Chapter 2: Leafpool's Past for Lady Sandstorm

Redtail is on his minstrel's stool once again, garbed in a cheery outfit of red, blue, and yellow. A blue feather pokes out of his cap.

"'Tis I, Redtail, the skilled minstrel of Star! I ask, I beg of thee, come and lend an ear to my songs!"

A pale ginger she-cat dressed in an expensive, flowing gown comes over and gazes at him through green eyes.

"O Redtail, minstrel of Star, I implore thee to sing of my daughter, Leafpool, for she has had a wonderfully unfortunate life."

Redtail dips his head. "Aye, Lady Sandstorm, I shall sing for thee until I have no words left to use."

He strums soulfully on his lyre and takes a deep breath as Lady Sandstorm places a cushion daintily on the street and sits.

"A future unlike anyone's," Redtail begins. "Past, present, and future. One can become a healer after warrior, but perchance the other way about? Come, lend an ear, and listen well as I sing of a unique one known as Leafkit, Leafpaw, Leafpool."

Lady Sandstorm dabs daintily at her eye with a lacy handkerchief.

"Leafkit and Squirrelkit, Little Miss Perfect, had to switch nests, but O! A fire ant!"

Lady Sandstorm smiles in fond remembrance of Squirrelkit's sullen endurance instead of confessing to putting a fire ant in her sister's nest.

"Then Leafkit ages and becomes a 'paw,

Apprenticed to the medicine cat Cinderpelt.

Walks with a limp, hit by a monster,

Can't be a warrior but that won't stop her!

A misread sign that brings

Hostility and fear against two certain things:

Fire and tiger—Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw.

They will destroy the forest? O!

How could that be? I cannot say

Anything to my sister anyway!

Leafpaw knows they are going to leave,

Transfers herb knowledge, of root and leaf

Stays in contact through that special link

Watching, waiting, longer than you think.

The forest falls apart around them,

Firestar is worried for Clan and daughter.

Then the missing return with terrible news:

They have to leave the forest for good!

Graystripe is gone: he saved us from

The Twolegs and their cages and monsters.

The Great Journey happens,

And love blossoms

Crowfeather and Leafpaw

They don't think it awesome.

The Moonpool's discovered, and Leafpaw

Becomes Leafpool, after it all.

'Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.'

Bramble and Squirrel are fated for love,

But what of this prophecy? Leafpool runs.

Crowfeather and Leafpool, away from the Clans—

A badger stops them, and loyalty wins.

The Clan is saved, but Cinderpelt dies

And is reborn as a kit as she cries.

Brambleclaw kills Hawkfrost, his blood

And the lake runs red with the evil cat's blood.

But Leafpool's expecting! How can that be?

Will it all work out? We must wait and see.

Leafpool gives birth to the Power of Three

And gives them to her sister to raise nice as could be.

She watches them grow, spoils them, loves them

Even mentors two of them, though it doesn't last with Holly.

Oblivious to the prophecy before her eyes,

She educates Jayfeather, makes him wise.

When the Three learn of their parentage

Holly abandons the Clans with a message:

"Crowfeather of WindClan is our father!"

No longer is it hidden any longer.

Hollyleaf flees and seemingly dies

"Chasing a squirrel." What a surprise!

This murderous she-cat cares for her Clan,

Hunting and fighting with all that she can.

Leafpool knows she killed Ashfur; it's as plain as can be

When a tuft of her fur is between the claws of he.

She must retire from her position!

Become a warrior, no longer in medicine!

"I miss it with every breath I take."

Now with her son breaking the ties

Between Clan and Clan, her rage is on the rise.

Will she steal catmint to heal Littlecloud?

Jayfeather doesn't trust her—her trust is not sound.

Guards are posted, and Leafpool tries

With all of her might to erase any lies

But none are left for her to undo

So she lives on, you see, with skills left in disuse.

But the battle is coming, and ThunderClan needs

All of its medicine cats to heal with their seeds."

When Redtail finishes, Lady Sandstorm is sobbing into her handkerchief.

"That was marvelous, minstrel, simply marvelous! I thank thee! Take this token of my appreciation, and I bid thee adieu."

The lady removes a golden bracelet ringed with jewels from her wrist and hands it to Redtail before padding away.

"Thank you very, very much, mistress!" Redtail calls.