So it turned out that I didn't write at all on vacation, so I cranked this one out for you last night and this morning. As always, thank you so much for the reviews! I wouldn't continue this without them!

Oh my goodness. I was planning on having the trigger, Sanddune telling Mountainkit the truth, and the battle in this chapter. Ha. G1. The trigger ended up taking six pages and a normal chapter takes five. So, next chapter you'll get the other two. So that means there's two more chapters after this, I think.

Since you guys liked Juniperpaw's POV, here's more! This chapter is about one five-gazillionths as happy as the last one. Sorry about that. Enjoy anyway! :)

Chapter 9

Juniperpaw's POV

"Just make your way towards the nursery. I'll meet you there."

Autumnleaf instantly backed up back into the depth of the ferns, nearly barreling into Juniperpaw, who managed to scramble away just in time.

"Watch it!" Juniperpaw hissed. She couldn't believe Sanddune had agreed to this suicide mission. He probably couldn't wait to see MapleClan try to recover from another blow. That made her boil with anger as she slunk through the ferns after Autumnleaf. As soon as they met up with Sanddune again, she would kill him. She didn't care about the consequences.

"You don't control your emotions. You assume and accuse without any thought."

Juniperpaw took a deep breath. If Autumnleaf trusted Sanddune, she needed to trust Sanddune. He hadn't given them away so far.

"Juniperpaw," Autumnleaf whispered. He stopped and looked back at her. She could see the worry in his eyes even in the darkness. "Juniperpaw, if anything happens…"

"It won't."

The worry was replaced for a moment with a mix of approval and respect and then Autumnleaf turned back and started up again through the undergrowth.

Juniperpaw felt pride well within her. Her mentor had actually approved of something she did and she actually felt proud because of it. The apprentice Juniperpaw would have said that she was going to kill every last one of them, but she was a warrior now. And a warrior supports her Clanmates through every success and failure, and doesn't give in to her own feelings.

The last fern before the entrance to the nursery was large enough that both cats were able to fit between two protecting leaves so they could see the cave in front of them. Sanddune, who was able to move quickly without having to duck under leaves, was coming out of the cave. The light brown tom sat at the entrance, just outside of the cave's shadow, although the cave was barely darker than the sky anymore.

"Just in case anyone saw me," Sanddune whispered, "I had to make sure it looked like I had just talked to Riverbend, for my excuse."

"What is your excuse?"

"Riverbend's exhausted and doesn't want to see anyone right now."

Autumnleaf nodded. "Simple but effective."

There was a pause. "Is it worth it?"

"What?"

"Seeing your kits. Is it worth the risk?"

"I wouldn't be able to see them for six moons, Sanddune. I had to see them and I had to come now… before they open their eyes."

"Have you thought about the consequences?"

"Of course I have!"

"Is seeing your kits six moons earlier worth your death?"

Autumnleaf couldn't find words. His fur was prickling with anxiety. Finally, he demanded, "Then why are you helping me? If you didn't think it was worth it, you wouldn't be helping me!"

"No. I'm helping you because I know you would do it anyways. You know I would never give you away and therefore I have no way to negotiate with you. At least this way you have some chance."

Autumnleaf looked down at his light brown paws. "I need to see her," he stated as his final answer.

Sanddune shook his head, resignation in his pale blue eyes. "Then go."

"Now?"

"No one's looking. Go."

"Stay here, Juniperpaw." Juniperpaw felt Autumnleaf's fur brush against her and disappear. He moved faster than she thought he could: just a blur passing Sanddune and disappearing into the darkness of the cave. Suddenly it was just her, alone in another Clan's camp.

"Why are you keeping this secret?" Sanddune asked curiously.

Juniperpaw felt strange when she found herself looking right into his blue depths. She had never really looked at his eyes before. The anger and dislike for the tom suddenly dissipated as she felt like she was looking at a StarClan cat… old and wise. He had helped another Clan cat and kept his sister's secret. He had revealed Fogstar's betrayal knowing the consequences. A new feeling formed. It was respect.

"Juniperpaw," Sanddune interrupted her thoughts.

Juniperpaw blinked. "Sorry, what?"

"Why are you keeping this secret?"

Juniperpaw blinked again. "Autumnleaf agreed to make me a warrior."

Sanddune raised a nonexistent eyebrow, snorting. "Of course."

Juniperpaw found this incredibly unfair. He was judging her! "I should've been made a warrior sunrises ago! You don't know…! I…" But she realized with a pang that what Sanddune had 'judged' her to be was really what she was. She had blackmailed Autumnleaf instead of earning her warrior name. Shame and guilt overwhelmed her.

"Tomorrow is always a new day Juniperpaw," Sanddune meowed. "You can always make up for what you've done."

Determination hardened within her.

You can always make up for what you've done.

She was going to tell Autumnleaf that she didn't want to be made a warrior until he thought she was ready. She was going to apologize to Riverbend. She would respect Sanddune. She would respect OakClan. She was going to be a new cat. A new and better cat.

"Autumnleaf won't be out for a while. Do you want something to eat?"

"No… thank you."

"Alright."

There was a moment of silence. "Sanddune?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Just… for everything."

The MapleClan and OakClan cats settled into a comfortable silence.

The sky turned black. The moon, which had been glowing faintly through the thinner clouds, was now completely obscured by rumbling darkness. A storm was coming.

It seemed like sunrises before Juniperpaw heard a voice. Her head snapped up from their resting position on her ginger paws. To her surprise, it wasn't Autumnleaf who had spoken. She scooted forward and made out a gray cat in the darkness. It was approaching Sanddune.

"Sorry, you can't go in. Riverbend's exhausted. She really can't see anyone right now," Sanddune recited.

Annoyance flashed in the cat's dark blue eyes. "I won't disturb her. I just want to be there with her." Juniperpaw recognized the voice and eyes from the Gathering that revealed Fogstar as a traitor. It was Tidepool, OakClan's deputy.

"But you might disturb the kits. They can hear now. They pick up everything."

Tidepool sighed. "I suppose so." He sighed again. "I'll check on them in the morning." He studied Sanddune with narrow eyes for a moment. "Yeah." Then he turned to leave.

"Sanddune!" came a harsh whisper, "Is it clear?"

Juniperpaw froze, her eyes instantly snapping to Sanddune's. Sanddune also seemed frozen, his wide eyes moving more slowly to the darkness under the fern. Their gazes locked.

"What was that?" Tidepool had whirled around, his eyes narrowed with suspicious surprise.

Sanddune recovered himself and tilted his head at the deputy. "What was what?"

"What was that?! That sound! I heard someone." He looked around wildly for a moment, mostly focused on the cave in front of him. Then he realized Sanddune had said nothing. His gaze snapped back to the brown tom. "What are you hiding?" he demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Juniperpaw was surprised at how convincing Sanddune sounded. Then, to Juniperpaw's horror, Tidepool suddenly surged forward, shoving Sanddune from his path. "No!" Sanddune managed before letting out a grunt as he stumbled to the side from the blow. He couldn't regain his balance and fell to the ground.

Tidepool charged out of sight. "Who's here?!" Juniperpaw could hear him demand. Then there was a gasp, a growl, a cry from a fearful kit…

"No!" This time it was Riverbend. "Don't hurt him!"

Sanddune was frozen, his sides heaving.

"He…! He's your mate! Not me! Mountainkit looks like him! You lied to me!"

"No!" Autumnleaf cried. Tidepool must have slashed at his mate.

"You! You! I will kill you. I will kill you in front of everyone!"

"No!" Riverbend sobbed. "No!"

"Walk," Tidepool commanded, sounding as if something was in his mouth. "You run and I will snap her like a twig."

"No! Please, no!" Riverbend wailed over and over.

Autumnleaf emerged from the darkness, his eyes wild. There was a deep claw mark across his cheek, barely missing an eye. Then Tidepool became visible. A small gray kit hung from his jaws.

"Mistkit!" Riverbend yowled. She stumbled after them. "Let her go! Please!"

Tidepool snarled at her and the kit mewed piteously. "Take one more step and I'll kill her." Riverbend halted, whimpering. Sanddune had finally gotten to his paws and was carefully stalking towards him. Unfortunately, his clumsy paws brushed a leaf that crunched and crumbled to pieces. "You too," Tidepool growled and Sanddune backed away. "Move!" he commanded, turning back to Autumnleaf.

Juniperpaw shifted positions so that she could see Autumnleaf being forced to the middle of the camp. Already cats were watching them with wide eyes. A patrol just ready to leave stopped in their tracks at the sound of Riverbend's cries.

"This- This is Riverbend's mate!" Tidepool shouted, "A MapleClan cat! Their deputy!"

"Autumnleaf?" echoed through the cats.

A silky gray tom emerged from the crowd, snarling. Tidepool's ears folded back. "He's mine, Watervapor," he growled at his son. Watervapor stopped, throwing a hate-filled glare at Riverbend.

Tidepool took a dangerous step towards Autumnleaf, who was tensed to move although he was watching Mistkit warily. The OakClan deputy took another step and tensed as if about to lunge.

Autumnleaf flinched.

Juniperpaw held her breath.

Watervapor flexed his claws.

Riverbend whimpered.

Then Tidepool silently relaxed. He stepped forward and placed the gray kit on the ground in front of Autumnleaf. "Take that back to your Clan," he meowed. Then he turned without another word and stalked from the clearing. He disappeared in the ferns of the camp entrance.

Autumnleaf looked at Riverbend in shock, his chest heaving with each breath. Riverbend looked like she was going to faint with relief. Sanddune was already padding towards him with purpose.

Juniperpaw had closed her eyes, breathing heavily. They didn't open until he heard Sanddune cry out. From there it went in slow motion. Juniperpaw's eyes found Watervapor, who was now a leap away from unsuspecting Autumnleaf. His front paws left the ground and his powerful back legs bunched.

"Autumnleaf!" Sanddune shouted. With a bound, his purposeful walk turned to a desperate run.

Watervapor's back paws left the ground just as Autumnleaf began to turn. The gray tom's claws made contact on the side of his neck. With the combination of Autumnleaf turning and Watervapor's momentum, the claws ripped into the skin and tore a gaping hole.

Juniperpaw could faintly hear yowling and, out of the corner of her eye, saw Sanddune ram into Watervapor a second too late. But her focus was on her mentor. The light brown tom's eyes were wide with shock as if he couldn't feel the pain yet. His throat, chest, paws… everything turned scarlet. Mistkit was covered in it… choking on it… Juniperpaw watched as Autumnleaf looked at his mate and mouthed her name. Then he fell sideways, dust pluming from the contact of his body on the dirt, and went still.

"AUTUMNLEAF!"

Juniperpaw heard Riverbend screech, but she was already moving, her paws carrying her as fast as they could through the ferns. Tears blurred her vision. She stumbled once before clearing the ferns and emerging back into the forest outside of the camp. She stumbled again and took longer to get up. But then she was off again, dodging standing trees and sailing over fallen ones. Raindrops started to fall. They started light and gradually came faster and faster. Juniperpaw could barely see as she passed the border and the spot where she had blackmailed Autumnleaf. Now the rain poured down, drenching her ginger coat. Thunder rumbled in the distance as she burst into her own Clan's camp, yowling madly.

Every promise she had made had been forgotten. OakClan had killed her mentor. It didn't matter if only one of them did it. All of them would pay. Watervapor had murdered him. The Clan had watched. Riverbend was a traitor to everyone. And Sanddune? Sanddune should have known. If he could read Fogstar so well, he should've been able to read his own Clanmate. Anger filled her and she screeched as loud as she possibly could.

"Autumnleaf is dead! They murdered him!

"OakClan murdered Autumnleaf!"