Chapter Text
Prologue:
LeafPool had never forgotten the first time she and CrowFeather decided to meet up, after he had saved her. She never will, she was currently on her way to meet him once more. And only could think of that first meet up.
The tension, the fear, the anxiety, and of course. The joy. She knew she was head over paws in love, she knew he felt the same. They already had admitted it well over a moon ago, it was now three moons of these forbidden meet ups. The moon was high above them, the gathering will be tomorrow night as well.
Her heart knew this trail so well by now, though it wasn't a path warriors ever used when going out unless they where to stray while hunting. The grass had been pushed down a bit by her own paws, she picked up her pace and bunched her muscles. She scrambled on top of a boulder, her back legs kicking till she pulled her self up.
"CrowFeather?" She called gently, she peered into the darkness beneath her. A small crater lowered beneath the boulder, she turned around and slid backwards into the shallow hole in the ground. Landing with a soft thump, she turned back around and smelled the air.
Though she wasn't near the border of WindClan. She smelled the thick scent of heather and some herbs that grew near the WindClan border.
"There you are, I thought you wouldn't show up." CrowFeather's mew cut across the silence, she smiled and came forward to touch noses with the black-gray tom.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I had to wait for CinderPelt to fall asleep, she was restlessly recently." She smiled briefly and sat down. He came to sit beside her and pressed his muzzle into hers.
"I was thinking...." he trailed off and glanced over at her, his blue eyes piercing hers.
"My clan-mates have noticed my absence. AshFoot asked where I was when I came back last time. I told her I was just on a walk, but they know something is off. And NightBreeze asked me to become her mate. I said yes...." he paused to wait for her reaction.
Her eyes flashed with pain, wincing as if he had sliced her muzzle. She took a breath and just stared at him.
"You're kidding, right?" She stared at him and he shook his head.
"They where getting wary, so I had to throw them off my trail." He sighed and gently pressed his cheek against hers.
"Are you going to stop coming?" She said looking down.
"No, same time same days." He replied firmly lifting his head.
"But to be honest? That was nearly a moon ago.... I have been so afraid to tell you." His voice was wry and his eyes shone with pain, LeafPool shook her head.
"Please don't talk about it... just be with me for now." She whispered and he nodded licking her cheek lovingly.
After all that was settled, they had spent most of the time talking and laying with each other. But now, LeafPool had begun her trek back to camp. CrowFeather headed back towards the WindClan border as well.
LeafPool saw the camp wall and slunk around the side to sneak into the camp, creeping towards the medicine cat den. She slid into the den and saw CinderPelt fast asleep curled into her nest, her injured leg covered up by her tail. LeafPool pawed at her nest quietly before circling a few times to curl up and fall asleep.
***
By time LeafPool opened her eyes, CinderPelt wasn't in the den and had left some herbs laying out on some rocks by the herb wall.
She got up and stretched, licking her fur down. LeafPool looked across the herbs that where out. Not many where out, but. She noticed only the wilting ones where out, so she got up to finish the job for her mentor.
She began to nose through all the herbs, picking out the wilted and the ones getting close to wilting. Laying them out neatly, keeping the ones that hadn't quiet yet wilted near the front for easy and quick use before they went bad. Taking the completely wilted herbs into her jaws, she headed out the den, it was a while before sun-high so she hadn't slept in that long.
Heading to toss the herbs, she spotted CinderPelt. She padded towards her mentor that was sitting in a dapple of sunlight eating a mouse.
LeafPool nodded to her and set the wilted herbs down. She sat down and gazed at her mentor, CinderPelt looked up and stared straight into her eyes.
"I finished sorting the herbs." LeafPool mummered though she tried to hide her discomfort about the look the she-cat gave her.
"Thank you... wanna go pick some new herbs with me? I'll be needing all of them, it's gonna be a hard leaf-bare this season." CinderPelt said and finished up the last of her mouse quickly burying the bones. She stood up and whisked her tail, not giving LeafPool much of a choice.
LeafPool grabbed the herbs and followed CinderPelt out of the camp, trotting to keep at her side, CinderPelt seemed to know exactly where she was headed.
But LeafPool truly felt clueless, but she trusted her and let her lead. Soon the left the path and went to a quiet area. She had been here several times to gather some marigold, there where large patches of it it here. CinderPelt sat down and turned to stare at LeafPool.
"LeafPool I know where you've been going." The dark gray she cat began with a sigh.
LeafPool stared at her quietly, a feeling of dread creeping up along her spine.
"To see CrowFeather of WindClan. I see how you look at him at gatherings, and you've been so tired you can't even do your job right." CinderPelt said standing back up suddenly.
"I have feelings just like any other cat, I love him." LeafPool tried to defend her self.
"Of course you have. But a medicine cat has to control those feelings for the good of the Clan. The path we follow has its own rewards. I've never felt cheated by the destiny StarClan sent me." CinderPelt spoke with a voice of reason.
"You can't possibly understand! You've never been in love! It's easy for you. You never wanted anything else." LeafPool rebutted with anger lacing her her mew.
"How do you know what I want? How do you know what hopes I gave up to follow the path StarClan laid out for me?" CinderPelt hissed, her hackles raising and her tail lashing. LeafPool had never seen her this angry before....
"You'll come back to camp with me - now!" CinderPelt growled firmly.
LeafPool stared at her, her thoughts racing faster than a rabbit trying to escape a hunter on the moor.
"No!" LeafPool snapped and suddenly CinderPelts claws where out and she flew at LeafPool. LeafPool turned tail and fled, sprinting as fast as she could. She had no idea where she was actually going but she kept running.
Soon she reached the stream border between ThunderClan and WindClan. She gathered her bearings, she knew exactly where to go. She slid down and crossed the stream, heading towards the moon pool. The very place she was named after.
She padded on, more slowly now. She reached the hollow, sliding into the darkness. Her paws slipping into the dips made by cats that lived here before them. Hurrying down by the pool, she leaned down. Lapping up some of the cold water, and felt her self melt onto the stone.
Suddenly someone kept nudging at her.
"LeafPool! LeafPool!" A soft and gentle voice roused her from the sleep.
"SpottedLeaf!" LeafPool burst out, thrusting her head into the she-cats shoulder lovingly.
"I thought you had abandoned me!" LeafPool purred, SpottedLeaf shook her head purring as well.
"Never think that, dear one." SpottedLeaf assured her, her gorgeous tortoiseshell pelt was glowing with starlight.
The she-cats scent poured and washed over LeafPool, a rough tongue lapped between her ears a few times.
"How could I leave you to struggle by your self?" She asked gently and tilted her head at the young tabby.
"You know about CrowFeather?" LeafPool asked looking down, a sweep of guilt rushed over her.
"Of course..."
"I can't be a medicine cat! I love him so very much!" LeafPool pleaded her eyes shooting up to meet SpottedLeaf's bright eyes.
"I know how you feel, but ours paths are very different." SpottedLeaf pressed her muzzle into her shoulder, as if hiding almost.
"If they weren't... I might be suffering how you are now." She whispered into her fur. SpottedLeaf looked up away from LeafPool, thoughts swimming behind her eyes.
"Please tell me what to do! I'm so lost!" LeafPool begged, desperate for any help from her.
"I don't have a purpose in ThunderClan anymore! CinderPelt is young and has BrightHeart!" She burst out.
"BrightHeart just needs something to do right now...." SpottedLeaf said gently.
"But she is ALWAYS there...." LeafPool complained softly. Though she knew how kit like she sounded.
"I'll try to understand... but that's not it! I fought with SquirrelFlight. And we NEVER fight!" LeafPool felt anxiety begin to eat her up.
"Your sister and you, love each other very much. One fight won't change that, love." SpottedLeaf gently licked her between the ears to comfort her.
"And what about CrowFeather? We love each other, and he wants to run away together...." LeafPool whispered.
"No cat can tell you what is right... deep inside you know the answer. Your heart knows. The choice is yours." SpottedLeaf said in a soothing tone.
LeafPool's ears perked and she sat up, like a light had lit up. She DID understand! Her heart created these feelings of the WindClan tom, of course!
"You mean it's okay for me to love him? Oh, thank you SpottedLeaf!" LeafPool was purring loud as a hoard of bees, pressing her cheek to the she-cats.
Her beautiful glowing tortoiseshell pelt began to fade into the dark.
"Remember, only YOU know what is right..." her mew trailed off and LeafPool woke back up, her whiskers dripping water from the moon-pool off. Creating ripples across the pool.
She leapt to her paws, her joints aching terribly from the cold stone. But it felt like nothing. She burst into a run up the hollow, leaving the moon-pool behind her. She knew what she had to do.
The long walk from the clans to the moon-pool felt like heartbeats before she saw the stream border between ThunderClan and WindClan.
LeafPool stopped by the water and lapped at her desperately, her blood rushed with excitement.
"LeafPool!" She heard her name being yelped, she looked up and saw the dark gray tom standing at the ledge leading to the creek. He leapt down the short drop and stopped by her side.
"You're okay, I was worried..." he trailed off and stared at her, it was obvious she just ran awhile. Her sides where heaving with effort.
"I just returned from the moon-pool." She gasped, clearly out of breath.
"Did you run there?" He asked, his jaws agape with shock. She nodded attempting to calm her rapid breathing.
"I made up my mind." She slowly rose to her paws and stared at CrowFeather.
"I want to leave with you." She said gently, he burst into a loud purr and began to weave around her.
"That's amazing!" He purred and nuzzled her neck with his muzzle.
"Where will we go?" She asked, her breathing much more even now.
"Not towards the forest. Only the mountains rest there.... how about past the moor? The hills go on awhile, but past there. We should find nice open areas. And since it's just us two, we don't need a bunch of space. I'll take care of you, I promise!" He began to explain, standing up and leapt onto the little ledge once more.
LeafPool jumped after him, landing beside him nimbly.
"Are you ready?"
"We're leaving now?" She stared at him in shock. She didn't get to say goodbye yet! But then she paused to think...
"Of course... I'm scared too, but it's for the best." He mummered gently.
"You're right, it'll be more painful to say goodbye." She whispered.
"Thank you, I'll do my best for you. I promise.... I love you." CrowFeather said softly.
"I love you too, CrowFeather." LeafPool assured him, and side by side. They padded away, heading away from the blazing sun that was beginning to rise, making the moor look like it was on fire. Pelts brushing, they left everything they knew behind... their clans, family, and the warrior code.....