Once again, hello everyone!

It's been, I believe, exactly four weeks since my last upload. Sorry about that! I was completely swamped with homework for about two and a half weeks after posting chapter 20, so I had absolutely no time to write for a long time. Fortunately, though, I forced myself to write for two days straight this past week and managed to get this chapter finished in time for this week's update! Also, I'm hoping to get myself on a strict daily writing schedule, so I might even be able to start posting weekly chapters, if my workload lets me!

And now, without further ado, here's my longest chapter yet as repayment for my time off, with the final wordcount coming in at just over 10k words!

I twisted around, stretching my tongue, reaching… reaching… Almost there…

The thumping echoes of pawsteps in the tunnel reached my ears. Abandoning my apparently impossible task, I relaxed backward, glancing up to greet my visitor.

The Bengal-patterned form of Cephas slipped from the tunnel and I blinked; I hadn't realized he was so close. Apparently, he could blend in easily with the cave walls.

"Morning," I meowed.

"So it is." Cephas angled his chin toward my paw. "What was that you were just doing?"

"Trying to wash myself," I admitted. "There's a stone or something stuck between my toes and I just can't seem to get it out."

"Let me see." I leaned backward, allowing my splinted leg to lift into the air. Cephas nudged my pads with his damp nose, feeling around using a combination of tongue and teeth. "Aha," he muttered, and a moment later I felt the sharp pebble slip free. As the medic lifted his head again, I watched it dance away across the ground.

"Next time that happens," he instructed, "don't try to get it out with your tongue. You could strain your shoulder, and besides, I doubt you can reach that far."

"Believe me, I know," I muttered, recalling my multiple failed attempts. My neck just didn't seem to be long enough.

Cephas continued as if he hadn't heard me. "Instead, try spreading your toes against a larger outcropping of rock. The pebble should fall out easily, as long as you angle your leg right."

I nodded. "I'll try that."

"Good. Now, I need to quickly re-check your injuries to make sure you're up for walking."

"Walking?"

"We're attending the Celebration tonight, remember? Now, lie down."

Oh, right! I did as he asked, my memory flashing back to the previous night. That's right; we're attending the Frozen-Time Celebration. I guess that means tonight is the longest night, which would make today the shortest day.

I lay still as Cephas sniffed and prodded at my injuries, using the same careful paws as yesterday, so soft and light I barely felt his touch. By the time he'd reached my tail, I heard a voice call from the tunnel.

"Good morning, Rae!"

"Hello, Phantom," I purred, smiling as my pseudo-brother appeared in the entrance.

As my eyes fell on him, a memory resurfaced in my mind: of Phantom telling me last night to practice my fake sleeping on Cephas this morning. Whoops. I hoped he wouldn't ask about that.

The dark gray tabby padded farther into the cave, his eyes fixed on Cephas. "Is Rae doing all right?" he asked, a hint of wariness entering his tone.

"She's fine," Cephas responded shortly, keeping his full attention fixed on my splint. "I just need to make sure she's able to walk properly. She's not exactly kit-sized, so I doubt she could easily be carried to the Celebration."

Phantom paused for a heartbeat. "Couldn't she, you know… stay here?" he asked tentatively.

Cephas shook his head. "No. She must go. We all must go. It's tradition that all members of the Avanti Tribe attend, even those too old or too young or too sick to walk. We all must honor the Yaksha Tribe." He glanced up at Phantom and, seeing him open his jaws defiantly, continued, "Without our past, without our ancestors, we are no better than a bunch of jagged-hearted city cats. It might seem different to you, though. After all, you didn't grow up here. But it's what makes us Avanti."

"I'd love to go," I meowed hastily, glancing up at Phantom. After all, the Rebellion cats would be there, too. I could see Rowanpaw and Moki again.

Phantom gave me a swift, hard look, then dipped his head to Cephas. "Of course," he murmured. "I'm sorry."

Cephas grunted and stepped back. "You're good to go," he announced. "Just do your best not to bang your tail against anything and keep as much weight as possible off that shoulder."

I nodded and pushed myself upright again.

"You can go out into the main cavern if you want," Cephas meowed. "Or you can stay here. Your choice. You get two pieces of prey today, and you can carry a third with you for tonight." He turned and headed toward the entrance, inclining his head to Phantom in farewell. "Oh, and make sure you come to me if you feel any unusual sharp pains," he tossed over his shoulder.

Phantom and I waited quietly until the medic's pawsteps had faded. After several long moments of complete silence, filled only with the sounds of our breathing, Phantom finally spoke.

"So you're required to go. Unfortunately." He let out his breath in a sigh.

"Why can't I?" I challenged. "Why can't I see my brother again? This might be my only chance in the next, oh, five moons?"

"Firstly, five moons is an exaggeration. You might stay here for about two moons, three at most. Secondly, you shouldn't go specifically because you'll see your brother there, not to mention all the other cats you know in the Rebellion. You can not talk to any of them. I can't say this enough, Ravenpaw. The moment you utter a single word to them, the Avanti, particularly Kahuna, will become suspicious. Kahuna has already lost most of her cats to the Rebellion; if she wants any hope at all of winning this battle, she needs all the support she can get. If she suspects a cat is a spy, she won't hesitate to banish them from the tribe. In your case, she might instruct Cephas to ensure your tail heals wrong, too.

"Do you understand me? You absolutely can not speak to a single one of the Rebellion cats. You have to act like you don't have a clue who any of them are."

"But what if Rowanpaw comes up to talk to me?" I argued. "I can't help that, can I?"

"I have already asked Nova to instruct Rowanpaw to do the same. If your brother has any sense at all, he won't do anything of the sort."

Silence ensued. I bit my tongue as I realized there was no way around Phantom's instructions.

"Do you understand me?" he repeated, his dark green eyes boring into mine.

I nodded.

"Thank you." Phantom gave me a small smile. "I'm sorry to be so harsh, but this really is important."

"Yeah. I get it."

Phantom glanced over his shoulder. "Well, now that that's out of the way, I suppose we could head into the main cavern. I believe I saw you perk up yesterday when you heard about a certain litter of kittens?"

I grinned. "Lead the way."

As we padded along the tunnel, side by side, I had to narrow my eyes at the increasing amount of light. Back in the medics' cave, my pupils had been fully dilated to take in as much light as possible, but as we left the shadows behind, I was forced to adjust to a normal amount of light.

The main cavern was relatively empty of cats; judging from that and the amount of illumination, it must be roughly mid-morning.

Before either of us had time to fully step into the open, a voice called from somewhere off to the left. "Hey Phantom! What're you still doing here?"

It was Saffron. She bounded across to greet us, darting easily around rocky mounds and leaping over smaller stones, before skidding to a halt in a spray of dust. Behind her I noticed a blue-cream she-cat with a fur pattern quite similar to Saffron's, though built a little differently with a longer-furred tail and larger paws.

"I came to say good morning to my sister," Phantom said a bit defensively. "I'm allowed to do that, aren't I?"

Saffron shrugged. "I suppose. But the rest of us are all out hunting. I mean, we'll need a ton of prey for the Celebration's midnight meal. Theola and I went out early and have already caught a couple pieces. We were just about to leave again when I saw you." She raised her eyebrows, as if waiting for Phantom to speak. When he didn't, she continued in a much slower voice, "So? Are you coming with us?"

"Uh, I guess so." Phantom shot a glance at me. "I was going to go introduce Rae to Avalon, though."

"She'll be fine on her own. Honestly, it's not that difficult. You've just got to listen for the squeals of her kits." Saffron rolled her eyes. "It's absolutely nonstop, let me tell you! Some of us wish they'd just shut up for once, isn't that right, Theola?"

Theola, who up to that point had been standing just behind Saffron with her muzzle inclined toward the ground, blinked and looked up. "Um, yes," she meowed.

"Rae will be fine, Phantom. I'm sure she won't object to your doing your duty as a member of the Avanti Tribe and making sure we're all adequately fed tonight."

"Oh, fine." Phantom turned toward me, nodding across the cavern. "Avalon should be somewhere over there. She's the long-haired white cat, probably somewhere in the proximity of three young kits. Just tell her you're the new cat."

Saffron began turning away, lifting her paws dramatically high in the air. I couldn't help but notice she was cutting Theola off a bit, but neither cat seemed to care much. "We're leaving!" she insisted.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Phantom gave me a quick smile. "I'll be back sometime later today. Go say hello to some of your new tribemates."

Saffron started across the cavern, heading toward the entrance. Theola followed in her shadow, and Phantom, after hesitating a heartbeat longer, took off after them. I watched him until he vanished into the tunnel, then peered around in the direction indicated by Phantom. I couldn't see any white-furred she-cat or kits.

But it was no use hanging around here any longer. So, lifting my foreleg off the ground, I began limping across to the opposite side of the camp.

As I drew closer to the wall, though I kept my ears pricked to catch any noise, I couldn't make out a single kit squeal. I bit my tongue uncertainly as I glanced around, wondering where to go. Should I call out to them? But, then again, what if they were sleeping? I felt like they wouldn't take kindly to being woken up, particularly by a newcomer.

Without warning, paws slammed into my hind leg, knocking me to the ground. I let out a groan as my shoulder and hip bones banged into the hard stone. I spared a moment to thank the sky powers that I hadn't fallen on my splints before glancing down to identify my attacker.

He was undoubtedly a kit. My eyes widened at how small he looked—his back couldn't have risen much higher than my belly, even if he stretched himself up on his toes and I curved my spine downward in a slouch. His forehead covered about half of his entire face and his eyes looked disproportionately large, as did his head and paws. Had Rowanpaw and I really looked like that only a few moons ago?

"Ha!" the kit crowed triumphantly. "Bet you didn't even hear me coming! Did you see that?" He turned and grinned over his shoulder. Following his gaze, I spotted two white-furred kittens peering out from around a rock formation. Those must be his littermates.

"Fable!" a sharp voice called. The gray Bengal kit still lying across my hind legs flattened his ears nervously against his head, his eyes flicking around toward a long-haired white she-cat, who had appeared from behind a second small boulder. Avalon, perhaps?

Avalon's amber eyes narrowed as she stared at her son. "Apologize immediately!" she ordered. "You know what I've told you about sneaking up on your tribemates! And do you see her splints? You could have worsened her injuries! Imagine what your father would've said if he'd seen you!"

Fable stuck out his lower jaw sullenly. "Sorry," he muttered, not quite looking at me.

"Now get off of her. You don't want to go putting extra pressure on her tail. Yaksha knows she's in enough pain as is!"

Fable slid backwards until he lay on the ground rather than on my legs. "I, um, didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, glancing up at me from under his eyebrows. "That's why I aimed for your hind legs. I didn't think it'd hurt you…"

"I'm fine," I assured him, pushing myself back into a seated position. "Don't worry." I leaned a bit closer and whispered, "I thought your stalking was excellent. I didn't hear you at all."

Fable visibly brightened, his wide grin returning.

Avalon padded out from behind the rock and gave Fable one last, long look. "Don't you ever pounce on Rae again, or at least not until those splints come off. You hear me?"

The long-haired Bengal kit nodded and bounded off back toward his siblings. As he approached, I saw his brother headbutt his shoulder. "Nice one, Fable," he congratulated.

"I'm really very sorry," Avalon sighed, settling herself with her back pressed against her rock. "Three kits are a lot of work, let me tell you! Fable's been practicing his stealth on every passing cat and Felix has been in and out of the medics' den every other day. I know he wants to spend more time with his father, but still, I'm worried he'll eat something he's not supposed to. Lumi's a little better, since she stays up on the rocks most days, so it's much easier to keep an eye on her."

"They're adorable, though," I purred, watching the trio playing. Felix, distinguishable by his gray facial markings and shorter fur, had attacked Fable, who seemed to be struggling to hold his own. Lumi, the long-haired she-kit, watched her brothers from atop her stony mound.

Avalon gazed over at them. "True. I suppose that's why I keep them." She let out another sigh. "I've only got to watch them for another two moons. Then they'll be able to leave the cave and they can start learning how to hunt and fight and climb trees and all. I think Lumi will love climbing," she added as a bit of an afterthought.

I glanced around, surprised. "They can't leave the cave yet?"

"No, not until they're five moons old. It's not safe for them outside." She shot me a curious glance. "You grew up in the city, correct? That's what Kahuna said at the meeting yesterday."

"We didn't really have any limitations," I nodded. "We had a den to return to every night, but otherwise…" I shrugged. "It was up to us."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. I'm a recruit, too, you know."

"I know. Cephas told me."

Avalon smiled gently at her mate's name. "I didn't really have a home, myself. I was a wandering loner. Didn't stay in the same spot for more than a couple days." She shrugged. "I thought you might have been the same. Always on the move in case danger caught up with you, you know?"

"Nah. If I moved dens every night, I might have accidentally intruded on another cat's territory. I'd be dead before dawn."

"Mmm." Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Avalon shoot a quick glance at her kits. I suddenly realized exactly what I'd said and uncertainty curled within my belly. I hoped they hadn't heard me. Maybe it was best to change the topic.

Avalon appeared to be thinking along the same lines. "So how have you been settling in? I didn't see you come in yesterday, but Kahuna told everyone everything after you went back into the medics' den for the night. Phantom even stood up and added on bits here and there."

"Oh, it's been great," I smiled. Inwardly, I remembered the chill I'd woken up to and my scratchy, stale nest, but I figured it would be polite to skim over those parts.

"Really? I'm glad." Avalon huffed out a breath of laughter. "I remember back when I joined the Tribe, I couldn't stand the hard rock underpaw. But I got used to it after about a half moon." She flipped over one of her paws and showed me the tough, grayish skin. "Your pads'll harden up soon enough. Although I suppose you really shouldn't be walking anytime soon, huh?"

"Yeah," I grimaced. "I'm keeping this shoulder splint on for now, since I have to walk to the Celebration tonight, but after that I'll probably be stuck in my nest for the next moon."

"It won't be that bad," Avalon meowed bracingly. "I mean, Felix can keep you company. He loves that den. I honestly don't know why, since he's so loud otherwise, and the medics' den is designed to be quiet. He does like his attention, that one." She shook her head gently. "I guess he is pretty curious, though. He likes sticking his nose into dark places. I guess it comes from being the youngest."

Avalon continued rambling on a bit longer. Though I felt it would probably be best to keep listening, I unconsciously started to tune her out, my gaze wandering around the cavern. As far as I could see, no other cats had returned from hunting. I ran through my mind the names of those I'd already met: Caspian, Saffron, Theola, Cephas, Peter, Kahuna, and now Avalon and her kits. There couldn't be many more, could there?

My attention suddenly returned to the kits as I noticed Lumi dart unexpectedly to the edge of her rock. A moment later, I saw her target: Felix's tail, waving gently back and forth as he struggled to keep his brother pinned against the ground. Her overlarge paws easily snagged the white fur, drawing it toward her sharp, yet harmless, teeth.

"Hey!" Felix complained, twisting around. "Not fair!" Beneath his suddenly idle paws, Fable easily slipped free.

"Totally fair," Lumi argued. "It was just waving there, wide open. How was I supposed to not grab it?"

"But it's two against one!" Felix protested.

"But you forgot to keep your tail guarded. Here's your punishment!"

"What am I supposed to do, suck my tail back into my butt?"

I snorted, watching the argument play out. Then, without warning, a sudden stab of loneliness twisted my stomach and I had to bite down hard on my tongue to stop the tears from springing into my eyes. Rowanpaw's laughing face appeared with startling clarity before me, his mouth wide open and his dark green eyes, so like mine, sparkling with mischief.

Had it really been more than an entire day since I'd last seen him? Had we really spent that long apart, after sticking right by each other's sides for our entire lives? What was I doing here, so far away from him? Sure, I had Phantom here, but I barely knew him. We were virtually strangers.

I miss Rowanpaw. I miss my brother.

"…can't believe how big they've grown. They're just about as tall as you, aren't they?"

Figuring I should at least put up some semblance of normalcy, in order to avoid spiking Avalon's suspicion, I tore myself away from my thoughts, shoving them forcefully into the back of my mind. Not now. "Not quite. I think they're about up to my shoulder, really."

As I returned my gaze to Avalon, I noticed a gray Bengal-patterned kitten making his way over to us. Avalon fell silent, watching as he plopped himself onto the ground, his wide green eyes flashing between his mother and me.

"I'm booooored!" he insisted.

"Oh? Why don't you play with Felix and Lumi?" I suggested.

Fable flicked his tail. "But that's boring!"

"He's not that fond of play-fighting," Avalon explained. "Felix loves it, but unfortunately, neither of his siblings agree to play with him much."

Foreseeing another long-winded spiel about the kits, I hastily meowed, "Well, I could play a game with you, but I doubt your father would like it much if he came back to see I'd been tumbling around with you three."

"You can tell us a story!" he suggested, his whiskers curling forward. "Please?"

"A story?" I paused, caught off-guard. Did I know any stories? I thought back to when I was about these kits' age. Thalia had told Rowanpaw and me stories, right?

A memory drifted back, of Thalia shepherding us back to our den behind the metal cans. She'd told us not one, but two stories then. What had they been?

Oh, right. The first was about my past and the second about the Enclave. Not exactly the best tales to tell these kits.

Fable quivered with excitement, staring up at me expectantly. I hesitated, reluctant to disappoint him. Only, I didn't think I knew any good stories.

Maybe I could tell them about my first fall from a Human den? No, that would scare them. Maybe something earlier? Something Thalia told us when we were really young? Or maybe even something Toby had said?

Then it came to me and I grinned. "All right, then. I'll tell you a story."

Fable's hopeful expression lit up into one of delight. "Felix, Lumi! Rae is telling us a story!"

"A story?" Felix, who had been reaching up to swat at Lumi, though unsuccessfully, glanced over excitedly. Abandoning his sister, he darted over to sit beside his brother.

Lumi, who had positioned herself right in the center of her rock, away from Felix's reaching paws, paused. Though initially unwilling to leave her spot, she realized quickly that if she didn't join her littermates, she'd be left out. After a moment of indecision, she hopped down from her perch and, carefully skirting a patch of dirt, came to sit neatly by her mother's forepaws.

"Now, this is one I heard back in the city, when I was still a kit like you, from one of my friends. He was a house cat and fairly old, but he'd had some adventures in his time."

"What's a house cat?" Felix asked.

"Shh!" Lumi shot at him. "You're not supposed to talk during storytime! It's rude! Right, Avalon?" She glanced over her shoulder.

"If Rae doesn't want you to speak, then you should keep quiet." Avalon dipped her head to me.

"Uh, well, a house cat is… um…" I wondered if these kits knew what Humans or Human nests were. "Never mind. You can ask Avalon to explain later, okay, Felix?" I glanced at the white she-cat to make sure she was fine with explaining and she smiled.

"Oh." Felix's ears drooped a little. "Okay."

"It's not important to the story, don't worry." I paused, running through the narrative in my head to make sure I wouldn't have to explain anything later. "And, uh, what's the scariest thing you three know of?"

"An eagle," Felix proclaimed. "They can carry off kits like us if we leave camp!"

"Okay. So a dog is like… like an eagle without wings, but about three times as big as a cat. And it's got four legs and really sharp teeth. And it loves eating cats."

"A dog?" Fable tried out the word, eyes wide.

I nodded. "That's right. Now, this story begins with a dog that's chasing cats around."

"Does it catch any?" Fable interrupted.

"Um, I'm not sure." I glanced around at Avalon. "No, I don't think it does. But it almost does several times."

"Are you okay with us interrupting?" Lumi asked pointedly, glaring at her brothers.

"Yeah, that's fine," I said. "You can ask questions, too, if you want, Lumi."

"Oh." Lumi looked a little disgruntled, but after a couple heartbeats, she pulled herself together enough to nod. "Okay."

"Now, this dog was terrorizing the cats. So my friend—his name was Toby—decided to try and ambush this dog and stop him from eating—er, almost eating, I mean—any other cats. So he went to the, uh, the dirtiest part of the city, since he knew the dog made its den there…"

I stayed with Avalon and the kits for the remainder of the afternoon. As the sun started to set, sending streaks of orange across the sky and chilled whiskers to prickle my pelt, the cavern gradually started filling up again. I stared intently at every returning group, trying to recognize familiar faces and identify new ones.

Astonishingly, I found I was able to match most faces with names. There appeared to be only one cat I had not yet met—a white and brown patched tom who looked to be around the same age as Phantom and me, who wore, startlingly enough, a worn red-and-blue collar. Had he been a house cat moons ago? Was he also a recruit?

Phantom, Saffron, and Theola didn't arrive until after most of the rest of the tribe. After depositing his squirrel and skinny mouse on the growing pile, the dark gray tabby hurried over to greet me, a wide smile spreading across his muzzle.

"Hey, Rae," he purred. "How'd your day go? I see you spent at least a little while with the kits?"

"Yeah. I told them a story and they tried re-enacting it for the rest of the day, except no one wanted to be the dog. They ended up playing it over several times, each time with different roles."

Phantom's gaze wandered around toward the three kits, all three of whom were tussling on the ground. "That must've been one good story. Even Lumi's playing along!"

Before I could reply, my ears picked up the sound of a loud yowl. It echoed around the cavern, rebounding off the walls, ringing with authority. Even before I turned around, I already knew who it must be.

Kahuna stood proudly atop a tall shelf of stone close to the entrance of her tunnel, her chin and tail lifted into the air. Her blue point fur appeared to shimmer in the meager light still shining through the hole in the ceiling. Her gaze flashed around the camp, taking in every member of the tribe. As I obediently stared up at her, I found myself inexplicably drawn toward silence.

"Cats of the Avanti Tribe," Kahuna began, "it is almost time for the Frozen-Time Celebration to begin. I would like to congratulate all of you for hunting so well today; I believe the prey-pile is the largest we've had in many years."

"She said that last year, too," Phantom muttered in my ear. I flicked it to show I'd heard, but didn't reply as Kahuna continued speaking.

"Tonight, we meet with our traitorous enemies under a truce. Remember, there is to be no fighting. This Celebration is to honor our ancestors, the noble Yaksha Tribe." She paused, then added, "Despite this, I ask all of you to keep your guards up tonight. I do not doubt Nova will attempt to brainwash you into following him. All of you have remained loyal to me throughout this time of trouble, and I thank you most graciously for your support. However, many of you have friends or family who have turned traitor. I beg you, do not fall for their lies. As long as we remain strong together, the Avanti Tribe will emerge out of this dark night into the bright dawn of peace."

"Hear, hear!" a voice called from near the front. I stretched my neck, craning my head to see who had spoken. Unsurprisingly, my eyes came to rest on a gray Bengal tom wearing a moth wing around his throat. Peter.

As my gaze drifted toward the two cats seated beside him, I received a jolt of shock. One I recognized as Cephas from the smooth white stone nestled in his chest fur, but the other, though his pelt bore the exact same pattern as Peter's and Cephas's, had an eagle feather dangling from one ear. There'sthreeof them? I thought, stunned. How can the Avanti tell them apart? It's a good thing they have different tokens; otherwise I wouldn't be able to distinguish them, not for a hundred mice!

Kahuna's voice drew me away from the three toms. Her eyes fixed upward at the ever-darkening sky overhead, she meowed, "As the sun sets, the Celebration starts. It is time." She took a couple quick steps forward, leaping off the stony ledge with the agility and grace of a raven in flight. Pacing toward the largest tunnel, that of the camp's entrance, she lifted her tail high over her back and flicked it through the air once, twice, three times.

Shuffling sounds filled the cavern once again as the Avanti rose and padded after their guru, each picking up one or two pieces of prey until none remained. "That's the signal to gather around her," Phantom explained, also getting to his feet and offering me his shoulder for support. I nodded my thanks and, leaning on Phantom, I heaved myself onto all fours.

As I limped forward, following the crowd, I noticed two gray figures wending their way through the cats toward us: Cephas and his unfamiliar look-alike. He dipped his head to me as he passed. "Good evening, Rae. Are your injuries faring all right?"

"Yeah." I hesitated, my eyes drifting over his shoulder. "Um, who is…?"

Cephas glanced around. "Oh, I suppose you haven't met my other brother yet. This is Simon."

Simon paused, ears twitching at the sound of his name, his eagle feather swaying back and forth. "You're Rae, correct?" Upon seeing my nod of confirmation, he continued, "Yes. Peter was complaining about you yesterday. Seems to think you're a little upstart. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though; he thinks that of everyone who doesn't treat him with the utmost respect." Simon snorted and kept walking, finally stopping beside Avalon, who was busy calling Fable, Felix, and Lumi to her side.

Cephas's attention had returned to my splints. "Hmm… I was going to have a look at you before we left, wasn't I? I'm afraid to say I forgot. I could do a quick check-up right now, if you'd like."

"Sounds good," I meowed. "Maybe you could focus on my tail? Fable, ah, showed off his stalking abilities to me earlier."

Cephas rolled his eyes. "That kit," he muttered, though I detected, like with Saffron, a little note of affection in his voice. "He'll grow up to be a wonderful hunter if he can figure out the difference between his tribemates and prey."

As the medic ran his paws along my splint, making sure my bones were still healing straight, I watched the rest of the tribe assemble around Kahuna. I couldn't help but focus on Caspian, whose cream pelt stood out starkly amongst the other colors. The section of Kahuna's speech about having family in the Rebellion hadn't slipped my notice. I wondered how he'd feel about seeing his parents and sisters again tonight. Would he be wary of their disapproval or, like me, eager to see them again, even if he couldn't talk to them?

"I believe you're good to go," Cephas meowed. "Try to stay near the center of the group so you don't fall behind, but don't worry too much about trying to keep up. Kahuna will set a slower pace for you. Now," he muttered under his breath, "to have a word with my dear son about pouncing on injured cats."

He headed over to join his brother and mate, who had finally gotten the kits to settle down. I watched as Avalon picked up Lumi by her scruff and started toward the rest of the tribe.

"Well, you coming?" Phantom jerked his head toward Kahuna, who stared over the heads of her tribemates, waiting for the stragglers to join the rest by the entrance. "I doubt the others would enjoy being kept waiting for much longer."

"Right." Clenching my jaw, I lifted my foreleg off the ground and began limping across the camp, wincing every time my paws scraped against the rough stones scattered around the cavern.

By the time Phantom and I had joined the others, the two Bengal toms had caught up to us, each with a kit swinging from his jaws. Cephas's instructions repeating in my mind, I led Phantom toward the center of the group, finally coming to a halt near Saffron and Theola.

"Everyone ready?" Kahuna asked. At the general murmur of assent, she nodded sharply. "Very good. Now, follow me." Turning, she ducked into the tunnel, the Avanti spilling after her. My heart filled my chest with a quick succession of vibrating beats as I took a couple steps forward.

Despite the promise Phantom had extracted from me earlier, I couldn't stop a single rebellious thought from crossing my mind. I'm going to see Rowanpaw again tonight.

The journey up the mountain wasn't as difficult as I'd imagined. The frigid temperature, though uncomfortable, effectively numbed my splinted injuries and what was left of the bruise on my ribs. I only had to lean on Phantom's shoulder for the last stretch to the peak, when the shadows stretched across the ground like rat tails and the wind picked up into a continual breeze.

As the group's pace began to slow, I took on my full weight again and stretched myself upward, trying to see over the backs of the Avanti. Had the Rebellion cats arrived yet? I couldn't smell anything—the scents of the cats pressing in around me drowned out everything else—but I felt the ground flattening beneath my paws, so we must've been getting close.

The tight-knit group started dispersing once the mountain plateaued, allowing me to take a proper look at my new surroundings.

The mountain's peak was a flattish, rounded clearing falling away into foliage and trees on all sides. In the center sat a wide stone large enough for ten cats to stand on top, but short enough that I could easily see over it. Encircling the stone lay a number of smaller rocks, each about half the size of a cat, each equal in distance from its neighbors.

Apart from the Avanti, the area was deserted. My stomach sank.

"Where's the Rebellion?" I whispered to Phantom. "They're supposed to be here too, right?"

"Yes. But they'll be here eventually. Remember, they have a much farther distance to travel than we do."

I gazed down the mountainside, my brow furrowing. A thought had suddenly occurred to me. "What if Nova takes this chance while we're away to take over the cavern? He'd win the entire battle tonight."

Phantom shook his head. "Not even Nova would dare anger the Yaksha in that way. No, he'll come straight up the mountain for the Ceremony, then go back to the base in the morning."

As I glanced back around at the Avanti, I noticed Kahuna leap onto the flat stone. "Cats of the Avanti Tribe," she called. "I want to take this one last opportunity to remind you all not to fall for Nova's lies."

"I'm a liar, am I?"

I started as I caught Nova's low growl. He prowled slowly out of the bushes on the far side of the clearing, narrowed eyes burning into Kahuna. His tail lashed slowly from side to side and the fur along his shoulders bristled like a lion's mane. Behind him, the Rebellion began to emerge, spreading out around the stone but remaining far from the Avanti.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kahuna meet Nova's stare with a cool, proud gaze, but I didn't pay much attention. Any moment now, a familiar dark ginger tom would emerge from those branches. Any moment now…

"I'd say so, my dear brother," Kahuna drawled.

Nova twitched as though a fly had landed on his cheek, but otherwise didn't respond. He sprang lightly onto the stone, his eyes still locked on Kahuna's, its intensity cooling to something more like the burn of frostbite.

Behind his legs, I caught a glimpse of a familiar tabby pattern. My breath caught in my bruised ribs as I watched Rowanpaw slip quietly out of the forest, eyes wide as he scanned the clearing. He spotted me and, suppressing a grin, gave me a quick wink.

What did that mean? Uncertainly, I returned his wink, tilting my head in a questioning manner.

He raised his eyebrows. You'll see.

I shot a quick glance at Phantom, but he hadn't seen our exchange. Obviously, Rowanpaw had something in mind for tonight. But what? Hadn't Nova told him we couldn't talk to each other tonight?

Kahuna's yowl caught my attention and I nudged Rowanpaw and Phantom out of my mind for the moment. "Cats of the Avanti Tribe and… others…" she shot a smug look at Nova, as though silently daring him to rise to her challenge, "gather around the Spirit Stone. It is time for the Frozen-Time Celebration to begin!"

Phantom and I padded forward to join the rest of the crowd. As we settled amongst the other Avanti, I couldn't help but notice the lingering separation. On each side of the stone, cats bunched together to leave space enough for about five cats between the two groups. Even during the truce, it seemed, neither side wanted to mingle with the other. I wondered if it was because the cats didn't want to be suspected of being spies or if it was because of the intense dislike ingrained into each side of the other.

Nova stepped toward the center and nodded curtly to Kahuna. "As you know, this practice—"

"Excuse me," Kahuna interrupted, "but I believe I am the guru."

"A false guru," Nova cut in, but Kahuna continued talking over him.

"You push your limits already by insisting to stand upon the Spirit Stone, which has been a sacred spot reserved only for the guru of the Avanti Tribe throughout the entirety of our history. And now you wish to disrupt tradition still further by speaking in my place?" She gestured with her tail at the surrounding cats. "Why don't all of them come up, too? Why doesn't the entire tribe crowd onto this stone and try to conduct the ceremony? There's a reason there is only one guru, Nova!"

"Oh?" Nova raised an eyebrow. "You claim to be the guru, huh? Rightfully chosen and all? You know that's not true. How could the Founder choose such an incompetent cat like you to lead the tribe?"

"Incompetent!" Kahuna half-shrieked indignantly.

"How could the true guru send a cat to his death?" Nova shouted over her. "How could the Founder approve of such a waste?"

"Silence!" bellowed a new voice, just as a second shouted, "Listen to yourselves!" I stared around wildly, my eyes wide, to identify the speakers, only to realize a moment later that I recognized the voices; the first belonged to Cephas and the second to Lukan.

The two toms had stepped forward to emphasize their words. As silence descended upon the crowd, they caught each other's gazes. Cephas's eyes narrowed.

"Stay out of this, traitor," he snarled. "Leave this to me."

Lukan's face remained expressionless. After a moment, he dipped his head and stepped backward.

Cephas approached the Spirit Stone, but didn't join Kahuna and Nova atop it, instead contenting himself with merely staring up at them. "This Celebration is sacred," he meowed, "more sacred than any stone or any tradition. We are here to honor the Yaksha Tribe. If the Avanti and the Rebellion can refrain from fighting, can't the, ah, head cats also keep this night peaceful? It's not about us, after all. It's about our ancestors and our debt to them."

Kahuna and Nova stood motionless on their perch, their muzzles about a whisker-length apart, gazes locked. For a moment, I wondered if they'd heard Cephas. Then Kahuna blinked, flicked her ears, and took a small step backward. Nova turned away, breaking their eye contact.

"Yes… apologies," Kahuna murmured. Nova grunted his assent.

"As we were saying," the guru continued, shooting a swift glance at her brother, who didn't challenge her again for the right to speak, "this practice is an essential part of the tribe's history. Tonight we gather at the mountain's peak to honor our ancestors, particularly those who have joined them in recent seasons."

Upon hearing the last part of Kahuna's sentence, I automatically scanned the Rebellion ranks. Moki was rather difficult to find, due to her shorter stature, but eventually I caught a glimpse of her bowed head and closed eyes. Was she thinking about her brother? It wouldn't surprise me. I wondered how she was doing in his absence. Had she accepted it yet?

Probably not, I reflected. If Rowanpaw died, it'd take me moons to get over it.

"In these dark times, we look to the Yaksha Tribe for protection and guidance." Kahuna bowed her head, and, after shooting her a quick, expressionless glance, Nova followed suit. Glancing around, I noticed the rest of the cats also inclining their heads, so I hastily copied them.

We stood in silence for several long moments. My eyes remained fixed on the scrubby grass before my paws, ears pricked, waiting for someone to speak. However, as the rushing wind continued to be the only sound, my mind began to wander.

It must have been from the echoes of Kahuna's short speech still resounding in the depths of my mind. I couldn't think of another explanation as to why I recalled that last day in the city again, particularly after shunting it to the side with all that had happened since I'd joined the Rebellion. Remembering Moki's words to me on the night we'd arrived, I took a deep breath and, at long last, let the memories return.

Closing my eyes, I watched for what must have been the hundredth time as Rowanpaw and I rounded that last bend and burst out into the Enclave, my focus switching from Marmalade and Pixie to Wasco to Toby and then, finally, to Thalia.

I screwed up my whole face, expecting the pain to hit, just as it always did deep in my gut. But for some reason, standing here in this circle, with Phantom on one side and Avalon on the other, with Rowanpaw and Moki close by and the first stars appearing overhead, I just felt a hollow sort of emptiness.

Thalia? I whispered mentally. Thalia, are you there? Are you still watching over me?

Kahuna spoke again, this time in a much softer voice. "For the remainder of the night, we will keep a vigil in honor of the Yaksha."

I blinked open my eyes, jostled to the side as the cats around me scooted sideways to make room for the guru. Out of the corner of my vision I spotted Theola backing away from the circle, then returning moments later with a piece of half-frozen prey, passing it along the row of cats. Kahuna and Nova hopped down from the Spirit Stone, each joining the ranks of their followers. Avalon passed me Theola's squirrel and I unconsciously nosed it on towards Phantom.

After several moments of movement, both the Avanti and the Rebellion had settled back into stillness, each with their midnight meal lying before them.

"What's gonna happen now?" I heard Lumi whisper.

"We sit in silence all night long," Avalon murmured back. "Hush, now. We must honor the Yaksha Tribe. You heard Kahuna and your father."

Lumi didn't appear too happy about that. "But—"

"Shhh."

I glanced over at the two she-cats. Avalon wrapped her plumy tail around Lumi's body, pulling her closer. Though Lumi still looked a little perturbed, she snuggled into her mother's long, soft fur and fell silent.

The rest of the cats seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Avalon. After casting my gaze carefully around to make sure I wasn't supposed to do anything else right now, I blinked and allowed my eyes to drift upward and my mind to fall back to my foster mother.

The sky had deepened to a much darker blue by now. I was a little surprised by how quickly the sun had set, its warming rays releasing the chilled ground for the night, though I supposed it might be eager for a bit of rest, eager to allow the moon and stars to take over for a little while. Of course, it would probably take a little while for all the stars to wake up and start to shine. So far, I could see only a scattered few illuminating the heavens with their sparse rays of light.

My eye caught on a particular star hanging almost directly overhead, shining with a brighter intensity than any other. I remembered how Thalia's eyes had shone exactly like that whenever she was feeling a strong emotion, like when both Rowankit and me had gotten a battle move right on the first try or when she caught us trying to sneak out to visit our Enclave friends.

Is that you, Thalia? Are you really still there, watching over us? As I stared up at the star, I felt the ache within my ribcage start to ease a bit, as though I was filling up with liquid sunlight. I couldn't help but allow a small smile to curl my muzzle. She's still there. She's right there. If I ever need her, I can find her up there.

Suddenly I realized how Moki could put her grief aside so easily, realized why the Avanti were willing to put aside their deep rivalries and sit out all night just to honor the Yaksha. It brought lost loved ones closer and helped them to not be utterly overcome by their grief.

Wriggling around to find a bit more room, I rolled over onto my back to continue staring up at Thalia's star. I was glad the vigil was meant to be completely silent; this way I could spend the entire night with Thalia. I could tell her about Rowanpaw's and my journey and about my new role as a spy. I could tell her about my second fall off the Human den and listen for her rasping, exasperated snort. You were always too impulsive, little Ravenpaw. It'd be just the two of us, all night long. I couldn't wait to experience it.

"Psst!"

I jumped, my eyes flying open to see the sky, still dark and star-speckled, arching high overhead. Blinking in confusion, I glanced around to see Rowanpaw's pale muzzle peering down at me, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Hmm? What…?"

"Did you fall asleep, too?" Rowanpaw laughed softly. "So did I. I woke up only a little bit ago and almost freaked out when I thought I'd missed our chance."

I grimaced, glancing skyward at Thalia's star. I'd meant to stay awake all night long. I made it until the midnight meal, but apparently not much longer than that. Sorry, Thalia.

"Well, what're you waiting for? C'mon." Rowanpaw beckoned with his tail, angling his ears toward the forest.

"Rowanpaw—we're not supposed to!" I hissed under my breath. "Didn't Nova tell you? We can't let the Avanti suspect me."

He shrugged. "Well, yeah, he did. But did he really think I was about to miss a chance to talk to my sister—the only chance I'll get for the next, what, three moons?"

"Actually, only about two moons," I whispered, but couldn't stop a smile from crossing my face. "But I can't! Phantom'll notice I'm gone and get really angry."

"Nah, he's conked out. Look at him." Rowanpaw nodded at the dark gray tom beside me. His muzzle rested heavily on his paws, his back to us. His ribs lifted gently every few heartbeats, as slow as if he was sleeping. Was he sleeping?

I stared around, pausing on each cat in turn. Every single one either had their eyes closed or was turned away from us. Even Kahuna looked to be dozing and Nova was on his back, eyelids shut tight.

As I let out a long breath, I couldn't help but snort a little. "None of us are up for staying awake all night, huh? Not even after all the nighttime guards posted?"

"I think it's because of all the guard duty," Rowanpaw pointed out. "They wouldn't have the energy to stay awake after only getting half a night's sleep every day for the past moon."

"True." I took one last glance around the circle. "You're sure no one will notice?" I persisted.

He nodded. "Absolutely positive."

"O… okay then. Fine."

He grinned broadly, bouncing a little on his toes. "Great! Now follow me." Turning, he bounded off down the slope, carefully avoiding any fallen branches. I followed close behind.

Rowanpaw led me a little ways into the forest, weaving around tree trunks and under low-hanging branches. Finally, when we were both confident we were out of earshot of the mountain's peak, he turned to face me. For a moment, we remained silent, staring into each other's eyes. Then I darted forward.

"I've missed you, bud" I purred as I brushed my muzzle past his cheek, burrowing into the concave furrow between his shoulder and his jaw.

"Hey, no need to get so emotional on me!" Rowanpaw laughed, but returned the pressure and, after a heartbeat, meowed, "I've missed you too."

We remained in that position, breathing in each other's scents, for a long time. I couldn't believe how quickly I'd forgotten the exact contours of his back and his neck. How many times had I pinned him to the ground as kits? How many times had I grabbed him by the scruff during Thalia's training sessions? Had it only been two days since I'd last seen him? It felt like longer, so much longer. And his scent… how could I have forgotten that? He smelled like me, like Thalia, like home.

Finally, without knowing which of us moved first, we stepped backward and allowed the frigid air to rush between us again.

"How has life in the Rebellion been?" I asked. "Anything new happen since I left?"

"Not much," Rowanpaw confessed. "Although Kiowa has taken me out training every single day. I think he's taken me on as a trainee, which I must say is pretty cool. I'm learning loads!"

"Well you'll have to make sure to teach me everything once I get back," I purred.

He snorted. "I won't be able to teach you two moons' worth of training all at once! I might be able to help you out a bit, but I think you'll just have to acknowledge that, by the time you get back, I'll be pretty much a pro at tree-climbing."

"Yeah, you're telling me," I groaned. "I'm looking forward to an entire moon of sitting in my nest doing literally nothing."

"You'll be learning spy stuff, though, won't you?" Rowanpaw's brow furrowed in concern. "You won't have nothing to do, right? They'll surely give you something to keep you busy!"

"Yeah, maybe," I muttered. "Or they'll just let me heal in peace so my injuries won't get messed up again."

Rowanpaw bit his lip, thinking. "I'm not sure what to do," he meowed, shrugging. "You could always ask Phantom, I suppose. But," he added more energetically, "you still haven't told me what you've done so far as a spy! How have your last couple of days been?"

"Pretty good," I meowed. "I was mainly trying to get accepted that first day. I got my injuries treated and talked to Kahuna, which was interesting I suppose. Today I hung around with Avalon—that's the white she-cat I was lying beside back at the Celebration—and her three-moon-old kits."

"Really? That's so cool!" Rowanpaw's eyes widened. "I didn't notice any kits when I came to get you! What do they look like? How big are they?"

Purring, I opened my mouth to recount what I could remember of Avalon's affectionate rambling, but froze as I heard a branch snap behind me. Somehow, I thought I knew who it must be. Maybe it was because the loud crack had sounded particularly ominous.

"So, you thought you'd come hang out with your brother tonight after all?"

Squeezing my eyes shut and swallowing hard, I slowly turned around. After pausing for a few rapid heartbeats, I scraped together enough courage to blink Phantom into focus. "Um…" Somehow, I found words failing me. Swallowing yet again to moisten my quickly drying throat, I waited with baby snakes in my belly for him to speak.

But he remained silent. Though his tail lashed just like Nova's had, like he was preparing himself to pounce, though his eyes flashed like fragments of glass, though his ears lay flat against his head and his lips stretched back into a snarl, he didn't say a word.

The silence stretched painfully thin, continuing on and on and on… I wondered fleetingly if this was, perhaps, my punishment: to wait, continually bracing myself for a consequence that might never come.

Rowanpaw padded forward, glancing uncertainly between us. "Um, Phantom?"

His dark green eyes flicked in Rowanpaw's direction, yet still he did not speak.

The dark ginger tabby took a deep, steadying breath, then continued in a stronger voice. "It wasn't Ravenpaw's fault. I convinced her to come out here. Please don't punish her for my—"

"Silence," Phantom snapped, and Rowanpaw stopped abruptly mid-sentence. "It is as much your fault as it is hers. After all, she agreed to come with you, did she not?" He eyed me once more. "As for you, you're to come back with me and not speak to him again until you are released from your position. I can't believe a trusted spy would have the nerve to go against direct orders from her superior, as well as from her leader."

He flicked his tail and spun around, stalking back up the slope. I exchanged a nervous glance with Rowanpaw, then followed.

We caught up with him near the forest's edge. Rowanpaw, after one last glance in Phantom's direction, hurriedly split off and, mouthing a goodbye to me, bounded straight for his spot amongst the Rebellion.

"How… um, how did you…" I swallowed, trying to form a complete sentence. It didn't help that Phantom turned his snowstorm-like gaze upon me the moment I started to speak. "H-how did you know we'd, uh, we'd left?"

Phantom remained quiet for a long moment, letting the wind buffet our fur and the tension grow near my midriff. Finally, he bit off, "I see you've already forgotten my first lesson." Then, ruffling up his fur (whether in irritation at me or to ward off the chill of the exposed peak, I wasn't sure), he padded stiffly back to his vacant space around the Spirit Stone. My heart sinking, I followed, my paws weighing me down like boulders and my tail dragging through the scattered leaves.

As I lay down once again, Phantom shifted so our pelts refused to touch. Nibbling at my tongue, I couldn't help but feel a wave of shame crash over me, forcing me down under its crushing weight.

I'd failed him. I'd failed Nova. I couldn't believe myself. I'd almost failed the entire Rebellion.

Congratulations, Ravenpaw. You're a completely hopeless spy.

I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night, but rather spent my time watching the eastern horizon, waiting for the Celebration's end. Finally, when the sun had almost cleared the horizon, Nova got to his paws and nodded at Kahuna, who followed his lead.

"I declare this Celebration to be over," the guru called. "Cats of the Avanti Tribe, it is time to return home."

"The same goes for the Rebellion," Nova added.

The two leaders jerked their heads at each other in what was apparently supposed to be a shared nod of respect, then turned and, tails held high, started off down the mountain on opposite sides. I started to hobble after Kahuna, stretching out my sore, freezing limbs, but hesitated and glanced over my shoulder, trying to catch one last glimpse of Rowanpaw.

Instead of Rowanpaw, however, my eyes fell immediately upon Phantom's, which were narrowed in what looked like repugnance. Swallowing nervously, I hastily fixed my gaze in front of me and continued limping after the rest of the tribe. Phantom sped up to walk beside me, but from the waves of cold radiating from his pelt, I knew better than to try and talk to him.

The journey back down the mountain was, surprisingly, much more difficult than the climb. Though I didn't get as out of breath, I also became acutely aware of exactly how much I usually used my forelegs when descending a steep hill. Despite my difficulty, though, I didn't dare ask Phantom for help. I knew he couldn't refuse in front of our tribemates, but he most certainly wouldn't like it. Still, I could barely keep myself upright and felt a sudden surge of relief upon catching sight of the cavern's entrance.

After scrambling awkwardly through the tunnel, Phantom led me toward the medics' den. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Cephas returning with Avalon to the small cave where she and the kits apparently slept. I wasn't sure if I was anxious or grateful that Phantom and I would be alone.

"There," he muttered, nodding gruffly toward my stale nest. "Now sleep."

"Will you come back later?" I asked tentatively. "I, uh, I could maybe try out the fake-sleep thing on you?"

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. I don't know why I ever thought you'd be a good spy. Just… just try not to give us away for the next two moons, okay? Then you can get back to the base and leave me to gather information on my own."

My eyes widened and my heart seemed to flutter feebly like a bird with two broken winds before it sank down to rest somewhere between my hind paws. I watched as he bounded out of the den, as though happy to be rid of my presence. Had I really failed him that badly?

The moment I couldn't hear his pawsteps anymore, I buried my muzzle into my nest and bit down hard on a stalk of dried heather, grinding it into powder. Phantom's words repeated over and over in my ears. I don't know why I ever thought you'd be a good spy. Try not to give us away for the next two moons.

I just wanted to see my brother again! I wanted to yowl. I just wanted to talk to him again! How is that so wrong?

Hoping Cephas would stay with his mate and kits for a long time, I curled up in my nest with my muzzle facing the wall. I failed him. I failed Phantom. I failed them all, just by going to talk with Rowanpaw. I messed up and I could bring the entire spy mission down with me.

My ears twitched. A thought suddenly blossomed inside my mind. Wait a minute. If I brought the entire mission down, why didn't anyone say anything?

I lifted my head, glancing over my shoulder at the tunnel, imagining I could still see Phantom standing there with disapproval in his eyes. I messed up, I thought. Yes, okay, I'll admit it. I messed up. But no one noticed, so why does it matter? Why are you so mad at me?

As I gained momentum, I sat up again, staring defiantly at the wall. You're not much older than me. What right do you have to judge me like this? I bet you messed up just as badly when you were just starting out! It's only my second day as a spy, after all! What, you expect me to be completely perfect right from the start? Yeah, right, like that's gonna happen! But I can learn.

Phantom was wrong; I could be a spy. I'd just have to teach myself how to be one now, that was all.

That's right, Phantom. It's not only me who messed up last night. You messed up too by losing your faith in me.

I'll show you, Phantom. I'll show you and the rest of the cats here. I'll be the best spy there ever was. Just you wait and see.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I really wasn't expecting it to be this long, but I wanted to get through the last few scenes and they just so happened to up the wordcount more than I'd thought they would. After this, we'll skip ahead a little bit timewise, since I'm sure no one wants to read about Ravenpaw bellyaching about how she can't move and it's super terrible and all for the next seven chapters.

QOTD1: Do you think Cephas was right to criticize Kahuna and Nova for arguing during the celebration, when he snapped at Lukan himself?

AOTD1: I'm actually not going to answer this one, since I'm pretty curious to see your replies and don't want them to be influenced by mine! ^^

QOTD2: What do you think is going to happen between Ravenpaw and Phantom in future chapters?

AOTD2: Well, since this is a prediction-type question, it seems I won't be able to answer this one either. ^^' Ah, well.

If any of you have any questions you'd like me to answer, feel free to suggest some! And if you've never left a review before but you still read this story, I'd love to meet you! If I notice a new reviewer, I tend to look through their profile at least, if not a couple of their stories, to get a bit of a feel for who you are. I've met some really wonderful people through Fanfiction, and would definitely be open to meeting more, so please don't hesitate to shoot me a PM or something!

Have a wonderful week,

~Snow