So sorry this chapter took so long! I have a lot of fanfics I'm working on, and I've been pretty busy. Please enjoy chapter 8, and meeting an all new character!

Chapter 8

Riverbreeze watched as Wolfstream and Pebble ran off and disappeared into the lush, green forest. She felt a chilly, newleaf breeze flow into her den, and she shivered. They usually had warm days during newleaf that felt much more like greenleaf days, but this year newleaf was feeling an awful lot like leaf-bare. Riverbreeze trotted over to the entrance, stuck her head out the window, and looked up at the sky. Even though the early morning sun was bright and casting an orange glow on the forest, big, gray storm clouds were rolling in quickly, and the warm sunlight wouldn't last very long.

"Great," grumbled Riverbreeze to herself. "It's going to rain."

She decided that if it was going to rain, she might as well gather food, nest supplies, and everything else now in the warm sun instead of doing it later in the rain. Also, she didn't want a wet nest to sleep on.

Riverbreeze ran out of her den, gracefully leaping over obstacles in the forest. She stopped at a mossy tree and began to gather moss.

I can't believe this is actually happening! she thought. I can't believe Wolfstream found my sister! She silently thanked StarClan that all of this was happening.

She gathered the last of the moss she needed, and also gathered some soft and feathers, and began to head back to her den slowly so she wouldn't drop anything. Just when she was getting close to her den, the sky turned dark. Riverbreeze began to walk faster- she didn't want to get caught in the rain.

When she got back to her den she began to make her bed where she would be sleeping. Bursts of excitement coursed through body as she thought about how great it would be to spend a little time away from clan responsibilities.

As she was thinking about this, a noise startled her. It was the sound of loud rustling, and a distressed moan.

"Hello?" said Riverbreeze. "Wolfstream? Pebble? Is that you?"

Something burst through the bushes and straight into the entrance of her den. She took a few steps back, her emerald eyes startled.

In front of Riverbreeze was a chestnut brown she-cat. She had pretty flecks of gold in her fur, and a few darker brown stripes running down her back and her flank. Her glowing amber eyes were wide, and her fur was ruffled and dirty. She had a large scratch running down her cheek and other cuts throughout her body. But the most noticeable thing to Riverbreeze was that this she-cat was obviously expecting kits very soon.

"Please! Help me!" she gasped, her voice and body shaking violently. "Badgers, they... Kicked me out... My unborn kits... Not safe..." The she-cat suddenly collapsed onto her flank, panting in exhaustion.

Riverbreeze was totally shocked. She wasn't even sure what to say. Once she got over her shock, she realized that this pregnant cat seriously needed help. Even though she was no medicine cat, Riverbreeze knew well enough that she needed to help with the scratches that covered her body.

"It's okay," she said, helping the unstable she-cat stand. "Here, just lean on me." She obeyed. "There you go. I'll help you walk deeper into my den and you can sleep on my nest until you feel better, okay?" The she-cat thanked her as they walked over to Riverbreeze's newly made nest. The soon-to-be mother clumsily fell onto her bed, and closed her eyes.

"I really appreciate your help," she said. "I'm sorry to barge into your den like that."

"Don't worry about it," Riverbreeze reassured. "Now, I'll be right back. I'm going to go get some more bedding for myself and get some cobwebs for your injuries."

Riverbreeze ran outside her den, and she felt the temperature dropping. She needed to hurry before it would start raining.

She ran to the same place where she had gathered soft material and collected what she needed. Just as she spotted some cobwebs nearby and began to collect some, a heavy raindrop splashed onto her nose. As she made her way back to her den, more raindrops made their way onto her back and face, and by the time she walked through the entrance of her den, her fur was damp with droplets of water. She shook them off, put down her nest supplies, and took the cobwebs over to the wounded she-cat.

"There. This should help," she mewed as she treated her wounds. Riverbreeze noticed she was still shaking in fear.

"Thanks," she said. Then, she growled. "I hate badgers."

"You and me both." Riverbreeze then smiled. "What's your name?"

"Well, my given name by my housefolk was Selena. It was what my owners would call me. But, when they moved away, I shortened it to Sel. I liked it better." Riverbreeze noticed a sad look in Sel's amber eyes as she talked about her owners. I would have never guessed that this cat was a kittypet at one point, she thought.

"I'm so sorry," said Riverbreeze. "I know what it's like to lose some of your family, but... but not all of it."

Sel closed her eyes. "Yeah."

She decided to introduce herself. "I'm Riverbreeze."

Sel's eyes flew open, and she snapped her head towards her. "But... that's a Clan name!"

"Well, yeah," meowed Riverbreeze. "I'm a WaterClan cat."

"Then why aren't you with your Clan?"

"It's... a long story."

"I want to hear it."

"I dunno. Maybe some other time. It really is long."

"Well, we have plenty of time, don't we?" She gestured towards the pouring rain.

Riverbreeze darted her eyes towards Sel. "Okay, fine," she said. "I'll tell you. But, on one condition."

"Okay," mewed Sel.

"You tell me your story after I tell mine."

Sel nodded. "Fair enough."

Riverbreeze started from the beginning. The very beginning. She told Sel about the prophecy, and her sister, and how they were separated, all the way up to why she was in the den at that moment. Sel stayed quiet and attentive, showing little emotion. Finally, when her story was done, Sel smiled.

"That's an incredible story," said Sel. "I'm glad that you made your twin happy by switching with her. That's a very big and kind decision to make."

Riverbreeze noticed that Sel spoke calmly and with intelligence. She reminded her of Snowstar.

Riverbreeze shrugged. "I just wanted to make Pebbleki-I mean, Pebble-happy. And my brother and Wolfstream will keep her safe. I know it." Thunder and lightning began to crash and light up the gray, morning sky in the distance.

She flicked her emerald eyes over towards Sel. "Now, it's your turn." Riverbreeze lied down, settling in. "Tell me your story."