Chapter 16

"I swear Lakekit," Dovepelt shook the small kit off her fur,"You're going to make your mentor very worried one day," The small kit had been running around camp all day, hiding in the camp's crevices and dens. Leafpool had been looking for him all day, but Dovepelt finally found him when she came back from patrol with Firepaw. Dovepelt picked the large kit up by the scruff and padded out of the warriors' den towards the nursery. His mother was sitting outside next to the very round Gingerstep. Leafpool looked up as Dovepelt approached.
"There you are!" Leafpool got to her paws and met Dovepelt in front of the nursery. "He needs a mentor to watch him," Leafpool sighed. Dovepelt nodded, but mentors were hard to come by now, with her own litter using most of the ready warriors. And until Lionblaze and Cinderheart were in better spirits they weren't candidates, maybe Leaftail or Twigstorm though.
"Dovepelt! Dovepelt!" A small apprentice scrambled through the entrance to camp. Her eyes bright, Honeypaw scrambled over the large tree trunk and shot passed Bramblestar and Onestar huddled over the fresh kill pile. Bramblestar looked up and excused  himself from the conversation. Honeypaw stopped in front of her mother, her fur prickled with excitement.
"It was amazing! I've never seen-" Honeypaw was cut short by Jayfeather's disapproving growl, he was standing behind her now with Bramblestar at his side.
"A medicine cat doesn't tell others about their ceremony," Jayfeather interjected, then he let his fur relax,"But Starclan accepted her," Dovepelt nuzzled her daughter, letting out a relaxed purr.
"Congratulations Honeypaw," Bramblestar's deep voice rumbled,"Jayfeather I need to talk to you," Jayfeather dipped his head to his apprentice and Dovepelt as he followed Bramblestar towards the leaders' den. Dovepelt flicked her ears and glanced down at her daughter staring at her mentor as he padded away. Her tail was twitching slightly.
"Why don't you go tell Stonepaw, I think Crowfeather has him cleaning out the elders' den," Dovepelt nodded towards the elderberry bush were Slatepelt and Junipertail made their nests.
"Sure! I help him get moss, Jayfeather and Willowshine always keep the freshest moss there," Honeypaw squealed, scampering away towards her den. Dovepelt felt something was missing...
"Dovepelt," Dovepelt flicked her ears as she glanced to her side. Lionblaze was ushering a wide-eyed Cinderheart through the camp, her pelt was twice it size. Lionblaze drew his tail down her shoulders towards her back. She gazed at Dovepelt with a mysterious confusion, like fog settling over a forest. Lionblaze nodded to Dovepelt, she nodded back. Cinderheart slid her gaze over Dovepelt's features, Dovepelt could feel her steady gaze on her whiskers, then her ears and on her back all the way to the tip of her tail.
"Come on, lets go talk to Leafpool," Lionblaze murmured.
Cidnerheart looked into his eyes,"Leafpool?" She asked blankly.
"Remember Leafpool?" Lionblaze whispered softly as he touched his nose to her forehead. Cinderheart blinked and nodded. Dovepelt watched the pair slowly meander towards the nursery, Lionblaze's tail still draped around her flank. A small flurry of fur rushed out of nursery as Leopardkit bounced around her parents' paws.
"Cinderheart! Lionblaze!" Leopardkit squealed, eyes bright even though she had been sickly the past moons.
"Leopardkit," Lionblaze purred, glancing at his mate and nodding,"Our kit," Cinderheart's eyes glowed at the word kit.
"They'll be a family again," Crowfeather shuffled next to her, glancing at Dovepelt. She looked at him, his eyes were glowing at his son.
"Did you ever wish things could've been different? In the beginning I mean," Dovepelt ventured, not daring to take her eyes off him. He stared at her for a few moments.
"I did, yes. I wish I could've been there for my kits, I wish I hadn't led Nightcloud on like I did and had Breezepelt. I wish that Hollyleaf was here. Of course I do, but I have everything I could ever want now." Crowfeather explained, staring into her eyes.
"And what would that be?"
"A family,"
Crowfeather flicked his eyes back to the nursery and padded after his son. Dovepelt watched him go, but the sound of gentle rock fall at the head of the camp led her eyes to the leaders' den. Jayfeather was descending the rocky outcropping, Bramblestar and the other leaders stood above the rest of the camp.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Bramblestar yowled. Cats came out of their dens and stood beneath the four- no five- leaders, Tinder was up there as well. "It has been well over six moons since the clans came together to face the threat of the Dark Forest as one, but the time has come for the clans to separate back into their territories." Bramblestar explained, stepping back to allow Onestar to speak.
"Windclan thanks Thunderclan for allowing us to stay here, but we owe you no debt. None of us would be alive if one of the clans hadn't joined." The other leaders shook their heads, except for Tinder, in fact he looked absolutely furious.
"Riverclan thanks you as well," Mistystar dipped her head.
"As does Shadowclan," Roawnstar murmured.
Onestar resumed,"It has been decided that we and the other two clans shall depart in two days,"
"There has been some controversy over the matter of Dovepelt," Dovepelt held he head higher at her name," Lionblaze, and Jayfeather," Mistystar mewed calmly," And even if Thunderclan seems to hold an advantage over the rest of us, Thunderclan has lost battles with the help of Lionblaze, has been weakened by sickness with Jayfeather, and has had disasters strike with Dovepelt around, so we see no need to," She thought about what to say for a moment,"seperate them." Dovepelt let out a sigh of relief.
"But we also see no need to mention their abilities to future generations," Rowanstar put in, gazing down at his clan quietly. "Theres no need to stir up trouble in the future," Rowanstar's eyes pierced through the crowd.
"Are there any objections?" Bramblestar flicked his tail, scanning the group.
"What about Tinder and that lot?" Bumblestripe called, other cats called up the same. Swift glances were cast the way of Ghost and Raccoon standing adjacent from the clans. Cristy was perched up on a rock ledge. Dovepelt searched the crowd until she found Sarah and Twilight, standing at the side of Jayfeather.
Tinder approached the edge of the rock ledge,"Sarah and I have discussed with Mistystar to join in Riverclan, along with Cristy, Raccoon, Ghost, and Sasha" His gaze grew hard,"Twilight has declined our offers to join us,"
"Is it safe to even separate? With whoever murdered Whitewing still out there..." Cristy's eyes flashed uncertainly,"What about the kits?" A quiet murmuring fluttered around the camp, especially from the nursery.
"Thunderclan is strong, we will recover from this loss," Bramblestar spoke, looking directly at Dovepelt, she felt her fur prickle.
"Where is Twilight going? Is he leaving?" Heathertail glanced back at the wiry black tom. Twilight stepped forward, clearing his throat.
"I haven't spoke to Onestar yet, but I believe its my place to live with Windclan," Twilight murmured, flicking his tail slightly, he held a hard gaze with Onestar, their eyes locked. Ashfoot jumped up onto the highledge, Onestar backed up and started speaking urgently into her ear.
"We need more warriors," Ashfoot murmured,"Since Crowfeather left," Onestar shook his head.
"He's not clanborn," Onestar murmured urgently.
"We need more warriors," Ashfoot argued,"We've nearly lost all our she-cats and there's no kits,"
"We have two apprentices in training,"
"Yes, and then they'll become warriors, we need more, were outnumbered by all the clans," Ashfoot scowled.
Onestar sat silent for a heartbeat or two before giving Ashfoot a stern look and returning to the highledge. "Twilight you are welcome to join us," Twilight dipped his head respectfully.
"Theres another matter I wish to attend to," Bramblestar approached the edge of the highledge, his eyes glowing with pride,"Mountainpaw, please step forward,"

*Le Gasp* Its been over a month since the last time I've posted. I'm so sorry, but I was caught up with camping, homework, projects, exams, among other things in my life. Hopefully I'll get back to regular posting, especially with the chance I'll get a new laptop since my birthday is coming up.
Again, so sorry.
~Firefoot