Laurelleaf was in his usual dreaming place again. The sky was dark blue like sapphires, and more warriors of StarClan were across the sky than Laurelleaf ever could've imagined. He was healed in this dream, his brown-and-white pelt sleek and groomed again, and he padded beside the pebbly path near the mushroom grassland. "This place was beautiful," he commented. He brushed his tail across the grass and scratched his ear. He sat down and looked across to the sky, where dots sparkled and cats danced in swirls. "Brightspirit?" He asked. "Are you there?"

"Laurelleaf, Laurelleaf." The reply wasn't from Brightspirit. An achingly familiar voice rang from the behind, and when Laurelleaf turned his head to the the speaker, he was surprised to see that it was Grasswhisker.

"Grasswhisker!" Laurelleaf exclaimed, his heart starting to beat faster at the sight of his long-lost mother. Her brown tabby pelt and green eyes shone with love and starlight, swirling in her soft fur, and her paw steps sent beautiful ripples into the ground. He leaped up and ran towards her, sadness nearly engulfing him from nose to tail-tip, and the two cats covered each other with licks all across their faces. "I miss you so much!" Laurelleaf cried. He buried his head in Grasswhisker's fur, wanting to wail like a little kit. "I miss you so, so much..." "I miss you too," Grasswhisker mewed. She walked up and rested her head on top of her son's. Starshine pooled around her paws and gleamed on her pelt. "Midgepelt have arrived. He told me to say hi to you on this visit." "Is Midgepelt coming to meet me?" Laurelleaf asked. He was already missing his father. He never realized how much he loved him until Midgepelt died. He gazed at his mother, pain in his eyes. "Did Midgepelt come?" "I'm sorry, my dear son," Grasswhisker mewed. Her eyes were round with sympathy. "He did not come."

Laurelleaf's tail drooped. My family. He thought of Midgepelt and Grasswhisker, who were both dead already. Midgepelt's death left an empty hole in his heart forever. He wanted to see his father again, the strong healthy father he knew who fought for the Clan like a mythical beast from LionClan. I might never meet them again after this dream. Right now I could only see Grasswhisker, and I must reunite with her enough before the dream ends.

"I have come to deliver an important message," Grasswhisker started. Her voice was gentle, but her eyes were serious.

"Yes?" Laurelleaf looked up to meet his mother's eyes. They were emerald-green, slightly like Manglethorn's, but glowing with gentleness and carrying the aura of love and home. They made Laurelleaf sad, reminding how he used to curl in her belly and sleep with her. They reminded him just how much he missed her, and she would be gone as soon as this dream was over. "Tell me everything, mother." He wasn't going to miss this chance. "The truth and everything." "You were taking out your anger and blame on the wrong cat," Grasswhisker meowed. Her voice seem to soften when she came to the last part. "You really think it was him who did everything when it was somebody else who was the true evil."

What? "What are you talking about?" Laurelleaf asked. Him? Which cat was Grasswhisker talking about? "Follow me," Grasswhisker beckoned Laurelleaf with her tail. Laurelleaf followed, trotting behind the brown she- cat. They walked on and on through the glittering forest until they were near a pool of water. Starlight reflected off the crystal-clear pool.

Grasswhisker raised a white paw and dipped it on the water, and instantly the environment shifted.

The blue skies lightened into cyan, and the faraway mountains disappeared. Trees loomed and sprouted from the ground, and the StarClan grounds slowly started disappearing. When Laurelleaf faced forward again, he could see a giant oak tree. It was the only oak tree among the forest stretched out beyond it, and Laurelleaf stared at the ancient trunk with Grasswhisker beside him.

Suddenly, red veins rose from the bottom of the tree, rising and rising until it engulfed the tree. Millions of bloody tendrils the size of poppy seeds swirled all over the oak trunk and licked hungrily at its old branches. Liquid burst from cracks the veins caused, wetting the floor beneath it and withering all the life it touched. The tree withered and shrunk while the red veins continued to grow and spread in different directions. Finally, it fell on to one side, and Laurelleaf took a step back.

"Was that a sign?" He gaped. Grasswhisker was still staring at the dead oak, and Laurelleaf turned to see what she was staring at.

"There's more," Grasswhisker muttered, and the sky boomed in response.

Thunder cracked open the sky as a female fox leaped through the bushes. Wind blew hard on her face, and she shook away the rain that clung to her pelt. In her jaws there were a bundle of herbs, and the wind continued blowing in her face. However, she walked towards the thunder, despite the blowing wind. She shook away the beads of precipitation on her orange-red pelt and continued padding until the sun came out. The fox then settled down her herbs under a patch of sunlight near the dead oak, and the vision dissolved into darkness. Laurelleaf was back to his old dream place, with Grasswhisker beside him.

"Female fox," Laurelleaf stared. "Vixen."

"Smart," Grasswhisker meowed. She begun to fade just as the image of Vixentail formed in Laurelleaf's head. "Wait!" Laurelleaf cried, surprised that his mother was suddenly disappearing into the light. He leaped for Grasswhisker, but she already faded into one single shining star. The star rose into the night sky among the others of Silverpelt, and Laurelleaf woke, his mind still going over the two signs.

—.—

The strong smell of herbs couldn't hide the one scent as Larkwing came into the den. "You have a visitor," he announced. Laurelleaf turned his head, looking outside. He knew that smell. But what's it doing here?

He pushed aside the herbs lined around him as a cat walked in beside him. He could feel hostile glances outside the camp as Vixentail meowed, "I came to your camp for shelter." "…Vixentail?" Laurelleaf asked, surprised. "But… what are you doing here? You said before that WindClan…" he shook his head. Why was Vixentail in camp?

"Vixentail?" Larkwing asked, poking his head into the den. His dark gray fur pricked. "I can't believe you came back, after so many moons."

"And I can't believe you are still the medicine cat," Vixentail snarled. She turned to Laurelleaf again. "Can I?" "Go ask Gorsestar," Laurelleaf replied. "I'm not the leader."

"Fine," Vixentail growled. She whisked her velvet tail over his face and padded out of the den, heading towards the leaders' den.

Laurelleaf turned to Larkwing. "Can you explain what happened?" He asked, curiosity and confusion brimming in his eyes. "Vixentail told me she used to be caught by this Clan... why haven't I heard anything about that?"

"You seemed to know her," Larkwing replied instead.

"Oh… that's a long story," Laurelleaf swerved his ears.

"It's supposed to be forgotten," Larkwing answered. He sighed and sat down as if he is an elder sharing stories with a kit. "Long ago, Vixenpaw liked venturing alone outside RiverClan territory. Her Clanmates never managed to stop her whenever she snuck out. Her leader have punished her many times by grounding her to RiverClan camp, but she wasn't the type that listens. Cats of my time, of WindClan, sure did catch her while she was traveling near our borders. Vixenpaw was a stubborn and violent cat; her ruthless behavior made our cats think her as a rulebreaker without sense. We took her away from her camp a while to punish her for meddling into our border continuously, and when she was released back to RiverClan she realized nobody cared that she was gone, even her mentor. When she pleaded them and asked them why, cats snapped at her for always causing trouble and giving headaches for everyone and they were better off without her. It was a tough time, but, out of her pain and anger she left RiverClan and decided to live as loner, though she established her own warrior name as Vixentail. RiverClan sort of did abandon her though... it would be pretty reasonable after all those moons for her to come back. Maybe it would be different if we hadn't taken her away, which she seemed to remain on, because she believed if we haven't took her in she would still be in camp without causing any trouble for the old leaders. But then, according to your stories, you might not even be alive if she's not a loner. She would still be in RiverClan eating her fish and growing plump, unlike how she was now, and she wouldn't save you in your fight with… with Manglethorn."

"Well, she's as snappy as a fox in a fit," Laurelleaf snorted. "Wouldn't be surprised if she was abandoned by both Clans."

"Don't say that," Larkwing gently nudged Laurelleaf with his tail. Laurelleaf sighed as he looked outside into the busy camp.

Larkwing later carried a rabbit into the medicine den. "Fresh-kill," he said and pushed it towards Laurelleaf's nose. Laurelleaf felt relief wash him as he wrapped his paws around the plump brown rabbit. He was starving.

—.—

As he ate the juicy rabbit, he wondered about Bearkit. Lately the brown kit haven't been outside of the nursery a lot. Maybe he was already swallowed by guilt for venturing outside camp and causing so much trouble, in which it was taking two cats' lives in return for two. Wingkit, who was usually quiet, have been trying to comfort Bearkit.

Whitewhisker on the other hand was worried and mad about the two kits, shamefully wrapping them to her body whenever a cat walks past. If anything, it still wasn't entirely the kits fault; there was a trap, and any cat might have fallen for it. However, Bearkit haven't been convinced. He and Wingkit were close to reaching their sixth moon, but he wasn't happy as he always was.

"Can you call Vixentail for me, please?" Laurelleaf asked Larkwing. The gray tom nodded and disappeared outside, leaving Laurelleaf alone next to the store of herbs. He glanced at the different-colored herbs and wrinkled his nose at the smell of them. He wondered what being a medicine cat felt like and immediately gave up upon thinking. It must be a gross experience. The heather rustled as Vixentail entered, her tail low and her whiskers pressed onto her muzzle. "What is it?" She asked.

"I have something to tell you," Laurelleaf meowed.

"Spit it out, then," Vixentail settled down a fox-length in front of him with her tail wrapped around her hind legs. She looked at the wound around her spine and muttered, "some more yarrow leaves to go."

"I had a vision from StarClan," Laurelleaf started. "A vixen was heading towards a storming area, and wind was blowing on her face." "Yes, and how could be sure it wasn't just a dream?" Vixentail snorted. She lifted a paw and started licking it. "I heard what Larkwing was telling you from outside the camp a while ago. I could hear every little detail and I'm here to tell you that he got a lot of it wrong, like the RiverClan parts. Things were very different and WindClan cats should stop sticking their noses into unrealistic rumors. If anything, I didn't need another cat to talk about how I betrayed RiverClan as an apprentice!" Disgrace showed in her eyes.

"A StarClan cat visited me," Laurelleaf explained. "And eventually the vixen settled in the storming area, and the sun rises as soon as she does that." "And?" Vixentail replied between licks. "And that's it," Laurelleaf meowed. "There's a female fox, and I was wondering if that sign was noting you."

I hope this works, Laurelleaf sighed inwardly. Vixentail doesn't seem in the state of listening patiently to random prophecies today. Maybe she's never in the state, but talking to her must require awful patience!

"Me?" Vixentail spat, a laugh edging her voice and betraying her disgust. "Ha! Nobody ever cares about me. RiverClan forgot about me. WindClan caught me and didn't show a trace of respect. Why would StarClan start minding about a cat nobody cared about? If they abandoned me and allowed my own Clanmates to toy me around and throw me out of the Clan when I didn't just wander off into unknown territory and cause trouble for the leaders then suddenly started talking about how I'm supposed to be useful, they must be fish-brains." She stomped out of the den, her velvet tail lashing. Laurelleaf sighed, his inward fears coming true. Talking with Vixentail was well as useful as talking to a badger

—.—

"So it's decided?" Laurelleaf asked.

He have crawled out of the medicine den for a while. His belly gash wasn't opening, so he was allowed to move around slightly. As soon as he received the piece of news he have tried to get out of the medicine den. He needed fresh air and some space to move. He was terribly sick of the medicine den and its unbearable stenches of all the ugly herbs he've eaten in his life. He longed to see his Clanmates walking around him and brushing their pelts with his. If he was to stay any longer in that sick den, he might retch out everything he have eaten in the past moon.

It was night outside and the sky was black; several stars dotted the sky, but much fewer than usual. Half a moon shone, pale yellow light making the night golden. The night breeze was slight and soft, tickling Laurelleaf's ear fur. It was getting colder and colder, but it wasn't snowing that day. The heather surrounding the camp shuffled under the soft wind, making rustling noises as Laurelleaf looked around. The camp was busy, like usual, and Gorsestar was talking with the new deputy, Swiftflight. Swiftflight nodded and walked away from the sandy hollow. Gorsestar stood in his den for a moment, pondering, then finally came out. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join by the sandy hollow for a Clan meeting!" He announced.

Moor runners and tunnelers streamed from their dens to the traditional meeting place of WindClan, gathering around Gorsestar. Black, orange, white, gray, and brown pelts flashed in the half-moon. Larkwing sat at the entrance of the medicine den, grooming his old pelt and sniffing spots where he pulled out the fattest ticks. The elders poked their heads out of their dens, and the two queens looked out from the nursery. Vixentail sat at the back of the camp, eyeing the WindClan cats with hostility and suspicion. Laurelleaf snorted. If she wanted to seek shelter here, she might have to start acting less aggressive towards every single cat she met. He also wondered why she knew so much about herbs, and why she didn't go join ShadowClan or ThunderClan instead. Maybe because she didn't know any of the cats from ThunderClan and ShadowClan? But then, she barely knew Laurelleaf, too. So why would she come and join WindClan?

"As you all know," Gorsestar begun. He walked around the sandy hollow while announcing his news, shaking his graceful golden fur. "In the morning a loner came to our camp in search of shelter." Many eyes glanced at Vixentail, who bristled at the back of the camp. Leafstripe hissed at her suspiciously, and Berryfur nudged the brown she-cat quietly. "We have decided," Gorsestar stated. "Both Swiftflight and I have agreed that Vixentail could stay."

Many cats started shifting uncomfortably. Blackstorm lashed his tail, staring at the leader with disagreement in his eyes. "She was a rogue who attacked every cat she saw," he meowed, glaring at Vixentail. Vixentail hissed back at him, who didn't flinch a whisker. "But!" Gorsestar meowed, as if sensing the discomfort among his cats. "Only for a moon."

"She'd claw all of our ears off within a moon," Laurelleaf heard Liondrop whisper to Lynxivy. Lynxivy nodded. Cats turned around to stare at Vixentail, who was still standing at the edge of the camp with claw marks etched into the earth surrounding her. Grass tilted their little heads toward her direction as if agreeing that she shouldn't be kept in camp. "What?" She asked, bristling. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Show your gratitude to the leader, idiot! Laurelleaf desperately wanted to shout. He was offering you shelter and you have to at least say thank you!

"You wanted that too, do you?" Gorsestar asked Vixentail. "After many moons, WindClan sure was showing some sympathy towards the cat who used to be captured. You are allowed to stay in our camp for a moon, but no more than a moon." He was giving Vixentail a good choice, and if it was for Laurelleaf, he would've chosen to stay without a moment of hesitation.

Vixentail was quiet for a moment, then she dipped her head. "Thank you, Gorsestar," she meowed. "I would like to stay in WindClan camp for a moon."

That's more like it, Laurelleaf sighed in relief.