I'm sorry for the long break between chapters, but here it is. This chapter is longer than usual because it was originally written to be two individual chapters. But after reading a couple of the reviews, I decided that it was best to combine them and get the journey over with. I don't want to drag it out too much. I might have to combine some chapters later to speed things up again too.

Russetmoth2786: Yes, we will be getting a Firestar chapter next. Firestar's chapters will be pretty spread out at the start of this story because he is trapped in a Twoleg's nest, but I promise that his plot will start up soon. It's just a little difficult balancing his timeline with Graystripe's, while keeping them both interesting.

Chapter 10 (G):

Graystripe couldn't help but think that the bleak, harsh landscape of the mountains reflected how he felt. The hard stone beneath his paws offered little prey, and the sharp cliff edges prevented any trees or bushes from growing well. The gray sky above only dampened his already depressed mood, and the freezing air made it hard for him to want to leave his nest in the mornings.

He padded onwards with his Clanmates, though his instincts told him to turn back. There was no prey here, or shelter, or herbs. And large birds, screeching eagles and searching hawks circled overhead, threatening to swoop on any kit that strayed too far.

But he complained very little as Brambleclaw and his journeymates padded confidently, leading the many cats up winding paths or along thin ledges on the sides of rocky cliffs. Many times the group had to stop to leap across freezing mountain streams or to address bleeding pads when paws were cut on a sharp rock or the rough stones.

Graystripe himself was the cause of many stops. The harsh cold air and stone did very little to help his injuries. Each day he woke up with a stiffness in his shoulder and a terrible ache in his tail. Cinderpelt was treating him with small daily doses of strengthening herbs and poultice of marigold, suggested and supplied by Barkface. She even created a bind to keep his tail still but he had hated the restriction it brought and soon took it off. Early in their journey, Mothwing also suggested that he slept on some comfrey leaves overnight, a solution that Graystripe rather disliked despite its effectiveness.

"I swear to StarClan," Graystripe mumbled the morning after he first slept with the large leaves under him. "I get treated like an elder more and more every day." Unfortunately, this herb treatment hadn't lasted for long. When they reached the mountain, the herb disappeared and Cinderpelt had to save the meager remains of the leaves for more dire situations.

Today, however, it wasn't Graystripe's pain that had caused the cats to stop for a rest. Graystripe was summoned by a RiverClan warrior to join the leaders and the traveling cats for a discussion. Huddling under an overhanging rock and crouching beside Tallstar, he listened as Leopardstar voiced the concerns that they all had.

"For much farther is the Tribe?" Her fur bristled as she confronted Stormfur. "We have been traveling in the mountains for four sunrises now! Our kits and elders are beginning to get hungry."

Stormfur, who was standing alongside the other journeying cats, waved his tail confidently. "Not much longer, Leopardstar." He assured her. "And the warriors are getting better at catching these hawks. Tornear and Russetfur both brought back large birds from their hunting patrols this morning."

"But most patrols return with empty paws." Tallstar sighed. "We are not fit for this landscape. If we don't find shelter before long, I'm afraid that we may begin to lose cats again."

"We won't," Tawnypelt told them. "We have followed this trail before, and it will not be long before we find the cave." Brambleclaw nodded in agreement beside her.

Graystripe was quiet during the meeting. He watched the journeying cats with quiet interest. Though each of them were more comfortable than their Clanmates among the barren and cold landscape, he saw that Stormfur was the most confident of them all.

He had watched his son lead many successful hunting patrols, leaping easily from rock to rock and returning with prey after most outings. His pelt blended in with the stone around him, and Graystripe thought that Stormfur looked like he had lived there his entire life. He weaved among his Clanmates and offered them experienced guidance and wise suggestions. Stormfur carried little hesitation, even on the most precarious edges that the Clan cats braved.

"We have already lost cats, Tallstar." Blackstar's claws flexed on the stone as he growled. "Need I remind you?"

Tallstar closed his eyes, and Graystripe looked away. Everyone remembered Smokepaw, the young ShadowClan apprentice that had been lost as a large piece of rock crumbled underneath his paws. The apprentice had been quickly taken by the sharp abyss, and there was no way for any cat to try and retrieve him. Then Tumblekit of RiverClan was almost taken by an eagle as well, but was luckily saved by the swift actions of Brackenfur.

Graystripe was very thankful that none of his cats had been taken from him. Ferncloud was growing stronger with time, and Longtail was keeping up well with the help of rotating warriors. Birchkit was growing too, which Graystripe was pleased to see. The young tom was very mature and aware of his surroundings for a kit, and he listened well to the warriors. It seemed as though each of his Clanmates were growing stronger. Everyone except for him.

"Graystripe! Would you come here?"

Graystripe backed away from the leaders politely and stepped out from underneath the overhang. Out in the open, light snow was beginning to fall. It had begun to fall yesterday and had continued through the night. Now all of the rocks were beginning to gather a thin layer of white, broken only by the pawsteps of the Clan cats.

"Graystripe, I want you to share this hare with me."

He came to a stop in front of Cinderpelt and looked down at the white rabbit at her paws. It smelled of ShadowClan, so he knew that one of Blackstar's warriors must have caught it. But Graystripe wasn't hungry and he didn't understand why she had taken him away from the meeting for a snow hare.

"Come and sit." Cinderpelt picked up the prey and carried it so that they could sit along one of the stone walls. It was a good distance away from other cats, more of a private spot. He followed her and settled down on the cold stone beside her, his eyes wandering back to where Leopardstar was still questioning Stormfur and the others. Cinderpelt took the first bite, then nosed the prey towards him invitingly.

"I'm not hungry," He told her.

"That's mouse-dung," Cinderpelt told him, though her voice was not harsh. It reminded him of Ferncloud's tone when she spoke to her kits. "Now eat."

Graystripe looked at the prey with distaste. So many other cats around him needed the prey more than he did. Frustration began to build in him and he said, "Why don't you share this with Goldenflower instead? She went all yesterday without a bite to eat. Or I'm sure one of WindClan's elders would appreciate the offer."

"You look as bad as when we first left the forest, Graystripe. If anything, you may even be thinner." Cinderpelt said more firmly now. Her tail twitched with her hardened voice. "I can see it, and so can everyone else. You may not hear them talking about it, but I do. Cats are getting concerned for you. Just earlier today, we had to stop traveling because you got too dizzy to walk. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep going on like this."

Graystripe didn't hold her gaze. He stared angrily down at the food, feeling hot under his pelt. Were cats really talking about him?

"Leopardstar had called a discussion," he tried to escape Cinderpelt's words. "You pulled me away from that."

"The faster you eat, the faster you can go and join them again."

Graystripe just stared at the prey with another few long heartbeats. Then, he reached forward and began to pull at the prey. He worked half-heartedly until he reached the meat. The prey was still slightly warm, but the stone was stealing it quickly. He felt Cinderpelt's gaze on his pelt as he continued to eat a few more bites of the prey.

He would be lying if he said that he had been avoiding prey. He had very little appetite these days and felt as though his warriors needed it, and deserved it, more than he did. Cinderpelt was certainly not the first cat who had forced him to eat either. Dustpelt had made him share a mouse at one point, and Longtail refused to eat one night unless Graystripe had half of a sparrow along with him. Perhaps his loss of appetite really was being recognized by those around him.

Graystripe sat back with a sigh as he felt a bit foolish at this realization. His Clanmates were looking over him as if he was a kit. He still didn't regain his hunger, even after the first several bites, but he forced himself to eat a good portion of the prey to make up for what he'd lost. Eventually he shoved the hare back towards the medicine cat, feeling full after having eaten a better meal than he had in several moons now.

She stared at him expectantly, her ear twitching. The hare was left half-eaten between them.

Graystripe cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "Thank you, Cinderpelt." Hare was never his favorite kind of prey, but it certainly did feel better to have something in his stomach. "I'll try and eat more often. Why don't you share the rest of this with another cat?"

Cinderpelt eyed where the leaders had been having their discussion. Blackstar was striding away from the overhang with Tawnypelt beside him, and Tallstar was meowing to Crowpaw as they returned to their Clanmates as well.

"It looks as though you've missed the rest of your meeting," She commented, though her voice was lighter now. "But I don't think it matters much. Stay here and rest for a little, will you? We'll be setting off again soon." The medicine cat picked up the remains of the hare and carried it away, leaving Graystripe to sit along the stone wall by himself.

A strong freezing wind buffeted his fur and made him shiver. He watched the crowd of cats from afar. He watched his Clanmates interact with the other Clans, sharing prey amongst themselves and chatting like friends. They were so growing so close to one another, and here he was sitting alone. He caught the eye of Sandstorm at one point as she glanced at him. Her tail twitched in a silent invitation to join them, but Graystripe just turned his head and closed his eyes.

It was several more days before the Clans met the Tribe cats, and the cave-guards came to the rescue at just the right moment. Graystripe had been completely caught off guard as Ferncloud screeched, "Birchkit!" and the sound of a swooping eagle was heard from above.

He wheeled around to see the large bird raking its talons among the cats. Cats cried out in fear, and there were suddenly strangers leaping into the air to confront the bird bravely. A dark gray tom slashed at the eagle's wings as a dark brown tabby lunged towards it.

The bird tore away with a great screech. Its wings flapped powerfully as it lifted into the air and the strangers dropped back to the ground skillfully. A younger black she-cat glared upward at the retreating bird and released a threatening hiss.

"Talon! Jag!" Brambleclaw pulled away from his frightened Clanmates to greet the newcomers with warmth. He touched noses with each of them and Crowpaw stepped forward to welcome them too.

"Great timing," the apprentice flicked the brown tabby with his tail.

Squirrelpaw looked excited as she stood by the newcomers. She had just returned from a hunting mission and seemed to have brought them back with her. She began to introduce them to the Clan cats, "This is Talon," she gestured to the brown tabby. "And Jag and…" She looked to the dark gray tom, then to the black she-cat whom the apprentice did not seem to know.

"I'm Night of No Stars." The she-cat carried a strange accent that made Graystripe's whiskers twitched. The accent was heavy, but he still understood her well. Did all Tribe cats speak in such a way?

Talon's gaze swept the Clan cats. "Where is Stormfur?" He asked.

"He went hunting," Tawnypelt told him.

Talon looked as though he wanted to continue, but Night of No Stars spoke instead. "You said you have kits?" her meow was concerned as she glanced at Squirrelpaw. "Out in this weather?"

Graystripe was hit with a jolt as her words reminded him of their situation. The snow had grown heavier with each day they continued towards the peaks of the mountains, and the kits could no longer walk on the frozen stone for even short periods of time. It had hindered their movement, and the queens insisted on pausing to warm their kits many times throughout the day.

"Yes," came Leafpaw's voice and she stepped forward. The cats parted to let her through. "Our kits are freezing. Can you help?"

"Let me see," Talon padded after the medicine cat to where the queens huddled against a cliff wall. Ferncloud was hunched over Birchkit and Toadkit to keep them warm while she furiously licked at Applekit. The small kit just sprawled across the cold ground limply, not reacting to Ferncloud's attempt to warm her up.

Night snatched the kit with a growl. He placed it upon another queen's flank, then told her, "Keep it off the ground. The rock will suck the warmth from her. And don't lick. The wet will only make him colder." The cat brought her paws up to rub the kit's smoothed fur. She instructed Leafpaw to continue the motions.

Ferncloud gazed at the newcomer with gratefulness then shifted to let Birchkit and Toadkit climb onto her flank. Night simply nodded and turned back to address Brambleclaw. "How long have you been here?" She asked.

"Too long," Squirrelpaw sighed and Graystripe could see the tiredness that was pulling at the apprentice. She had been extremely brave throughout the entire journey, and he knew that she was working as hard, if not harder than many of the warriors among them. Firestar would be proud, he thought.

"We'll take you all back to the cave," Talon offered. "You can get warm and eat there."

Graystripe saw Blackstar shouldering his way between the cats with glinting eyes. He knew that the ShadowClan leader's outlook on their journey had changed and he was restless to leave the mountains as soon as possible. But Graystripe knew that these cats needed the rest and safety of the Tribe and stepped forward before Blackstar could ruin their chances.

"We will accept any help you can give," he dipped his head to Talon. "Our kits and elders need whatever rest they can get." his ear twitched as he heard Blackstar growl.

"We must keep going," Blackstar argued. "We should leave the mountains before the snow gets any worse."

"You will die if you do not come with us," Talon addressed the leader.

"But Crowpaw has told us there's moorland just beyond the mountains," Mudclaw clambered to his paws to speak. "We should head for that,"

Graystripe looked from one cat to another with bristling fur. They had expected to come across the Tribe cats, had they not? Brambleclaw was right when he told him that the Tribe cats would offer safety, food, and warmth. But here was the offering, and the Clan cats wanted to turn it away.

Eventually though, Littlecloud pointed out that the elders were exhausted and that the kits would freeze without food before long. Blackstar gave in very shortly after this, and the Clans prepared for the trip to the cave.

They were just beginning to follow the Tribe cats when a new voice sounded from along the path.

"Brambleclaw! I've scented the Tribe!" Stormfur and Brambleclaw raced from a shadowy overhang, only to come to a startled stop as they took in the sight before them. "You're here!" Stormfur exclaimed.

"Squirrelpaw found us," Talon told him and Stormfur came forward to greet his friend by touching his nose to the tom's flank.

"How's Brook?" Stormfur asked, and Graystripe's ears pricked. He had heard Stormfur speak of this she-cat before, but was surprised that she was the first question out of his son's mouth.

"She's fine," Talon pulled away and glanced at the large mass of cats behind them. "We'd better get on. I'll lead the way; you two bring up the rear." He flicked his tail at Night and Jag.

Graystripe found himself walking behind Shrewpaw, Spiderpaw, and a group of apprentices as they made their way across the barren territory. The Tribe cats brought the Clans along hidden paths and around the sides of large boulders. They continued on upwards and Graystripe soon heard the sound of roaring water. His pelt prickled, but he remembered that Squirrelpaw had shared with him that the Tribe lived in a cave behind a waterfall. She had said that's where they were safest, and it was warm and sheltered from the weather there.

But still, it came as a surprise as they rounded a corner and the waterfall came into sight. The water pounded downward and spray flew to cover the path they were following. Graystripe held back to let his Clanmates pass, then helped to lead Longtail up the slippery slope. He laid his tail over the tabby's back and guided him along the uneven ground. The spray dampened their pelts, and Graystripe grimaced as he felt his long fur become weighed down with the water.

"That's loud," Longtail mumbled as his ear twitched nervously. Graystripe didn't blame him for being uneasy. After all, the water was only tail-length from the ledge.

"We have to go in there?" He heard Ashfur splutter behind them, and Squirrelpaw urged him forward with the promise of warmth.

Graystripe emerged into the cave and had to pause to let his eyes adjust to the new surroundings. One light reflected from the water and danced on the cave's walls, but much of the inside was dark and shadowy. The Tribe cats stared at Graystripe and his Clanmates with wide, startled eyes. Their pelts wove through the darkness like shadows, and Graystripe knew at once that these cats were incredibly adapted to their environment.

But these cats were not hostile as the Clan filed into their home. Even the youngest kits, who had been playing beside the cave's entrance, simply stopped and stared. A young gray-and-white queen came to greet Squirrelpaw and sniffed at Leafpaw curiously. Stormfur pushed past his Clanmates to greet a tabby she-cat warmly, and Graystripe knew at once that it was Brook. He watched his son speak with the Tribe hunter quietly, and the Clan cats were soon welcomed to the nests and food.

Graystripe shook his head and led Longtail to where a cat named Crag was bringing the queens and elders to rest. He eventually found himself in yet another meeting with the other Clans' leaders. He itched to go and continue to help his Clanmates settle in, but he stayed crouched along with the leaders as they discussed their new situation.

Blackstar growled as his claws flexed restlessly. "We must not stay long. The snow will only get worse."

Leopardstar looked as though she was about to disagree, but she turned as Leafpaw padded over to them with a new cat behind her. Graystripe was startled to see that this cat was caked entirely in mud. He had seen many of the Tribe cats with mud on their fur, but never this much. He could not see the cat's true pelt color beneath, and only his graying whiskers betrayed his true age.

"This is Stoneteller," Leafpaw told them with a dip of her head. She backed away quietly to let them speak.

"Are you healer?" Stoneteller addressed Graystripe.

"I am the leader of ThunderClan at the moment," he dipped his head respectfully to Stoneteller. This must be the Tribe's leader. "Cinderpelt is ThunderClan's healer, or medicine cat." He could see his medicine cat from across the cave now, her whiskers twitching with interest as Stoneteller addressed him. "This is Blackstar, Leopardstar, and Tallstar. They are leaders of their own Clans."

Stoneteller took in the cats before him. "You two are not well," he meowed as he noticed Tallstar's exhaustion and Graystripe's rough form. "We give you herbs." He turned to address a gray tabby who was crouched nearby, "Bird, bring strengthening herbs and herbs for swelling."

The tabby slipped away, and Stoneteller sat down before the leaders. "The Tribe is grateful to your friend for killing Sharptooth. To Feathertail most of all. Her spirit will always be remembered by us."

Graystripe dipped his head low once more, "Thank you, Stoneteller." He murmured and knew that some of his emotion was caught in his voice. Leopardstar bowed her head alongside him.

Stoneteller gazed at Graystripe. "Your pelt reminds me of Stormfur. Are you related?" Graystripe said that he was, and Stoneteller let out a deep sigh. "Then Feathertail was your own. The loss of a kit is great. I can have my cave-guards bring you to where she lay if you'd like."

"I would like that very much," Graystripe told him, though Blackstar took the chance to speak again.

"We cannot stay for long," The fur bristled along his spine. "We have to leave the mountains soon or else we will be stuck here."

"We will not delay you," The healer blinked at him calmly. "But feel free to rest and eat." He turned and called for his Tribemates, "Talon! Crag!"

Bird returned with herbs at the same time that the cave-guards padded towards their healer. The two cave-guards waited patiently as Stoneteller gave the herbs to Tallstar and applied some swelling-reducing herbs to Graystripe's shoulder. Leafpaw sniffed the air curiously but did not speak as Stoneteller worked. When he was finished he asked his cave-guards to find Stormfur and lead him and Graystripe to where Feathertail lay.

Graystripe followed the two Tribe cats without complaint as Stormfur and Brook joined the group and they slipped from the cave quietly. The roar of the waterfall grew as they passed, then continued loudly as the Tribe brought them to where Feathertail was buried beside it at the bottom.

"Feathertail was incredibly brave," Talon murmured as they led Graystripe and Stormfur back to the cave. The sky was darkening and the snow had begun to fall heavily, forcing the group to seek shelter once more. "To be buried beside the waterfall is the highest honor we could present her upon her death."

Graystripe said nothing to these words. Visiting Feathertail's grave had reopened some old wounds for him. It seemed like it was a cruel joke. StarClan gives him a perfect kit, an exact replica of her mother in every way, then takes her away from him before he even truly knows her. They were buried similarly, both under a pelt of stones beside water. Silverstream beside the river, and Feathertail beside the waterfall.

"She has saved many cats from death with her own," Crag's voice was hardly heard above the roaring water as the cave entrance came into sight. "She saved my Tribe, and all the generations that will come after us. We will tell stories about her for countless moons."

"Feathertail will be missed by all," Brook whispered as she brought her tail up and smoothed it along Stormfur's spine. She had not left the warrior's side since his arrival.

They slipped into the cave and Graystripe left the group for where ThunderClan was settling down to sleep in nests that had been gathered in a shallow dip on the far wall of the cave. No one spoke to him as he chose a nest and curled up quietly. Sandstorm came over and began to groom his damp pelt. Her warm, dry pelt pressed against his wet, cold one.

Briefly in his mind, he thought of what Cinderpelt might say if she heard that he had not eaten that day, but it was quickly whisked away. Thoughts of Feathertail and Silverstream circled in his mind, and he felt his emotions choke him. His fresh grief for them mixed terribly with the sorrow he had for Firestar and Ravenpaw. The emotion was so strangling that he could only breathe in shaky shudders.

"Is he going to be alright?" He heard someone ask nearby. He blinked rapidly, eyes focusing on the ground in front of him. He couldn't tell who had spoken.

"He'll be fine." Sandstorm's voice was tense as she paused from her grooming. "Why don't you go and find a patrol to join? I'm sure the Tribe cats would appreciate the offer." Sandstorm turned back and continued her grooming in long, rhythmic strokes.

He brought his paws up and held his head, forcing himself into a tighter ball. He could hear Sandstorm murmuring soothing words as she worked, but his mind refused to make sense of them. Thankfully, under Sandstorm's grooming, the pull of sleep reached him. He accepted it desperately, allowing his mind to drop into the darkness.

Somehow, he had enough energy to leave his nest the next day. Unfortunately, Graystripe had begun to feel as though he was turning into Blackstar in the darkness of the cave. They had only slept there one night, and he was already growing restless. Grief and frustration plagued him. He wanted to pace as Blackstar did, and had even accidentally snapped at Sootfur at one point.

He did not want to be in the cave, and he did not want to be in the mountains. All of his thoughts when he awoke were on the old forest and the life he had left behind. He wanted to continue onwards towards their new homes and pretend that it was all okay. That they weren't stuck in the barren mountains, cold and hungry hidden behind a waterfall with Feathertail buried just a short ways away.

As the day stretched on, Stoneteller announced a feast for all. Despite the ever-growing snow outside, the patrols had hunted well. "We feast in honor of Feathertail," the healer had announced, "Her spirit will live forever in the Tribe of Endless Hunting. We honor too the cats who refused to desert us and returned to fulfill the prophecy of our ancestors." He dipped his head in turn to each of the five original journeying cats, who each straightened proudly at being addressed.

"Now let us eat!" His voice echoed through the cave.

Graystripe crouched down beside the Clan cats and Tribe cats as they ate and shared prey. He found himself sharing a hawk with many other cats, and he was squeezed between Mousefur and a Tribe cat who introduced herself as Flight. They spoke quietly with one another until Graystripe spotted Tallstar standing up and limping towards the front of the cave with Onewhisker helping support him.

He nudged Mousefur, who was telling a story, and nodded in the WindClan leader's direction. The cave quickly grew silent as the leader waited to be addressed.

Tallstar leaned against Onewhisker as he spoke, but his eyes still shone with the same determination that Graystripe knew him for. "Crowpaw?" He meowed, and the gray apprentice looked up with confusion. "Crowpaw has served his Clan with bravery and loyalty." Tallstar's voice cracked as he stifled a cough. "He should have received his warrior name long ago. But the tragedies of the past moons have prevented this.

"Tonight, if Stoneteller will do me the kindness of letting a Clan ceremony into his Tribe's home, I wish to honor Crowpaw's great skill and courage by giving him his warrior name."

The WindClan cats meowed their agreement, but their voices turned to surprise a Crowpaw stepped forward to ask his leader a question.

"May I ask something, Tallstar?"

Tallstar's eyes narrowed, but he nodded for the tom to continue.

"I would like to choose my own warrior name. If it is all right, I wish to be known as Crowfeather. I wish to keep alive the memory of… of the cat who did not return from the first journey."

Graystripe could hardly hear Crowpaw's words over the pounding waterfall, but they hit him like a blow to the stomach. His breath caught, and he saw Mousefur give him a concerned look. He hadn't realized that the young tom had cared for his daughter so greatly.

Tallstar was quiet for a long moment, then he announced, "A noble request. Very well. I name you Crowfeather. May StarClan protect you and accept you as a WindClan warrior in life as well as after."

WindClan surged forward to meet their newly named warrior, and those who made the first journey leaped up to join. They called Crowfeather's name warmly and touched noses with the warrior.

Graystripe was quiet where he sat though. He did not like the Tribe, he decided privately. Not at all. Everything about it brought him memories of loss and grief, and it was suffocating him, adding it all onto the disappearance of Firestar.

The Tribe cat beside him, Flight, took a bite of the hawk before passing it to him. He stared at it numbly. He hadn't eaten at all yesterday, and nor had he today. But a queasiness surged in his belly and he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep anything down, even if he tried. Mumbling an excuse, he backed away from the prey and allowed himself to disappear into the dip where the nests were.

He climbed into one, not caring if it was already claimed, and curled up tightly. He pulled his paws over his ears like he had done the night before, and just silently wished that the celebrating cats would fall quiet. He hated them for celebrating while he was grieving, and he wished that sleep would come faster. He did not sleep that night.

To his relief, the snow melted quickly. The Clans had only stayed four nights inside the cave before the weather allowed them to leave again. The deepest of snow was thawing away and revealing paths, and though the sky was still a dark and threatening gray, a chilling wind was sweeping them away.

As the Clan leaders gathered their cats, Graystripe did not look back. He stood alongside his Clanmates and said their goodbyes and thank you's to the Tribe cats, then followed swiftly as Brook led them in the correct direction.

It wasn't as though he was ungrateful for the Tribe's hospitality. He was extremely thankful for their friendliness, food, and herbs. He just couldn't stand it in that cave any more. It felt claustrophobic, dark and damp, and had no privacy at all. But a lot of good came from stopping at the Tribe, so he had held his tongue. Not only had he finally had a chance to rest and recover from most of his pain with the help of Stoneteller's herbs, but so did many other cats. There was still a dull ache in Graystripe's shoulder as he walked, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as it had when he had arrived.

Though, part of its healing may be due to the fact that he did next to nothing during his time in the cave. While his Clanmates helped with patrols, he sat and watched quietly. He watched as Birchkit played with the Tribe's kits, and as Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw eagerly shared skills with the Tribe's to-bes. He saw that Leafpaw and the other medicine cats were treated particularly highly. The original journeying cats were well respected in the Tribe too, and that they participated heartily in the Tribe's daily patrols. Stormfur specifically seemed to feel at home amongst the Tribe, and Graystripe watched quietly as he interacted with Brook. It was clear to him that his son had fallen in love with the she-cat, but he did not comment on this to him or anyone else. It was Stormfur's decision where his heart lay in the end, and he knew that his son would not make such decisions lightly.

But despite all of this, he found himself itching to leave. His tail swished with relief when it was finally decided that the snow had gone down enough for them to travel safely. Now the Tribe's escorts were leading them through the mountain peaks. It was then that they saw their new home for the first time. Smooth hills rose and fell, dotted with patches of forests here and there. Clear streams swept onwards, and everything looked incredibly healthy and welcoming in comparison to the frozen landscape they had braved for many days now.

The Clans had stood there for a long moment as they took in the sight. Graystripe felt as though he was in a blur. He could hear Squirrelpaw and Tawnypelt talking excitedly, and a mud-streaked Stormfur whispered his goodbye to Brook beside him. Mousefur described to Longtail what the landscape looked like. And though Brightheart asked if he was okay, Graystripe found that he could not respond.

He stared forward at the distant forests. There was so much to explore. How would they know when to stop? But that question did not matter. The sun shone warm on his fur for the first time in moons, and a cool breeze blew the promise of healthy and tempting land towards them.

For the first time in moons, he saw safety for his Clanmates and he knew at once that their travels and struggles were worth it. No longer would his Clanmates freeze or starve. They had lost many cats, but this new land would save even more. As they began to make their way down the slope, he felt as though he had more energy than ever.

For the next few days of travel, Graystripe felt awake. With every step that brought him further away from the mountains, more and more energy returned to him. Though his shoulder still hurt, he got up early and hunted each morning for his Clanmates. He relished the sun on his pelt and the dew on the grass. He traveled with few complaints, and led his Clanmates confidently. He no longer had any doubts as Brambleclaw and the others lead them onwards.

Leafpaw told the leaders one morning as they gathered to discuss the day's plans, "I dreamed I sat before a great stretch of shining water…"

"Shining water?" Leopardstar's ears had twitched. "You mean a river?"

But Leafpaw shook her head. "No, not a river. These waters were smooth, not churning. I could see Silverpelt reflected, all the stars shining as clearly as if they were swimming in the sky."

The other leaders doubted what she spoke, but Graystripe knew that StarClan had come to her. Leafpaw was not such a cat who would make up dreams for attention. He did not understand why an apprentice had received this vision, rather than one of the fully trained medicine cats, but it did not matter to him. All that mattered was that they were about to be home. Hope flared in his chest, stronger than it had been in moons.

"StarClan has shown Leafpaw our home." He meowed as Blackstar scoffed with doubt and Leopardstar had begun to turn away. "We shall continue until we reach this water."

And it was later that night that they came upon the star-reflecting water. The sky was clear and the wind was cold. Silverpelt shone above as they crested a hill and gazed down at the lake on the other side. It was just as Leafpaw had described. The smooth expanse shone with the stars of their ancestors. It was impossible to see the landscape in the dead of the night, but he knew that it was what they had been searching for.

The dawn sun was rising behind them, and the cats began to murmur with excitement.

"Brambleclaw, look!" Squirrelpaw purred. "We did it! We found our new home!" She sprang forward to race down the slope and cats from all of the Clans followed behind her.

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