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Chapter 7

It was the third day after Whiteshadow's warrior ceremony and Leafpool found that her nights were much more peaceful. She had no more fearful dreams of the terrible prophecy but as much as she tried she could not reach Feathertail, Spottedleaf or Cinderpelt. She desperately wanted to talk to the three starry she-cats to learn more about this mysterious cat's death. But StarClan was determined not to let her see who it was—or at least until the time came.

Settling herself more comfortably in her nest against the wall of her rock den she tried to block these worries out of her mind. But some still came back. Whose blood would be spilled? Why would it be on the island? And why did Brambleclaw come to her in the middle of the night, three days ago—with claw marks slashed along the side of his face? It all must mean something.

Sighing once, she closed her eyes and found herself falling in a deep slumber only to awoken heartbeats later when she heard a cat enter her den. "Leafpool! Leafpool, are you awake?" The voice called.

"Yes," she muttered, lashing her tail in annoyance. "Who is it?"

As soon as the cat came closer and she saw a short gray pelt and two dusky blue eyes, she knew who it was.

"Crowfeather!" she spat, louder than she needed to. "What are you doing here?"

"I already told you at the gathering," he replied softly. "I need to see you!"

Leafpool shrunk away from him and flattened her ears to the back of her head letting out a low hiss. Inside she was delighted beyond words that the gray-black tom had come to visit her but somehow her body reacted differently. He came closer to her, trying to brush his pelt against hers. She wanted to lash out at him but somehow she found the power to let her bristling fur lay flat.

"Please, Leafpool," he murmured. "Just talk to me. Please."

"Ok," she replied. "But not here."

She gazed up into his eyes before leading the way out of her den. Glancing around she saw Thornclaw sitting guard at the camp entrance. Silent as an owl she began to sneak along the edge of the camp walls with Crowfeather right behind her. She embraced the shadows as if it were her only hope to escape—and it was. Finally she reached the one patch of brambles where she had escaped so many times before.

"This is how I got of camp when I went to see you," Leafpool meowed quietly to Crowfeather. He only nodded, not willing to speak while in an enemy camp, though by the look in his eyes Leafpool saw that he wanted to.

She snuck into the bramble patch, making sure not to get caught in the snaky branches. A thorn caught her by the tail when she was almost by her escape route and she was about to turn around to dislodge it when she felt it being lifted off already. It was Crowfeather, gently lifting the thorn with his teeth. She blinked gratefully at him, her eyes shimmering with warmth.

She leapt up onto the crumbling rock wall, her paws scrabbling to get a grip. She pushed forward with her hind legs and was almost near the top when she heard a shout from below.

"Who's up there?" It was Thornclaw, peering up from his spot by the entrance. Leafpool felt a shiver pass through her body and she felt like falling backwards, back into the brambles. But a hard shove from behind told her she shouldn't.

"Hurry!" Crowfeather hissed at her.

Leafpool gave a bleak bob of her head and pressed close to the rock wall as she began to climb steadily. She jumped onto the firm ground above with Crowfeather right behind her. He broke into a sprint, nudging her in the side as he passed by if to say, "Run! Now!" Almost at once she sped after him.

As soon as they were a clear distance away from the camp the two slowed down and collapsed in a heap of tabby and black fur at the base of the tree. Leafpool touched her muzzle briefly to Crowfeather's then quickly pulled away. The pair was silent as they crouched together in the undergrowth, barely touching.

"Just like old times," Crowfeather meowed, trying to start a conversation. He was clearly surprised when she replied, "Yes! Except for the fact that we'd talk until dawn."

"Yes…" he murmured. "I guess so." His eyes shone with grief as if he were remembering all the times he spent with her—and with Feathertail.

"Do you miss her?"

"Who?" Crowfeather stared at her in confusion.

"Feathertail."

There was a long awkward silence and Leafpool suddenly wondered if she should've have said anything at all. She shuffled her paws in the grass and avoided his gaze.

"Of course," he replied at last, his eyes flashing with the loss of his love. "I miss her everyday."

"I thought so," she whispered, staring right through him. In her mind she could imagine the two young cats sitting together, staring at each other through eyes of sky-blue and dark, twilight.

"But I love you too, you know," Crowfeather mewed, lifting her head with his tail. He locked gazes with her and Leafpool felt like drowning in the depths of his sapphire eyes.

"And I love you," she purred but then her voice grew bitter and hushed. "But I can't be with you. You know I can't."

"I know," came his quiet reply. "But that won't change the way I feel about you."

The two cats snuggled closer, locked in a silent embrace of sorrow and love. They were both so different—like the day and the night but somehow they found a way to be close. They found a way that they could love. But try as they might they couldn't find a way to be together.

At last Leafpool pulled away," I should go," she meowed quickly.

Crowfeather nodded, "I'll escort you back to camp," he offered and guessing by the look he gave her through narrowed eyes Leafpool thought she'd better accept.

"Of course," she purred as she stood up, giving his ears a quick swipe of her tongue.

"I love the night," Crowfeather meowed on their way back. "It's so peaceful."

"Yes," Leafpool replied. "It is."

"But so… mysterious."

Leafpool blinked, "How so?"

Crowfeather shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, it just is."

Neither cat replied after that and Leafpool found herself enjoying the silence that they walked in. He's right… it's so peaceful.

Before long they came to the edge of the stone hollow. They stood side-by-side, staring down into the camp as the dawn light strengthened.

Crowfeather touched his nose to her flank, gently pushing her down the crumbling wall into the brambles. They stared at each other long and hard before Crowfeather tore himself away.

Then he stopped, flicked his ears, turned back and asked, "Will I see you again"

Leafpool didn't reply for what seemed like nine lifetimes.

"No."

Well i hope you Leaf x Crow fans enjoyed that chapter because it's probably going to be the 2nd last love scene between them in my story! Thanks for reading so far, Hollybranch.