Sooooo here is chapter six! Yay! This is in Dappleleaf's perspective. I have written SO many chapters ahead and I'm like, "Yes, this is exciting" and I have to realize that on here the story is further back in the plot line. Sigh. Oh well.

I have to say that I am so close to writing a chapter with a planned Creamstep appearance! I never imagined I would miss her character this much!

FACT: When writing the three sisters, I wrote Dappleleaf as the kind, compassionate one, Creamstep the resourceful one, and Rainstorm as the impulsive, emotional and loyal one.

"Really? Dappleleaf, I know I was harsh about it at first. I believe you now, okay? I want to help! Just talk to me!"

Dappleleaf sighed, pausing and surveying Ashfall. "I know you do. But I'm fine now, I promise. Trust me, I would never protect Rosethorn...not in a million years!"

Ashfall sighed, nodding. "Fine...okay I believe you. Promise me that you will talk to me, though? Please, Dappleleaf? And the fact that it was a rogue who helped you...it seems suspicious, is all."

Dappleleaf nodded quickly. "Sure. Of course I'll always look for your help." She took a step forward, looking into his amber eyes. "Ashfall, you need to stop worrying about me, alright? I've noticed a, well, a difference in your mood. I still remember you as an apprentice, and you acted differently."

Ashfall tilted his head to the side. "Well, of course. I was an apprentice! I mean, I was young and it wasn't like it is now. So much has happened in the past moons."

"The only difference between then and the present is that you didn't have a weight on your shoulders all the time. And right now you shouldn't. You should be just as carefree as you used to be. I'm fine and everyone is fine, so you can stop worrying." Dappleleaf took another step closer.

Ashfall shut his eyes. "Yes. Okay, maybe you're right." He hesitated, then smirked. "That's a first, then?"

"Hey!" Dappleleaf squealed, giving him a shove. "I think it was more like the other way around!"

Ashfall rolled his eyes and gave her cheek a lick. "Okay, lets agree to disagree? I mean, one of us is right, obviously, but for the sake of your pride I'll just let it slide!"

"You mean for your pride! It's okay not to be right, Ashfall, don't beat yourself up," Dappleleaf teased, starting for the entrance to the warrior's den. Her heart was fluttering just like it had done moons ago, and she loved the feeling. They were just happy again, and it felt good. "I've got to go, okay?"

Ashfall's eyes, which were lit with enjoyment, suddenly fell. "You're going to visit with the loner?" he asked slowly, shaking his head. "It's suspicious, okay?"

"Stop, you're worrying again. He is really helpful in making sure Rosethorn stays away," Dappleleaf explained, slightly exasperated since they had gone over this particular topic multiple times.

Ashfall nodded. "Just be careful, please?"

"I promise."

Dappleleaf weaved her way through the forest, stepping over the border marking without thinking twice. She kept walking until she was a good distance away from the territories. She paused, glancing around. "Ginger?" she called out.

While Ashfall didn't trust the loner, Dappleleaf did. He had saved her life, and he had become a genuinely good friend over the course of time since they had first met. He had wanted to help her and now they were close as they tried to figure out Rosethorn's plan.

"Here," Ginger meowed, hopping out of a shrub. He glanced around. "No Ashfall?" he questioned, a slightly disappointed look coming over his face. "I am assuming he doesn't want to meet me."

"It's okay, Ginger," Dappleleaf meowed. "He'll warm up to the idea. He just is wary of loners, is all." She paused. "But Ginger...this isn't working either way. We meet here every other sunrise hoping to discover Rosethorn's plan, but for what? She's gone now! Why do we need to know her plan?"

"In case she ever tries again," Ginger explained. He sighed. "You're right, though. Coming out here this often...it's going to raise suspicion. I'm sure the first thought would be that you're meeting with your sister, but it is really risky for you."

"I know," Dappleleaf replied, sighing. "Which is why I am asking you this. Will you...would you ever consider joining SunClan?"

Ginger's eyes widened with shock. "Oh...I don't know. Clan life doesn't really work for me. I take care of myself."

"Ginger, come on, you can be a part of something. Every cat will watch out for you, and they will care about you. Consider it, won't you?" Dappleleaf urged hopefully. "And then you can meet Ashfall. You two can get to know each other and we will have more help if we really want to catch Rosethorn!"

"Hollowstar? Where is he?" Sagewhisker demanded, glancing around. There was a cluster of cats behind her, shielding something. Dappleleaf squinted and breathed a sigh of relief when she caught sight of ginger fur.

Ashfall's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "A rogue," he commented distastefully. "What loner wants to join a clan?" He shrugged, rolling his eyes. "And Hollowstar will most likely allow it. He's soft."

Dappleleaf gave him a quizzical stare. "Ashfall, that's Ginger. He's the loner who saved me. And it was my idea that he joined SunClan, not his. He was actually reluctant."

Ashfall paused, uncertain. "Dappleleaf...," his voice trailed off, at a loss. "Why, though? You have it under control. I've told you before that I doubt we would get along, and to be honest I wish you would confide with me rather than him."

Dappleleaf sighed, leaning closer to Ashfall. "Is someone jealous? That's cute."

Ashfall rolled his eyes. "As if. If anyone is jealous its you. I don't know why, but I know for certain that I, Ashfall, am not jealous. It's not like I have anything to be jealous about anyway."

Dappleleaf nodded, but said in a serious voice. "Ginger and I are friends, that's all. The only reason I talk to him about Rosethorn over you is that he actually experienced what I did. Being haunted by a dead cat, I mean."

Ashfall's gaze grew unhappy again, making Dappleleaf wince. She might've said the wrong thing to diffuse the situation. "Well, I guess you're right. How could I possibly understand anything to do with Rosethorn? I only grew up with her, lived with her, and trained with her. Its not like I have stood against her in battle or anything," he muttered sarcastically.

Dappleleaf sighed, shutting her eyes. "Ashfall stop that! Okay? You know what I mean! Why make a huge deal about it?" She lowered her voice slightly. "You need to just relax. Give Ginger a chance. You will like him as well. Please, Ashfall, I could really use your support right now."

Ashfall rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah? Why not just get support from your new best friend."

"Gingerfur! Gingerfur! Gingerfur!"

Dappleleaf half-heartedly joined in with the chanting for the new warrior. Yes, Gingerfur now being a part of SunClan smoothed out some complications in her life, but apparently it created others as well. She cast a look over at Ashfall, who was sitting near the edge of camp and merely watching the ceremony.

Dappleleaf took a wary step in his direction, but paused. No. I have done nothing wrong. Since when is he like this? He needs time to calm down and realize what a helpful and good friend Gingerfur is.

"Dappleleaf, right?"

Dappleleaf jumped at the sound of her name. "Wha...yes." She faced the speaker, relaxing when she saw Gingerfur. "Oh hey...strange foreign cat I have never ever met before."

"I guess I'm a warrior now. It feels odd. I can't quite get used to the feeling, if I'm being frank." Gingerfur glanced around. "It is going to take some time before I settle into a clan. It's all so strange."

Dappleleaf nodded. "I guess I have an idea of what it's like. I mean, I wasn't a born SunClan cat. But trust me, my loyalty...it's all here." She looked down, thinking of her sister, Rainstorm, who was the only reason to miss LeafClan. Those cats...they were scavengers at times. Attacking their own clan mates and casting others out. It was brutal, and Dappleleaf never realized how much her home clan schemed.

"What if you ever went into battle against them?" Gingerfur asked curiously. "I mean, clearly you wouldn't fight your sister or your friends. But what about your mentor? Is it possible that you still harbor faith in that clan, that you still care?"

Dappleleaf opened her mouth to deny it, but paused to think for a moment. "Yes, it's possible. Streamskip is a good cat. I doubt Hollowstar would ever send me in to battle against them, though. He knows I'm loyal, but I doubt he would risk it."

Gingerfur nodded. He started for a quieter corner of camp, gesturing her to follow him. "Come here, I have important news," he whispered, glancing around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping.

Dappleleaf followed him to the edge of camp. "Yes?" she asked, puzzled. As much as she hated Rosethorn and everything she intended, Ashfall's words held truth to them. What were they doing? She was gone. There was not an actual point to uncovering her secrets and plans.

"I figured it out," Gingerfur meowed softly, eyes bright with excitement. "I know what Rosethorn wanted to do. Thank StarClan she failed at her plan. She does get credit for coming up with this astounding idea, though."

Dappleleaf leaned forward. "What if it?" she demanded eagerly. "I mean, I just figured she planned to torture me. She wanted me dead."

Gingerfur took a deep breath. "She wanted you to die, right? She wanted your life. Don't you see? If she took your life, then she could have it. Meaning she would be alive."

"Wait, what? A life? That's not...a life isn't an object. You can't just take it." Dappleleaf objected slowly, unsure and baffled.

"Yes, I thought about that. But they are given and taken away. Your clan leaders get eight extra lives given to them. When you died...Rosethorn wanted to somehow do the same thing and take your life and keep it herself."

Dappleleaf blinked, stunned. "This is a bit farfetched, don't you think?"

"But possible."

"Yeah, possible...I guess."

So, what do you think? I'm hoping for 88 reviews for the next chapter!

Next chapter: Rainstorm finds herself seeing the dead Sparrowpaw. She starts putting the pieces together about the murders in LeafClan.

Question: Does Rosethorn's plan make sense now? Was it unexpected?