Chapter 21:

A/n Heyo, for those of you who didn't notice; it's easy to miss, I merged two extremely short chapters together when I was editing and tweaking the story, so you miiight wanna read Chapter 20 before reading this. Oh, and thank you to Warriorgirl for explaining what they do with the fresh-kill! Yay! 333
Enjoi da storeh!

I sit on the cool floor of the clearing, eating with Lionblaze, Honeyfern and Berrynose. Occasionally, we make small talk, but most of our attention lies on our meals and the kits playing in the clearing.

Honeyfern leans into Berrynose. 'That's going to be our kits playing there one day.'

Berrynose simply licks her head and sighs contently. Why does this all seem so familiar? I find myself asking the question as I take another bite. What is it…

Kits… Honeyfern… Playing in the clearing… Oh StarClan, the snake!

I quickly get up, causing the other three to startle at my sudden movement. They sit up as they watch me with curious eyes as I run to the kits, scooping them up and away from that area. They all squeal in protest, and several other cats in the clearing glare at me.

Millie runs out at the sound of her kits' cries and gapes when she sees me. "What are you doing?"

"I- I think there's a snake where they were playing." I meow, looking back over my shoulder.

Thornclaw frowns when he sees movement near the rock, stalking over there with quick and quiet strides. The entire clearing is silent as we watch him claw at something from one of the crevices in the wall, and then go for a killing bite.

He pulls out a long snake, and it takes a moment to register what could've happened. Then the expressions of shock, surprise and gratitude fill their eyes as I put Briarkit down.

Millie pulls her kits close and begins to lick them fiercely. Cats turn back to their meals, others continue to talk; about the snake and kits, no doubt. Millie smiles at me, yet her eyes are brimming with sadness. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to them." She gives them all another lick, and then ushers them to the nursery.

Thornclaw is appearing from the leader's den, pointing out the poisonous snake with his tail, telling Firestar what happened.

I catch Firestar's gaze and we hold it for a moment, with blank expressions before I look away. He can be so intimidating.

Lionblaze walks up to me. "Well done. What really happens? In your 'book', I mean."

"Honeyfern tries to save them, protecting them with her own body, and the snake bites her." I glance at the long dead creature lying on the sandy ground.

Lionblaze nods, and before I even know what he's doing, he's leading me out into the forest. I take a moment just to enjoy the scenery, breathe in the fresh air and listen to the birds.

When I look at Lionblaze, he's watching me, trying to read me.

"I need to know something…" He begins. "Since you know the future and everything, well, do you know about Heathertail leading WindClan through the tunnels on the Eclipse Battle?"

I nod. "I think she was telling the truth when she said the kits were the ones who told everyone they were there. Bragging about their secret tunnels, I guess."

Lionblaze's eyes darken as he lowers his head, avoiding eye contact with me all of a sudden. "Then I feel terrible."

"Hey, I said I think she was telling the truth." I meow.

"Yeah, but you're basically the smartest cat I know. But what about the prophecy? Don't think I haven't noticed." Lionblaze is leaning forward now, eyes moving back and forth between mine.

"Noticed what?" I tilt my head, frowning.

"Hollyleaf. She's the only one of us three who hasn't figured out her power. So what is it?" Lionblaze asks.

I inhale deeply and let out a huge sigh. "You're not going to like my answer." I say, pushing past him to leave.

He blocks me, and I run into his chest, before he nudges me back to where I was standing. "Tell me, and then I'll let you go."

I scowl, sitting down. "I'm not telling. It's not going to happen anymore, so why do you need to know?"

"What do you mean it's not going to happen anymore? How do you know Hollyleaf won't get her powers?" Lionblaze frowns.

I give up. I guess it is one thing to hide who their parents are, but another to hide what won't happen. "Hollyleaf doesn't have powers."

"What?" He widens his eyes, worry shining in them.

"She doesn't have powers." I repeat again. "She disappears; you think she's dead for a very long time."

Lionblaze looks at the ground, nodding slowly. "Why though?"

I shake my head. "I don't remember." I do… I just can't tell you without you finding out.

He lets out a breath, letting go of it for now, and we go head back to camp, trudging silently as we look at our paws.

Then he looks up at me. "I'm going to WindClan."

I frown, and he explains. "I need to say sorry to Heathertail."

"I know this is something you need to do, but there's a chance of you getting caught." I say.

"I won't, but if anyone asks, can you cover for me?" Lionblaze pleads.

"I can't."

He frowns. "Why not?"

"Because I'm coming with you,"

The beautiful crescent moon hangs in the clear dark sky and I follow Lionblaze through the forest. A breeze ruffles the leaves of trees above, some of them reflecting silver moonlight when they turn at the right angle. There are no stars tonight, just a long stretch of black. It's moonhigh when we get to the river.

I don't know how I had convinced Lionblaze to let me come with him so easily. Maybe it's because I know all of his secrets already. I assume he knows about the Dark Forest training. But he doesn't pay much thought to it as much as he did.

The only thing he's thinking about right now is Heathertail. It might be better if he sees she doesn't love him for himself, rather than I tell him.

I vaguely remember Heathertail and Breezepelt together, but it's a blurry memory. It's hard to think about everything in the past, present and future. And it's even harder trying to comprehend what will happen, now that I've changed so many little things. Hollyleaf and Honeyfern who don't die. None of the Clans know about the Three's adoption, and last, probably the biggest change, is me.

We reach the WindClan camp, and Lionblaze goes around to a side when he whispers Heathertail's name. After a few moments, Heathertail is sliding out of the camp, bristling when she sees Lionblaze, fully waking up. "What are you doing here?!" She hisses. "And you." She bares her teeth at me. I sit calmly in the shadows, and just smile to her. "Hi, nice to see you too." We talked a little during the Gathering. She was nice to me then, and frankly, I don't want to change our little acquaintanceship if I don't have to.

She's already moved her attention back at Lionblaze as he speaks. "Listen, Heathertail. I'm sorry. I just… I felt betrayed, and the smell of battle was clouding my judgement, I was wrong and I let those get the better of me than my faith in you."

Heathertail sighs. "Come on."

I stay where I am as I watch their figures getting smaller and smaller, climbing the hills together. I honestly didn't expect Heathertail to be so kind. I must say, Lionblaze is good at apologies.

The rest of the way back, we didn't talk to each other. I had pushed all questions and my curiosity to the back of my head, knowing that Lionblaze will confide in me when he wants to tell me.

By the time we make it back, it's probably 3 in the morning. We both retreat to our dens, murmuring good nights as we tiredly squeeze through the tunnels. As soon as I step into my nest of rainbow feathers, which I had forgotten about until now, my heavy eyelids close and I'm asleep in seconds.

The next two weeks pass in blur with nothing but training, eating, sleeping, border patrols, hunting parties and mouse bile. I am living the life of a normal apprentice on these days, not worrying about saving cats, death and toms. Jayfeather has been avoiding me, angry that I won't tell him anything, and since Foxleap has moved to the warriors' den, we haven't talked in a while.

I think he has a thing for Poppyfrost. She is beautiful, both her personality and her looks. I'm glad she found someone else, rather than Berrynose. He and Honeyfern are thinking about kits soon, and everyone in the Clan is over-joyed.

Hollyleaf once told me she wished that was her, but she just shrugged after she confessed and said it'll be worth it when she becomes leader. I had nodded, but that was ages ago, I can't help but wonder if she's falling for Mousewhisker. After he kept chasing her around, she finally let him, and they seem pretty content.

Brambleclaw still sits with Squirrelflight, and occasionally, I'll see them slip out really early in the mornings. He has forgiven her for keeping it a secret, or maybe there was nothing to forgive. She had done it for Leafpool's sake, not because she doesn't trust Brambleclaw.

I'm hanging out with Icecloud more often now, and Hollyleaf. It's so good to have them as friends that I can trust, but I can't tell Icecloud I used to be human. If I told everyone I trust, it wouldn't be a secret anymore. The truth is, I trust everyone in the Clan. And I'm glad they feel the same about me.

I'm sitting in the apprentices' den on my own, my bed taking up the far corner on the left. Everyone is gone. Foxpaw used to slip into my den every now and then, and with unspoken words, we'll just sleep beside each other, me always waking up alone and cold. I haven't exchanged words with him in so long, I kinda miss him.

But I'm not willing to admit that yet. He and Jayfeather are distancing themselves from me; I can see how far apart I've become from them. Not that I care or anything.

I weave new rainbow feathers in with my nest. I don't remember when that became a thing that I did, but I do it now. The tunnel rustles, and I recognize Icecloud's scent. "Hey." I meow, still not looking up at her.

"Hey. Do you want to come with me to the lake? I need to get soaked moss for the queens and elders." She says.

I nod. "Yeah, sure. I'm nearly finished here. Meet you outside, kay?" I grab the last feather. It's a wonder how I'd learnt how to weave with paws.

Icecloud hums a yes, and then leaves.

I go outside a few minutes later and we head into the forest.

We stay silent til we reach the water, then Icecloud starts talking. "Have you talked to Jayfeather lately?"

I shake my head, baffled by her question. "No, why?"

"He wants to talk to you about something, he was asking for you two days ago, Hollyleaf told me." She shrugs. "Don't know why he wouldn't just go seek you out."

I sigh. I really don't want to talk to him. As much as I love him, he's just too much drama. I think it comes with being the son of Leafpool and Crowfeather. Honestly, I don't see what is so amazing about Crowfeather. He's just snappy and grumpy and doesn't open up to anybody. Oh god; sounds like Jayfeather.

I'm scraping a second lot of moss and taking it to the water when Icecloud speaks again. "Foxleap's been asking for you too."

I growl. "They're all lazy toms. Why are they waiting for me to talk to them?"

She shrugs again. "Dunno."

"Come on, I think this is enough." I pick up the two clumps of moss, Icecloud holding a big piece in her mouth.

When we get back to camp, I take mine to the elders while she takes hers to the queens.

Mousefur licks her lips when she sees the dripping moss. Longtail sniffs. "Featherpaw? How are you?"

I place it down in front of them. "Good, thanks. You?"

They both lean over to lap up the water and Longtail nods. "Better now. Thank you."

"No problem. Would you like anything? I can get some fresh bedding if you'd like?"

Longtail shakes his head. "No, no, you did it not long ago."

I grin. He'd like me to. "I'll go get some moss." I meow.

He smiles. "Thank you again."

I am cleaning up the bedding, Longtail is sleeping, but Mousefur is just watching me. "Is Jayfeather well? He's been acting strange lately."

"I don't know. I haven't talked to him in a while." I murmur back.

"Oh…" Mousefur then rests her head on her paws and closes her eyes after she gets back in her new nest.

I feel my paws itching to go to the medicine cat's den and demand answers. Why isn't he talking to me? Is he purposely avoiding me? What's wrong with him? What did he want to talk about?

I shake my head. If he wants to talk to me, he can come to me.

That's when I hear a crash, and Jayfeather is running straight at me.

All I remember is yelping out in surprise before I black out.

A/n Longer chapter, whoop! By the way, I would just like to say… PLEASE REVIEW. PLEASE. I'm begging you here, you gotta help me man. D:

I'd just like to say. People who reviewed, favourited and followed, I love you. Bless your saintly souls. I will feed you grapes and fan you. Thank you.