10 reviewers...yey!!!!
Long Chappie, for all y'all who reviewed. Sorry it took so long...
Disclaimer: Don't Own, so Don't Sue.
Oh, yeah, sorry in advance for any mistakes...I really wanted to get this out.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Ashfur, come with me, bring Birchpaw, Squirrelflight, and Brambleclaw, you two as well. I have a feeling I'll need an extra big patrol today," Firestar addressed them.
Squirrelflight looked up from the rabbit she was sharing with Ashfur and looked questioningly at her father, but he had turned away.
Shrugging, she stood up and beckoned with her tail for the gray tom to follow. Sighing and mumbling under his breath, Ashfur complied.
Birchpaw, who had apparently heard Firestar's announcement, met up with them, Brambleclaw following behind, his tail twitching and his eyes glazed over in thought.
Reaching the exit, the five cats followed their leader through the undergrowth, leading them towards the Windclan border.
"If you need to hunt, feel free to," Firestar said, absentmindedly.
Surprised on how indifferent her father was, she twitched her ears and heard a mouse scavenging in the tall grass. Settling into a crouching position, she pinpointed exactly where the rodent was.
Just as she was about to pounce, the mouse looked up at something Squirrelflight could not see, and scurried away. Hissing in annoyance, she turned away. Ashfur bent over and whispered in her ear, "Tough Luck." She twitched her tail in response.
She was about to turn away when something on the breeze caught her attention.
"Firestar," she said, loud enough for only her leader and their patrol to hear.
Perking up his ears to show he was listening, he opened his mouth to taste the air. He widened his eyes as an unfamiliar scent reached his scent glands. Nodding at Squirrelflight to show he understood, he flicked his tail to ambush the unexpected trespasser, an unfamiliar cat.
They surrounded the unknown cat, a tom, if Squirrelflight wasn't mistaken. They all crouched, ready to pounce, when Firestar gave his signal and leapt at the unsuspecting tom.
Letting loose a battle cry, Squirrelflight saw him land on the muscular shoulders of the trespasser, and the gray body let out a screech of surprise and fury. They tussled for a minute, until all of a sudden they both stopped, and backed away. Firestar had a scratch above his eye and the tom had a gash along his flank, but instead of leaping back together, they both stared at each other.
Something flared inside of her. A feeling, and she peered curiously at the tom. The gray fur reminded her of someone, like Storm fur, but there were obvious differences. Like Stormfur, but different...
"Graystripe!" Firestar yowled, and Squirrelflight remembered now. Graystripe! How could she have forgotten.
"Firestar!" Graystripe yowled back, and launched himself playfully at his best friend.
Smiling, she glanced at Brambleclaw. He stared stonily at Graystripe, but beneath the cold amber eyes, she thought she could detect a trace of amusement.
"Come on, you stupid furball! Let's get back to camp. I definitely need to hear your story." Happiness shone in her father eyes, and he seemed complete. Twitching his tail to signal the patrol, they swiftly returned to camp.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
As the group entered hollow, Graystripe blinked in surprise at his surroundings, but didn't say anything. The rest of their clan mates widened their eyes at them returning so soon, then yowled at the visitor. Some started to snarl, but stopped in a shocked silence as they recognized the visitor.
"Graystripe. It's Graystripe," whispers made their way around the hollow. Cats appeared, all trying to get a glance at their deputy.
"Graystripe!" A voice broke through the muttering, and Sandstorm and Dustpelt made their way through the throng, and both touched their noses to the gray warrior.
Suddenly the whole clan gathered around the gray warrior, asking him where he's been, what happened, and if he was alright. Graystripe was so overwhelmed that all he could manage was a choking purr.
After a minute or so of the clan's questions, he signaled for quiet. A silent hush fell over the clearing, and all cats looked up at him expectantly for his story.
Graystripe opened his mouth to speak when his eyes caught sight of a silvery shape that clearly wasn't a cat, and yowled in shock instead. All heads turned to see what he was looking at, but didn't seem surprised that it was Silverpup. Most cats seemed to have accepted the loving puppy. Most.
"What is that?!" he sputtered.
"I'm a dog. Do you have a problem with that?" Silverpup growled. Ever since Mousekit had told him what he really was, he was sensitive about his origin.
Firestar smiled wryly. "I'll explain that latter. Let's hear your story."
Still glancing suspiciously at the pup, he began.
"Well, as soon as I was captured..."
OOOOO(A/N This is like if this was what was happening as soon as he was caught.)OOOOO
"Firestar! Help me, Firestar!" Graystripe yowled, scratching the two-leg that held him. "Help me!" Biting the clumsy paw that was shoving him in a monster, he attempted to escape, but was trapped. Turning, he launched himself at the back, but was stopped by an invisible force (A/N a window). He saw Leafpaw staring at him with a mixture of shock and fear, before running away from another two-leg.
As the monster drove away, a hollow feeling formed inside his stomach.
At least I got the others out, he thought. He smiled ruefully. And I'll give them more trouble than they'll have ever gotten before.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
He woke up in a metallic contraption, and looked around sleepily. Blinking away his confusion, he launched himself at the mesh, trying to escape. After several minutes of fruitless bitting, he sat and licked his paw, drawing it over his ear, trying to appear unconcerned. But he was.
Seeing a cat below him, he said, "Where am I?"
A chuckle sounded above him . Looking up, Graystripe saw a rogue looking creature smiling at him. "This is a kennel. Where all cats and dogs that don't have housefolk go, and hope for some."
Graystripe hissed, "I don't want any housefolk. I'll never turn into a kittypet."
"Don't know what a kittypet, but you'll probably get your wish. No housefolk is ever gonna want a mangy old cat like you!"
Graystripe tuned and looked at his pelt, and could count all the numerous scars and ribs that marked his life as a clan cat.
"Anywho, they all like kittens. Kittens. Not old cats like us." The rogue continued on, not really caring if he was heard or not.
The door opened and in entered a two-leg, holding a bag of mush.
Okay, as he opens the door, claw him, and escape,. he thought.
Unsheathing his claws, he was about to strike when the rogue cuffed him over the head through the bars of the mesh. Stunned by the unexpected blow, Graystripe fell to the floor, and the two-leg got away unscathed.
"Why did you do that!?" He hissed.
"Because," the rogue said sullenly. "If you are considered ferocious and dangerous, you are put to sleep. And if you want to return to where you used to live, you better stay alive. Got it?"
Snarling quietly, Graystripe nodded.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Days passed, although Graystripe couldn't tell how many. He and the rogue, whose name was Tick, had made a friendship in the small and dejected area that they now lived in.
Graystripe had been told by Tick many things that two-legs did. So, when a two-leg entered with a cat and walked along the rows of cages, he wasn't surprised, but curious.
"What are they doing?" he asked.
"Seeing what cat goes along well with theirs, therefore they won't present a problem at their dens."
Nodding to show he understood, he bent over to eat the disgusting pellets. At first he had refused, but as Tick had pointed out, he needed to keep up his strength, if he was too escape.
As the two-leg passed his cage, he looked up at the kittypet, and she looked up at him, and surprised flared in her eyes, though Graystripe didn't know why.
As the kittypet started struggling to get towards him, the two-leg pointed with his humongous paw and said something in his primitive language, although Graystripe didn't understand. Neither did Tick.
The two-leg that fed them appeared and snatched Graystripe out of the cage before he knew what was happening. Holding him by the scruff, he dropped him into the pen, and the kittypet was placed in there with him.
Fluffing up menacingly, he snarled insults. Unnerved, the kittypet asked, "Are you Graystripe?"
Surprised beyond imagination, he chocked out, "How do you know?"
Smiling, the kittypet walked towards him, and he let his fur lie flat.
"I'm Cody, and I've lived with your clan for half a moon."
Now he was speechless. Almost not being able to breathe, he looked up at Tick. The old rogue looked as surprised as he was.
"I thought you were. Come on, let me pretend we are friends, and let my housefolk think that you're a perfect Housecat."
"I'm not becoming a kittypet!" he finally was able to snarl.
"Do you want to go home or not?" she said impatiently.
Complying, but muttering all the same, he started licking her fur that stunk of Two-legs, and she started purring and rubbing against him.
"There, I understand some housefolk. They are going to see if they can adopt you." Pausing to listen to their harsh language, she added, "They'll be back tomorrow. Be good." She purred as her two-leg picked her up and they disappeared.
As he was put back into his cage, Tick muttered, "Well, I'll be, looks like you might get back home after all."
"Yeah," Graystripe muttered as well. "Looks like it."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"And this is your litter box. You make dirt here." Cody explained.
Graystripe looked at his surroundings with disgust. He had said goodbye to Tick earlier, and felt sadder than he expected to be. The old cat had found a place in his heart.
Now he was in this den,- this house, and was so overwhelmed with pungent smells and rules that he just wanted to run away.
"Why do I need to know this? I'm going to leave now anyway." He said brusquely.
"No, you're not. Two-legs aren't completely dumb. They know you are most likely going to run away. They'll most likely keep you in here for a moon or so."
"What?!" he yowled. "I need to get back now!"
"I know," Cody said quietly. "But I can't help that. I have no control over what happens."
Usually he would fight back, but he was so exhausted with what had happened this past week that he just sunk to his knees and closed his eyes. Purring sympathetically, Cody started grooming his ruffled fur.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
As the sounds of food hit his bowl, he staggered to his paws and padded towards the kitchen. Cody was already there, and was eating her share. Ignoring the food, he drank the metallic water, and leapt up onto the sill, and stared out towards where he knew was Thunderclan camp.
One of the only things that had kept him from giving up hope this past moon was staring out at his home, even if it was slowly being destroyed.
The two-legs were arguing behind him, and he caught the only word he knew. Slush. Cody said that was what they had named him. What a pathetic name.
"Good news, Graystripe! We can go outside today!" Cody meowed from under him. Still staring out into the woods, her words didn't register in his brain. But the opening of the sliding door did.
"Come on, stupid furball. Let's go!" She sprinted outside, then leapt at the fence and started grooming her belly fur.
Yowling with happiness, he followed the she-cat. Awkwardly climbing the fence as well, he was about to dash into the forest when Cody's claw caught him.
"Wait."
Glaring at her, Graystripe sat down, but tensed his muscles to spring again.
"Make me a deal," she said after a minute.
"What?"
"If they are not there, don't go after them. Wait a couple of days, actually eat, and then leave. Don't go charging after them."
"Fine," he muttered, but Cody knew he wasn't really listening.
"Okay, the housefolk are gone….now!" Springing, she leapt from the fence and charged into the trees with Graystripe at her tail.
Passing her, Graystripe took the lead, and ran blissfully toward camp.
Or what was left of it.
As he rounded a corner, he stopped. Camp, where he had spent his entire kit hood, was gone. In its place was churned earth. The nursery, warrior and apprentice's dens, were all gone.
Dropping his tail sadly, he opened his mouth in a vain hope that the clans scent still remained, but all that reached his glands were the smell of monsters.
"They are not here," he snarled, but more at himself than Cody.
Coming up to him, she flicked her tail onto his shoulder, and turned back towards the way they came.
"Wait!" Graystripe yowled. Opening his mouth once more, he caught the faint scent of a cat.
"Frostfur!" he yowled. Tracking the elders scent, he made his way out of the clearing with Cody at his tail.
As they were nearing the Riverclan border, the smell was covered by the acrid tang of monsters, but Graystripe guessed she was heading towards Riverclan.
"Come on."
"I'm coming, clan cat"
Smiling, Graystripe launched himself into the river and swam to the other side, his muscles aching in protest. I guess this is what happens when all you do is sit around and look out at the forest.
Reaching the other side, he turned and saw Cody staring at him with wide eyes.
"I'm not doing that," she hissed.
"Why not? It's not that hard."
"I don't live out doors and swim better than a fish. In fact, I can't even swim."
Smiling, Graystripe pointed with his tail. "Come this way, where the stepping stones are." Sprinting down the river bank, he stopped beside a row of stones.
Glaring at him the whole time, Cody walked across, coming to a stop at Graystripe's side, panting.
"You tired?" he asked mockingly.
"A little," she hissed.
"Thought so." Turning, he flicked her with his tail and started walking towards Riverclan. Sticking her tongue out at him, the kittypet followed.
As they neared the camp, Graystripe could smell Thunderpath, but underneath it was the scent Frostfur and the smell of carrion and death. Slowly, he entered the camp.
From somewhere above him a cat screeched, and Graystripe collapsed as the cat landed squarely on his shoulders.
"Get out of here, kittypet," it snarled. He was about to roll unto his back when he recognized the voice of his attacker.
"Frostfur!" he yowled, relieved that they hadn't left without him.
"How do you know my name?" Frostfur asked, loosening her grip.
"It's me, Graystripe," he chocked out, overjoyed. They hadn't left after all!
"Graystripe? But he was captured by two-legs, and doesn't smell like a kittypet," Frostfur argued, but she let go.
Looking at her, Graystripe saw every one of her ribs, and knew that she was slowly starving to death.
"Where's the rest of the clan?" he asked, looking around.
Frostfur sighed. "They're gone. Left almost a moon ago. Me and a couple elders stayed behind, but now I'm the only one left."
"What!? Firestar wouldn't do that! He knew I would come back." He screeched, hurt that his friend had deserted him.
"He did it for the best. The monsters were almost at camp, and Tallstar and Windclan barely could make. Shadowclan camp was gone, and the river was poisened. Fish, dead, and any who ate them, dead as well."
Graystripe knew that the elder was right, but he still felt hurt.
Cody walked over to the elder's side and began washing her dirty fur. All were silent for a few moments until Frostfur narrowed her eyes at Cody, then exclaimed, "You're the kittypet that helped Ferncloud in the nursery!"
Cody nodded, delighted that the elder remembered her, and continued on with washing.
"Where did they go?" he finally asked.
"Over the mountains, into the new territory Starclan found for them," the elder rasped.
"Over the mountains," he muttered, then stood up. "I'm going after them."
Cody stood up as well, her pelt bristling. "You'll do no such thing. You promised."
The two cats glared at each other, until finally Cody looked away and muttered, "please?"
Graystripe's face softened, and nodded. "But Frostfur, you come with us."
Looking up, the elder rasped. "Why?"
"Because I'm the deputy, and I say so."
Narrowing her eyes, Frostfur said, "You haven't been deputy for a moon. For all we know, Firestar might've appointed another."
"I know Firestar, and he wouldn't," Graystripe argued.
Frostfur glared, then lowered her head respectfully.
"Alright, then, follow me."
Turning tail, he exited camp with the two she-cats following him.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Where are you taking me, Graystripe?" Frostfur meowed for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"A place," he answered.
"I know that," she snapped.
Rolling his eyes, Graystripe neared the house, and scrambled onto the top of the fence.
Finally realizing what was happening, Frostfur backed away spitting, "They've changed you. You are no longer a clan cat. You're a kittypet!"
"Frostfur, listen. I'm not a kittypet, but these two-legs will take care of you, and you'll have company, so will Cody. I'm doing it for you, Frostfur."
Shaking her head, the elder turned away, back towards the trees. Sighing, Graystripe was about to leap into the garden when he heard claws scrambling against the fence, and saw Frostfur struggling to get up.
Smiling, Graystripe grabbed her scruff in his teeth and pulled the old she-cat over. Making all that commotion alerted the housefolk, and they ran clumsily outside. Widening their eyes on their ugly fat faces, they pointed at Frostfur, then at the grey warrior.
Cody cocked her ears, listening to what they were saying, then said, "They'll keep her for a while, see if anyone own her, then decide from there."
"They won't find nobody, because I don't belong to anybody," the white elder rasped, proud.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Frostfur was settling into the kittypet way of life grudgingly, but didn't ever go back to the forest, or what was left of it.
Graystripe was getting restless, staring out towards highstones, pacing non-stop. Cody watched him with sad eyes, but was striking a strong friendship with the Thunderclan elder. Frostfur, in turn, told her stories from when she was an apprentice, and other favorite elder stories.
Looking at the two of them sitting on the two-leg couch, sharing tongues, Graystripe felt a tinge of sadness. He would leave them both here, and he felt he would miss Cody more than he should. But he had to go. His clan needed him.
"Cody, Frostfur, I'm going to leave today," he announced. Looking up, Frostfur nodded, but Cody couldn't seem to meet his eyes. Confused, he flicked his tail on her shoulder.
"Can I come with you to Ravenpaw's?" she asked, knowing that was going to be where he went first.
Smiling sadly, Graystripe nodded. Turning, he was about to pad away when a voice called to him.
"Hey, Slush, come give this elder a proper goodbye." As soon as she has found out that was what he was called, she opted to use that name instead, just to bug him.
Rolling his eyes, he padded over to the pure white she-cat and purred quietly. "Goodbye, Snowball," he purred, calling her by her new name as well.
Striating up, he nodded to Cody, and exited the house.
Neither spoke a word, both starting to walk towards Barley's barn.
"You know, you chose a good day to leave. The housefolk were going to take you to the cutter today."
He widened his eyes and gulped, realizing he had come really close to loosing his tomness (A/N My new word!).
"Why didn't you warn me?" he cried.
Cody looked at the ground, and did not answer.
"Why?"
It all came out in a rush. "Because if you went to the cutter then I thought maybe you wouldn't want to leave." Sighing at his enraged expression, she added, "I'm sorry."
"You don't want me to leave, don't you?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head.
He sighed as well, but said, "I asked myself that last night. Did I really want to leave? Leave you, Frostfur, and such an easy life, no harsh winter, no fighting. But then I'd remember the fierce joy of life as a clan cat, and everybody I'd be leaving, if I stayed with you. I can't stay. I'm sorry."
She sighed, but nodded her head. Reaching over, he licked the top of her head. "This is the beginning of their territory. You should leave now if you want to get home before dark."
She looked up at him, and in her eyes he could see something, but he didn't know what it was. Without another word she brushed her muzzle along his side and turned away.
Looking at her retreating figure, he called out after her, "If you ever see Tick, tell him thanks, and that I say hi."
Flicking her tail to show she heard, she continued on until he could see her no more.
Turning away, he padded towards Barley's farm, and towards the clans. He just hoped that home would fill that new hole in his heart.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Graystripe?" a voice called out.
"Ravenpaw?" Graystripe called back.
"What are you doing here?" Ravenpaw yowled, emerging from the bushes.
"Long story," he said, all of a sudden aware of how tired he was.
Blinking sympathetically, Ravenpaw beckoned with his tail for his friend to follow him.
"You look tired. I think we can spare a mouse or two."
As the barn came into view, so did the smell of mouse, and Graystripe's mouth watered, remembering how disgusting the food his housefolk had fed him.
As they entered, Ravenpaw called out to Barley that they had a visitor. The black and white tom emerged, nodded to Graystripe, then disappeared again.
"Go ahead, catch some mice. We have plenty," Ravenpaw meowed. Graystripe happily complied.
Every mouse he caught made him think how he could've ever had survived on rat droppings from the two-legs.
After he had eating so many that he thought he'd burst, he and Ravenpaw settled on some soft hay and shared tongues. Ravenpaw told him about all that had happened since he was captured, and Graystripe began his story.
As Graystripe concluded his tale, even Barley, who was listening in the shadows, had his eyes the size of saucers.
"Wow," Ravenpaw muttered. "Wow."
"Wow," Graystripe repeated.
Shaking his head, Ravenpaw said, "Get some sleep. You have an even bigger trek ahead of you."
Graystripe nodded without hesitation, and let sleep overcome him.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"They went that way. Go over the mountains. That's all that I can tell you."
He and Ravenpaw were standing on moonstone, looking at high stones. They stood there for a moment, the wind ruffling their fur. Friends stood side by side for what would most likely be the last time until they go to Starclan. If Ravenpaw went to Starclan.
"Bye, friend. I will miss you, and never ever forget you," Graystripe meowed. Hundreds of emotions went through him. He was leaving his first friend. One of his best friends. Forever.
"Bye, Graystripe. I know Thunderclan will be grateful that you've come back."
They touched noses, then Graystripe turned and ran, not looking back, because he knew that if he did, he would never be able to leave.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Graystripe panted, exhausted, as he climbed the mountain. This was his fourth day since leaving Ravenpaw, and had only managed to catch a couple mice and birds.
He sat shivering, and opened his mouth to see if he could smell prey.
He widened his eyes with surprise and delight as mouse reached his scent glands.
Stalking towards the mouse, he was about to spring when with a flurry of wings an eagle dove from the sky and fastened his talons onto his back leg, breaking the bone. At that same time a voice called out, "Stormfur, no!"
With a screech, a cat jumped from above and landed on top of the eagle, causing it to drop Graystripe and try to shake off its attacker.
A face appeared in his line of vision as pain clouded his eyes. Eyes full of love and worry.
"Stormfur, you know you are always supposed to look up." Then confusion passed through her eyes as she said, "You're not Stormfur!"
Darkness was clouding his vision, but he managed to choke out four words.
"Stormfur is my son."
Then he gave in to darkness.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
He woke up on a bed of moss and feathers, with a couple of mice laid out in front of him.
Blinking, he looked around, realizing he was in some sort of cave. Then all that what happened from before he blanked out came rushing back.
Stormfur. They mentioned Stormfur!
As he was about to take a bite of mouse when paw steps reached his ears. Looking up, he saw the she-cat from before stick out her paw in a weird way, and say, "My name is Brook Where Small Fish Swim, but call me Brook. You said that you are the father of Stormfur?"
She said this all in a strange accent, but he nodded.
"Then you are a clan cat?" she asked, surprised and delighted. He nodded again.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Graystripe," he answered, still perplexed at what was happening.
"Stay here, I'll go get a to-be to fetch Stormfur," she said, but seeing the confused look on the clan cat's face, she added. "A to-be is like an apprentice to you."
Leaving, she meowed something else, but it was lost in a constant roar from outside the den.
Curious, he tried to stand, but pain like none other shot up through his injured leg and caused him to collapse onto the ground.
"I thought you would know that your own leg was broken," a voice said jokingly. Looking up, the tom saw an almost identical copy of himself entering the den. His eyes widened when he saw who it was.
"Stormfur!" he cried, overjoyed. Almost forgetting his broken leg, he launched himself at his son, tackling him playfully and purring the whole time. His son tackled him playfully, avoiding the broken leg. After a couple of minutes, they both sat, tired, and started sharing tongues, Stormfur beginning from when Feathertail received the message, from up till now, even though Graystripe had been told half of the story already.
As Stormfur finished, Graystripe repeated his. When he finished, Stormfur stood and said, "Come, if you can. We need to talk to Stoneteller."
Confused once more, Graystripe stood shakily, then began limping slowly after his son, asking about tribe life, and the difference between tribe and clan. Stormfur happily explained.
As they slowly limped through the cave, Graystripe realized that the roaring sound was coming from a huge water fall. He looked in awe, until he saw that many cats were staring at him curiously, but with no hostility.
As the neared a den-like-thing at the end of the cave, an old cat walked out of it and said, "Welcome, father of Stormfur. My name is Teller Of Pointed Stones. Feel free to stay here as long as you need for your wound to heal, and for you to catch up with your son." Turning, he yowled for the attention of the whole tribe and introduced Graystripe as the father of the silver cat.
Silver cat. My Feathertail.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Graystripe healed slowly, but he healed correctly, learning all the tribe talents and ways, but as time passed he grew more anxious. Finally, he asked Stormfur and Brook to travel down to where the clans settled and inform them of his return. Anything to keep him occupied. They agreed.
Right away he could tell those two were close. The way he looked at her, and she him, was more obvious than if they had yowled it for the whole world to hear.
Half a moon after his son and Brook left, they returned, tired and hungry, but successful in finding the clans, but with new that tore at Graystripe's heart. They had been attacked by a group of badgers, and many had died, including Cinderpelt, Firestar's first apprentice. He hadn't been there to help them, and now they needed him again, and he wasn't there. Stormfur watched his father limp around the cave, but could not let him go, not before he said good bye to Feathertail.
The day when Graystripe awoke refreshed and without a pain in his leg, he knew it was the day to leave. He would miss his son, but he missed his clan.
As he neared Stoneteller's cave, Stormfur emerged. Seeing him walk without limping, he nodded, the flicked his mud-coated tail for him to follow.
Graystripe followed. He had come to respect the leader/healer as much as any clan leader.
As he entered the den, Stoneteller stood and got straight to the point.
"You are healed, yes?"
He nodded.
"Then you want to leave?"
He nodded once more. "You have been very kind to me. I never would've made it home without you."
The old cat smiled and nodded.
"You are always welcome here, and if you ever need help, we will be there."
Graystripe stood to leave, but Stoneteller said one last thing.
"And you'll be wanting to say good bye to your daughter?"
Graystripe's head snapped up, surprised, but nodded one last time.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Every time he had passed this spot, something seemed to cry out to him. Now he understood. It was where Feathertail was buried.
As he padded silently over to that spot, a voice sounded in his head.
I love you father. Don't ever forget it. But now you deserve to be home.
It was Feathertail's voice.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
He had left the mountains a week ago, and was nearing home. He could tell.
As he passed another thunderpath, he found himself on marshy ground. Looking straight ahead, he saw a humongous lake, right smack in the middle of what could be four territories. To his left he saw what he would guess would be Shadowclan and Riverclan territory, and to his right what could be Windclan and…
He gasped. What could be Thunderclan territory. He was sure of it.
Without another word he ran. Ran faster than he had ever ran before, and soon he passed by the horse-place and into Windclan territory. Keeping close to the lake, he didn't even pause to make sure he wasn't being followed. But he didn't care. He was running. Running to home.
As he entered trees much like the ones back home, he opened his mouth and almost purred when Thunderclan scent markings reached his scent glands.
Racing inside his territory, he walked cautiously, not sure on where he should go, which way was camp.
He was slowly making his way toward the heart of the forest when all of a sudden an orange ball of fur crashed into him. Instinctively he dodged and stroked back without realizing who he was striking at.
He fought until they broke apart, and he silently gasped as he realized who it was.
Firestar.
Recognition and pleasure flashed across Firestars face as well.
"Graystripe," he muttered.
Pleasure upon pleasure fluttered inside of him, and he launched himself at his friend once more, but this time playfully.
I am home.
OOOOOOO-Back to the Clan-OOOOOOO
As he concluded his tale for the whole clan to hear, many looked up at him with awe and understanding. Murmurs broke out, and they all dispersed without another word, without Firestar's dismissal. But didn't matter. Their deputy was back, and the clan seemed complete.
Sort Of.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Well, that was A LOT of words, so I think I can be fair when I say I would love to have LOTS of reviews. Got 10 last chappie, so if I get 11, I beat my record!!! Can we try too, please?
Sorry if this seemed rushed, I wanted to fit his tale into one chapter.
BlindSeer