OK, I know Chapter 17 was horrible, so I'm going to re-write it now! Hopefully, you'll enjoy this one a whole lot more than the last.

Chapter 17

Since Emberclaw would not begin warrior training for some time, she was not required to sit vigil. Instead, she spent the day in the nursery. She watched as Barleykit and Snowkit wrestled in the sun in the entrance of the nursery. Nightkit and Talonkit were trying out a hunter's crouch, which Glacierpelt had taught them shortly after Emberclaw's name ceremony. Gingerkit was busy grooming herself in the sun just outside the nursery.

Emberclaw wondered why her father had arranged the way she would live her life. Did he not trust her? It was understandable, considering she had run away from him more than once. Was it Sootfur and Glacierpelt's idea? Were they afraid that Emberclaw would go back to Ravenpaw if she was given the chance?

Ravenpaw. The name sent a shiver down Emberclaw's spine, and her mind's eye left the nursery and flickered momentarily to the last time she had seen his face. Countless emotions overwhelmed his expression: Hatred, regret, feat, heartbreak, lust, longing, sadness, fury, and many other emotions Emberclaw was too young to have experienced yet. For a moment, she wondered why she had fallen in love with a tom so much older than she was. After all, he was old enough to be an elder. Mist was closer to his age, anyway.

A voice found its way into Emberclaw's head. A voice she really didn't want to hear. It was Odin's voice. Her mind's eye danced back to her kithood once more. She and Odin were sitting on the fence, staring up at the stars.

"Odin," Kite mewed. "When do you suppose I'll find my true love?"

Odin purred. "Now, now, dear," he replied softly. "You still have many moons to go before you're old enough to really worry about that kind of thing. But trust me, when you find him, you'll know right away." Odin paused for a moment, looking down at his paws, then turning to gaze at Kite. "Did I ever tell you about Pumpkin?"

"Pumpkin?" Kite repeated the foreign word slowly. "No, I don't recall."

"She was my first mate," Odin replied. "We met when I lived with another family of Twolegs. See, they had many, many housecats, and they took me and Pumpkin in at around the same time. Oh, I remember when I first lay eyes on her. Why, it was love at first sight! From the first time she and I locked eyes, we were inseparable.

"Two moons later, she gave birth to two beautiful, healthy kits. We named them Snowy and Patches. We were the happiest family ever, it seemed. Then, one of the Twolegs got in a monster and never returned, and the second one was devastated. He stopped feeding us, and slowly, the rest of the housecats started wandering away, until it was just Pumpkin, our kits and I who were left. The kits were three moons old by then, and Pumpkin wanted to get out and show them the world outside the house. So, they went out for a day in the forest. Pumpkin was so overjoyed. She wanted to show them everything she knew about. I offered to come, but she wanted me to rest. I was getting slim those days, letting my mate and kits eat most of the food that we found." Odin paused and took a deep breath, then looked back to his paws.

"And then what?" Kite asked.

"Pumpkin got hit by a monster," Odin said flatly. Kite gasped. She took one look at Odin's face and couldn't bare to look at him again. His face was a battleground of hatred and sorrow. His eyes were scrunched up as though he were trying not to cry and failing, and his face was twisted in the most horrid of ways.

"That's horrible!" Kite cried.

"Yes," Odin replied. "Yes, it is. Snowy and Patches were attacked by an out-of-control dog about a moon later. It seems like I fell apart in those two short moons. I've been trying to rebuild my life all these seasons, but there will never be a she-cat like Pumpkin. And you know what? You look exactly like her. And that's why I've been trying so fiercely to protect you. Ever since I lay eyes on you, Kite, it feels like Pumpkin's still there. I think she sent you to me so that I wouldn't lose faith. I can still see that sparkle of spirit she had in your eyes. Please, Kite, whatever you do, don't lose that spirit."

Kite and Odin were silent for a moment. Finally, Kite mewed, "Were you and Pumpkin the same age?"

"No," Odin replied. "I was seventeen moons older than her."

"Seventeen moons?" Kite mewed in disbelief.

"Age is but a number," Odin replied. "And besides, true love knows no bounds."

"Oh," Kite meowed, looking down at her paws and letting Odin's story soak in. "I promise I'll never leave you, Odin. I'll keep Pumpkin around for the rest of your life if you want."

"Thank you," were the only words Odin spoke.

Emberclaw sighed as she returned from her reverie. Maybe Ravenpaw was her true love. Maybe he wasn't. But how would Emberclaw ever know? They were separated now. There was no way he would forgive her after the way she stormed off before.

And she had given up on Odin, too. She had promised to be the reincarnation of his true love, the one who kept his flame burning. She had left him too many times. Now, she had to go find him. Or, rather, since she could not leave camp, she would send someone to find him for her.

Just as Emberclaw had finished forming this thought, Squirreltail trotted into the nursery and settled down in an empty nest. She dropped the mouse she had been carrying in her jaws and looked over to her sister.

"Hey, Emberclaw!" Squirreltail mewed. "I hope you don't mind me staying here. I'm having Brambleclaw's kits soon!"

"Congratulations!" Emberclaw meowed halfheartedly. "Hey, do you know if Thornclaw is available?"

"Oh, yeah," Squirreltail replied. "Sure! He just got back from a hunting patrol. Why are you asking?"

"I need him to do a favor for me," Emberclaw replied.

"Why not just ask Glacierpelt or Sootfur?" Squirreltail suggested.

"They wouldn't agree," Emberclaw insisted. "Trust me. This is something only Thornclaw is capable of doing."

"OK then," Squirreltail meowed. "If you insist." Squirreltail rose to her paws and trotted back out to the clearing. A moment later, she and Thornclaw returned.

"Hey there, Emberclaw!" Thornclaw mewed cheerily. "What is it you need me to do?"

"Go to Barley's barn," Emberclaw replied. "Bring back Ravenpaw. Do it as quickly as possible. Don't ask questions. Tell Firestar you're going on a hunting trip. If you're fast enough, you'll be back before the Clan misses you. Now, hurry!"

"Um, OK…?" Thornclaw meowed, but turned and darted out of camp.

"What was that all about?" Squirreltail asked.

"I'm going to make things right with Ravenpaw," Emberclaw replied.