#mistyleopard is end game but leopardstar and sasha were a thing while she was there

[canon-notcanon-warriorcats]

Sasha and the Leopard

    Sasha was led into the RiverClan camp by a loud and angry tom who was called Blackclaw. He had not been kind to her or her two kits, who stood on each side of her. It took the other two warriors in the patrol to persuade Blackclaw to allow them back to camp. Now Sasha and her two kits stood in the center of the camp, surrounded by whispering, suspicious cats.

    “Who are these cats?” A large, blue-gray she-cat stepped in front of Sasha, sniffing the air.

    Blackclaw snorted, “She says her name is Sasha and the two young ones are Hawk and Moth. She says she would like to speak to Leopardstar.”

    “I shall fetch her then.”

    Blackclaw looked up in shock, “You’re just going to be that easy on them? They trespassed on our territory! After all we’ve been through the past moons I think it’s a fish-brained idea-”

    The gray cat, who Sasha realized smelled faintly of milk and strongly of kits, whipped her tail in the air for Blackclaw to silence, “It’s Leopardstar’s decision what to do with them, isn’t it? You wouldn’t want to step on her tail, would you?”

    Blackclaw hesitated, “No.”

    “Then I shall retrieve her from her den,” the she-cat turned around and soon disappeared into a den on the other side of the camp. A den that Sasha assumed was Leopardstar’s.

    She had heard about RiverClan and Leopardstar from Tigerstar moons ago and then heard how he had combined the two clans. She prayed that they would be friendly, and maybe be a good home for her kits. She knew of ThunderClan and WindClan as well, but she wanted someway for her kits to stay connected with their father, even if she wanted no one else to know about that connection.

        Leopardstar soon came out of her den with the gray she-cat. She walked up to Sasha and the kits, stiff with aggression. But then her eyes softened as she looked at the two kits. Was that a flash of fear in her eyes for a heartbeat? She turned awkwardly to who Sasha presumed was her deputy.

    “Thank you, Mistyfoot. I would like to talk to them privately in my den.”

    “Of course, Leopardstar.” There was a strange tension between the two she-cats that made Sasha feel uncomfortable for both of them. Leopardstar turned around and led them to her den.

    It felt almost cold in Leopardstar’s den. She sat down on her nest. It looked so warm and soft, much softer than any nest Sasha had ever made for her kits. Moth and Hawk pressed themselves against her flanks, possibly feeling cornered in the small space.

    “Your kits. They are named Hawk and Moth?” asked Leopardstar in a friendly tone. Or at least trying to be.

    “Yes. this is Hawk,” Sasha looked down at the brown and white tabby tom, “and this is Moth,” she looked down at her other side at the golden she-cat. Both kits bowed their heads slightly to the leader. Sasha felt like she was supposed to say something more, but before she could Leopardstar filled the awkward short silence.

    “What is it that you want from RiverClan, Sasha?”

    Sasha was taken aback by how straight forward Leopardstar was. She actually kind of liked it, “Ah, yes, Leopardstar, I came here to ask you… if perhaps you would take my kits into your clan. Train them to be warriors like you.”

    Leopardstar narrowed her eyes, “But not you?”

    Sasha nervously swallowed, “No, Leopardstar, I do not think I would be suited to be a warrior, but my kits are strong and loyal. They would serve your clan well.”

    There was a long pause, Leopardstar staring into Sasha’s eyes for heartbeats. Sasha’s pelt burned under her fur, she didn’t feel cold anymore. Leopardstar suddenly took her eyes away and looked down at her paws.

    “These kits. Who are barely kits, they would be about apprentice age wouldn’t they? They are Tigerstar’s kits aren’t they?”

    Sasha tensed. She was hoping no one would notice and she couldn’t tell what Leopardstar was feeling. Was that grief in her voice? Sasha remembered that spark of fear when Leopardstar had looked at them. How was she going to react?

    “Yes. Yes they are Tigerstar’s kits,” Sasha tried to sound confident and brave, but knew her voice gave away her fear and guilt. Hawk puffed his chest out, as if trying to look bigger.

    Leopardstar looked up from her paws, but instead of looking at Sasha or either of her kits, she looked at the side of her den, “I assume you know what happened to him. It’s amusing that Tigerstar would choose a rogue as a mate. And you look so soft, so pretty. You must have been a kittypet at some point weren’t you? That’s even stranger.”

    Sasha pricked her ears in surprise. That wasn’t the way she expected Leopardstar to react at all. But what did she expect? For her to chase her and her kits off? To kill them? Sasha suddenly wanted to talk to her about something. Something very personal to her.

    “I had a third kit. He was a black tom named Tadpole. He died some time ago though,” Sasha felt misty-eyed. Moth and Hawk both ducked their heads down.

    Leopardstar pricked her ears up and turned to face Sasha once more, “A black tom?” she exhaled a small huff out of what seemed like pained amusement, she also seemed to become misty-eyed, “How strange. What StarClan seems to be putting me through.”

    Sasha tipped her head in confusion.

    “I’m very sorry for your loss, Sasha. I, too, had a son that died. A black tom just like yours. His name was Perchkit. I would have named him Perchtail. He was deathly ill, I would have done anything to help him. Tigerstar came to me and told me that if I let ShadowClan help, Perchkit could be cured and healed of his illness and would live. I’m not entirely sure how he found out my kit was sick, but of course I jumped at any opportunity to save my kit. He died soon after Tigerstar took over my camp,” Leopardstar’s gaze turned hot was rage, “He had used me and it was too late.”

    Sasha’s pelt pricked from Leopardstar’s rage. She didn’t know that’s how Tigerstar took over RiverClan. Moth gasped and pressed herself closer into her mother’s fur, Hawk sat up straighter, anger in his blue eyes staring straight at Leopardstar. She didn’t have any reaction to his cold gaze, but she did seem to take note of it.

    “That’s kind of similar to what Tigerstar did for me,” Sasha muttered, “He made me feel better after I lost my housefolk. He made me feel special, strong. I admit that I loved him.”

    Leopardstar’s eyes softened once more looking at Sasha, then looked away again, embarrassedly “Hmph, how many cats did Tigerstar use by taking advantage of them when they were vulnerable.”

    Sasha felt embarrassed as well. She didn’t know what to say to that. Luckily heartbeats later Leopardstar looked back to her, new strength in her eyes.

    “You and your kits may stay here, and train as warriors!”

    Hawk stood up, “Finally!”

    Moth purred as her body relaxed.

    “Thank you, so much Leopardstar for allowing my kits to train as your warriors. But I would not fit in well here, I am not a warrior.”

    Leopardstar straightened, her voice strong and stern, but her eyes soft and warm, “You should not leave your kits, Sasha. They will need you. Maybe you do not think you would be a good warrior, but you haven’t even trained. I could even train you myself!”

    Sasha’s fur felt hot. She looked down at her daughter, a chill of pride cooled her down. She was already as tall as her chin. How big would she grow? Then she looked over at her son. He was already fast and fierce. How strong of a fighter would he become? But she was not fierce or strong like either of her kits. If anything she would weigh them down. And if she stayed would the other clan cats be able to figure out who their father was? Russetfur already knew, now Leopardstar.

    Sasha bowed her head, “I’m very grateful for the invitation Leopardstar, but I really would be no good here-”

    “Please,” Leopardstar gazed into Sasha’s eyes again, this time cool and confident, “stay here. With your kits. Decide later if you would fit in the clan. Watch the kits you have become the best cats they can be. You can even-” Leopardstar seemed to stop herself, she looked away to the side of her den, “If it would make you more comfortable you could even share my den.”

    Sasha looked down at her paws, her fur getting hot again. She then looked at Leopardstar’s nest. It did look quite big for only one cat. One side looked stailer than the other. Maybe she could stay here. Just to make sure her kits would be okay. Or maybe more than that.

    “Maybe I could stay here. And maybe take you up on that offer,” she almost whispered, whiskers twitching in embarrassment, “If you’ll have me.” Moth and Hawk looked up at their mother, their eyes bright with excitement.

    Leopardstar turned back to Sasha and her kits, “Of course.”