peppermint was faster than duskstar would've thought, so they reached camp quickly.

buzzardsnow was waiting in the clearing, flicking his tail in worry. citrinedazzle sat next to him, and duskstar spotted starlingdash at the edge of camp, watching curiously.

as soon as buzzardsnow and citrinedazzle saw them, they jumped up and ran over.

"please, let's give her some space." wildflowers murmured. "citrinedazzle, come with me. i'll explain everything."

ashstumble, wildflowers, and citrinedazzle walked away, leaving wally, duskstar, and buzzardsnow with the pregnant loner.

buzzardsnow looked from peppermint to duskstar. "is there anything wrong with her?"

peppermint sniffed and shook her head. "i'm fine. something happened with another cat, that's all."

her voice was firm, as if suggesting she didn't want to talk about it.

buzzardsnow nodded. "i see. do you mind coming to my den, so i can make sure you and the kits are alright?"

peppermint nodded, and walked with buzzardsnow to the apprentice's den, where he has been keeping his herbs.

duskstar turned to wally. "wow, i didn't know you had kits- did you know she was here?"

wally looked at his paws. "duskstar... i barely knew her. you see, my mate was a kittypet in the twoleg place close to here. i loved her very much. after our kits were born, she came to me one day saying the twolegs took them away..." wally trailed off, before continuing in a quiet voice.

"i only got to meet them once. i was the one who named peppermint. i had heard rumours about kits being taken away, so i tried to convince their mother to take them to live with me, but she didn't."

"oh wow, wally. i'm so sorry.." duskstar murmured, resting his tail on wally for comfort.

"it's fine. i'm incredibly grateful that i know where one is, and that she's here with me. i'm not sure how she got here, but i'm glad she is."

duskstar nodded. "oh yeah, wally. you said something when we first found you that you hadn't been around here in awhile. where were you, and why did you leave?"

wally looked back up at duskstar. "oh- after peppermint's mother died, i wanted to get away from this place. it was full of memories of her and i. but after several seasons, i wanted to come back... this forest is my home."

duskstar smiled sadly. "you're a strong cat, wally. you should go check up on peppermint. you guys probably haven't had time to catch up, have you?"

wally smiled, and shook his head. duskstar watched his pad over to the apprentice's den, and disappear inside.

he sighed, now having nothing to do. he spotted starlingdash watching him from where he sat, and duskstar cocked his head.

why was he watching him..?

duskstar stood up and walked over to the young tom, who looked at his white paws when he arrived.

"uh, hey starlingdash. are you alright?" duskstar asked, sitting next to the tom.

starlingdash was silent.

duskstar could practically feel the sadness radiating from him, though.

"what's wrong?" he asked, scooting closer for comfort.

"it's just," the white tom sniffed, "i really, really miss the old orcaclan. nothing will ever be like it, or the cats, or the... the feeling it gave me."

duskstar frowned. starlingdash had been showing no signs of these feelings.

actually, no. that wasnt true. starlingdash used to be an outgoing tom who loved attention, and wanted included in everything. now, he hangs back all the time. he barely talks to anyone.

duskstar nodded. "i understand that, starlingdash. i miss it so, so much, and the cats there. but we cant go back, no matter how hard we try. so lets make this new life worth it, yes? we can still live life without our family, and make it a good one. and someday, you can have a family of your own!"

starlingdash sighed. "im thankful for your words, duskstar, but its the end that got me. i dont want a family, not with anyone but dustygrowl. and now... shes gone." he whispered.

duskstar hadnt had a love interest before, so he couldn't possibly understand how starlingdash could feel right now.

"youre young, starlingdash. you have so much time to figure everything out. youre sad right now, and i understand that. there's not much i can do to help. but some day, this clan will be thriving with kits of our own. and when that time comes, maybe your feelings will change." duskstar responded, looking out at the clan clearing.

he wished he could be wise with his words, to help starlingdash in a way that leopardstrike had helped duskstar himself.

but duskstar was never clever with words.

"thanks, duskstar. i appreciate that. im going to go hunt now, ill see you later.."

duskstar watched worriedly as starlingdash walked out of camp, tail dragging on the clearing floor.

duskstar sucked in a breath, doubts filling his head.

if he wasnt good with words, how could he be a good leader? the real leader here is citrinedazzle- she's the biggest, strongest, and bravest of them all.

so why did this have to be duskstar's 'destiny'?