Thank you for the increase in reviews ;). Here are some responses to your reviews:
Swiftpath- Congratulations on getting an account! I am awaiting your stories!
MyrtleFalls- Well, I can't say that right now can I? *smile*
Islanda- Thank you! I'll try to make DarkClan more interesting…
JayxWillow- No, they are not fillers… But thank you for the compliment and I WILL try to make the chapters longer.
Okay, that's done. Here is the next chapter:
"Are you okay?" asked Lionblaze quietly to his former apprentice who was crouching by her father's body with her head down.
Dovesong didn't reply. She continued to mourn her father along with Whitewing, Ivypool, and other various Clanmates.
Lionblaze padded away from her and was about to go to Jayfeather when Cinderheart ran up to him.
"Where were you? I thought that the killer got you too!" she wailed.
Lionblaze groaned inwardly. Oops. He forgot to tell Cinderheart that he was okay.
"I'm okay. I wasn't there when Birchfall was killed," he mewed with as much I-really-like-you-thanks-for-caring-about-me emotion as possible.
Cinderheart twined her tail with Lionblaze's. Annoyed, he pushed her away.
Hurt filled her blue eyes and without a word, she bounded away to the warriors den.
Lionblaze sighed. He didn't like hurting Cinderheart but his heart didn't belong to her.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" yowled Bramblestar from the Highledge.
Lionblaze quickly ran over to the Highledge. He noticed that Dovesong and her family didn't move from Birchfall's body.
"We all mourn Birchfall's loss. He was a wonderful warrior and served his Clan well," began Bramblestar.
The ThunderClan warriors murmured their agreement. "What killed him?" yowled Volespring.
"I don't know," admitted Bramblestar. "But it wasn't a fox or any other animal. The wounds were too clean and a fox would have eaten him."
Lionblaze's blood turned to ice. Did it mean that it was…? "Are you saying that a cat killed Birchfall?" asked Squirrelflight.
"That's what I think," replied Bramblestar.
There was pandemonium in the camp. "It's Ashfur all over again!" "We're not safe here!" "What about my kits? The killer will strike them next!"
"Silence!" yowled Bramblestar. The warriors slowly settled down but they were still bristling.
"Do you think that it's Ashfur's killer coming back again?" asked Spiderleg. Some cats nearby muttered and nodded.
"I'm not sure but whoever it was, has escaped. Dovesong, did Birchfall tell you who attacked him before he died?" asked Bramblestar gently.
Dovesong didn't reply for a while. Then she lifted her head and Lionblaze was shocked to see the fury and sorrow blazing in her eyes.
"Of course not! If he did I would have told you!" Dovesong snapped.
Bramblestar nodded. "Okay, thanks Dovesong. I'm sure Birchfall is watching over you in StarClan."
Dovesong just went back to mourning over her father.
Lionblaze felt sorry for Dovesong. Nothing was going right for her.
"We mourn Birchfall but we need a new deputy," meowed Bramblestar. Everyone perked up.
"It's going to be me! I'm going to be the new deputy," whispered Foxleap eagerly. Lionblaze rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure of who was going to be the deputy but he thought that maybe Bumblestripe or Mousewhisker because they were pretty good warriors.
"I say these words before StarClan that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy will be Lionblaze!" announced Bramblestar.
Lionblaze was shocked. Him? Deputy? Lionblaze quickly snapped back into reality.
"I'll do my best to serve you well," he mewed quickly. Bramblestar nodded. "I know that I made a good choice," the leader replied.
"Congratulations Lionblaze!" purred Cinderheart. She seemed to have forgotten their earlier conversation.
"Thanks Cinderheart," replied Lionblaze. Cinderheart beamed and padded off to the warriors den.
Lionblaze saw his brother sitting by the medicine cat den. Flowerpetal was nowhere nearby.
He quickly ran over. "Isn't this great? I'm the brand new ThunderClan deputy!" he exclaimed.
Jayfeather looked at Lionblaze as if he had sprouted rabbit ears. "No it isn't great!" he hissed.
Lionblaze stepped back. He was shocked. Why wasn't his brother happy for him? "Why not?" he asked, hurt filling his voice.
"Don't act more stupid than you already are Lionblaze. Think about DarkClan and Dovesong's plan!" meowed Jayfeather angrily.
The realization hit him. If DarkClan really was going to run away, ThunderClan wouldn't have a deputy again.
"Oh no," Lionblaze mewed quietly. "Yeah," Jayfeather sighed.
"Why did Bramblestar have to choose me?" groaned Lionblaze. Jayfeather shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe StarClan doesn't approve of DarkClan."
Lionblaze looked at his brother with wide eyes. "What?" he exclaimed. "Are you supporting me or what?"
"Of course I'm supporting you!" snapped Jayfeather. The two brothers glared at each other, bristling.
"Well, you should get some sleep. You have deputy stuff to do tomorrow," Jayfeather finally mewed.
"Yeah. Good night," replied Lionblaze. Jayfeather flicked his tail in response and padded into his den.
Lionblaze went to the warriors den. "Congratulations!" A loud cheer filled the den making Lionblaze swell up with pride.
"Thanks everyone. But I'd like to sleep now," meowed Lionblaze with a grin. The cats laughed.
"That's the Lionblaze I know!" purred Cinderheart and licked his muzzle with affection.
All the cats awwwwwwed.
Lionblaze grew hot with embarrassment. "Uh… Good night everyone," he muttered and scrambled over to his nest.
The cats all settled down into their nests and quickly fell asleep.
Lionblaze was the last to fall asleep. It was very difficult to sleep with Cinderheart curled up tightly next to you.
He soon grew sleepy and it was only as he was closing his eyes, did he remember about Heathertail and how he was supposed to go to a DarkClan meeting that night.
Line-line-line-line-line-lion-line-line-heather-line-line-
"Where is he?" growled Heathertail pacing back and forth in the official DarkClan meeting place.
Whiskermask shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he forgot or something."
"Or something? He should have been here hours ago!" hissed Heathertail angrily.
"Maybe something kept him from coming," suggested Whiskermask.
"If it's that foxdung, Cinderheart, I'm going to send her to StarClan the hard way," spat Heathertail as she angrily sat down.
Whiskermask sighed inwardly. His friend was very jealous of that gray ThunderClan warrior because Cinderheart didn't have to secretly meet her mate and all the cats thought that they were a cute couple.
"Let's wait a couple more minutes. If he isn't here, he probably forgot or ahem something held him back," mewed Whiskermask, hoping that it would reassure his friend.
Heathertail sighed. "I just wish he was here. What if something happened to him?" she fretted.
"Nothing happened to him. He has that power thing remember?" reminded Whiskermask.
"Yeah… But still," mewed Heathertail quietly.
Whiskermask liked the fire of Heathertail, her love for Lionblaze roaring through the forest.
He was instantly reminded of the she-cat that captured his heart. Whiskermask felt guilty for not telling Heathertail that HE had a secret mate too, and the scolding her for being in love with Lionblaze.
The image of his mate flashed in his mind. Her lovely blue eyes, beautiful white pelt… It was just so hard to not think about her.
"Ahh…" he sighed. "What was that?" asked Heathertail immediately.
"Uh nothing!" Whiskermask quickly mewed. Heathertail got a strange, teasing look in her eyes.
"You look really dreamy," she stated. Whiskermask stared at his friend.
"What are you talking about?" he asked. "Oh come on. Did a she-cat catch your eye?" she asked.
"No!" exclaimed Whiskermask. Heathertail gave a mrrow of laughter.
Whiskermask felt himself grow hot with embarrassment. "Stop it!" he snapped.
Heathertail stopped laughing. "Sorry. Just tell me when a she-cat does," she purred.
"Okay," replied Whiskermask, feeling guilty almost immediately.
Heathertail sighed again. "We should go back now," she finally meowed.
"Yeah… In a couple days, it's the Gathering. We can talk to him then, okay?" mewed Whiskermask.
"Good idea," agreed Heathertail and padded out of the tunnel and towards the WindClan territory.
Okaay… So Lionblaze becomes deputy and it turns out that Whiskermask has a forbidden love too? Geez… Give the author a break! Oh yeah don't forget to review!