Cloudfire: Yeah, he won't die any time soon. I like this story, i think i'll continue it for a while now XD. Anyways, don't listen to me, read and review!

C.T. Eleckzo: cool

Rabbitstorm: hehehe... well here it is!

Tainted Shadow Rebel: Thank you!

Pinkpelt: Right away XD

She Who Sulks In The Shadows: Well, you'll just have to find out

CinderDreams: Yes! And now i updated again!

Sometimes, despite all of what my uncle and Darkflower do for me, I feel… forgotten. Well, I always feel forgotten because of Diamondshine, but in a way, I always kind of liked being forgotten. I felt like I was nothing, and that there was no such thing as me, and that every emotion I felt was nothing, and that I didn't exist. I felt like nothing, and I loved it. And then, as I stretched a paw towards the oncoming darkness, I felt the same thing. The same pang of nothingness followed by the wash of smoothing relief it gave.

"Look, darling, it seems we have another one," a soft, female voice cut through into my ears, and I weakly opened my eyes. There was no one around me, and nothing but darkness surrounded me. However, I felt two presences shift by my body, one distinctly motherly, and the other fierce and proud.

"He's so cute, can we keep him too?" the female voice asked again, and I felt a gentle lick on one of my ears. I closed my eyes again, feeling them burn. However, the lick pulled away as quickly as it came, leaving my slightly empty inside.

"No, my love," now it was a masculine voice, defiantly male and very calm, "He had a great future ahead of him. We mustn't hold him back." I heard someone snort.

"Oh phooey," she sniffed, then I felt a gentle prod and felt my body brush against something, "We might as well give him back then." There was a meow of agreement and then two strong pushes and I felt my body bump up against something.

I opened my eyes, surprised by a sudden flash of light from the setting sun. It was so cold. I moved my limbs, they were stiff, and I felt my muscles bruised. From the position I was in I could see the island, I was near ShadowClan territory, but I was in RiverClan. I pulled my legs under me and began gently putting weight onto them, wincing as I felt one of my back paws send a spike of pain through me.

I stood shakily on three legs, dripping wet and shivering. The mud from the lake threatened to pull me in. Before I could stop, I felt my feet slip beneath me, and I crashed to my side again, letting out a hot breath as an icy wind blew over me.

"You are… Snakepaw?" a quiet voice jump started my survival instincts. I leapt to my paws, regretting it as a rush of dizziness rushed to my head, but I swallowed it, and bristled. I calmed down almost at once. It was Bluepaw, the RiverClan apprentice I had met at the Gathering. She looked concerned, and quickly padded over to me, through the icy water.

"Y-yes," I answered, shaking from the cold. She sniffed my body and nodded.

"You're not badly hurt," she murmured, "But you have to get back to your clan before you catch a sickness. Here, let me help you." She hurried to my injured side and supported my shoulder, and I lowered my head in thanks.

"You have a split tail," meowed Bluepaw simply, and I pulled back in surprise, quickly hiding it from view. She shrugged, "I guess you were hiding something at the Gathering, just like how Broadpaw said." She smiled softly, "But that's alright, I'm fine with a friend who's a little bit different."

I had to smile now. She was so kind, like she knew exactly what to say to make me feel better. We walked together along the lake, slowly, partially because of my injured shoulder, and partially because we enjoyed each others presence. We talked endlessly, about fishing in rivers and hunting at night. The sunrise and sunset during leaf-bare and leaf-fall. Badger attacks, fox hunting, chasing down mice and voles and sharing hunting and sparring secrets. She made me feel happy, just with a kind smile and a few gentle words.

But there was also something lingering in her. Not in her eyes or in her gait, but in her body. Whenever our fur brushed on accident, or our eyes met, she would quickly avoid my gaze or pull away, almost like a reflex. I decided not to think of these things, it would just be a hindrance for our friendship. And so we talked even more, until we reached the Thunderpath.

"Well, I guess this is good-bye for now," she smiled softly again, I flicked my twin tails happily and nodded, Bluepaw laughed again, "I hope I'll see you at the Gathering, or on a border patrol soon." I nodded and turned to start over the Thunderpath when Bluepaw suddenly called me back.

"Before you go, Snakepaw," murmured Bluepaw, glancing awkwardly down at her paws, "I was curious. Um, why do you want to be a warrior?"

I felt a ripple of confusion jolt through me. Why would I want to be a warrior? What kind of ridicules question was that? It was stupid, it was devoid, it was…

Something I had never asked myself. And now I did. I lowered my gaze, and my heart, my dark heart, creaked open and let out a little of itself, placing me at my most vulnerable point, my psychological weakness.

"I want to be remembered," I finally said, admitting it to her and myself at the same time, "I want to be told about in stories as a great leader, and be a legend for hundreds of kits to listen to and pass on for generations to come. I want to be the leader that's feared by every other leader in the forest, head of a powerful Clan that could destroy another with a single swipe and strong enough to protect even the smallest kit from a flood. I want to be remembered for saving the clan in a time of need, and to have others bask in the radiant glow I want to surround me."

I froze up, horrified at what I had just said. How could I be so selfish? It was so, so, egoistical. And yet, that was what I wanted. I didn't want to become nothing, and float into nothingness. Bluepaw was looking at me, with her eyes like clear flower petals filled with a strange emotion. Accepting, understanding, and maybe even love. But I couldn't face her. I couldn't even breathe. I had to turn and dart across the Thunderpath, back to the territory that was my home, my home that treated me as nothing.

I almost crawled to the camp later on because I was so exhausted. It was nearly midnight by the time I got back, and when I entered the camp I was greeted with a snarl of surprise from Goldensun, though it was quickly cut short from a cry or amazement from Brownstripe, who jumped over to me and caught me as I stumbled to the ground.

Blackstripe slipped out of the warriors' den, alerted by the call from his long-term rival and raced over, picking me up and laughing happily. Darkflower soon joined him, bathing me in furious licks and giggles. Smokestar slipped out of the nursery, followed by Diamondshine, and Silverpaw and Marshpaw poked their heads out of the apprentice den.

I laughed softly, but felt my eyes begin to roll and my vision begin to swim. With a groan I collapsed, falling asleep in the middle of the camp clearing. And I dreamed.

I didn't dream of Darkflower and Blackstripe this time though, I dreamed of change. I was in darkness, and the only thing besides me was a vibrant, red rose, curled into a bud and sprinkled in dew. I watched as a trickle of light beamed down from above, and one of the petals of the rose twitched open and the rose began to bloom.

I never thought I would actually fall in love with Bluepaw at one time in my life. She was wonderful, kind and curious, but there was something about her that was different, almost sad. She helped me feel remembered, feel important, feel like I was actually apart of something and not just another ShadowClan apprentice. Years later I still remember her and her dark green eyes and dark blue-gray fur. I would also hear that she was a descendant of Bluestar, one of the ThunderClan leaders, who had given her kits to RiverClan where her mate was. One of them, Mistystar, was known to be Bluepaws' direct ancestor.

But that night I dreamt of not only Bluepaw, but also of a brown-and-white tabby she-cat with friendly green eyes.

Well, got a little bit of a love triangle working out here. I don't really like forbidden romances though, so, well, something is going to happen to Bluepaw or Petalpaw further down the road. What, I'm not going to tell you. But I'm afraid Snakepaw is destined for another she-cat in his life.

Now review.

The poll is still open

RiverClan or ThunderClan

Which one do you like better?