Here is chapter 23 - can you believe it? I am so excited for this story to have made it this far! And let's face it, the last chapter had many mixed reviews. Most were upset that Dapplepaw chose to remain in LeafClan, while others supported her completely. However, some even attacked Ashpaw for trying to send her away!

This chapter is a look at how her family and friends are doing without her. It was fun, admittedly, to write each individual's reaction.

Fact: One of the first ideas for the story was to have Rainpaw be Rosepaw's evil partner.

The sun rose. The sun set. And there was still no Dapplepaw. Rainpaw always woke up a hint sad when she saw the empty nest in the apprentice's den. She had questioned her sister's sudden, irrational choice. She ran over what Dapplepaw must have been thinking in her head. Dapplepaw wanted to be with Ashpaw.

Rainpaw guessed that Dapplepaw hadn't thought about much else. Sure, she would have Ashpaw, but would she be accepted? Probably not. Now both SunClan and LeafClan cats didn't trust her one bit. Also, Rainpaw and Creampaw had been subjected to a lot of gossip and ridicule since their sister's absence.

Dustpaw even seemed like he would've talked about them behind their back as well, but fortunately there was no cat he could talk to. Creampaw and Rainpaw were the only other apprentices.

Creampaw felt very betrayed with Dapplepaw's choice. She had put on her best supportive face at the Gathering, but Rainpaw knew. She herself was offended that Dapplepaw had been slightly selfish when she left them.

"She never said goodbye," Creampaw always muttered whenever Dapplepaw was mentioned. Rainpaw had never talked about her own remorse for fear that Creampaw would turn on their sister completely.

"She made a choice, and it wasn't to hurt you," Foxstep told her, nudging her cheek. The ginger warrior was equally confused by Dapplepaw's move along with all the other warriors. At least Rainpaw knew about Ashpaw.

Foxstep was almost hurt by the news. He confirmed that he had moved on from his feelings for Dapplepaw, but he had connected the dots as to why Dapplepaw had rejected him so harshly. It stung that he was picked second to a SunClan cat.

"He's right. Let's be happy for her." Rainpaw gave her sister a light shove. "Think positively. Our warrior ceremonies are in a couple days!"

"Without Dapplepaw," Creampaw couldn't help but add, making Rainpaw sigh. "She even tried to pick our names. I don't know if I want a name that she gives to me. It most likely doesn't mean much."

Rainpaw shook her head, regretting that similar thoughts had popped into her head as well. "They do. It was probably her way of giving us something to remember her by." She hesitated when Creampaw didn't say anything. "I think she might've gone with something in our personalities. Maybe even our appearance."

"Yeah," Foxstep agreed, assisting her with a topic to start a new conversation. "I've always wanted your name to have something to do with your beautiful blue eyes." He ducked his head in embarrassment at his lame attempt at flattery.

Rainpaw let out a mrrw of laughter - anything to lighten the mood. She glanced at Creampaw and received a glare in return. "Can you two just stop? Nothing you say is going to persuade me to not be mad at Dapplepaw. I think I deserve that, don't I?"

"No, you don't!" Rainpaw couldn't help but blurt out, feeling a stab of regret as soon as she did. She paused, ready to completely apologize and try to make amends with her other sister, but stopped herself. "You can feel mad, sad, or whatever you want to feel! But you're taking it out on the cats around you! The cats that love you!"

"Is it my fault that you're just trying to make yourself happy through Dapplepaw? Is that why you're so supportive of her? Well, guess what? She isn't around anymore to tell you stories about how great she and Ashpaw are together!" Creampaw leapt to her paws and stepped away from them. After her speech, she gave each cat one last annoyed look before marching off.

Foxstep sighed, getting to his paws. "You can't be mad at her," he told Rainpaw, who gave a nod. "She's upset. She can't seem to find away around her grief other than lashing out."

"I know," Rainpaw meowed quietly. She turned around and started for the entrance. "I need a walk."

New buds were growing on the tall maple trees. Green vegetation was beginning to sprout all over the forest floor, letting Rainpaw breath a sigh of relief.

Still, her life had been turned upside down after her sister left. She had never truly given herself time to just think about it. Was Dapplepaw missing seeing the trees blossom in new-leaf? She always marveled at the maple trees. Was she missing LeafClan prey? Was she accepted? Happy?

You worry about her a lot, Rainpaw wondered to herself. Did she even think about you when she chose to leave? The thought was a dark one, but did it have a small ray of truth to it? She must've. She would not leave unless she knew that Creampaw and I were okay. That particular thought made Rainpaw halt. Creampaw was okay, other than this abandonment that she was feeling. But Rainpaw? She didn't have a mate, a family other than Creampaw, who spent most of her time with Foxstep.

"She knew something," Rainpaw mused to herself, unable to think of what it was. What was her happily ever after that Dapplepaw had pictured for her? "Oh. Of course!"

Thunderpaths always frightened Rainpaw, yet the numerous times crossing them made her less afraid. The exposure, the cold hard rock, the racing monsters. It had no purpose but to be dangerous.

Rainpaw sprinted across it, letting out a large breath of relief at her safe arrival on the other side. She stepped out away from the grass that grew on the other side. It was very short, and Sparrow had mentioned that the Twolegs cut it. That never made any sense.

Rainpaw glanced around, hoping to see a certain cat. However, a different one appeared over the fence. "Rain?"

Spruce's innocent voice reached Rainpaw's ears, making her whirl around to face the tom cat. He glanced at her curiously, and almost with fear. "Spruce?" she meowed, almost surprised to see him there.

"Are you here to kill me?" he asked carefully, crouching down low. He didn't look up and his tail dragged in the mud. His tabby pelt was ungroomed, yet he had put on a lot of weight.

The words shocked Rainpaw. She widened her eyes at the thought and shook her head quickly. "Of course not! I know you didn't kill Pinepaw. Rosepaw's a bad cat. She used you."

"I know," Spruce answered once again. He got to his paws and stood taller, looking less ashamed once he found out that Rainpaw knew the truth. "I'm assuming that you're looking for Sparrow?"

"Actually, yes, I am." Rainpaw's voice rose with hope at the mention of the forest-like kittypet. "I need to talk to him." The image of the brown-ish colored tom made her heart flutter, whether she realized it or not.

"It had better be important. You know how important my time is," a sarcastic voice meowed from behind her, making Rainpaw jump. Sparrow appeared beside Spruce, dipping his head in greeting to Rainpaw.

"Sparrow," Spruce said, nodding to the large cat. "I had better let you two talk." The kittypet got to his paws and leapt on the fence in one swift agile leap. His tail disappeared over the railing, signifying that he had made his exit.

"Well, you seem...different," Sparrow started talking as he sat down, wrapping his tail over his paws. "Is there something you want to talk about?"

"Yes, there is, actually." Rainpaw felt a bit nervous. This is a bad, bad idea, Rainpaw! Just go. He'll never have to know. She shuffled her paws as her mind battled wars with itself. She finally took a deep breath, ready to excuse herself and leave when she spoke before she thought. "I like you!"

The words lingered in the air. Silence followed. Rainpaw gulped, thinking of the friendship she just ruined. Slowly she got to her paws as Sparrow didn't say anything. Okay. Great. Now look at what you've done to yourself.

"I know," Sparrow broke the silence as she was starting to walk away. "I can understand cats, remember? I just...wanted to hear you say it." He paused, tilting his head to the side. "Why say it now, though?"

Rainpaw hesitated, her stomach going into knots. "I felt like I needed to say it. I don't even know, actually, how I feel. I think I like you. I also needed to tell some cat, and it might as well be you."

"I see."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Rainpaw let out a frustrated sigh. "How do you feel? I just spilled out my secret to you! Now you tell me!" She held herself together, imagining his rejection. Would they still have an awkward friendship? Would he just send her away and severe all ties with her all together?

"I think I like you too." Sparrow answered carefully, his eyes landing on her for her reaction. "You're surprised? Why? You're so kind and caring. You made me stop in my tracks when I first saw you. Why is it hard to think that I could return the feelings you have for me?"

Rainpaw was indeed shocked. She remained quiet for a moment before replying. "No cat has ever thought of me that way. Honestly, I fell head over heels for Ashpaw, yet he walked away with my sister. Every tom in LeafClan had eyes for Dapplepaw, despite her young age. Even Creampaw found Foxstep. When I was a kit I had a crush on Blackpelt. He was a new apprentice at the time. A real show-off. And he, too, took a liking to one of my sisters."

Sparrow rolled his eyes and took a calculated step closer to her. "They don't know what they abandoned. Lucky for me, though. You're special, and if no cat can see that then they're blind."

Rainpaw felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. She had not felt that since she had been in love with Ashpaw. She held herself together and attempted to remain calm. "Then will you-"

"Move into LeafClan?" Sparrow finished, pausing. He sat down again, uncertainty flooded his expression. "I never told you, but I was once a clan cat. Well, barely. My mother was one, and my father a kittypet. She left DuskClan, I believe, to join my father. The humans took me and Spruce away from her."

"So it's not that big of a deal to go to LeafClan, right?" Rainpaw asked hopefully, trying not to sound desperate. The question had sort of just popped out of her, even though she had meant to slowly lean in the direction of her statement.

Sparrow's ears flicked up with surprise. "Join LeafClan?" he asked, doubt lingering over his voice. "I don't know. My life would just...change. We haven't even been together at all. What if things didn't work out? Let's be realistic, Rainpaw."

Rainpaw swallowed the hurt that struck her. "Yeah. Yeah, right," she meowed plainly, doing her best to mask the stinging feeling in her heart. "Of course. I just thought it would benefit you anyway, whether we worked out or not."

"How so?"

"You would be a clan cat. Have a community, a life, a purpose. That's what being in a clan is all about. We help each other. Don't you want that?"

Sparrow shifted his weight around. "I guess. It's a big decision. I can't just decide on the spot." Rainpaw gave a small nod at his fancy excuse. "Will you come back tomorrow, then?"

"I don't see the point," Rainpaw said carefully, shaking her head. "It won't work. It just won't. Not with you being a kittypet and me a clan cat. Those relationships are doomed. I don't want to make myself fall for you more, only to be let down when the truth hits us." She leaned forward and touched her nose to his. "Bye, Sparrow."

"Ugh! No, wait. I'll try." Sparrow got to his paws, appearing conflicted. "I'll try, but I can't promise anything."

"A loner?" Nettlepelt asked, scanning Sparrow over once again. "He seems well fed." The deputy's gaze narrowed with suspicion at the kittypet, who refused to cower down to her authority.

"I can actually catch my food, you know?" Sparrow retorted in a snarky tone. Rainpaw gave his side a light shove to let him know that he needed to appeal to Brackenstar to join the clan. "I mean, I can hunt. And since I was a loner there was no reason I couldn't hunt at the Kittypet Place."

"He can stay," Brackenstar cut in, getting up from his nest in the corner of the leader's den. "We need warriors. He strong and he can hunt. All he needs to do is prove his loyalty, which takes time." The golden furred cat gave a nod of approval. "He'll make LeafClan stronger."

Nettlepelt let out a sigh, giving a agreeing nod. "Okay, then. Welcome to LeafClan."

I want to know what you thought! I never had the time to write an important chapter that included a lot of Sparrow's character, but I'm still hoping you all like him. How about...318 reviews for the next chapter. Only 7 more chapters until the sequel.

Next chapter: Rosepaw faces the gruesome truth that now takes ahold of her life - Dapplepaw can now live her happily ever after with Ashpaw. Realizing that she is losing in the battle for Ashpaw's heart, especially will all the crimes she committed, she turns Spruce for help, only he doesn't want anything to do with her.

Question: Do you think Sparrow can manage in LeafClan?