I woke up in a starry clearing and I looked around to see Silver Frost and Thunder Light. They were older and sitting by each other with calm expressions. I padded over to them. "What's going on?" I asked. Thunder Light smiled as he looked down on me.
"Greetings, my flower." he purred. Silver Frost chuckled and rolled her eyes.
"Hello, Leopardstorm. I thought it was time you met the present Thunder Light." she mewed. I bowed my head in respect.
"It's nice to meet you." I said. Thunder Light smiled and held his head higher.
"There is something you need to know, Leopardstorm." he meowed. I narrowed my eyes.
"During a storm is where hate shines lighter. But there is no doubt, that love shines brighter. In a leopard's storm, is where the two feelings meet. But if chosen wisely, there will be no defeat. A rogue who looks to peers, will only give you sneers. But a rogue who gives heart, is a true work of art. Open your eyes so you can see, and only then will your heart truly be free."
I tilted my head in confusion. "What do you mean?" I asked. But they were fading away. "No, wait!" I exclaimed. Then they were gone. I pricked my ears as Thunder Light's voice still lingered.
"Open your eyes so you can see, and only then will your heart truly be free."
I jumped awake causing a startled Fuzz to jerk his head away from my shoulder. "What happened?" he asked groggily. I sighed and settled down into him.
"Nothing. Just a shiver." I murmured. Fuzz snorted and looked at me.
"That was a shiver?" he chuckled. I nudged him and laughed. Fuzz smiled and licked my cheek. I blushed as my face heated up. "Are you better now?" he asked.
"Uh, yeah… yeah I'm fine." I mewed. Fuzz sighed and looked at the sky. The sun was seeping through the hole as birds began to sing their morning melodies. "My clan must be worrying about me." I murmured. Fuzz looked at his paws in sadness as I got up. I smiled and looked down at him. "I'll see you later?" I mewed. Fuzz looked up at me with his cute side smile.
"I'll see you." he meowed. I flicked my ear then padded out of the tunnel. I felt a part of me get left behind as I walked out into the grassy clearing. I sighed and followed the bank back to Sunning Rocks.
"Leopardstorm!" a voice called. I peered through the bushes to see Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt searching the area. I padded out of the bushes and they looked at me. "Leopardstorm!" Tawnypelt exclaimed as she ran over to me with Brambleclaw. I grunted as they slammed into me.
"I'm fine! You didn't have to come looking for me." I mewed.
"You didn't come back after sunset! Of course we had to come look for you!" Brambleclaw snapped with worry. I licked their ears.
"Was Goldenflower worried?" I asked.
"Oh don't even get me started on her! Of course she was worried! She was worried sick! We all thought you got killed!" Tawnypelt said. I sighed and padded to camp.
"Then let's go before Bluestar sends another patrol out." I meowed. We walked into camp and saw the clan sharing tongues. Goldenflower ran to me in delight.
"You're alright!" she purred in relief. Then she nuzzled my cheek. Her eyes widened as she scented something. "Who were you with?" she whispered. I narrowed my eyes.
"No one." I said.
"Leopardstorm, you better not be lying to me! Who is the cat I smell on you?" Goldenflower snapped. I flattened my ears at her harsh tone and looked away.
"It's no one." I insisted.
"Leopardstorm, I'm not playing with you." Goldenflower growled.
"I'm not either!" I protested.
"If you don't tell me the truth-" Goldenflower broke off as Bluestar walked over. Her eyes were narrowed suspiciously.
"Where were you?" she asked.
"I fell asleep while I was out hunting. I was planning to just take a nap but… I fell asleep." I said. Bluestar scoffed and flicked her tail.
"Were you with anyone else?" she asked. I shook my head with flattened ears. Why doesn't she trust me? Bluestar sniffed and padded back to her den. "Welcome back." she muttered. Doesn't feel like such a welcome. Goldenflower shoved me out the entrance.
"Hey!" I snapped. She nudged me into a bush and sat in front of me. I wrapped my tail around my paws with a pout.
"Who is that cat?" Goldenflower asked. I sighed and licked my paw.
"Just some cat I met." I muttered. Goldenflower narrowed her eyes.
"What clan are they from?" she asked. I looked at the ground and avoided her gaze.
"He's a rogue." I murmured. Goldenflower's ears pricked.
"So it's a he… and a rogue." she meowed. I flinched at the disapproval in her tone.
"You don't like him." I said.
"Of course I don't! What are you doing with a cat outside our clan? A rogue at that!" Goldenflower spat. My fur prickled defensively.
"You don't even know him! He's not like other rogues!" I snapped. Goldenflower scowled and flattened her ears.
"The clan is already suspecting you of betraying the clan because of Tigerclaw. What do you think they'll say about you and a rogue?" she growled.
"Who said there was anything going on between us?" I snapped.
"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe the fact that you didn't come back until after dawn with his scent all over you!" Goldenflower retorted. I hissed and scratched the ground. Goldenflower sighed and rested her tail on my shoulder. "I just don't want you to get hurt, Leopardstorm. Rogues don't care about other cats." she murmured. I shoved her tail away.
"He's not like other rogues. If he was a selfish, cold hearted cat, then wouldn't you think I'd be too smart to fall for his tricks?" I retorted. I got up and turned away. "I thought you would be happy I found someone." I muttered. Then I ran off into the forest. I dove through the bushes and burst out to the Shadowclan border. A monster whisked past followed by another. I sighed and looked out over the thunder path. Shadows flickered in Shadowclan's territory causing shivers to run up my spine. Then I saw two cats walking through the darkness. I narrowed my eyes as I looked closer at them. Then I gasped at how thin and scrawny they were. Their eyes glittered when they saw me and they ran over the thunder path. I unsheathed my claws and bared my fangs.
"Please! We need help!" the smaller one exclaimed. I froze and calmed my bristling fur. The two cats came closer to me and I wrinkled my nose as I smelt sickness clinging to their bodies.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"My name is Littlecloud and this is my friend, Whitethroat." the little one said. "We need your help. We are very sick and we don't know how much longer we can stay out here with no food or herbs." I looked at them suspiciously.
"Why can't your own medicine cat heal you?" I asked. Littlecloud trembled as a cough shook his body and Whitethroat answered.
"Nightstar is ill and it's spreading through the camp. Runningnose has been with him all night and he won't leave his side." he meowed. Then his voice quivered into a wail. "He let a kit die at its mother's belly! He didn't even give it a poppy seed for its journey to Starclan! What if he lets us die too?" I widened my eyes as I watched these cats. Their bodies pressed to the ground in fear and weakness as their eyes were red and running. Strong waves of sympathy ran through my body as I looked at them. They really do need help… I shook myself and beckoned them with my tail.
"Follow me. Yellowfang will know what to do with you two." I murmured. Then I led the cats to camp. We walked through slowly as the clan were sharing tongues in the clearing. Gasps filled the air as we walked through. Bluestar padded out of her den with Fireheart and glared at me.
"What is this?" she asked.
"They need help. I found them on the border. They're sick Bluestar." I meowed. Bluestar narrowed her eyes and turned to her warriors.
"Go and see if there are any other Shadowclan warriors. I want you all to search it from the border to camp." she ordered. The warriors nodded and ran out. I tried to stifle a sigh of disbelief. Why would they invade us? They're weak and helpless, for Starclan's sake! Bluestar turned to me and Littlecloud slowly walked forward.
"I'm sorry we're intruding like this. It's just that… we were hoping you would… give us some food and healing herbs…" he said, his voice wavering as he trembled on his paws. Murmurs spread through the clan and Cinderpelt walked over to the cats before sniffing them.
"They really are sick, Bluestar." she mewed. Yellowfang nudged her away from them.
"Get away from these cats!" she snapped. Cinderpelt gaped at her.
"But they need our help!" she protested. Bluestar kept her narrowed eyes on me.
"Why have you brung them here, Leopardstorm?" she asked. I looked at her in disbelief. Is she serious?
"They need help!" I exclaimed. Bluestar scoffed.
"What if this is a trap? Shadowclan aren't really friendly neighbors with Thunderclan at the moment." she pointed. I lifted my head high and stood by the two toms protectively.
"I highly doubt they're fit enough to lead their clan into battle." I said.
"You're sticking up for them!" Bluestar spat.
"Because I have a heart!" I retorted. Gasps sounded from the clan and Bluestar growled. I forced myself to stand tall and I looked into her eyes. "I thought you did too." Bluestar's teeth bared into a snarl and her claws dug into the earth.
"Get them out of our territory! Shadowclan can help themselves!" she spat. I gasped along with Cinderpelt.
"But-" I broke off as Bluestar snarled.
"Now!" she ordered. I flattened my ears and led the toms out the entrance. Their expressions were lost and full of fear. I couldn't bear to look at them. I growled and shook my head.
"Follow me." I said. Then I led them to Sunning Rocks.
"Are you taking us to Riverclan?" Whitethroat rasped. I shook my head.
"A friend of mine will help you." I mewed. I pushed through the bushes and led them to Fuzz's home. Fuzz was catching fish from the water, a pile already forming by his paws. "Fuzz!" I called. Fuzz pricked his ears and looked at me.
"Leopardstorm!" he purred. Then he padded over to me. He froze as the two Shadowclan cats padded through the bushes. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Fuzz, these are cats from Shadowclan. They need help and my clan won't accept them or even give them herbs for their journey." I meowed. Fuzz looked unsure.
"I don't know Leopardstorm…" he began.
"Please, Fuzz! If they keep roaming around the territory, then my clan will kill them! This is the only place I can think of where they can be safe." I begged. Fuzz looked at me then the two cats. He sighed and nodded.
"Come on in, you two. I have a prey pile with your name on it." he mewed. I sighed in relief and led the toms into Fuzz's den.
"Thank you." Littlecloud rasped as he plopped down. Whitethroat sat beside him as Fuzz padded over to them with a squirrel for each.
"No problem." Fuzz mewed. Then he backed away to give them some space. I nuzzled Fuzz's cheek.
"Thank you, Fuzz. I couldn't let them wander around like this." I murmured. Fuzz smiled and licked my ear.
"I'll do anything for you." he meowed. I sighed and leaned into his shoulder as we watched the Shadowclan cats feed on their prey. Then pawsteps sounded. I pricked my ears as Cinderpelt padded through the den.
"Cinderpelt!" I exclaimed. In her jaws were bundles of herbs. I purred in delight. "You came to help!"
"Of course I did. I couldn't live with myself knowing these two are sick and helpless and I did nothing to help them." Cinderpelt mewed. She plopped the herbs by the prey pile and began to nose Littlecloud's body. "He has a fever." she murmured to herself. I watched as she gave them herbs. Fuzz watched her in awe.
"Friend of yours?" he asked. I nodded.
"She's Thunderclan's medicine cat. Well, apprentice medicine cat." I mewed. Cinderpelt glanced at Fuzz then turned back to the sick toms.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm Fuzz. Leopardstorm's friend." Fuzz meowed. Cinderpelt scoffed as she looked at us.
"Seems like more than that." she chuckled. I blushed and Fuzz rolled his eyes.
"We're just close friends." he mewed. Then he looked at me. "Right, Leopardstorm?" he asked. His eyes were blazing with curiosity as he waited for my answer. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I don't know what we are. I know Fuzz feels something towards me and I feel the same way… but what would Cinderpelt say? Will she tell the clan? Before I could say anything, Littlecloud coughed. Cinderpelt turned to him and began giving him poppy seeds. Fuzz was still waiting for my answer.
"We'll talk about this later." I murmured. Fuzz nodded then turned to the three cats in his den. I looked at the ground. Then realization just crashed over me. I just disobeyed my leader and I'm taking care of cats from another clan… and better yet, I fell in love with a rogue. Oh Starclan. What am I going to do?