"Goodbye StormClan." I whispered as I watched the Clan that I had built disappear. The Clans were leaving, and StormClan was the last to walk away. I noticed that most of the cats who had chosen to stay were from StormClan, me, Fuzzynose, Vinepelt, Cloudstrike, Rainpaw, Frostpaw and Ashpaw. The only other cat I had seen from another Clan was Flarepaw.
"This is it then. You are actually staying." Mistycloud purred.
"Yeah. I just hope that StormClan will find them a new medicine cat." I sighed.
"What about Fuzzynose's apprentice?" Mistycloud asked.
"Frostpaw." I told her.
"Oh. Then I'm sure that BrightClan will help train another. It must be hard to watch your Clan leave." Mistycloud mewed.
"It is. I worked so hard to build StormClan, and now I feel like I've abandoned them." I sighed.
"Shadowclaw, then why did you stay?" Mistycloud asked.
"Because it hurt even more to know I was abandoning you, Tawnypaw, Ashpaw and Fuzzynose." I told her.
"I guess." she shrugged.
"I just wish there was a way I could have both, but I know I can't. I can almost hear my father laughing at me now." I laughed.
"You never mentioned him before. What was he like?" Mistycloud asked.
"Well, he was a very horrible cat. I was never born into a Clan. I was born a rogue, with my two sisters. I don't even remember their names. My father, Lionclaw was a Clan cat. He never told us which Clan he was from. The more stories I heard about the Clans of the forest the more I wanted to join them. My father would always laugh at me, tell me I wouldn't last long in a battle. Said I would be loyal to my Clan, no matter what. He always said I was bound to break the warrior code. He didn't realise how much that made me want to join the Clans even more, just to prove to him that he was wrong. One day when he was away, I left. I went into the forest. I was found by a patrol of cats. They were short apprentices, and asked me to join."
"ShadowClan." Mistycloud mewed.
"Yes, ShadowClan. While I was doing my apprentice duties, I would hear the elders telling stories to the kits. I would listen to them while I was checking them for ticks or cleaning out their bedding. Their stories spoke of a ThunderClan murderer. They said on the great journey, the journey they made to come to the forest by the lake, one of the ThunderClan cats murdered their own deputy. And soon after a kit. they say it was moons before they found out who had done it."
"How did they find out?" a tiny voice squeaked. I hadn't noticed that a group of kits had come over to hear my story.
"Hush Fallenkit, let him finish." Mistycloud purred.
"Well, to answer that I would have to tell you another story. Cats were mysteriously dying. The medicine cat was found dead in a field, and an apprentice was found dead in the forest. One moon later the apprentice's brother disappeared. Anyways, this next story is about a kit, I don't remember what her name was. A group of kits had left the camp, and went down to the river. A group of apprentices were sent to bring the kits back to camp. As they reached the river, one of the kits fell in. One of the apprentices jumped in after her and the current carried them away."
"Did they die?" Jaykit, one of the StormClan kits.
"Let him finish." Tigerkit, his brother scoffed.
"Their Clan thought they did. For moons the cats were missing, they soon gave up." I turned to Mistycloud. Just like I gave up on her.
"Then what happened?" Blazekit asked.
"The Clans had to move. They couldn't stay in the old forest. Some cats didn't want to leave, the kit's brother believed his sister would come back but he soon gave in. That was the great journey. These cats travelled far and finally settled at the lake. Moons after they arrived at the lake, mysterious cats were found at the border of ThunderClan."
"Who was it?" Fallenkit asked.
"Was it rouges?" a kit beside Fallenkit asked.
"Three of them were the lost ThunderClan cats." I purred.
"Three?" Jaykit frowned.
"The apprentice who had disappeared after his sister's death asked to speak out among the Clan. He had witnessed the medicine cat's death, and his sister's. His sister's murderer had got him stuck in a twoleg trap, so he wouldn't tell on him. But they apprentice and the kit who had been in the river had found him and they came home. The apprentice revealed the killer in front of everyone. That is how they found who had killed the deputy and the kit on the great journey." I finished.
"Wait! Who was the killer?" Fallenkit asked.
"His name was Lionclaw. They exiled him and took refuge in twoleg place." I told him.
"Your father." Mistycloud mewed.
"Yes. I can hear him laughing now, because he was right. I did break the warrior code. I had a forbidden mate, I mourned for Unwanteds and I switched Clans." I sighed.
"But you are better than him. You always will be, Shadowclaw." I recognised the voice. It can't be! I turned to see Foxstar looking at me. His bushy tail was wrapped between his paws.
"What are you doing here? You are supposed to be with your Clan." I frowned.
"I am with my Clan." he smiled.
"What about StormClan?" I asked.
"Well, Snowstar will be a fine leader. I couldn't leave, not when everyone who matters to me is here." Foxstar mewed.
"Foxstar, what about your mate and kits?" I asked.
"Foxtail and I would rather be here with you and Vinepelt than there. Besides, four of my kits are here." Foxtail shrugged.
"This is great." I smiled. Now I have everyone I care about with me. I'll never abandon them again.
"Let all cats gather here beneath the rock to hear my words!" Littlestar's voice rang thought the camp. I padded out of the apprentice den, Nightpaw at my side. I glanced around for my brother but I couldn't find him among the many cats.
"I'm sure he's around somehow." Nightpaw said, practically reading my mind.
"You're right." I mewed. I padded over to the group of cats, Nightpaw at my side.
"We have some new Clanmates. Will they please come forward?" Littlestar called. I could see a the group of cats step forward. They stood just below the base of the rock. I recognise some of them. I could see my two brothers, Fuzzynose and Ashpaw. Along with Cloudstrike and her three kits. And Vinepelt, Foxtail and his kit, Rainpaw. I see Frostpaw on the end. I frowned as I spotted my father.
"We welcome Frostpaw, Ashpaw, Rainpaw, Flarepaw, Fuzzynose, Vinepelt, Foxtail, Cloudstrike, Jaykit, Blazekit, Tigerkit, Deerpelt and Shadowclaw to UnwantedClan!" Littlestar purred.
"Shadowclaw? I never thought a Clan leader would switch! He is the one of the cats who cast out Unwanteds!" Nightpaw scowled, his eyes flared in fury.
"I don't know what he is doing there." I told him. Why is Shadowstar up there? I thought he would be glad to never see us again.
"We will welcome them into our Clan. They have chosen to stay with their kin, they will be full members of this Clan." Littlestar mewed. I stared at them while my Clanmates chanted their names. Why would Shadowstar and Foxtail choose to stay? They hate Unwanteds.
"We will honor the cats we have lost today, but we will also celebrate the cats we have gained!" Littlestar smiled. I could hear my Clanmates calling out and cheering. I wasn't sure why, but I smiled. This is my family. This is my home. I am a UnwantedClan apprentice. This is where I have always belonged.