"Ravenpaw. Barley." Lionblaze's voice didn't echo but it cut through the night sharp as a cat's claws through a mouse's pelt. Moonlight flickered through an opening in the barn, illuminating his golden pelt as he approached the two farm cats. "Can I talk to you?"

Ravenpaw and Barley exchanged a glance before hopping off the hay bales they were resting on and landed neatly before the warrior. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

Lionblaze shuffled his paws but tried to hide his nervousness. He was not a confrontational cat or one that asked for much. He was out of his element but he knew he needed to do this without Dovewing or Jayfeather. "You remember what we told you about how we were driven out of our clan?"

Barley nodded and dipped his head. "Our condolences."

"Thanks," Lionblaze said but the words felt empty on his tongue. These two… He wasn't sure if they understood. Something deep in him yearned for them to press, to ask more. It itched under his pelt yet, at the same time, he was grateful for their… He wasn't sure apathy was the right word. They cared, sure, but in the way any cat felt empathy for someone who was hurting. They didn't care like kin, friends, or clanmates. They were essentially strangers.

Maybe that's what Lionblaze needed right now. Someone who he could turn to, someone he could lean on, but he lacked that connection with. If he was turned away, it wouldn't hurt. If he asked for something, they'd give him a straight answer instead of sparing his feelings. If he needed help, they'd either do it or they wouldn't. No deceit, no reason not to trust them.

He paused and licked his lips, mouth oddly dry. "I'm just going to get right into it. We need a new home."

"And… You want to stay here?"

Lionblaze shook his head. "Many seasons ago, Firestar and Sandstorm passed by here on the way to a gorge where a group called SkyClan lives. We were hoping you'd show us the way."

"Okay."

"You don't under- Wait, what?"

"Okay," Ravenpaw repeated, unfazed.

"Okay? I just asked you to…."

"Do something we were planning to do already," Ravenpaw interrupted. He flicked an ear toward the other side of the barn where the others were sleeping. "Riley and Bella are interested in clan life. Barley and I think - Well, we think they deserve the chance to become warriors. We were going to take them in a few sunrises. Three extra cats couldn't hurt."

"It might actually be nice," Barley added. "I'm not going to pretend like I know what happened to you or understand any of this StarClan business but to me, you're warriors and it'll do Bella and Riley some good to have some exposure to warriors before we arrive. No offense, Ravenpaw."

"None taken," the black tom replied good naturedly. He shot Lionblaze a smirk. "My bones are too old to keep up with a pair of kits. I'll gladly leave Riley and Bella's training in your paws if you come along."

Lionblaze smiled and broke into a purr. "Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Ravenpaw waved him off. "Don't mention it. Like Barley said, you're doing us a favor."

"Still…"

"Get some rest, Lionblaze," Barley said, turning to pad away. "We get up at dawn. You can give the kits the good news then."

Lionblaze nodded and couldn't help but thank them again. Ravenpaw sighed, rolled his eyes, and gave him a friendly nudge before ushering him off to the pile of hay where Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing had made their nests. By the time he got there, Jayfeather and Dovewing were already sound asleep. He could faintly seem them in the dim light trickling in through the gaps near the roof of the barn. Carefully stepping into the hay, he plopped himself down next to Jayfeather. His brother stirred slightly when Lionblaze rested his chin on his shoulder but didn't wake.

Finally off his paws, feeling Jayfeather's sleeping breaths against his body, listening to the soft noises of the night, Lionblaze realized how truly tired he was. They'd been traveling for days with little time to rest and before that, they'd been fighting and running for their lives. Well, Dovewing and Jayfeather's lives. His powers kept him safe.

Still, no matter how tired he was or how much his muscles ached, he couldn't sleep. He was tired. By the stars, he was tired. His mind was too active to sleep though. He had this buzz in his muscles that warded off any hope of falling asleep right now.

SkyClan… He didn't know much about them other than what Jayfeather had mentioned and that wasn't much. All he knew was that they were a fifth clan that was driven out and forced to find a new home, much like himself. Would that make them better? More accepting to a cat like him? A cat like him… Such a strange thing to say but still a valid worry. He'd never been ashamed of his powers but maybe he should keep his muzzle shut about them when they arrived. He never had any problem doing so before.

It felt cowardly to hide when it was no longer the only option but for once, Lionblaze didn't care. He just wanted to be in a clan again. He wanted to be with his family and friends, have a nest to call his own, live with some kind of purpose, serve something greater than himself… Was that too much to ask? SkyClan would never be ThunderClan but maybe it would still be enough.

His eyelids began growing heavy and he let out a long, tired breath. How nice would it be to wake up and go on patrol instead of travel. To grumble to his comrades and complain but still have that deep sense of duty and responsibility spurring him forward. How nice would it be to hunt to feed someone other than himself and his closest companions. To see elders and kits' gazes light up at the sight of a piece of prey he'd brought in himself. How nice would it be to spend sundown lounging in the center of camp. To share tongues with cats he loved and trusted.

It was with these thoughts on his mind that Lionblaze finally fell asleep and dreamed of a life better than the one he lived.

Somehow, the world was quieter with more noise.

The barn cats and former ThunderClan cats set out a few sunrises ago and Dovewing felt more at peace than she had in a long time, relaxed even. No longer did she feel like she was fleeing. If anything, it felt like she was just going on a walk. Like the ones she used to take with Ivypool or even Bumblestripe. She knew she was traveling with a destination in mind and she still longed to reach it but it'd been a long time since she felt safe like this.

More cats meant more noise and Dovewing had more to focus on. She hadn't had another episode since the one that led her to discovering Ravenpaw and Barley's barn. The world was still loud but the chaos had died down. She couldn't hear everything anymore, not unless she wanted to. And by StarClan, she did not want to.

Riley and Bella were young and young meant loud. It was like traveling with kits or apprentices and normally that would be annoying but Dovewing found their antics amusing. Their chatter grounded her, their games amused her, their hunting efforts reminded her of…

She missed home. It felt like something was missing in her chest. She knew Lionblaze and Jayfeather felt the same way, even if they didn't vocalize it. They seemed alright though. Sometimes she thought she was imagining it and she was actually alone in her sorrow. They were older than her. They'd left home many more times and lost so much more. Maybe they were hardened to this kind of thing in a way she never could. They were used to traveling and relied on each other more than their other friends or kin. They had each other, maybe that was it. Would Dovewing still feel the same if Ivypool was here? She wasn't sure.

It was so much worse being able to hear what was happening back home. Sometimes, when she let her mind wander, she'd subconsciously let her hearing drift back home. She usually caught it when it reached the edges of clan territory, whispers and murmurs teasing her, trying to lure her in, but sometimes she was too late and didn't notice until her mind was well within camp. WindClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, ThunderClan… Usually ThunderClan but listening to any camp was too much to bear.

Could Jayfeather still see their dreams? She didn't know if his powers had a range. Hers didn't. Where she was tormented in the day, was Jayfeather tormented in the night? Briarlight, he was close with her. Did he miss her? Could he see her dreams? Did he sometimes stumble upon her presence like she sometimes did with her friends? The tom was so… burdened. Back home, it was easy to brush it off as grumpiness but out here, all alone, it was so easy to see how much weight Jayfeather carried on his shoulders. How much he'd gone through. And how clear it was that he would go through so much more.

And Lionblaze. How much was he hurting? He had Jayfeather, sure, but he was a clan cat through and through. He thrived when he was surrounded by other clans. He had a mate. An actual mate. Nothing like this awkward dance Dovewing had with Bumblestripe and Tigerheart. And he had friends. A lot more than she did. Did he feel their loss? Did it hurt for them to be there and then suddenly be gone? Did it hurt more to be unable to check on them? Lionblaze had always loved his powers for their ability to protect those he cared about. How did it feel to have these powers but the ones he wanted to protect so far away? Ripped away from him?

She taught them a bit. The kits, that was. Lionblaze too. Bella took to Dovewing while Riley took to Lionblaze. It was like having an apprentice. And that made the longing to be home all the more painful. She'd been a warrior for a long time. She was probably going to get an apprentice soon. Someone to share her knowledge and love of her clan with. She'd never get to do that. She felt guilty for considering Bella a cheap replacement.

Hopefully they'd find SkyClan soon. Then they could be part of a clan again. Maybe then she'd stop listening to the horizon. Maybe then the void in her chest would be filled.

"I didn't think you'd come," Jayfeather said. He didn't need to turn to see who was standing behind him.

"We said we'd watch over you," Frostfur replied, "so here we are."

"I thought there were cats back at the old forest you still wanted to watch over."

"There are. But most of them passed long ago. I think it's long since time we started watching over clan cats again."

Jayfeather whisked his tail. He could feel a smile creeping onto his face but he fought it off and dipped his head. "Thank you."

Frostfur purred softly and padded up to him, winding around him with motherly affection. "Do not lose faith in the stars quite yet, Jayfeather. Good things lay ahead."

Jayfeather let out a long sigh. "It's hard, Frostfur. I haven't seen Rock in so long. I don't know how to contact the Ancients. Even Midnight lost faith in the stars. How can I- I don't understand how I can let them guide me anymore."

Frostfur tucked in her haunches and let out a long breath. "I don't know what to tell you, Jayfeather. I've never really connected with StarClan. I don't know about this prophecy of yours but I do know you're powerful. You're stronger than the stars, Jayfeather. If you want to talk to any of them, you can. If you don't want to listen to them, you don't have to."

"You're right," Jayfeather admitted, hanging his head, "but that doesn't really make me feel better."

"I didn't expect it to."

"Do you think you're going to join SkyClan's StarClan? When we get there, I mean."

"I don't know," Frostfur said truthfully. She looked away. "After dying, I thought I'd have all the answers but I feel like a kit again. I don't know what path my paws are meant to take but I have the freedom to figure it out. I think I might try to find this Midnight cat you speak of."

"Badger."

"What?"

"Midnight's a badger."

"Badger," Frostfur corrected. "You seem to have great faith in her. Maybe I can learn something from spending some time with her. Answer your questions."

"That sounds… Nice," Jayfeather settled on. Peaceful, he wanted to say. As much as he fought with StarClan, the realm above the living one was so nice. Sleep was his solitude. It would be wonderful to have this freedom all the time, to explore Silverpelt and what lay beyond for the answers to his questions. But he couldn't.

"Do you think you'll be happy in SkyClan?"

"I don't know. I hope so."

"That's what we're all doing, aren't we? Hoping to be happy?"

"I suppose," Jayfeather replied but he didn't really mean it. He'd given up on happiness long ago. Had he ever really hoped? He'd gotten it briefly when he was a sharpclaw but he hadn't really wished for it before or after. He was just… there. Existing. Wandering through life at his own pace, dealing with whatever came his way when it came. Worrying about what would happen but hadn't yet.

Was that a way to live?

Maybe SkyClan wouldn't be so bad. It'd be a chance to restart. To be the cat he wanted to be, to live the life he wanted to be. Yeah, maybe this was what Jayfeather was waiting for.

Edit 8/23/2020: Removed Author's Note explaining that this chapter is shorter because I wanted to announce I'm taking a break for school and personal reasons but posting ANs alone breaks FFN rules.

Edit 4/4/2021: About 2000 words were added, making this a full length chapter.