkit and Hopekit squeal as Lightingkit exclaims:

"Like Stormfur and Brook?! The elders just told us your story yesterday! You guys rock!"

"Thank you." Brook replies with a small laugh.

My pelt warming I hiss, "Lightingkit they're not characters in a story! They're real cats."

"I know that!" he replies with a small pout.

"What are your names?" Moonkit asks bouncing forward.

Bramble pushes himself back up and replies, "I'm Bramble, that's Moon, and that's Feather. 'Night."

"But those are our names!" Moonkit protests with a small frown.

"What?" the three kits asks cracking their eyes back open.

"I'm Moonkit and that's Featherkit." Moonkit replies pointing her tail at her sister.

"Well that's not our full names." Moon replies with a yawn.

"Wha-?"

"Moonkit hush." I mew sternly, "Can't you see how tired they are? Enough questions. You can all get aquatinted later. Come." I shoo all of the kits away from Brook.

"But mum I just wanted to know about them!" Moonkit whines.

"Yeah Auntie!" Eaglekit chimes in, "We just wanna know!"

"And you can find out later. Run along to the elders now, perhaps they can tell you more stories." I suggest, my voice gentler.

The kits shrug and scamper off while Featherkit hangs back, "Could you tell us a story?"

"Tonight love," I mew heavily, "Right before we go to sleep."

"Okay!" she mews happily and dashes off to join her siblings and friends. I watch her go with a sigh before a turn around and head up to my den.

Just after I sit down I hear a hesitant voice call out, "Midnightstar?" The unfamiliar scent of the mountains is strong on him but I can just make out something that smells a little like Graystripe.

"Come in Stormfur." I call and the dark gray tom walks in, his amber eyes worried.

"I just want you to know that we really did get an omen." he mews quickly without preamble, "My sister Feathertail, she died many moons ago, she led us here, helping us with the kits, we didn't just –"

"I know." I mew cutting off his rant, "I know your sister, and I know that you came to help, I detest Spiderleg to be honest. His very purpose seems to be to make my life difficult. I want to thank you for coming here and endangering yourselves and your kits to help us."

Stormfur nods slightly and mews, "How bad is it? I mean Feathertail and Brambleclaw hinted but –"

"They killed Firestar. And half of ShadowClan. Twice. And cats still join them, are still loyal to them." I mew, my voice heavy.

Stormfur sighs and sits down shaking his head despairingly, "What can we do?"

I sigh and reply with, "Live, and fight when we need you to. Right now just you being here has given some heart back to the older warriors. A final battle is coming soon but there will be many more skirmishes along the way. This war isn't measured in winnings and loosings or even a body count. This is a war of loyalty and the only way we can win is by keeping Clan cats loyal to us and destroying the ones who aren't."

He gives a nervous laugh, "That's a tad bit harsh…"

"It's either them or us." I reply heavily, "But trust me I don't like it much either."

Stormfur shrugs slightly and mews, "They're in the nursery I expect?"

"Yes." I mew quietly, "And probably asleep by now."

Stormfur nods and turns to leave before mewing, "I can tell that you're a very good leader. Brambleclaw seemed to have a lot of faith in you, and trust me that's saying something." I give him a small smile and he leaves but I think heavily, it used to.

Then I leave my den and head to the Medicine Den. Snakepaw looks up as I enter and I nod to him before heading over to Ivypool. She's playing half-heartedly with a moss ball. "Ivypool." I mew as I sit down in front of her.

"Oh hello Midnightstar. When can I leave?" She asks quickly.

"When Jayfeather says you can." I mew exasperatedly in answer to her daily question.

"But all of the other cats left ages ago!" she moans.

"All of the other cats were wounded in the battle." I reply.

Ivypool pouts slightly and then asks, "Well what do ya want?"

"Did you get any intel on the Dark Forest before that happened?" I ask.

Her dark blue eyes go dull in disappointment before she mews, "No. I think Blossomfall's either become a full warrior or is still on Clan territory because she was one of the interrogators and she was in the RiverClan battle but I have no idea where she is."

I sigh heavily and bite my lip before mewing, "Well thanks. I'll speak to Jayfeather okay?" Ivypool grins widely at me and I leave feeling even more hopeless than normal.


So how did I do? I figured a lot of cats would be glad to see them again but that it would also bring up the fact that now they have five more mouths to feed and three more kits to worry about. As for the kits I came up with them before Sign of the Moon came out because we always planned on bringing Stormfur and Brook back when Midnight was leader and then when Lark and Pine showed up I just decided they would be their younger siblings. Was anyone else upset that Stormfur didn't name one of his kits after Feathertail? That annoyed me so that's why you get that Feather=)

Hopefully that won't become too confusing…. Oops=) Oh and when Midnight screams "Shut it!" that was influenced by Brave which is an awesomely cute movie=) And the scene in the Half Blood Prince at the Quidditch trials. Ah Ginny=D

So another question: would you guys like to read about Brook and Stormfur's journey back? I'd make it a small little story and I could write it while I'm trying to sort things out with Echo, that way you would still have something to read even while the series is on a hold. It was just an idea that I had while writing this chapter. So let me know what you think and don't forget, the last two chapters soon or not so soon?

Review please guys!

~Midnight=)