Whoot! Two chapters in one day. Thanks, Tommi Girl! I love confusing people.

This chappy is all Sablefrost - You get to learn more about him.

It was several days after Passionpaw had left the moorlands for good. Seeing her leave, following Mudstreak into an unfamiliar place, had caused Sablefrost more heartache then he knew was even possible. He knew somehow he had failed her… her words echoed in his mind time and time again, making it impossible to sleep, impossible to hunt, impossible to concentrate on anything. The long days seemed to have eased the pain somewhat, but he still couldn't shake the hurt away. It was like a dark cloud hanging over him and no amount of sunlight could chase it away. He tried to forget what had happened, yet he couldn't erase Passionpaw's memory from his mind. Spending time with Fallenleaf and the kits helped, especially now their eyes had opened. He also went hunting often with Fawnfeather… The pretty warrioress didn't seem to mind his silent grief. He was glad when she would eat with him or go on patrol with him… Sometimes she could make him laugh; take his mind off of his hurt for a while. She was Passionpaw's opposite, quiet and gentle.

She was like honey, soothing the burn of Passionpaw's rejection.

The auburn she-cat dropped a young rabbit on the ground and began to scrape earth over it. Sablefrost smiled at her and did the same with his own prey. It had been a good hunt. Absently his gaze traveled over the moorland and rested upon the territory between Highstones and WindClan. Fawnfeather glanced at the horizon, the wind ruffling her fur slightly.

"Sablefrost, I'm sure she's okay," mewed Fawnfeather softly. "If she hasn't come back that must mean NightClan has accepted her."

Sablefrost sighed. "If I could just know that she was all right… If I could just see her one last time…" He knew Fawnfeather had to be tired of discussing the former WindClan apprentice, but she didn't show it. She pressed her muzzle to his flank comfortingly, a purr rising from her throat. He licked her ear, wishing he could express to her how much her friendship meant, but she seemed to understand without words. They stood together for a few minutes, not talking or hunting. Simply enjoying the quiet shared in each other's company.

"Sablefrost, we should get back," suggested Fawnfeather quietly. He turned to look at her and nodded. "You're right," he mewed, standing and stretching. She quickly uncovered the rabbit she had caught earlier and led the way back to camp. The wind was constantly changing, buffeting the pair from all sides. Quite suddenly Sablefrost did a double take, alarm prickling his paws. "Fawnfeather!" he hissed. "I smelled ShadowClan!"

The scent was gone; already the wind had changed again. He tried to decide from which direction it had come from, but Fawnfeather had already spotted two lithe shapes heading their way. One was a silver spotted tabby, they other a white cat with only a few black patches of fur. Sablefrost identified them easily; it was Steppingstar and her medicine cat Pureflower! He glanced at his hunting partner, who shrugged.

"They could be on their way to the moonstone," she mewed. Sablefrost nodded thoughtfully. "Let's go ask," he meowed. She gave him a sharp glance that made him feel hot under his fur. "Just to make sure…" he mumbled, before padding down the slope towards the two ShadowClan cats. He knew what Fawnfeather was thinking, but he ignored it. If they were heading to the moonstone, they would cross through NightClan territory and they might see Passionpaw…

Steppingstar paused when she saw them, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Hello, Steppingstar," meowed Sablefrost formally. "What brings you to WindClan territory?"

"We're simply crossing through to get to the moonstone," mewed Pureflower before Steppingstar could say anything. Sablefrost dipped his head, heart pounding. If he said anything about Passionpaw he would give away the fact WindClan had lost two cats to the fifth Clan… Yet…

"Shallowstar crossed through NightClan territory after the night of the gathering!" meowed Fawnfeather suddenly. "He didn't meet any trouble. You should be fine."

Steppingstar looked surprised, but thanked the young warrior. "We weren't sure what to expect," she admitted. Her gaze flitted to Sablefrost and he had to look away, though he felt her gaze bore into his fur.

"May StarClan light your path," he mumbled, sending them on their way. They nodded and padded past the two WindClan warriors. He felt Fawnfeather's breath as she gave his shoulders a few licks, yet he couldn't bring himself to look at her. "Come on," he meowed at last.

The journey home was silent. Sablefrost was certain he knew what was on Fawnfeather's mind, but he didn't care about that. If he could sneak out early in the morning he may be able to encounter the ShadowClan cats on their journey back home… He could ask them if they met anyone on the way…

"Sablefrost, you know I don't blame you for wanting to talk to her?" meowed Fawnfeather, breaking into his thoughts. He stared at her, confused. Then he realized what she was talking about.

"I wanted to talk to her to see if she was really on her way to the moonstone. Not because…" He stopped.

"Not because she's your mother?" Fawnfeather supplied softly. Sablefrost suppressed a hiss of frustration. "Yeah, that," he growled.

"It's only natural for-"

"She doesn't mean anything to me, okay? She gave me and Fallenleaf up; she gave up her right to be our mother! She's only a leader of another Clan to me."

Without waiting for Fawnfeather to reply to his outburst, he turned and raced into the moorland.

"Where are you going?" she cried.

"For a bit of night hunting!" he hissed. He didn't care if she followed or not. He just wanted to run away. Once, early in her training, Passionpaw said when she ran she felt like she was flying, like she could leave her troubles behind. I understand you now! He wanted to yowl to the sky. He closed his eyes, and for a moment he could believe she was there, running by his side.

He realized he had arrived at the ShadowClan border. Reluctantly he slowed and stopped, just short of entering ShadowClan's territory. He felt a deep twinge of regret as he recalled his harsh words to Fawnfeather. She was only trying to help, after all. Sablefrost sighed and turned away from the forest, walking into the moorlands.

He didn't know why he was so touchy when it came to his relations with the ShadowClan leader. Steppingstar was deputy when she and Shallowstar started seeing each other. Apparently one of her Clanmates had been spying on them and broke the news to all the Clan at a gathering once. Shallowstar had been vague when he related the story to Fallenleaf and Sablefrost, but Sablefrost could only imagine how angry the Clan would have been to learn that their leader was seeing the deputy of ShadowClan. Two moons later, Steppingstar, then Steppingsong, arrived at WindClan's camp with two kits. She said she was unable to produce milk and there were no other nursing queens in her Clan – She couldn't care for her kits so she gave them away.

It hurt Sablefrost to think of that. In spite of what he had told Fawnfeather, Steppingstar meant a lot to him. He had not learned of his half-clan linage until he and his sister were five moons old, when their father pulled them aside and told them the truth. By then Steppingsong had become Steppingstar and she did not return to ask for her kits back.

She had rejected her kits.

Sablefrost shook himself. He knew why Steppingstar had given them away. Why had she not wanted them? Was she embarrassed to have half-clan kits in her Clan? He paced angrily, telling himself it didn't matter. Shallowstar was perfectly happy to have them in his Clan, and it was Steppingstar's loss, anyway.

Sablefrost was exhausted and he did not want to think of his mother anymore. He thought wearily of how far he was from camp. I'll sleep out here tonight, he decided. He knew it would make his Clanmates worry, but he didn't want to face Fawnfeather. He just wanted some time alone. He made himself a temporary nest in some soft heather and closed his eyes. In spite of the long day he had spent hunting and patrolling, it was a long time before he managed to sleep and even then he kept waking in the night, haunted by images of his former apprentice and his mother, laughing cruelly at him.

"Sablefrost!"

The black and white warrior blinked open his dark brown eyes, wondering for a moment where he was. He could not smell the familiar scents of camp and he could not feel his Clanmates pressed against him. Then his eyes flew open in alarm as he recognized Steppingstar and Pureflower hovering above him.

"What are you doing here?" he cried, struggling to unsheathe his claws and wake up entirely. Pureflower purred amusedly.

"We were just heading back to our territory when we spotted you here! For a moment we thought you were… well, dead. Why didn't you go back to camp?" asked the white medicine cat, openly curious. Sablefrost sighed, feeling like a fool.

"I didn't feel like trekking all the way back to camp," he mumbled, looking away from Steppingstar's gaze. Then he remembered where the two ShadowClan cats had come from. "Uh, you didn't meet any trouble from NightClan, did you?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Pureflower's eyes dropped.

"We met your old Clanmate," she admitted. Sablefrost felt his heartbeat quicken.

"You did? What did she say? Is she all right?" he demanded, forgetting for a second that Pureflower was from a different clan. Pureflower took a step back.

"Who? I mean, we met Mudstreak," mewed the medicine cat uneasily. For the second time in the past two minutes, Sablefrost felt like a fool. "Oh."

"Is there someone else you know in NightClan?" meowed Steppingstar evenly. Sablefrost felt his ears burn. The question was rhetorical, he knew. He shook his head. The ShadowClan cats knew too much already. Steppingstar nodded in understanding and turned, leading Pureflower back into their territory. Sablefrost stared after them, fighting back the tears that came for Passionpaw and for his lost mother, Steppingstar.

Nice, huh? Pureflower's so informal... She reminds me of me. If you're wondering about the coloring (With Steppingstar a silver tabby and Shallowstar gray-and-white) Both Steppingstar's parents were black-and-white. Pureflower is Steppingstar's sister.

Anyway, R&R!