This is a sequel of sorts to my first fanfiction "SunClan's Destiny" You should probably read that story before this one. But if you insist upon going further, much confusion will be assured.

Mistcloud roughly shook the snow off of her pelt. She wished that leaf-bare would just end and get onto new-leaf. Not for the first time, she wished that she was back in MoonClan territory, where it was always warm and sunny, courtesy of Timestar. Mistcloud bunched up her hind legs, and pushed off of the rock she had been standing on, skidding slightly on the gravely surface that she landed on, where Shadow Under Flying Bird, Shadow, a to-be from the Tribe, waited impatiently for Mistcloud. Can't you go any faster? The to-be thought angrily.

"As I am not a tribe cat, no, I cannot go any faster," Mistcloud snarled. "My pads are rubbed raw." As always, the tribe she-cat was taken back when Mistcloud answered her thoughts rather than her words.

"I wish you wouldn't do that, read my mind," Shadow complained.

"It's not something I can control," Mistcloud licked one of her sore pads while she watched Shadow clear another ravine. "How many times do I have to explain it to you? I pick up on the thoughts of every animal around me. You just happen to be the only one so it's stronger." Mistcloud backed up, and jumped. She cleared this one easier, but grit stung her skin.

"How long till we reach this, MoonClan," Shadow asked.

Mistcloud looked at the almost non-existent sun above the craggy peaks. "About two days, if we keep up this pace, but I'm guessing more toward three days. It looks like there's another storm brewing. How can you cats live up here?"

"It's where we've always lived," Shadow mewed firmly as though that answered the question. "Come on. There's a cave nearby where we can spend the night out of the wind."

"Thank StarClan," Mistcloud sighed. The two she-cats cleared another few ravines before Shadow pulled Mistcloud over to a small crack in the mountain. "Go ahead," the Tribe to-be mewed, 'The tunnel in is a bit small, but it opens up into a huge cavern." Mistcloud nodded, squeezing into the tight crack. The rock on either side of her pulled at her fur, and she banged her head on the ceiling a few times. Then, Mistcloud saw light up ahead. Slightly confused, Mistcloud squeezed out into the cavern. Under her feet was a soft glowing moss, providing a slight luminescence. When Shadow squeezed in behind her, Mistcloud was already nestled in some of the moss, licking her pads.

"The moss is luminescent. No cat knows why," Shadow explained. Shadow nestled down near Mistcloud. "So tell me more about this MoonClan. Does everyone there really have powers like me?"

"Yes," Mistcloud meowed, "Our leader is Timestar. She can freeze time around her whenever she wants. It's that reason that no one on the territory ever ages. Our medicine cat, her name is Mapletail, can heal wounds." Useful power, Mistcloud heard Shadow think. 'We've got cats in our clan who can turn invisible, freeze things, shoot fire out of his paws, create shields, glow, and all sorts of things."

"So my gift will fit right in?" Shadow asked.

"It will," Mistcloud comforted the to-be. "You won't regret leaving your tribe. I promise."

It was sunhigh when Mistcloud and Shadow finally left the mountains. Feeling like a kit, Mistcloud rolled in the wet grass not covered with snow. "How I have missed the grass," Mistcloud purred. Just then, a harsh cold wind blew through Mistcloud's fur. Mistcloud climbed to her feet. Looking up at the rapidly darkening sky, Mistcloud looked at Shadow. "Come on, we have to hurry."

The snow began falling as Mistcloud and Shadow ran for cover. Mistcloud could see a group of twoleg nests, and she headed toward them. Where is the mousebrain going? Shadow thought in confusion. Mistcloud dragged the gray to-be up the smooth stones to the Twoleg nest, where she started yowling. Shadow's thoughts were conflicting. She's going to get us caught! She knows best, she's probably done this before! Oh, I don't know about this! A twoleg came to the door. Letting out a cry of shock, it dashed back into its nest. The twoleg's kit came to the door, reaching down as if to pick Mistcloud up. A look of disgust crossed Mistcloud's face, but she allowed herself to be picked up. The older twoleg reached down for Shadow. Mistcloud sent Shadow a look that said, "Don't worry. They won't hurt you." Mistcloud watched Shadow be picked up and brought into the warm, if scary twoleg place.

The twolegs set Mistcloud and Shadow down next to a plump she-cat and three kits. Well, probably not kits, but pretty young. The kittypet looked up at Mistcloud. "Mistcloud, nice to see you again," she mewed.

"The pleasure is all mine Tabitha," Mistcloud meowed, "Are those your kits?"

"Yes," Tabitha nodded, and Mistcloud detected pride, and strangely worry in the kittypet's voice, "This is Shell, Leaf, and Amber," She pointed to a white tom, a brown tom, and a ginger she-cat as she spoke. Then Tabitha thought, obviously intending for Mistcloud to hear, Shell and Leaf are StarCats.

Mistcloud drew back. "They are?" She gasped, and then she got control of herself. "Shadow, stay here," She commanded, "I need to talk to Tabitha."

"Fine, fine, don't mind me," Shadow complained, and then yelped as one of the kits poked her.

Tabitha led Mistcloud into another section of the nest. "What are Shell and Leaf's powers?" Mistcloud asked seriously.

"Leaf's got some sort of thing with plants," Tabitha mewed, "Whatever he's feeling, the plants will react to. And Shell, well..." Tabitha lowered her voice, "He's sort of, well, mutated. His paws have webbing between them, and his tail unfolds into a fin. He's got two eyelids. One is clear, and one is solid, and he's got these slits on the side of his neck. I'm really worried."

"Could you bring them in here?" Mistcloud asked.

Tabitha nodded, and vanished back toward her nest. When she returned, a white and a brown tom were padding after her. "Leaf, Shell, this is Mistcloud. She's the cat I told you about, the one with special powers." Shell's eyes widened. Tabitha looked at Shell. "Could you show Mistcloud your secret?" Tabitha asked. Shell nodded, star struck. Shell spread his paws, showing the webbing between them, and his tail, which Mistcloud had thought was fluffy, unfolded to a fish-like tail. Mistcloud took a step closer, and could see the slits on Shell's neck.

"I think Shell is equipped for swimming. He has a tail fins and breathing slits like a fish, and a clear eyelid for seeing in the water out of," Mistcloud was impressed. A StarCat with a power that made them appear different physically was very rare. Mistcloud turned to Leaf. "And what can you do?" She asked. Leaf must have been excited about being acknowledged, because the plant next to him shot straight up into the air. "I guess that answers my question," Mistcloud mewed.

"What... what can you do?" Shell asked.

Mistcloud looked at Shell. "I can read minds." Leaf looked unimpressed. "Do you want me to prove it?" Mistcloud asked. Leaf nodded. "Then think about something that you want me to hear." Leaf nodded again. Mistcloud tuned in on the kit. Are there any other cats with powers like you and me? He thought in question.

Mistcloud purred. "Yes, there are in fact cats with powers like us, but everyone's power is different," Leaf looked impressed.

"If there are cats like us, can we join them?" Shell asked. There was a terrible silence. Tabitha froze, and Mistcloud hung her head. What? We can't? Shell thought anxiously.

"You can join," Mistcloud mewed carefully, "but you can't return here if you do." The kits looked at each other. Tabitha looked at her kits.

"What's it like, where you live?" Leaf asked.

"Well, um... we live in a clan called MoonClan. We have a leader, her name is Timestar, I'm the deputy, and our Medicine cat is Mapletail. We have warriors, who are responsible for getting food and protecting us from danger, and apprentices, cats who are learning to be warriors and control their powers."

"And you live out in the woods, with no twolegs?"

"No blankets?

"No kitty food?"

"No rules?"

"No..."

'We have rules," Mistcloud interrupted. "They're just different from the rules you have here."

Shell and Leaf looked at each other for a short time before they cried, "Can we go?"

"Please mother!"

"We'll have so much fun!"

"It's so boring here!"

"There are other cats like us!"

"We won't be different!"

"Oh please mother, can we?" Shell and Leaf looked pleadingly at Tabitha.

Tabitha looked sadly at her kits. "I won't be able to go with you," She meowed, "and Amber can't come either." The kits paused, looking suddenly indecisive.

"Mistcloud!" Mistcloud heard Shadow yowl. Mistcloud dashed to where Shadow was standing, Amber looking scared. "Someone needs to talk to you," and then Shadow's eyes went white. Shadow didn't move for a moment, and then she spoke.

But it wasn't Shadow's voice that came from the to-be's mouth. It was a she-cat's voice. A she-cat's voice that Mistcloud knew very well. "It has been too long my deputy."

Mistcloud couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Timestar?" She gasped.

And thus the first chapter of my new fanfic is up. Whadaya think? What do you think that Shadow's power is? What do you... no better not ask that. Review!