[Leafpool] waved her tail in greeting as she padded past Cloudtail and Daisy; as she left the clearing she heard Cloudtail meowing, "This time try to pretend I'm a badger and I'm going to eat your kits." "But my kits really like you," Daisy protested.
Squirrelflight rested her tail on his shoulder, urging him to lie still until his injuries could be treated. Brambleclaw led Stormfur and Brook up to Firestar. The Clan leader's eyes stretched wide in surprise. "Stormfur...and Brook! What are you doing here?" "There'll be time to explain later," Stormfur meowed. "For now, Firestar, put us to work.
Of course. I have made good friends in all the Clans. I've seen kits born and watched elders leave on their final journey to Silverpelt. I've made the long journey to the Clans' new home. Believe me, I wouldn't change a single day. I know it is not in your power to give me longer with my Clan. But I can't help wanting more.
Crowfeather: Leafpool, I know you feel the same as I do. Somehow we have to be together. Leafpool: But I'm a medicine cat, and I'm from another clan. There isn't any future for us Crowfeather. Crowfeather: Leafpool, do you want to be with me as much as I want to be with you? Leafpool: Yes, I do.
With Daisy, Sorreltail, and Ferncloud all busily licking, the kits soon started to stir, letting out faint, whimpering cries. But Daisy didn’t look up until all three revived enough to nuzzle into her belly and start suckling.
This isn’t what I expected to find,” he meowed. “What happened?” Squirrelflight stared in disbelief. After the badger attack, she had thought nothing else could shock her, but for a heartbeat she forgot how to breathe. Gazing curiously around them, sleek furred and calm among the shattered Clan, were Stormfur and Brook.
Crowfeather crouched beside her, his amber eyes burning as he gazed across the clearing. “You wouldn’t think he’d be so upset about the death of another Clan’s medicine cat,” Ashfur muttered into Squirrelflight’s ear. Squirrelflight didn’t say anything. She knew the gray-black warrior wasn’t just grieving for Cinderpelt.
the reek of blood engulfed her, and she saw that the water in the lake was a blood-red tide sucking hungrily at the land. “No!” she gasped. Before all is peaceful, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.
Squirrelflight wanted to wail out loud. Leafpool had lost so much too. She must have loved Crowfeather very much to give up everything for him. Would I do that for Ashfur? Squirrelflight wondered. Somehow, she didn’t think she would. For Brambleclaw? She blinked, realizing that that was a question she couldn’t answer.
meowed. “I’ve got feelings too, just like any other cat.” “Of course you have. But a medicine cat has to control those feelings for the good of her Clan. The path we follow has its own rewards. I’ve never felt cheated by the destiny StarClan sent me.” Every word she spoke tore into Leafpool like a badger’s fangs. Fury surged inside her. “You can’t possibly understand!” she spat. “You’ve never been in love!” Cinderpelt’s blue gaze rested on her, unspoken thoughts flickering like minnows in her eyes. “It’s easy for you,” Leafpool went on bitterly. “You’ve never wanted anything else.” The medicine cat flexed her claws, and her neck fur began to rise. “How do you know what I want?” There was the hint of a snarl in her voice. “How do you know what hopes I gave up to follow the path StarClan laid down for me?” Leafpool flinched. She had never seen Cinderpelt this angry. “You’ll come back to camp with me—now!” Cinderpelt growled. “And stop this nonsense for good. It’s for your own sake, Leafpool. Meeting Crowfeather can’t be right if you have to lie and sneak around in the shadows. I haven’t spent all this time training you to be a good medicine cat for you to throw it away like this. Your Clan needs you!” “No! I won’t come!” A gale of guilt and anger swept through Leafpool. “I’ll go on seeing Crowfeather whenever I want to, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me!” Cinderpelt’s eyes flashed and she launched herself at Leafpool, claws out. Leafpool turned tail and ran.
