(Here's the next chapter! That fox threat has passed, new plans are made. B3)

"Ok I'm here so what do I have to do?"

Smug smile.

"What?!"

"You came."

"And?"

"That's good."

"I know that already! Can we just get this over with?"

"Jayfeather, we have all night."

The she cat was making it painfully annoying though, smiling creepily at him and saying one or two worded sentences. It made his eye twitch. "Come on Silverclaw!"

"Patience kit, patience. Being that you are blind and that Flameblood and Killerfang won't be helping you with Flamekit all the time, lending you their sight and skills, you will have to train hard and keep your senses sharp and mind clear. This all starts with patience." Jayfeather growled lowly. The Moonclan ancestor was really really getting in his nerves now. Apparently reading his mind, Silverclaw snarled at him. "Fine then, leave. But think of this, the situation with Leafpool just might happen again, and maybe next time Flameblood and Killerfang won't be able to help you or her. You will definitely be of no help because you haven't been taking my training to do so!"

Jayfeather flinched and shrunk away, more from what she told him than her fangs and dangerous claws. He did not want that to happen again. "Alright I'll listen."

And like the wind, her mood changed.

"Good, now come with me." She turned and walked away, into a forest. Again, Jayfeather growled, but he followed her.

~ooo~

Jayfeather got tired of watching the smug grin on the red she cats face turn into a smirk every time he arrived for training. After Leafpool became well enough to walk alone and do warrior duties without fear of ever injuring herself again he finally agreed to take on Silverclaw's training. While he was getting trained to protect his clan, all it did have its downs Like how he woke up every night all sore and tired, like he has gotten no rest. The last training session he just finished was as brutal as the last four. Thankfully she didn't use her claws.

'This must be got Ivypool felt when she trained for the Dark Forest,' he thought groggily as he began to wake. Giggling, giggling everywhere. The annoying sound assaulted his ears and made them twitch. His tail flicked in agitation as the noise got louder the more he broke from his foggy sleeps. Soon it became unbearable.

"Shut up..." He hissed.

The giggling only continued. A tongue swiped his shoulder.

"Stoooop!" He growled.

A cuff to his ear made him flinch.

"Oh hush, your fur is terribly unkempt."

More giggling.

Jayfeather snapped his eyes open, though he knew he couldn't see. "Leafpool?"

"Yes that is my name." She mewed in distaste. "Now be still, your foot is dangerously close to my side." He stayed still regrettably, but he sat there trying to figure out who was giggling.

"Ow! My tail!" Someone squeaked, giggling being interrupted.

"Shouldn't gave been in the way you stupid ginger!"

"I'm telling mom!"

"Kits, behave." Leafpool warned. A chorus of "Yes Leafpool" filled the cave. Jayfeather then idly remembered warmth surrounding him and connected the giggling to what he had just heard.

Giggling=kits.

Warmth=Leafpool.

Tongue=cleaning.

"Whyyyy?" He whined.

And that'd how many of his mornings started.

~ooo~

It's been half a moon now. Jayfeather had stayed in the clan to take care of Leafpool, so Mudfur took his place in going to the Gathering. Cinderheart didn't go, not only because she couldn't be trusted and was being punished, but because she was now to the point where she couldn't go anywhere with the kits she was having.

Leafpool started walking around the clan yesterday after Jayfeather told her the wound was completely closed. She was able to sit and eat with her clan mates now without her side screaming at her, a big relief. Poppyfrost joked about him becoming sort of greedy when it came to Leafpool, her health and attention. Why he agreed to the health part he wholeheartedly disagreed with her attention. He wasn't some kit starving for the attention of his mother and craving affection, he was just a bit paranoid because of the fact that she survived a deadly situation, if you call bring reborn surviving, and simply chooses to keep her semi-isolated from the others in fear of them doing something stupid and causing her more pain. That was all there was to it. When he told the elder queen this she snorted and reminded him of three days ago. So what if he kept her away from Lionblaze and Squirrelflight? She was still being treated.

"Jayfeather, everyone could see she was fine." Rosepetal told him once. "They could also see that when you went for herbs she went with you while staying practically stuck to your side, and when she's hungry you get her food, and when we share tongues she's always in your den, and…" The medicine cat just hissed lowly and walked off. He was not starving for attention; he was taking care of her like a proper medicine cat, that's all.

Three days after Thornclaw was exiled Jayfeather told them about the other foxes. Bramblestar, five other warriors, Whitethunder, Cherry, Raven and Autumnspot went out to find them and chase them out. Bramblestar lost a life in doing so.

It turned out that Thunderclan had to go to battle with Riverclan after all since the repeated fishy scents crossing the borders became frequent. Bramblestar refused to let Whitethunder and Cherry fight in the battle with them because it was their clan battle. Though the clan knew it was if the pair fought beside them cats would die. They saw what the two could do after the fox raid.

Ravenpaw had been renamed Ravenheart after his short naming ceremony and Bramblestar announced to the clans at the Gathering of his rejoining of the clans. He also told them of Thornclaw and how he turned to traitor to the clans, along with the fox attacks. Other than that he didn't say another word.

The other followers of Thornclaw stayed true to their punishment and were working on earning their trust back to the clans, though some were very annoyed about it. Foxleap stayed clear of Raven and Lionblaze, both cats giving him the evil eye still. Even Jayfeather had a small anger towards him, if small counted as him growling at Foxleap's scent or the mere feeling of his presence. Squirrelflight stayed true to her word and made sure Cinderheart wasn't welcome in the nursery after it was safe for her to go back, knowing that the cats haunting Jayfeather were no real danger anymore. Bramblestar warned and told her that all queens were welcome in the nursery, but that didn't stop the ginger she cat from glaring at the grey tabby every time she spoke or picking fights.

Overall, the clan life was finally a peace. No trouble was stirred and everyone was finally, to a point, happy.

That was until Leafpool, Cherry and Sakura executed their plan.

No one knew that the she cats had planned it though, because the way it happen was completely normal. Sakura was just casually walking to the fresh kill pile just when Mousewhisker happened to be there and accidentally grabbed the same prey, she had the tail and he the body. "Oh, sorry." She muttered shyly and let the tail go. Mousewhisker blinked a quickly and shook his head.

"No, it's OK. I was grabbing this for Cinderheart but you obviously wanted it. Here," he gave her the squirrel. "I'll just give her the mouse."

"Are you sure?" Sakura asked, taking the squirrel hesitantly. "I mean, she's with kits. She needs it more than I. Here..." she dropped the squirrel at his paws and took the mouse from his mouth, making their whiskers twitch. "Thanks anyway!" She called out and turned to leave. Mousewhisker watched her owlishly before shaking his head and taking the squirrel to his mate.

Sakura dropped the squirrel off to Whitewing. "I got you a mouse. Don't ask why, it was out of good will." She then hastily left with a smirk on her face. All those who were in on the plan smirked back, including Raven. Whitethunder and the other foreign cats, excluding Cherry, had no clue.

~ooo~

"Bramblestar," Icecloud mewed lightly one day at sunhigh. The leader turned to her with a curious expression.

"Yes Icecloud?"

"I, well, I was wondering if I could..."

"Icecloud..." Bramblestar sighed. Icecloud had been pestering him about patrolling for a while now. "You will have to ask Lionblaze, he is the one issuing patrols. I would, maybe, allow you, but I have other matters to attend to..." He amber gaze slowly traveled over to Squirrelflight and he scowled. She was harassing Cinderheart again. It's been a quarter-moon since Sakura made her accidental pass to Mousewhisker, and within that time Squirrelflight and Cinderheart became worse when in each other's company.

Icecloud sighed and looked down as the leader bounded off to the nursery. She just knew Lionblaze was going to say no, he always did. Giving a dead look over to Lionblaze she dropped her tail and walked over to him. Raven and Whitethunder were sitting beside the ginger tom, muttering things to him. When they stopped and growled Lionblaze turned around and frowned.

"Icecloud..."

"Can I go on sunhigh patrol?"

Lionblaze sighed and closed his eyes. "For the last time Icecloud n-"

"Please Lionblaze! I'm tired of being stuck in the clan with nothing to do but hunt and apprentice duties! I won't try anything I swear! Please?"

Lionblaze shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to let her go, because in all honesty he wasn't particularly angry with Thornclaw's followers, not all of them anyway, just Cinderheart, Foxleap, Toadstep and Thornclaw himself. He was so tempted to let her go though.

The temporary deputy hesitantly looks over to the nursery, where Bramblestar was busy trying to help the queens break up the yowling match between Squirrelflight and Cinderheart. Lionblaze knew what Bramblestar was going to tell him if he asked, because it happened several times before, like two days ago...

"After I leave you will be leader, and that's if Squirrelflight lets you be deputy after the kits become paws. It is time to start making your own decisions."

Lionblaze sighed. Make his decisions? How? He glanced at the squabbling cats again and shivered as an idea struck him. 'It might work...'

"Icecloud," Lionblaze stared, eyes still on the struggling group as he spoke to her. "I will let you patrol..."

Icecloud's blue eyes lit up in joy, while amber and mismatched ones narrowed.

"But," he continued, making the she cat's ears drop slightly.

"But?"

"But only if you and Mousewhisker do this assignment I have for you."

Icecloud nodded eagerly and shot off to go get said tom. When she returned with him Mousewhisker himself was excited, if a bit suspicious. Just what did the deputy want them to do? What could possibly give them the chance to join the patrols again?

At his arrival Lionblaze glared at him. This was the tom who took Cinderheart from him. "Remember Lionblaze, the spider chooses her food." Raven told him ever so sagely. Those words made Lionblaze sigh heavily and close his eyes. Raven was right, Cinderheart chose Mousewhisker over him, and Mousewhisker did nothing.

'But this does fit in with Leafpool's plan,' he thought wickedly. He returned his attention back to the two fidgeting cats before him. "As we all know, Cinderheart and Squirrelflight are constantly fighting."

"Squirrelflight starts it!" Mousewhisker interjected.

"Hush and let me finish!" Lionblaze spat viciously at him, surprising both him and the four cats around him. Mousewhisker drew back in shock and fear, his ears flattened and tail curled around his leg.

Lionblaze made his fur lie flat and continued. "What I need you two to do is stop it."

Icecloud stared at him incredulously. "That's a death wish Lionblaze!"

"Only if you do it wrong," he replied smoothly. "All you need to do is play along and keep it smooth. Keep them separated, no contact and such. Also try weaning them off and try to at least settle their differences."

"Why would you have them do that though? How will that earn them the clan's trust?" Whitethunder questioned. Lionblaze admired him and was annoyed by him. While he was a deputy he could look up to, he was really annoying with questioning things.

"Because persuading two queens who hate each other to be civil is a completely hard thing to do, and as you can see even Bramblestar is failing. If you these two can do it then it will give them some respect and relieve the clan of this headache." Lionblaze told them.

"But how do you know they will resolve it?" Raven hissed. He looked at the two warriors, his face twisting up into a sneer. "They could side with Cinderheart...he could side with Cinderheart. He is her mate after all."

Mousewhisker bristled at the tom. "Are you accusing me of being unfaithful to my clan?"

"Yes, because I still don't trust you, Mouse." Raven snarled dangerously as he stepped closer. Mousewhisker willed himself not to take a step back. If he had to end up like Foxleap to defend his honor then he would.

Lionblaze gently pushed Raven back with his tail. "Which is why we want them to be truthful don't we?" He muttered. "It is why I have assigned it to them." Lionblaze stopped and waited for the cats to think over what he said. While if they declined they couldn't patrol, but if they accepted then it would help Leafpool, Cherry and Sakura's plan.

He would've purred loudly if not for his control when they both nodded.

"Good, now I'm assigning you to a cat. Icecloud you watch Cinderheart and Mousewhisker you will watch Squirrelflight. You two will switch every day, so that both of you can get both sides and a shot at stopping...well...that..." He nodded over to the nursery and they all turned to look. Both queens were claws on and literally spitting at each other now. Both followers gulped. "You are responsible for the cat you are assigned to and their actions, meaning that if Squirrelflight does something not within the clan's means you are to take responsibility. It falls on both of you how your cats act."

"What?! But Lionblaze!" both cat started.

"That is your job." The deputy hissed. "Plus it will give you some, insight, on when you take apprentices."

"OK," Icecloud mumbled.

"Good, not a word of this to anyone, not even to your mate," Lionblaze mewed with a frown directed to Mousewhisker. "I'm testing your loyalty to this assignment. As you heard from these two they still suspect you will not be up for the task and take sides. You mess it up and you might not ever get to patrol again until Bramblestar deems you so and most likely will put even more distrust into the hearts of your clan mates."

Both nodded quickly at that, though Mousewhisker looked worried. He knew telling Cinderheart could make Bramblestar and the clan distrust him more, but he could hide things from his mate. 'If you don't earn back their trust then your kits will suffer for it!' His mind hissed. A determined look appeared in his eyes. His kits will live in the clan as wanted kits, not traitorous ones.

"We will do our best, Lionblaze." Mousewhisker assured. He just hoped Squirrelflight would act accordingly.

Lionblaze purred in satisfaction. "Good. Raven, you, Molepelt and these two go patrolling." He flicked his ear at the black tom, who flicked his back. Whitethunder watched the two curiously. He knew a sign when he saw one; he spent his life with Cherryblossom after all. They were planning something, but what?

"Hey Molepelt!" Raven called and trotted off to meet the tom.

Lionblaze made contact to all of the other cats who were in on the plan and flicked his tail. Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, Bramblestar, Sakura and Cherry flicked their ears in response. Whitethunder watched keenly, frowning deeply. What was going on?

"Lionblaze, a word?" Leafpool yowled. She nodded him over to the apprentice den. When Whitethunder sighed and shook his head and turned to groom his back. The others slipped into the apprentice den as well.

"Well? What happened?" Cherry hissed quietly. Lionblaze couldn't help but smirk.

"I managed to speed the plan along a bit, all Sakura and Squirrelflight have to do is stick to their parts." Squirrelflight tilted her head questioningly. Lionblaze happily told them. "I've assigned Icecloud and Mousewhisker to break up you and Cinderheart's fight," he told her, raising his tail when she opened her mouth to protest. "Let me finish. They are supposed to stay with you for a day then switch up. You will have to act the part Squirrelflight, try to listen to their reason and don't, act up. Whatever you do will reflect on them and they will have to deal with the sonsequences. They are trying to win back the clan's trust, don't mess it up for them."

Squirrelflight snorted. "Who's assigned to me?"

"Mouswhisker."

Squirrelflight chuckled. "I'll try not to…" Bramblestar fixed her a stern glare. The queen sighed and leaned into him. "Fine, I'll keep it to a minimum. Nothing dangerous."

The leader purred in satisfaction. "Good."

"Wait, isn't this like giving them mentors?" Sandstorm asked curiously. Squirrelflight stiffened and growled.

"You're treating us like paws?!"

"In a way, yes. What's going on between you and Cinderheart is nerve racking." Lionblaze huffed.

"I have to agree with him, if it keeps up ill lose another life from stress." Bramblestar complained.

Squirrelflight hissed at them. "She wanted to kill Leafpool!"

"And I know that, but I've long forgiven, but not forgotten. It's almost been a moon as well and there is only so much the clan can take. We already have enough problems as it is." Leafpool mewed, gazing at her sister. "Thank you though, had you been in my position I would've done the same, if not more."

Squirrelflight flicked her tail and looked away. "I guess I can stop, if only a bit."

"Good! Lionblaze chipped. "Ok, you know who your 'mentor' is," Squirrelflight glared, "so you know what to do. Squirrelflight, when it gets to Mousewhisker you have to simply start dropping hints."

"Hints?" Sandstorm asked.

"Yes hints, innocent hint about Sakura that will hardly be thought of as hinting. Compliment her constantly when he is around, all that stuff."

"Oooh, it's like pushing him in my direction?" Sakura asked eagerly. Lionblaze nodded.

Leafpool nodded her head slightly. "Yes that could work actually, but remember to keep it subtle. Don't go too fast or they might suspect something is up." She warned.

"Cinderheart will suspect it, but will be too late." Cherry purred.

"Interesting," Bramblestar meowed. "That doesn't change anything for us does it?"

"No," Lionblaze said with the shake of his head. "You keep playing your roles."

"I will tell the clans then," Bramblestar mewed. Lionblaze nodded his head, only to pause when Bramblestar beckoned for him to follow.

"What?"

"I need to speak to you to tweek your plan a bit, nothing more." the leader assured.

"Cinderheart is going to get a taste of her own medicine." Sakura growled. All of them growled back in response before leaving the den. Whitethunder was watching from a distance suspiciously. Why were they all in there? He was sure something was definitely going on now, and his mate and daughter were a part of it.