A/N: Hey guys! I know I haven't updated this in some time but that's because I went on a relaxing vacation in Florida for a week and didn't bring my laptop. Well now I'm back and ready to party so let's start this show.

Saving ShadowClan

My tears dripped onto my already soggy grilled chicken sandwich. After reading the latest post about me on John's wall, I couldn't bear to eat anymore. My stomach was in a million knots. I still could see the post clear in my head as if I was staring right at the computer screen.

Wow, Jani Patel really is a bitch. Y couldn't the slut tell be she had herpes BEFORE I got with her? I mean wtf!

And the comments were just as bad.

Ellen Wilson: Baby r u really that shocked? I mean, she's a whore and you can NEVER TRUST A WHORE.

Ryan Fossi: Srry man :( I hope they have her committed!

Sara Wilds: OMG! WHAT A BACKSTABBING SLUT!

Freddy Hym: wait! Jani Patel? Holy crap! That bitch sits in front of me in English :O I better move my seat before I'm her next victim!

I wanted to throw the phone on the as more and more comments popped up on the status. Around the diner booth, Rachel, Mark, Bill, Tom, and Mary were saying comforting things.

"Don't listen to them," Mark said.

Bill nodded. "Yeah. Kids really shouldn't believe all the shit they hear."

Tom made a fist and punched it into his other hand. "I can teach that John a lesson if you like?"

Mary and Rachel laughed. I would've laughed too, if I didn't feel like crap. Why was this happening? Was this some sort or serve karma? Ugh! I was a half-Spirit, surely I could fight this!

"You should tell your parents," Mary suggested.

I looked at her, widening my eyes. "Are you crazy? My parents would never listen to me! Just by looking at this would give them a good enough excuse to send me to boarding school in India!"

I flopped my head on the dirty table. My chest heaved up and down as I tried to calm myself. I felt Rachel patting my back, while everyone else petted my arms and shoulders.

Suddenly I could feel big fat sobs trying to escape. I jumped from my booth and sprinted out of the diner, my friend now confused and worried for me. Sometimes I thank every Hindu god and the Spirits for friends like them.

I ran into the back alley next to the garbage cans. Then, pressing my back against the hard, cold stone wall and sliding down slowly, I cried. I cried and cried and cried. The tears were never ending along with my sorrows. I was crying my guts out. It was as if all the pain I've been hiding in me all these months was finally coming out.

Memories of these past few months in school flashed in my head. The endless times someone called out a name at me or shoved me in the hallways, or snickered at me during classes. The worst were the notes. I would open my locker at the end of the day, and there be thousands of notes with boys' numbers on them. Some even have disgusting things written on them, explaining to me what they wanted me to do to them. The first time I got the notes I ran home and threw up for twenty minutes.

Yes, I probably should've turned it all in and told someone, but then if I did, my parents would find out and it be bye-bye Bollywood, and hello harsh boarding school in Calcutta. So I remained silent and ignored the notes as they came.

As the flashbacks continued, my tears grew heavy and my sobs louder. I felt like my soul was crushed.

"You have no time for this."

I looked up. Sitting on top of the garbage can was a furless cat with sightless eyes. I narrowed my eyes at the creature. "Go away Rock!"

Rock leaped down and padded up to me. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine!" I hissed through my tears. "Stay here and watch as I drench myself with tears!"

Rock jumped on to my legs. He bared white teeth at me as he let out a spitting hiss. "You're wasting time on this foolishness! There is evil you must face and yet you sit here and moan like a baby."

I wiped my nose with the back of the sleeve of my hoodie. What did this Spirit know of my personal life? He didn't know the pain and humiliation I was going through. Plus I was just a half-Spirit. What could I possibly do?

"What evil?" I asked. "Sol? That loner in ShadowClan? Yeah what does it matter with him? ShadowClan's a smart group of cats. Soon they'll realize they've made a mistake and chase the bastard out."

Rock shook his head. "At the moment, a majority of the clan are as blind as a bat."

I arched an eyebrow. "Surely they've realized by now that Sol's pretty much a liar. Right?"

Again he shook his head.

"Well then, perhaps Blackstar will help them get out of this mess? He is their leader after all."

Rock let out a hiss. "That black-pawed floor! He's the reason they're in this in the first place! He shouldn't have complained about his new land and he shouldn't have dared question the choice of his ancestors."

"I'm sensing some hostility here Rock." I couldn't help but let a small smile crack.

"Jani," Rock said in a serious tone. "These cats think that warrior ancestors don't exist."

I nodded, waiting to see what else. Then I stopped. StarClan was real, I've seen the cats myself. And they were like spirits. And, being a half-Spirit, I could communicate with them, and travel to their world. Which meant . . .

" . . . I can bring an ancestor to ShadowClan!"

Despite his sightless eyes, I can tell they were shining bright. "Precisely!" he said. "There are three cats in ThunderClan who are planning on bringing ShadowClan back to clan ways. Find them. Join them. Help them."

"Wait who are the-"

"Jani!"

As Rachel called for my, Rock faded away into the air. I stared at the spot he was once standing in. There was not a hint of evidence of him once being there.

Rachel came running around the corner, followed by Mary, Mark, Bill, and Tom. All of them had worry lines stretching across their faces.

Rachel knelt down beside me. She wrapped her pale arms around me, comforting me. I hugged her back. "Thanks Rachel."

My strength regained, and my sorrows melted away. Standing up, I smiled and nodded to each of my friends. "It's a three-day weekend. We're young. I say we have some fun this weekend." They all smiled back at me and nodded their heads at me.

"Hey Mark man, help me pull the car around." Tom and Mark left to go get the old 2005 Ford from around the block.

Rachel suddenly gasp. "Holy crap! I forgot to pay the check!" And she darted from the spot. Bill followed her.

"Where're you going Bill?" Mary called after him.

Bill sighed. "I'm her wallet." And soon he was gone.

Mary looked at me. "Are you so you're okay?"

I nodded. "Positive." It now occurred to me I had something more serious to worry about than Ellen or John.

Mary reached into her black messenger bag with the Wiccan star sewed into it. She pulled out a peach colored semi-thin book. I smiled when I say the cover. Fourth cats' faces were on the cover.

She handed it to me. "Since you're almost done with Sunset, I figure you might want this. Sorry, I couldn't find it for a while, but soon I found it in my abyss of a room."

I smiled. "Thanks Mary!" You have no idea how much this is helping me. Apparently, being a half-Spirit, my skills compared to that of normal person were naturally twice as strong, but once my powers were triggered, they were triple as strong. I read through those warriors book so fast. It took me about two hours to read a normal Warriors book. They were actually, to my surprise, really good! So much adventure and suspense in those little cat stories. Now I was up to the last book of The New Prophecy, the second season I guess to the book series. Thanks to these books, I now knew who everyone was (or were in some cases). And now I knew the story behind most of the cats of ThunderClan. Firestar, Sandstorm, Brambleclaw, Leafpool, Squirrelflight, all of them! Quite the characters some of these cats. By the way, I'm come to grown a sense of pity for Ashfur. Poor dude was like this close to getting a mate, then he got dumped (might I just say that Squirrelflight is a bit of a slut . . . . just saying . . . . you get with a tom, dump him, get with another tom, dump him, then go back to the tom you originally dumped? . . . . that's just wow).

Mary then pulled out a thick sliver book from her bag with a picture of three cats on the cover that looked a hell of a lot like Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf (wouldn't be surprised if they were).

I smiled at Mary even wider. "The Power of Three?"

She nodded. "I hate to be a spoiler, but those three kits on the front are Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight's."

"Oh." (yep I'm not surprised)

Mary and I talked a little more about Warriors for a while as we walked around the front of the diner to Tom's car. Our little gang pretty much spent the rest of the day hanging out at Mark's house. As we were chilling on the couch, Rachel gave me a picture that made me laugh off the couch. It was a picture of Rachel, Mary, and me at a sleepover from the summer. The three of us had mud masks on, our hair was all puffy, and we were dressed like slutty 1980's signers. We were on a sugar high and I guess our brains weren't functioning correctly (plus it was just a teenage moment).

"I will cut you if you ever show this to anyone," Rachel threatened me, but in a joking way.

I playfully slapped her on the shoulder. "Oh sure, yeah I'm just gonna send this to the newspaper and have it printed out right away."

Rachel whacked a pillow on my back. I whacked with a pillow on her side. Next thing I knew we were all whacking each other with pillows like silly college kids. Suddenly my worries floated away and I forgot about the stress of life for a few minutes. Then my eyes scanned over a clock and saw it was it thirty minutes until sunset. Damn! Well there was no time to waste. I had not one, but two clans to work for at sundown.

"Violetpaw!"

Dawnpaw charged up to me and almost crashed into me had I not dodged her last minute. The young apprentice whammed right into the rock with the prey on it. I stifled a laugh.

Tawnypelt's kits just adored me. I don't know why, but they took a liking to me. They came here to escape the teachings of Sol. Although she liked me, and treated me as an equal, there was no hiding the jealousy in Tawnypelt's eye when she saw my so called "exotic beauty" as everyone called it.

Speaking of the jealousy mama, Tawnypelt walked up to me to collect her running kit. She bowed her head at me. "Hello Violetpaw. You're earlier today."

I shrugged. "I was in a happy mood. So I pranced all the way to here."

"And just where would you be prancing from?" Tawnypelt was always trying to find out where I was during the day. Well I was a brick. You couldn't tickle it out of me.

"The moon," I sarcastically answered.

The ShadowClan warrior sighed and went to get her kit. As she walked back, I noticed a dark black figure walking into a narrow space. It was Hollyleaf. Suddenly, Dawnpaw went bounding away from her mother and into the narrow space Hollyleaf just disappeared into.

Rock's words came into my mind. There are three cats in ThunderClan who are planning on bringing ShadowClan back to clan ways. Find them. Join them. Help them.

"Alright Rock, you're the tom." And I crept slowly towards the small entrance. I leaned forward towards the-wait a second. If I was so look like I was trying to listen to what others thought was an empty space I would look crazy. Now I couldn't do that.

I sat do, and pretty to clean myself real slowly, listening careful (half-Spirits have even better hearing than cats). I began to hear everything! They were making a plan to somehow forge a sign from StarClan. They had the same idea of bringing StarClan to ShadowClan as I did. Except I of course was gonna take it to a whole new level.

Finally they settled on an idea that they were gonna make it look like ShadowClan territory was falling down on them. That actually sounded kind of brilliant.

I heard the muffled sound of there paw steps exiting. As I should in front of the entrance, my eyes met the eyes of Lionblaze.

"Well hello there," I said, a cocked smile on my face.

"Er . . ." Lionblaze had a look on his face that some teenage girls might get when their parents find out they haven't had their period in a month.

The others stood there still as little statues, not knowing what to say. Finally I let out a laugh. "Relax you guys. Yes I heard every single word you all said, but no I will not rat you out."

Jayfeather shot me a puzzle look. "So . . ."

"I want in."

Lionblaze looked at his brother and sister. "Well?"

"Can we trust her?"Jayfeather asked.

"Of course!" Hollyleaf said. "She's been more than helpful to the clan and she wants to help bring ShadowClan back."

Lionblaze looked at me again, then shrugged, turning his eyes away from mine. "Sounds okay to me. She's smart and a good fighter."

Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "Don't let your mind be clouded with something else Lionblaze."

I could see Lionblaze's pelt bristle with embarrassment. What was he so embarrass about? And what did Jayfeather mean by don't let your mind be clouded with something else?

With acceptance from the three warriors, and a cheer from the three apprentices, we all snuck out of camp through the dirtplace (the clan's toilet pretty much) and headed out to ShadowClan territory. As the other six walked talking of the plans and complaining about their paws getting wet, I started developing my plan in my head. I needed to get up into StarClan somehow and bring an ancestor down to help them. To make them believe. Sure the whole making ShadowClan look like it's falling around them is good, but they still needed the real thing.

We arrived at the marshy land of ShadowClan. Ugh! It was muddy here. I felt like I was living in the same swamp as Shrek. My paws immediately began to get sucked into the ground. I have to keep moving them to avoid getting stuck.

I whistled to Jayfeather. "Hey smart cat, what's first on the agenda?" Please tell me why Hollyleaf and the three apprentices laughed at that? Is my sense of humor really hilarious to these cats? I'm telling you, to them, I was as funny as George Lopez.

Jayfeather whipped his head around at me and narrowed those little sightless eyes at me. "The plan," he semi-hissed at me, "is that we're going to knock down those trees over there, and making it truly look like ShadowClan territory is falling."

Hollyleaf widened her green eyes until they looked they were gonna pop. "And how do you expect we knock down full grown trees?"

Before anyone could answer, I leaped over all them and headed to an old tree. Placing my paw on it, I closed my eyes. As soon as my eyes closed, I could see the inside of the tree. It was still a fresh tree. The inside was still intact. I went lower down to the roots. The roots themselves were all tangled, but, they were slanting. This tree was gonna fall anyway, probably because of the muddy area and wind. From there, I checked the other trees too. Some were rooted firmly to the ground, where as others were at a slant, ready to fall when the time came. And for them, that time was now.

I turned to the cats. "Well I got good news and bad news."

They nodded. "Good news?" Jayfeather asked.

"The good news is that your little plan will probably work. Some of these trees look like they're ready to fall anyway-"

"How would you know?" Jayfeather asked with a suspicious look on his face. Everyone looked at me waiting for an answer.

"Um . . . well, there's an excess amount of water here. Too much water is bad for trees. It's like if you eat too much, and then your belly hurts. Kind of the same with the trees. With too much water, most of the trees can't support themselves so they begin falling."

That was BS and I knew it, but what did these cats know about science or biology? And they all had convincing looks on. Except for Jayfeather. Why did it always seem like he knew I was lying? It was as if the blind cat could see right into my head.

"What's the bad news?" Hollyleaf asked.

I sighed. "Bad news is we have to dig a little."

Dawnpaw let out a groan. Lionblaze looked down sternly at her. "Warriors don't complain about getting their paws wet."

"Oh I will," I piped in.

The apprentices giggled. Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "Let's just get started."

As the six of them got to work, I stayed where I was. Somehow I have to find an excuse to get away from them. If I was going to travel to StarClan, I had to make sure there was no one around.

As they dug to the roots, Hollyleaf looked up to me. "Violetpaw, aren't you going to help dig?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes, yes of course. But I think I know a way to dig quicker. I'll be right back!"

Before anyone could say anything, I raced away from the marshy place. Once I was safely back in ThunderClan territory, not too far from the marshy place, I stopped to catch my breath.

"Okay," I said to myself. "Now, the real question is, how do I get to StarClan?"

Damn, I probably should've fully thought this through first. Maybe it's all mental. If I picture StarClan, concentrate real hard, I'll somehow get there.

So I tried that. I closed my eyes shut and cleared my mind. The only thing in my mind was an atmosphere full of clouds and stars and star furred ancient warriors. I pictured them all. Every leader, warrior, apprentice, medicine cat, even kit, who gave their life for their clan.

Slowly I opened my eyes. Instead of seeing the starred covered warriors, I saw two wrinkly brown feet. I sighed. "You're dear to me now Mother Gana, but you just can't pop out of nowhere and bum my spirit."

Mother Gana shrugged. "Oh well, I thought you would might want to know the secret how to get into the spirit world or the clans, but you seem too occupied at the moment." She turned, ready to walk away.

"No!" I shouted. She turned back to me, a smirk on her face.

Kneeling down to my level, she looked me in the eye. "For regular Spirits, we can travel into spirit worlds in the blink of an eye. For you, a half-Spirit, you need do to a little work."

"What do I have to do? Sacrifice a chicken?"

Mother Gana rolled her eyes. "Sometimes you humans think you're so funny."

I nodded. "That's 'cause we are. Now tell me the secret! . . . Please."

"Alright," Mother Gana sighed. "It's not as hard as you think. All you have to do is sing a little song."

I raised a cat brow. "Huh?"

She nodded, with a smile of amusement. "A small little a song, kind of like a riddle almost."

I nodded for her to sing.

"Spirits old and wise,

Let me see your eyes.

Take me to the clouds where you thrive,

Give me the knowledge I thrive.

The knowledge I thrive."

The words sunk into my head. It sounded like a cute lullaby. I smiled to Mother Gana. "Thank you so much!"

The old Spirit smiled back at me and nodded. "No need to thank me. I was going to have to teach you one day or another. No go! ShadowClan can't wait. Neither can Sol." And poof she was gone. Damn, these Spirits just come and go.

Now I was focused. I set my mind on StarClan. And as I sang the song, I felt my powers beginning to stir within me. Soon, it was as if the forest was whirling. The trees began to shift their shape, and the ground itself began to dissolve before me. Everything soon disappeared. For a second everything was black, like I was trapped not in this world, and not in the next, but in between.

Suddenly, colors blasted all around me, and I felt myself whirling towards a giant white light. It grew bigger and bigger, but didn't scare me. I felt light as I traveled through the light, like I was in space or something. Then a thick mist formed around me, almost choking me. But it soon faded away reviling what looked like some sort of forest in the sky. There was a river, vast green fields, and stars dotting the area. It felt like heaven (cause it was).

"Jani."

The voice made me jump. I turned and met the gaze of a blue-grey furred she-cat.

"Bluestar I'm guessing?"

Bluestar nodded to me. "Correct. And you're here to try to save ShadowClan I'm guessing?"

I nodded. "I know it's not really my place, but come on, that rogue thing is like poisoning the clan. What, am I just suppose to stand back and look the other way?"

The former ThunderClan leader looked at me. It didn't look like she was going to answer. I dug my claws into the starry earth.

"Why can't you help us!" My shouts ran through all StarClan. "You may have died and gone to heaven, but we're still living in a hell!"

Bluestar continued to stare at me. "ShadowClan is not my clan, thus I don't need to help you in this."

I was just about to blow my top, but she held up her tail to silence me. "But they cause use all the help you can give them." She flicked her tail to two toms standing a little away from us. With one last look at me, she left. The two toms walked up to me. Strange how the one on the right had a running nose. Dead cats don't get colds. Or do they?

"I'm Raggedstar," the one on the left said. He tilted his head towards the other cat. "This is Runningnose."

Well that name fit. And wait! I knew these two I read about in the Warriors series. "You use to be leader of ShadowClan before Brokenstar," I said to Raggedstar. I looked to Runningnose. "And you use to be the medicine cat."

The both nodded. "So you know of us," Raggedstar said.

I nodded.

"And then you know why you're here," Runningnose said.

Again I nodded. "ShadowClan thinks you're not there for them, some don't think you're not there at all. Well if you two were to come down and tell them you're still supporting them, then they'll kick out Sol and all will be well."

The two were silent. Then they looked at each other. Raggedstar looked at me. "Jani, of course we want to go down and help them. They're our clan! But something has . . . happened."

I shook my head. "What?"

"Come." Raggedstar and Runningnose began to walk away and I followed them. They led me to a little pool of water. It looked kind of like the moonpool, except in this pool there was like a thick green mud covering it. White flowers grew all around it. It looked important.

"What's this?" I asked.

"This," Runningnose said. "Is how ShadowClan warriors in StarClan communicate with our descendants in the mortal world. Each clan has its own pool. We drink from the pool and it transports us to our clan mates below."

"But something has happened," Raggedstar explained. He pointed his tail to the green stuff the covered the water. "A little after Sol came to the forest, this green stuff clogged up our pool. We tried to continue to drink from it to communicate with Blackstar and Littlecloud, but the water was so bitter and sour, we weakened us days. We tried to soak it up with moss, but more just grew."

I stared at the pea soup looking pool. So this is why Blackstar hasn't received messages from StarClan. Somehow though, I feel this green stuff didn't just grow here by accident. I knew for some reason it was purposely put there to block these cats from visiting ShadowClan, and warning them of Sol. Who did it, I would have to find out later. But now, I knew what I had to do.

Stepping between the two cats, I looked into the green pool. Lowering my head to the polluted water, I took a deep breath, stuck out my tongue, and began to drink from the pool.

My mouth felt as if it was a sewer. The foul taste in my mouth made me want to throw up more than when I read those notes from my locker. As I drank the water more, I could see the green stuff disappearing. Suddenly, the bitterness turned into pain. As I drank more and more, my pain twisted in pain. It felt like someone was taking a knife, cutting open my stomach, and gutting my stomach into pieces.

I let out a moan of pain, but sucked in my breath and continued to drink. Finally, after a painful two minutes, the pool was crystal clear of the green. From behind me I could hear Raggedstar and Runningnose breathe breaths of happiness and relief. But I just collapsed next to the pool, exhausted, breathless, in pain. I don't know why I did it. Something inside me urged me to. It was a something I've never felt before. Like another side of me.

Raggedstar bowed his head to me. "You took a very big risk doing that."

I just nodded, not having the energy to speak.

"You are more powerful then we could've imagined." Runningnose bowed his head at me too.

They both helped up. Then they both lowered their heads to the water.

"Drink," Raggedstar said. "It's safe now. It'll transport you back to the mortal world."

Lowering my head slowly, I lapped the water a little.

Runningnose smiled at me. "You've done well young one." And they both disappeared.

The world went black, then I saw a green forest with tall trees. I was back.

Most of my energy had returned, so I began to run to ShadowClan territory, back to the marshy place.

The thick mud stuck to my paws as I crawled through the shrubs and bushes. Finally came to where I left my friends. They too were hidden behind bushes. I was shocked at I saw that some of the trees had been knocked over. It really did look like the territory was falling.

I almost laughed when I was Jayfeather was hiding in one of the falling trees. Standing in front of it were three cats. One of them I recognized as Tigerpaw. And one cat I was pretty sure I knew without evening trying.

Starring at this giant black-pawed, white furred cat, I recognized the ShadowClan leader Blackstar. So this was the mighty fool who cried Sol. I must say he was sight (not that I'm saying he isn't . . . cause he isn't . . . maybe a little . . . I'll stop talking now).

"ShadowClan will fall . . ." Jayfeather whispered from his spot in the tree.

Blackstar scowled. "Show yourself!"

It appeared as if some plan Jayfeather had was failing. Good thing I brought back up.

A small wind blew. Then, emerging from behind the tree, Raggedstar and Runningnose came out. Shock appeared on Blackstar's face (kind of like the best WTF ever).

I smiled as I saw my work was done here. I walked away. Before I exited the marshy place I stopped. My fur stood up. Turning, I screamed as I met a pair of amber eyes. I fell back, stumbling on my own paws.

Tigerstar crept closer to me. "Foolish, foolish she-cat!"

"Oh I'm the fool?" I spat to his face. "Yes cause letting a random kittypet rouge kill me a Gathering really makes me a fool!"

That seemed to make the teapot pipe. He leaped up clawing at me. I felt his claws rip all over my body. Using my hind legs, I get him off. Once I saw him lying on the ground, I found it the perfect opportunity to use these newfound powers of mine (the closest thing I've come to using my powers is trying to get something off the top shelf).

Lifting the evil tom up into the air, I slammed him down again. He let out a loud groan, but slowly got up. I stood tall and broad as he looked at me.

"You think you're powerful," he said, blood spitting out of his mouth. "But no one, no cat, no foolish half-Spirit, can defeat me."

I smiled. "Defeat? You've already been defeated Tigerstar. It'll just be a short amount of time before you are defeated again."

He lunged towards me, but I held up my paw. Gold sparks flew from it, sending the tom flying. The sparks circled him and he was gone.

I stared in shock. Now that was unexpected. Wow. Today has been a good day.

"Hey you!"

Well almost a good day.

A body slammed into me. I recognized the scent of ShadowClan. Looking up, I saw a pair of angry green eyes. The cuts that Tigerstar had just left on me began to bleed more.

"Easy, easy," I told the tom.

He scowled. "Quiet ThunderClan intruder!"

I furrowed my cat brows. "Now don't go pointing tails."

"I said be quiet!" he shouted.

"What is going on here?"

Both the tome and I looked to see the new voice. The deep voice belonged to a pair of black paws and white fur. I stared speechless as Blackstar walked up us.

"Well?" the leader said. "Am I to get an answer?"

The tom cleared his throat. "I found a ThunderClan intruder here on ShadowClan territory."

Blackstar stared down at me with hard eyes. But as I met his gaze, his green eyes turned soft. Wow, what a pair of emeralds he had as eyes. The greenest green I've ever seen.

"Please Blackstar," I said. "Please just let me go. I'm still getting use to the territories. And I'm recovering from small sickness I had a while ago."

Blackstar stared at me for a little while longer. He then snapped his head up to the warrior. "Let her go!"

The tom stared with shocked round eyes. "But-"

"But what?" Blackstar snapped. "You heard her, she's new and is recovering from the sickness of leafbare. And look at those scars you gave her."

"I didn't-"

"Just let her go," he snapped once more.

The tom let me go. He looked at Blackstar. "Shall I escort her out of our territory?"

Blackstar shook his head. "No, Toadfoot, I will."

Toadfoot stared in surprise. "Very well." Looking at me, then him one last time, he left, leaving me with the ShadowClan leader.

He titled his head to the side. "Come one, these marshes are hard to get through."

I couldn't move. Was Erin Hunter wrong about Blackstar? In the books he was so hostile. Why was he suddenly so nice.

I followed him through the marshes. Soon we reached the border. I bowed my head a little. "Thank you very much for your kindness Blackstar."

Oh my God! Was I seeing what I think I was seeing? Was Blackstar . . . smiling? Yes! Wow! This was like a one in a million chance right here. Damn, I wish I had a camera. Wait, he's smiling. That's kind of creepy.

"Anytime for a young cat as yourself," he said . . . smiling.

I shifted my awkwardly . "Well um . . . again thanks."

He nodded. "Get those wounds treated before they infected."

Something about the way his eyes looked at me with such gentleness and kindness, made my insides warm. I smile back at him. "I will." I turned and leaped into my clan's territory. Then I stopped and turned back to him. "Welcome back to the clans!"

He looked a little surprised that I knew such a thing. But he laughed anyway and called back, "It's good to be back."

A/N: Well I would love to read your reviews while I wait out Hurricane Irene. Sorry about late update, I'm just feeling lazy these days :)