Chapter 24

"We must leave soon, Dewleaf," Cloudstorm urged. "Smokestar told us to return quickly. Besides, I need to make everything okay between Lightheart and me."

Falconclaw nodded. "Besides, Clovernight is injured, I'm sure you want to see her. She wanted to come very badly, and she misses you."

Dewleaf sighed. "I know, I know. We should leave soon. But… RainClan feels like my kin now."

Cloudstorm draped his tail across his sister's back comfortingly. "I know, you seem so at ease with them. When I see you speaking to a RainClan cat, you seem like you fit in better here than you do in ThunderClan. But ThunderClan is our home. We have to go back."

"I know, and I'll go back with you," replied Dewleaf, her ears drooping. "I'm going to miss RainClan a lot." Especially Stormpelt.

Cloudstorm rasped his ear over his sister's ear and nodded. "I understand, Dewleaf."

Dewleaf sighed. "I have to go on a hunting patrol. I'll see you later, okay?" She flicked her tail, nodding to her brother, then to Falconclaw. She walked toward the fresh-kill pile, where some cats were gathered. Skyfur, Amberpaw, and Stormpelt were waiting for her. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was talking to Cloudstorm and Falconclaw," she announced.

Skyfur shrugged. "Come on, let's go." She led the way out of camp, padding toward the river.

Dewleaf fell in step with Stormpelt. "Remember the fun we had at the river before?" she asked in a dreamy voice.

"I sure do," Stormpelt purred, licking the she-cat between the ears. "And now look how great of a fisher you are."

Dewleaf nuzzled him, then said sadly, "Stormpelt, I'll have to return to ThunderClan soon." She braced herself for his reply.

"I-I don't want you to go," he said immediately, tapping her shoulder with his tail and turning to face her. The two cats had stopped walking, Skyfur and Amberpaw were padding ahead.

Dewleaf sighed. "I know. I want to stay, too. But I have to go back, to see my sister, and… my mother, and father, and…" She leaned into Stormpelt's brittle fur, her eyes full of sorrow.

Stormpelt licked her ear. "I understand, Dewleaf. I'm going to miss you a lot. Perhaps you could come to visit us often?"

"Sure, if Stealthstar would allow it," Dewleaf answered. "I'm going to miss you so much, Stormpelt."

"And I'll miss you." He licked Dewleaf's cheek tenderly, then drew close to her, tucking her pretty head under his chin. "Dewleaf?"

"Hmm?" the black she-cat purred, her eyes closed.

Stormpelt sighed. "Never mind."

Dewleaf nuzzled Stormpelt, sighing. Finally, she blinked and said, "We should catch up to Skyfur and Amber paw now."

Stormpelt nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

***

Dewleaf pawed at the grass beneath her paws. "Cloudstorm, I should tell you what I found out about Feathercloud and Rainheart."

Her brother looked up, startled. Then recognition slowly seeped into his face. "Oh, right."

***

"What?! Rainheart gave her up to Thorntail? Why would he do that?"

Dewleaf shook her head. "I don't know."

***

"It's time to go," Cloudstorm whispered.

Dewleaf blinked again, then stood up slowly, stretching and yawning. "Already?"

Cloudstorm nodded. "Falconclaw is waiting outside. Come on."

Dewleaf sighed and stepped over the limp, sleeping body of Stormpelt. She glanced at him longingly, then shook her head and padded after Cloudstorm. It was still dark outside, but they had to leave soon. They had said their farewells to RainClan the night before, and had agreed to leave early in the morning so that they could return to ThunderClan as soon as they could. Dewleaf glanced back at Stormpelt sadly, then turned to Cloudstorm and Falconclaw. Falconclaw dipped his head in greeting, and Dewleaf flicked her tail in return.

"Dewleaf, let's go," Falconclaw said softly.

Cloudstorm swished his tail and led the way out of camp, walking swiftly. Dewleaf trudged after her brother slowly, reluctant to have any space in between her and the Clan she had grown to love. She purred with gratitude when Falconclaw slowed down and fell in step beside her to keep her company.

"I know you don't want to leave," he meowed softly.

Dewleaf nodded. "I know. I'll miss them all so much." She let out a small sigh of sadness.

"Falconclaw, Dewleaf, wait here, I'll go find some prey," Cloudstorm offered before rushing into the woods.

Dewleaf nodded. He wants to return so terribly, to see Lightheart. And I want to stay, to be with RainClan… and Stormpelt. She sat down, then looked up at Falconclaw expectantly. "Sit down."

He nodded gratefully, then sat down beside her, keeping his distance. "Dewleaf, everyone in ThunderClan misses you. I'm sure once you go back, you'll feel much better."

She shrugged. "Maybe." She sighed and looked up at the sky. It was still a dark hue of blue, and dawn was drawing closer. She wondered what Stealthstar would think when he woke up and found her gone. What would Tigerstrip think? Skyfur? Honeytail? Petaltail? Redfur? Stormpelt?

Falconclaw glanced over at her worriedly, then mewed, "Dewleaf?"

"Yes?" Dewleaf replied, turning to face the ginger tom.

He hesitated, then said, "Stormpelt really… cares about you, doesn't he?"

Dewleaf slowly nodded. "I care about him, too. But I have to go back to ThunderClan, it's where I belong." Although she said the words herself, she wasn't so sure. Did she belong in ThunderClan? It was where she had been born and raised, yes, but…

Cloudstorm returned with some prey in his mouth. He had managed to catch a mouse and a vole. "Sorry, this is all I could find."

"That's fine," Dewleaf replied.

"Take one for yourself, Cloudstorm," Falconclaw suggested. "Dewleaf and I can share."

Dewleaf nodded in agreement. "We got to rest while you went hunting. Go on."

Cloudstorm blinked gratefully before bending over to pick up the scrawnier vole. Falconclaw picked up the mouse and sat down across from Dewleaf.

"You can take the first bite," Falconclaw offered.

Dewleaf flicked her ear in gratitude and took a bite, then let Falconclaw get a bite as well.

After they finished eating, they continued on past the hills.

***

"We'll reach RiverClan territory soon," Cloudstorm announced.

Dewleaf nodded and looked around. Night had fallen, and it was getting pretty dark. The only thing that lit their path was the small sliver of the quarter moon. "Shouldn't we find a place to sleep?" she asked.

Cloudstorm nodded. "We should. But I'm hungry."

"I'll go hunt," Falconclaw meowed.

Dewleaf nodded. "I'll find someplace sheltered where we can rest for the night."

Cloudstorm nodded. "I'll go hunting with you, Falconclaw."

Dewleaf watched the two toms padded away, then looked around. There must be some sort of bramble thicket somewhere… Her eyes lit up when she saw a large clump of ferns, it looked almost like the nursery back at ThunderClan. She crawled underneath it, then padded back out.

She waited a while, and the two toms came back with some fresh-kill. "I found a comfortable place to sleep," she mewed.

***

Dewleaf gasped. "Look! I can see the stream! We're almost there!" she said excitedly.

Cloudstorm let out a sigh of relief. "Come on, let's go! We can make it!"

Falconclaw purred. "Finally!"

Okay, end of the chapter. It's sort of a cliffie, but oh well... review and tell me what you thought!