A/N

Full Chapter Title: Completion (Lijep and Pebbletail) Part 3

It wouldn't let me put it all.

Shorty: Yeah, but Nightpaw's wish will come true, and she'll start doing better soon! That mystery did seem to die down a little after Hawkpool left for RiverClan and then the NightWalkers, but yes, I haven't forgotten and it'll be dealt with in this chapter or in soon ones to come.

SilverW01f: You smell correctly, my friend! ;)

RiverClanner: No problem! Glad to see you're back on your account

Oh, and guess what my beloved reviewers? We hit 200 reviews! Thank you people so much!

(Recap)

"Because I'm expecting Pebbletail's kits." Hawkpool announced, staring down at her paws bashfully.

Oakstar was silent for a moment, before his face stretched into a wide grin. "Grandbabies!" He laughed joyfully, pressing his nose to Hawkpool's. He swiveled around to look at Pebbletail. "You treat her well."

"Why didn't you say sooner?" Oakstar asked, the two padding to his den. Hawkpool merely shrugged.

"I don't really know," she admitted. "I guess we wanted to be sure. I can still organize patrols, but Pebbletail-" Hawkpool was interrupted by Oakstar's shocked gasp.

"No, you won't," he said, as if it was a dangerous task. "You could harm the kits!"

Hawkpool looked awkward. "Father, need I remind you, I've had kits before? And, still was active while being pregnant?"

Oakstar shook her head, completely dismissing her. "No, no, no. You're to stay in the nursery with your mother and kit-siblings. I'll have, erm, Pebbletail act as deputy until the kits are born and don't need to be nursed anymore."

Hawkpool stared at her father in horror and disbelief. "No way! I'm not even a moon into being pregnant! I only found out a quarter-moon ago!" She protested, but her words failed to reach Oakstar.

"Go on," Oakstar said sternly, pointing towards the nursery. "Your mother can keep you company."

Hawkpool huffed angrily, stalking off with her tail lashing back and forth furiously. Sandfern purred in amusement as Hawkpool plopped down in a nest beside the ginger she cat.

"He's gone into baby-mode," Sandfern meowed in a tired voice.

Hawkpool tilted her head in confusion. "What's baby-mode?"

Sandfern sighed, staring at Oakstar, who seemed to be keeping a close eye on Hawkpool and Sandfern. "Baby-mode is this kinda… state he goes into when someone close to him is expecting. Like when I was pregnant with you and your brothers, and whilst I was pregnant with Finchkit and Newtkit."

Hawkpool's eyes cleared with understanding, but she still looked irritated. "That's sweet of him and all, but I was a queen before, without his hovering. I can nurse these kits without him."

Sandfern chuckled. "Just don't tell him that. Maybe you should ease it on him, do little things that'll show him you're still capable."

"I know, but I'm just worried about the kits I have now," Hawkpool confessed, staring at them from inside the warmth of the nursery. Reedpaw and Snailpaw were flinging snow at each other. Whitepaw was playing with Finchkit and Newtkit, showing them exactly what snow was, and Hazelpaw was frantically urging Cloudkit back into the nursery, the small kit burrowing through the layers of snow.

"Birchpaw still hasn't woken up since that incident," Hawkpool meowed softly. "Morningfeather says she can't heal his leg like Honeysnow healed mine; his is just too broken in too many places. She says he'll never become a warrior…"

Sandfern covered her mouth in shock. "Oh, that's horrible! What'll he do when he wakes up?"

Hawkpool's face grew grim. "If he wakes up. She says he gets weaker every passing day…"

"Oh, Hawkpool," Sandfern sighed, scooting close to her daughter to comfort her. "I know how hard it is to feel like you've lost a kit. It's how I felt when I lost you and your brothers." Sandfern gazed at the ground. "It's how I feel now; your brothers are really gone, but I have you, my dear."

Hawkpool smiled modestly. "Oh, mom!" Hawkpool squeaked, nuzzling into her mother. "I love you. I missed you and father so much."

"I finally caught Cloudkit," Hazelpaw announced, snow still clinging to her grey-brown fur. "This little rascal blended in too well."

Cloudkit squeaked incoherently, wriggling in Hazelpaw's teeth. "Okay, okay!" Hazelpaw exclaimed, setting Cloudkit down between Sandfern and Hawkpool. "I hope you don't mind. I don't want her getting sick, especially since she's still weak. I just need some time to stretch my legs out."

As Hazelpaw scampered off without another word, Cloudkit nestled between Hawkpool and Sandfern with a series of tiny sneezes. "Oh, dear!" Sandfern exclaimed, pushing Cloudkit closer to her warm belly fur. "Has she already got a cold?"

Hawkpool gave Cloudkit a tender lick on her nose. "She doesn't feel warm, mom. Maybe she was just a little chilled."

Sandfern frowned slightly. "I don't know, Hawkpool. She doesn't look too well." Cloudkit coughed pitifully.

Hawkpool sighed. "I guess you're right." The black she cat scooped Cloudkit up into her jaws by the scruff. "I'll take her to see the medicine cat."

Hawkpool stood, Cloudkit swinging in her jaws gently. Pebbletail approached her from across the clearing.

"Hey," he meowed, licking her cheek. "How you doing? I saw that whole ordeal with your father."

Hawkpool rolled her eyes in agitation from the mention of Oakstar. "He's being so overbearing! This isn't the first time I've had kits!"

Pebbletail sighed, tipping his head with a soft grin. "He's just looking out for you, dear." he kissed her cheek again. "I have a patrol, so I'll see you later."

Hawkpool waved her tail goodbye, then headed into the medicine den. It smelled freshly of catmint.

"Uh, Morningfeather?" Hawkpool called out, her voice muffled by Cloudkit's scruff fur. The golden she cat spun around, turning away from Ivysky, who had been in need of borage leaves.

"Sandfern says she thinks Cloudkit caught a cold from being out in the snow," Hawkpool meowed, placing the shuddering kit down on a reed nest.

Morningfeather nodded for Breezepaw to continue with Ivysky as she padded towards Cloudkit. Morningfeather pressed her nose to Cloudkit's paw pad. "Well, she does seem a little warm. Maybe she should stay in here for the night so I can keep an eye on her. You can never be too careful in Leaf-bare."

"It is only Leaf-fall, Morningfeather," Hawkpool reminded the young medicine cat. "It's just that snow has come early."

Morningfeather cringed. "Yes, and that means an earlier epidemic of sickness! Trust me, I've seen it."

Hawkpool went silent. She coughed awkwardly. "Um, is Birchpaw okay? Has he woken up yet?"

Morningfeather's eyes flitted over to the tabby mottled tom. "He hasn't gotten worse. I'm going to consult the other medicine cats at the Moonfall tonight."

Hawkpool curled next to her son. "If he can't be a warrior, what can he do? He's such a good hunter!"

Morningfeather glanced over at Hawkpool and Birchpaw, then looked away, a hint of shame in her eyes. "He's shown a passion for herbs; I've spoken to Honeysnow and she says it is possible for a medicine cat to have two apprentices; apparently she trained beside her sister for few moons."

Hawkpool sighed, her eyes sad. "I just want him to be okay. To wake up and be content and able to do whatever he wants." She narrowed her eyes. "And most of all, I want to catch how did this to him."

Hawkpool examined Birchpaw once again. His wounds had been cleaned up, marigold and cobwebs wrapped around the cuts and bites on his throat. His leg was at an awkward angle, but it was the best Morningfeather could do.

Birchpaw grunted in his rest, turning on his other side, his paws lying at a strange positions from him. Hawkpool moved to shift him, but froze when she spotted a clump of fur snagged in his claws.

Hawkpool nosed the fur from his claws, inspecting it. It was a dusky brown color with faint splotches of black. She sniffed it cautiously, hoping her suspicions were wrong. They weren't.

"ShadowClan…" Hawkpool whispered, her eyes burning with rage. First they raped her daughter and now they attempted to kill her son?!

"Father!" Hawkpool barged into Oakstar's den, the ball of fur held tightly in a paw.

"Hawkpool, you're supposed to be taking it easy!" Oakstar jumped up from his nest.

Hawkpool bristled. "I can take care of myself!" She revealed the wad of fur. "I found this in Birchpaw's claws! It's from ShadowClan! They're the one who tried to kill my son, and murdered my brother!"

Oakstar jerked back in surprise. "H-Hawkpool, I- wait, you mean you know who tried to kill my grandson?"

Hawkpool pushed the cluster of fur to Oakstar's face. "Yes! Well, not exactly who. And, well, I have a plan. We need to track the cat down. I know ThunderClan will agree with us."

Oakstar looked taken aback, then he grinned widely and purred at her. "That's my girl! I knew I made the right choice making you deputy!" he exclaimed with joy, squeezing Hawkpool in a tight hug.

Hawkpool gasped for air. "Dad. Can't. Breathe. Let's not suffocate to unborn kits." Oakstar released his daughter with a sheepish chuckle.

"How do suggest we spread the news to the clans?" Oakstar asked her.

"Well, we could have Morningfeather and Breezepaw spread the news when they go to the Moonfall tonight. The murderer obviously isn't Thymetail; the fur doesn't match." Hawkpool suggested, her eyes yearning for approval.

"Brilliant!" Oakstar flattered. "My daughter, deputy and genius!"

Hawkpool flushed in humility. "Father, I'm not that great. Really… I'm hardly all that."

"Oh, but you are," Oakstar insisted, nuzzling her affectionately. "I'm sorry I doubted you. You really are a strong willed cat, especially when you're carrying."

Hawkpool pulled back in mild surprise. "You don't think I'm weak because I'm pregnant?"

Oakstar scoffed. "Of course not! If anything, you're stronger. You have those motherly instincts to protect them, no matter the cost. I didn't mean to smother you; I just want you to be safe, my fatherly instincts."

(POV change: Jaytalon)

(Recap)

"I'm Lijep, but you can call me Lily."

Jaytalon cleared his throat. "What are doing here?" He asked in curiousity.

"Oh me?" Lijep chuckled. "I'm a street cat. What about you?" She purred, walking a circle around him and dragging her puffy tail under his nose. "I've never seen you around these parts."

"I'm a clan cat," Jaytalon replied with confidence. "ThunderClan, to be exact."

Lijep looked extremely intrigued. "The forest cats? Tell me about them. Are they like street bosses?"

"No, I don't think so," Jaytalon thought for a moment. "But I've never met a street boss."

Lijep chuckled, but this laugh rang with sorrow. "Consider yourself lucky. Does this, 'ThunderClan', have a leader?"

"Yeah, we do," Jaytalon smiled at her, sitting down next to her. "I'm actually the second in charge."

Lijep tittered softly. "Is your leader mean?"

Jaytalon pulled back in surprise. "Of course not! Cloudstar is one of the nicest cats I've ever known." Lijep smiled in relief.

"That's good to know," she sighed. "I can't say the same for most street bosses. I used to be under the control of one, and he was the cruelest."

Jaytalon looked horrified. "That sounds terrible! The clans aren't like that." he stopped himself. "Well, most of the times we aren't like that. We have our share of battles."

Lijep's curiosity returned, gleaming in her fantastic sea-green eyes. "What do you mean by 'we'?"

"Oh!" Jaytalon exclaimed. "Well, there's four clans. There's ThunderClan, that's the one I'm in. And there's RiverClan, they live over the river, and are super good at swimming. There's WindClan, they live on the moors, and are super fast, like rabbits. Finally, there's ShadowClan. They're the mysterious ones, kinda blending into shadows."

Lijep's eyes shimmered with yearning. "That sounds so fun! How does it work? With kits and kit-carers?"

Jaytalon subtly wrapped his tail around her shoulder. "Well, when kits become six moons old, they are given a mentor to teach them how to hunt and fight. When their mentor think they are ready, the leader makes them a warrior. After a few moons of being a warrior, the leader could assign them an apprentice. If they've already mentored an apprentice, the leader could name them deputy if the previous ones dies or retires. If the leader dies, then the deputy becomes leader and is granted nine lives from StarClan and-"

Lijep interrupted Jaytalon with a chuckle of doubt. "Nine lives? That's a kit's tale."

"No, it's true," Jaytalon insisted. "They are given nine lives by StarClan, which are our ancestors. Like an after-life."

"Can she cats become leaders? And what if they become pregnant?" Lijep questioned, shrugging off her skepticism of the nine lives.

Jaytalon nodded. "Yeah! The ShadowClan leader is actually a female. And to answer your other question, the she cat will live in a nursery until her kits are apprenticed and she's cared for by the whole clan. If a leader or deputy becomes a queen, that's we call she cats carrying, someone will fill in. The deputy will fill in for the leader, and a highly respected cat will fill in for a deputy."

Lijep stood in surprise. "They treat their kit-carers well? And they call them queens?"

Jaytalon looked puzzled at her disbelief. "Well, yeah. Kits are the future of the clans and she cats are equals to toms. You mean to say it's not like that here?"

Lijep stared at her dark paws awkwardly. "No, it's not. The kit-carers are left to fend for themselves, their mates sometimes helping them. Once the kits are weaned, they are snatched from their mothers and taught how to fight if they are big and how to hunt if they are lean. She cats are used only for the use of mating…"

Jaytalon flattened his ears. "I-I'm sorry…"

Lijep's head snapped up, waving her paws frantically. "No, no, I didn't mean to scare you. Well, there's one gang of cats that are different. The leader is a she cat, and she's a stone cold, tough cat, dedicated to freeing the she cats."

Jaytalon smiled warmly. "That sounds really awesome! Are you a part of it?"

Lijep chortled coyly. "In a way. I suppose, yes, I am."

Jaytalon glanced up at the sky, stunned to find the sun was setting. "Oh, mouse-dung! I have to get back to my clan! I was hunting and, oh, I chased that rabbit… I lost it…"

Lijep simpered sweetly, turning the corner and padding away and reappearing within seconds, the hare in her jaws. "You mean this? Here, you can have it. You look kinda scrawny." She plopped the rabbit at Jaytalon's paws.

"Th-thank you," Jaytalon breathed, gathering the prey up in his maw. "I appreciate it. Will I see you again?"

Lijep thought for a moment. "Yes. I'll be here a little after sunhigh tomorrow."

Jaytalon beamed, sprinting off. "I'll see you then, Lily!" He called from over his shoulder. Lijep sighed contently and smiled to herself.

(POV change; Moonwing)

"I'm nervous," Moonwing admitted. Redbreeze sighed hoarsely.

"There's no need to be. The others have already met you." Redbreeze pointed out. Moonwing sighed softly.

"But they all look at me funny! Is it because I trained as a warrior first?" Moonwing asked sheepishly.

"Maybe," Redbreeze shrugged. "From the tales we know, medicine cats that became warriors first, are dangerous. They can fight better than regular medicine cats, and have a tie to StarClan."

"Redbreeze!" A voice shouted from across the river. The elderly ginger cat dipped her head at the RiverClan cats.

"Morningfeather, Breezepaw. How delightful to see you," Redbreeze meowed politely. Moonwing chuckled, bowing her head to them as well, despite being older than the both of them.

"WindClan and ShadowClan will catch up with us," Morningfeather said dully, her eyes hazing over faintly. "Daisystripe is having her kits in ShadowClan and Stormwind is having hers in WindClan."

Moonwing felt chills run down her spine. Morningfeather's ability freaked her out immensely.

"Oh, Oakstar had news to deliver to your clan!" Breezepaw exclaimed, her sightless eyes going wide. "Hawkpool figured out that a ShadowClan cat killed Rainstorm and tried to kill Birchpaw. She wants to track the cat down, but RiverClan doesn't border ShadowClan."

"What's this a-about my cl-clan?" Thymetail voice sounded a little way behind them. Blueberry and Mintleaf were beside her.

Morningfeather met the elderly she cat's eyes evenly. "We have reason to believe a cat from your clan killed Rainstorm and tried to kill Birchpaw. Hawkpool found a clump of fur in her son's claws."

"Why would someone want to target Hawkpool's bloodline?" Moonwing blurted, seeing the connection. The other medicine cats stared at her peculiarly. "Well, Rainstorm is her brother and Birchpaw is her son, so that's the only link."

"If someone is targeting cats related to Hawkpool, WindClan is in trouble," Blueberry admitted. "We recently uncovered the truth about Brindleleaf's kits; their father is Pinewhisker."

Redbreeze coughed hoarsely, clearing her throat. "Rainstorm still has kits, and Hawkpool's daughter is also living with us."

Breezepaw looked thoughtful. "Nearly all of Hawkpool's kin is in RiverClan. It is her birth home after all."

Thymetail fidgeted awkwardly. "You all th-think one m-my clanmates slaughtered t-two cats?"

"I saw the evidence, Thymetail," Morningfeather whispered softly.

"Your clan is the only one without any cats related to her," Mintleaf pointed out. Firepaw and Thymetail shuffled their feet.

"If someone is going after Hawkpool's bloodline, it's probably Dustsnow. She blames her parents' deaths on Hawkpool," Firepaw muttered, looking uncomfortable.

"What's Hawkpool's i-idea, or wa-was that all?" Thymetail asked, looking timid.

"Why? Did something happen?" Breezepaw asked, her sightless eyes strangely meeting Thymetail's.

Thymetail cleared her throat awkwardly. "Dustsnow went hunting this morning, and hasn't come back. A… um, patrol tracked her scent over the Thunderpath. We thought it was because her and Stripeface got into an argument…"

"Maybe StarClan will tell us what we can do," Blueberry suggested as they crawled under the hedge to the Moonfall. Firepaw carefully led the way, and was the first to sink into her dreams, followed by Moonwing.

"Eaglepaw!" Moonwing greeted her brother with joy. "We need to know, did Dustsnow really kill Rainstorm? Is she seeking out Hawkpool's kin?"

The dark brown tom nodded grimly. "I'm afraid it's true. Dustsnow knew someone would figure it out eventually and she fled. You'll find her in the depths of the Two-leg place."

Moonwing frowned. "How will we find her there?"

Eaglepaw dipped his head. "Three cats from each clan must venture into the Two-leg place to hunt her down. Two warriors, and one apprentice. Your fellow medicine cats have received this order as well. If even one clan doesn't not comply, all clans could suffer. Dustsnow has more power than you think."

"What kind of power?' Moonwing whispered, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"Dark Forest power."

A/N

Welp, this doesn't sound too good, does it?

Who ships JayXLily? Who ships HawkXPebble?

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