Hullo everyone! A day late again. Sorry. I'm back from North Wales now, but I'm going away again with my mum and sisters to Dartmoor on Friday, so I should still be able to update, but I can't promise I will. I'll try my hardest though! My mum sometimes gets annoyed at me when I spend too much time on my laptop writing though, so if she starts shouting at me when I'm trying to write and I can't update, I apologise in advance!

By the way, there's going to be another Blue Moon contest for those of you that don't have deviantart or aren't arty people. It'll probably be a writing contest and you'll have to write a Blue Moon one-shot. I'll let you know the details at a later point as I don't have the time, but don't fret! You can still get involved in a contest!

I've just realised, I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to finish up Eye of the Storm. I'm going to try and make it something between 15 and 20 chapters, so that means at least one more chapter left, but I still need to work out how to tie things up. Hm. I know what's going to happen, it's all planned, everyone's fate and stuff. It'll probably end with some inspiring words from one of our lovely kitties. Possibly Snowfall. But anyway. On with the disclaimer and review replies!

Disclaimer - I do not own Warriors.

~ Review Replies ~

Blazerkitty129 ~ Aha, we'll see who's deputy in this chapter, but it's not Brightwing, I'm sorry to say. I'd love her to be deputy, but she hasn't mentored an apprentice yet. I should think she's quite content just being a warrior though. c: Thank you once again!

Seer ~ Yup, a whole bundle of drama. Everything is all starting to heat up now. ^^ That's awesome that you're writing your own novel! I really need to get round to writing more of my own original stuff. xD It's also called Blue Moon? Blue Moon is an awesome name, kinda mysterious (I probably sound so arrogant there, considering my own series is called Blue Moon), change it if you want to, but it's a wonderful name, very intriguing. c: I'll go read it now! I'm sure it's brilliant!

Blaze ~ I think I'll just call you Blaze from now on. ^^ Hehe, I know some of you guys read super fast, so I was a little worried that you might accidentally skip over Brightwing's look, but I'm glad you didn't! I've got to agree, I've always adored Rabbitleap. I think it was the manga in the back of SkyClan's Destiny that really got me attached to him, the fact that he didn't like climbing I think it was? I found that super adorable. He's a really brave kitty and he'll make a good leader, I hope! Thank you! -huggles-

Celtic Silver ~ Thank you! I'm sorry about Leafstar, but I actually planned her death to happened much earlier than this, but I felt kinda bad for her, so I let her live a little longer, if that makes any difference. ^^' Don't worry about not having deviantart or being an artsy sort of person, I'm going to do another contest, not an art contest, possibly a one-shot contest or something. The prize in that one will also be to design a kit, along with other stuff. The kit won't be Rosepetal and Foxleap's though, sorry.

FrostOfTheWarriorCats ~ I hope you don't mind me calling you Frosty? c: Anyway, thank you for the review! Yeah, Dewclaw's a bit indecisive still, not for much longer though... (excuse the dramatic ellipsis there. xD ) Seedflight and her destiny as a medicine cat is something we're going to be seeing a bit more of in Dark Skies. I don't want to overload you all with too much drama at once, haha.

Alwayssearching2012 ~ You're not late with reviewing, don't worry. c: It's quite nice to have reviews more spaced out so I can read them one at a time rather than all at once, so I appreciate them more. The later the better, to be honest. Though I do like having some reviews quite soon, so I can check to see if the chapter was okay. c: Thank you very much! I really hoped I'd be able to write the battle scene okay as I'm not very experienced in writing battles. Heh, I'm kinda hoping the Erin Hunters won't write a series about SkyClan so I can instead. xD

Stunna13 ~ Yup, don't worry! There are contests for those of you who don't have deviantart! Well, there will be one at least, shortly. I just need to organise it. ^^

Raven cries Nevermore ~ Yup, at least two cats know now, probably more, Ambersky's very talkative, so I'm not sure whether she'll be able to keep the secret... Thank you very much! 3

Golde Coast ~ Thank you! c: I've literally just realised you're Silky. I didn't realise you'd changed your username, I thought you'd disappeared or something. xD

Icebreath of ThunderClan ~ Aw, if I could I would (well, I could if I wanted to, buuuutt, I'm not going to), but it's sort of needed for the plot and death is just a part of life I suppose. I'll miss Leafstar though, she was a lovely character. 3

Lucy/Guest ~ (I'm assuming you're the same person) What was that you said? You wanted more? I didn't quite catch that, but I'm assuming that's what you meant. xD Here's an extra chapter for ya, hope you enjoy!

Shadewind of WindClan ~ I know, BOOM, drama. xD Thank you! I had an awesome holiday. c:

berkswarriors ~ Hehe, I don't mind, it's nice to have reviews spaced out. c: Thank you!

Silverkitty16 ~ Yup, well the plan was always that Molespots and Foxleap would 'join' the twolegplace cats, so they could understand them better, then report everything back to ThunderClan. I thought I'd mentioned that, but maybe not... :D Thank you for the review!

Willowdream of ForestClan ~ Yup, fingers crossed! You never know with Night though -cue mysterious music-

WyldClaw ~ Dun Dun Dun! Brightwing knows! We'll have to see what she has to say about that... I know, poor Leafstar. -sob- I was always rather fond of her.

Orange ~ Molespots and Foxleap are 'joining' (they'll leave, don't worry), but they won't actually be properly joined if that makes sense? Their loyalties still lie with ThunderClan of course, they're going to report back to the clan all their findings. c:

Nightfeather ~ xD xD xD OMSC, that's hilarious. With luck, Rabbitleap won't die in the first five seconds, perhaps he could even make it past six seconds? xD Aw, I doubt this fan fic will ever be famous around the world, but if it was and there was a huge thing about white asparagus, that would be awesome. I so want that to happen now. xD Of course I don't think you're crazy, although, if you ask me, crazy's a good thing. I may seem all mature and grown up when I upload chapters, but behind the screen, my world consists of snorkelling llamas, squirrels bouncing on a duvet and Larry the Lopsided Llama, my life-long companion who's also the International Llama Lopsided Surfing Champion 2014.

KatieK101 ~ Don't worry, I don't mind at all. c: Yup, there's going to be a Blue Moon one-shot contest at some point soon which you can enter if you don't have deviantart or prefer writing to art. I'll let you know about it when things are more final! ^^

Cupcaketail ~ Don't worry, I know some characters aren't everyone's cup of tea. I've got to agree with you in that he seems a little too perfect, I'm trying to think of some flaws for him, to make him a more well-rounded character. Yay! You got it right! I was almost going to say when you posted that review, then I decided it was best not to. ^^ Heh, Cookiesplash auto corrects. I feel special. :DDDD

Anyway, here we have chapter fourteen! Enjoy! By the way, this time and from now on, everyone who reviews gets a preview of the next chapter, unless you're a guest, then I'm sorry but I can't PM you a preview. :( I'm very sorry that last chapter I didn't have time to send the previews, I was on holiday in North Wales.

Redflower

It was as the sun rose above the horizon that Rabbitleap had set off with Frecklewish, destined for the Moonpool. The pale brown tom had departed to receive his nine lives from StarClan, by the time he returned this evening, he would no longer carry the name Rabbitleap, but Rabbitstar.

Redflower still couldn't quite believe that Leafstar was dead. The burial for the leader had been held earlier that day and almost the whole clan had attended to part ways with the she-cat who had served as leader for so many moons. Leafstar had been the first leader of modern SkyClan and had led the clan through many hard times, including the battle against the rats and the journey to the lake. It was with sorrow that Redflower had watched the brown-and-cream tabby laid to rest in the ground. Yet, there was also the excitement of a new leader, Rabbitleap, and a new deputy, who Rabbitleap would name when he returned to the red-stone gorge.

Redflower had been lucky in the previous day's battle, escaping almost unharmed, mostly thanks to Dewclaw. Not all of her clanmates had been so fortunate. The young apprentice, Aspenpaw, had received some nasty injuries and was now resting under Brackenpaw and Frecklewish's care. Sandypelt and Shadewillow had also suffered some very severe injuries, but Frecklewish seemed pretty confident they would recover. It was Waspwhisker, however, who was in the most critical condition and the medicine cat was very concerned that he might not heal. He certainly wasn't the youngest of cats, so healing would take much longer for him.

Redflower had at last began to tell her clanmates about the kits she was carrying, starting with her mother, Cherrytail, who she'd spoken to just this morning. She'd also told Robinsong and Flintclaw, her older siblings, who'd both been happy for her. However, there was still one cat she hadn't told. Whitefern.

The white she-cat wasn't the most approachable of cats as she could have a rather sharp-tongue, but it was even harder for Redflower, as her sister kept trying to avoid her lately. The dappled tortoiseshell-and-white warrior still didn't know why. She had no idea how her sister would take the news, she just hoped she wouldn't ask any questions about the father.

Whitefern had headed out hunting earlier that day, so Redflower was waiting in camp, expectant of her return. As soon as she did show up, Redflower would try and talk to her, before she ran off.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for her sister to arrive, though, much to Redflower's surprise, she only carried two small mice in her jaws. That was unlike Whitefern, she was an excellent hunter and often brought back more prey, especially now that green-leaf had at last arrived.

Without so much as a glance upwards, the white warrior travelled across the clearing and dropped her prey carefully on the fresh-kill pile before at last lifting her gaze, green eyes narrowed.

The dappled tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat took a deep breath before padding across to her sister, "Whitefern," she called softly, smiling.

The white she-cat's breath hitched when she spotted her sister, "Look, I can't talk right now," she began to walk away, but Redflower blocked her path.

"Please," her green gaze was begging, "Whitefern, I don't know why you keep avoiding me, I don't know why you've been acting so strangely, but I promise, I won't ask if you just hear me out."

Whitefern hesitated, before sighing, "Fine, fine," she didn't meet Redflower's gaze, "But it can't be long, I was going to go on a hunting patrol soon."

But you just went hunting? Redflower was about to ask, but she clamped her jaws shut, shaking her head. She took a deep breath, "I meant to tell you before but… I'm expecting kits."

The white warrior met her words with no obvious emotion. After a moment, she dipped her head, meowing coldly, "You're expecting kits? I didn't even know you had a mate."

Redflower felt her heart sink, "A 'congratulations' would at least me nice."

"Well, if you wanted a warm, happy reaction then you should have gone to a different cat."

The dappled warrior frowned, "You know, I thought you could at least pretend to be happy for me," she stared at her sister, "Don't you remember how close we used to be? You've changed, Whitefern, you're so cold now. We could have it back you know? If you just tried, we could be like that."

For a brief heartbeat, Redflower saw something flicker behind Whitefern's gaze. Something familiar, the same old Whitefern. Then she blinked it away, "You wouldn't understand, Redflower. If you were in my paws, you'd do the same."

With an expressive flick of her tail, Whitefern stormed off. What Redflower had hoped would be a happy moment had escalated quickly into an argument. Why does she have to be this way? Can't she just talk to me, maybe then I can understand. She gave a sigh. I just wish things could be the way they used to be, when her and I were close. Things were much simpler then.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below the rock-pile for a clan meeting!"

Redflower hadn't even noticed the arrival of Rabbitleap and Frecklewish until the new clan leader's meow reached her in her nest. She'd been surprisingly tired and had headed to her nest early as to get some extra sleep, forgetting that the new deputy would be announced at moon-high.

Weary and still half-asleep, she rose from her nest to find that most of her clanmates were already gathered outside, eagerly awaiting the start of the meeting.

Her spine rippling in a stretch, she gave a wide yawn before at last padding down the path into the main camp. She spotted Brightwing amongst those gathered, so she let her paws carry her towards her friend and sat down beside her. The ginger-and-white she-cat glanced up at her, an unfamiliar emotion flickering behind her gaze before she looked away, her eyes rising to the top of the rock-pile instead.

Rabbitleap stood there, his stance confident and calm. Redflower knew that, despite his inexperience as deputy, he would definitely make a fine leader.

As they waited for the rest of the cats to gather, Brightwing let her gaze flicker back to Redflower and she hissed under her breath, "I need to talk to you after the meeting."

Redflower blinked in surprise, "Uh, sure."

The ginger-and-white warrior held her gaze for a moment before looking away once more, "Good."

The dappled tortoiseshell-and-white warrior frowned, then shook it off, focusing on Rabbitleap once more. A heartbeat or so passed before the pale brown tom at last took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Cats of SkyClan, I have travelled to the Moonpool with Frecklewish and received my nine lives and leader's name," he announced, his gaze sweeping across the red stone gorge.

Redflower smiled. Proud yowls quickly arose into the night, praising the new leader, so the dappled warrior joined in, "Rabbitstar! Rabbitstar! Rabbitstar!"

Rabbitstar chuckled lightly at the support before motioning for hush with a flourish of his tail. When silence fell upon the SkyClan camp once more, he continued, "Leafstar was a courageous and dignified leader, she returned SkyClan to its former glory," he spoke clearly, grief flitting briefly behind his amber gaze, "Although I know I can never replace her, I hope I can tread in her pawsteps in leading a strong and brave SkyClan," he meowed softly, "But the reason for this meeting is not to discuss my new role as leader, but to appoint the cat who will one day fill my pawsteps as I have done with Leafstar, the time has come to announce SkyClan's new deputy."

Excited murmurs rippled amongst the gathered cats. There were mixed opinions on who should be the next deputy as there was no obvious choice. There were many cats worthy of the role, but the question was who did Rabbitstar think would serve best as a deputy? It must've been a difficult choice.

The new leader quietened his clan once more before meowing, his words loud and clear, "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice," he took a deep breath, his gaze picking over his clanmates, "the new deputy of SkyClan is Bouncefire."

Initially, Rabbitstar's words were met with surprise, then meows of congratulation. Bouncefire, Redflower had to admit, hadn't been her expected choice of deputy, but thinking about it, he was certainly a wise choice. The ginger-and-white tom was older than Rabbitstar, so much more experienced and would therefor be able to offer solid advice and guidance to the new SkyClan leader.

Bouncefire obviously hadn't been expecting this either, his eyes stretching wide with a mixture of awe and shock, then he dipped his head, meowing graciously, "I'm honoured, Rabbitstar."

The pale brown leader smiled, dipping his head to the SkyClan deputy, "Thank you, Bouncefire," his gaze lingered on the ginger-and-white tom for a moment before he meowed, addressing the whole clan, "Frecklewish has asked that any cat who has not yet visited her to have their wounds checked, could you please visit her after this meeting?"

Redflower glanced around anxiously, suddenly very aware of how few scars she wore on her pelt, compared to her clanmates. Oh Dewclaw, she sighed, shaking her head slightly. Brightwing shot another glance over at her, before quickly letting her gaze dart away.

The new SkyClan leader cast a gaze up at the moon before finally meowing, "These last couple days have been challenging, there's no sense in this meeting lasting any longer," he gave a dismissive flick of his tail, "Clan meeting dismissed."

The cats of SkyClan slowly pooled from the centre of the clearing into their dens and just as Redflower rose to join them, she was stopped by a ginger-and-white she-cat. Brightwing stood in her path, her amber eyes whispering undistinguishable emotions, "Redflower," she murmured softly.

The dappled warrior blinked, curiosity prickling at her. What could it be that she wants to talk to me about? She studied her friend for a moment, Perhaps something's happened between her and Berrystep?

Sincerity flickered behind Brightwing's gaze. She flourished her tail towards the waterfall that tumbled into camp, "There's a little dip behind the waterfall, we can talk there," she stated.

"Why do we need to"- she broke off, her eyes narrowing slightly. This was to be a conversation Brightwing didn't want overheard, what could it possibly be that-

She trailed off mid-thought. Her heart faltered slightly and she swallowed. She couldn't possibly have noticed, yesterday in battle… Dewclaw and I… Of course not, she can't have noticed, can she?

Obediently, she followed the ginger-and-white she-cat over to the waterfall. The falling water roared and rumbled, undeterred by the two cats now picking their way over the rocks and slipping behind the sheet of water.

If Redflower hadn't been a SkyClan cat, she might have been worried about climbing the rocks, which were permanently wet from the ever-falling water and of course, dangerously slippery, but instead, she glided over them wordlessly, until she sat upon the ledge beside Brightwing.

The ginger-and-white she-cat inhaled a deep breath before at last speaking, "I know about him, Redflower. I know about the father of your kits."

Pretending she didn't understand what her friend was talking about would've been ridiculous, so instead the dappled warrior summoned her courage and spoke honestly, "I'm sorry," she murmured softly, her voice almost inaudible over the thundering water, "I, I wanted to tell you before, I really did, but, I was afraid."

Brightwing hesitated, before meowing tentatively, "How did this happen? Have you been meeting him? I mean, you must have been, but… How long has this been happening?"
The ginger-and-white warrior was reacting slightly differently to how Redflower had expected. The dappled warrior had been worried she might be really angry or accuse her of disloyalty. She could tell that Brightwing was disappointed, ashamed even, but she was trying to hide it, out of concern for her friend, "I… I've been meeting him since just after the first gathering at the lake," she confessed, lowering her head, "We usually meet every two nights," she lifted her gaze to her friend, "I just… Please don't tell anyone, please. Or… Or if you do, don't mention Dewclaw's name," she pleaded, her gaze dim, only brightened by a few small rays of hope, "It wasn't his idea, it never was. He didn't think us meeting was right originally, but I… I persuaded him. It's my fault, all of this."

"Oh, Redflower," Brightwing sighed, "I always knew you had something of a little crush at least on Dewclaw, when we were on the journey," her gaze met Redflower's for a moment, "But I never thought it would come to this," she shook her head, "this is the weakness, you see, in the warrior code. Love can never be ruled by laws, to even try and restrict the heart is simply mouse-brained," her gaze flickered to the sky. She sighed, before turning to Redflower once more, "You should've told me, before the kits I mean. What are you going to do? You're not going to run away are you? If the clan finds out the kits are Dewclaw's…"

Redflower shook her head, "Of course I'm not going to run away," she meowed, "Dewclaw might leave ThunderClan and join SkyClan instead."

"There's no guarantee he'll even be accepted here, you know?" Brightwing challenged, "I know he was in the prophecy and he led us to the lake with his littermates, but that doesn't mean anything is certain," she let her gaze run over Redflower, "He must really love you, if he's willing to leave his birth clan for you," she murmured thoughtfully, her amber gaze misting for a brief moment. She blinked it away, "I thought you'd have more sense than to let your heart stray across the border."

"Do you think I wanted to fall in love with a tom from another clan?" she challenged her friend, but there was no anger in her tone, just sadness, "I'd give anything for Dewclaw to be in SkyClan instead," she sighed, "But we can't change who we are, only the choices we make."

"But why, Redflower? You know it's wrong, I know it's wrong, so why do you keep meeting him?" Brightwing pressed.

"Because I love him," Redflower meowed honestly, holding Brightwing's gaze confidently, "I'm sorry that by loving him I'm breaking the Warrior Code, I'm sorry, but I love him. I always will."

Brightwing swallowed, slowly turning to face her friend, "I think… I think you need to stop seeing him," she meowed cautiously.

Redflower frowned, "Did you not hear? Dewclaw's going to join SkyClan."

"Yes, I did hear," Brightwing mewed, "But if he leaves his clan, and turns up here, confessing his love for you and asking to join the clan, you could both be exiled. You can't risk it, you just can't, for the safety of your kits," her gaze softened, "I know you love him, but if you're exiled, you'll have to live the lives of loners, your kits will be born into a dangerous world. They may not survive their first night out there, Redflower."

Instinctively, the tortoiseshell-and-white warrior's tail curled around her side, her tail-tip brushing against her belly. Love for her unborn kits surged through the young she-cat and she swallowed. Could Brightwing be right? What if they were exiled? What if they had to raise their kits as rogues, in a hostile world, where they'd never know the warmth and love of clan life? What if they didn't survive? Thoughts and possibilities raced through her mind, clouding her judgement. But, if Dewclaw doesn't join SkyClan, if we don't meet any longer… I… I… I don't know what I'd do. I love him. I need him. I don't want my kits to grow up without knowing their father. But I…

"I… I just want my kits to be safe," she murmured softly, her gaze falling to her paws.

Brightwing flicked her tail to Redflower's flank lightly, "I know, I know," she whispered, "Please, please think about this. You need to do what's best for you and your kits. I don't know what I'd do if you were exiled, you're my best friend, Redflower."

It was something about the look in her gaze, that desperate, pleading, hopeless look, that made Redflower crumble, sighing before meowing reluctantly, "Okay. Okay. I'll… I'll talk to Dewclaw."

Relief lit Brightwing's gaze and the ginger-and-white she-cat nuzzled her friend softly, "Thank you," she purred. Her eyes fell to the dappled warrior's gently rounded belly, "Speaking of your kits though, it's a moon and a half until you're due now, right?"

Redflower nodded weakly.

"You should think about moving to the nursery soon then."

"What?" Redflower blinked, admittedly surprised at Brightwing's suggestion, "I've still got a good moon and a half until the kits are born. I don't need to move to the nursery yet, I can still serve as a warrior for a little while longer," she turned up her nose indignantly.

The ginger-and-white she-cat held Redflower's stubborn gaze, "But you…" she began, before heaving a sigh and meowing, "Okay, fine. Has anyone ever told you that you can be really stubborn sometimes?"

Redflower chuckled, but remained silent. Her mind was still swimming with fear and doubt. Never before had she been so overwhelmed with confusion. All she wanted was to be happy, for her kits to be safe. I need you Dewclaw. I love you. But, how can this ever work? The thought of not seeing him for moons on end set her heart in an unsteady, un-natural beat and she swallowed nervously.

Brightwing seemed to see past Redflower's smile and nudged her comfortingly, murmuring reassuringly, "Don't worry, I know it's hard, but everything will be alright in the end."

Redflower wasn't so sure.

Molespots

As the reddish tabby tom led them through the crumbling twoleg nest, Molespots and Foxleap received various greetings. Some reacted immediately with hostility, whilst there were a few cats who peered at the two ThunderClan toms with curiosity. Molespots ignored their responses, gazing coolly ahead of him.

Winding in and out of the red-stone walls, ducking through holes and gaps in the stones, the twolegplace tom at last came to a halt before a low wall. His gaze flickered back to the two clan cats, his eyes narrowed, "Night will be with you in a moment, he's just returned from hunting. Stay here," he grunted, before leaping over the wall and disappearing.

The brown-and-cream tom exchanged a glance with Foxleap, but he kept his mouth shut, his heart thudding a little faster. Calm yourself, what are you, a mouse? He took a deep breath, The more confident you act, the more likely this will work, he told himself.

Moments passed and they waited in silence until at last the reddish tabby twolegplace tom reappeared, following him a lithe tom with a pelt black as night. If it weren't for a small dash of white on his face, Night would be as dark as the night itself. With piercing blue eyes, the tom acknowledged the two cats with a blink. He didn't display any emotion.

The reddish tabby tom dipped his head to Night before padding away, leaving Molespots and Foxleap alone with the black tom. Night was silent for a moment, regarding them with suspicious gazes.

"You want to join?" he challenged, something unreadable flickering behind his ice-blue eyes. His tail flourished from side to side, but otherwise, he stayed quite still.

Foxleap and Molespots both dipped their heads, "Yes, we wish to join you," Foxleap meowed, politely meeting the black tom's gaze, "Thank you for agreeing to see us."

"Do you have anything to add?" Night asked, turning his head to gaze upon Molespots, "Or are you just going to sit there?"

The brown-and-cream tom swallowed calmly before speaking, ensuring he sounded as calm and confident as possible, "This may seem very unexpected of us to turn up and request to join after our clan has just fought you," he took a deep breath, "ThunderClan, all of the clans, they were wrong to underestimate you like that. The fools have no idea what they're dealing with," he lied as best as he could, "I'm ashamed to belong to such a mouse-brained group of cats. The clans are fighting a battle they can't win, the future of the lake lies not with the clans, but with your cats. The days of the clans are over."

Night snorted, "You just want to join to save your sorry little pelts when the clans are defeated, don't you?" his gaze danced over them once more, "Well. I suppose we could always do with more cats, but…" he trailed off a little, unsheathing his claws, "I still don't quite believe your little tale. How do I know your loyalties don't still lie with that clan of yours?"

Foxleap blinked calmly, lifting his head so that he and Night stood at the same height, "Let us prove our loyalty to you then."

The black tom looked a little amused at first, then he took a deep breath and the humour faded from his gaze. He paused, studying the two toms closely, before meowing, "Okay then," he was quiet for a moment, then he smirked, "I have just the idea."

Molespots forced his pelt to lay flat, listening quietly.

Night's piercing blue gaze burned into his pelt, "For now though, I'll ask Trigger to show you around. More cats from the divisions will be arriving later tonight," he paused, letting his words hang in the air for a moment before continuing, "You will meet Misty and I tomorrow morning by the entrance. Then the chance will come for you to prove your loyalty."

Foxleap nodded, blinking gratefully, "Thank you."

Night glanced over them once more. Molespots couldn't help but notice that behind Night's bright blue gaze, hostility and suspicion still lingered. The brown-and-cream tom swallowed nervously.

Trigger turned out to be a dark brown tom with amber eyes and a slightly paler underbelly. When Night first told him of the two new
cats joining the watchers, he eyed them suspiciously, but as he gave them a tour around the twolegplace camp, his hostility faded a little.

"What is it you call that, a twoleg nest?" he asked Foxleap and Molespots, motioning towards the crumbling nest with a flourish of his tail. Both cats nodded. Trigger continued, "Ah, yes, good. Well, this 'twoleg nest' is the most important part of our camp. Only high ranking cats sleep there."

With a tip of his head, he pointed out different parts of the twoleg nest, "Where you met Night, that's his nest of course. Then those overgrown bramble thickets we just passed, those nests belong to Drake, Phoenix and I. I can point Drake and Phoenix out to you later if you wish," they padded onwards, ducking through holes in the red-stone walls, "This area here is where the sick are healed and a few healers work on… remedies."

Several wounded cats were lain out in this section of the twoleg nest, many other cats busying themselves and tending to the sick. A bright ginger tom with a missing ear was sprawled out upon a nest of leaves in the corner. A glossy-furred dark grey she-cat with bright amber eyes was applying an oddly coloured poultice to the injured tom's wounds.

"That's Phoenix," Trigger told them, following Molespots gaze to the bright ginger tom, "And that she-cat, the one tending to his wounds. That's Coal. She's a watcher, but she used to be a healer."

Foxleap and Molespots both nodded.

Trigger pointed out and named several more of the cats around them before moving on. They exited the twoleg nest and the dark brown tom led the way, veering off to the right, "The rest of the camp, where the lesser ranks sleep, is just this way."

Exchanging glances, Foxleap and Molespots followed Trigger in silence. The dark brown tom had them stop before they entered the next part of camp. His amber gaze trailed over them for a moment before he meowed, "Just to let you know, if you're to fit in around here, you're going to have to change your names," he observed them for a moment, before asking, "What were your names again."

"Foxleap… and Molespots," Foxleap put in.

"Ah, okay," Trigger nodded, "So, you'll probably have to call yourselves Fox and Mole or something. Or you can change your names altogether, if you wish? It's up to you. You certainly can't keep calling yourselves clan names like that though."

Changing our names? Molespots managed to shield his surprise, but his head was still reeling a little. Molespots was his warrior name, he'd earnt it through over six moons of hard work. Giving it up to become something as simple as Mole? He shuddered inwardly. It's okay, he tried to convince himself, you're not really changing your name, you're not really joining the twolegplace cats. Just because here you call yourself a different name doesn't mean you're a different cat.

Trigger searched their gazes for a moment before padding onwards once more. He pushed his way through bracken and fern fronds, leading them into a large clearing.

Cats scattered the clearing, some talking, others training and one or two slumbering lightly in their nests. There were no dens, all the leafy nests were open to the forest and facing the sky. Despite the deep dislike that Molespots felt for the twolegplace cats, despite all the trouble they had brought upon the clans, despite all their wrongdoings, the brown-and-cream tom couldn't help but admire their camp. They were much more than rogues banded together, they had a way of life, they lived by rules and regulations. Perhaps they weren't so different from the clans as they thought?

Sleeping under the stars? He thought quietly to himself, giving a little smile. He'd always wanted to sleep under the stars, like WindClan, there was just something so free and wonderful about that.

As the three cats crossed the clearing, cats paused in their activities, turning their heads to watch and whisper about the two clan cats. After a few moments, many simply shrugged it off and returned to what they were doing.

A dark brown she-cat approached Trigger and the two ThunderClanners, frowning upon the strangers, "Who are they?" she hissed, lashing her tail.

Trigger's gaze washed over Foxleap and Molespots for a moment before he replied, "These cats are Fox and Mole," he nodded to each cat in turn before flicking his tail to the dark brown she-cat, "Fox, Mole, this is Coco."

Molespots shifted uncomfortably when the dark brown tom addressed them by different names, but Foxleap shot his a glance and he soon sat still. The two clan cats dipped their heads to the dark brown she-cat.

Coco eyed them suspiciously, "They smell like clan cats," she meowed bluntly, frowning a little.

Trigger blinked, "They were clan cats, they're joining us, at least if they pass the initiation."

Initiation?

"I don't trust them."

The dark brown tom lowered his voice, "Look, I don't trust them any more than you do. If they don't pass the initiation, we can deal with them, but if they do, there might be a lot we can learn about them, more knowledge about the clans."

"But we already know more than enough about the clans, we've got"- she broke off, snapping her jaws shut when she remembered the two clan cats were still there.

"Yes, but we've lost one of them."

"She was a traitor," Coco spat.

"Look, Night's asked me to show them around, we can talk about this later," he muttered. Coco sighed, then turned upon her paws and strutted off.

"And now you've met my sister," Trigger meowed, turning back to face Molespots and Foxleap, "She can be a pain in the tail sometimes."

He shrugged it off, falling silent for a while. Then he motioned around the clearing with a flick of his tail, "There's not much more to see. You can choose a spot for your nests, though you'll have to make them yourselves," he hesitated, before adding, "Someone will need to explain to you all about our rules. But I suppose Night will probably organise that," for a moment his amber gaze clouded, then he blinked, "Well, that's it really."

Molespots dipped his head to the dark brown tom, "Thank you," he mewed politely, avoiding direct eye contact with the twolegplace tom. Foxleap mirrored his actions, also bowing his head to Trigger.

Trigger gazed upon them blankly, "I must go, Night wishes me to prepare for the arrival of the other divisions," his gaze briefly met Molespots' before he turned away, "Good luck," he meowed, before adding under his breath, "You're going to need it."

As Molespots and Foxleap watched the dark brown tom skulk away, they exchanged nervous glances. Molespots couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread mounting inside him. Although, in many ways, these cats were similar, they were also so distinctly different. There were dark secrets here, the brown-and-cream could sense their presence. Fitting in here would be a challenge.

Trigger had certainly been right, they were going to need all the luck they could get.

Dewclaw

After the battle of the previous night, morale was low in the Stone Hollow. They might have won, but it had been a vicious battle, with many cats injured and off their duties. Fear had settled over ThunderClan, infecting almost the whole clan with its icy clutches, fear not just of the capabilities of the twolegplace cats, but the future in general. It seemed that Onestar had forged an alliance with Night and the twolegplace cats, the most frequently asked question amongst the clan was whether this alliance was a permanent one. What did this mean for ThunderClan's relationship with WindClan? The reality of this war that they seemed to have found themselves entangled in was setting in at last.

Emerging from the dim of the Warriors' Den into the light of day, the dark grey tom's limbs were stiff and weary. He'd received a particularly nasty gash on his fore right leg which forced him to take the weight off that one leg, reluctantly limping three-legged across the clearing. His stomach growled at him, but the young warrior knew better than to take prey from the fresh-kill pile until he'd been hunting himself and the queens and elders had been fed.

Most of the clan were already awake, dawn had passed and the clouded sky was growing brighter as the sun peeked out from behind the grey. He paused briefly to rest his injured leg, the grey tom rasping his tongue over the wound vigorously. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but the pain from it was unimaginable. He'd already been to see Leafpool the previous day, who'd manage to soothe the pain somewhat, but this morning it had returned.

Perhaps I can ask her for something to ease it? So I can keep doing my duties?

"Dewclaw."

Upon hearing someone calling his name, the grey tom rose to his paws once more. It must be Snowfall, he decided, probably going to pester me about Redflower again or something. He hadn't spoken to the white tom since their argument and, quite honestly, Dewclaw had no intention of exchanging any words with his brother. He was still furious at his brother. I should never have told him about Redflower, he thought bitterly, he's nothing more than a nosy, mouse-brained-

"Dewclaw!"

As the dark grey tom hurried away, he heard the call again. Only this time he realised it wasn't Snowfall, but Bramblestar. Dewclaw blinked, slowing and turning around to face the dark brown tabby tom.

"B-Bramblestar," he stuttered in confusion, "I'm sorry. I thought you were my brother."

The ThunderClan leader stopped before the dark grey tom, "We need to have a discussion," his amber gaze was steady and calm, "I was going to suggest that we have a talk up in my den, but clearly from your wounds, it would be ridiculous to expect you to climb"-

"I'm not incapable, I'm fine, I can climb the"-

Bramblestar silenced him, "Quiet. We'll have to just talk out here instead, so I suggest you hold your tongue and listen to what I have to say."

The dark grey tom opened his jaws to speak, then sighed and clamped them shut. What could it be that Bramblestar needed to talk to him about? He doesn't know about Redflower, does he? His heart pounded a little faster, his mind racing, but he forced himself to stay calm, letting the hairs on his neck lay flat. He nodded.

"Good," Bramblestar gave a brief smile before falling solemn again, "You must realise that last night you broke a vital part of the warrior code, right?"

Dewclaw in took a shuddery breath, oh great StarClan, he knows. He knows. If Snowfall told him… Oh, if Snowfall told him, I'm going to make him regret ever poking his nose into my private life. Swallowing his pride, the dark grey tom began to gush out, "I know, I'm so sorry Bramblestar, I never meant to, I mean I didn't"-

Once again, the ThunderClan leader hushed him, "I said listen."

Dewclaw sighed.

The dark brown tabby tom studied the dark grey tom for a moment, "You went against my orders last night, Dewclaw. I asked you to stay, so that should ThunderClan be attacked you could help defend our home," there was a coldness to his amber gaze, "You of course know that the leader's word is law. It's a major part of the warrior code. If everyone were to disobey my orders, ThunderClan would be in chaos. It ensures that in situations like the battle of last night I can keep everyone calm and safe," he held Dewclaw's gaze, "I understand that you only wanted to help. After your journey, I knew you and your littermates would always feel a certain loyalty to SkyClan, but you must remember that this clan, ThunderClan, is your clan. Your loyalty must always be to ThunderClan."

As soon as the ThunderClan leader started speaking, relief swept through the dark grey tom and he relaxed slightly. But when the dark brown tabby tom started talking about loyalty, loyalty to ThunderClan and not SkyClan, he couldn't help but feel a prickle of guilt nibbling away at him from inside.

"Now, I feel that a punishment is of course in order to remind you of your loyalty to your birth clan," Bramblestar told him, disappointment swimming in his amber gaze, "I understand that you're already off duties for at least a moon and a half, to give that nasty wound a chance to heal," he motioned to Dewclaw's injured leg, "So I should think that you should also be confined to camp in that space of time, knowing you, you'll somehow manage to aggravate the injury if not," Dewclaw's heart sank, Bramblestar continued, "And I should think apprentice duties for a moon would also be suitable."

Confined to camp for a moon and a half? But… But I won't be able to meet Redflower! The kits are due in a moon and a half! His heart racing, the tom meowed desperately, "Bramblestar, you can't. Please, Bramblestar. I can't… I can't stay in camp that long," he locked gazes with the dark brown tabby, but he found no sympathy in Bramblestar's gaze, "Please, Bramblestar. Anything but that. I'll… I'll… I'll do apprentice duties for two moons instead, even three moons!"

Bramblestar gave him a look, a flicker of suspicion briefly flitting behind the dark brown tabby's gaze, "Volunteering for apprentice duties? That's a bit unlike you, Dewclaw," he studied the dark grey tom closely, "Is there anything you need to tell me?"

The dark grey tom swallowed nervously, veiling his gaze, "I, uh," he stuttered before sighing and lowering his head, "No Bramblestar."

The dark brown tabby tom regarded Dewclaw for a moment before meowing, "Good," his gaze lifted to the sky for a brief moment, "If you try to get out of these punishments, I'll only double how long you're confined," his meow was strong and assertive.

All Dewclaw could do was gaze down at his paws, helplessness welling up within him, "Yes, Bramblestar."

Bramblestar dipped his head to the dark grey tom, "Thank you for complying, you're dismissed now."

As the shady-furred tom watch his leader walk away, he tried to swallow the desperation mounting within him. Be strong, Dewclaw, be strong. But he couldn't help but feel more alone than ever.

Many thoughts on all that? So, Brightwing knows about Dewclaw and she's somehow managed to convince Redflower that perhaps just not meeting Dewclaw is a good idea! -gasp- And Molespots and Foxleap have spoken to Night and they're going to have to prove their loyalty somehow... But how? What are they going to have to do for that initiation? And more cats from the divisions are coming?! -deep breath- Dewclaw's been confined to camp for a moon and a half! He won't be able to see Redflower, who's kits are also due in a moon and a half. :O

SO MUCH IS HAPPENING. It's so hard to keep track of things.

Question of the Day ~ I've probably asked this before, but who's your favourite character? Out of the main characters in Blue Moon? Least favourite character?

Coming up next chapter:

- More of the aftermath of the battle

- Ambersky talks to Snowfall about Dewclaw

- Dewclaw tries to go and see Redflower

- Molespots and Foxleap have their initiation

Every review, unless you're a guest, gets a sneak peak of the next chapter from now on! I'm sorry that I didn't have the time to send out previews of the next chapter this time, I was on holiday. Thank you for reading!

Live, Love, Read and Race Unicorns. I mean Review.

Love Leafy x