Still Brambleclaw's POV. Thanx for all new reviews, and here comes the new chappie...

Brambleclaw spent the first day after his dream wondering about the whole ordeal, before he finally just decided to ask Leafpool about it. Quite apart from needing to ask her about the prophecy she had heard, that Bluestar had mentioned, he wanted a word with the medicine cat, who had such a calm faith in StarClan that he could only admire.

He didn't know her particularly well, despite her being Squirrelflight's sister. He knew that she was close with Squirrelflight- though that closeness, the ginger sister had confined, had been slipping away ever since Squirrelflight had decided to go to the sun-drown place, all those moons ago. She had also found the Moonpool, and there was a mysterious wisdom about her that came only from having a close relationship with their warrior anscestors.

She was sitting near the Highledge when he found her around sunhigh, grooming her fur. He sat awkwardly down beside her. "Hi, Leafpool."

She looked up distractedly. "Hi. Are you looking for Squirrelflight?"

"Er...no," Brambleclaw meowed. "I- I was wondering if I could ask you something."

Her head jerked up and she looked at him, alarm flashing in her eyes. "What? What about? I..."

Brambleclaw was confused and surprised by her defensive reaction, and meowed quickly, "It's nothing, really, it's just...I had a dream."

Leafpool's fur lay flat, and she took a breath. "Oh. Well, what about?"

"It was from StarClan," Brambleclaw confessed. "I saw Bluestar, and Redtail, the cat that Tigerstar killed, and Lionheart, who was-"

"An old deputy, I know," Leafpool interrupted. "Firestar told me about him. He said that he was very wise."

"He was," Brambleclaw agreed, remembering the magnificent golden tom. He launched into a description of the rest of his dream. Leafpool listened silently, her whiskers quivering, her amber eyes swimming with thoughts. Finally, when she finished, she murmured softly, "Bluestar mentioned the prophecy. I don't know what it means, but StarClan told me, when I was made a full medicine cat: Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red."

Brambleclaw shivered, and stared at her, hoping that she could offer some interpretation. But she only shrugged. "Cinderpelt doesn't know either. She says that it will all make sense when we need it to, and not to worry before then."

"How can I help worrying?" Brambleclaw demanded. "I've had enough dreams from StarClan to know that they're important."

"I didn't say it wasn't important," Leafpool meowed patiently. "Only that there's no sense troubling yourself with something that you aren't going to be able to do anything about. There are...other things...to worry about instead."

"What else?" Brambleclaw wondered, but Leafpool had turned away. As she got to her paws, Brambleclaw caught her eye one more time, and the uncertain, wavery look he saw was so disturbing that it was he, this time, who turned away.

&&&

Brambleclaw thought that maybe he should tell Firestar about his dream. But what would he say? And what if Leafpool had already told him?

What about Squirrelflight? Should he tell her, as well? She wanted to know what was going on, but Brambleclaw knew, however much he loved her, that the impulsive she-cat would be little help in this type of situation.

Helping Birchpaw and Sunpaw bring in fresh-kill a few days later, he took a rabbit to the nursery for Sorreltail and Ferncloud. The pale gray she-cat had decided that, instead of going back to the warriors, she would spend her moons keeping Sorreltail company and then help her with her litter once it arrived.

The tortoiseshell queen was outside as Brambleclaw padded over with his prey, affectionately flicking Brackenfur with her tail as he padded away for a patrol. She pricked her ears as Brambleclaw approached.

"That rabbit's for me, I hope," she meowed. "I'm feeding more than one mouth!"

"Good thing it's newleaf," Brambleclaw meowed, narrowing his eyes mischeiviously. "A litter of Sorreltails to feed in leaf-bare?"

"The horror!" Squirrelflight purred, padding up behind him. Sorreltail took a swipe at her, though her eyes were gleaming.

Squirrelflight touched noses with Brambleclaw in greeting. "Cinderpelt's had me on my paws all day," she commented. "She wanted me to help her find some really bad-smelling herb by nightfall."

"Why didn't Leafpool go?" Sorreltail asked.

"Cinderpelt couldn't find her. She's been out a lot lately." Squrirelflight's voice was light, but Brambleclaw caught the worry for her sister in her mew.

Sorreltail shook her head hurriedly. "A medicine cat has things to do, I suppose," she meowed hastily. Brambleclaw looked at her quizzically, wondering if she knew more than she was telling, but Sorreltail plowed on, "What does Cinderpelt need some herb for today, anyway? No one's sick; thank StarClan!"

"But she wants to have it. She and Leafpool will be gone all day tomorrow. To the Moonpool!" Squirrelflight's bright green eyes sparked with anticipating wonder, as if she was going herself.

"That's right. It's the half moon tomorrow." But why didn't Leafpool tell me when I spoke to her? The question pounded through Brambleclaw's mind. Why hadn't Leafpool assured him that she would be seeing StarClan soon, and therefore might be able to tell him more about his dream?

With a flash he remembered the distracted worry in her eyes when he had spoken to her. He hadn't known what she had been worried about then, but maybe he did now. Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, his musings making him uncomfortable. Why would Leafpool, the cat that had more faith than any other in StarClan, be afraid to speak to her warrior anscestors?

Brambleclaw looked around the clearing, his eyes landing on the young medicine cat, just sliding back into camp. Words formed silently on his tongue, and he was careful not to let them out. What have you done, Leafpool, to make you fear StarClan?

Poor Leafy! I HATE writing her like this...sniff. I have to go cheer myself up by writing the next chappie (from her POV, btw!)