Chapter 25

A/n I wrote this while listening to: Trail of the Angels- Bamboo flute Chinese music. ^.^ It's super peaceful and relaxing. Anyway, on to reviews..

Wolf that howls at eclipse: Don't you just hate cliffhangers? I was actually thinking about making a part where Featherpaw was actually hanging off a cliff, but then I thought it would be too complicated to go into the story of how she got to the cliff in the first place, why she was there and so on. ^.^ My original idea was that she went to the Sun-Drown place in search for answers of the prophecy, but I haven't read the books in so long, I forgot what the journey down there was like!

Cap'n Tassie: You don't know how much that means to me! Thank you so much, your review really made my day! :) I'm very glad that you enjoy reading it, because I certainly enjoy writing it! ^.^ Best review ever.

BlackCat62: It is! You should read the chapter after this one! Thanks :)

Silverlightning97: Yes, it's a cliffhanger, but I have to admit, it's actually quite amusing the way readers act after it! ^.^ Oh wow...

ShastmaeFirepool: Hahaha :') Cliffhangers are the best. Hollyleaf's death is pretty sad... But it's made the story more interesting, and that's what I'm going for ^.^

Foxstar-Leader of FoxClan: Wow, you have some very good guesses. Looks like you're about to find out! ^.^ I'll explain why it was this 'creature' instead of the others at the end. ^.^ Enjoy!

Featherleap: Featherleap is such a cute name! Though Featherpaw is more aggressive, ahahah I think she's proved that a numerous amount of times! She actually is losing her two-leg memory. Very slowly, bit by bit, she's beginning to lose her connection with her knowledge of her human life and everything she learnt in it! Thank you for noticing :)

DawnflowerMoonshinestarchase: You're about to find out! :D A queen would be the last thing you'd suspect! A lot of people would write someone or something you least expect, but I think it's pretty predictable who it is...

Maxiln997: You'll feel even more sorry for her after you read the next chapter... :) Just a clue!

I don't want to turn my head and see what it is in case I lose Sol's scent. I stand there, frozen. I can tell whatever is watching me knows I know it's there. There is silence, darkness. Only the quickening beat of my heart pounds in my ears. My breathing becomes shallow; anticipating the moment this creature steps out of the bushes and reveals itself to me. I wait. Wait in the cold, where I feel that not even the moon's light will be able to help me see. I can feel my silver pelt shining under the night sky.

But I can't move. I need to hold onto Sol's scent. I can't lose it; otherwise, I might not find it again.

Time itself seems to have stopped, for it feels like hours before I can finally find my voice. I don't believe it has been that long, otherwise the moon would've moved by now. But in the corner of my eye, clouds drift in front of it and turn silver, glowing. Like a lampshade covering a bright light bulb.

"Who's there?" I say with a slightly croaky, but loud and clear enough voice.

First, I hear its body tense beneath the bushes. Then it gives in and steps out and all I can see is orange fur.

"It's me, Featherpaw… I know what you're doing." Foxleap.

His voice is soft and quiet, even though there is no one else around. I guess he doesn't want to disturb the silence too much; it does feel like we're the only ones here. He speaks up again after a few seconds. "You have his scent, don't you?"

"Yes." I say stiffly. "What are you going to do?" In my mind, I'm screaming for him to keep it a secret, tell him to pretend he didn't know I had left.

He seems to be deciding, then he nods. "I'm going to come with you."

For some reason, anger fills me. He wasn't close to her like I was. He didn't sit vigil with her like I did. Why should he, of all other cats, come with me to get revenge for a cat he doesn't love as much as I do? That's exactly it. He shouldn't. All he'll do is slow me down, distract me like he is right now. I'm wasting time! Sol is getting further away!

I look ahead, only seeing his orange pelt in the background of my vision on the left. He's just standing there, as tense as me, waiting for my reaction, my outburst of defence. I drag my gaze to him. His green eyes glint under the moonlight, but the look in his eye is obvious. He is prepared with an explanation. He knows I would feel this way. More anger fuels me, enough to make me to look away and start walking again. Am I that predictable?

He stays for a moment, unsure whether to follow or not, but he ends up trailing behind me, keeping close enough to hear me, but far away enough to step back if I lash out at him. I feel shame weigh down in my paws. He shouldn't be so jumpy like this… It's like I'm some sort of monster that will bite his head off if he gets too close.

Considering the upsides overshadows the down. If he comes with me, he won't be able to tell anyone. If he comes with me, I'll be safer and we can take turns keeping guard at night. If he comes with me, he'll help me find Sol and then be there if I fall. But then what will they say when they find the both of us missing? Will Jayfeather feel betrayed? I'm putting his life in danger.

I continue down the soft path of the cold forest floor, losing the scent for a second before it fades in again. There is something about the way he walked out of here that made his smell go everywhere, weaving through the trees like a ghost in the night. Well, he will be a ghost, once I'm through with him.

The smell of ThunderClan soon drifts away and the trees thin out. Foxleap is first to realize the scent crosses the river into WindClan territory. Without much thought, we slide into the cool water and wade to the other side and continue. Luckily, it doesn't go through the heart of WindClan, it lines the border. Somewhere up ahead, the Moonpool glistens with starlight. Animate yet inanimate, alive but not alive; it's spiritual and harmonic grounds in which holds the gateway to StarClan. What would they say? About me?

Do I storm through their prophecies and readings? Ruin what was meant to be?

I'm a surprise; something StarClan never expected.

Foxleap has a small bound to his step as he catches up and I smile at him. He grins back.

The night gets later as our tireless paws trek across the hills, leading us away from the border of WindClan. We cast graceful shadows on the soft grass as the moon drifts through the sky slowly. The sound of our paw steps is silent and we creep like the gentle breeze that stirs our moon lit fur. Clouds hang in the night sky and close around the moon again. A breeze travels through the grass, releasing dandelion seeds in its wake. They dance into the air, blowing around us. Foxleap's fur brushes mine as we watch them fly away, glowing white and silver under the moon.

He looks down at me, a soft smile in his eyes. "Beautiful." He breathes as he looks away. I only hear it for a second before it's carried away by the wind again. I watch him for a moment, scan his face, his bright green eyes as he lifts his face to the sky. Then the whiff of air reminds me what I'm doing here.

"Come on," I say, beckoning him with my head to follow. "His scent goes this way."

Foxleap blinks and then falls in step with me again as we continue.

After a while, he whispers something in my ear that makes my spine tingle and my heart flutter. "I love you, Featherpaw."

But I can't answer him because I don't know. And if I don't know, how can I lie about something so important?

A/n What do you think, guys? :) A lot of FeatherxFox action in the next few chapters, I can promise you that! Do you like the dandelion seed scene? Trail of the Angels inspired me :) I was considering having Jayfeather and Leafpool, but then, how would she get revenge on Sol? Jay probably wouldn't let her go out there because of her injuries and Leaf would stop her because Feather is 'part of the prophecy' and they can't risk losing her. But Foxleap understands! :D Please review! Thank you for reading. :)