Leafpool's Choice

Chapter 7

"I never got exiled, but I was afraid that everyone would be scared of me, and would never look at me the same way again," Squirrelflight finished.

"You're always welcome here," Leafpool meowed, wrapping her tail around her sister's shoulders comfortingly.

Crowfeather said nothing, but he nodded in agreement.

It was agreed that Squirrelflight could stay, as long as she didn't bring Leafpool and Crowfeather any trouble.

A few sunrises passed, and Leafpool and Squirrelflight decided to go hunting together, and catch up on what had been happening in their lives.

Squirrelflight chased after a rabbit, but she was not built for running over long distances, and the rabbit got away, into its hole.

"That's okay, you can try again." Leafpool meowed when Squirrelflight looked discouraged.

"In ThunderClan, I almost never miss a piece of prey!" Squirrelflight grumbled.

"The moors are different. You need endurance."

You haven't been here for long either!"

"That's why I stick to the mice hiding in the grass." Leafpool meowed.

"You get mice here?"

"Listen for them."

Leafpool tasted the air. A mouse was nearby. Leafpool crouched, stalking towards the mouse, before realizing that Squirrelflight was already in position to pounce.

Squirrelflight leaped, and the mouse's high-pitched scream of terror was cut short. Squirrelflight emerged from the tall grasses, a mouse in her jaws. She scraped earth on the prey, planning to take it back to camp later.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight returned to camp, laden with prey.

After setting down the prey on the fresh-kill pile, Squirrelflight asked, "what do you miss most about ThunderClan, now that you are with Crowfeather?"

Leafpool answered immediately. "You, of course! But now you're here, so I don't know. What about you?"

Squirrelflight pondered the question for a moment. "Probably Brambleclaw. I was just getting to know him better, and then I had to leave."

"Was he your mate?" Leafpool asked teasingly.

"It wasn't like that!" Squirrelflight swatted at Leafpool's cheek.

"Attacking a medicine cat! How rude!" Leafpool exclaimed with mock anger.

"I'm sorry, your highness!" Squirrelflight bowed down to her sister.

Leafpool sighed and rolled her eyes, but her twitching whiskers betrayed her, showing her amusement.

" Come on, let's eat." Leafpool bit into a mouse while Squirrelflight dug through the pile, searching for a vole.