Chapter 9

Wow, 8 reviews for the last chapter! That's awesome! Thanks to everyone that reviewed. Sorry about yet another late update. I guess you're all used to my lateness by now, though. In other news and such, I've finally figured out the exact plot for the story, and I know what's going to happen in the sequel if I do actually write one. Happiness!

Firetail of ThunderClan - Wow, thanks! I'm flattered! Although, that last chapter definitely did not flow well. I didn't have time to proofread it, so it turned out terribly. Ew.

Qzil - Yay Stormy! Leafpool was actually one of my favourites for some insane reason, but not anymore. I changed my mind. I still had enough mercy to let her live, though. XD

AliKatNyah - I could never forget Stormy! :P He's awesome! Yeah, the whole Thornclaw-being-Whitewing's-uncle thing surprised me, too. Someone told me about it in a review!

Tawnyleaf - Thanks! I hate the shortness, though. Stupid shortness! -shakes fist-

Shadowed Horizon - Yup, Stormfur! Evil Brambley! He wanted Leafpool dead because she's the last left who knows for a fact he killed Firestar. (Other than Ashfur and Hawkstar, but he trusts them)

Flamie - There. I called you Flamie. Happy? XD I would definitely want to read that! I'll be sure to PM you! Your actually pretty close. I'm not spoiling what actually happens, though!

Foxstar24 - Thanks! Leopardstar? Yeah, she is, kind of. I just barely had enough mercy to let Leafpool live. I don't really like her that much anymore.

Tigerstar-Demon - Brambley's not supposed to be the most evil one, though. Hawky is! -laughs evilly- Have someone get raped? O.o I dunno. I may possibly let Hawkstar try to rape Nightpaw. Hehe.

One last note: this chapter is a filler, so it doesn't have much in it. Just Leafpool and Stormfur talking and a few other things. I'll try to update again super-quickly to make up for it!

Stormfur released his grip on Leafpool and staggered backwards in shock. For what seemed like hours, the gray tom stared at her with wide amber eyes until his voice finally broke the silence.

"Leafpool?" he stuttered hoarsely. Leafpool nodded slowly, her body quivering. She was amazed to see him as well. After the terrible wounds Bramblestar had inflicted upon him, she had expected the tom to be dead.

"I can't believe I'm seeing you again," she breathed, pulling herself shakily to her feet.

"I can't believe I'm seeing you again," he repeated, the shock disappearing from his eyes and a look of warmth and friendliness replacing it. He licked her across the ear affectionately and Leafpool smiled at him.

"Stormfur, what's going on?" came a loud voice from somewhere nearby. Leafpool's grin grew wider. She would recognize that melodic accent anywhere. But as Brook stepped out from behind a hay bale, the pale silver shape of Millie in tow, the medicine cat's eyes bulged. The former prey-hunter was heavily pregnant. She seemed about ready to burst.

"Leafpool!" Millie cried happily as she caught sight of the she-cat. She bounded towards the tabby and twined around her briefly. Brook lumbered as quickly as she could towards the reuniting cats, a stunned expression on her face.

"How's Graystripe?" Millie asked, a pained look appearing in her eyes. Leafpool suppressed a sigh. The gray tom had grown distant from the rest of the Clan when Firestar had died and Millie had been exiled. She had often seen him sitting in the corner of the hollow, a forlorn, faraway look on his face, as if he were remembering days long past.

"He's fine," the medicine cat lied. Millie relaxed slightly, but she still looked upset.

"I miss him so much," she muttered. Leafpool recognized the agonized tone in her voice. She used it whenever she talked about Crowfeather. It had hurt her so much when he had mated with Nightcloud and she had his kit.

"I think I loved him."

The she-cat blinked at Millie sympathetically and then turned to Stormfur. "Now, what's going on? Why are you here?" She hesitated before continuing in a whisper, "I thought you were dead."

Stormfur sighed. "I thought we were going to die, too," he began. "We had lost a lot of blood because of Bramblestar, and the traveling didn't help our situation. Luckily, Brook knew a bit about herbs, and with her help we recovered." He smiled at his mate tenderly.

"We began to travel across the moor, hoping to find some place to live. We weren't that far from the lake when we learned Brook was pregnant, so we came back. I knew she couldn't give birth out in the open like that, so we came to this place, and we've been here ever since. It's only a matter of time until HawkClan discovers us, though. Hopefully, they'll only drive us out, but I doubt it."

He spoke so calmly and easily of his death that Leafpool knew he had thought about it and discussed it many times. It saddened her.

"What about you?" Brook piped up from her place beside Stormfur. "What's been happening in the Clans?"

Leafpool blinked and looked down at her paws. "It's been terrible," she muttered. "Bramblestar will ruthlessly kill cats of his own Clan, and his supporters still back him up. No one can get near him. HawkClan captured the moorland, and during the battle Squirrelflight died."

Stormfur gasped and a look of grief passed through his eyes. Leafpool was reminded briefly that the two warriors had traveled to the sundrown place together. It hadn't been so long ago, but it seemed like an eternity, part of a different universe altogether.

"And then Twolegs invaded our camp. They shot an odd shiny rock at Nightcloud and she died instantly."

Millie nodded. "I know what you mean. They set up odd green pelts on the moorland that flap in the wind. They make fires every night that are contained by a bunch of logs, and they sit around it every night and share tongues."

"We always hear odd banging noises coming from their camp," Stormfur added suspiciously.

Suddenly, Brook grunted in pain and sank to the floor. Every line in her body was tense and her stomach was moving. The three other cats turned to her anxiously.

"Brook? What's wrong?" Leafpool mewed worriedly, though she had already guessed what was happening.

"The kits," she panted through clenched teeth. "I think they're coming!"

Stormfur's eyes widened in amazement and he rushed to his mate's side. He began to lick her all over, whispering calming words in her ear. Millie glanced at Leafpool frantically.

"Does she need herbs?" the former kittypet asked. Leafpool shook her head. They didn't have any herbs; Brook would just have to do this on her own.

--

About an hour later, 3 kits lay by Brook's side; a bright silver she-cat like Stormfur's dead sister, Feathertail, a mottled brown tom like Brook, and a dark gray tom like Stormfur and his father, Graystripe. Though the silver she-cat and the brown tom suckled from their mother hungrily, the gray tom lay motionless, his sides still. Brook was staring down at it forlornly.

"I'm sorry, Brook," Leafpool murmured sympathetically. The mountain cat sighed and looked up.

"I must look to the living now. They are the ones who need me," she replied, though her voice was trembling with grief. Silently, Millie padded forward and picked up the stillborn kit then disappeared through the barn door. It went without saying that she was going to bury it.

"Do we give them Clan names or rogue names?" Stormfur asked his mate. A sudden determination appeared in her eyes, raging like a forest fire.

"We will give them Clan names, because one day we will join ThunderClan again."

She said this with such conviction, such certainty, that no cat dared argue with her. The ferocity that had appeared in the new mother suddenly disappeared as she turned her gaze towards her two surviving kits.

"This one will be named Thrushkit," she meowed, gesturing towards the silver she-cat. "And the other will be named Swiftkit."

Stormfur grinned and purred in agreement. "Those are wonderful names."

A/N: Didn't I tell you this chapter wouldn't have much in it? It's very boring. The next one is going to be about Nightpaw and Breezepaw. :P