Fire was thrown in the dungeon, much to all Crowfeather's friends'dismay, as they couldn't stand to see their friend being treated like that.

"Crowfeather!" Sandstorm hissed. "How could you do that to him!"

"He stole from me and ate my dinner!" Crow exclaimed.

"He was your fucking advisor!" Sandstorm exclaimed, feeling partly guilty for her foul language. "You can't just do this!"

"I can and I will!" Crowfeather stormed out. "I don't give two shits Sandstorm, cats change over the span of two years!"

"Yeah." Sand glared at him. "They really do."

She sighed as Crow locked the dungeon doors and left.

Meanwhile Leafpool was reading a book as her horse Lilac pulled a barrel through the water at the wash station. A young she-kit Feathertail looked up at the beautiful she-cat curiously. Her brother, Stormfur was off at school with the other boys and the other orphan girls were doing the laundry.

She was curious about Leafpool, and slowly approached her. Leafpool looked up at the sweet she-kit.

"Hello." Leaf smiled warmly.

"What are you doing?" Feathertail asked.

"Reading." Leafpool then had an idea. She pulled out the book her father had used to teach Leafpool how to read when she was young. "Would you like to try?"

Feathertail's face lit up in excitement as she hopped up on the bench, and for the rest of the afternoon Leafpool taught Feathertail some simple words like 'can', 'cool', and 'love'.

Feathertail turned out to be quite a fast learner and was soon able to read small sentences.

"The... blue, bird.... um, flew?" She looked up at Leafpool, who grinned at the little she-kit.

"That was amazing!" She congratulated the little girl.

"Why, Leafpool, what in heavens sake are you doing!? Teaching ANOTHER girl to read?!" A villager exclaimed as he walked past the two cats.

Other cats' heads began to turn, looking at the two girls with disdain. For many thought that having a proper education was only suited for toms.

Feathertail looked down guiltily, but Leafpool gave her the book, whispering; "Keep practicing, you'll soon be very, very smart, I know it. Maybe you can ask any friends you have for help?"

"I have a brother," Feathertail meowed. "I could ask him."

"Yes, yes!" Leafpool encouraged. "Do that! And don't let anyone keep you from learning, understand?"

"Okay!" Feathertail said, and trotted off to finish her chores.

Leafpool sighed, saddened that cats were so against she-cats learning. If only it was allowed for girls to go to school...

Suddenly, just as she was about to head inside with her clean laundry to put it up to dry, Pinestar stepped in front of her.

"Miss-"

"No!" Leafpool snapped. "It's never going to happen!"

"I was going to say that you shouldn't have been doing what you were doing." He meowed.

Leafpool rolled her eyes. "All I wanted was to teach a child to read."

"Leafpool, the only children you should be concerning yourself with are your own." Pinestar said.

"I'm not ready to have kits Pinestar." Leafpool shook her head.

"Well maybe you haven't met the right tom." Pinestar pressed.

"It's a small village Pinestar, I've met them all."

"Well maybe you should take another look."

"No, no thank you." Leafpool opened her door. "I'm not going to marry Tigerclaw, I'm sorry."

"Leafpool, do you know what happens to spince girls after their fathers die? They end up begging on the street like poor Brightheart." Pinestar flicked his tail towards a young she-cat, half of her face had been scarred from a dog attack, and she now only had one beautiful green eye.

Leafpool sighed. "My answer remains the same, Pinestar. Good day."

With that, she shut the door and locked it again. She sighed, and when she thought the coast was clear, she headed out and hung the freshly washed clothes.

But when she had just hung the last one, she saw Phillipe running towards her, without her father or the cart.

Worry sprung up in her belly and she immediately began asking the horse where her father was.

He started downing huge gulps of water from the troft.

"Where is he?! Take me to him!" And with that, she jumped onto his back and he galloped into the woods and to the huge castle.

Leafpool wondered why it was so cold as she traveled through the woods, and she eventually reached the castle.

She was taken a back by how big and beautiful it was. But it was also scary.

What confused her even more was how familiar it felt. Why do I feel like I've been here before?

She got off of her horse, walked up the steps, and pushed the huge metal doors open.

"Hello?" She called.

A few feet away, Greystripe's eyes widened, and Ravenpaw squeaked in complete shock.

"Oh my goodness!" Grey smiled.

"Holy smokes." Ravenpaw whispered.

"I can't believe it! It's Leafpool!" Greystripe whispered as he watched her inspect the steps that just so happened to lead to the dungeon. But she heard the sound of her name and approached the candelabra and the clock.

She picked up the candelabra and began her way up the steps. She ventured into the dungeon and used one of the three bobby pins that held her cloak together to pick the lock.

When she heard the lock make a clicking sound and opened the door and soon saw her father laying limp behind the metal bars.

"Dad?" She whispered, fearing the worst. But to her relief, he looked up at her warily.

"L-Leafpool?" He croaked.

Leafpool rushed to him and grabbed his paws in her own.

"Your paws are ice! You could get frostbite, or pneumonia!" She said worriedly.

Fireheart coughed, and shook his head. "No... Leafpool you shouldn't be here! You have to leave, for your sake!"

"No, not without you! Now where's the key-"

"Who are you?!" A deep, scary voice came from behind her.

Leafpool jumped and slowly turned around, her claws unsheathing as she flattened her ears and bared her teeth. "Who's there?" She growled.

"What are you doing here?" Came the voice again, it was coming from the shadows by the door.

"Come into the light." Leafpool says, her eyes narrowing.

"You'll be afraid." He said to her.

"And you think I'm not afraid right now?" Leafpool asked.

Silence.

Leafpool stepped forward, using the light that came from Greystripe's waxy ears to see what this creature looked like.

Her eyes widened at his dog-like head shape, two midnight black horns sat on the sides of his head, and he had dark grey almost black fur. And icy blue eyes that sparkled in the darkness.

He had two grey wings that sat on his shoulders, and they flared up at her sudden step towards him.

The weirdest part was that she felt like she knew him. But she didn't understand why.

"Why is my father in your dungeon?" Leafpool questioned.

"He came into my home uninvited, ate my food, and stole a rose." The beast said.

"I asked for the rose, punish me instead." Leafpool meowed.

"No, Leafpool he means forever! Apparently that's what happens around here when you pick a flower." Fireheart hissed bitterly.

"Forever for a rose?" Leafpool asked.

"Listen, Leafpool you must leave, I've lived my life, I don't want to keep you from living yours. Just leave, and forget me." Fireheart told her.

"Forget you?" Leafpool whispered. "Dad everything I am is because of you!"

"Do you still wish to take his place?" The beast asked.

Leafpool sighed, and looked at her father. "Alright Dad, I'll leave."

Crowfeather turned and began heading towards the dungeon door.

"I need a minute alone with him." She told the beast, but got no answer. "Are you so heartless you won't allow a daughter to kiss her father goodbye?"

Crowfeather took a deep breath and unlocked the cell door. Leafpool embraced her father and he kissed her forehead.

"Now go," he meowed through tears. "Live your life, find love, have a family. I love you my little sunrise."

"I love you too." Leafpool sniffled, turning the two of them around so that her father's back faced the cell door. "And I will escape I promise."

Fireheart was confused but then Leafpool shoved him out of the cell and quickly slammed the door shut.

Crowfeather was shocked as he hadn't expected her to actually take his place, but he remembered how head-strong and brave she was, and that shock faded.

He looked at her, a mixture of respect and questioning in his eyes as he dragged Fireheart out of the dungeon, Fire screeching, clawing, and yowling for Crowfeather to let him go.

Leafpool ran to the window of the cell and watched the beast drug her father away, Fireheart was calling out to her, and saying he would bring back help.

She collapsed to the cold stone floor and broke down into sobs as she felt so scared, and didn't know what to do or how to escape.

1514 words! It's my goal to have each chapter be at least over a thousand words! Thanks for reading!

-Vaeh