Chapter 2: Destiny

Lelouch, along with Graystripe, Lionblaze, and Dovewing, walked into the den and looked around to see where they were going to sleep for tonight. Lelouch had trouble on picking where to sleep, but Dovewing and Ivypool were kind enough to make some room for him. He thanked the she-cats before he slowly drifted off to sleep, but soon after, Lelouch felt his eyes suddenly open. He immediately noticed that he wasn't in ThunderClan anymore. He saw no signs of Lionblaze, Graystripe, Dovewing, Ivypool, or any cats for that matter. He was still in his cat form, his surroundings now being a moonlit field that seemed empty. Isn't this where I was before C.C. brought me here? He heard the sound of grass rustling behind him and turned around to see C.C. He walked over to her, the young woman letting out a smile before crouching down.

"It's good to see that you're okay, Lelouch. Actually, you turned out pretty cute for a cat." She teased, scratching him behind the ears.

"I'm not supposed to be cute, C.C. How'd you even send me here in the first place?"

"If I knew, I would've told you. You have to remember that this is my first time performing this rite."

"Yeah…I guess I'll have to accept that excuse." He meowed, a hint of irritation in his voice. He felt the ground suddenly leave his paws as C.C. picked him up. "Hey! Put me down!"

"Why don't you use your Geass to command me to?"

"You witch…you know that my Geass doesn't work on you."

"It doesn't hurt to try. Besides, it'll be a harmless effect if it does work." Does she seriously want me to try? No, she's just messing with me. Lelouch locked his gaze with hers and stared into her eyes. "I hope you know being a cat doesn't meant that your Geass is now in the form of cuteness." He let out a growl. "Come now, don't be mad at me." She poked his nose with a finger, causing him to lash out at her with his forepaws.

"This isn't a game, C.C.! My Geass isn't activating."

"I was going to help you, but after you tried attacking me, I don't think I will." The tom let out a sigh.

"Fine…I'm sorry." He apologized passive-aggressively. "Now, will you help me?"

"I'll try. The last time I helped you regain your Geass, I kissed you…and I'm definitely not doing that now." She told him. "Promise you won't try attacking me."

"You have my word." C.C. brought the black tom close to her body in a sort of hug. "You're…squishing me…" He said, struggling to get the words out.

"You're so soft…" She brushed her head along his soft pelt.

"C.C.!" The young woman brought the cat away from her body when she remembered who she was holding.

"Sorry about that." She gave him one final kiss on the forehead, causing him to blush. "Okay, now try using your Geass." She placed him back on the ground and watched as Lelouch's violet eyes became encompassed with Geass. "I'm surprised that it actually worked. At least you didn't get into any sort of trouble where having it would've helped."

"Thank you, C.C." He shook his body and then took another glimpse at the landscape around him. "By the way, what is this place?"

"I'm not sure, but it isn't all that bad."

"Agreed. It's really beautiful. I wouldn't mind coming here to talk with you from now on." She let out a small laugh.

"I'll see what I can do." She petted his head. "Lelouch…there's something that I need to tell you."

"What is it?" He tilted his head in confusion. Her voice…she feels guilty about something.

"The truth is…I brought you to this world on purpose, but there's a good reason why I did."

"I see. Why are you just telling me this now?"

"Would you rather I never told you at all?" Irritation filled her voice, causing him to snicker.

"Right, sorry." He apologized. "We've been companions for a while, C.C., so I trust that your reason for sending me here has to do with more than being able to cuddle me."

"That's nice of you to say. I would tell you more, but I know that you'll learn the reason soon." She informed him. "I should get going now. Sleep well, Lelouch." The tom watched as C.C. suddenly began to disappear, his vision now fading to black.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

In the medicine cat's den, Jayfeather was fast asleep. Like most his dreams, he would be led into StarClan to be informed of any prophecies that would help his Clan. When he arrived, he was greeted by Yellowfang.

"Hello Jayfeather. It seems that Spottedleaf has some news to tell you." Yellowfang informed him.

"Why can't you just tell me? Spottedleaf and I don't talk much; not that I don't like her or anything." Jayfeather questioned.

"This is an urgent message that only she knows, so if I were you, I would get my pelt over there." Yellowfang commanded. What could she possibly want with me? He wondered before he started his search for the she-cat. It took him a while, but when he finally saw her, he saw that she was rested beneath a tree with pink flowers.

"Cherry blossoms." Spottedleaf told Jayfeather once she saw him.

"I've never smelled them before. They smell and look beautiful, but why would they just appear in StarClan all of a sudden? Do they have any sort of medicinal value?" Spottedleaf shook her head.

"A new prophecy is occurring, and it brought along a hero to the Clans. The cherry blossom tree is a tree local to where he's from." Spottedleaf explained.

"You're talking about Lelouch, right?"

Spottedleaf nodded. "Correct. He has this power called Geass that can manipulate anyone just by them locking into his gaze. He will definitely be of great help soon."

"How did you gain all this information all of a sudden?" Jayfeather asked.

"One of Lelouch's friends came over here and told me, but this was after we told her about the prophecy." Spottedleaf answered. "I guess that she also brought over the cherry blossom tree and made it grow here." This whole Lelouch situation is strange. A cat from another world, and a tree from where he's from sprouting in StarClan? Jayfeather didn't know how to take all of this.

"Is there anything else that you need me to do?" Spottedleaf nodded.

"You need to inform Firestar about Lelouch because he knows about this savior as well." Spottedleaf requested before she began to fade away.

Jayfeather woke up and couldn't hear any sort of activity outside. It's still nighttime. I probably just woke up from the dream, that's all. With that, Jayfeather drifted back to sleep, remembering to tell Firestar the news about Lelouch in the morning.

When the sun rose, Jayfeather went directly to Firestar's den. He noticed that this was out of the ordinary because he was the one who would usually come to Jayfeather, but instead, it was the other way around.

"Firestar, I have some very important news for you!" Jayfeather informed him.

"You sound like you've come here in a rush, so it must be important."

"It's about Lelouch." He answered. "In my dream, StarClan told me that Lelouch is here as a savior to aid the Clans. You do believe me, right?" Firestar sat in thought. How could such an inexperienced cat be our savior?

"Jayfeather, I've had this prophecy told to me a couple of sunrises ago, so I believe you, but he's just a cat who's learning how to be one. How can he help us?"

Jayfeather responded with one word. "Geass."

"Geass?" The blind medicine cat nodded.

"Spottedleaf told me that Geass has the power to manipulate anyone. She said that it was in his eyes."

"Really? Can you please tell Brambleclaw to bring him here for me?"

"Yes Firestar." Jayfeather walked out of the leader's den to find the ThunderClan deputy. The power to manipulate anyone? With something like that, I have to still hope that his intentions are good.

Lelouch woke up from his slumber and let out a yawn. He saw that Ivypool was still asleep next to him, the tom being careful as he got up. At least I'm getting somewhat better moving as a cat. As he walked out of the den, he bumped into Brambleclaw.

"Firestar wanted me to tell you to go to his den. It's about a very important matter. I'll escort you if you want." Brambleclaw told him.

"I'd appreciate it, thank you." What did I do wrong now? I haven't done anything and I'm being called to Firestar's den. It can't be anything negative on my part. He thought as he followed the deputy to Firestar's den. When they got there, Lelouch heard a voice. "Come in." Firestar said. Once inside, Lelouch noticed that Jayfeather was there as well. What's Jayfeather doing here?

"Lelouch, don't worry, you aren't in any sort of trouble. We just have realized that you are the one." The one? Wait…could this be linked to what C.C. told me? "You see, Jayfeather has received a message from StarClan saying that you have the power to help not only our Clan, but all the others as well." Firestar explained. "I had received something similar, but it did not mention your power."

"By power, you mean my Geass, right?" Lelouch asked.

"Precisely. With the power to control anyone, you could aid the Clans in their time of need." Firestar answered. "You wouldn't mind testing your Geass on one of us, would you?" Firestar added. The violet-eyed tom nodded. Lelouch scanned the room and locked eyes with Brambleclaw.

"Whoa! Um…you're not going to hurt me…right?" The deputy asked, a bit frightened.

"Of course not." Lelouch's eyes became encompassed with Geass and Brambleclaw was a bit petrified by his gaze. "Go and fetch Graystripe, Dovewing, and Lionblaze some prey. You should bring an extra warrior too." When Lelouch was done with his command, Brambleclaw's amber eyes now had a red ring around them.

"Yes I shall. Is there anything specific that those three would want?" Brambleclaw asked.

"No, anything will do." Lelouch answered. With that, Brambleclaw was off. Sandstorm and Firestar looked at Lelouch, wide eyed. "Anything else?"

"No…that will be all. You can return to the warrior's den now." Firestar told him. "Oh and Lelouch, we know that this was your destiny. Not every day does a miracle like this happen. Just know that we will need you sometime soon, and when that time comes, I'm sure you'll know what to do." Lelouch gave the Clan leader a nod before he walked down to the warriors' den to talk to his friends.

"Morning, Lelouch. You're up pretty early. "Graystripe greeted the tom as he approached.

"Don't worry about your first meal today, I got it covered." He noticed that Ivypool was now awake. "Oh, I didn't know you were awake now, Ivypool. I would've asked Bramblestar for four pieces of fresh-kill if I had known."

"It's okay. Wait…our deputy is bringing you prey?" As Lionblaze, Graystripe, Dovewing, and Ivypool looked at him in surprise, they noticed Brambleclaw with some fresh kill in his mouth and Berrynose alongside him. Berrynose had a vole and a squirrel, while Brambleclaw had a thrush. The two both dropped the food at their paws.

"I'm not sure what you guys did to let this happen, but you've gotta tell me sometime." Berrynose told them before walking around the Clan to perform more duties. They watched Brambleclaw shake his head and look at the others.

"What happened?" He looked at the fresh kill in front of the four. "Are all the elders and kits fed already?"

"Brambleclaw, it's okay! Come over here and I'll explain!" Firestar called from his den. Once the deputy left, the three cats looked over at him.

"Lelouch, how did you do that?" Lionblaze wondered.

"I'm not sure I'm supposed to say anything, but I have this power called Geass." They watched as the tom's eyes suddenly changed, losing their violet hue, a red symbol now inside of them. "It allows me to command anyone to do as I say, but I can only use it on the same cat once. Firestar wanted to see how it worked and I ended up asking Brambleclaw to catch you three some prey." His Geass disappeared, Lelouch's eyes reverting back to their violet state.

"Even though you said you forgot about me, there's still only three pieces of prey." Ivypool meowed.

"It's fine. I'm not hungry…or ready to eat any of this for that matter." He meowed.

"You'll have to eat eventually, Lelouch." Dovewing added.

"She's got a point. I'm sure we can share something with you. Take your pick." Graystripe offered.

"I guess I'd have to get accustomed to this if I want to live here." He looked down at the prey, still hesitant. "Why don't you all eat first? I'll take some after."

"Well, okay then." Graystripe took a bite of the squirrel. "You really don't know what you're missing." He looked over at Dovewing and Lionblaze and saw that they were both eating as well. He looked over at Ivypool.

"What do you recommend me trying?"

"I mean, you can't go wrong with any of them. Maybe a mouse would be a better start for you." Graystripe took another bite of his squirrel before pushing it towards him.

"It's really good. Try it." Lelouch looked down at it in disgust.

"But…all the fur on it…"

"It's not crowfood, y'know. You'll have to eat something if you want to survive." Lionblaze urged him after he swallowed the piece of vole in his mouth. Lelouch inched closer to the squirrel and took a fresh bite from it. He drew his face away from it and slowly began to chew.

"See? It's not bad, right?" Ivypool asked.

"I mean…it's not bad…but not good either." He responded. "Maybe it'll taste better to me eventually. I guess that each piece of prey tastes different?"

"Yup. Sorry, I should've left you some to try." Dovewing apologized, but he shook his head.

"It's alright. I'll have to eat again today anyways, right?" As they were finishing up, Brambleclaw stood at the entrance to the den. "Sorry about using my Geass on you, Brambleclaw."

"It's fine. Firestar told me everything. Just don't try and force any cat to hunt for you anymore." Lelouch let out a laugh.

"Dutifully noted." Lionblaze looked over at Brambleclaw.

"Is there anything you need cats for right now?"

"I have two more spots left for a border patrol."

"Want to go?" The golden tom asked Dovewing.

"Sure. Do you think we can bring Lelouch too?"

"It's fine. I was thinking that I could stay here and get to know more of the cats here in camp."

"I'll be here keeping him company." Graystripe added.

"Okay. We'll see you all later then." Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Brambleclaw left the warriors' den to attend to their Clan duties, leaving the other three in the warriors' den.

"I should probably go get something to eat now." Ivypool stated.

"I'm really sorry about that, Ivypool." Again, the tom apologized to her, but she shook her head.

"I told you, it's okay. You don't have to worry at all, Lelouch." She assured him. "I'll see you both later." As Ivypool left to get a piece of fresh-kill, Graystripe began to talk more about Clan life with the violet-eyed tom.

Lionblaze and Dovewing made their way towards the camp entrance, Brambleclaw pointing his tail towards the group of cats who were waiting for them.

"Nice of you both to join us. Let's get going." Brackenfur stated. The group exited through the thorn tunnel and began their walk around ThunderClan territory, keeping an eye out for any unusual activity on their land and borders. Luckily, there was no sign of any danger, so after they placed down fresh scent markers, they were on their way back to camp.

"So, what do you all think about Lelouch?" Dovewing asked the other three cats.

"He seems okay. I don't have a problem with him, although his story is a strange one." Brackenfur replied.

"I can't really say much since he's only been here for two days, but he doesn't seem bad or anything." Rosepetal stated. "What do you think, Sandstorm?"

"I think he'd be a great addition to the Clan if he were to stay. He'd need to learn to fight and hunt, which I'm sure won't be a problem." Other than that, his Geass would be really helpful too.

"Maybe Dovewing and I can help train him." The golden tom suggested.

"That would be a blessing. He'd be learning from one of the Clan's greatest fighters." Rosepetal told him, the tom licking his chest fur in pride.

"She's got a point, y'know." Dovewing added. "I don't think you'd need my help when training him. I'd love to watch, though."

"Maybe you two can train him today? I'll tell Firestar about the idea when we get back." Sandstorm said.

"I'd appreciate it. Let's just hope Lelouch will as well."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

As Lelouch and Graystripe were talking, they noticed Cloudtail approach them both.

"Hey Cloudtail, what's up?" The gray tom asked.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out on a hunting patrol. I know you're busy keeping Lelouch company and all, so you don't have to come." The white tom meowed.

"It's fine, Graystripe. Thanks for talking about the Clan more with me."

"No problem, but I won't leave you alone. I'll go look for someone!" The two toms left Lelouch, the violet-eyed tom waiting for the other cat Graystripe was going to bring to replace him. He heard pawsteps approaching him and saw that it was Ivypool.

"Are you the replacement Graystripe was telling me about?"

"That's me. Hopefully I can be somewhat better than him." She joked before sitting across from him. "So…did you get to know any more cats here while I was gone?"

"Yeah. I met Blossomfall, Mousewhisker, and Thornclaw. They all seemed interested in the fact that I was from a different world, other than worried about the fact, which is a good thing." Ivypool brought her gaze up to his. Lelouch saw a sense of worry in her blue eyes.

"Lelouch, can I ask you something…strange?" The tom tilted his head in confusion.

"What is it?"

"I was just wondering, ever since you got here, have you been having strange dreams? Like, do they take place somewhere that looks…scary, to say the least?"

"The only dream I've had here so far was last night, but it was to talk with my friend, C.C. It was dark, but definitely not scary." He answered. "Why do you ask, Ivypool?"

"Because there's a place that some cats go to in their dreams and train with evil cats…myself included." She told him. "When you train there…all the injuries you sustain are apparent when you wake up. Some cats have even died there."

"Why are you there, then? You're definitely not evil."

"I was brought there to train initially, but now I act as a spy to help the Clans. These cats want them destroyed."

"That's very brave of you, Ivypool. Luckily you're still alive despite risking your life." A small blush formed on her face.

"Thanks. It's really scary, but if it helps the Clans, it's worth it." She turned her gaze away from him. "Sorry for thinking that you were there, too. I don't think you're evil at all, Lelouch, but…I just wanted to steer you in the right direction to keep you safe."

"Thank you, Ivypool. You know, you asked me if I got to know some cats, but I don't think we've actually gotten to know each other that much." He meowed.

"Oh, well I guess I've told you something about myself already, so it's your turn."

"Right. Let's see…" The tom pondered for a moment. "I should probably explain why I've been brought to this world, which, come to think of it, should probably be the first thing explained when I tell cats that." Ivypool let out a giggle. "Back in the world I'm from, I actually died in order to bring peace to the world."

"I'm sorry to hear that you needed to do such a thing."

"Don't be. It was actually all a part of the plan I thought up. I made the world hate me, and I took all the hate with me when I died. I'm not actually sure why I ended up in this world, but I've been granted immortality, so when I died, I was brought here."

"So you're like a Clan leader, but with infinite lives?"

"I guess. How many lives do leaders have?"

"Nine."

"Just like the expression." Ivypool tilted her head. "Oh, back in my world, it's a saying that cats have nine lives."

"Oh, okay." Ivypool shifted her forepaws. "So…what exactly are you, Lelouch? Like, back in your world. It can't be a cat if you barely knew how to walk when you got here."

"Right. Back in my world, I was a human. I'm not sure if you have those here. At least, I haven't seen any."

"Actually, I don't know what that is. Can you describe them to me?"

"Well, unlike cats, they stand on two legs and—." He stopped when the she-cat let out a small gasp.

"Y-You're…a Twoleg?"

"I guess if that's what you call them." Ivypool's eyes widened in shock. He could tell that the sudden revelation seemed to stun her. "Ivypool?" She snapped back into reality.

"Sorry, it's just…a bit to take in." She meowed. "Clan cats aren't really fond of Twolegs."

"Thought so. I can understand your uneasiness." He responded. "Luckily you're the only cat that I've told that to so far."

"Really?" He nodded his head.

"You're the only one who's ever asked what exactly I am, so I've never really brought it up."

"Lelouch…I'm sorry for reacting like that."

"Ivypool, it's okay, really. Like I said, I completely understand. Don't worry about it." He assured her. She touched her gaze back to his.

"I…guess it is a bit interesting. I'm sure being a cat helps ease up to you a bit more too." Lelouch smiled.

"Definitely. Actually, there is another secret that Firestar told me today. You'll be the first to hear that one too."

"I should feel honored, huh?"

"I don't mean to sound arrogant about it." He meowed. "Jayfeather apparently received a message from this place called StarClan that said I was destined to help the Clans."

"That means you really are one special cat, Lelouch. StarClan is where deceased warriors live. They help us by giving medicine cats prophecies. The fact that they told Jayfeather about you means you're destined for something big. You should feel proud."

"Here's hoping I can live up to their expectations."

"I know you will. You already have friends here willing to help you every step of the way, after all." Ivypool noticed a pair of shadows hovering over them and looked to see that they belonged to Lionblaze and Dovewing. "Oh, hi you two. What's up?"

"Where's Graystripe? I thought he was supposed to keep you company." Lionblaze questioned.

"He was asked to go out hunting. I told him it was okay and got Ivypool as a replacement." Ivypool smiled.

"I was glad to keep you company, Lelouch. You're a really nice cat."

"So are you. You're really brave as well, Ivypool. I can't imagine doing what you do in your dreams." He responded, causing her to blush. "Anyway, did you two need me for something?"

"We asked Firestar, and he said it would be beneficial if we gave you some combat training." Dovewing said.

"Combat training? I'm not the most physical type of cat…but if the Clan leader told me to, I should probably do it." Lelouch got up on his paws. "Ivypool, would you like to come with us?"

"I would, but the Clan might need some cats for something. You never know." She replied. "Thanks for offering though." Lelouch gave her a quick smile before leaving towards the clearing with Dovewing and Lionblaze. As they were walking, Dovewing moved so that Lelouch was between her and Lionblaze.

"So…you like my sister, don't you?" Dovewing asked Lelouch, a sudden warmth forming on his face.

"I mean, she's nice, but I don't like her the way you're talking about." He responded.

"Really? I think she likes you in that way though." She insisted.

"We only really talked today. I don't think feelings develop that quickly."

"You'd be surprised. Love's one of those tricky emotions in our lives." Lionblaze told him.

"Aren't you supposed to be the fighting expert here?" Dovewing said jokingly.

"Well yeah, but Cinderheart and I have been through a lot, and we both know how love has a weird way of working." He responded. "You should know. Don't you and Bumblestripe have something special?" He could sense the strong embarrassment on Dovewing's face. "Oh wait, was it you and Tigerheart?"

"No, no, no! Stop teasing me about that!" She shook her head, her face growing even hotter, causing Lelouch to let out a small laugh. He loved seeing how these two friends acted towards each other, and he was glad that he was now friends with them. It may not be a human world, but friends are friends no matter what. They reached an area of the forest that looked like a battlefield with some trees scattered around it.

"Okay Lelouch, for now I'm just going to teach you some basic moves. The first is called the Front Paw Blow. All you need to do is bring your front paw down as hard as you can on your opponent's head to try and daze them, like so." Lionblaze quickly brought his front paw down, Lelouch being able to hear the wind whistle behind it. "Notice how my claws are sheathed. Only in a really dire situation would you use this move with your claws out."

"Okay, so like this?" Lelouch brought his right forepaw down as fast and hard as he could.

"Exactly. Now this next one is called the Front Paw Strike or the Forepaw Slash. Unlike the previous move, you don't aim for the head. With your claws out, you aim for the face or the body."

"So, basically like the Front Paw Blow, but I can aim anywhere with my claws unsheathed?"

"Yup. Now…" Lionblaze leaped towards Lelouch and pinned him to the ground. Dovewing let out a small gasp. Lionblaze was one of the best fighters she knew, so even when training, she felt a bit scared knowing what he could do. "You'll be in situations like this a lot, and you have two option: You can either play dead, or use a Belly Rake. When playing dead, just go limp, and then once you feel their grip begin to release, get back to your paws to push them off. Playing dead takes a bit of time to master despite it sounding easy. If they don't land a blow to you, they won't really believe it."

"Got it. What about the Belly Rake?" Lelouch asked, still pinned to the ground.

"If you're able to move your paws, just aim for the opponent's belly and slash it. They'll get off, and you're back to having the upper paw." He explained. "Is this uncomfortable for you?" Lionblaze let Lelouch back up. "You can also use the Half-Turn Belly Rake while standing on your paws. All you do is roll under your opponent, scratch their belly, and then come back up. Here, try it on me." Lelouch nodded. He got onto the ground, rolled under Lionblaze, slightly touched his belly with his paw, and rolled back on the other side of him.

"How was that?"

"It was okay, but you might need to do it a bit faster. Try again." Lelouch did it again, but Lionblaze shook his head.

"Sorry. Being active isn't my best trait." He apologized.

"Lionblaze, we shouldn't push him too hard. He understands how the move works, so maybe we should move on and work on other moves." Dovewing suggested.

"Right, sorry. Just know that the process of the Half Turn Belly Rake is similar to the Duck and Twist. All you do for the Duck and Twist is twist, roll onto your back, and get back on your paws. It's mainly for defense."

"Got it."

"Good. Now one of the other final basic moves is the Teeth Grip. All you do is grab onto your opponent's legs, tail, scruff, or ears with your teeth, leaving your paws free to inflict any damage." He explained. Lionblaze now turned his attention towards the gray she-cat. "Dovewing, do you mind having a bit of a practice fight with Lelouch?"

"What? M-me? I don't know. What if one of us gets hurt?"

"It's a practice fight. None of you use your claws, and if you bite, don't bite hard."

"Well, okay then." Dovewing and Lionblaze swapped places.

"Don't worry Dovewing, I won't hurt you, I promise. If I do, just tell me and I'll stop." Lelouch told her.

"The same goes for you too."

"Alright you two, start!" Dovewing made the first move, running towards Lelouch. Once she was close enough, she pounced towards him, but Lelouch used the Duck and Twist to move out of the way. Since Dovewing knew that Lelouch wasn't quick enough to get on his paws, she ran back towards him and smacked his side with a paw, knocking him down.

"C'mon Lelouch, you can do better than that." Dovewing taunted. She allowed him to get up, and she could see a bit of irritation in his eyes. Maybe teasing him wasn't the best idea. She thought, getting back into a fighting stance. Once he got up, Lelouch wasted no time in running towards Dovewing. She did the same, but as they got closer to each other, she watched as Lelouch disappeared from her view, but then felt a paw brush through her belly. She turned around to see Lelouch quickly get back on his paws. Dovewing ran towards him again, and this time he didn't try rolling onto the ground again. She swiped a paw downwards towards his head when she got close, causing Lelouch to step back, Dovewing's paw only slightly grazing the tip on his nose. She kept repeating the same maneuver, alternating between her two front paws, hoping to get him tired of dodging. Lelouch could tell that was her goal, and it was working, her paw strikes landing closer and closer to the center of the top of his head. Since it was just training, it didn't hurt much, but the pain slowly began building up. Once he saw that her attacks began slowing down, he took the opportunity to jump towards her and pin her to the ground.

"Looks like I got you." He told her with a small grin, causing her to become flustered.

"Why're you looking at me like that? This isn't over yet." She told him before kicking him off with her hind paws. Lelouch's body flipped over Dovewing's, his head landing right under hers. With that, Dovewing rolled back to her feet and pinned Lelouch's forepaws and hindpaws. "Now it's over." She told him, letting out a sweet smile. Dovewing got off of him and helped him up. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" She asked.

"I'm fine. You're okay too, right?"

"Yup." She responded with a nod. "I thought I may have hit you too much on the head. Are you sure you're fine?"

"Yeah. It just hurts a bit, but I'm not dying or anything." Dovewing let out a small laugh.

"Alright you two, that was great. Lelouch, that's your first taste of combat. That's a bit of how battle works between Clans, but one key to note is this: we're not going to battle to kill cats purposefully."

"Right. Like I usually say: the only ones who should kill are those prepared to be killed." He stated, using one of the quotes he loved.

"I'm sure you picked that one up back in your world." Lelouch nodded his head, the other two hearing his stomach growl slightly afterward.

"Did you not pick up anything from the fresh-kill pile when we were gone?" Dovewing asked, the tom shaking his head.

"I know I was fine with the squirrel and all…but I guess I'm a bit wary to try anything else." He admitted.

"That's okay. Why don't we go hunting for a bit before we go back?" Lionblaze suggested. "If your stomach can survive, that is."

"I'm sure the Clan would appreciate it, and it's not like Lelouch can't hunt either. It's almost like fighting, but easier." Dovewing stated.

"I'll manage. Let's go." Lionblaze led the two a bit deeper into the forest where prey was a bit more abundant. The two native cats sniffed the air, sensing prey around the area.

"Lelouch, there's a mouse over there." Dovewing told him, pointing towards the nearby tree the mouse was next to. "Being a ThunderClan cat, we're great at keeping quiet and staking our prey, so you have to be good at it."

"Got it." Lelouch pressed his body close to the forest floor and slowly approached the mouse. Once he got closer, he moved slower, and when he was in jumping range he coiled his hindlegs back and leaped towards the mouse. As he was about to land, however, the mouse heard him and scurried off.

"That wasn't bad for your first try!" Lionblaze commented. "You just need to be aware of your surroundings next time."

"Other than that, you had the technique down almost perfectly." Dovewing added.

"Really? I just did what seemed natural. I've seen how cats sneak up on prey before back in Japan, but instead of prey it's usually a toy."

"Interesting. There are cats back where you're from?" Lionblaze asked, receiving a nod from the tom.

"Usually they're pets that people have."

"Wait…people?" Dovewing said with a bit of confusion. "By pets you must mean kittypets…so by people you must mean…Twolegs then, right?"

"Yeah, that's what we call them, and that's what I was before I got here."

"So let me get this straight: You're a Twoleg who died…and because you're immortal you can't die and were brought into this world as a cat?" Lionblaze stated, the violet-eyed tom replying with a nod.

"Well…that's a bit weird, but being from a different world is weird in itself." Dovewing said. "Just know that knowing that you're a Twoleg won't change how we look at you at all…well at least it won't change my opinion on you, but I'm not sure about Lionblaze."

"Are you trying to start something between us?" The golden tom questioned. "Of course it's fine with me. Actually, I find it a bit cool because now we're able to learn a bit more about them and their terminology." Lionblaze replied. "Anyway, let's get back to hunting. Let's see if you'll catch something."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

After they finished hunting, Lionblaze, Lelouch, and Dovewing made their way back to the ThunderClan camp. Since they were only three cats, they couldn't carry back all their fresh-kill, so they buried it in the ground so they could pick it up later on. When they returned, they were greeted by Firestar.

"So, how did Lelouch's training go?" He asked.

"It went well. He's also a decent hunter now, too." Dovewing told him.

"Is that so?" The leader sounded surprised.

"Yup. We caught more, but we couldn't carry it all by ourselves." Lionblaze stated.

"Very well then. Put the prey in the fresh-kill pile and bring the rest back please." The three nodded and made their way towards the camp exit. "Actually...Lionblaze, Dovewing, you two stay here while Lelouch and I go get the rest of the prey."

"But…the Clan needs a leader." Dovewing responded.

"Brambleclaw will be in charge while I'm gone." He answered sternly. Lionblaze didn't add on, and the two walked over to the warriors' den, Firestar approaching Lelouch. "You remember where you buried the fresh-kill, right?" The black tom nodded. "Very well, lead the way." Lelouch moved in front of the ThunderClan leader to guide him to where the fresh-kill was. He knew that Firestar wanted to talk to him about something, but he wasn't really sure what.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Lelouch asked him as they were walking.

"It's about what you're possibly about to get into, Lelouch." He mewed. "You see, the Clans are getting prepared for one of the greatest battles yet. Not with each other, but with the fallen cats who reside in the Dark Forest."

"Dark…Forest?" Lelouch stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. "Is this the reason why I've been brought here?"

"StarClan works in mysterious ways. I'm positive though that it's the reason why."

"I understand. I hope you know that I have no intention on not helping your Clan out. I'm thankful for what you've done for me ever since I got here."

"It's no trouble at all. Speaking of which, do you know when you'll be leaving us?" Lelouch shook his head.

"That's up to my companion I'm pretty sure. She works sort of like this StarClan you speak of."

"I see. Just know that when the time comes, we're your allies and we'll do our best to keep you from getting hurt."

"That won't be necessary."

"How so?"

"Back in my world, I stole the immortality that my father had. That's how I ended up in this world."

"I see. Does that mean if you die here, you'll leave this world as well?"

"I'm not entirely sure. It sounds like the most reasonable outcome if I do, but I don't want any of you dying for someone who can't die. I rather have my blood spill than any of yours." Firestar let out a small smile. He almost reminds me of myself.

"Even though you've only been here for two days, I can tell that you'd be a very valiant warrior, Lelouch, maybe even a leader."

"That position isn't unheard of for me, actually." He said, resuming their walk towards the buried prey.

"Really? You express it well."

"Thank you. You do as well, Firestar. Everyone in your Clan really seems to respect you."

"I'm grateful for it all, especially since I was born a kittypet."

"I would never have noticed." Lelouch remembered the conversation he had with Lionblaze and Dovewing and realized that he never told Firestar that he was originally a human. "I know that this may sound weird…but back in my world, I was a human…a Twoleg, as I've been told you call them."

"That's surreal, but since I was a kittypet before, I'm a bit fond for Twolegs. I know that they don't mean any harm. I'm sure you were a good one, as well."

"That's all a matter of perspective." Lelouch stopped to taste the air. "It should be right here." Next to a tree, Lelouch began to dig a bit until he saw the wing of a blackbird. He picked it up and continued digging, revealing the vole and a rabbit. Firestar picked up the other two.

"Let's get back to the Clan." He told Lelouch, his voice muffled by the fresh-kill.

The two cats walked back into camp and placed the prey on the fresh-kill pile. Lelouch saw Firestar bow his head and close his eyes, which he guessed meant that he was praying to StarClan about the food. Once he opened his eyes, he looked over at Lelouch.

"I don't think I have any sort of assignment for you. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me."

"Thank you, Firestar." The leader let out a small smile before heading back over to his den. Lelouch walked over to the warriors' den to meet up with Lionblaze, Graystripe, Dovewing, and the other warriors.

"Hi Lelouch. You weren't in trouble, were you?" Dovewing asked, Lelouch shaking his head. "That's good to hear. Oh I almost forgot. Lionblaze over here wants to introduce you to his 'love'." She teased, causing him to blush.

"Anyway Lelouch, this is Cinderheart."

"Lionblaze told me a lot about you while you were gone. It's nice to meet you." She greeted him.

"It's nice to meet you as well. I'm sure you're a hard-working warrior if Lionblaze and you are a couple." She licked her chestfur in embarrassment.

"I wouldn't say I work as hard as he does, but thank you." Lelouch looked over at the others.

"So, what do you all usually do now when there's no work to do?"

"Later on at night some of us go on patrols, but for now, we're just resting." Lionblaze told him. "Actually, why don't we tell you some stories about the Clans to keep you well informed?"

"Why don't you tell him about Onestar?" Dovewing suggested. "He's WindClan's leader, but we don't get along with him much."

"Why's that?" Lelouch asked.

"Well that's why we're going to tell you stories." Cinderheart said with a small laugh. "Lionblaze, do you mind?"

"Not at all, although, it's not really much of a story, it's more like a bunch of faults that he's committed." He stated. "He's stolen fish from RiverClan territory, and has accused Firestar and all of ThunderClan for treason, saying that we've walked onto WindClan territory and stuff like that."

"Do you think he's just trying to help his Clan survive?"

"It would seem that way to him and his Clan, but when I was still an apprentice, Onestar issued an invasion into ThunderClan territory, believing that we think that we're the best Clan. He did it apparently to show that WindClan wasn't weak and that they could take as much territory as they pleased."

"I see. His actions are similar to ones I've witnessed. Taking territory regardless of asking and just using sheer force."

"If you think Onestar's bad, trust me, there's worse." Dovewing told him. Lelouch was then reminded of the upcoming threat that Firestar told him about.

"Before that, can any of you tell me about the Dark Forest?" They all looked at each other before Dovewing got to her paws.

"My sister can. I'll go get her quick." Dovewing left the den in search of her sister.

"How do you know about it?" Lionblaze asked.

"Firestar told me. He said that there's going to be a huge battle between them and the Clans, and he believes that's why I was brought here." He replied. Dovewing walked back into the warriors' den, Ivypool behind her.

"Lelouch, Dovewing told me that you wanted to know about the Dark Forest?" He nodded. "Remember this morning when I told you about doing reconnaissance in my dreams?" He nodded. "Well, the Dark Forest is where I go. The things I told you are all about the Dark Forest. I didn't want to tell you directly since I wasn't sure if I was allowed to, but because you know about it, it should be fine."

"So…cats from all the other Clans are being trained…to kill their Clanmates?" Ivypool nodded.

"They don't know that. They believe they're just going through some sort of special training. I wish I could tell them…but I don't want to put any cat in danger." She suddenly turned her gaze away from his. "To think that I did it originally out of being jealous of Dovewing…" Her sister looked at her, sorrow in her eyes. "But I've spent enough time there and have no intention of going back. It's horrible there. All the wounds I've sustained from being there could still be felt even when I woke up, and even if you died while dreaming, you'd die in real life."

"Really? You never told me that. You're much braver than I thought, Ivypool. Risking your life in that crucial of a situation deserves some sort of praise. I'm glad to see that you're actually okay if you had to go through that much."

"Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Cinderheart and my sister give me enough praise for my actions, but I really appreciate yours as well, Lelouch." She mewed. "All I know is that the battle is going to happen soon. When the times comes…I hope that you stay safe, Lelouch, especially since you're new to this world."

"I promise that I will. I was trained by one of the best, so I've heard." He assured her, causing the she-cat to smile.

"That's a relief. Oh, I should get going now so I don't keep Blossomfall lonely. I'll see you all soon." Once Ivypool left, Cinderheart looked over at Lelouch.

"Ivypool likes you, I just know it." She told him.

"Dovewing said the exact same thing earlier today."

"Because it's true! The way you were talking to her, don't act like you don't have at least a bit of feelings towards her."

"I mean…she's really nice."

"Aw…you do like her, don't you?" Cinderheart teased, the black tom quickly shaking his head to deny the claim.

"I-I never said that!"

"You kinda did." Lionblaze added, causing him to let out an irritated sigh.

"Whatever. Any more stories you want to tell me?"

"Oh, I have one about Ivypool in mind." Dovewing said jokingly, causing the others to laugh when Lelouch let out an annoyed growl.

After telling Lelouch various stories, the moon filled the sky, telling the cats that it was time to go get some rest. Like last night, Lelouch found a spot next to Ivypool and Dovewing.

"At least none of us were picked for night duty. I'm really tired." Dovewing stated.

"Same." Lionblaze agreed. "Well, we should go and get some rest. We never know what could happen tomorrow." The others all agreed, and slowly began to fall asleep.