A/N : This will be in Third POV for a bit to see if it sticks....

But there are some "fill in the gap" type of thing until the Voting and hey, I might have put in a plot twist :3.

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Reena knew it was wrong to steal the kit,but Feral needed an heir to lead their Clan.

Now that he was gone and Redfang was running things after Cora died, she didn't seem to have reason to live,but her eyes,the kit's eyes,were a mirror image of his and that was all the more reason to take her...

"Did you get her?" Mika asked, nursing her two kits,along with Riverkit and Lionkit.

Reena nodded, settling the sleeping kit in the nest next to the others.

"Have you thought of any names for them?"

Mika smiled tiredly, gazing down at the now five kits.

"The oldest she-kit will be called Smokekit for her black fur. The tom will be called Dustkit. And for this one..."

She paused,looking at the kit.

"Poppykit. I will call her Poppykit."

Reena nodded, purring then froze,eyes wide as she looked back at Mika as the Queen mewed,half to herself.

"You were in love with him, weren't you,Reena?"

She stiffened,turning to face the Queen.

"Y-yes. I was. For a time. You?"

The Queen purred.

"I had a feeling that he loved me more than I realized...I wanted to love him,but then I saw what a monster he truly was..."

Reena nodded.

"I'll fetch you some more fresh-kill and bedding later on. Rest."

Mika nodded sleepily.

Reena ran as fast as her legs could carry her away from the Clan's borders and never looked back...

💔Meanwhile 💔

"Help! Someone has taken my kit!"

"It's alright, Dawn. We'll find her."

Hazelstar and her now Second-ish, Minnow, charged out of their dens, and quickly began to send out search patrols.

It wasn't until the next morning did any of them return...

Dawn shook her head angrily, her claws digging into the ground as the news that the kit couldn't be found reached her at sunhigh.

But slowly, with help from Nightshade, she finally accepted that her kit was gone, that she had two other kits to look after and there's no reason to waste her energy on something that can't be fixed...

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Stars shimmered above him as Nightshade padded through the trees, two young cats trailing him.

"Patchwhisker? Stonestep? Are you there?" He mewed.

"Yes. We're here. Owlstripe? Spottedfire?"

"We're here. Redfang?"

A pair of blazing amber eyes glowed in the night as the tom padded into the clearing, smiling.

"Good. We're all here. I trust that you all have something to say?"

Stonestep rose from her place.

"I propose that we have a code separate from the warriors. Something to keep us in line if trouble arises."

The others nodded in agreement.

Patchwhisker stood up and mewed, "The first law is : You must heal any cat, no matter what Clan they came from."

Nightshade dipped his head, looking at the young cats, crouched in the shadows.

"The second law is : You must have at least two apprentices, in case one of them gets sick or injured."

Redfang nodded.

"The third law is : You may have at least one mate,but should the kits or your mate die or both,you must still remain as a Healer for the rest of your life and never speak of them again."

A hush settled over the cats, thinking over Redfang's words.

"And if they live?" Owlstripe asked tightly.

Redfang's eyes darken.

"Then you must tell your kits that you're a Healer and that you have duties beyond your control. I wouldn't want my kits growing up with secrets."

Nightshade quickly thought of Hazelstar.

Could that apply to leaders,too?

Owlstripe nodded and meowed from his place," The fourth law is : If you love another cat from another Clan, you must choose to either leave your birth Clan or have your mate join yours. If you chose to go and join the other Clan, you must appoint your oldest apprentice to be Healer and become a warrior in your new Clan."

The others nodded, agreeing with Owlstripe.

Spottedfire looked at the sky.

"The fifth law is : All Healers must learn to fight in case you need to,but you must not participate in any battle in any way unless we're fighting to protect ourselves or kits or elders."

"The sixth law is : Treat all of your Clan like they were your kits. No matter how difficult it may seem." Stonestep mewed, rolling her eyes as if thinking of the new kits in her camp.

The others purred.

Nightshade took the lead again.

"The seventh law is : All Healers may cross into other Clan's territories in case of trouble. And only in case of trouble."

Patchwhisker stepped forward.

"And finally, the eighth law is : If in the case that a Healer's mentor dies,the others must appoint the oldest apprentice to full Healer status by giving her or him their full name in the face of ForestClan."

Spottedfire nodded and watched Nightshade looking over his shoulder with a smile.

"Alright. Nightshade, it seems you have something else to say." She mewed, purring.

Nightshade purred too, looking at the young cats behind him again.

"Yes,Spottedfire, I do.
Shadow. Flame. Step forward."

The two looked at each other then at Nightshade before stepping forward.

"This, I hope, will be the first of many to come. The naming of new Healers. Flame and Shadow, you two have chosen the path of the Healer, and you are willing to accept ForestClan's will, to help and interpret any and all signs that may come and so,I will give you your new names. Flame, step forward."

The dark ginger tom padded forward, eyes bright.

"Flame, is it really your wish to learn the ways of the Healer,to protect and defend your Clan, to set apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan in times of war, even if it costs you your life?"

Flame nodded eagerly.

"I do!"

"And Shadow, do you promise the same?"

The black tom dipped his head.

"I do!"

"Then, by the powers of ForestClan, I give you your new names. Flame and Shadow, from this moment on, you will be known as Flamepaw and Shadowpaw!"

The others chanted their names.

"Shadowpaw! Flamepaw! Flamepaw! Shadowpaw!"

Nightshade purred proudly, turning to his new charges.

"Drink from the pool and ForestClan will come to you."

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Soon after Flamepaw and Shadowpaw's apprentice ceremony, Finch of WinterClan and even Quick of FeralClan also received their new names, becoming Finchpaw and Quickpaw, although Quickpaw glared at everyone.

The Healers even received their own dens, formerly the shared den that they shared with their Heads, still stocked with herbs.

Change is slow, but I know we're going to get the peace we deserve. Finchpaw thought as he raced across the snowy ground after the ceremony, Owlstripe yowling at him to keep up.

"Coming!" He called.

But for the most part, Finchpaw enjoyed being a Healer apprentice.

His Clanmates seemed to look at him with new eyes, respecting him, needing him to take care of them and Winterstar seemed most impressed with Finchpaw's quick knowledge of herbs and treatments, the kits were in awe, especially little Snowkit and Shadowpaw and Flamepaw seemed nice enough.

Owlstripe praising him made his day.

But, he did miss his old denmates from time to time and their warmth filling up the den, but he learned that he had another destiny laid out for by ForestClan and there was no stopping it.

He knew that challenges would come, but he grew lost and hot-furred in the eyes of a certain white furred tom with bright blue eyes and a black collar that was now ripped completely off, denouncing his kittypet blood, the wind whipping around him as he raced toward Finchpaw.

"Hi." The white tom mewed, licking his cheek.

"H-Hey." Finchpaw stuttered, moving closer to his usual place beside his new friend?

Lover?

Maybe even mate?

The Healer's code does say that we can have a mate...

But a tom?

"I've thought about you ever since the Gathering.
A lot." the tom mewed boldly, pressing himself against Finchpaw.

Finchpaw gaped at him, shocked.

"W-what? Me?"

The tom purred, pressing his muzzle against the dark brown tom's.

"Yes. You."

"B-but w-we're toms! We can't be together!"

The mysterious blue eyed tom shrugged.

"And? No cat has to know about us. We're safe so long as we keep meeting here."

Finchpaw was still doubtful, glancing nervously around the well sheltered clearing beyond their two borders, just a few fox-lengths from camp, no less.

What if a patrol sees us?

But the tom's fur was so warm against the icy wind, his gaze so kind and maybe even loving despite his arrogant appearance that it sent Finchpaw's heart fluttering.

Maybe...Just maybe...we can make this work...

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AW! WASN'T THAT SWEET? :3

SO WHO IS THIS MYSTERY TOM THAT'S CAPTURED THE HEART OF MY BABY FINCHPAW?

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READ ON AND FIND OUT :3

🐾Moonshadow🐾