Darkness Within/Chapter 9

==Chapter description==
:Rootspring and the patrol follow the direction that Pancakes' kits, Egg and Bacon, gave them. Needleclaw doubts if the kits knew where Leaf was heading. When Rootspring thinks about Bristlefrost, Needleclaw pokes him, asking him if he's thinking about the ThunderClan she-cat. When Rootspring doesn't respond and glances back at the ThunderClan cat, Needleclaw informs him that they can never be mates. Rootspring defends himself by telling her that the two are just friends, but Needleclaw is still suspicious. She tells him to find a friend in his own Clan. Rootspring brings up that while the Clans are working together, it could be possible, but Needleclaw cuts in saying that he is foolish if he thinks that the Clans are ever going to let Bristlefrost and him be together.
:Needleclaw asks Rootspring if he sees the river that Egg had pointed towards, but he shakes his head. Needleclaw nervously states that the kits must have been wrong. Spotfur asks if they have to go into the Twolegplace. Rootspring says that they should keep going, as it is the only lead that they have. The patrol comes upon a Thunderpath with sleeping monsters occupying the edge of it. Twolegs appear, and Spotfur slips over the edge of a creek. Bristlefrost hurriedly pulls her back onto dry land. The cats narrowly cross the Thunderpath. Bristlefrost narrowly avoids a monster, and Needleclaw asks which way they should go. They cross the Twolegplace into a forest, and Bristlefrost states that the river may be beyond the trees of the forest. They climb a fence and Rootspring gazes at Spotfur's hollow eyes. He wonders if she's sick. They hope that they can enter the forest, until they smell dog. 
:The patrol runs, heading for a Twoleg den. They see a large gray tom heading towards them, and he distracts the dogs while he tells the patrol that there is a hole in the fence to escape through. The tom heads towards the hole, asking the patrol to follow him. The dogs run away after the stranger swipes at their muzzles. The cats escape through the fence, and the tom asks if they are okay. Bristlefrost admiringly stares at him, stating that he saved their lives. The patrol thanks him. The tom asks why they are here, and they inform him that they are looking for a cat named Leaf. The strange cat introduces himself as Leaf, and asks why they are looking for him. Bristlefrost informs him that they are trying to find the Sisters. Leaf asks why he would know that, and Rootspring responds that he looks like them. Leaf retorts that he looks like them too. Rootspring says that they are his kin, and Needleclaw's. Leaf turns toward Spotfur, and asks if she's kin. She responds negatively, and Leaf tells her that new kits always bring a blessing to the Sisters' ancestors. He informs the queen that she's expecting kits.
:Leaf learns that they are warriors, and asks why they would need the Sisters' help, as the Clans had driven them out moons ago, but the patrol insists. Leaf informs them that the she-cats are traveling along a river. He says that he can locate them, but it will take some time. Rootspring asks how, and Leaf says that the earth talks to all toms born to the Sisters. Leaf talk to the earth, and tells them that he knows where the Sisters are. The loner tells them that they will have to cross the water, but they have time, as Sunshine is expecting kits. Leaf tells the patrol that he can lead them to where they are, but Needleclaw abruptly asks Rootspring to talk in private. She tells him that she thinks they cannot trust him. Leaf notices this, and tells them that he will give them directions to the Sisters.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
Category:Darkness Within
Category:The Broken Code arc
Category:Chapter subpages