"I am?" I was shocked, though at least I knew who the father is.

"You think I would lie about something like that?" He joked, then he grew cautious and stepped back. "They, they are ours, right?"

I let out a long, rumbling purr. "Of course! Whose else would they be?"

"I don't know! You could have another mate and just pretend to like me!"

"If I pretended would I be mothering your kits?"

"Well...no. Anyway, we're staying here for a while, so get comfy!"

"Why? I can keep going!"

He rubbed his cheek against mine. "Of course you can. You would go to the ends of the world for me, I think. But I want to make sure you and the kits are safe."

"I think every father feels that." The purr rumbled louder. "But I'll let you have the joy of mollycoddling me until this is over."

"You know I will," he told me and, and in a voice that sounded like I was becoming the leader of the world, he announced, "Now, my fair maiden, may the mollycoddling, commence!" He dropped a fat mouse at my paws.

I gaped at it. "How did you find something so fat so late in leaf-bare!?"

"I found a barn not to far from here. It's crawling with mice this fat and fatter!"

I looked at him pleadingly. "Can we stay there? It sounds nice."

He nodded. "It's definitely more comfortable than here," he agreed thoughtfully before leaping to his paws. "Let's go!" Then he glanced at me a relaxed. "You know, if you can make it that far."

"Of course I can!" I cried. I hopped up to my paws to show him I could make it.

"Come on then." He lead the way through twolegplace to a small clearing. The ground was muddy underpaw, and I just realized that it must've been raining all night. But now the day was clear, the bright sun shining on a small twoleg nest. I lifted my nose and sniffed the air for twolegs. I couldn't smell anything except for the dusty scent of hay and the strong scent of mouse. "Oh come on, Phoenixpaw," he called, and I noticed that he was already inside.

"Okay. Coming!" I hurried up the muddy slope to the barn. When I got up there I saw that he was stalking a mouse, his hindquarters waggling before he leaped. I admired his gracefulness and the suppleness of his muscles. He looked up with a mouse gripped between his jaws.

"Hunting here is amazing! Do you want to try? You know, if-if you think you can handle it."

I rose my tail. "I hunted for myself before I met yo- no wait, your right, I nearly starved. But I can hunt as well as you now!"

He looked back at me, his amber eyes deep with affection. "Oh I know you can, you will always be able to do anything."

"With you," I whispered. I remembered my days back when I was in the clans. For the first time since I met Lightning, I remembered why I left. I had killed Mapleshade and Lickingflame. Why was I going back?

For a second, he was staring at me. "Why are you going back?" he asked, completely oblivious to the fact I just asked myself the same thing.

"I can't stay away from my clan. I keep wondering if Bluefur has or ever will become a queen, or if one of my friends is deputy or leader. I keep wondering if Graystripe missed me, or Lionheart, or Bluefur. I can't stay away from them forever, it's time to face my clan and face the consequences of my choices."

"Bold words," he murmured.

I crouched into the hay, trying not to sneeze. I smelt a mouse, and I tracked it down and pounced with deadly precision. I settled down to munch on it, it's musky flavor seeping into my taste buds. "Delicious," I muttered, my mouth full.

Several days passed, nothing much happened. Lightning would order me to stay put while he went for a drink, always bringing a mouthful of dripping moss for me. Instantly disobeying him, I would catch and eat a few mice before he got back. Which mostly ended with him offering me something to eat and I would reject. Now I think he thinks that I'm sick or something.

"Are you sure your okay? I haven't seen you eat for a few days. You know that you aren't just feeding yourself, right?" He asked.

"Yes, I've eaten, yes. Does that answer your questions?" I mewed innocently.

"No!" He paced up and down the floor of the barn. "I need to know so much! But I can't find out until it happens!"

I hesitated, wondering if what I was about to suggest was going way over my head. "Do you want me to try to ask Starclan about it?"

"Would they listen? Wouldn't they just attack you?"

"No, or, at least, I don't think so. I mean, Lickingflame didn't fight back when..." I trailed off, not wanting to go on and hoping that he would understand.

He nodded. "You can try if you want, just make sure they don't hurt you if you can get there."

"If," I reminded him. "If I can get there. I kinda turned my back on them when Orangestripe and Fluffstorm died."

"Don't hurt yourself," he warned.

I yawned. "I won't." He made sure my nest was comfortable like he always does, and padded outside to get a drink. I closed my eyes and prayed that they would come and answer my questions. At first, I didn't recognize where I was, and it took a few seconds for my to realize I was in Fourtrees. Instantly, I leaped to my paws.

"Flametooth! Please come to me! I have so many questions!" I called to the shining stars that dotted the midnight sky.

"You wanted to see me?" a voice asked.

I flipped around to see my father standing before me. He eyed me cautiously, obviously not forgetting our last encounter. "Oh yes father! Please! Tell me. Will we be okay?"

He cast glances all around, making sure no cat was listening. "Just between you and me, I've been worrying about you also. They promised me that although chances may seem bleak at some points, and trust me, things will get to the point that you will be positively sure you will join us, but heed my words, you will not join us until you become a warrior of Thunderclan."

"I'll make it home safe? What about the kits?"

His gaze darkened, and he sighed. "We can't see the future for unborn kits. It's beyond our power. We only take kits if there is already something wrong with them and they will suffer more if they survive, like if it has a weak heart, or can barely breath." He shook his head in despair. "We don't want cats to suffer more then they have to. That's why we take cats in the first place."

I turned, throwing a few words over my shoulder. "I will not let you take my kits away. I will not let you take Lightning. I won't let you take my family away."

He blinked slowly. "I cannot guarantee that. It's not my duty."

I flinched, blinking awake. Lightning dropped a mouse at my paws. "Did you speak to them?" he asked.

"Yes."

"And..."

"And what?"

"What did he say?"

I blinked at him. His eyes were glazed with terror and I could feel his thoughts almost as easily as if he had climbed a tree and announced it to the world. Oh, don't tell me that he said you're going to die! I need you!

"He told me that I would live to become a warrior, and that he has no control or idea if our kits will survive." I lowered my head. "He said nothing about you."

In a voice so weak, it threatened to be engulfed in the wind, he whispered, "I would give my life for you and our kits."

"I know," was all I answered. I felt too choked up to say any more.

We were silent for many moments, filled only with nearly silent sobs from Lightning. "He told me that there will be many moments where I will feel certain death was near until in really happened. I don't know when or how I will die, but I will get home. I just wish I knew you would be with me the entire time."

"Come on, lets get some sleep."

I couldn't sleep. I felt thirsty, but not. I felt hungry, but not. I ached. No matter how many different positions I tried, I couldn't get comfortable. Then I remember a searing pain, and then nothing.

A/N Thank you to: LadyofStarclan

Ruby

Sunnypelt

A Leaf in the Wind

Splinterclaw

ScripioPB

Amberfoot7

and Emerald Flashes for noticing that I exist. All I need is a P.M. Or a review! Doesn't matter! Come one!