-- JointClan & BloodClan -- Part 6 -- Sticking Together Through It All -- (OPEN)

"The light of the jagged storm!" Raincloud cried, almost in tears. "Jagged is Stripepelt, like his stripes! Rainclouds happen in a storm! I named him Lightningkit because our first guess was lightning, but I didn't see how that would help." She bared her fangs, standing protectively in front of her kits. "Go on, do anything. But don't kill Lightningkit. As Stripepelt said, would you rather be safe than sorry? Even though you don't agree, it may be StarClan's will. And what happens then?" She hissed, her tail swishing madly.

Larchheart hung her head and returned to the warriors den.

Without warning Brackenheart leaped into the space between the two. "Arguing about this won't do anything, Toothstar."

Toothstar towered over the Medicine cat. "Then leave. If you think Lightningkit will save the clan, leave him! Whta good are you two, is my question!" She roared. He unsleathed(sp) his claws and barred his teeth. He was taller than Raincould and Stripepelt, because of leadershipness and age.

((unsheathed))

"Who will take care of Lightningkit if we go?" Raincloud asked desperately. "He can't die, otherwise JointClan will never be restored again." She didn't show fear against Toothstar, and was ready to fight for her life. Glancing at Stripepelt nervously, she then narrowed her eyes at Toothstar. Her claws unsheathed as well to reveal that she showed no fear. "I'll fight if I have to."

Stripepelt snarled at Toothstar, and almost slashed his face. "Let Raincloud stay here, and the kits, I'LL leave." He siad. "At least let her stay, please," He looked like he was in pain. He planned to come back though, maybe once Toothstar was gone. If the leader disagreed, he would fight for his kits, for Raincloud, for his right.

Raincloud could sense the sadness in Stripepelt's voice. It was as if she shared his feelings. She didn't want to see her mate go, the only one who was close to her, after all this time they were together. She glared, eyes once more wide at Toothstar, hoping he wouldn't exile just Stripepelt. Please, don't. Her blue eyes made the emotion obvious. Below her, her kits mewled helplessly. What will happen to them? They won't remember their father...

Stripepelt again looked pained. He looked challenging to Toothstar, a snarling rippling through him. His fur bristled.

Brackenheart spoke up. "It won't help anything if these two leave. I come back from StarClan to find this?!"

Tothstar growled. "fine. And Stripepelt, the leaders after me will kknow well enough. The kits and Raincould can stay. Your the one who created the forbbin love and the kits!" He snarled and batted his paw at Stripepelt.

Stripepelt dipped his head, a bit solemly. He looked terrible, and he felt it, too. He touched noses with Raincloud, with each of his kits, and snarled at Toothstar before he left. "Your making a big mistake, and when everything goes wrong I'll come back to help, but not YOU." He started his walk of shame, out of camp. He looked at Raincloud, and felt tears spring to his eyes. "Good-bye.." He melted into the trees.

Toothstar growled and whipped around. He looked at Larchheart. "Amberstar's gone, that leaves you." He said, trying to get his head off things.

Stripepelt slunk into the shadows of the trees, away from JointClan. He cried, its true, but wouldn't you? He felt hungry, and tired. He didn't intend to totally leave, not the territory at least. Maybe if Raincloud went hunting alone, he could at least assure her.

Since Larchheart was busy Peaceheart took Bluepaw, Fernstorm, and firefeather on a patrol to make sure he left. She started out with them.



(Ruined it!)

(( Wait.. Larchheart..? She? Are you talking about Toothstar..? xDD ))

(Peaceheart)

(( Oh.. -Headdesk- Ok. xDD ))

Stripepelt heard them coming, and darted up a tree silently. Stupid, stupid, he thought to himself. of course they'd make sure he left. Well, he'd fight if it came to that.

((It says open...? Am I accepted?))

(( Yes, accepted, Socky. I'll add 'em to the front.))

((Oh. XD Thanks.))

Larchheart stood tall. "I'll be a good leader in her place." Unlike you, she continued in her mind.

She found Brackenheart staring at her. "I want to talk to you in the warriors' den. Alone," he added, and turned to river into the den.

((If you get what I mean by "river."))

"Stripepelt..." Raincloud tried to follow him, but he continued padding away. She was sobbing, too, and turned shamefully to Toothstar. "Why are you doing this? Amberstar didn't choose to exile us when she saw that I was expecting kits. All my life, I've made the wrong decisions. It wasn't Stripepelt who loved me first. It was me who loved him first." Sullenly, she padded into the medicine den. Her herb stock was still high, but they were probably stale by now, so she picked a rabbit from the fresh-kill pile and began to eat it; she would go out and get some more herbs soon.

Larchheart turned and padded towards the warriors' den, curling her lips back in a silent snarl that rose from her throat. Fox dung... that mousebrain Toothstar...

She entered the den alone with Brackenheart. There was no one else in the den, but keeping this conversation secret would be no problem thanks to Brackenheart's naturally-quiet nature. When he did talk, it was barely above a whisper.

"I think Toothstar is too big for his fur," Larchheart whispered in his ear, "or something like that."

Brackenheart's eyes were in subzero temperatures. "My thoughts exactly."

As soon as Raincloud's kits had fed, the queen set out to look for borage and some other simple things like cobwebs -- not like enough hadn't collected in her den already. Borage was a priority for her, at least, and she could see Stripepelt, possibly.

The first destination in mind was the Dawnfield. There was marigold and coltsfoot there too, so she could collect some of those as well.

The gray she-cat took her usual course until she reached the flat meadow. It was truly a new dawn for her -- without Stripepelt, what would she do?

Raincloud picked a few stalks of marigold and then lay down on her back miserably.

Stripepelt had picked his way to Dawnfield, thinking they couldn't, or wouldn't find him here. He spotted Raincloud, laying on his back with marigold. Stripepelt picked his way toward her. "Raincloud!" He hissed, grinning.

"It's you, Stripepelt!" Raincloud was brimming with joy. She nosed him affectionately on the side of his muzzle, then looked down at the herbs. "Maybe looking for coltsfoot was just an excuse to get out here," she mewed playfully. "They say Larchheart will be the new leader, I think..." she gained a thoughtful look, a wind softly caressing her gray fur.