Another chapter! Woohoo! XD Sometimes I think I get too excited for another chapter. Is that just me or do you do that too?

QLKwriter: Yeah, that was the general idea. They've already grown as much as they can while they stay together, so they can only continue to grow if they separate.

EradrinSkyleaf: XD Yeah, they just might not be too happy about separating. *sarcasm* I'll feel so bad throughout the story because they'll all be missing each other so much and it's me putting them through this misery. :( Oh well. And… #CANDY indeed!

Bobbie1776: Scourge's mate is really cliché, but it's just so open for debate! It's why so many people do it, apparently including a younger version of you. :P And that's actually probably what'll happen with the trio. XD Nice guessing!

Nightfeather: I feel you with your homework. :( And Birdclaw's dead! She's gone to the Dark Forest where Rainpaw can't follow to kill her again! XD That would make an interesting plot twist, though, if he went to train in the Dark Forest. But it probably won't happen.

catbooklover2004: Okay, sorry for thinking you hadn't. *embarrassed* It's just your only reply to the story was "Nice!" and I've gotten a good number of reviews like that over time when people don't actually read the story. Also, about the strange leadership, it's all explained in the first book. Yes, I know it's over 40 chapters long, but it's definitely worth reading for the explanations if nothing else. It'll make this whole second book make much more sense. ;)

ShadowHawk: :-/ That's strange... It really was one day for me. I posted one chapter on Friday and the next on Saturday, I thought. Maybe my memory's faulty or something.

MistClan505: Okay, thanks for letting me use your idea! :) It's just that I was thinking about what I should put in this story and I came up with this great idea, but then looking back on it later, I realized I might have just been taking your idea. I figured I'd be safe and ask your permission first. ;) And I'll make sure to put in credits to you! If I happen to forget, then just remind me and I'll either re-post the chapter or put it into the next chapter. Sound okay? I just don't trust my own memory. XD

Sootpaw's POV

We spent the night curled up together in the nest. It was still a tight squeeze, as we hadn't yet expanded it, but I didn't care. Lying there with my chin on Rainpaw's shoulder and Cinderpaw sprawled over my hind legs, I felt happy to spend one last night so close to them. I'd be missing them endlessly for half a moon or so until they returned to help me lead again.

Morning came too soon. When I woke to sunlight pouring into the den, I groaned, trying to wish it away. Why couldn't it still be nighttime?

But the light had already woken Cinderpaw. She lifted her head, blinking away the sleep, and extracted herself with minor difficulty from Rainpaw and me. Stretching and yawning, she began to wash herself.

Cinderpaw's movement seemed to have also woken Rainpaw. He blinked his eyes open, also yawning widely, showing his pink tongue and white fangs.

"Morning," he murmured, shaking his head and pushing up his shoulders in a stretch.

"Morning," I replied, rolling off of the mossy nest onto the stone floor of the cave. Shaking my head to clear my lingering drowsiness, I glanced out of the split in the rock leading to the clearing. Squinting through the sunlight, I spotted a few flashes of fur in shades of brown and gray flickering back and forth in the spaces between the rocks on the Highledge. The Clan was awake.

Hurriedly, I began washing my fur, flattening clumps that were sticking up and picking out strands of clinging moss, spitting them onto the ground. I knew I had to hurry, but I definitely wanted to look my best. I'd probably see Dawnpaw today.

"Come on, Sootpaw!" Cinderpaw meowed. I glanced up to see her and Rainpaw already standing at the den entrance. How had they cleaned themselves so fast?

"Yeah, just give me a moment," I muttered, bending back down and running my tongue more quickly through my dark gray fur.

"Your fur is fine!" Cinderpaw rolled her eyes. "Come on, we're already late enough!"

"Fine, fine!" I grumbled, finally abandoning my dedicated washing and pushing myself to my paws. "I just wanted to have good hygiene, which is apparently more than you can say, you skimpy washers, you." I shot my littermates a mock glare. Cinderpaw laughed as she led the way out onto the Highledge and down the Rockfall.

The cats of LeopardClan seemed to all be awake already. I couldn't believe we'd overslept this much.

Nah, that was just your overlong grooming session you had there, Cinderpaw sent me mentally. Then, Your thoughts are spilling over a little. Keep a tighter grasp on them, will you?

My fur suddenly grew warm, though it had nothing to do with the bright sunlight. Hastily, I reeled in every last stray thought. What was going on with me today? I was so disorganized and all over the place. Had I really taken that long to groom myself or was Cinderpaw just teasing me? Was my feeling of being all over the place a sign from StarClan that we shouldn't split up? But then how could we possibly defeat NightClan without backup?

"Are you sure about this?" I muttered to Cinderpaw and Rainpaw.

Cinderpaw rolled her eyes at Rainpaw, who turned and meowed, "Yes, Sootpaw. We discussed this already. It's the only way."

"I know, but it's just… do you have to go?" I pleaded, not completely sure what I meant myself.

Rainpaw's gaze softened. "I know what you mean," he murmured, pausing for a moment to press his nose against my cheek, "but we have to do this. You know we have to. But don't worry, we'll see each other soon enough. It's only about half a moon we'll be gone, right?"

"Hopefully," I muttered. "We don't know how far away RiverClan even is!"

Rainpaw drew his tongue over my ear comfortingly. That's Rainpaw, I thought proudly, sure this time to keep my mind to myself. Always the comforter. He'll make a great leader one day. But what about me? I go to pieces every time something big happens. Look at what happened this morning. What's still happening now!

Cinderpaw glanced over her shoulder. "Coming, slowpokes?" she asked.

"Yeah," I called, bounding forward with Rainpaw at my side.

We made our way through the Clan to a collection of flattish rocks warmed by the sun. We'd figured this was the best place to make our announcement. It was down at the Clan's level, unlike the Highledge, but still elevated above them so we could be heard and seen by all. We wanted to be part of the Clan today, not separate leaders of the Clan. We had to remind them that, though we were separating temporarily, we were still together as one Clan.

"Let all the cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Sun-Rocks for a Clan meeting!" Cinderpaw yowled. Rainpaw and I scrambled up the stones to stand beside her, with me in the middle.

The cats, looking confused at the change of a Gathering place, bounded over in groups of twos and threes to sit in the grassy clearing, gazing up at us. I felt many pairs of eyes on me and felt my pelt grow slightly hot again. If I became embarrassed by just standing in front of the cats I'd known for what felt like ages, then how could I lead in Cinderpaw's and Rainpaw's absence?

I felt Cinderpaw's hind leg nudge mine. Of course. It was my turn to speak. So, clearing my throat, I stepped forward and fixed my eyes on the opposite side of the clearing.

"Cats of LeopardClan," I began in a slightly quaking voice, "as your leaders, Cinderpaw, Rainpaw, and I have come to a decision." I took a deep breath. Every cat was staring at me. There was no going back now. Once I said it, it would be final. "Cinderpaw and Rainpaw will be temporarily leaving the Clan."

A stunned silence greeted my words. I swallowed nervously, risking a glance down at the cats. Every single one had eyes as wide as walnuts, some even with their jaws parted in amazement or disbelief. Then, one of them – it was impossible to tell which – began yowling.

"What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Won't we be weaker with less leadership?"

"How do you expect to lead the Clan alone?"

"Is this what Ashthorn would have wanted?"

I looked from face to angry face. Most everyone was either shouting their disapproval or glaring up at me. A few, including Foxtooth and – my heart did a little lurch – Dawnpaw, merely sat there looking speechless with shock.

I locked eyes with Dawnpaw. I meant it to be only for a heartbeat, but somehow I couldn't quite manage to look away. Those pale blue eyes seemed to draw me in, their endless depths beckoning enticingly. I longed to get lost in those eyes, to sit there staring into them until my littermates returned from their quest.

Then Dawnpaw looked away. I remembered our last conversation, the one where I'd brought up Featherpaw. When I'd tried to talk to her later, she'd turned me away, refused to speak to me. I yearned to tell her how much I regretted that.

Cinderpaw had stepped forward. I glanced sideways and saw her staring down the entire Clan, her eyes like chips of blue ice. Suddenly, I was glad I was up in front of the Clan, not amongst the Clan. I wouldn't want to have to face that look.

"You want to know why?" she yowled, somehow managing to be heard over all the noise. "I'll tell you why!"

The clamor quietened by about half. There were still some cries of dissent, but after Cinderpaw swept the crowd with that steely gaze once more, silence fell again.

"I'll tell you why," she repeated in a quieter voice. "You all know exactly how many cats we lost in the battle. Too many. And those on the Sunhigh patrol with me yesterday saw how many NightClan warriors are out there, waiting for their wounds to heal. Too many." She lashed her tail and took a step forward. "Rainpaw and Sootpaw figured out a plan last night. We need backup, right? So Rainpaw and I will be leaving on quests to find cats who will help us fight."

More yowling had begun even before she'd finished speaking.

"Where will you find cats like that?"

"There won't be any cats who'll help us fight!"

"How do you know they'll actually help us? What if they're spies for the enemy?"

"Silence!" Cinderpaw snapped, glaring around at the cats. "We'll make this work, okay? Trust us. You have to trust us to know what we're doing."

The Clan's protests died down yet again. I wondered how Cinderpaw could possibly make them listen so effortlessly. She seemed to know exactly what to say. Which, of course, was more than I could do. Dawnpaw still wasn't making eye contact with me.

"I will be traveling to find RiverClan. Many moons ago, they left the lake to avoid war, yes, but I think that if I offer them freedom if they return, then they will come and fight with us. Also, Rainpaw will be returning to the forest where the peace-loving cats live. We believe that, since those cats left originally to raise their kits in peace, will return to fight for their homes now that their kits have grown into apprentices like us." Cinderpaw took a deep breath, then continued. "We will be leaving this morning to find our backup. After all, the sooner we leave, the sooner we return and the less time NightClan has to attack before our reinforcements arrive."

To my immense relief, the cats of LeopardClan were finally beginning to look thoughtful, and a few were even nodding agreement. It seemed they would accept our decision after all. Which meant that my littermates were, in fact, leaving. There was absolutely no hope now for them to stay here with me.

Rainpaw and Cinderpaw leaped down from the Sun-Rocks and, after a heartbeat, I followed. Together, we made our way through the cats of LeopardClan. They parted in front of us, many wishing Rainpaw and Cinderpaw luck and even a few asking Rainpaw to say hello to cats in the forest for them. I trailed along a pace behind, my tail dragging in the dirt no matter how hard I tried to keep it up.

We emerged from the crowd and paused. The camp entrance was only a few tail-lengths in front of us now. A few tail-lengths away from so many sunrises that would be completely Cinderpaw- and Rainpaw-free. I wasn't looking forward to it at all.

They turned – my loyal, caring brother and my fierce, protective sister. I could see it in their eyes – they were sad to leave. I didn't know if they knew exactly how much my heart was breaking to see them go.

"Take care of yourself," Cinderpaw whispered, pressing her nose against my cheek in a rare gesture of affection. "I'll be back with the RiverClan cats soon enough, don't you worry. I'll find them."

"I know," I muttered, my throat closing up so I could hardly speak. "I know. You'll… you'll do great. You always do."

Cinderpaw grinned. "And don't doubt your abilities. You're a great leader, Sootpaw, you really are."

With that, she turned around and began bounding away. I had half a mind to rush after her, to call her back, but I resisted the urge. She had to do this – she had to leave. And I had to stay here.

I glanced over at Rainpaw. "You'll be okay, won't you, little bro?" I asked, feeling my eyes growing moist.

Rainpaw flashed me a sort of half-smile. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"Are…" My question almost died in my throat, but I forced it out anyway. I had to make sure his grief wouldn't prevent him from completing his mission. I had to make sure he wouldn't just give up. "Are you sure you're fine? I mean, ever since the battle, what with Silverdapple and all…"

A pained expression crossed Rainpaw's face, but he forced it away. "No, I'm fine. Really, don't worry about me."

I took a deep breath. The hard question was out of the way.

"But Sootpaw?" Rainpaw continued, staring me right in the eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I wouldn't mind if, you know," his voice lowered and he glanced behind me. "I wouldn't mind if… well, you and Dawnpaw seem to be getting pretty close." He glanced down and gave his chest a few licks.

I felt my fur growing pretty warm myself. "Oh," I muttered, staring down at my paws. That had not been what I was expecting.

"I wouldn't mind. It wouldn't hurt my feelings or anything. Okay?"

"Okay," I meowed, looking up and grinning at him. Rainpaw returned it. "Okay, little bro. Now go do your mission. Cinderpaw and I'll be waiting for you and Lightwing."

Today's just going to be opposite from the last update, I guess. I have no inspiration for a QOTD, but I have some good advice for you. So here's the advice, I guess. Sorry, I might have both up for the next upload!

It's always best to show something rather than telling something. Here's an example from the writing competition I'm entering:

It's as dark as if it suddenly turned night as we enter the church. Everything is covered in black, from the windows to the chairs to the people to the big box lying at the front of the room. Though the lid of the box is propped open, I can't see inside. (POV a seven-year-old boy)

You know it's a funeral just from the context, rather than saying something along the lines of:

As we entered the church, I realized everything had turned as black as night. It must be a funeral.

The first is more descriptive and probably more enjoyable to read. So if you can show something rather than just saying it, it would be better. (this goes for tons of scenarios, from descriptions of a party rather than saying it's a party, to describing someone's personality by the way they carry themselves and what clothes they're wearing rather than saying what their personality's like, to showing someone's reaction to something scary or confusing rather than saying that they were scared or that they were confused)