AN: Sorry it took a while to get this posted. Next chapter should be out in a couple of days, maybe even less ;)

Kitten With A Tie - I'm glad you like her, she plays a big roll in the future plot :P

Obssessive Bookworm - Yep, your PMs did make my day :D And more are to come in the near future depending on where the plot leads.

Pebblepaw - Don't worry, I updated! And lol, I couldn't think of a better name than DustClan at the time. It just seemed fitting for what they're going to go through. And as for the forbidden love, yes, it has happened far too often. Gets rather old after a while - -

Chapter Nine

Ferns brushed against Dustyhead's paws as he scrambled to them. Morning had come far too quickly for the small group that was beginning to look more like a Clan. Dustyhead slept beside Sageleaf, determined to keep her warm during the cooler nights. Ripplepaw and Stripepaw slept together, while Brownleaf and Foxear slept further away from the rogues and kittypet. Dustyhead blinked in surprise when he realized that Sydney was already awake. She was sitting at the top of a log, her tail dangling limply as she watched the forest.

"You're up early," he muttered through a half-yawn.

"The early warrior catches the prey," Sydney meowed. "I'm more than happy to leave my Twolegs - they were never kind or treated me like they should." He could hear her claws scraping against the wood as she spoke. "Not that I don't need any sympathy," she added when an uneasy silence fell upon the forest. Before he could reply he realized that Amber was already gone. He was about to ask where she had gone when Sydney beat him to it, "She went out earlier in the morning, just before dawn."

"Maybe she went out hunting," he murmured after shaking scraps of moss off of his fur. He doubted that she actually went hunting. Amber was still uncomfortable being surrounded by so many cats. She had been fidgeting most of the night while he kept watch over them.

Dustyhead shook his head and rose to his paws, eager to get the day started. Foxear had promised him to show the newcomers more about the warrior code. That left him time to search for Amber and spend time with Sageleaf, the love of his life.

By the time he stalked out of his nest the sun had risen. The air was cold and bitter as a breeze picked up. Dustyhead raised his chin above the chilly breeze. He didn't mind the cold as much as he should. Though it had effected his Clan drastically the last leafbare, he barely remembered those moons. He had been a young apprentice when his first taste of leafbare came.

"Gotcha!" Dustyhead's ears pricked forward when he heard the sounds. He took a wary step forward to see Amber crouched over a dead mouse. Her tail waved proudly in the air as she picked up the dead mouse. "Dustyhead, what are you doing here?" Amber's eyes narrowed in suspicion when she dropped the mouse after spotting him.

"I was looking for you," he admitted sheepishly. He should have known that she had gone out hunting. Amber was still uncomfortable living in a group, and rightfully so. Her eyes were still narrowed as she watched him drop his gaze. "You were gone for a long time."

Amber looked away at those words. For a moment he was afraid she might chase him off. Her fur was beginning to bristle slightly before she calmed herself down. "I needed time away from the Clan," she murmured. "This is my time to think about whether or not this is a good idea."

Dustyhead watched her in amusement. Of all the cats that had agreed with his Clan, Amber was the most surprising. First she had turned them down when they met, and now she was considering joining them. The very idea had surprised Dustyhead.

"I'll leave you to think," he meowed with a dip of his head.

"No, I should take this to your mate or... Brownleaf was it? She doesn't look like a very skilled hunter," Amber said as she grabbed the mouse.

I doubt Brownleaf will appreciate that comment, Dustyhead thought with a smirk. Instead of saying those words he nodded and allowed her to take the lead. The last thing they needed was to fight over silly little words.

. . .

It was close to sunhigh by the time Foxear returned with the newcomers. Her hackles were raised slightly as she glared at Olive, the kittypet who had agreed to come. Dustyhead had been sharing tongues with Sageleaf when Foxear approached them.

"She is not fit for warrior's life," Foxear growled in a low voice. "All she does is stumble around while the others have already perfected their hunter's crouch."

"Give her time," Sageleaf purred. "I'm sure she is trying."

Foxear sighed in frustration as she looked between Sageleaf and Dustyhead. Dustyhead knew that Sageleaf was right. They needed to give these cats a chance to prove themselves. If they didn't the newcomers might tell the rest of their friends what the new Clan was like.

"I doubt time will fix this," Foxear muttered under her breath. She whirled around to join Blue, Eagle and Sydney. Olive was left alone watching them curiously.

"She is not the most patient cat for this," Sageleaf sighed.

"I know," Dustyhead murmured. "Perhaps I could take Olive out for some extra training."

"Some cats just are not suited for the warrior code," Brownleaf meowed as she joined them. "Maybe Olive is one of those cats." Silence fell between the three friends before Brownleaf brought something more urgent up, "I will need to share tongues with our ancestors soon. But the Moonpool is at least a day's travel from here."

Dustyhead didn't even think about that. He exchanged an anxious look with Sageleaf. How were they going to contact StarClan with no Moonpool? He had heard stories of the old forest and how the Clans had kept contact through the Moonstone. Maybe this was StarClan's way of telling them to keep moving.

"You're right, we do need to keep contact with StarClan," he replied. "I'm not sure where we would find such a place. The Moonpool is sacred to the Clans, and I doubt they would welcome us back with open paws."

The medicine cat nodded in agreement. Dustyhead hoped that StarClan would send them a sign. If they didn't receive a sign soon, than maybe DustClan wasn't meant to be.

AN: And there you have it. Olive isn't a very major character, but she will be reoccurring. And the next chapter will hopefully be out soon :)