I hope everyone is liking this totally-not-a-one-shot-anymore fic!!! I'm having fun myself but I also need to finish my rewrite of 'Into the Wild'! I'll get on that as soon as I can!!

Review please!!

Also, Cactopus, your comments have me cracking up!!

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Their grieving for Whitethroat was terribly brief. Not even a few sunrise's after Whitethroat's untimely death, Nightstar had succumbed from his illness and died. They all knew he was weakened from the sickness and it was only a matter of time but so soon after losing Whitethroat was a heavy blow to ShadowClan. Without a deputy and Nightstar now dead, it was now Runningnose who must assume leadership of ShadowClan. But unfortunately it was painfully obvious that the small gray-and-white medicine cat was out of his element.

Though close with Nightstar and perhaps even the previous ShadowClan deputy, Runningnose didn't seem to have the first clue as to how a Clan is properly run. The older tom didn't know how to manage patrols of any kind. Runningnose confusion about border patrols and battle training, was a testament to how woefully unprepared he was to take up the role.

Fireheart believed that if the same were to ever happen to ThunderClan, then either Spottedleaf or Yellowfang would have more of a better handle on the situation. But then again, Fireheart was pretty biased when it comes to her previous Clan.

Luckily for ShadowClan, Tigerclaw's dedication to continue with his self-assigned duty of taking care of running the Clan like an unofficial deputy eased Runningnose, and the rest of the Clan's, burdens.

So thankful for all the rogue's have done, Runningnose had officially accepted Tigerclaw and his rogue's into ShadowClan full time. The two rogue's Snag and Mowgli were given the names Jaggedtooth and Nightwhisper, respectively.

Fireheart, surprisingly, found herself genuinely happy for Tigerclaw, despite all he's done the flame-colored she-cat was glad he found a new second chance in his adopted Clan. And if the large dark tabby had been telling the truth then he will go on to do great things on this new path in life.

As for Fireheart and her kits, they were still too new to the Clan to make a firm decision on whether or not they could become part of the Clan like the others. Fireheart needed to prove herself and her loyalties to ShadowClan, and though her kits would be accepted at any given time, Fireheart didn't want them to be without her. Perhaps that made the sleek, flame-colored,

plumy tailed with a crooked tip she-cat a horrible parent, depriving her kits of a stable future for her own selfishness.

But that guilt gave her all the more determination to become a part of ShadowClan. For both her sake and the sake of her kits.

"Everything is so quiet here," Fireheart meowed, glancing between the silent pine trees in wonder. "I never thought such a place could exist." Wherever Fireheart had gone previously always had a sound. Living as a kittypet had always been noisy, both in her Twoleg nest and in Twolegplace. ThunderClan's territory was always filled with the sound of nature, prey scurrying around and the sounds of trees and undergrowth rustling. When she was on WindClan territory, there was the rustling of grass and the strong billowing wind that blew across the wide open moor. Ravenpaw's barn was always filled with the sound of mice. The only place that Fireheart could even imagine that came close was the Moonstone, but the Moonstone had a different unnatural silence to it that couldn't really be compared to the dead silence of the pine forest.

"Actually, it's pretty noisy," Russetfur replied, dark green eyes twinkling with mischief as the dark ginger she-cat glanced over at Fireheart, "what with Blackfoot stomping around like a lumbering badger and all."

Fireheart's whiskers twitched in amusement as Blackfoot, who was leading their patrol, shot the teasing she-cat a bemused look over his shoulder. With her time spent with the ShadowClan warriors, Fireheart had picked up on some of their behavior and personalities. Russetfur seemed to enjoy teasing Blackfoot whenever she had the chance, though it was always lighthearted. Blackfoot in turn would always huff and brush it off or engage in the teasing with the dark ginger warrior in a verbal sparring match. Either way they were the closest of friends. Both being powerful and skilled warriors that were often teamed up together for the more taxing warrior duties.

Fireheart found them endearing. They clearly have a deeper connection than most of the other ShadowClan warriors. And it kind of reminded her of how both herself and Tigerclaw were once. Fireheart conveniently ignored the part of herself that whispered that she and Tigerclaw still acted the same way since their reunion.

"Well I just meant--" Fireheart startled as Blackfoot gave a sudden hiss for silence, and crouched down low in the mud. Russetfur did the same, and Fireheart copied what they were doing. Blackfoot slowly creeped forward, discreetly signaling for Russetfur and Fireheart to follow him.

Fireheart was on edge. Unsure as to what had caught Blackfoot's attention, still unfamiliar with navigating and adapting to her new environment, regardless of her private sessions. So it took Fireheart completely off guard when Blackfoot gave out a deafening screech and pounced on something just ahead.

There was an answering cut off yowl of fear, that seemed to cut off in a sound of fighting that ended way too soon.

Fireheart and Russetfur both quickly rose to their paws and came to see Blackfoot pinning down a raggedy, dirty pelted crowfood smelling tom who's blue eyes were blownwide in terror.

"What do you think you're doing on our territory?" Blackfoot demanded, growling in the vaguely familiar cat's face.

"I-i ju--" this tom seemed to stutter, unable to get the words out to answer. He looked terribly thin, Fireheart could practically see his ribs through his pale brown tabby pelt, the black stripes that crossed his back looked dull and grey.

"Well, speak up!" Russetfur growled, making the tom glance between Blackfoot and Russetfur in frozen terror. This wasn't helping.

"Back up a little," Fireheart advised, her jade green eyes meeting the huge, white tom with jet-black paws menacing glare. "If we give him some space then it will be easier for him to talk and we'll get our answers much faster." Blackfoot looked conflicted about the idea, but when Russetfur thumped him on the shoulder with her tail, the ShadowClan warrior backed off with a scowling look directed at the intruder.

Fireheart watched as the intruder stood up on shaky legs, his unseeing blue eyes glancing between all three as if anticipating another assault. Which he was wise to assume with the way Blackfoot and Russetfur were behaving.

"Now, how about you tell us why-- gasp!" Fireheart had begun asking in a soft tone, not wanting to scare the other cat more than he already was. But when Fireheart was up close with him, and took a closer look at his profile, she instantly knew who this cat was from the V shaped nick in his ear.

Fireheart could only stare in disbelief. This-this couldn't possibly be Longtail could it? Looking at the cat more--yes, yes it was Longtail! Just as Fireheart was recognizing the tom who had attacked her on her first day in the Clan, Longtail was seeming to recognize Fireheart.

"F-Fireheart, I-is that you?" Longtail asked in disbelief, but also some hope in his tone of voice.

"Do you know this cat, Fireheart?" Blackfoot questioned, a hint of suspicion in the way that he spoke.

Fireheart was quick to respond, "This is Longtail, from ThunderClan." Turning to face the filthy, and perhaps starving, ThunderClan warrior she added, "what are you doing on ShadowClan territory?"

"We didn't have anywhere else to go." Longtail blurted out, his ears flattening to his head as Russetfur let out an angry hiss at the audacious excuse. "We aren't looking for trouble, honest."

"Who's us?" Fireheart questioned, watching Longtail fidget in place.

"Bluestar…Bluestar banished me, Darkstripe and Dustpelt. She thinks we're traitor's for supporting Tigerclaw back in the past. We tried telling her that we'd never do the things Tigerclaw did. That we didn't know and don't support the things he did and that we're loyal to the Clan, but she refused to believe any of us." Longtail looked completely dejected and lost.

Fireheart could tell that Longtail's whole life purpose, along with his home and family, was now gone and he didn't know what to do with himself now.

"Where are Dustpelt and Darkstripe?" Fireheart asked, "are they around here with you?"

Longtail seemed to hesitate for a few mouse-heartbeats, glancing unsurely between Fireheart and the rest of the patrol, but Fireheart only stared at him encouragingly until finally he glanced over his shoulder, "I left Darkstripe and Dustpelt back in a hollow moss covered stump somewhere back there." He vaguely gestures with his tail somewhere just behind him. "Dustpelt can't hunt right now and Darkstripe hasn't been all that helpful."

"Then take us to them." Longtail flinched at Russetfur's hissed order, but complied and began leading them back towards where he left his other two companions.

Just like he said, Longtail led them to a hollowed stump where Darkstripe seemed to grumpily be on guard. When he saw Longtail and the cats that were following him, the dark tabby leaped to his paws and let out a distrustful hiss. "Why have you brought them here!?"

"Calm down, Darkstripe." Longtail said, glancing nervously at the patrol. "This is a ShadowClan patrol, and we're on their territory." Darkstripe didn't seem to care but wisely backed down.

"Now where's the other one," Blackfoot demanded, gauging Darkstripe for hardly a mouse-heartbeat before dismissing him entirely as a threat. "There should be one more here with you."

"I'm right here." A voice that was laced with pain came from inside the stump, before what sounded like a body sliding along the ground was heard. Fireheart drew in a sharp breath as Dustpelt came limping out of the hollowed stump. The dark brown tabby tom's entire body was littered with scratches that seemed to still be oozy blood despite all the cobwebs that were pressed against the wounds. His eyes had a glaze of pain coating them but they still pinned the ShadowClan patrol with a flinty stare. It was shocking to see Dustpelt still able to move, what with him being heavily injured like he was, but Fireheart beted that he was living off of pure stubbornness.

"What happened to you?" Russetfur questioned, critically looking Dustpelt over as she approached him. Ignoring Dustpelt's weak threatening growl. It didn't seem that the young former ThunderClan warrior could fight back either way.

"Rats." Longtail answered for Fireheart's former Clanmate.

Both Blackfoot and Russetfur hissed in sympathy. Obviously, rat problems seemed common amongst the ShadowClan warriors. Fireheart recalled her own experience with rats on her way back from visiting the Moonstone with Bluestar. They had been attacked and Bluestar had lost a life.

"Looks like you'll be dead on your paws if you don't get treated soon." Russetfur meowed as she finally stepped away from him. "Rat bites are deadly if untreated."

"We've been doing the best we can." Longtail flinched, his eyes glancing at Dustpelt worriedly as Dustpelt just stared blankly at Fireheart's patrol.

"Your good isn't good enough." Blackfoot retorted, rolling his eyes at Darkstripe's indignant snarl.

"Perhaps we should take them back to camp." Fireheart suggested, because although Fireheart had bad relations with all three of her former Clanmates, she did not like the thought of leaving them to fend for themselves, or in Dustpelt's case, die. "Let Runningnose decide what to do with them."

"What--Fireheart!?" Darkstripe looked to be about ready to make a scathing remark but one look from Longtail made him shut up.

"We'd really appreciate the help in saving our friend." Longtail added, coming to stand at Dustpelt's side. "Please, help us."

Blackfoot looked unmoved, but there was a bit of sympathy in Russetfur's eyes. "We'll help your friend." Russetfur meowed as Blackfoot looked at the dark ginger she-cat as if she just suggested they bring home a pack of foxes. "I don't want any ThunderClan warriors dying in my territory."

"Thank you," Longtail breathed in relief. "You don't know how thankful we are."

"We haven't done anything yet." Blackfoot snorted but set a slow pace as Longtail and Darkstripe supported Dustpelt as they followed the ShadowClan patrol.

Fireheart kept glancing over her shoulder at them. Idly wondering how they would react to seeing Tigerclaw again, and more importantly, how Tigerclaw will react seeing them again.

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Fun Facts:

I am a big Russet x Black shipper!!

Longtail, Darkstripe and Dustpelt have all been banished from ThunderClan!! The only one out of the three that I feel sorry for is Dustpelt.

What will become of these three? Who knows!!! Except for me!!

This was supposed to continue up till the point of the reunion between Tigerclaw and his former followers but it got too long for my liking so I stopped here…hold on to the edge of this cliffhanger!!