Here's the next chapter! And for once, it's a faster update! Again, I'm sorry for the slow update. I've been really swamped with math work and all of that fun stuff. Soooo, on to the author's note:

Chasonbird or Butterfliee - you never cease to amaze me^^ I know you're trying to keep up, so don't worry if you haven't reviewed

flareon200 - Hmm, recognize the amber eyes? Those bright pupils? Well, you'll find out if there's a connection...Oh, and Flightpaw is in ThunderClan^^

~Chapter 15~

Dawnstar gritted her teeth furiously as she watched her own Clanmates follow that loner. She didn't even want to call him by his name. He was nothing. A cat who should have stayed hidden in his hole of a den. A cat who was a danger to the Clans.

Though she didn't know it, something deep within her told her this cat couldn't be trusted. There was something about the way he moved that made her shudder. It was a deep memory that she had buried within the back of her mind.

Sol.The words chilled the cream-colored she-cat to the bones. Sol had once tried to take over ShadowClan, and with that, Tawnypelt took her kits - Tigerheart, Dawnstar and Flamecloud away. But thanks to Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf, they were able to find their way back home.

Sol had eventually been found dead near the WindClan border. Though he would have never admitted it, Onestar was the one who killed him. Onestar had found a deep hatred towards the loner, and that, fused with the anger he felt towards ShadowClan, led to the end results.

"Are you okay?" Scorchfur's deep voice made the ShadowClan leader jump.

She turned to her deputy and blinked. "I...I just don't think we should trust this...cat." She hissed the word out, knowing that using the Clans' word for 'loner' would have been rude.

Surprise flashed through her when he pressed himself close to her. "I know," he murmured. "There's something about him...it scares me."

Dawnstar snorted fiercely. No cat was to scare her Clanmates! Especially a pathetic loner like this cat!

"Don't worry," she mewed softly. "I'll take care of him. But it's going to be tough, especially since the other leaders seem to trust him." But when she glanced at Reedstar, she noticed the mistrust in his yellow eyes.

Maybe this will be easier than I thought, she sighed as she looked around herself. Every other cat seemed comfortable, but there were quite a few who looked like they might try to flee from this loner.

"I hope so," Scorchfur muttered with a shake of his head. "I don't want to spend the night keeping my eyes open."

She flicked her tail and padded a little further ahead to hear what Stormfur was talking about. The dark gray tom's eyes were locked on the loner, who had taken the lead. Dawnstar tried to guess the feeling that was etched within them. Was that sorrow?

Suddenly the loner stopped. He raised his long, feathery tail and the rest of the Clans stopped so they wouldn't run into him. His amber eyes gazed brightly at Stormfur, and the Tribe cat dipped his head.

"This is where Ember and leave you," Stormfur meowed. His voice seemed to carry off of the rocks, and a wave of silence followed it.

Dawnstar bent her head, suddenly wishing that he could stay with them. She'd rather have him around then this loner.

A yowl sounded from where the ThunderClan cats were huddled. Dawnstar followed her own Clanmates stares, and there stood Ember, gazing at her father confidently. Stormfur's eyes gleamed with confusion, and than understanding.

"Stormfur, I know you want me to come with you but..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to search for the right words.

The former RiverClan warrior bounded towards his daughter, followed quickly by Cinderstar and Reedstar. Dawnstar and Weaselstar followed soon after, but the loner remained on the hill.

"You've found a place among the Clans," Stormfur sighed in a whisper. Ember looked up at him with huge, pleading eyes that even Dawnstar couldn't resist. "I understand."

He paused for a moment as Ember licked his shoulder. "When I went on the journey with my sister, I never imagined I would fall in love with Brook." He shot a glance at Squirrelflight, and the dark ginger she-cat's eyes gleamed with what looked like sorrow. "When Feathertail died...that's when I realized I would have no place in RiverClan. So I joined the Tribe." Reedstar's tail hung low to the ground, as if he had made the mistake of kicking Stormfur out. "But now you have a choice."

Cinderstar dipped her head to Stormfur, and he backed off. Reedstar hung back, and Dawnstar knew instantly where Ember would want to stay.

The light tortoiseshell let out a sigh. "I...I'd like to join ThunderClan," she finally mewed.

Stormfur purred and licked his daughters' cheek. "You'll make a wonderful warrior," he murmured gently. "But as for me, my journey ends here. I must get back to the Tribe and let Brook and Rock know what happened." His eyes darkened for a moment as he mentioned Ember's brother.

Dawnstar had only seen the black tom, but she had never really spoken to Rock. He acted more like Stormfur, though he was quiet and thoughtful, like a prey hunter.

Ember looked like she was about to protest something, but she said nothing. Instead, she only whispered, "mother and Rock will be sad."

Her father pressed his muzzle close to her forehead. "I know," he murmured. "But...everyone has thier own desitny, and they will understand that."

Even as he finished speaking, the loner stepped forward. "For all that it is worth, you both are wonderful warriors," he meowed boldly. "And StarClan and the Tribe of Endless Hunting will now light your path."

Shock spread through every hair on Dawnstar's body when he spoke the word StarClan. How could a simple loner like him know about StarClan? And Sol had only tried to break the warrior code, not bless a cat with StarClan.

Stormfur nodded and licked Ember one more time before turning away. He cast one more glance at the Clans, and disappeared behind a pile of rocks.

Dawnstar wondered if she would ever see him again. She shook her head slightly, thinking that they would never cross paths again.