I have only myself to blame for this new series I unintentionally started. Yes, no longer is it a one-shot, it is its own special spin-off and will be much longer than my Exiled fic…I'm pretty sure it's going a long way this time!

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Also, angst ahead!!! Seriously, I was queasy throughout writing this!

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"Why don't you just move in? Save me the time and effort of setting up a new nest over and over again." Mudfur grumbled as he plastered a overpowering sweet smelling paste on Morningpaw's injured pale orange underbelly. "Maybe I'll even consider making you my own apprentice."

"Wh--What?" Morningpaw gasps, hazy mind startled. The poppy seeds Mudfur had given her earlier had really done a lot to ease the pain coming from her wounds.

Mudfur only snorted. "You'd only encourage warriors to go out and pull minnow-brained stunts that would get them sent right to the medicine cat's den. Way too much work. Forget I said anything."

Morningpaw wanted to complain about how untrue that was but thought better of it. Mudfur had patched her up so many times by this point that it was a good idea to remain on his good side, since he could just leave her to die at any time.

Both the medicine cat and his injured patient looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Morningpaw nearly swallowed her tongue seeing Crookedstar stride in the den. Accompanied by Oakheart.

Mudfur moved out of the way as they both walked in. The presence of both the leader and deputy put the flame pelted apprentice on edge.

She wriggled under Crookedstar's piercing gaze. The RiverClan deputy is sitting a few paces away, studying her stretched out form intently. Morningpaw clenched her claws into the nest's soft feathers, keeping her eyes directed to the den's ceiling. She can feel her chest clenching and her breath becoming raspy. Morningpaw tries to let out little sigh's to calm her frazzled nerves, but her heart refuses to stop pounding wildly.

Morningpaw's ears perk when she hears Oakheart's breathy chuckle. It makes her relax somewhat.

"You've certainly been a pawful, Morningpaw." Oakheart meowed, sounding almost fond.

Crookedstar, on the other foot, didn't show the same reaction. "Yes, she has."

A few moments passed without anyone saying anything. It felt awkward on Morningpaw's end. It was also driving her insane, just wanting things to be over already. Morningpaw hoped her punishment wasn't too harsh.

"What you did was out of line." Crookedstar meowed, "perhaps offering you a place in the Clan had been a mistake."

No.

Morningpaw lets out a little whimper of protest but cannot respond. Crookedstar is looking at her intensely with his steely emerald-green eyes. It makes Morningpaw's heart freeze in place. What he had just said- no. Morningpaw couldn't go back to any other life that wasn't a Clan cat. Morningpaw had already lost her place in ThunderClan, she could not lose her place in Riverclan too.

"You can't be serious, Crookedstar." Oakheart meowed, appearing shocked.

Crookedstar turned to his brother. "Why shouldn't I be, Oakheart."

"Apprentices make mistakes," Oakheart stubbornly added. "We both know how we were. Morningpaw was caught up in the moment of concern. We can't fault her for caring."

"Her caring brought us into a war with ShadowClan." Crookedstar griped, "something we should be avoiding."

Oakheart grunted in objection. "ShadowClan has already made it clear that they are our enemy. Have you forgotten that only recently they were here in our camp, our home, making threats?"

"They wouldn't have made those threats if you had only remained quiet." Crookedstar fired back, looking more and more upset with his brother every passing second.

Oakheart stills. Sudden tension in the space between the two brothers could be felt in the air. It made Morningpaw sink back in the nest, she didn't think what they were saying was about her anymore. Mudfur watched them all intently.

"What," Oakheart began, "does that mean? That you'd allow ShadowClan to just do as they please? Allow them to push us around. Do you think the Clan would be happy with that decision? I certainly wouldn't be."

"But it's not, nor would it ever be, your decision. You are the deputy, therefore you should act like it." Low blow.

A flash of hurt appeared across the dark reddish-brown tom's face, before it was replaced with growing annoyance, "but does my word not count for anything? I'm your brother. Do I matter so little to you?"

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes on his brother. "Being a leader goes beyond blood-ties. I need to make decisions for the good of the whole Clan."

"What happened was for the good of the whole Clan!"

Mudfur sigh's, coming between the arguing brothers, "So foolish," he says, shaking his head. "I've seen plenty of mistakes happen throughout a lifetime, this is hardly one to fret over. What has happened with WindClan can't be undone. Though perhaps now we will be on better terms with them."

The tension continued to simmer for a bit till Crookedstar looked away first. The RiverClan leader, rising to leave. Ignoring his deputy and medicine cat. Just standing to leave. Whatever was on his mind was made up.

"Umm, Crookedstar--" Morningpaw called out before the light brown tabby could leave, her thoughts trying to find a place to go other than her swirling mind.

The huge, glossy, thick-furred, tabby leader stopped right before the entrance of the medicine cat's den. He turned his head back around in their direction, but his eyes were trained somewhere over their heads, "Morningpaw will remain a part of RiverClan. That is my choice." Then he was gone.

The three remaining cats were left in shocked silence. The conversation had gone by so fast that Morningpaw wasn't able to process it all.

"Well," he starts. "We should find something better for you to do as punishment."

"That can come later." Mudfur cut in. "Morningpaw stills needs to recover and that will take some more time."

Oakheart focused more on Morningpaw's state, before quietly agreeing with the medicine cat. Morningpaw just stared back, trying to keep her head up and trying to keep up with the conversation.

"Shhh," Oakheart purred softly. "Lay back down and sleep. Crookedstar says you're staying, and that's all you need to know. Now rest and get better."

Feeling reassured, Morningpaw melted back into her temporary nest, the high tension of the situation had exhausted her completely. Now the only thing she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep for about a moon.

As she began to drift asleep. Morningpaw didn't think Crookedstar had been speaking to any of them when he made his decision. It was as though he was speaking to someone else. Someone they couldn't see. Or hear. Or even realize it was there.

Who had Crookedstar been talking to really?

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Fun Facts:

Inspiration struck me and the plot is now semi-established! I have BIG plans!

Mudfur is seriously just thinking about moving Morningpaw Into the medicine cat's den at this point. She's been in it three times for serious injuries over a span of barely a few moons.

Oakheart, very important for the story! (Along with a few others!) A key player!

Crookedstar and Oakheart, great sibling duo? Yep, that is going to be VERY important (and just plain cool) later on!

M.a.p.l.e.s.h.a.d.e

Also another key player will be coming up in the next chapter!

Do my chapters seem longer to any of you? I know some of you like longer chapters so I'm trying to do that!