My eyes widened in shock. "She is? Couldn't Bella and Poppypaw heal her?" I asked.

The tom shook his head. "Apparently not."

I pushed my way through the crowd into the medicine den. Poppypaw was smoothing the Mistclan leader's striped sandy pelt down, preparing her for the vigil. Bella was tending to one of the other sick cats. The one closest to Lightstar of the crowd though, was Fogbreeze.

I tried to read my mentor's gaze, but he just stared down at the leader's motionless body, no emotions escaping his expression except for the faraway look in his eyes.

I sighed and sat beside him. "I didn't know her very well, but I could tell she had been a great leader."

Fogbreeze didn't show any sign that he heard, but Poppypaw nodded towards me.

"She was, the clan was lucky to have her and she should've served them for many seasons to come. In the end though, it's Starclan who decides our fate." The apprentice said.

Fogbreeze's gaze snapped up to Poppypaw and the black and white tom looked down, busying himself with the late leader again. I was about to question what was wrong when Fogbreeze stood up.

"It's time for the clan to sit vigil for our leader."

I nodded and padded out of the den behind him as he made his way through the crowd. I spotted Flick watching from a shaded corner of the camp but ignored him. Now was not the time to continue their argument, it was the time to honor Mistclan's lost leader.

-

Fogbreeze stood up and stretched as dusk approached. He nodded to the three elders of the clan and padded off into the trees without a word. Amberblaze was standing up from the circle of cats, and I approached her.

"Where's Fogbreeze going? Finding a place to bury Lightstar?" I asked.

Amberblaze sighed. "No, he's leaving to become leader."

I nodded in understanding. "Where's the place you share with Starclan?"

Amberblaze narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you ask someone who actually cares to listen to a stupid apprentice?" The ginger she-cat remarked before stalking off.

I shook my head, knowing there was no use trying to get the warrior to actually listen. I turned around to be confronted by the cat I wanted to speak to least of all.

"What do you want? To tell me we should leave again?"

Flick sighed. "I know you don't believe me, but I think I may know how to convince you. Come with me."

The sandy tom turned and padded to the camp entrance. I rolled my eyes but followed reluctantly. I couldn't just let him go out into the fog-filled forest on his own.

"Where are we even going?" I asked after we had padded a bit of ways from camp.

"Shh. You'll see." Flick whispered and lifted his nose to scent the air before setting off again.

Before long, Flick stopped. His gaze was fixed on something and my eyes followed to where he was looking. In the next tree, Fogbreeze was crouched in a tree stump.

"See what I told you? He's not even doing what you said leaders do when they become leader and receive their nine lives." Flick whispered.

I shook my head and turned away. "I'm not going through this again. Fogbreeze is a great cat, they just do things differently here. Who are we to judge their ways?" I began to pad away.

Flick caught up to me. "How much proof do you need before you actually listen to me? Why don't we ask Bella and see what she thinks?"

I whirled around to face him, my eyes narrowed. "You leave Bella out of this, she has her paws full enough as it is. As for you, I don't understand why you're so determined for us to leave. I finally find a clan willing to take me in after searching for moons and you want to just take that all away from me." I started walking away from him again.

He came up beside me. "I know how much being a warrior means to you, but isn't there another option? Once Fogbreeze is in control of Mistclan, you won't want to be a warrior here anymore."

I didn't look at him. "I've already tried that option, I'm never going to find Shadeclan."

"That's not what I meant." The sandy tom said and I glanced at him.

"You're not suggesting we make our own clan?" I asked

Flick smiled when he noticed me looking at him. "Why not?"

I stopped and turned to him. "Flick, that's the most ridiculous idea you've ever had. How would you, Bella and I make up a whole clan? Neither you or I are qualified to be leader or deputy and where would we get the other cats?"

"I never said it would be just us. Look, we could return to Aster's group and-"

"What? You can't be serious. Don't you remember what happened last time? I am not going back there." Flick was about to counter my argument but I spoke before he could. "Look, you can leave if you want to so badly but I'm staying." I flicked my tail before following the trail back to camp.

-

As the sun was rising, Fogbreeze padded back into camp. He climbed up the leader's tree to rest on one of the branches. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tallpine." He called.

Cats emerged from every den, knowing what the announcement would bring. They knew they're old leader was gone, and the new one was here to greet the clan. I followed them over to the pine tree.

"Lightstar has left us, but I will not let that weaken us. I have left on the traditional journey and shall now be known as Fogstar. It is an honor to lead Mistclan."

"Fogstar!"

"Fogstar!"

"Fogstar"

The clan chanted the new leader's name and I joined in happily. I knew that no matter what Flick said, Fogstar was going to make a great leader.

Once the chanting ceased Fogstar continued. "I have more than one item to address. First, Amberblaze, will you stepped forward?"

The ginger and white she-cat emerged to stand in front of the crowd of acts and Fogstar descended the tree. "It is by my word that I name Amberblaze as my deputy. I know she will help me to lead well."

Amberblaze dipped her head to the striped gray tom and stood beside him.

"Now, for the next announcement. Lavenderpaw, please step forward."

My eyes widened in surprise and I approached the clan leader. Could this really be happening?

"Lavenderpaw, though you have not had the easiest apprenticeship, you have trained and worked hard to prove yourself a valuable warrior. Do you promise to be the best warrior you can be for your clan?" Fogstar questioned.

I dipped my head. "I do."

"Then by the power invested in me, you shall now be known as Lavenderbreeze. Mistclan is lucky to have a warrior like you."

Fogstar rested his head on me and the clan chanted my name. I was finally a warrior!

I stepped back into the crowd as the meeting continued. Two kits became apprentices and the two older apprentices became warriors as well. It was a great day for Mistclan.

I left the meeting as it ended, looking to see if Flick had watched her ceremony but was disappointed to find the sandy tom wasn't in the clearing. Had he decided to leave after all? I turned away. I didn't care whether he stayed or not. I started towards the medicine den when Fogstar intercepted me.

"You were a great apprentice. You deserve to be a warrior." The striped gray tom said.

I purred. "Thanks, but I couldn't do it without you as a great mentor."

"I noticed your sandy friend wasn't at the meeting." He said

I looked down. "Yeah, well he probably doesn't want anything to do with me anymore," I looked back up at Fogstar. "But I don't care. If he leaves, I won't have to fight him anymore about me leaving."

Fogstar tipped his head. "He wanted you to leave?"

I nodded. "He kept arguing about it, and I told him if he wanted to leave so bad that he could. I'm an official warrior of Mistclan, I'm not about to leave now."

Fogstar dipped his head. "I knew you were loyal to me." He smiled, gazing into my eyes.

I looked away, embarrassed. "Yeah, well, you're going to be a great leader." I looked back up at him and smiled, my embarrassment gone. There was no need to feel embarrassed around the gray tom.

"Thank you. I'm bound to be, knowing you support me." Fogstar said.

I blinked. What was I supposed to say when he said intimate stuff like that? My mind went blank and I shifted my paws. "Yeah, well if you can be a great mentor to me, then you should have no problem leading the clan."

The striped gray leader let out a short laugh. "Yes, I guess not."

Not knowing what to say next, I let my eyes wander the camp. Spotting Daisypaw, I smiled. "Well you did a great job giving the new apprentices the right mentors. As shy as Daisypaw is, Pouncetail is bound to being out the best in her."

"Like you do with me?" Fogstar asked.

I looked up at him in surprise. "Uh . . . do I?" I asked, shuffling my paws, my mind going blank again.

The gray leader nodded. "You do indeed. You make me feel lighter, as though instead of fog, the forest is full of sunlight."

I stopped shuffling my paws and gazed into his eyes. By just looking at him, I could tell he meant every word. I didn't know how to respond. Did Fogstar have feelings for me? Flick flashed in my mind but the thought away before it could form. Flick had left, and he wanted to take me away from my new home. Should I just move on from him?

Fogstar's smile dropped. "I'm sorry your friend left you, but I will be here for as long as you need me." He paused and continued when I didn't answer. "You don't have to say anything, would you like to go hunting?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I would like that.

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//Word count: 1741//