Disclamer: I do not own Warriors, etc etc, yada yada yada.
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get it up. I tried to stick as close as possible to the book in this chapter without plagerizing. So, R&R!
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Sunlight turned to a misty rain, waking the black tom. He yawned and stretched to find Barley next to him in the barn. Barley woke a moment later and the two of them slipped out of the barn for want of exercise and a bit of fresh air despite the rain. They stretched their legs in a fair game of tag before scents of Clan drifted towards them.
"Is that...?" Barley meowed. Ravenpaw's whiskers twitched as he padded through a hedge. He stared at the Clans, confused. What were they all doing there? It smelled like all four Clans were there. Barley padded behind him as he ears twitched.
"Firestar! Is that you?" he meowed, peering through the rain to search for the ginger tom. He heard Tallstar meow a greeting but became distracted when Firestar spoke, pushing through the cats.
"Ravenpaw!" the cat touched noses with the other.
"Where's Greystripe?" Ravenpaw knew the two of them stuck to each other like a burr in a thick coat of fur.
"He's not here," Firestar said, blinking. Ravenpaw bristled, shocked. Dead? He voiced this thought but thankfully Firestar shredded that.
"No, Twolegs captured him," the muddy ginger tom meowed, "That's why we're leaving." Ravenpaw only half listened as Firestar told him what the Twolegs were doing. The Clans leaving the forest? No more ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan or WindClan? No more greeting apprentices, leaders and medicine cats as they headed to Moonstone? No more Firestar? He twitched his tail.
"Where are you going then?" he finally managed to ask.
"To Highstones then..." Firestar glanced at a cat Ravenpaw recognized as Brambleclaw.
"Stay with us tonight," Ravenpaw pleaded.
"Not in the barn though," Barley meowed, "The Twolegs would have a fit."
"The old Twoleg nest then?"
Firestar nodded, "Sounds good to me." Ravenpaw and Barley led the Clans to the shelter. The black tom listened as some of the WindClan cats remembered how they rested here. He and Barley helped the warriors hunt before settling down with Firestar to eat and share tounges.
Night passed swiftly, but Ravenpaw slept very little. He was thinking about the dream he had had. Bluestar told him to follow them. Was 'them' the Clans? Was he supposed to go with them all? The sun rose and Ravenpaw listened quietly as the leaders and Brambleclaw argued what to do.
"I'll come with you to Highstones," he said after they had decided to keep going. Firestar pressed his muzzle against the tom's and they left.
"Who's deputy of ThunderClan now?" Ravenpaw asked after some time.
"Graystripe," Firestar said, blinking at his friend.
"But...he's gone."
"Don't ask me to give up on Greystripe too!" Firestar spat, "Isn't it enough I've given up my home?" Ravenpaw stared at him but said nothing as they trudged on. The Clans and loner reach Highstone by nightfall and Ravenpaw spent the night with them. He woke before the sun rose and slunk away to find something to give to Firestar before he left. A rabbit quickly fell prey to him and he returned, dropping the prey at Firestar's paws.
"A gift," he mewed when Firestar looked up at him questionly.
"I wish you would come with us," Firestar meowed, standing to touch noses with the black tom, "It's hard enough leaving Graystripe behind without leaving another friend." Time froze for Ravenpaw. Maybe he /shoud/ go. This was his chance.
He shook his head, not yet, "This is my home now. I can't leave it or Barley. I'll never forget you." With that, he touched noses once more and bounded down the slope tears in his eyes.
