A/N: Okay here's the next chapter, thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I don't have time to name you all, but thanks! Anyway I am writing like a busy bee currently, I stayed up till 5 AM last night finishing Awakened Spirits, gotta post a chapter today. Well thank you to everyone who is reading this, and don't worry I haven't forgotten about my other stories, I need to work fast! My Online School starts August 17th! And I gotta get a job *grumbles* hopefully at a movie theater

~Leo~

CHAPTER 2

Dusk drifted across the forest, as shadows began to rest upon the bracken-covered floor. Ember looked to his side, to see Dovepaw walking stealthily alongside him.

"Are we almost there?" he asked the apprentice, looking at the lake that lay in front of them.

Dovepaw nodded, "Almost, we just have to cross a few of these streams. Then you'll be at RiverClan camp."

Ember perked his ears, "I'll be at RiverClan camp? Aren't you coming?".

Dovepaw snorted, "I'm a ShadowClan apprentice, Fernstar would have me torn to shreds if she saw me on her territory. Not to mention Firesky would have my pelt." She flicked his shoulder comfortingly, "You'll be fine Ember, just do what I said and don't tell any cat who you really are. Lightningcloud will have you taken care of, just like he did with Bluefire."

"Bluefire?" Ember echoed, "Whose that?".

When he asked this question, the apprentices face changed to pure sorrow as her light blue eyes focused on her paws.

"She...She was my mother" Dovepaw rasped, "She died in a battle against RiverClan. Lightningcloud pinned her down and killed her, I was still a kit in the nursery."

Her words shocked Ember, how could a cat do such a horrid thing? And was it really possible that this murderous cat was his father?

"I'm sorry" he meowed with emotion, "My mother and sister were killed a month ago, an Adder bit both of them. I have nowhere else to go, no family or friends."

Well I do have family, he reminded himself, No matter how much of a piece of dung he is, he is my father.

"Actually you do have family" Dovepaw meowed, "Lightningcloud has three other kits."

Ember perked his ears, he had brothers or sisters!?

The white she-cat seemed to notice his shock and nodded, "Rowanpaw, Sandpaw and Eelpaw. Sandpaw is the nicest cat you'll meet, she's training to be a Medicine Cat. But you'll have your paws full with Rowanpaw and Eelpaw. They both inherited their father's traits, especially Rowanpaw."

Ember nodded, what would it be like to meet his kin? Would they even like him once they found out the truth?

"Well this is where I leave you" Dovepaw meowed, as they came to a bubbling stream surrounded by small trees. Ember gasped as he saw many streams flowing into the lake, there was a large clearing up ahead.

RiverClan camp, he breathed, so Ember had finally made it back to his roots.

"I'll see you at the gathering" Dovepaw meowed with a smile, "If Fernstar lets you keep you pelt."

Ember cuffed her ears playfully, "Thank you Dovepaw, I'll see you soon."

The apprentice dipped her head and ran off to ShadowClan, her white tail disappearing behind a bramble bush. That left Ember alone, in unknown territory, wondering if he was doing the right thing.

Why should they accept me? He asked himself, I'm just a rogue and their all warriors!

But he remembered how Terra told him he had the traits of a RiverClan cat, him and Honey always were great swimmers. And their pelts held the shiny and sleek tint that RiverClan cats had, at least that's what Terra told him.

Taking a deep breath of courage, Ember leapt over the stream, and a strong scent drifted across his nose. Opening up his mouth, Ember could smell strong scents of fish and water all around him, was this RiverClan territory?

His amber eyes looked around, there were no sign of cats whatsoever, but he could certainly smell them. Up ahead, a small stream joined to a larger one, there looked to be no way to cross except for swimming.

"That'll be quite an entrance to make" Ember didn't want all of RiverClan to know he was there, maybe just a few.

Then he spotted a narrow pebble trail leading across the stream, he could just walk alongside it! Leaping across the first stream, Ember could just see the faint shapes of cats in the distance, it was RiverClan!

Stepping to the edge of the wide stream, Ember examined the pebble crossing stones. They looked quite slippery, he would have to be careful. Gingerly stepping a gray paw forward, Ember tested the stones. They were steady, hopefully just steady enough to cross.

Balancing on the first two stones, Ember could feel the water beginning to ripple as rain drops fell onto its surface, a storm was approaching.

I have to hurry, Ember could hear the loud noise of Thunder in the distance, he didn't want to be caught out here in the midst of a Thunderstorm. Leaping to the next stone, Ember balanced his weight carefully.

"This isn't so hard" he meowed with a smile, preparing to leap to the next stone. But as he bunched his muscles, Ember didn't notice the wave of water that was crashing towards him.

He was swept off of the crossing stones, and into the cold dark water, with no one to help him.