The Other Half

I'm literally just dumping this here so that I can have it documented somewhere and others can revisit/read it. I'm not making this fancy though oops.


All my reviews were lost to the old forums which is sad so if you read it and enjoy and want to review feel free!



S H A D O W C L A N:
LEADER Smokestar - Big, long-haired dark gray, almost black tom with piercing amber eyes.
DEPUTY Dawnfrost- Pale ginger and white she cat with blue eyes.
Apprentice: Sparkpaw
MEDICINE CAT Ashcloud – Small dappled light gray she-cat with sky blue eyes.
WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)
Stormfrost – Silver and black tabby tom with a marbled fur pattern and a white underbelly.
Apprentice: Redpaw
Leopardheart - Mottled golden-brown she-cat
Swiftstep – Slender light brown tom
Hawkflight – Dark red tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Windpaw
Wolfsong - Handsome long haired dark gray tom with amber eyes
Snowpelt – White she-cat with dark blue eyes
Apprentice: Owlpaw
Dewleaf - Pale gray she-cat with green eyes
Flurrypelt – gray and white tom
Ghostfrost - Very pale gray, almost white, tom with pale green eyes
Apprentice: Viperpaw
Leafflight – Big tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
Emberclaw - Flame colored ginger tom with amber eyes
Swanfeather – Slender white she-cat with black front paws and green eyes
Shiverpool – Silver tabby she-cat
Apprentice: Sunpaw
Blossompool – White and ginger she-cat
Dustclaw - Muscular dusky brown tom
Sparrowflight – Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Russetwolf – Russet tabby tom with amber eyes
APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
Sparkpaw – Energetic flame-colored she-cat with yellow eyes
Sunpaw – Golden tabby she-cat
Windpaw - Slightly fluffy dark gray-and-white tom with dark blue eyes
Owlpaw - Thick-furred dark brown tabby tom with green eyes
Viperpaw – Small golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Redpaw - Dark red tabby she-cat with a white underbelly and paws and green eyes
QUEENS
Brooksong – Light brown tabby she-cat with a white underbelly (mother to Shinekit and Ravenkit)
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
Frostheart – Long haired white tom
Brindlefoot – Battled-scarred dark brown she-cat with black stripes
Firepelt – Ginger tabby tom

T H U N D E R C L A N
LEADER Tabbystar – Light brown tabby tom
DEPUTY Fernfoot – Mottled brown she-cat

W I N D C L A N
LEADER Shimmerstar – Sleek silver tabby she-cat
DEPUTY Patchcloud – White she-cat with silver patches and sky blue eyes

R I V E R C L A N
LEADER Breezestar – Black and white tom
DEPUTY Beechnose- Light brown tabby tom with green eyes



Snap.
The sound of a twig giving way under a careless paw. My whole body freezes instinctively; my eyes sweep the dense undergrowth for signs of life. Only another cat would be heavy enough to break a twig in two like that. Apart from the faint rustling of leaves as a breeze sweeps though, there is no movement among the foliage. I swiftly and quietly carry on, prowling through the thick woods, pine needles muffling my pawsteps so that I am completely silent. I am nothing put a shadow among the trees.

The eerie sensation of being watched tells me that I am not alone. Somewhere an invisible presence lies concealed, waiting, watching. I feel eyes on me, observing my every move, burning intently into my pelt. I pause, still in the hunter’s crouch. I swivel my ears to detect the slightest sound, open my mouth to taste the air for the slightest scent. I can sense nothing but the whispering of the trees, the strong smell of mud and pinesap, and the beating of my own heart growing steadily quicker.

I lift my paw for another step, and I see it. A shape looming up out of the undergrowth. A head comes up, and I see it’s another cat. Why am I unable to smell it? I can catch a trace of fresh ShadowClan scent- my own Clan- and a lot of fresh mud, but nothing else. Its scent must be disguised. An enemy warrior, no doubt. It is probably able to smell my scent though, because it has frozen and is very slowly turning its head to survey its surroundings. The cat opens its mouth to taste the air, and suddenly relaxes. It hasn’t sensed me. It pads on through the shadowy trees, apparently hunting.

I creep up stealthily behind it, taking care not to alert my enemy with loud pawsteps. This cat is probably out to steal prey from my territory. It looks like I am going to have to deal with the intruder by myself, apprentice though I am. The thought fills me with nervous excitement. I begin padding quickly after it, gaining speed until I am sprinting toward it. The cat turns, eyes wide, reflecting the moon. It turns tail at the sight of me and bolts, its fear scent trailing behind it. I give chase, yowling a battle cry. The cat is a she-cat and has significantly shorter legs than I do. I quickly overtake her. I leap, landing on her back, and dig my claws in. Her pelt is hard to grip, her pale fur plastered with the mud she used to hide her rival-Clan scent with. She is not as strong as I am, I realize, as she crumples under my weight; still, she possesses significant strength and muscle beneath her pelt. The cat screeches in alarm, twists onto her back and tries to claw at my belly with her hind claws. Her eyes blaze with fury and terror, and suddenly I recognize this little cat.

“Viperpaw!” I yowl in astonishment. I instantly unhook my claws from her pelt and let her up. She glares at me with all the hostility of an enemy, panting hard. “Windpaw, what in the Dark Forest are you doing?”

“Why is your scent disguised?” I pant. “You had me thinking you were some intruder!”
“My scent isn’t disguised; I fell in some mud earlier. Great StarClan, Windpaw. Some warrior you’d make, attacking cats just because you don’t recognize them at first. I almost had that rabbit, too.” She irritably flicks her tail in the direction the rabbit must have run.

“Some warrior you’d make, falling in mud and then running from an attacker like a rabbit yourself!” She glares at me and I smirk, and then suddenly she springs at me.

We roll around in the leaves for a heartbeat, halfheartedly clawing each other, until I easily pin her.

“Well,” I huff, “we’ve probably scared all the prey away by now. Let’s just go back to camp.” I yawn, worn out from my false-alarm attack. Viperpaw nods and we both get up and begin heading back.

Viperpaw is my closest friend in the Clan besides my brother, Owlpaw. We’re practically brother and sister. We’re the same age, seven moons, and my mother raised Viperpaw after her own mother died of greencough. She is very quiet and reserved by nature, but less so around Owlpaw and I, because we’re so close. And, as she proved tonight, not the best at facing an enemy and fighting, which brings me to ask her, “Why didn’t you turn and fight? We’re not kits anymore. We may only have a little bit of training, but that’s still no reason to not want to defend your Clan, or yourself.” I give her a sideways glance as I walk along next to her. I hate feeling like I’m pressuring her; I just honestly want to know. She shoots me a look. “You sound like my mentor,” she growls.

“Viperpaw, I’m serious.”

She shrugs, letting out a soft sigh.

“I don’t know.” Her large eyes anxiously flick everywhere except my face. “I guess I just… I just don’t feel confident enough yet to take on another cat on my own. I’ve never actually fought another cat before.”

“Well tonight could have been your chance to!” I tell her. “One day we’re gonna have to go into battle against another Clan, and we need to be ready.” She gives me an uncertain glance, and I continue, “Your name is Viperpaw! You’re supposed to be quick, fearless, and venomous!” I try to encourage her.

“So what,” she mutters. “It’s just a name. Names don’t define who you are.” I don’t know what to say to that. I find myself hoping that she gets over this insecurity soon so that she can learn to defend her Clan with pride. It would be horribly disappointing if she went medicine cat on me.


“Wake up!”
A growl sounds outside the overhanging branches of the apprentices’ den. I blink my eyes open to see a pair of amber eyes glaring at me. “You were supposed to be up hours ago. It’s sunhigh.” I groan inwardly. It’s Hawkflight, my mentor, and StarClan knows she hates when the apprentices are not punctual when taking care of Clan duties. I rise slowly to my paws, still tired from my run through the forest last night. I glance around the den and find that Viperpaw is still asleep, too. “Wake her up, too, and then the pair of you can go clean out the elders’ den.” Hawkflight turns with an irritated flick of her dark red tail and goes to join a group of senior warriors.

I prod Viperpaw with one claw. “Pssst! Wake up! It’s sunhigh, and Hawkflight’s ticked.” The golden apprentice groggily raises her head and forces her eyes open. “Huh?”
“Get up! Hawkflight wants us to clean out the elders’ den for sleeping so late.”
“Ugh. But I hate doing that! Hawkflight’s not even my mentor.”
A new voice mews, “Exactly. She’s not your mentor, which is why I’m taking you out battle training.”

“Ghostfrost!” Viperpaw meows delightedly. Not fair! Viperpaw gets to sleep late and practice battle training with the coolest mentor ever, Ghostfrost, while I have to clean out the elders’ den with my dictator of a mentor, Hawkflight. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

Viperpaw leaps out of her nest and trots after the young, misty-furred warrior. Slowly I squeeze out under the branches of my den and make my way across the clearing. I can feel Hawkflight’s hard gaze boring into my back, making sure I am getting the task done.

I slip into the elders’ den, where I am greeting with, “About time too! I’ve been waiting ages for some apprentice to come in here and clean this place out! I’ve got thorns and fleas all over my nest.” Frostheart, the worst elder in all of the Clans, lashes his fluffy tail and glares at me. This cat is one of the reasons why I hate this chore.

“Oh, pay no mind to this old fleabag, young Wishpaw,” Brindlefoot croaks. She can’t even remember my name, for StarClan’s sake. “Your bedding is fine, Frostheart! Redpaw just changed it yesterday.”

“Changed it!” Frostheart scoffs. “She put one clump of new moss in and clawed up the rest of it to make it look less matted. I swear apprentices these days have no respect for their elders.”

I block out Frostheart’s ranting and begin clearing out the old bedding. I have to wake up Firepelt so that he can let me clear out his old nest, and the old tom is so startled he swipes at me with unsheathed claws, leaving a small stinging scratch above my eye. I wince, cursing silently. At least he apologized, but could there possibly be a worse way to spend my day?

Apparently so. “I have a tick on my back I can’t reach,” Firepelt rumbles. “Would you mind getting some mouse bile from Ashcloud to put on it?

Foxdung.

Needless to say, the rest of my day was just as horrible, putting mouse bile on Firepelt’s ticks, throwing out the old bedding, finding more moss in the forest and whatnot. I am finally finished as the sun is setting and ready to go to my den and sleep for a moon when Smokestar, the ShadowClan leader, stalks out of his den and calls the Clan together. I had completely forgotten that tonight is the Gathering.

The cats begin pouring out from the shadows at the edges of the camp, swelling into one large group at the head of the clearing. I trot up and take my place between Redpaw and Russetwolf. Smokestar rakes the assembled cats with his fierce amber stare, which stands out boldly against his dark, soot-colored pelt, and begins to speak.

“As soon as the sun is completely below the horizon we shall leave for the Gathering,” he growls. “These are the cats I want in attendance tonight: Stormfrost, Leopardheart, Hawkflight, Snowpelt, Flurrypelt, Ghostfrost, Emberclaw, Swanfeather, Shiverpool, Dustclaw, Sparrowflight, Russetwolf, Frostheart, Brindlefoot, Firepelt, and all of the apprentices, seeing as their progress is coming along finely.” It is probably the first time I have ever heard Smokestar praise anyone. Excitement surges through my veins; this will be my first Gathering. Redpaw nudges me and barely manages to whisper, “We’re going to the Gathering!” Redpaw, who is seven moons as well, has been talking about going to one since before we were apprenticed.

Smokestar waves his tail in signal and all the chosen cats file after him through the entrance tunnel and into the warm greenleaf forest. Viperpaw catches up to me and Redpaw and we bound gleefully after our Clanmates. I feel a surge of energy course through me; none of my exhaustion from earlier remains. I try to match the longer strides of the older warriors as I run through my territory, stretching my short legs until I just barely clear a fallen log. The lake comes into sight, and Smokestar leads us along the shore, heading into RiverClan territory. The ground here is marshy and wet underpaw, and I wince as I splash through a puddle, the silver droplets soaking my white belly fur. I can see a group of RiverClan cats ahead of us, making their way in the same direction as we are.

Finally, as the full moon rises, I spot the island, connected to the shore by a huge fallen tree. The RiverClan cats are creeping across it one by one, the pale light making their pelts glow silver. Ahead, Smokestar stops to let the last RiverClan cats make their way across, then leaps onto the log. Dawnfrost, our deputy, follows, and so does the rest of the Clan in single file. Redpaw jumps gracefully onto the slippery bark and pads forward easily. I crouch, preparing to make the jump, butterflies in my stomach. What if I do something embarrassing, like slip? I push the thought from my mind and leap.
My claws grasp bark and damp moss, and I cling on, praying to StarClan that I can keep my balance. I cautiously straighten up, and gingerly take a step forward.
“C’mon, you’re holding up the line!” I turn and see Owlpaw, my brother, scramble up onto the log behind me. He gives me a shove. “Move your butt!” he yowls. My paws slip and I catch myself quickly, my heart pounding. “Okay, okay! Relax,” I hiss, and quickly pad across the fallen tree. I push off the end of the bridge and make my way through the trees after the rest of the Clan.

The woods on the island finally open up into a clearing washed in pale moonlight with a huge, ancient oak in the center. The clearing is a sea of pelts and tails; the scents of RiverClan and WindClan intermingle as the Clans greet each other, sharing tongues and gossiping. ThunderClan has yet to arrive. I feel fur brush against my flank and I turn to see Viperpaw standing next to me, her amber eyes wide. She is shivering a bit.

“There are so many cats,” she breathes. “What if we get lost?”

“Just stick with me,” I mew. Owlpaw comes up on my other side. “So what do we do now?” he asks.

“Go meet some of the other apprentices,” a voice mews. I twist my head to see Owlpaw’s mentor Snowpelt standing behind us. “Try to learn something about them. After all, you will meet them in battle someday.”

Owlpaw turns to look at her. “You mean like, get useful information about them?”

Snowpelt nods. “Precisely,” she purrs. I look around the clearing, and spot Sunpaw and Sparkpaw talking to some cats that look about my age. “Let’s go talk to them,” I suggest, flicking my tail in their direction. “Okay!” Owlpaw bounds off and I follow. Viperpaw pads after us more slowly.

Sunpaw smiles at us as we settle down next to her and Sparkpaw. “This is Frozenpaw and Wavepaw’s first Gathering, too,” she mews. “They’re from RiverClan.” Sunpaw is two moons older than me, nine moons, and Sparkpaw is nearly twelve moons, almost a warrior. Owlpaw and I mew a friendly greeting to the two apprentices, and Viperpaw just ducks her head shyly. Frozenpaw, a gray tom, gives us a nod, his expression guarded, but the dappled blue-gray she-cat Wavepaw bursts out, “This is your first Gathering too? Oh good, we aren’t the only ones. I was expecting to be the only ones, and I was worried that all the other cats would know what to do and I wouldn’t, and what if we got bullied by some older warriors or something? I couldn’t defend myself. I don’t have any battle training!” She stops to take a breath. “I’m Wavepaw by the way. Medicine cat apprentice.” She straightens up proudly, puffing out her chest. “That’s my mentor over there, Mudstep,” she waves her tail in the direction of a brown tabby tom. “He’s great. He’s like a father, or a really nice uncle or something. He’s not really my father, my father’s over there,” she points again, but I can’t tell which cat she means so I just pretend I see him and nod. “My mom didn’t come tonight, she has a hurt foot. Mudstep told her to stay home. He’s such a great medicine cat. Last moon…”

I block out her endless babbling and say to Sunpaw, “Where’s ThunderClan?”

“They’re here now,” she answers, looking past me. I follow her gaze and see a large tabby tom leading his Clan onto the island. I hear a yowl in the opposite direction and turn my head to see a sleek-furred she-cat who I assume is the WindClan leader standing in the center of the Great Oak where two branches meet. “Let’s begin,” she calls. Several of the other cats glare in her direction. I realize that the other Clan leaders are not even at the Great Oak yet.

Smokestar stalks slowly up to the tree and bounds up onto a higher branch. He doesn’t even glance at the she-cat who called for the Gathering to start. ThunderClan’s leader joins Smokestar, growling, “Patience, Shimmerstar. ThunderClan has only just arrived.” A thickset black and white tom scrabbles clumsily up onto the lowest branch and nods at Shimmerstar. “Let’s begin,” he bellows.

Shimmerstar steps forward at once. “WindClan has something to say. It is of great importance to the future of all four Clans, and I believe that this part of the warrior code needs to be enforced now even more than it already is.” She pauses for dramatic effect, and some elder calls out, “Well, get on with it!”

Shimmerstar ignores the voice and rakes the assembled cats with an amber gaze like fire. “There is too much tainted blood within our Clans these days. Are we even warriors any longer? Or a bunch of rogues, kittypets, and loners thrown together?” She glances at ShadowClan, ThunderClan and RiverClan in turn. “It seems WindClan is the only Clan with almost perfect Clan blood, with descendants of Windstar herself living among us.” She raises her voice. “But still, even our blood isn’t pure. And impure blood means divided loyalties. And divided loyalties lead to destruction and chaos.”

There is a heavy pause that stretches out. You can almost feel the tension crackling in the air. Shimmerstar speaks again, her voice a low, menacing growl. “I am sure you all, especially WindClan, remember Featherpelt and Rainfall. Two half-WindClan mutts that had the privilege to live in my Clan. Well, you may be wondering where they are tonight.” She pauses again; a sneer appears on her face.

I glance around, and see that most of the WindClan cats appear anguished; pelts bristle, tails lash. Some just hang their heads in apparent sorrow, gazing with unseeing, clouded eyes at the ground. Still others sit proudly and nod their approval. Anxious murmurs arise from all the Clans. What did WindClan do to those cats?

Shimmerstar draws herself up to her full height, pelt bristling and tail lashing. “I had my most loyal warriors do away with such dishonorable filth,” she snarls. “They are dead and walk with StarClan, if they even deserve to.”

At once a chorus of outraged yowls and caterwauls arises like a flock of startled blackbirds. Cats from ShadowClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan leap to their paws, spitting insults and questions left and right. ThunderClan’s leader finally stands and raises his tail for silence. Gradually the noise dies down and the Clans sit down again, muttering among themselves.

“Shimmerstar,” the dark tabby tom addresses the WindClan leader with a voice like ice. “What gives you the right to decide if a cat deserves to live among your Clan or not, just because of their blood? Their loyalty should be the determining factor of worthiness, not their heritage. What I saw in Featherpelt and Rainfall was the same amount of loyalty and dedication to their Clan and the warrior code as a full-blooded warrior.”

“What gives you the right, Tabbystar, to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do? I am strengthening my Clan!” Shimmerstar is seething, her muscles tensed. The wild hate in her eyes is frightening.

“Strengthening?” Tabbystar hisses. “You murdered two valuable warriors! That is weakening your Clan. As long as a cat is faithful, what difference does it make that they are half-Clan, kittypet, rogue, or loner?”

“You would say that, Tabbystar. After all, there is not a single cat left among your ranks that is one hundred percent ThunderClan.”

“And how does that make them disloyal?” Tabbystar shouts. “Prove that my warriors would not give up their final breath for ThunderClan! Let’s not forget Firestar, or the Three. Kittypet blood and WindClan blood flowed through their veins, but who’s to say they weren’t the most loyal cats of all? We owe our very lives to them.” He sweeps the crowd with his wise green gaze. He was obviously trying to win the support of the other Clans.

“You choose to dwell in the past, Tabbystar.” Smokestar finally speaks up from his perch above them. “But our warriors are facing the threats of today, and we must tend to the future. I agree with Shimmerstar.” Several shocked ears perk up. “Housing half-blood cats is more trouble than it’s worth. ShadowClan will not tolerate traitors who break the warrior code for their own selfishness. As of now my ranks are pure, but any breaking of the warrior code involving taking mates from another Clan will be punished with death.”

Can he really do this? I stare skeptically up at my leader. Of course, no cat should take a mate from another Clan, but it’s not like the kits asked to be born. I can’t say that I agree with Smokestar. Thank StarClan I’m fully ShadowClan.

Breezestar, the RiverClan leader, stands. “I also side with Shimmerstar and Smokestar. RiverClan will begin to strongly enforce this part of the warrior code.” He abruptly sits back down. I glance toward the deputies, to see if they agree with their leaders’ decisions. All of them seem content, except a mottled she-cat, who I assume is the ThunderClan deputy, is puffed up and spitting insults at the WindClan deputy. The RiverClan deputy looks about uneasily, as if he disagrees with Breezestar but doesn’t want to say so out loud.

“I can’t believe this,” Tabbystar growls, throwing a look of pure hatred toward Shimmerstar. “Complete savages, the lot of you. You are unfit to bear the title of ‘warrior.’” With that he bounds to the ground and calls his Clan together. The ThunderClan cats file after their leader, bristling with rage.

“Tabbystar is a fool,” Shimmerstar spits. “Let him weaken his Clan while we grow strong.” Shimmerstar leaps off of her branch, and flicks her tail dismissively. At once the Clans disperse to share tongues and gossip. No one seems to mind the absence of ThunderClan.

I tag after Owlpaw, who is just slipping away through the crowd. “Where’d Viperpaw get to?” I ask.

Owlpaw looks around, and then shrugs. “Hm. I don’t know. I can’t see her.”

“She must be close by.”

I weave though the crowd after Owlpaw. Suddenly I smack face first into a wall of ginger fur. Sparkpaw hops backward, out of my way. “Sorry!” she mews.

“Have you seen Viperpaw?” Owlpaw asks.

“Sparkpaw flicks her tail toward someplace behind her. I look over her shoulder to see her talking with some other cat. It looks more like the other cat is doing all the talking, though. “There she is.” I flick my tail for Owlpaw to follow me and we go to join up with her.

“It’s too bad all the leaders were arguing,” Sparkpaw mews with a sympathetic flash in her yellow eyes. “Smokestar could have announced your names since this is your first Gathering. Oh well.” She shrugs and pads off.

“Darn.” Owlpaw comments.

“Oh well; c’mon, let’s go find Viperpaw.” We make our way over to where she is standing and looking around as if she is confused.

“Weren’t you just talking to someone?” Owlpaw asks.

She nods. “They had to leave.” The little she-cat looks overwhelmed. “Are you okay?” I ask.

“Fine. There are just so many cats. And they’re all so huge and vicious looking! And some of them are really nice. I don’t want to have to fight all these cats.” She looks at me with wide, unhappy eyes.

I open my mouth to say something, but then a shadow falls over us. I look up to see a huge pale-furred tabby tom gazing down at us.

“Hello.” His mew is deep and rumbling, like the river’s current. “He beckons with his tail. “Could you come with me for a moment?”
My paws feel rooted to the spot. I glance at Owlpaw and Viperpaw, only to see that they are just as shocked as I am to be addressed by this tom. What does he want with us?

Suddenly my mind goes back to that uncertain-looking tom sitting at the roots of the Great Oak while his leader sided with the majority.

It was the RiverClan deputy.







I stand rigid, staring up at this huge tomcat. I feel my ears flatten against my head involuntarily. Are we in trouble? Did we do something wrong? What is he going to do with us?

I glace over at Windpaw and Owlpaw to see their reactions. Their faces appear shocked, probably mirroring my own. Owlpaw has a suspicious glint in his green eyes. “Aren’t you the RiverClan deputy?” he boldly inquires.

The massive tabby nods. “I am.” His expression is very calm and kind. It relaxes me a bit. He jerks his head in the direction of a large holly bush at the edge of the clearing, beckoning us with his tail. Windpaw takes a hesitant step forward, and Owlpaw falls in beside him. I slowly trail along behind. The RiverClan deputy ducks underneath the spiky branches of the holly and sits down with his tail wrapped around his paws.

“Now, in case you don’t know already, my name is Beechnose. As I am the deputy of RiverClan, it is of utter importance that our meeting be kept a secret.”

“What is all this about?” Owlpaw demands.

“Patience, Owlpaw. I am getting to that.”

The little brown tabby’s neck fur spikes up. “How do you know my name?”

“I know all your names. You’re Owlpaw, he’s Windpaw and she’s Viperpaw. But that doesn’t matter. The point is, I was observing you tonight during the Gathering, and you are all incredibly promising young cats. I would like to start an alliance between RiverClan and the three of you.”

“Just us? Not all of ShadowClan?” Windpaw interrupts.

Beechnose appears to be thinking about something. “No,” he mutters, as if half to himself. “It’d be too dangerous.” More loudly he adds, “Just the three of you. I will offer you training, to make you better warriors, better than what you could be with only your mentors’ training.”

“Are you saying we wouldn’t get good training in our own Clan? ShadowClan is ten times as great as RiverClan!” Owlpaw growls.

“I’m not saying anything.” Beechnose has an air of eternal patience about him. Is that a glint of amusement in his eyes? “This agreement will strengthen you. A smart cat would be wise to accept the deputy of another Clan as an ally. Do you accept?”

My fur bristles along my spine. I flash a warning glance at Windpaw, and give a tiny shake of my head. I am too afraid to speak up, though. Windpaw blinks at me to show that he saw. “What is all this about? What is the real reason for all of this?” he asks.

Beechnose sighs. “I wish I could tell you, but not now. All in good time. But I need an answer. The Clans are beginning to leave.”
 
The three of us exchange a glance. Owlpaw sweeps his tail to beckon us to huddle. We crowd together, our heads pressed close.

“Do you actually think this is a good idea? I think it’s completely mousebrained!” Owlpaw hisses.

“Well…” Windpaw hesitates.

“Windpaw, we’d be setting ourselves up for ambush!”

“Um, I think he can hear us,” I whisper. Owlpaw’s hissing isn’t exactly soft. The brown apprentice glances over his shoulder at Beechnose, then adds more softly, “What do you think, Viperpaw?”

“I- I don’t know.” I mew. “It might be a good idea, but it would be unsafe.”

“I think we might be stupid not to accept,” Windpaw declares. “It’s the RiverClan deputy, for StarClan’s sake!”

“How about this,” says Owlpaw. “We go once to see what it is about, and then decide whether we want to keep going with it. Deal?”

“Deal.” Windpaw and I mew in unison. We turn around to face Beechnose.

“Okay. We’ll meet you for training,” says Owlpaw.

Beechnose lets out a deep purr. “Thank you. You will not regret this. Meet me tomorrow night at the halfbridge between our territories at moonrise. I’ll be waiting.” Without another word he stands and pushes his way out from under the holly.

“Let’s hope we haven’t just agreed to something incredibly mousebrained,” Owlpaw murmurs. I nod in agreement. Now that we’ve agreed to meet this tom, I’m extremely nervous, but Windpaw thinks this is a good idea, and I usually trust his judgment. I follow Windpaw and Owlpaw out from underneath the bush, to see that ShadowClan is about to leave. My mentor Ghostfrost rushes toward us from the crowd.

“We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” he meows. “We’re about to leave.” I pad by his side toward the group of ShadowClan cats. “I found them,” Ghostfrost calls. Smokestar flicks his ears in acknowledgement and leads the Clan off the island.

I lay curled up in my nest next to Windpaw, unable to sleep. When I close my eyes I can still see the kind expression of Beechnose looking down at me. Something about him draws me to want to know about him, to want to learn from him. There seems to be a gentleness and patience about the tom that I like. The way he looked at us was almost, I don’t know, fatherly? Except I don’t really know what that looks like. My father and mother both died long ago. Windpaw and Owlpaw’s mother Dewleaf raised me, so I guess I know what it’s like to have a mother, but my father died in battle before I was born, in the same battle that killed Windpaw and Owlpaw’s father. Maybe Beechnose could fill in the gap in my heart where I know my father should have been.

Another thought occurs to me: what if it was all just an act? What if we are all going to get ambushed tomorrow by RiverClan? We may leave ShadowClan to visit a strange tom and it could cost us our lives. But then Beechnose’s calm, fatherly gaze swims back into my mind and I don’t think that is possible. Besides, I have to trust Windpaw. Windpaw feels good about it, and that’s all that matters. Even if Owlpaw is suspicious.

I snuggle deeper into my moss nest, trying to get comfortable. I can feel Windpaw’s back against mine in his nest next to me. I relax, my worries eased slightly by the presence of the gray and white apprentice, and I finally sink into sleep.









“Aren’t you three hungry? You’ve hardly touched your fresh-kill!”

Dewleaf stands over us with a mildly concerned expression. The evening sun glows orange on the edges of her pale gray fur.
Great. The last thing I need is my mom watching my every move. We are all too nervous to eat, but of course we have to hide that, or else she’d want to know why. Me, Owlpaw and Viperpaw need to be able to slip out of camp tonight to meet the RiverClan deputy, and I’m almost more afraid of what Dewleaf would do to me than what Smokestar would.

“Oh, we’re about to eat. We were just talking,” Owlpaw quickly mews. I nudge Viperpaw, seeing her expression, and whisper in her ear, “Don’t look guilty!” Viperpaw is always the one to give us away with her easily-read expressions.

“Alright,” Dewleaf mews. “Just making sure you weren’t sick.” She turns and pads away.

“Awesome,” Owlpaw meows sarcastically. “Now Dewleaf’s suspicious. Maybe this is a bad idea after all.”

“Yeah,” Viperpaw agrees in a small voice. “I don’t want to get in trouble. Is it really worth it?”

I share their doubts, but at the same time I’m thrilled by Beechnose’s offer. “But we’re gonna get trained by a deputy!”

“Can’t we ask our deputy to train us?” says Owlpaw.

“Dawnfrost? Are you crazy?” meows Viperpaw. “She hates everyone! She wouldn’t train us.”

“Exactly!” I put in, even though I’d never even thought of that.

“What’cha talking about?” A loud voice meows in my ear.

We all jump at once. Redpaw is right next to me, apparently listening in on our conversation.

“Redpaw! Don’t scare me like that!” I slowly let my fur lie flat.

“It’s the fifth time this moon she’s snuck up on me,” says Viperpaw.

“Only because you’re such an easy target,” the dark red apprentice laughs. I find myself purring at Redpaw’s remark. It’s true; Viperpaw is very easy to scare.

“Care if I sit with you guys?” I suddenly notice that Redpaw has a sparrow at her paws. “Um, sure,” I mew. Owlpaw shoots me a glare from over Viperpaw’s shoulder. Now that she’s here, Redpaw will never let us escape at moonrise, and the sun is going down quickly. But I couldn’t just say no to her.

The four of us sit and make small talk until it is completely dark outside. Finally Viperpaw nudges me. “Owlpaw says it’s time to go. He’s gonna come up with an excuse to leave,” she whispers in my ear.

Just as she says this, Owlpaw stands. “Gotta go to the dirtplace.” He pads off toward the back wall of the camp.

“Me too,” I mew quickly, getting up to follow him.

“Um, me too,” stammers Viperpaw, padding after me.

“All of you?” Redpaw asks with suspicion in her voice.

“Yep. We drank a lot of water before we ate,” I lie. I don’t turn around, but I can bet her tail is thrashing with annoyance. Even though I always feel sort of bad after, I make up excuses pretty often to get away from the red tabby she-cat. She’s kind of clingy, which bothers me.

Once we are outside the camp, Owlpaw glances around to make sure we’re all there, and then leads us at a steady pace toward the RiverClan border. My heart is pounding as I follow him. Whether it is from fear or excitement or both, I am uncertain.
I begin to smell the scent of water on the breeze, and soon we are bounding out onto the reed-covered shore. The halfbridge is just in sight. As we draw nearer, a silhouette of a huge cat leaps up onto the halfbridge, the edges of its thick fur silver in the moonlight. The cat lifts its tail and waves it in greeting. My heart thumps even harder in my chest as my littermates and I leap up onto the bridge in front of Beechnose.

“Greetings,” he purrs warmly. “I almost expected you to change your minds.”

“Well, we came,” Owlpaw says gruffly. “I hope this is worth our time.”

“Oh don’t worry. I think you three will enjoy this. Now, why don’t you tell me a bit about yourselves. Owlpaw?”

Owlpaw’s tailtip flicks back and forth nervously. “What do you want to know?”

“Oh, anything. Who are your parents, your mentor, your favorite things to do, stuff like that.”

“Oh, well, my mother is Dewleaf. She’s a good cat. My father…” He hesitates. “My father was killed in a battle with ThunderClan.”

Beechnose appears wounded for a moment. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He sounds genuinely sorry. Did he used to know our father or something? “Er, carry on,” he adds quickly.

“Um, well, my mentor is Snowpelt-“

“A good choice.”

Owlpaw lashes his tail.

“-And my favorite thing to do is serve my Clan.”

“Good, good,” Beechnose nods. “Windpaw? What about you?”

“I’m Owlpaw’s brother so my parents are the same. My mentor is Hawkflight and my favorite thing to do is night-hunt,” I say very quickly, my voice trembling a little. I swear my heart is about to leap out of my chest. Beechnose must be able to hear it.
Surprisingly, Viperpaw sounds as calm as ever when Beechnose asks about her. She tells him about Dewleaf raising her after her parents died, tells him that her mentor is Ghostfrost, and that her favorite thing to do is hang out with me and Owlpaw, without stuttering once or letting her voice shake. I’m amazed. She can’t even talk to Smokestar or Dawnfrost without getting nervous.
“Excellent, excellent,” rumbles Beechnose, looking pleased. “Now, let’s begin our first lesson. We’ll start with basic attacking, and improve them beyond the skills you already possess…”



Owlpaw’s deep green eyes reflect the still-full moon, locked into mine. We circle each other on the half-bridge, putting each paw down on the smooth wood surface slowly and carefully, sizing up one another. Owlpaw pauses, glancing at my paws. Then he leaps downward. I hop easily out of the way, anticipating his attack. His forepaws, which were positioned to knock mine out from under me, slam clumsily on the wooden planks and he stumbles. Quick as lightning I leap on top of his back and force him to the ground. He rolls with my weight until he has me pinned, and begins raking my belly with unsheathed claws.

I yowl from the pain. “Get off! Stop using your claws!”

Suddenly Beechnose is between us, shoving Owlpaw off of me and then nudging me to my feet. I wince from my scratches and twist around to lap at my belly fur, tasting the salty tang of blood. “He clawed me!”

“I’m sorry!” Owlpaw squeaks. “I didn’t mean to!” His shocked expression tells me his apology is sincere. “It’s okay,” I mew.

“Owlpaw, you must always remember to never use claws when training with your Clanmates,” Beechnose scolds the young tom. “I understand you may have gotten carried away, but please remember next time.”

“I will.”

So far our first session with the RiverClan deputy has gone great. We practiced several new moves we’d never even seen in ShadowClan before, and Beechnose is such a great teacher that we’d gotten pretty good at them in these past few hours. Now the moon is setting, drifting down below the tree line. Viperpaw opens her jaws in a huge yawn, and Owlpaw’s eyes droop. But my veins are still coursing with excitement. I realize however that we need to head back.

Suddenly Beechnose raises his head in alarm, and I hear faint voices drifting from the direction of the RiverClan camp. “Quick! They heard your yowling, Windpaw,” Beechnose mutters hurriedly. “Quick, get back to your territory, I’ll cover for you.”

We all quickly thank the brown tabby and flee, slipping silently through the reeds toward the ShadowClan border. I glance back once to see Beechnose confronting three large silhouettes on the bridge. Relief washes over me as I realized we just narrowly escaped.

We arrive outside the bramble screen of the camp, out of breath from running. I creep back into the camp through the dirtplace tunnel, peering through the brambles to make sure no cat is awake. Then I dart to my nest as quick as an adder, Owlpaw and Viperpaw hard on my paws. I can feel excitement coursing through my body and see it evident in the eyes of my friends.

“That was so much fun!” Owlpaw half-whispers, half-squeals. “I’m so glad I let you talk me into going!”

“I told you it would be worth it, mouse-brain!” I tell him.

Viperpaw just purrs, trembling all over. Her eyes shine excitedly in the gloom.

“I don’t wanna have to wait ‘til next quarter moon until our next session!” I mew. “It’s so far away.”

“What are you three meowing about?” an angry voice growls. Sunpaw is looking up from her nest, her pelt rumpled with sleep. Her yellow eyes flash with irritation in the gloom. “Do you know how late it is? What have you been doing?”

“Uhhhh…” we all mew in unision.

“We were…” I begin.

“In the dirtplace!” Owlpaw finishes quickly.

Sunpaw frowns, clearly skeptical. “Redpaw told me you all went to the dirtplace together around sundown. Are you joined at the hip? The dirtplace is literally a few tail lengths away, I think you’ll be fine on your own for a few heartbeats.” She turns with a huff and snuggles back into her nest.

“Nice going, Owlpaw,” Viperpaw mumbles as quietly as possible. Owlpaw just shrugs.

“That was really fun,” Owlpaw mews softy, “but are we sure it’s really worth the risk? We were really close to being caught by that patrol, and now our Clanmates are suspicious.”

“We just need to do a better job of being sneaky,” I assured my brother.

“But he has a point,” Viperpaw mumbles. “What if we do get caught? Is it worth this risk?”

I remain silent, thinking. Getting caught by some cat like Sunpaw is one thing; getting caught by Dewleaf or Smokestar is another. But the training we received tonight was unlike any ShadowClan technique I had ever learned from Hawkflight. Beechnose was automatically a better mentor than my own anyway, he is much more patient and understanding and I caught on to new moves much quicker.

“I think it is,” I say with determination. “This is the best training I’ve ever gotten.”

“Me too,” Owlpaw agrees, flicking his ear. “Snowpelt is a good mentor, but Beechnose makes her seem really boring in comparison!”

“I like training with Ghostfrost,” Viperpaw whispers slowly. “He’s a good mentor. But so is Beechnose. And if you two want to continue then I will too.”

I feel more relaxed now that everyone has agreed to continue. Something about training with the brown tabby tom just feels right. Something drives me to want to learn from him, to train alongside him for battle, something beyond a mentor-and-apprentice relationship.

We talk quietly for a little while longer, glancing worriedly at Sunpaw and the others to make sure we don’t wake them, and then finally lie down in our nests and close our eyes. I feel Viperpaw’s warm fur next to mine in her nest, contentment sweeps over me, and I drift into sleep.






I am holding a cat three times my size by the throat, my paws pinning them to the ground. Cats screech and writhe around me, bodies slam against each other and blood sprays across the trampled reeds and wet pebbles. I cannot tell who this cat is, for they are just a black silhouette underneath my grasp. All I know is my hatred for this cat is real, and it is enough for me to lunge for their already-bloodied throat with bared fangs.

Paws grasp my shoulders with sheathed claws, shaking me firmly. In a rage, I whip around, claws ready, only to open my eyes and see Owlpaw standing over me. “ "Viperpaw, wake up! You were snarling in your sleep.”

My dream fades slowly, leaving me startled and confused. I shake my fur out and look up at Owlpaw.

“We’re going on dawn patrol. Leopardheart said to wake you.”

“Okay,” I mumble, still feeling bleary with tiredness. Why am I so tired? Then the training session from the night before floods back to me. Standing up, I realize that I am very sore; muscles that I have never used before ache in protest as I push my way through the den and out into the blinding greenleaf sunshine. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I make out Leopardheart, Snowpelt, Stormfrost, and Redpaw waiting in the center of the clearing. As soon as Owlpaw and I have reached them, Leopardheart nods and leads us through the bramble barrier.

The early morning sunlight slants through the pines, casting dappled shadows across our backs and over the pine straw littering the forest floor. Redpaw bounds excitedly through the undergrowth, circling the patrol as we make our way through the forest. How does she have so much energy? Even with a full night’s sleep I’m never this hyper. The red tabby circles back around to me and shoves a white forepaw roughly into my side. “Tag! You’re it!”

“But I don’t wanna-” I start, but it’s too late; Redpaw is already haring away to the front of the patrol, her russet tail streaming out behind her. Realizing I’m not following, she turns back and jabs me again. “Come on, try to catch me!”

“Redpaw!” Stormfrost growls sternly. “Stop acting like a kit straight out of the nursery and concentrate! First of all, you’ll scare all the prey from here to the island. If the hunting patrol has a measly catch this morning I’m having you apologize to the Clan personally.” Redpaw flattens her ears. “And secondly, we don’t need RiverClan thinking we can’t teach our apprentices to behave when we mark the border. Understood?” He flashes Redpaw a hard green stare.

“Yes, Stormfrost,” the red she-cat mews quietly, subdued. Finally, some peace and quiet.

Then I realize Stormfrost said we’re marking the RiverClan border. What if they pick up our scent from last night? I glance at Owlpaw, my worry mirrored in his own face.

“What if they catch our scent?” The dark brown tabby whispers.

“We didn’t really linger on the border, so hopefully they won’t notice,” I say, trying to reassure myself as much as him.

“It also helps that we’re here right now,” he meows thoughtfully. “Maybe they won’t pay attention to our scent because they’ll think its coming from us right now.”

“Yeah but what if the RiverClan cats-”

A loud yowl interrupts me. Glancing ahead, I realize we’ve reached the border. A RiverClan patrol is bounding through the grass to meet us. Stormfrost’s hackles rise and a low growl rumbles in Leopardheart’s throat as she steps forward to address them. A muscular gray RiverClan she-cat rushes forward, back arched and hissing viciously. I shrink back in fear, while Owlpaw’s fur bristles and Redpaw rushes forward to stand beside her mentor, spitting.

“Stand down, Marshpelt, we’re only here to mark the borders,” Leopardheart meows calmly to the snarling gray cat.

“That’s what you plan to do only now that my patrol is here,” Marshpelt snarls. “I know ShadowClan crossed the border last night!”

“What are you on about?” Snowpelt growls. “ShadowClan hasn’t even been near your border lately.

“Your scents say otherwise!” Marshpelt retorts. The rest of the RiverClan patrol is catching up now, including Beechnose himself at the rear.

“What scents?!” Leopardheart demands. “I smell nothing!”

“There was ShadowClan stench as far as the halfbridge last night, and we heard a yowl inside the border that echoed up to the camp!”

“Prove it, foxdung!” Owlpaw yowls beside me. None of the older warriors scold him. I just stand in the back of our group, shivering with fear. We could easily be discovered at this point.

Beechnose steps up beside the enraged she-cat. “I told you last night,” he mutters stiffly to her. “I heard the yowl from the halfbridge where I was fishing. It was nowhere within the territory.”

“We never heard any yowl,” Snowpelt meows.

"Lies!" Marshpelt snarls, taking a step forward. "ShadowClan has always been lying, theiving scum!"

With that, Redpaw hurls herself at the bristling she-cat, yowling as loud as TigerClan. Marshpelt falls under her weight in shock, but quickly rolls over and begins shredding Redpaw.

"Mouse dung!" Stormfrost hisses, leaping after his apprentice. He siezes Marshpelt's shoulders and hauls her off, but then the whole RiverClan patrol rushes to thier Clanmate's aid in a flurry of teeth and claws.

"Come on!" Leopardheart shouts, following Stormfrost. The rest of the patrol surges forward but I am frozen to the spot, unable to react. Finally Owlpaw gives me a hard shove in the flank and I come to my senses. I bound after my tabby Clanmate onto the large twoleg platform birdering our territory, only to be knocked off my paws from a vicious swipe. I hit the wooden surface hard, jarring my skull. Glancing up, I see that my attacker is a huge tortiseshell she-cat, much, much bigger than me. She rears up in order to bring her front paws crashing down on me, but I roll out of the way just in time, wild terror flashing like electricity through my heart. I spring to my paws and try to run back across the border but her teeth connect in my tail and I screech in pain. As she drags me backwards, I try to twist out of her grasp, kicking out my hind legs to break free. But her grip is strong, and she easily pins me to the ground again. I squeeze my eyes shut as I see her raise her paw again, and blinding pain explodes in my shoulder as her blow falls. Again and again her paws pound into me. I cover my face with my paws, waiting for each blow, until suddenly they stop.

I peek an eye open, and there is Windpaw. What is he doing here? Whatever the reason, he came just in time, and now he is slashing at the she-cat in a vicious fury. The ferocity in his dark blue eyes is more intense than I've ever seen. The tortoiseshell is much bigger than him and is driving him back, but he has left nasty claw marks across her face and pelt. Finally Snowpelt comes to his aid, and together they drive the RiverClan cat back. She finally backs off, leaping off into the thick of battle.

"Windpaw!" I gasp. "Thank StarClan! Where did you come from?"

"We were on hunting patrol and heard fighting, so we came as quick as we could!"

Glancing around, I can see Ghostfrost, Blossompool, Dustclaw and Leafflight among my patrol and the RiverClan cats.

"Well come on!" Windpaw yowls, leaping back into battle. I go to follow when I spot another RiverClan patrol making its way across the field toward us. The RiverClan patrol is bigger than both of our patrols combined, and Breezestar is in the lead.
Horrified, I rush through the fray to find Leopardheart. She needs to be warned so we can call for backup. I dodge claws and snapping teeth and narrowly miss running straight into a RiverClan tom, but I finally find Leopardheart struggling with a thick-furred black tom. The two cats look equally matched, and are completely focused on one another. But I must warn the senior warrior.

"Leopardheart!" I yowl. As she glances toward me, the black tom takes advantage of her moment of distraction and slams his wide paw across her face, knocking her to the ground. He is on her in an instant, slashing her belly so hard she looks stunned.
 
"Viperpaw, help," Leopardheart chokes out.

My paws root themselves to the spot. I've never attacked a cat before. My instincts tell me to run, and I almost obey them until I catch sight of Windpaw fighting strongly with cats twice his size, and remember his words to me in the forest that one night. Strength surges through me and I leap on top of the tom.

Once I am on top of him he doesn't seem as big. I slice at his ears with my forepaws and then bite down on his shoulder, tasting greasy, musky fur. The tom throws himself onto his back, flattening me, and turns to claw me. But as soon as his paw is raised he is bowled over by another huge RiverClan cat. What in StarClan...?

To my astonishment the cat is Beechnose. He casts a quick glance at me, flicks his ear, and then leaps back into battle.
Beechnose just stopped his Clanmate from attacking me. A ShadowClan cat.

But why? Even if we're allies, isn't that disloyal?

I don't have time to think though, because Breezestar's patrol is already on us, driving us back. I turn back to Leopardheart but I can't find her in the sea of RiverClan pelts. ShadowClan cats yowl and writhe in the swarm, trying to escape. Finally, like a relieving rain after a forest fire, I hear Stormfrost's clear voice cry out over the chaos. "ShadowClan, retreat!"






At once, the ShadowClan warriors break away from the RiverClan cats and back away across the border, still snarling at one another. Breezestar weaves his way through his warriors to stand at the head of RiverClan, a sneer on his black-and-white face. There is a scratch above his eye, bleeding heavily, and one of his ears is freshly torn. Even if we lost this battle, ShadowClan has still left its mark.

"So," Breezestar begins, his lip curled back to reveal yellow, snaggly teeth. "You allow cats to roam where they please in RiverClan territory, and you let an apprentice start a battle on my land and expected to get away with it. Well you were wrong."

Stormfrost, battered and panting hard, stands with his head high, glaring in defiance at the old tom.

"We did not start this fight. It was started when your Clan started throwing false claims around. This was supposed to be just a border skirmish, not a full-fledged battle!"

"Your accusations are unjustified," Snowpelt spits. "We never crossed your border, for the last time!"

"Well speaking of last times, I'm sure this will be the last of ShadowClan's invasions," Breezestar sneers, his amber eyes cold, "because if this hasn't taught you your lesson, I don't know what will."

He steps aside and flicks his tail for the rest of his cats to move out of the way. As the crowd parts, they reveal a slumped golden-brown shape lying still on the twoleg platform. It's Leopardheart.

"NO!"

The yowl comes from Dustclaw, and he races back across the border, pushing blindly through the RiverClan cats until he is crouching at Leopardheart's side. I just now remember that Leopardheart was Dustclaw's mother. Horror strikes through me like a snakebite.

I killed her.

I had hesitated as that huge black tom knocked her to the ground. Sat and watched as he pummeled her with his hind claws until she scarcely knew what was happening around her. Considered running away as he gouged out chunks of fur and flesh from her belly, as she begged me to help, as I watched her die.

Suddenly my surroundings blur out, and I don't even know where I am or what's happening anymore. All I know is that my cowardice stopped me from coming to my Clanmate's aid in time, and now because of me she is gone. An anguished wail rises into the air, echoing over the lake, and bringing me back to the present. It is Dustclaw, crying for his dead mother. Dustclaw is a young cat. He should never know what it is like to live without a mother. It is the most lonely thing in the world.
Suddenly the dusky brown tom leaps to his paws, his eyes ablaze. "Who did this? Who killed her?!" he shrieks madly. He swings his head back and forth, searching the crowd of RiverClan cats for his mother's murderer. But he is looking in the wrong place. The cat he wants is me.

But I can't tell him that. I just can't.

In a fit of blind rage, the brown tom leaps on the cat closest to him, claws unsheathed. Another RiverClan cat goes to pull Dustclaw off and tackles him. Then Snowpelt rushes back into the crowd to help her Clanmate and the chaos resumes. The pelts of my Clanmates rush forward around me, heading back into the fight, but again I don't move. Fear is not holding me back this time, guilt is. How can I fight these cats over a death I allowed to happen?
I don't even glance at the battle as I turn and crash back into the pines.

The camp comes into sight, and I tear through the bramble tunnel, feeling the thorns rake at my scratches, reopening them. But I don't care. I push through and bound all the way to the apprentices's den, ignoring the shocked gasps and exclamations from my Clanmates as they see me clawed up and bloody. I drop into my nest and curl up with my face under my paws.
Please don't let any cat come in here and question me. I just want to be alone.

But of course, there's a rustling at the den branches as Dewleaf steps inside.

"Viperpaw, what happened to you?" The she-cat's voice is quiet.

I don't answer. I just stay huddled in my nest, shaking.

"Honey, it's okay, you can talk to me," she murmers gently.

No, it's not okay, and I can't talk to her. If I told her what had just happened, it wouldn't be "okay."

"Viperpaw." Dewleaf's mew is stern now. "You have to tell me what's happened. You look terrible! The Clan needs to know who did this so we can do something!"

After a few moments I feel Dewleaf's paws wrap around my shoulders and haul me out of my nest to face her. I don't object, I just sit there, staring at my paws.

"Who. Did. This?"

I don't answer.

"Viperpaw!"

My scratches sting. They are the only thing I can feel.

"I'm getting Ashcloud." Dewleaf whips around and shoves herself out of the den. I don't move.

I am hardly aware of Dewleaf and Ashcloud arriving back in the den. Their shapes appear clouded, like I am in a dream; their voices echo like they are far away, underwater even. I can't focus on anything. I don't want to. I rise numbly as Ashcloud nudges me to my paws and guides me toward the medicine den. The herbs she applies to my cuts make my pelt feel like it is on fire but I hardly pay attention to it. The dappled gray she-cat has me lie down in a moss nest on the side of the den, and I curl back up and continue to shut everything out.

The quiet doesn't last long, though, because now there is a huge commotion just outside the camp. The battle patrol begins to pour in through the entrance, their rage rolling out like a fog through the camp. I hear cats jump up and rush over to them, hear Dawnfrost and Smokestar race over to Snowpelt and Stormfrost and demand to know what happened.

As the patrol gives their reports, which is really just all of them yelling over each other to be heard, I hear pawsteps come toward the den and a cat pokes their head through.

"Go away," I mumble almost inaudibly.

"Hey." It's Windpaw.

I force myself to sit up and face him. I can't bring myself to say anything to him. I just look up at him miserably, seeing the confusion and sadness in his gaze.What can I say? If he doesn't think I killed Leopardheart, then he will be mad at me for running away when the second battle broke out. I turn my head away again in shame and curl back up in my nest.

Windpaw doesn't say anything, he just crouches next to me and begins to lap at my rumpled pelt, carefully avoiding my wounds. Gratitude sweeps over me, and I begin to relax just a little bit. At least he understands that I don't want to talk right now.

Suddenly I hear the commotion growing louder and louder outside, coming nearer to the medicine den entrance. A cat bursts in. "Here she is!" she shouts. It's Redpaw.

The she-cat starts shoving me in the flank with her nose, hard. "Get up!"

I jump up, startled.

"Get off of her!" Windpaw exclaims.

"No!" meows Redpaw. "Smokestar wants to see her."

What? Oh no. Am I about to be punished for everything I've done?

I stumble to my paws once again and step outside of the den. Windpaw follows, pushing roughly past Redpaw as he goes, irritated. Once outside, a wall of staring eyes greets me. I stand shakily in front of them, staring at the ground. I am aware of every cat's stare even without seeing them; Ghostfrost my mentor, Dewleaf, Owlpaw, Redpaw, and Dustclaw must all be giving me disappointed or hostile glares. The thought overwhelms me, and I have to force my paws to stay where they are instead of turning tail and escaping back to the den.

"Viperpaw," Smokestar speaks, his mew calm. "Why did you run away from this battle?"

Silence greets his words as every cat waits to hear what I have to say for myself.

"I-I..."

"You what?" The huge dark tom takes a step forward, making me shrink back.

"I... I couldn't do it..."

"Why not?" His voice is demanding and loud now.

"Yes," meows Dawnfrost, her eyes like chips of ice. "I'd like to know as well."

I try to force myself to speak but no words come. The deputy flicks her tail impatiently. Then I see Windpaw gazing at me, without a hint of disappointment or anger in his eyes, just curiosity. My eyes lock with his, and the warmth there give me courage.

"I j-just got scared..." I mew quietly. "I'm not g-good at fi-fighting."

"ShadowClan has no room for cowards!" Dawnfrost hisses. "How dare you shame our Clan like this?"

I can't let them believe this. Even if it is true, I probably would have turned back and at least attempted to fight if I'd believed RiverClan was solely responsible for Leopardheart's death.

"I'm not a coward." My voice quivers. "I couldn't... I couldn't do it."

"Do what?" Smokestar growls.

"Fight... fight that battle. It wasn't RiverClan's fault that - that L-leopardheart died."

"Then who's fault was it?" Dawnfrost roars.

There's no going back now. I have to tell them the truth, for Leopardheart's sake. And RiverClan's as well, I admit reluctantly.
I take a deep breath, and let it out. "It's mine."

Shocked gasps and yowls explode into the air like a thunderclap as the whole Clan reacts to what I just said. I flatten my ears and tuck in my tail. I slip a glance at Windpaw, and see that is eyes are full of horror. I knew everyone would hate me after this, but not him. Please not him. The thought of it is worse than anything that's happened so far.

"Murderer!" Dustclaw shrieks, lunging at me, but to my surprise Smokestar holds him back.

"What do you mean it's your fault?" he yowls over the din. His expression is hostile now, like I'm an enemy warrior.

"I- I didn't save her in time. I watched... watched her being killed by- by a big black tom a-and I didn't do anything. I g-got too scared. I didn't know what... what to do. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"SILENCE." Smokestar bellows. A heavy silence falls over the whole clearing. Cats still stare at me with hatred in their eyes, as if they would attack me as soon as Smokestar gave the word. I gulp, staring at my paws, shaking harder than ever.

"ShadowClan has zero tolerance for cowards, and even less tolerance for murderers. But since you did not technically murder Leopardheart" - a low growl comes from Dustclaw - "you will not be banished. However, any cat in my Clan who behaves like a mouseheart will be treated as such. I will speak further with you in my den after every cat has been tended to. Now get out of my sight."

I obey as quickly as possible, scrambling away to the apprentices' den, cold fear yawning in my heart, along with deep, deep regret.

We never should have made that alliance.





Owlpaw paces back and forth at the camp entrance, his tail lashing. "How could Viperpaw have done that?" he growls furiously. "I mean I knew she was a scaredy-mouse, but not a coward!"

I just shrug, at a loss for words. So far all of the apprentices have turned their backs on Viperpaw, no longer her friend. I'm the only one who can't bring myself to be truely angry at her, though I am frustrated that she would do something like that. Throughout our training together, Owlpaw, Ghostfrost, and I have been working hard at getting her more aggressive and willing to use her claws on another cat. But I guess she just wasn't ready for a battle.

Annoyance crawls in my belly. Not every cat trains at the same skill level at the same time, even if they are the same age! Why can't ShadowClan understand that? It makes me feel bad for Viperpaw that the Clan expects so much from her. We are only seven moons old, after all.

"It's so wrong," Owlpaw continues. "I mean I understand she was scared, yeah. But when your own Clanmate is getting shredded right in front of you? You svck it up and you fight! I just can't believe her!"

I wouldn't say so if Viperpaw were around, but I agree, and I nod my head, sighing.

It's still weird knowing Leopardheart is dead. I was never very close to her, but a lot of other cats were, and they are all taking it hard. Dustclaw, along with Leopardheart's brother Swiftstep, are mourning her especially deeply. I glance over at where her body lies in the middle of the camp, covered in strong-smelling herbs in a vain attempt to mask the chilling scent of death. Dustclaw and Swiftstep are crouching next to her body now, where they've been since the battle patrol returned earlier. Leopardheart's vigil will be held tonight.

The sun is setting now as Owlpaw and I wait to go on a hunting patrol. Normally the patrols are sent out earlier, but it took the Clan a while to get back on track with all of the wounds to tend to. Hawkflight and Snowpelt, our mentors, are padding up to us now at the camp entrance.

"Right now we're just waiting on Flurrypelt to groom himself and for Leafflight to get the all-clear from Ashcloud. She had a pretty nasty cut on her shoulder," Hawkflight announces. As she speaks, Flurrypelt appears from inside the warriors den and trots up to us, his pelt sleek.

"I wish I could have been in that battle earlier," he comments, unsheathing and re-sheathing his claws again. "I would have saved Leopardheart."

No one responds, but Snowpelt's tail twitches and Hawkflight rolls her eyes. My fur bristles a little involuntarily at the insult he obviously was aiming toward Viperpaw, and at his own obnoxious concietedness. No one else was around to help Leopardheart at the time except for Viperpaw, and she did all she could. What makes him think she would have lived if it were for him? I wish I could say the words out loud.

Finally Leafflight emerges from the medicine den and bounds over to us. "Ashcloud said I was good to go!"

"Alright then, let's be off," meows Hawkflight, leading the way out of camp.



We arrive back at camp loaded with prey. The hunting trip was a success, and I deposit a greenleaf-fat squirrel and a thrush on the fresh-kill pile. Cats gather around solemnly to pick prey, and then sit quietly while they eat, not wanting to make converstation. Dustclaw and Swiftstep don't even look up. I guess they must not have much of an appentite right now.

Once everyone is done eating, Smokestar rises and stands at Leopardheart's head, his own head bowed. The cats begin to gather around Leopardheart's body silently, gazing sorrowfully at her still shape. She almost looks as if she is asleep. Swiftstep rises shakily to his paws, and nudges Dustclaw to do the same. The dusky brown tom stands slowly, staring at the ground, his eyes unfocused. A pang of sympathy strikes through my heart at the sight of the two greiving cats.

Raising his head to gaze up at silverpelt, Smokestar begins the vigil. "StarClan, we thank you for the life of Leopardheart, a noble warrior, queen, mentor, and friend. She was one of the most valuable assets ShadowClan has ever seen, and she will be a strong addition to your ranks. We trust that you will be able to guide us through this terrible loss, StarClan, and that you and Leopardheart will be guiding our paths for all the moons to come."

The dark gray tom bows his head again and steps back, allowing the rest of the Clan to come forward and share their farewells with the golden warrior. The shadows and moonlight play across her pelt in the gentle breeze, making it look as if she is breathing, and again her death feels unreal. I hang back as the cats who were close to her during her lifetime come up one by one to say goodbye to their friend one last time.

"Goodbye, Leopardheart."

"May StarClan light your path, always."

"You were the best mentor any cat could ask for."

"I don't know what I'll do without you."

Dustclaw doesn't say anything, he just crouches next to her again and buries his face in her pelt, his shoulders shaking hard. To my surprise, Dawnfrost comes to stand next to him and wraps her tail around him. Dawnfrost rarely ever shows compassion for anyone. But I had heard that Leopardheart used to be her mentor, and I can see the pain in her eyes hidden deep behind her stoic composure.

Evetually cats begin to move off toward their nests. I stand with them and head off to bed, Owlpaw following. Eventually all the apprentices are back in the den, curling up into our nests. Usually the den is filled with chatter long after the warriors have fallen asleep, but tonight no one wants to talk. The silence is soothing after this chaotic day, and I soon drift into sleep.



"Windpaw. Owlpaw."

I flick my ear as I hear the whispered names. It is seriously morning already? Can't I have a few more heartbeats at least?

"Windpaw! Owlpaw!"

The voice hisses shaply this time, and I sit up quickly. That voice doesn't belong to anyone in ShadowClan, and it's not coming from outside of the den entrance either. I jump up and whirl around to see that Owlpaw is up as well and staring through the branches at the back of the den.

"Owlpaw, what-"

"Shhh!" my brother hisses loudly. "Come here."

I step gingerly over to where he is, taking care not to step on anyone or wake them up. I look up to where Owlpaw is focusing and see a large tabby tom peering down through the branches. Beechnose!

"What are you doing here?!" I exclaim, barely keeping my voice to a whisper.

"We can't talk here," Beechnose mews softly. "Come with me."

"No!" Owlpaw almost shouts. Lowering his voice, he goes on. "Our Clans just got done having a battle. Your Clan killed one of our cats! I'm not going anywhere with you. Our alliance is done." He turns his back on Beechnose, who looks hurt. Sadness gleams in his deep green eyes.

"This is why we need to talk. There is something more as to why I chose you two and Viperpaw to train and it needs to be discussed." My ears prick at his words.

Something more? I had never given much thought to why he had chosen us in the first place, besides maybe we had potential. What more could there be?

"Speaking of Viperpaw..." Owlpaw doesn't finish his sentance as he steps cautiously over nests to nudge the golden apprentice awake. She stumbles to her paws and follows him, but as soon as she spots Beechnose she ducks back, her fur fluffing up.

"What is he doing here?"

"I've been trying to tell you, we can't talk here." Beechnose looks frustrated. "Meet me behind the twoleg nest in your territory. We can talk there."

"No!" Viperpaw hisses, her ferocity surpsising me, especially after today. "I'm not going anywhere with you! You're disloyal and you caused the fight today! I'm through with you!" She turns to stalk back to her nest but I bar the way with my tail.

"Get out of my way!"

"No," I mew. "We need to hear what he has to say. Even if we break the alliance."

"And we are breaking it," Owlpaw declares.

"Okay," Beechnose sighs. "Just meet me at the twoleg nest as soon as possible, so I can say what I need to and then you won't have to have anything to do with me for the rest of your lives. Just come, please." He stands up and pads away deeper into our territory.

Owlpaw lets out a low growl. "Do you think we should? After everything he got us into today?"

"I think we should at least hear him out," I say.

"We only met him once and all the Dark Forest broke loose. What's gonna happen if we meet him again, in our own territory?"

"The twoleg nest is far enough out that no one will know we met him, plus there's so many scents in that area anyway. And if something goes wrong, we can alert the Clan and have them drive him out."

Owlpaw still looks unconvinced, but he shrugs and pushes his way out of the back of the den and up the slope. Before I follow him I turn to Viperpaw. "Are you coming?"

The golden tabby looks conflicted, but finally she gives a terse nod and pads out after Owlpaw. I follow behind her into the night-cool forest.

The forest is nice and breezy tonight, carrying the rich scent of prey and lush foliage. I wish I could stop and night-hunt with Viperpaw, but everything is too crazy right now. For the first time, I begin to regret this alliance with the RiverClan deputy, fearing our lives may never be the same because of one small meeting. When we reach the twoleg nest,which is completely dark at this time of night, Beechnose leads us behind it and sits down, wrapping his thick tail over his paws.

"First of all," he begins, "I would like to formally apologize to all of you for the battle that started due to your scents in RiverClan territory, and I take full responsibility for it."

After a short pause, I mutter, "It's okay."

Owlpaw stares at the ground, though he looks a little less angry. Viperpaw still looks conflicted, like she is angry at the tom but doesn't want to be.

"Second, I would like to know whether you all would like to continue training with me, although I fear I already know the answer," Beechnose continues, with an edge of humor to his voice.

"No." Owlpaw states flatly.

Viperpaw shakes her head.

I sigh deeply, upset about the whole thing. I liked this cat. "I would like to say yes... But no. We can't. It's not worth it." Suddenly remembering what Viperpaw had said back at camp, I throw in, "Tell us the truth about why you were wanting to train us anyway. Isn't that really disloyal to your own Clan?"

"Yeah!" Viperpaw is suddenly on her paws, her voice raised, which is uncharacteristic of her. "You also saved me from your own Clanmate in the battle today! That's betrayal toward your own Clan! How can I appreciate what you did if you're untrustworthy? You barely know us!"

Owlpaw and I exchage a surprised glance. I suppose my brother is as confused as I am to see the timid she-cat so fired up.

Beechnose gazes at her, a glint of humor still apparent in his green eyes. "Viperpaw, my connection with you and your adopted brothers goes so much deeper than Clan boundaries." The huge tabby takes a deep breath, and then sweeps all three of us in the warm light of his gaze.

"You see, Viperpaw, I am Windpaw and Owlpaw's father."








I feel my jaw drop in shock. Owlpaw jumps to his feet next to me. Did I hear him right? Beechnose... our father?

"What?!" exclaims Owlpaw.

The RiverClan deputy nods. "I was wanting to wait to tell you after I had built up a little bit of trust first, but with the events of today, well, I figured I should just tell you now."

"But- but-" I struggle to find the words. "But our father... he's dead! He died in battle with ThunderClan!"

Beechnose lets out a deep sigh. "Yes, I suppose that's what Dewleaf would have told you. Better to think he died honorably as a loyal ShadowClan cat than to know he still lives on as a breaker of the code in another Clan." His voice has an edge of bitterness.

"So wait," Owlpaw begins hesitantly. "You're telling us that... that we're part RiverClan? We're half-clan?"

"Yes, unfortunately, you are."

"No!" Owlpaw yowls, incredulous. "It's not true! I won't believe it! I'm fully ShadowClan. You're a liar!"

"No, I am not lying," Beechnose mews calmly, shaking his head in sadness. "And I do regret breaking the code, but when I found out Dewleaf was having my kits" - Owlpaw makes a disgusted face - "I was just so delighted. And when I saw you three at the Gathering, the pride I felt, I just had to get to know you, even if you did not know the truth."

"Wait, you said "you three," Viperpaw mews. "Only Windpaw and Owlpaw are your kits, right?"

"Yes, Viperpaw, but I am sorry to tell you that you are half-RiverClan as well."

The little she-cat's eyes grow as wide as the moon.

"I suppose you should hear the whole story," meows Beechnose. "Dewleaf and I met at a Gathering, and my best friend Splashfoot met Viperpaw's mother Whisperleaf." Viperpaw's ears swivel forward now at the mention of her parents.

"The four of us would double date, sometimes in RiverClan territory, sometimes in ShadowClan's. Oh the fun we had..." Owlpaw wrinkles his nose. It's probably hard for both of us to imagine Dewleaf with anyone really, especially Beechnose. The two don't seem very compatible for some reason.

The huge brown tom continues. "Eventually it became too hard to meet every night, however, and Dewleaf and I grew more and more apart. When she and Whisperleaf got pregnant around the same time, however, Dewleaf thought it was much too risky to continue meeting and cut off our relationship altogether, not wanting the Clans to become suspicious." The sadness in the tom's rumbling mew makes me realize he still loves our mother.

"Splashfoot and Whisperleaf were worried too, but they refused to part from each other. Their love was too deep."

"Didn't Dewleaf love you, too?" Viperpaw asks.

Beechnose stares at the ground. "I don't know, honestly. I'd like to think she did at one point, but our safetly and the safety of the kits were more important to her. I can't really blame her, it was smarter anyway; Whisperleaf continued to trek to the border every night, even late into her pregnancy. It complicated the birth, leaving her weakened after. The cold season had just set in, as did a bout of whitecough in your Clan. Whisperleaf was already weak, and her whitecough soon developed into greencough, and she succumbed to it and died. Dewleaf informed Splashfoot and I at the next Gathering, but told Splashfoot that by some miracle Viperpaw had survived."

I glance at Viperpaw and see the alarm in her expression. She could have easily joined her mother in StarClan, I realize, and I am suddenly very thankful that she is still here.

"Dewleaf told me that she had taken Viperpaw in alongside her own kits, but Splashfoot wanted Viperpaw in RiverClan with him. Dewleaf and I both knew the tom was irresponsible, however, and we both refused. I knew you belonged with your father, Viperpaw, but Splashfoot became very unstable and depressed after hearing of Whisperleaf's death. And it was very important to keep our relationships with your mothers a secret with all the hostility toward half-Clan kits these days."

Viperpaw looks like she is holding back anger, trying to force it away. "But why did you and Dewleaf, who aren't even my real parents, get to make the decision? Splashfoot is my father. Why couldn't he decide?"

Beechnose gazes at the apprentice for a long moment, then meows finally, "You didn't know your father. He was very rash and impulsive. He wanted you to be with him in RiverClan but he hadn't thought it all through. There was only one other nursing queen at the time in RiverClan and her kits were older; she wouldn't be too thrilled to have to take on another, especially one that just showed up one day with no known background. Splashfoot wouldn't have been able to do much for you of you couldn't be fed in RiverClan. Besides, Dewleaf had already made up a story about how her mate and Whisperleaf's had been killed in the recent battle with ThunderClan. Two ShadowClan toms had - and I hate to say it - conventiently died in that battle, so your mothers told ShadowClan that they were the fathers if anyone asked. It was too late to complicate things further by bringing you to RiverClan, and I am truely sorry for it, Viperpaw."

Viperpaw nods sullenly. A twinge of jealousy worms its way into me, wondering why Viperpaw wishes she could have gone to RiverClan. Isn't she happy here with us?

"Well thanks for telling us," Owlpaw meows, rising to his paws, "but we need to get back to camp. And we won't be continuing our alliance, thanks."

"Wait," I meow, feeling a bit of pity for this cat, our father, who doesn't deserve all of this hardship as well as rejection from his own kits. "He is our father, Owlpaw. Don't we owe him anything?" I catch a gleam of hope from Beechnose's green eyes.

"Owe him?" Owlpaw meows in disbelief. "Owe him for what? For having a forbidden relationship with our mother? For getting her pregnant? For allowing us to be born as half-Clan cats? For Dewleaf having no choice but to let us believe our fathers are dead? We don't owe him foxdung. If anything, he owes us. I'm going back to camp." The brown tabby stalks back through the pines, head and tail high.

I open my jaws to say something back, but then shut them, because I know he is right. However much Beechnose tried to protect us, he shouldn't have broken the code in the first place. We didn't ask to be born. We don't owe him anything.

Owlpaw stops to listen though when Viperpaw asks another question, with an edge to her voice. "What about my father? How come he didn't come with you to tell us all of this?"

Cold, unmistakeable horror flashes across Beechnose's gaze. He seems to be staring at some distant point behind us, reliving something only he can see.

"Your father is dead, too, Viperpaw," he manages to say after a few moments.

Viperpaw's golden fur rises slowly. "What happened to him?"

"It was shortly after Dewleaf had told him of your mother's death. For about a quarter moon he... he just wasn't the same. He wouldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and finally ended up in the medicine den." Beechnose stops and takes a deep breath. Unspeakable pain sparks sharply in his gaze.

"One morning we couldn't find him and... and then we found him dead on the lakeshore."

Viperpaw gasps.

"Did someone kill him?" Owlpaw asks in shock.

"No." Beechnose meows flatly. No one asks anymore questions. We all know what he means. Viperpaw stares blankly at nothing. Now I see why it was better, what Dewleaf did. She was protecting us. Protecting us from the terrible, terrible truth. The truth of our whole existence.

Suddenly Viperpaw is at her feet, rearing to claw the startled tabby tom. "How could you?"

Owlpaw rushes forward to hold her back.

"How could you all be so selfish? You ruined your lives. You ruined our lives before we were even born! You disgusting piece of foxdung! I'll claw you!"

"I- I'm sorry." Beechnose stutters. He looks almost frightened. "I'm sorry," he repeats, before backing away and bounding back toward his own territory. Owlpaw and I just stand there in silence, shocked. Owlpaw lets Viperpaw go and she sinks to the ground, her face in her paws.

What now?

There is a soft rustling in the ferns next to the clearing, drawing our attention, and then a loud crashing as a cat sprints through the undergrowth back toward the direction of camp. Cat ears bob up and down in the darkness, and a dark red tail streaks out behind. Owlpaw and I exchange a horrified glance.

Redpaw.






"Catch her!" yowls Owlpaw, haring after the red tabby. Windpaw and I race after him in pursuit. She's probably going back to tell the Clan, and if she tells the Clan then we're all dead. Smokestar will never allow the three of us and Dewleaf to stay in the Clan if he knows. The thought pushes me to run faster. I streak ahead of Windpaw and Owlpaw until I am a tail-length behind Redpaw. Pushing forward, I reach out and grab the tip of her tail between my teeth. I skid to a halt, dragging her by the tail as she yowls in protest. Owlpaw and Windpaw soon catch up and wrestle her to the ground, muffling her cry and allowing me to release her tail.

"Get off of me!" Redpaw yowls, struggling under the weight of the two sturdy toms. "Let go!"

"No!" Owlpaw snarls. "How much did you hear?"

"Nothing! I didn't hear anything! Especially nothing about you being half-Clan!"

"You mouse-brained idiot!" Windpaw hisses. I see Redpaw visibly flinch. "Why were you following us?"

"I wasn't!"

"Liar!" Owlpaw has his paw raised as if to strike her if she answers wrong.

"I'm serious!"

Owlpaw unsheathes his claws.

"Okay, okay!" Redpaw screeches. "I followed you!"

"Shut up!" Windpaw snarles at the terrified she-cat. "Great StarClan, do you want to get us all killed?"

"Killed? What?" Redpaw struggles to stand up but Owlpaw forces her down.

"Yes. Killed. Didn't you hear Smokestar at the Gathering? Half-Clan cats and all forbidden relationships will be punishable by death."

"So it's true what that cat said? You three are half-RiverClan?"

"Yes," Windpaw sighs heavily, "it's true." Redpaw's dark green eyes grow wide.

"Can you let me up now?" Redpaw grunts, still wriggling.

"Only if you promise not to run straight to the Clan and tell them."

Redpaw's tail lashes and she looks around her uncertainly, as if thinking of how to get away.

"I don't trust her," Owlpaw states.

"Neither do I," agrees Windpaw.

"Guys come on, please. I promise I won't tell," Redpaw begs.

"How can we be sure?" Windpaw questions, eyeing her quizzically. My stomach churns nervously.

"Windpaw, do you honestly think I want to get you killed?" The she-cat stares deeply into his eyes as if willing him to believe her. I can't place the look in her eyes, but it makes me uncomfortable. Not in a way like we can't trust her, but something else. What is it?

"Windpaw, I promise," she continues, "If I blow the secret I'll let you three tell Smokestar I'm half-Clan too. I won't even protest." Owlpaw growls uncertainly.

Windpaw looks up at us. "Should we trust her?"

A growl rumbles involuntarily in my throat. Why is he so eager to believe her now? And why am I getting so hostile toward her? I normally trust Windpaw's judgement. But now I realize I do, and I'm feeling this way toward the she-cat for an entirely different reason. But what is it? Something in the way she looked at Windpaw unsettled me.

Owlpaw lashes his tail, but then shrugs. "Fine," he snorts. "But if you breathe so much as a word to anyone, Smokestar's punishment will be the least of your worries." He unsheathes his claws again for emphasis before letting Redpaw go. Windpaw backs off of her too, and the red tabby scrambles to her paws, shaking out her pelt and going over her ruffled white chest fur with her toungue.

"Thanks," she pants, glaring at Owlpaw and I and shuffling closer to Windpaw. I have to stop myself from growling again.

"So did you hear everything?" Windpaw asks.

"Pretty much, yeah." she confesses. "Was that the RiverClan deputy?" Windpaw nods.

"Oooh, scandalous!" Redpaw purrs.

"This is serious!" Owlpaw growls. "If any cat finds out we will be killed! And I'm not afraid to drag you along to StarClan with us."

Redpaw's neck fur rises a little. "Relax, okay? I'm not gonna tell your stupid secret. Now I'm going back to camp." She turns and stalks into the trees. I glance from one tom to the other, unsure of what to do now.

"I guess we should go back to camp, too," Windpaw mews with a yawn. "It'll be dawn soon."

Owlpaw nods and sets off with Windpaw, the two brothers side-by-side. Even though their pelt colors are completely different, they have the same fur quality, the same muscular build, the same shape of their ears. For the first time I begin to notice some of Beechnose's traits in their stance, in their broad shoulders and large paws. They match each other stride for stride while I trail along behind them. Once again, even though we are in this mess together, I feel completely alone. Windpaw and Owlpaw have each other, and they both have Dewleaf and now Beechnose. I have no one. No littermates, no living parents. Bitterness claws in the pit of my stomach. It's not fair.

My mind flashes back to Redpaw's behavior around Windpaw, and again that uncomfortable twinge rekindles in my chest again. It's a feeling I can't name; all I know is that I did not like the way Redpaw looked at Windpaw, almost with like, admiration or fondness or...

Wait a moment. Am I jealous? I stop and think. Jealous of what? Of the way Redpaw looked at Windpaw? Why should I care about that? But still the thought lingers, and I continue to consider it. Redpaw does kind of follow us around, but she usually just talks to Windpaw. She hardly notices Owlpaw, and definitely not me. But why should I care what that obnoxious she-cat does? None of us like her. Windpaw doesn't like her, I'm sure, otherwise he wouldn't try to get away from her all the time.

But why am I even worried about something this small, after everything that happened tonight? That horrible excuse of a Clan deputy just made our lives ten times more complicated than they were before. Why did he have to get us into this? He didn't need to tell us all the truth. We all could have lived our seperate lives in peace, but now because of his selfish inclination toward his sons in another Clan, we are in mortal danger. Cold anger burns in my stomach, whirling around until all I can feel is hatred. He should never have broken the code. We should never have been born.

But then I think of Dewleaf, kind and wise, who protected us, protected me, even though I wasn't her kit, and kept us out of excess danger. She broke the code too, but she still did what was best and ended the relationship before she did something mouse-brained, like my parents did. She's the reason we're all alive and protected. No, she shouldn't have broken the code, but at least she wasn't stupid about it, like my mother and father or Beechnose. Why couldn't the deputy just keep his mouth shut? If he hadn't wanted to make that stupid alliance we would still be peacefully believeing we were fully ShadowClan. We wouldn't be shoved into living in constant fear now. We wouldn't have to keep an eye on Redpaw to make sure she wasn't going to get us all killed. The battle from yesterday would never have happened. Leopardheart would still be alive.

Leopardheart. The thought of her sends my mind spiraling again. I killed her. I killed her and it was Beechnose's fault that I killed her because if it wasn't for him the battle wouldn't have happened because we'd have never crossed the border. How could we have been so stupid? Making an alliance with another Clan's deputy? What were we thinking? What was Windpaw thinking? He was all for it! What was Owlpaw thinking? He could have stopped Windpaw but instead chosen to trust him. What was I thinking? I trusted Windpaw too. I always trust Windpaw. But no, it's not his fault. He probably felt a connection to Beechnose like I did in the beginning, especially since he's the deputy's son. I can't really blame him.

I look up and realize I'm about to run into a tree. I must have been so lost in thought I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I look around. Where are Windpaw and Owlpaw? Just then I see a pale shape moving toward me in the darkness and Windpaw bounds up to me.

"We turned around and you weren't there," he mews, worry in his voice and in his dark blue gaze. My belly flutters inexplicably.

"I just have a lot on my mind and started falling behind, I guess," I reassure him.

"Me, too. I don't know if I'll ever feel like a normal ShadowClan cat again," he confides.

"That's because we're not," I growl bitterly. "We're half RiverClan." I dig my claws into the pinestraw littering the ground. "I hate it. Why did he have to tell us? It was so selfish of him! We didn't need to know all of this."

"I know," Windpaw sighs, touching my cheek with his nose. The fluttering in my belly turns into a bolt of lightning. "I think maybe he felt like he had to, like he couldn't stand being apart from us as well as Dewleaf. We are his kits, after all."

"You and Owlpaw are, I'm not," I protest.

"Yeah, but you deserve to know the truth as well."

"No I don't, none of us do." Frustration crawls inside me. "I'd rather not know."

"I think Owlpaw feels the same way," Windpaw mews. "I'm sorry, Viperpaw. I'm sorry I convinced you both to meet up with Beechnose."

"No, it's not your fault. We still agreed to go on our own. No amount of convincing would have changed our minds if we both hadn't been just as curious."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, we should probably get back to camp, because we'll probably have a dawn patrol to go on pretty soon."

He turns to head back to camp, and I fall in beside him. We head back in silence and slip in through the back of the apprentices' den. Owlpaw is back in his nest, lying quietly, but I doubt he is asleep. I curl up in my own nest, realizing soon that sleep is impossible, and I lie awake until the first light of dawn seeps through the branches, alone with my thoughts, and my ever-growing anger at the RiverClan deputy.








A moon has passed since we discovered the truth about our birth, but our lives still haven't returned to normal. Windpaw and Owlpaw have taken it upon themselves to follow Redpaw's every move, making sure she doesn't say anything suspicious that would give us away. They've already got Sunpaw teasing them both about padding after the hyper she-cat, but they won't let up. The worst part is that they never leave her side anymore, so I can't hang out with either of the toms without wanting to claw my eyes out with annoyance at Redpaw constantly being there.

Now we are sitting at the head of the clearing, waiting on Smokestar, who just called the Clan together. Rumors have been floating around that Sparkpaw is supposed to be getting her warrior name, and it seems obvious when I see the energetic orange she-cat pad to the front of the crowd, looking sleek and freshly-groomed, that this will be her warrior ceremony. She goes to sit beside Dawnfrost, her mentor, and just then Smokestar stands and raises his tail.

"Cats of ShadowClan," our leader begins, "I am pleased to announce that our deputy's apprentice Sparkpaw has passed her final assessment, and is ready to recieve her warrior name." The Clan murmurs excitedly, and over the heads of the other cats I can see Sparkpaw sit up taller. Smokestar beckons Sparkpaw forward with a flick of his tail. Dawnfrost puffs her chest out proudly. Smokestar sweeps his Clan in his firey amber gaze and lifts his head to address them.

"I, Smokestar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." He fixes his gaze on the orange she-cat. "Sparkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Sparkpaw's voice rings out clear and confident in the greenleaf air.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Sparkpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sparkleap. StarClan honors your eagerness and nobility, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." Smokestar steps forward to rest his gray muzzle on Sparkleap's head. She licks his shoulder in return. The voices of the Clan ring out through the trees as they welcome their newest warrior. "Sparkleap! Sparkleap!"

Sparkleap raises her head and tail high, fluffing her chest out proudly as her friends and family surge forward to congratulate her. I follow Windpaw, Owlpaw, and Redpaw to the front of the group to give our congratulations.

"Congrats, Sparkleap!" Redpaw gushes. "Nice name! I wonder what my warrior name will be? Anyone have any ideas?"

"How about Redloudmouth," Owlpaw mutters under his breath to Sparkleap. The new warrior sniggers. All the apprentices know how annoying Redpaw is, and Sparkleap will probably be glad to escape from sharing a den with her now.

"Windpaw, I think your name should be Windshadow," Redpaw continues, "Or Windthunder. Wait, how about Windriver?"

Windpaw's tailtip twitches. "Redpaw you're literally just adding my name, which is already the name of a Clan, onto the names of the other Clans."

"What about Windwind?" Owlpaw giggles. Windpaw aims a playful swipe at his brother's ears. "Alright, Owlowl."

"That's not even funny, it's just stupid," Owlpaw scoffs, swiping back. I can't help but laugh.

"Windwind and Owlowl," growls Sparkleap in a mock-gravely voice, holding up her tail and puffing her chest out importantly. "As the most senior warrior I command you to stop this foolishness."

"Shut up, Sparkspark," Windpaw retorts.

"Oh, I wanna do this too!" Redpaw annouces. "I'm Redred! And Viperpaw, you're Viperviper!"

"Wow, cool, who cares," I mumble. Redpaw gives me a surprised expression. Maybe she'll shut up now.

"Sparkleap!" A voice calls across camp.

"Looks like they need me for a patrol already," she mews. "See you all later."

"Bye Sparkspark!" Owlpaw calls after her, laughter in his mew. Sparkleap flicks her tail as she trots toward the barrier. As soon as she leaves, Hawkflight pads up to us. "We're about to do a group training session with the remaining apprentices," she announces.

"Cool, Hawkhawk," Redpaw chirps. Hawkflight returns her joke with such a fierce glare that Redpaw immediately flattens her ears and looks down, all silliness scared out of her.

"Right, come with me," the dark red warrior beckons with her tail as she leads us out of camp.

We arrive at the training area, a clearing strewn with pine needles and fallen leaves that offers a soft surface for us to practice battle moves. Soon after we arrive, my mentor Ghostfrost emerges from the trees, followed by Stormfrost, Snowpelt, Shiverpool, and Sunpaw. Stromfrost, the most senior warrior in the group, pads to the head of the clearing. "Due to the recent battle with RiverClan, which turned out to be way more violent that necessary, we will be learning battle strategies. As apprentices, most of the cats you will be attacking are older, larger, more experienced warriors. However, that does not mean they will automatically win. You can still have the advantage."

All around me the apprentices's ears go up, listening intently; dread seeps through me instead. This means we're probably going to have to fight our mentors. I stare at Stormfrost's powerful shoulders and Snowpelt's lithe, muscular frame. I stare at Ghostfrost's sturdy build and Shiverpool's quick, slender legs. I stare at Hawkflight, the tallest and leanest, and the scars crisscrossing her pelt speak for themselves about how experienced the red warrior is. Intimidated, I already know I'm not going to do well. I always hate group training sessions, because the other apprentices always criticize my unwillingness to fight, Sunpaw and Redpaw especially. A pang of resentment slices through me. Why can't I be just as eager to fight as everyone else? Am I not meant to be a warrior? I certainly don't want to be a medicine cat. What's wrong with me?

"The mentors will line up in a group on my side of the clearing," Stormfrost continues, and you five will line up on the other side. When I give the signal, us mentors will charge at you, and you will defend yourselves. Mentors, pick an apprentice other than your own to attack, so that you will not know what to expect. Then we will assess the apprentice's techniques and intruct you on what to improve. Everyone understand?"

We all nod. Nervousness squirms inside me. I don't think I'm capable of attacking any of these cats. All the rest of the apprentices look excited and ready. I line up with Windpaw and Owlpaw on either side of me, their eyes glittering with anticipation. Staring straight ahead, I bunch up my muscles to leap when the practice battle starts. I am lined up with Snowpelt, so she will probably be attacking me first. The white warrior is crouching, her gaze fixed in front of her, but not at any cat in particular. Her slender tail flicks back and forth, and her ears are pressed forward in total concentration. I work to copy her position, steadying my limbs so my weight is distributed equally, and angling my ears forward.

I still don't feel ready when Stormfrost gives the signal, but it's too late now. At the flick of his tail, the wall of mentors surges forward like a tidal wave. The apprentices rise to meet them, but for a split heartbeat I shrink down in fear, watching Snowpelt hurtle toward me. At the last second, the white she-cat swerves to the side and attacks Sunpaw, and Hawkflight takes her place. The she-cat leaps on me and bowls me over. I feel the breath rush from my chest, and I allow her to push me into the ground and churn my belly with her hind paws, her claws thankfully sheathed. "Fight back!" she snarls, cuffing my ear with her forepaw.

Suddenly it's like Hawkflight has vanished, and that giant black RiverClan tom is on top of me, his green eyes burning as he rips into me. This was the last thing Leopardheart saw, probably. Rage surges through me, giving me strength, and I push up as hard as I can with my hind paws and shove my attacker off of me. The vision clears and I see Hawkflight hit the ground with a shocked look on her face. But she immediately scrambles up again and throws herself back at me. This time I roll away without thinking as her paws come slamming down mouselengths from where I had been. I jump up and land on her back, remembering how I had fought the black tom, and begin to rake at her ears. Hawkflight twists underneath me, before collapsing and rolling onto her back, flattening me. I scrabble at the pinestraw, trying to get a grip and pull myself up, but Hawkflight slides off of me and then presses my shoulders into the ground, and starts pummeling me with her hind paws again.

"Stop!" Stormfrost's yowl sounds above the noise of battle. Hawkflight lets me get up, and turns to lap her flank. She doesn't even acknowledge me. Around me I see Windpaw get up from pinning Shiverpool, and Sunpaw and Snowpelt break apart from their tussle. Redpaw scrambles to her feet as Ghostfrost lets her up, and beside Stormfrost stands Owlpaw, his thick tabby fur covered in leaves and looking ruffled.

"Now, let's discuss our targets' performance," Stormfrost meows. "I'll start with Owlpaw." He turns to address the tabby, who is still panting from his fight. "Owlpaw, your technique is strong but your blows are less so. Try to shift your weight equally throughout your body until you are ready to swipe, and then throw all your weight into that one swift movement to deliver full force. Also, keep your weight out of your paws when twisting and turning in order to make your movements more nimble, otherwise your attacker will always have the upper paw." Owlpaw nods determinedly. The rest of the mentors run through what each apprentice should work on: Windpaw, lack of agility, Sunpaw, predictability, and Redpaw, focus. Hawkflight tells me I need less cowering and more ferocity, but adds that she was surprised by the moves I displayed today, and that I must have actually gotten something out of the battle with RiverClan. Her words are indifferent and a little bit cold though, I realize with a twinge of bitterness. Do my own Clanmates really think so little of me?

I catch a sympathetic glance from Windpaw, and warmth spreads though me. Of course, Hawkflight is his mentor, so he must know how harsh she is. I guess not all my Clanmates think little of me. Still, would it hurt for an adult to show a little more kindness toward an apprentice?

"Hey, some of those moves looked pretty advanced, Windpaw," Shiverpool suddenly remarks. "I feel like I've seen them before. Where did you learn them?"

Fear slices across Windpaw's eyes for barely a heartbeat, but he quickly composes himself. "I guess I just worked them out for myself. The RiverClan battle probably helped too." Hawkflight narrows her eyes in suspicion.

Shiverpool shrugs. Stormfrost eyes the fluffy white-and-gray tom curiously. "Those moves were signature RiverClan," he notes.

"Well we all fought RiverClan cats in the battle!" Redpaw blurts out. "Maybe he picked up some moves!"

I feel my fur lift along my spine. Id.iot!

Fortunately, Stormfrost takes no notice of Redpaw's bad cover-up. "It's possible," he murmurs. "Right then, let's move on to attacking positions..."



"That was way to close!" Owlpaw exclaims. We are sitting near the fresh-kill pile, eating after our training session, as the sun slips down below the trees. Long shadows stretch across the sandy earth floor of the camp. "Redpaw, you need to learn not to blurt things out like that."

"Hey! I helped you, didn't I?" The russet-furred she-cat flicks her tail. "Stormfrost believed you could have picked up some moves from RiverClan!" I have to admit, it did get the mentors to stop questioning us, but it was still a mousebrained thing to say.

"Yes, but your tone was too guilty-sounding," Windpaw mews more quietly. "You need to not sound like you know more than you should."

"Oh you're one to talk. Who was using RiverClan battle moves during practice for other cats to notice?"

"I needed a chance to try them out! I'm not about to let that training go to waste!"

Owlpaw rolls his eyes. Taking a bite of shrew, he mumbles, "I didn't bother with those fishface moves. It's not worth the risk."

Windpaw flattens his ears.

"It's okay, Windpaw," Redpaw meows, leaning a little closer to him until their pelts barely brush, "Thanks to me, Stormfrost and Shiverpool didn't even think more about it. Besides, I thought they were really good moves." Her green eyes sparkle admiringly as she gazes at Windpaw. My ears start to flatten, and then I stop myself. Why do I care?

"Ooooh, Redpaw's got a crush," Owlpaw teases, his hostility apparently gone.

"Wait, what?" Windpaw scoots away a bit. Redpaw ducks her head in embarassment.

"What are you talking about? Crush? What?" she splutters, flustered. I feel my neck fur rise, and I try to force it flat.

"Who has a crush?" Sunpaw pads up to us from the fresh-kill pile, dropping the mouse she was carrying.

"Redpaw was complimenting Windpaw and giving him moony-eyes," Owlpaw informs her mischeviously.

"Aww, Redpaw! That's adorable. Are you two gonna be mates?"

"What? No! I, uh-" Redpaw squirms uncomfortably.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Windpaw demands.

"Don't deny it, Redpaw!" Owlpaw presses, ignoring his brother.

"I'm not, I, well, I-" The she-cat jumps to her paws now.

"If you have a crush on him, ask him to be your mate!" Sunpaw laughs.

"No! I'm not gonna - I mean - ugh!" Exasperated, Redpaw races away across camp and into the apprentices' den. Sunpaw and Owlpaw crack up.

"Did you see her face?"

"We defintely got her!"

"Redpaw's in loooove."

"Will you stop?" Windpaw growls. "She's not the only one this is uncormfortable for."

"Windpaw, are you sticking up for her? Are you returning her feelings?" Owlpaw bounces with excitement. I have to stop myself from growling this time.

"No!" Windpaw almost shouts. Owlpaw and Sunpaw giggle harder, as if Windpaw's response confirms that he likes Redpaw. The three of them continue back and forth for a while, not paying attention to me. Irritated, I get up and head out into the forest without any of them realizing. Not even Windpaw, I notice. I race down to the lake, hoping the run will drain my frustration. The forest, green and lush, blurs past me, and warm air streaks through my whiskers and my pelt. My paws skid on pinestraw and I relish the feeling of the soft needles beneath my pads. A cool wind blasts my face as the lake draws near, and I pull up on the shore, the pebbles clacking under my footsteps. Waves gently lap at my golden paws and I pull them back quickly to avoid getting wet.

I stare out over the lake. The sun is setting, leaving the sky pink, orange, and red in its wake. The lake reflects its vibrant colors, and the shadows from the overhanging trees look like inky black pits, like a patch of the Dark Forest found its way into the real world. I remember the nursery tales I've heard from Frostheart; there was a time many moons ago, when the Dark Forest became so powerful they recruited living Clan cats and waged war against all four Clans around the lake. Frostheart had said that StarClan had come down to the living world as well to fight on the Clans' side, and the Dark Forest was defeated, but not without a heavy toll. He claimed it was the worst thing the Clans had ever seen, and nothing worse has happened since.

A thought crosses my mind as I remember the story. Seeing the lake roll out in front of me like a red tide of blood with the black pit-like shadows at its edges, I wonder if all of this could be an omen. But why would StarClan send an omen to me? Thinking back to my violent dream I had the other night, however, I begin to wonder if it's possible. Could the Dark Forest rise again? Impossible. I quickly shoo the thought away. But what could my dream mean?

The bracken crunches at the edge of the shore, startling me out of my thoughts. Whipping around, I am relieved to see Windpaw pad out of the undergrowth. He nods to me and sits down next to me without saying anything. I watch him gaze out over the lake, following the curve of his deep blue eyes and then trail down to his jawline edged in soft white fur. A strange longing fills me.

Do I like him?

His voice makes me jump, jolting me out of my thoughts. "How long can we go on like this?" He continues to stare out over the lake as he speaks.

"What?"

"How much longer can we follow Redpaw around? The whole time we're apprentices? Until we're warriors? Senior warriors? We can't do this forever, Viperpaw. If not that, she's either going to become trustworthy enough that we can leave her alone, or she's gonna spill the secret. And if she spills the secret, we probably won't make it very far. Neither will Dewleaf. Or Beechnose, for that matter." My claws come out at the mention of the RiverClan deputy, and Windpaw flinches. "Oops, sorry."

"No, it's fine, I'm sorry," I mew quickly. "I just think... If he'd minded his own business we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"And if Redpaw had minded her own business we'd be in less of a serious situation right now."

I cast a searching glance at him. "You don't like her like that do you?" The words are out before I can stop them.

"No, of course not!" Windpaw shakes out his gray-and-white pelt. "Sunpaw and Owlpaw were just being je.rks. And Redpaw is just too obnoxious." A feeling of relief meets his words. "But this just adds to the struggle of following her around. Cats are gonna start thinking we're together."

I nod in sympathy. "But it's pretty obvious she does have a crush on you."

"Yeah, I'd realized that earlier, I think. But I didn't give it much thought. Now it's almost impossible to ignore."

"How are we going to do this?" I sigh. My shoulders slump.

"I don't know." He rests his tailtip on my shoulder, and I suddenly feel a little lighter. "But we will. We won't let Beechnose or Redpaw get in the way of us becoming warriors, okay?"

I nod in agreement. "Besides, if we go down, she goes with us."

Windpaw takes his tail off of my shoulder. "I know it's the only way to get her to cooperate, but I still don't feel right about claiming she's half-Clan too. She doesn't deserve our struggles as well."

"Why do you care? She was eavesdropping!"

"Just because she needs to keep her nose in her own business doesn't mean I want her to die."

I relax, understanding what he's saying. He doesn't favor her, he just doesn't want to see a Clanmate killed. I need to not be so defensive. Windpaw gets to his feet and stretches, the pebbles rolling beneath his outstretched limbs. The sun has almost completely set by now, leaving the lake a purple-blue expanse rippling out in front of us. An ominous chill billows out from across its surface, an early sign of cool weather. "I'm going to go hunt for a little bit. Wanna come?" Windpaw begins to head up the bank.

"Sure." I follow him back into the trees, relishing this time spent alone with him, sheltered from the cold air and black clouds moving swiftly in from the horizon.






I stretch out my legs in my nest and my feet kick fur. Rolling over, I bump face first into a wall of ginger fur. I sit up with a grunt and shake out my pelt. Ever since Brooksong's kits Shinepaw and Ravenpaw were made apprentices half a moon ago, the apprentices' den has been cramped with all seven of us. Looking up through the branches, I see that the sky is still gray with pre-dawn light. I sigh. It's still early, but I don't feel like sitting in a stuffy den surrounded by fur on all sides, so I slide out into the morning chill.

The weather has gotten colder very quickly. A storm broke out that lasted a few days right after the evening when Viperpaw and I sat by the lake. The constant rain and clouds brought cold winds with them, and the change in weather is probably here to stay. The leaves outside the clearing are already starting to show some yellow amongst the green. According to the older warriors this has been an easy greenleaf, and everyone is hoping the leafbare ahead will be a good one as well. I was a kit during leafbare, so I really don't remember what it was like, but the older warriors speak of it as if it is something to dread.

A crisp breeze rushes though the pines, ruffling my pelt and whipping my whiskers in front of my face. If I'm up and outside I may as well hunt. I peek back inside to see if Viperpaw or Owlpaw are awake, in case they want to join me, but both are tucked into their nests, fast asleep, so I head for the bramble barrier alone. I am just about to head out when a gruff voice calls me back. "Where are you off to so early?"

Dawnfrost is padding out from the warriors' den, her pelt ruffled and her eyes bleary with sleep, but her expression demands an answer.

"I woke up early and couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd hunt."

"Well in that case you can join the dawn patrol." Her mew is brisk. She turns and begins to wash. I sit down at the front of the camp and wait for her. The cats she must have chosen for the patrol begin to push out of the den one by one, all looking tired and uncomfortable from the cold. When all the cats are ready, Dawnfrost beckons them with her tail and leads the way out of the camp. I wait as Swiftstep, Wolfsong, Blossompool, and Russetwolf file through the tunnel, and then bring up the rear of the patrol. The forest is even chillier than the camp, and soon all our pelts are fluffed up.

"Alright, we may as well hunt since the prey is already beginning to dwindle," Dawnfrost announces. "There will be a seperate hunting patrol later to catch extra." She leads us down torward the RiverClan border, and anxiety pricks in my chest as I remember the battle, more than a moon ago now. Hopefully there won't be a RiverClan patrol.

My hopes come true as we arrive at the border and begin to scent mark; there's no sign of any other cats. I lift my head and open my mouth to taste the air. No RiverClan warriors have been here since yesterday, judging from the scents. I catch Beechnose's scent, blurred in with the others, and not for the first time wonder how he is doing right now. How did he take our rejection once he returned? Is he okay now?

"We can't let those mange-pelts think they've won," Russetwolf growls, staring across the marsh.

"They did win." Dawnfrost's tone is matter-of-fact.

"Well then we should get revenge! That fight was unprovoked."

"Yes, it was, but we will not fight another Clan, or kill for that matter, over a trivial reason like they did. If ShadowClan takes action, that is for Smokestar to decide, not a young warrior barely out of the nursery."

Russetwolf flinches at her grating tone. He doesn't bring up the fight again. While I do agree with the russet tom, I also agree with the fact that it would be pointless to attack as a way to get back at them; it would make us look like sore losers. However, Breezestar did turn the border skirmish into an actual battle, which wasn't fair. Maybe we should strike back.

But that means fighting Beechnose again, and I don't want to have to do that. I'm sure Dewleaf doesn't want to have to either, even if she doesn't love him anymore.

We head farther up toward the twoleg nest at the north of our territory, and then cut across to the twoleg path, following it across the bridge where we begin marking the edge of the twoleg clearing. Less twolegs have set up dens here now that the weather is turning, but a few pelt-dens remain, but that's ThunderClan's problem. I've heard stories about the era of the great leaders Blackstar and Firestar, and how ThunderClan had given us that territory as a gift after the Great Journey, but eventually had changed their minds and claimed it back. ShadowClan has never let it go, and has continued to fight back and forth for it for seasons, but ThunderClan has kept a firm hold on it as far as I know. The tom Dewleaf had claimed as our father died in a battle over this clearing.

There is no sign of activity on this border as well, so after we are through marking it we set off deeper into the pine forest near the area and begin to hunt. I eventually catch a small starling, and when the patrol meets back up, it seems as if the others have had similar luck. Everyone seems to have caught scrawny prey, except for Swiftstep, who didn't catch anything. I feel a flash of sympathy for the brown tom. He hasn't been the same since Leopardheart's death; he is always distracted and has a dazed look about him most of the time.

As we push our way back through the bramble barrier, the slanted leaffall morning light just touching the tips of the pines, I hear Sunpaw's voice raised aggressively. I quicken my pace, emerging through the tunnel to see Sunpaw standing, hackles raised, over a scared-looking Viperpaw. Both she-cats are at the fresh-kill pile. I rush over to drop my prey. "What's going on?"

Dawnfrost is right behind me. "What is this?" she demands.

"I was on my way to the fresh-kill pile to get something to eat when this jumps in front of me." She jerks her chin to indicate "this" means Viperpaw. Viperpaw's ears flatten in rage.

"So she knocked me out of the way," Viperpaw rasps, straightening up a bit. "She held up her claws and told me murderers eat last."

Dawnfrost's eyes blaze. "Is this true, Sunpaw? You shoved your denmate and called her a murderer all because she made it to the fresh-kill pile first?"

"You don't understand!" Sunpaw whines. "She's gotten more aggressive lately! She knows the power she holds now that she could kill any one of us at this point and she-"

Dawnfrost raises her tail to silence her. "I've heard enough from you, Sunpaw. If you're going to behave like a kit, you're going to be treated like one. You will be confined to the camp for the rest of the day."

Sunpaw's jaw drops and she looks as if she is about to argue, but Dawnfrost just stares her down cooly until Sunpaw turns and trudges toward her den. Viperpaw throws a smug look after her.

"Viperpaw!" Dawnfrost's harsh bark makes her jump. "A warrior does not delight in the punishment of her Clanmates. You will be cleaning out the elders den for today. I don't want you getting too bold." The ginger-and-white she-cat stalks off, grabbing a blackbird for herself first and joining the senior warriors at the far side of the camp.

"Bad luck, Viperpaw," I murmur sympathetically, grabbing a vole and settling down close by. Viperpaw grabs a lizard and joins me. We eat in silence for a while. Finally Viperpaw finishes and swipes her tongue around her jaws. "They still haven't forgiven me."

"For Leopardheart?"

"Yeah." She digs her claws into the dirt.

"Give them time. It's only been about two moons now. They'll forget about it."

"Dustclaw shoved me out of the way the other day when he was coming back into camp, and Swiftstep glares at me every time he sees me. Sparkleap, Sunpaw and Redpaw ignore me completely, and Shinepaw and Ravenpaw act like they're scared around me. The older warriors pay no attention to me, and even Ghostfrost has been more distant. Face it, Windpaw. The whole Clan hates me."

"The whole Clan does not hate you. You have me, Owlpaw, and Dewleaf. What more do you need?"

"How can I place my trust and faith in a Clan that doesn't support me?" she goes on, ignoring me. "I feel like I don't belong here." She looks at me with despairing amber eyes. Not for the first time, I begin to wonder if she wishes she had lived in RiverClan. But why would she? She wouldn't have Dewleaf, and her situation would still be the same if she was there. Except Dewleaf probably wouldn't have started a mousebrained alliance with kits in another Clan.

Viperpaw sighs deeply. "I might as well start on the elders' den." She stands up and pads off, her tail drooping. Suddenly Sunpaw comes racing over to her from where she had been talking with Shiverpool. This can't be good.

"Shiverpool just told me to take care of the elders' ticks, so get out of my way."

"Well Dawnfrost just told me to clean their den out." Viperpaw doesn't cower this time. She stands still, ears and tail raised.

"Too bad." Sunpaw tries to force her way past Viperpaw. "Move!"

Quick as a snake, Viperpaw swipes a forepaw at Sunpaw's forelegs, knocking them out from under her. Viperpaw swarms on top of the bigger golden tabby, pinning her down with a paw on her chest. "Leave me alone!"

"Viperpaw!" Shiverpool is there in an instant, knocking Viperpaw off of her apprentice. The silver tabby's eyes are wide in shock. "What is going on?"

"She attacked me!" Sunpaw squeaks.

"But- but she-" Viperpaw backs away.

"She probably would have killed me too if you hadn't shown up!" Sunpaw eyes Viperpaw with fear and contempt.

"I guess it's true," Shiverpool growls, "You have gotten more violent since the incident with RiverClan. Go to your den, Viperpaw. I'll be speaking with Smokestar about your behavior."

I want to run up and tell Shiverpool that Sunpaw started it, that Viperpaw is just under a lot of stress right now, but I feel as if I should stay out of it. This is Viperpaw's struggle. Owlpaw emerges from the apprentices' den as Viperpaw storms through the entrance. "What's wrong?" The enraged she-cat ignores him.

Owlpaw pads up to me, yawning. "What happened to her?"

"Long story."

"Oh well, save it." Owlpaw begins to head for the fresh-kill pile. Redpaw emerges from the den as well and follows Owlpaw, casting a quick glance at me as she passes. Glancing back toward the elders' den, I see Sunpaw head inside, and Shiverpool pad toward Smokestar's den. Dread creeps through me. I don't want Viperpaw punished again when it was Sunpaw's fault for provoking her. I pick up my half-eaten vole and settle down next to Owlpaw, who has chosen a shrew, and keep one eye on Smokestar's den as I eat.

After what feels like an eternity, Shiverpool pads out of the den with Smokestar at her heels. The old tom sweeps the clearing with his amber gaze. "Viperpaw!"

The golden tabby creeps nervously from her den. Smokestar beckons with his tail for her to sit in front of him. Viperpaw makes her way over to him slowly, head and tail low. Smokestar begins to speak to her, but I can't hear what he's saying from this distance. Beside me, Owlpaw pricks his ears in curiosity. "What did she do?"

"Come on," I mew. I get up and slowly move to where I'm within earshot. Owlpaw and Redpaw follow close behind. Shinepaw and Ravenpaw, who are sitting nearby, raise their ears as well. Soon all the cats who are awake are turning their gazes toward Smokestar and Viperpaw.

"...because everyone has been treating me different since... the battle," I catch Viperpaw mew in a shaky voice.

"Well what excuse does that give you to attack your denmate?" Smokestar stands intimidatingly over Viperpaw.

"She called me a murderer! She kept shoving me out of the way! And it's not just her. All of the warriors have been doing it too. It's all because of- of Leopardheart."

"When you are at fault for something terrible that affects the whole Clan, even if you did not mean it, it takes time for cats to heal. What are rude words and harsh treatment compared to a murder?" Smokestar growls.

Viperpaw's gaze is furious. "It wasn't a murder! I never meant for Leopardheart to die! It's really RiverClan's fault! If Beechnose hadn't led us over the border this never would have happened!"

I sit bolt upright. Did I hear her correctly? Owlpaw's eyes grow huge with terror. Redpaw slaps her tail over her gaping mouth.

"What?" Smokestar's voice is an ominous whisper. "Do you mean Beechnose, as in the RiverClan deputy Beechnose?"

Viperpaw gulps loudly, crouching down as Smokestar looms over her. "No, I- I meant-" But what can she say at this point? She's blown it. We'll be dead by this evening.

"Talk!" Smokestar spits, thrashing his tail. "What were you doing with Beechnose? And who is "us"? How many of my cats are involved in treachery?"

I can't let her do this. Rushing forward, I skid to a halt in front of the bristling ShadowClan leader. "No! Beechnose forced us to-"

"Silence!" Smokestar holds up a forepaw with unsheathed claws. "I want to hear this from her. But now that I know you are involved as well," Smokestar searches the crowd of cats that has accumulated by now. "Dawnfrost! Hold him." Dawnfrost obeys quickly, shoving me roughly to the ground and pinning me.

"Get off of him!" Owlpaw and Redpaw both yowl in the same heartbeat, jumping up. Owlpaw rushes forward. "Leave him alone, it's my fault, not his!"

"Do we have another traitor?" Smokestar growls.

"You don't even know what we did!" Owlpaw protests.

"Silence!" Dawnfrost hisses. She beckons with her tail for Hawkflight to hold Owlpaw. The brown tabby wriggles in protest but the tough red warrior soon has him held down.

"Speak, Viperpaw!" Smokestar demands. I twist my head around, trying to find Dewleaf, to see her reaction. I spot her at the back of the crowd, her eyes closed and her face raised toward the sky, as if praying to StarClan. We'll need all the prayers we can get at this point.

Viperpaw tries bravely to hold her tongue, but Smokestar slams her to the ground with one hefty blow. "You will explain what you were doing with that RiverClan filth or you will die a traitor's death right now," he hisses. Still Viperpaw remains silent. Admiration floods through me at Viperpaw's courage, but I will her to spill the secret, to make something up, anything to save her from being killed.

"So help me StarClan, every cat involved will be executed right now if you don't tell me what you were doing crossing the border. Your lack of speaking already tells me you were betraying your Clan. Are you spies? Was the murder of Leopardheart part of an alliance with that fiend, Breezestar?" Smokestar is seathing. He begins to dig his claws into Viperpaw's pelt until blood oozes out from beneath his claws.

"STOP!" Dewleaf's voice sounds from the back of the crowd. Smokestar looks up, his amber gaze glittering. Dewleaf stalks forward slowly and stiffly. I am guessing that it's taking every ounce of self-control for her not to hurl herself at Smokestar. "It is not their fault for being with Beechnose. It's mine."

Shocked gasps ripple through the Clan. Murmurs rise up like rustling leaves in a gust of wind.

"Do explain yourself, Dewleaf, tell us why these cats aren't traitors," Smokestar meows, his anger just barely controlled.

Dewleaf's voice trembles, but she looks formidible, standing tall in front of her leader, head and tail raised high. "It's my fault, because Beechnose is their father."

Shrieks and yowls explode instantly across the clearing. "Traitor!" "Betrayal!" "You lied to us!" "You dishonor ShadowClan!"

"What?!" Smokestar screeches. He leaps off of Viperpaw and rushes to a halt in front of Dewleaf. "You had forbidden affairs with the RiverClan deputy?"

Dewleaf lowers her head. "I did. But hear me out." She lifts her head again to face Smokestar. "I saw Beechnose two Gatherings ago talking to my kits and Viperpaw. I don't know what he said to them, but I let it happen, because I thought he had a right to know his kits, even if they don't know he is their father. I guess he got them to meet him in RiverClan territory, which is why they crossed the border. Viperpaw, however, shouldn't be included in whatever punishment you decide for us, Smokestar, because she was just tagging along with Windpaw and Owlpaw, as young apprentices do. If you're going to punish anyone, punish me, for taking a mate from RiverClan in the first place."

"No!" Viperpaw yowls. "I am every bit a part of this! Whisperleaf, my mother, was mates with Splashfoot, a RiverClan warrior. He was my father! You can't punish them without punishing me."

"Shut up, Viperpaw!" I hiss, but it's too late now. Smokestar swivels his head around to glare at the apprentice.

"Do my ears decieve me? Am I living in a Clan full of traitors and murderers and liars?" The wild rage in his eyes terrifies me. My heart pounds in fear of whatever he is about to do to us.

The bristling Clan leader rounds on his deputy, snarling. "Dawnfrost!" The orange-and-white she-cat flinches. "I want all four of these cats executed as you see fit."

Dawnfrost releases her grip on me, allowing me to get up. She glances at each one of us in turn, fear shining in her blue eyes. She is hesitating.

"Now, Dawnfrost."

Dawnfrost gives the tiniest shake of her head, so tiny I wonder if I imagined it. She backs away from Smokestar. Her tail trembles slightly.

"What are you waiting for?" the huge tom snarls.

"I can't," the deputy chokes out. "I can't. It's not right."

Smokestar pricks his ears. "Excuse me?" My heart is about to pound straight through my chest.

"These apprentices didn't ask to be born." Dawnfrost continues, her voice gaining strength. "Why should they be punished? They are too young to know completely the gravity of what they've done. They should not be killed."

"I will not allow traitors to live and thrive in my Clan. How do we know they won't do it again? How can we be sure they won't spread all our secrets to RiverClan?"

Dawnfrost whips around suddenly to face Viperpaw. "How many times did you cross the border? Don't lie."

"J-just once," Viperpaw stutters. "Once we- we learned Beechnose was our father, we stopped meeting him."

"It's true," Owlpaw meows, staring at Dawnfrost in awe. We never expected her to stick up for us.

"What would you have me do with them?" Smokestar stares levelly at Dawnfrost, as though challenging her.

Dawnfrost hesitates again, but holds Smokestar's gaze. "Make them prove themselves to us," she meows at last. "Give them an extra six moons of training after the initial six to prove that they are loyal to ShadowClan. And if they fail us, exile them."

Smokestar stares at Dawnfrost for a good while, as though contemplating what she said. "Sounds fair," he concedes at last. "But you will be overseeing their progress." Dawnfrost dips her head.

"As for Dewleaf..." Smokestar's expression grows cold. My heart thuds even harder. Owlpaw presses closer to me. "I will not allow a cat who betrayed her Clan to continue to exist among us. Dawnfrost, take Hawkflight and Swiftstep and escort her from our territory. And then you are to have her executed. Do you understand?"

Dawnfrost glances nervously at Dewleaf, and then at the ShadowClan leader. "But Smokestar-"

"Silence!" Smokestar hisses. "You have already won with these apprentices. Do not make me change my mind. Remember my word is law." Smokestar's eyes glitter cruelly. Come on, Dawnfrost, I plead inwardly, challenge him. Fight him. Make him listen. But I can see the resignation in the deputy's eyes at the task she has been assigned. She is going to go through with it. Dewleaf holds her head low in shame. "I accept this punishment for my actions. As long as my kits are unharmed." Swiftstep and Hawkflight flank her on both sides, and Dawnfrost falls in behind her. "Let's go, Dewleaf."

They lead my mother across the camp, through the parting crowd of warriors, and through the bramble tunnel. With a wave of shock I realize I will never see her again.

Rage burns in my belly. This is wrong. Dewleaf does not deserve punishment! Yes, she took a mate from another Clan, but she redeemed herself. She cut off the relationship when she learned she was pregnant. She raised us as fully ShadowClan and hid the truth. She didn't let Splashfoot take Viperpaw but instead raised her as her own. A terrible anger, anger like I've never felt before, pulses in my veins. Smokestar will pay for this. One day, somehow, he will pay.







I sit in front of Smokestar's den with the rest of the Clan, fluffing up my fur from the biting wind. Ashcloud emerges from her den, her long whiskers whipped against her face as she tastes the air. "A cold front's coming through," she annouces grimly. Her words are met with muttering. No cat is ready for the cold weather just yet.

I squirm uneasily beside Windpaw. Actually, uneasily is an understatement. I'm am so anxiety-ridden I am nauseous. I'm still trying to process what just happened, although once again, I'm the reason for it. My paws prick and my pelt itches; I feel disgusting. I feel like a traitor, but not to ShadowClan. I could care less about ShadowClan. I've failed Windpaw and Owlpaw. I've gotten Dewleaf- I swallow back nausea at the thought- killed. She wasn't just a warrior either, like Leopardheart was. She was my foster-mother. I'll never forgive myself, and of course Windpaw and Owlpaw won't forgive me either. I steal a glance at Windpaw beside me; the gray-and-white tom is staring straight ahead with an expression of stone, his thoughts impossible to read on his face. I shuffle my paws. I want to apologize, to tell him I'm a piece of foxdung who deserves to be killed instead of Dewleaf, but the words shrivel up on my tongue. I slowly turn my head around to catch a glimpse of Owlpaw, sitting beside a worried looking Shinepaw. The small ginger tom is always with Owlpaw now, and has really come to look up to him. Owlpaw is staring straight ahead, his green eyes blazing. He catches my eye and the look he gives me can only be described as pure hatred. I shudder. What will he do to me once all this is over?

Redpaw is at Windpaw's other side, leaning against his shoulder in a vain attempt to comfort him, all her worry about the others thinking she likes him apparently aside. Windpaw doesn't protest, or shrug her off, which makes me feel ruffled even though I have no right to be. Windpaw and I are practically littermates. I'm sure that's how he sees me, anyway. Maybe not anymore though. Anyway, Redpaw is pretty, I'll admit, and sure knows how to grab attention. Why shouldn't Windpaw notice her? Why should he even care about me at all?

The bramble barrier rustles, and every head turns to see Dawnfrost push through the tunnel. Windpaw goes rigid beside me. Shock pulses through me at the sight of the ShadowClan deputy. Dawnfrost is drenched in blood. Her white muzzle, chest, and paws are stained in scarlet. Her eyes are dark. Hawkflight and Swiftstep are at her heels. There is not a drop of blood on them. Dawnfrost must have killed Dewleaf by herself. A chill runs down my spine at the sight of my deputy.

The crowd of cats parts to make way for her to come through. The whole camp is dead silent. You can hear Dawnfrost's ragged breathing. She pads stiffly through the crowd and disappears into Smokestar's den. After a few moments of tense silence, Dawnfrost re-emerges, followed by Smokestar.

Smokestar has a regal air about him, like a true leader, although he is anything but. His pelt is groomed and he stands at his full height before his Clan. His thick tail sweeps the ground magestically, and his amber eyes gleam like fire in the dying sunlight.

"Cats of ShadowClan!" he yowls, his voice ringing clearly through the silent camp. "Today we will take back what is ours. We will regain our dignity and exact our revenge on RiverClan. ShadowClan will be victorious!"

Suddenly the camp is alive with the yowls of my Clanmates. They cry their approval to the quickly-emerging stars. I remain silent, however, along with Windpaw, Owlpaw, and Redpaw. Can my whole Clan really agree with Smokestar? Are they really going to look past the fact that their deputy just killed a beloved warrior? I glance up at the sky. Silverpelt glitters brightly in the gathering darkness. Would StarClan approve of Smokestar's actions? Do they agree with the death of Dewleaf? Or do they even care?

"Windpaw, Owlpaw, and Viperpaw," Smokestar calls our names out. Absolute terror rushes through my heart. I can hardly bring myself to stand. I rise and step forward without really feeling my paws move, and stand between Owlpaw and Windpaw, facing the ShadowClan leader. A growl rises in my throat but I stifle it. Smokestar's eyes glitter cruelly as he stares us down.

"I will be watching the three of you closely, and so will Ashcloud, who is accompanying us to tend to injuries on the battlefield." My ears flatten. "You will prove yourselves to ShadowClan tonight. If I see a hint of disloyalty from any one of you, I'll give the word and make sure you three never return from this battle. Am I clear?"

I am shaking harder than ever. It takes everything in me to force myself to nod. But why am I scared? I am not loyal to RiverClan, or to Beechnose. In fact, the RiverClan deputy can die tonight for all I care. He probably will, too. Smokestar will make sure of it. Beside me, Windpaw nods, worry sparking in his deep blue eyes, and Owlpaw nods tersely. He probably feels the same way as me toward RiverClan now. But I'm sure he also hates me now, too. I inch away from him a little bit. What if he turns on me during the battle?

As we back away to stand with the rest of the crowd again, I realize I am all alone in the Clan now. The cats who already hated me for Leopardheart's death will despise me or even wish death on me now. Windpaw and Owlpaw will want nothing to do with me. Redpaw and Sunpaw will continue to pretend I don't exist, and Dewleaf is gone. I can't count on Dawnfrost to have any of our backs; all she did was save us from execution; I don't expect anything more from the distant deputy, especially after she killed Dewleaf. She may have tried to make Smokestar see reason, but she didn't try hard enough. She is just as bad as the dark gray tom. I have no one. I shudder. I may as well be on my own in this battle, because no one will come to my aid, surely.

Smokestar raises his tail for silence. "These are the cats I will need tonight: Windpaw, Owlpaw, Viperpaw, Dawnfrost, Stormfrost, Hawkflight, Snowpelt, Swiftstep, Dustclaw, Wolfsong, Leafflight, Emberclaw, Shiverpool, Blossompool, Sparrowflight, Russetwolf, Sunpaw, Redpaw, and Ashcloud. The rest of you will stay and guard the camp. Ghostfrost will be in charge until we return. Now, ShadowClan warriors, to me!"

Smokestar yowls a battle cry and pounds out of the camp, his chosen cats following. Redpaw gives Windpaw a lick on the cheek before they follow Smokestar out of camp, side by side. I catch Shinepaw and Ravenpaw watching us go out of the corner of my eye, their eyes round. Owlpaw stops beside Shinepaw for a brief moment and touches noses with the ginger tom. Then he bounds off after Windpaw. I am the only one without another cat hoping for my safe return tonight. I follow behind Owlpaw out of habit, but at a safe distance. I cannot trust the brown tabby tom anymore. I can't trust anyone anymore.

The chilly breeze billows through my pelt as I race through the trees, making me shiver. In front of me, Windpaw and Owlpaw run side by side, pawstep for pawstep. A pang of bitterness hits me as I realize that our relationship has ended here, that they'll always have each other, that I'll always be alone now. Ahead of them, Snowpelt and Ashcloud race along together, murmuring to each other. I remember that the two of them are littermates. Sunpaw and Shiverpool match each others' pace near my flank, with Blossompool, Shiverpool's littermate, striding at the silver tabby's side. All around me are cats who have someone to fight alongside, a littermate, a friend, or just a Clanmate. I doubt any of these cats consider Windpaw, Owlpaw,and I Clanmates anymore, but just a few hours earlier the two brothers would have fought alongside me no matter what. I shiver, and not from the chill this time. I will be fighting alone in this battle.

One thing I have just become certain of, however, is that Smokestar and I now both have the same desire for the outcome of this battle. Beechnose is not to make it out alive.

We pull up at the RiverClan border and Smokestar stride forward, tasting the air. I open my mouth to draw in the cold breeze, tasting stale RiverClan scents. They must all be in their camp. It is dangerous to attack another Clan in their camp, but I can see that Smokestar does not care at this point. He waves his tail for us to proceed, and we leap across the border and into the reeds. The sky is almost completely black now, with the moon and stars shining brilliantly overhead, lighting our way. StarClan must approve of this battle. As we approach a wide stream, I begin to smell the now-familiar musk of RiverClan. I can see an island in the middle of two joining streams which appears to be the camp. It is well sheltered, and we will have to get our paws wet to cross. But this does not deter the ShadowClan leader, and he plunges through the stream with the rest of the Clan following suit. I splash ungracefully into the icy water, and feel the strength of the current almost lift me off my paws. My legs are short and I can barely stand, but I kick out as strongly as I can and clamber up onto the bank. I watch Windpaw, Owlpaw, and Sunpaw surge swiftly through the water with their long legs, and I leap onto the shore with irritation. Why am I the worst apprentice at everything?

Smokestar doesn't even pause before he tears through the camp wall and into the sandy clearing. "ShadowClan warriors, attack!"

There is instant chaos as RiverClan explodes from the corners of the camp, like ants in a destroyed anthill. Shrieks and yowls of utter shock fill the air. ShadowClan instantly throws itself into battle, our pelts still drenched and dripping everywhere. I search the camp quickly as I rush forward, seeking out a light brown tabby pelt, but I don't make it very far before I am knocked to the ground.

The breath rushes from my chest as I hit the hard-packed floor of the clearing. Twisting around in the grasp of my attacker, I spot a dark gray tabby pelt. I writhe underneath the cat's weight, trying to pull myself out. I will not cower like a helpless kit this time. There is vengance to pay.

The cat scrabbles at my belly with claws like thorns, and I let out a yowl of pain. Thinking fast, I slam my forepaw into his ear. The cat ducks his head back and I take that moment to push out from under him. As I leap to my feet I realize I've seen this tom before. He was an appretice we met two gatherings ago, Frozenpaw. The gray tabby has grown in the last moon, and he already towers over me. He lunges for me but I am quicker. I dodge him and turn to nip his hind leg. He yowls with pain and spins around to cuff me over the head, hard. Pain flashes above my eye, and blood drips down, obscuring my vision. I lash out blindly with my forepaws while simultaneously trying to shake the blood out of my eye.

Frozenpaw bowls me over in my distraction and sinks his fangs into my shoulder. Gritting my teeth, I wriggle back and forth until the gray tom loses his grip and I slip free. The pain fuels my anger and I spin on my front paws, sending a vicious kick at the apprentice with my hind paws. Satisfaction ripples through me as I see the surprise in his eyes as my foot connects with his muzzle. He topples head over heels into the camp wall, flattening the bullrushes. I am on him in an instant, gouging out fur from his belly, blind to everything other than this fight.

Suddenly I feel claws sharp as thorns hook my pelt. I am lifted into the air, off of Frozenpaw, and flung a foxlength across the camp. I roll as I hit the ground and leap to my paws, snarling.

Then I see Frozenpaw's savior and a pit opens in my stomach. Before me stands a huge black tom, green eyes blazing, hackles raised. A snarl ripples across his scarred muzzle, and his battered ears are flattened. Blood drips from a scratch on his flank, collecting in a puddle on the dusty ground. I feel my eyes stretch wide as I stare at him. This is the tom that ended Leopardheart's life.

Fear and anger battle in my head for a moment. Do I run? Do I attack? There's no one to defend me this time but myself. I could run and find an easier opponent. One that I know won't kill me as well. But then I imagine Leopardheart watching me from StarClan. Even if she forgives me for her death, she would never forgive me for turning my back on the tom that killed her, especially when it was my fault. Swallowing back my rising terror, I bunch up my legs and leap.

I slam my front paws into the tom's flank, making him stumble, but he does not fall. This will be a much harder cat to fight than Frozenpaw. He swings out with a hefty forepaw and catches me on the cheek, sending me reeling. I steady myself and give my pelt a shake, tasting blood in my mouth. I will not give up on this tom. I must avenge Leopardheart. I charge the huge tom again and roll underneath him this time, shoving out my hind paws and digging them into his soft belly. I feel a glimmer of satisfaction as he hisses with rage. He leaps out of the way, quick as a fish, and turns back toward me. He lunges for my throat, and the next thing I know I feel teeth sinking into my trachea. Unable to breath, I panic, flailing desperately in his grasp. Suddenly the black tom's teeth are ripped violently from my throat, splattering blood everywhere. As he lets go I drop to the ground, glancing up in time to see Beechnose heaving the great black warrior away from me.

Fury claws through me. Beechnose is breaking the code yet again! He is betraying his Clan! I force myself to my paws once more, even though my throat is still bleeding heavily and exaustion drags at my dusty paws. Beechnose turns to face me.

"Let me fight my own battles!" I rasp, curling my lip. "You're not my father, and you're disloyal, you RiverClan scum!"

Beechnose seems taken aback by my harsh tone. "You are as much my daughter as Windpaw and Owlpaw are my sons. Your father was like a brother to me. How could I not look out for you as well?"

"You shouldn't be looking out for me at all. You shouldn't have even broken the code in the first place. Dewleaf is dead now because of you!"

Beechnose's eyes stretch wide in absolute horror. He staggers a bit. "Dewleaf... dead?"

"Yes," a deep voice hisses behind me. I spin around to see Smokestar standing behind me. His expression is smug. I feel a surge of hatred for my leader. "Sad to hear about your ShadowClan lover?" he hisses maliciously. "We put an end to her deciet and treachery and we'll put an end to yours." He crouches as if to leap at the deputy.

"Stop!" Breezestar emerges from the thick of battle and stands nose-to-nose with the ShadowClan leader. The black-and-white tom is seething. "What is the meaning of this battle? Why are you attacking our camp unprovoked?"

"Unprovoked!" Smokestar gives a harsh laugh. "Well, since you asked, we have two purposes tonight. We are avenging the death of Leopardheart, who your Clan so savagely killed" -Breezestar hisses fiercely- "and to seek justice for the betrayal of your warriors."

Beechnose's hackles rise, and fear gleams in his green eyes. Breezestar lashes his tail back and forth, his teeth bared. "How dare you accuse my Clan of betrayal!"

Smokestar smiles cruelly. "Your own deputy, Beechnose, and your deceased warrior Splashfoot are the fathers of this apprentice" -he shoves me forward viciously- "and the apprentices Windpaw and Owlpaw. We have come to deliver the punishment your Clan deserves."

Breezestar's face contorts with rage. "You come into my camp and accuse my warriors of having forbidden affairs with your ShadowClan scum?!"

Smokestar remains immaculately calm. "I see your comprehension skills are sharp as ever, Breezestar. That is exaclty what I'm saying."

Outraged, the RiverClan leader hurls himself at Smokestar with an earsplitting screech. Smokestar rears to meet the black-and-white tom, and the two leaders scrabble furiously at each other. I flinch as blood sprays across the ground, but I remain where I'm standing, too surprised to do anything. I glance at Beechnose, my anger rekindling. I crouch down, preparing to spring.

Beechnose backs away. "Viperpaw, please. Dewleaf wouldn't have wanted this. Your parents wouldn't have wanted this."

My heart wrenches at the thought of Dewleaf, and of my dead parents. But then I realize that I don't care what they would have wanted. If they hadn't wanted this battle they should never have taken mates from another Clan.

"I don't care," I respond coldly. "You obviously didn't think this through when you got our mothers pregnant. You've ruined our lives. You've driven our Clans to this battle. All of the blood spilled today is on you!" I yowl the last words as I leap at the huge tabby tom. I slam clumsily into his flank and begin slashing furiously at his pelt with frantic paws, all the pent up anger from the past moon pouring out into this attack. My parents are dead because of this cat. Leopardheart is dead because of this cat. Dewleaf, the closest thing I'll ever have to a mother, is dead. And now Beechnose will join them.

Beechnose tries to block my blows, tries to turn and escape without hurting me, but I don't let him. I slip around and block him every time he turns away, slash where he is not guarding. The big tom is overwhelmed. My neck is still bleeding, soaking my golden chest fur, but my hate drives me on. I can't stop until this cat has gotten what he deserves. I must do this for my parents, for Dewleaf, for Leopardheart, for Windpaw, and for Owlpaw.

As Beechnose twists around in an attempt to get away from my claws, I use one of the moves he taught me himself and knock his hind legs out from under him. He hits the ground hard, and as he rolls I jump up onto his exposed belly. For a moment I have him pinned and I slash at him with my hind paws, grim satisfaction flowing over me as I see his blood spatter the rocks at the edge of the camp. I see my chance and lunge for his throat, gripping it in my jaws and sinking my teeth into the warm flesh. A dim image flashes through my mind. A memory. I feel like I have done this before.

Then I remember my dream from a moon ago, after our first meeting with Beechnose. The cat I was attacking was Beechnose! The dream was fortelling this battle!

The RiverClan deputy rolls over and leaps to his paws, wrenching me off of him. He stares at me in horror as I hit the ground. At first I think it is because of my new-found ferocity, but as I follow his gaze I spot the pool of blood forming around my head and neck. Dizzyness overtakes me and my vision swims. Just before I black out, I see Smokestar, battered and bloody, surge forward and grasp the RiverClan deputy's throat in his jaws.

Then everything goes black.








"ShadowClan warriors, attack!"

Smokestar tears through the RiverClan camp wall and into the sandy clearing. I don't even have time to shake the cold stream water from my pelt before I am bustled through the hole Smokestar tore in the reed wall with the rest of the patrol. I spot Viperpaw running around as if she is searching for something, until she is intercepted by a gray tabby tom I've seen before.

Frozenpaw! I leap over to help her, but then a brown she-cat leaps in front of me, hissing. I ram straight into her, knocking her off her paws and sending her skidding across the camp. Before she can regain her paws I pin her down and sink my teeth into her shoulder.

"Back off, apprentice!" she snarls, yanking herself out of my grasp violently and then knocking me aside with a swift kick. I gasp as I hit the ground, hard. The brown warrior gets in several hard blows while I'm down, but suddenly Owlpaw leaps on her back, distracting her. "Need help?"

"That would be great," I grunt as I push myself to my paws. Together we drive the brown she-cat backwards until she turns and races off. Owlpaw and I give a yowl of triumph. Spinning around, I leap back into the fray, searching for my next opponent. A huge tortoiseshell she-cat rears in front of me with a snarl and I leap onto her back. I remember her from the last battle; I had to save Viperpaw from her. This cat is much larger and sturdier than the brown she-cat I have just beaten and she flings me off of her back like a wet leaf. I spring to my paws again, ducking around her outstretched claws and biting down on her thick tail. She gives a yelp of pain and twists around to bat at my ears. I flinch and turn to avoid her claws, but she eventually catches me with a hard blow to the cheek, and I lose my grip on her tail, letting out a yowl of shock.

Blossompool suddenly bursts out of the tangle of claws and tails and leaps for the tortoiseshell. The two she-cats rear onto their hind paws and tussle in each other's grip, snarling. "I got her, Windpaw! Go help Sunpaw," she hisses.

I nod and hare off, searching out Sunpaw's golden pelt in the throng of cats. Eventually I spot her struggling with a long-furred white tom. The tom has her backed against the camp wall, landing blow after blow as Sunpaw wriggles to escape in vain. I rush in and nip the tom's hind leg. He jerks around, revealing a broad, flattened face marked with scars and baring snaggly teeth, the moonlight glinting off of them. The white warrior whips a paw across my throat as fast as lightning. I yowl as I feel his sharp claws hook my neck fur and tear it. His claws come away dripping, dark with my blood. With a yowl of fury I leap and roll underneath him, scrabbling at his belly fur with my hind claws, but his thick, oily pelt prevents my claws from doing any damage. He staggers suddenly and nearly steps on me, so I drag myself out to see Sunpaw on his back, slashing at his ears. I hop around to his hindquarters and grasp his tail in my jaws, biting down hard despite the sickening taste of matted fur and fishy musk.

The white tom flings Sunpaw off and rounds on me with a furious hiss. I let go of his tail and leap onto his back where Sunpaw had just been, digging my claws in deep to avoid being thrown as he bucks and rears beneath me. Instead of coming back to help me, Sunpaw runs off in the other direction, leaving me to face the huge white warrior alone. I let out a hiss. I don't care what she thinks of me after today, this is a battle. You're supposed to help your Clanmates. It's not like I've decided to fight on RiverClan's behalf after what Viperpaw revealed today. I'm obviously fighting a RiverClan cat right now!

Then I remember Viperpaw. Knowing her, she'll probably need help since she's not the strongest fighter. I leap off of the white tom, leaving him to chase after me, knowing he won't find me in the blur of pelts. I search out Viperpaw but instead come face to face with Beechnose. I jump back in surprise. Should I attack? I give mypelt a hard shake. I can't attack him, he's my father.

Thankfully, Beechnose doesn't attack me either. "Windpaw!" The pale tabby tom looks bewildered. "Do you know the meaning of this battle?"

I stare at him. Doesn't he realize? The battle is his fault! "You haven't guessed?"

Beechnose leans closer. "Did one of you tell?"

"I can't stand here and talk to you," I growl, irritation rising in me. Does this tom care at all about his own Clan? He's way too caught up in our business. "Forget about your ties to ShadowClan. We're done, remember?"

I turn and bound off into the battle, leaving Beechnose standing in the middle of the chaos, looking hurt and conflicted. But I can't help that. I'm beginning to understand Owlpaw's anger toward the the RiverClan tom. It's like he doesn't care at all about his own Clan, only ShadowClan and his relationship with us and Dewleaf.

Dewleaf. The thought of my mother, dead because of Beechnose, sends my mind reeling again. It doesn't feel real. How can she really be dead? Suddenly I can't feel my paws moving beneath me and the RiverClan camp becomes a blur. I pause in the middle of the battle, bodies writhing around me, shrieks splitting the air. But it is as if they are far, far away, no longer right in front of me. This can't be happening. Dewleaf can't be dead. Beechnose can't be our father. We can't be half-Clan. My thoughts whirl and my stomach churns and I feel completely overwhelmed.

Suddenly a high-pitched screech pierces the air. Viperpaw! Remembering my search for her, I start running, ducking under tails and flailing paws. I can't lose her, too. A sense of urgency floods me as I imagine her being torn apart by a larger warrior. The thought adds speed to my paws. I spot Viperpaw pinned underneath a huge black tom. I race toward her, but then something slams into my flank, knocking the wind out of me as I hit the ground. I try to scrabble to my paws but I am being held down by a tabby tom, his fur gleaming silver in the moonlight. I claw at him desperately, but he has me pinned. My blows are clumsy and do no damage. "Whatcha gonna do now, puny apprentice?" the tom hisses, smirking. He sinks his claws into my shoulders, slowly. I feel blood oozing out from beneath his claws, staining my pelt. The tabby tom smiles with satisfaction.

"I'll show Smokestar he can't attack our camp without there being a few casualties,"he snarls. "RiverClan will make this battle worth our while." He raises a paw above my head, his claws glinting. He is about to give the killing blow. Panic explodes inside me. I claw at his flanks desperately, trying to get ahold of him so I can yank myself free, but I am stuck. I catch a glimpse of Silverpelt sparkling above us. StarClan help me, I pray, as I squeeze my eyes shut before the tom can slice my throat open.

"GET OFF OF HIM!"

Whipping my head around, I see Redpaw crash into the tabby, heaving him off of me and sending him sprawling across the camp. The russet apprentice tears at the RiverClan tom with all the ferocity of TigerClan, her green eyes blazing with absolute fury. Redpaw lands blow after blow after blow until the tom has no choice but to retreat with his ears flat against his head. Redpaw doesn't stop there, though. She races after him in pursuit, and then dives underneath him, rolling onto her back and shoving her hind legs up hard and thowing him again. I haul myself to my paws and watch, impressed. As I get my breath back I prepare to help Redpaw with the tom, but then another RiverClan she-cat joins her Clanmate. Both cats dive on the little red she-cat, and she disappears under a tangle of legs and tails with a wail. I push forward until I reach the RiverClan cats, hauling the she-cat off of Redpaw with difficulty and shoving the tom to the side, revealing Redpaw lying crumpled beneath him.

"Redpaw!" I shake her with both forepaws, but she doesn't stir. Terror rushes through me. She can't be dead. She can't. "Redpaw!" I yowl again. Still the red she-cat doesn't move.

Desperate, I grab Redpaw by the scruff and begin to haul her around the side of the camp, trying to get her to Ashcloud. Her unresponsiveness makes her heavy, and I have to stop a few times to rest, but at the very edge of the camp no cat attacks me. I try to keep an eye out for Viperpaw, but I can't see anything in the chaos of battle. Finally I find myself at the camp entrance and pull myself through the tunnel backward, dragging Redpaw in front of me and hoping I am not hurting her any worse. I spot the medicine cat's dappled gray pelt just across the stream. "Ashcloud!"

The small gray she-cat hurries over to me, jumping the stream and giving Redpaw a quick sniff. "Oh, StarClan," she mutters softly, and then picks the apprentice up by the scruff and pulls her strongly through the water, keeping her head held up. "Will she be okay?" I ask warily.

"I'll see to her. Just go," Ashcloud mumbles through Redpaw's fur.

"But I need to see if she's okay-"

"Just go!" Ashcloud hisses angrily, putting Redpaw down. "The rest of the Clan still needs you."

I nod, although doubt that Redpaw is really okay weighs heavily in my stomach like a stone. I turn and push back through the camp barrier, stopping dead in my tracks at the sight before me.

Viperpaw lies still at Beechnose's feet in a pool of blood. Beechnose faces Smokestar, hackles raised, as the ShadowClan leader crouches and leaps for him. My breath catches in my throat as Smokestar grasps the RiverClan deputy's throat in his huge jaws, clamping them shut. Beechnose struggles desperately for a few heartbeats, but Smokestar has him in a deathhold and the huge tabby has no hope. Blood gushes from the brown tabby's neck, dripping slowly onto the camp floor, and staining Smokestar's jaws. Beechnose catches my eye, and the look he gives me is pleading. I'm sorry. Forgive me.

My heart pounds in my throat. I want to stop Smokestar, but my paws are like stone. I can't move from this spot. I watch helplessly as Beechnose's eyes roll back and he sinks to the ground. Smokestar releases him and he hits the floor of the camp with a sickening thud.

My heart lurches.

My father is dead.







Voices murmur around me, soft and urgent. The smell of herbs and lakewater hang in the air. Forcing my eyes open, I glimpse a gray dappled pelt flitting around nearby, dark against the pre-dawn sky. Ashcloud. Confusion washes over me. Where am I? Am I sick? I can hear the lake lapping barely foxlengths away. If I'm sick, why am I not in the medicine den?

Then I remember.

I leap up, yelping in pain as my neck wound tears open again. Ashcloud rushes over to me with a wad of cobwebs wrapped around her paws. "Shh, lie back down," she murmurs soothingly. She begins to reapply cobwebs to my throat.

"What happened to me? Where are we? What happened to Beechnose?"

Ashcloud hesitates for a moment. "You passed out from losing too much blood from your neck wound," she murmurs. Her blue eyes are troubled. "The battle is still going on. Now lie down. You need to heal."

"She probably won't be able to go back in," a new voice rumbles. I lift my head again, wincing at the pain in my neck. I see a brown tabby tom standing nearby, smelling of RiverClan and herbs. A dappled blue-gray she-cat hovers nearby. Wavepaw. I remember her from the Gathering. The RiverClan medicine cats must be helping to tend to the injured.

"Go back in?" I rasp, confused.

"We've been switching cats in and out of the battle to keep the ranks strong," the tabby tom tells me. "The battle has not stopped all night."

"RiverClan drove our Clan out of the camp and onto the field outside," Ashcloud mews softly to me. "We're still holding them off." I stretch my ears, and catch the faint sounds of battle raging somewhere over the slope. I blink in surprise. We're still fighting? And it's now dawn?

With a flash of alarm I realize Ashcloud still hasn't answered my earlier question. Did she ignore it on purpose? "What happened to Beechnose?" I repeat.

All three medicine cats eye me suspiciously. "Why does she need to know?" Wavepaw growls.

Ashcloud shakes her head as if to warn her not to ask. "Beechnose was killed by Smokestar," she meows briskly. She pads over to where Redpaw is lying still in a bed of bracken and begins to make a poultice. She beckons with her tail, and Wavepaw follows after her, casting a glare at me. The brown tom pads off toward a fluffy black RiverClan cat, who is sitting in a similar nest and lapping at his paw.

So Beechnose is dead.

I got what I wanted.

So why don't I feel satisfied?

It's not because I really cared for him deep down. I didn't, not after he revealed the truth. It's not because Windpaw cared about him. If I had been worried about that, I would have taken that into consideration before I tried to kill him in the first place.

Then it hits me. I wanted to be the one to kill him. Not any other cat, and especially not Smokestar. I wanted revenge, and I wanted it to be my revenge. Beechnose being killed by another cat, especially Smokestar, leaves me feeling empty and unaccomplished. This was supposed to be my redemption, my way of bringing justice to all the cats that died because of Beechnose's disloyalty. And I failed. I failed miserably.

I am distracted by Redpaw's desperate mew. "Ashcloud, please, you have to let me go back out there!"

"I'm sorry, Redpaw, but you wouldn't get very far on a sprained paw and with all the blood you've lost; in fact you'd be crowfood in this battle. You need to rest for a few days, if not a quarter moon."

"But Ashcloud-"

"No, Redpaw." Ashcloud's mew is firm. Redpaw growls mutinously, but rests her chin on her bracken nest with a sigh.

Suddenly a mottled tabby RiverClan she-cat stumbles over the slope and limps across to the brown tabby medicine cat. "Mudstep!"

"What happened, Willowstripe?" The medicine cat calls.

Blood is dripping out of a deep gash in the she-cat's gray-and-brown-stripped flank. She comes to a halt in front of Mudstep, panting hard. "Just a scratch, I think, but it's bleeding quite a bit," Willowstripe tells him, sounding puzzled.

Wavepaw pads up and sniffs the wound. "That looks bad. I'll get some cobwebs, hold on Willowstripe!" she mews.

"Alright, Sootheart," Mudstep turns to the black tom who was licking his injured paw a little bit ago. "You ready to go back in?"

The tom jumps to his feet. "Of course!" He bounds over the slope with a flick of his tail and is gone. Willowstripe takes his place in the bracken nest, lapping gingerly at her bloodied flank.

Suddenly there is commotion from over the crest of the slope in the opposite direction. Twisting around despite the sharp pain in my neck, I see Shinepaw and Ravenpaw arrive with Leafflight at their side. As soon as they reach the medicine cats, Leafflight takes off in the direction of the battle. The young apprentices look nervous, but their eyes gleam in the gray dawn light. Ashcloud hurries over to them.

"Thank you, Leafflight!" Ashcoud calls after the tortoiseshell warrior. "Okay." She turns to the apprentices. "I hate having to use you two with so little training, but ShadowClan needs you now. When you get out on the battle field, I want you to find Windpaw and Owlpaw and send them straight here. You are to take their places. Understood?"

The two cats nod vigorously. They tear off over the slope, their tails streaming out behind them.

So now we're having to use the newest apprentices to take the place of other, more experienced cats? They must be really struggling if they need more cats this desperately. How long can this battle go on? Until every cat is too hurt to continue? There are currently four of us in the medicine cats' makeshift den by the shore. Meaning the rest of the cats are still up and fighting.

Or dead.

If Beechnose was killed last night, how many more could be dead now? My mind immediately flies to Windpaw, and suddenly I am anxious to be in the battle again, just to be sure he is okay. What will Shinepaw and Ravenpaw find once they get out there? I stare at the slope in distress, hoping to see his gray-and-white shape appear.

Time drags on. Where could he be? I sit up in my nest despite the dizzyness making my stomach lurch. Eventually I see a shape crest the hill. A dark brown tabby. Owlpaw. My heart thuds when Windpaw doesn't appear behind him. Then, a little bit behind Owlpaw I spot a pale shape limping over the rise. Relief swamps me as I recognize Windpaw. He's okay. Another shape follows him, and I recognize Ghostfrost. If ShadowClan needed him to fight as well, who is guarding the camp?

Owlpaw reaches the medicine cats and flops down, panting hard and licking his wounds. Windpaw limps up more slowly, setting one of his hind paws down gingerly. Ghostfrost's pale gray pelt is criss-crossed with red scratches, and he is missing clumps of fur. Ashcloud guides him over to an empty bracken nest and he sinks down into it, wincing. "I'll need a fresh poultice of marigold, Wavepaw," Ashcloud meows.

"You got it," Wavepaw responds, quickly gathering some marigold and chewing it up.

"Shiverpool didn't look too good," Ghostfrost pants in between his lapping. "I told her to come get something from you, but she wouldn't listen." Ghostfrost's eyes are dark with worry. Shiverpool is his mate. Of course the determined she-cat won't want to give up helping her Clanmates for her own sake, but it isn't smart for her to risk her life.

"Well you should have made her come!" Ashcloud exclaims irritably. "I can't exactly send anyone after her right now."

"I can go," Owlpaw volunteers. "I'm the most fit out of us right now."

"No, Owlpaw, you need to stay here. You're exausted. Plus, if Ghostfrost couldn't make her listen, I doubt she would listen to an apprentice."

Owlpaw hestitates,and then nods. Windpaw rises shakily to his paws and pads over to my nest, lowering himself into the empty one beside it. "Are you okay?" he asks, worry edging his mew.

"You're not mad at me?" I stutter. I would assume he would hate me after today. Since I spilled the secret, his mother and father are both dead. I deserve for him to hate me. I feel a twinge of guilt, however; I don't regret trying to kill Beechnose.

"No, not really." Windpaw sighs. "Owlpaw is, though. I would stay away from him for a while."

I nod, understanding.

"I really can't say I blame anyone, in the long run," Windpaw continues thoughtfully. "I mean, none of this would have caused so much destruction if it weren't for the warrior code. But I guess StarClan has it's reasons."

Windpaw's words pierce my mind like a thorn. If it weren't for the warrior code. The warrior code. Of course! If there wasn't a code about taking a mate from another Clan, our parents wouldn't have faced so much hardship in trying to be together. My parents wouldn't be dead. My mind flashes back to Shimmerstar's announcement of the death of two of her warriors for being half-Clan; if it weren't for the code they wouldn't be dead either. They were killed just for their existence, because their birth broke the warrior code. Dewleaf and Beechnose wouldn't be dead, and this battle would never have happened.

That's when I realize Beechnose was never my enemy. The warrior code is, as well as my wretched leader, who is killing to enforce the code. The code even states that you do not need to kill to win your battles! And that's exactly what Smokestar is doing. Is the warrior code simply a way for leaders to control their Clans? Does it hold any truth or purpose at all?

Ashcloud pads over to Windpaw and begins to check him over. "I think you're good to go," she states, "just let me know when you've rested and I'll let you go back in." Windpaw nods eagerly, but his eyes are dull with exaustion.

"Do you really want to fight on the side of Smokestar and Dawnfrost?" I hiss.

"Says the cat that blames Beechnose for all of this." Windpaw's eyes grow dark with grief. Regret pierces my heart, but only briefly. Beechnose is still at fault; he knew the danger he was getting himself into by seeing Dewleaf. "I'm loyal to ShadowClan, not Smokestar," Windpaw continues. "I owe it to Dewleaf to fight for what is right."

I understand his mindset, but I can't help feeling like ShadowClan is as much my enemy as Smokestar. Dawnfrost could have defied our leader, but instead chose the easier route and killed Dewleaf. That can't have been what StarClan wanted. But they've shown no sign that they disapprove; the fact that the battle is still raging on is proof that they either agree with Smokestar, or they are indifferent.

Windpaw rises with a sigh and limps over to Redpaw, who purrs happily. The same old anger flares inside me. He doesn't need to follow her around to make sure she doesn't tell our secret anymore! I've already blown it. Windpaw used to always complain about her, but now that he's spent more time with her, maybe he's decided he likes her. My tail flicks bitterly and I rest my chin on my paws with a sigh.



ShadowClan prances over to the makeshift medicine den on the shore, crowing with delight. The sun shines down with a leaffall slant, without a cloud in the sky. It is just approaching sunhigh. Ashcloud decided that I should sit out the rest of the battle due to my throat wound, along with Redpaw, who was gravely injured, but will recover, and Shiverpool, who Owlpaw finally convinced to come out of the fighting. Windpaw, Owlpaw, and Ghostfrost were allowed back in, and fought strongly as ever despite their exaustion.

From the proud and cheerful voices of my Clanmates, I can only assume we won.

"We won!" Someone yowls, confirming it.

"You bet we did!"

"They had no choice but to surrender!"

"RiverClan is no match for our skills!"

"ShadowClan is victorious!"

I can't share my Clanmates' enthusiasm. Most of them don't even realize the seriousness of the battle. They just know that RiverClan had done wrong and our Clan went to take care of it. They seem to have forgotten that Dewleaf was just killed last night, or that we fought that battle to punish RiverClan for their deputy's mistake. All they care about is that we fought a very difficult and unusually long battle and won.

I force myself to my heavy paws and slowly follow the rest of the Clan back into the woods. Ashcloud dips her head to Mudstep and Wavepaw in farewell and thanks, and helps Redpaw struggle to her feet. The medicine cat and the apprentice bring up the rear of the battle patrol, which appears to be all of ShadowClan except for the elders. If RiverClan fought so long and hard to defend themselves in this battle, could that mean our attack was unjust? Now both Clans are severely weakened, with leafbare on the horizon. But we accomplished what we had set out to do. Beechnose has paid for his crimes, and RiverClan is defeated, and that is all that truely matters.





"Get out of my way!"

"Good-for-nothing mouseheart."

I wince at the cruel words directed at Viperpaw. The small golden apprentice is trying to choose something from the freshkill pile, but Dustclaw and Sunclaw, who was just recently made a warrior, barge past her, spitting insults. The two cats have grown especially hostile toward Viperpaw since she admitted that we were half-Clan, choosing to take our their bullying on her rather than on Owlpaw and I, because they know they can get away with it. We haven't been immune to the Clan's prejudice, however. All the apprentices shun us, as well as most of the younger warriors. The senior warriors are either stand-offish or evasive, and no longer know how to treat us. They act like we were never a part of ShadowClan to begin with, and they have lost all sense of respect and comradery with us. We didn't even have a vigil for Dewleaf.

Two moons have passed since that terrible night, and I am still finding it hard to cope with the death of my mother, and admittedly, that of my father too. It's like I just realized that I had a father, that he wasn't dead after all, and then he had to go and die. Guilt pricks my paws. I shouldn't be grieving this much for the death of a RiverClan tom, but at the same time, it feels wrong not to.

None of us have been allowed to attend Gatherings since the RiverClan battle, but I overheard some of the warriors mention the warrior Marshpelt is now deputy of RiverClan. I guess I'm not surprised; Marshpelt is aggressive and fiercely loyal, the kind of traits Breezestar is probably looking for since his old deputy betrayed him.

Glancing across the camp from where I sit outside the apprentices' den, I see Viperpaw flinch back as Sunclaw aims a cuff at her head with unsheathed claws. Dustclaw snorts with amusement, his whiskers twitching. The two grab the biggest peices of prey from the pile, leaving only a shriveled shrew and a scrawny magpie for Viperpaw. The beginning of leafbare has already proven to be hard, and prey has mostly gone to ground. The bracken fronds and brambles edging the camp are coated in a shimmering layer of frost, and a biting wind whistles through the pines.

Viperpaw picks up the shrew and pads over to me, flopping down angrily and tearing into her prey. "Just ignore them," I murmur. "They can't do much harm if you don't give them the reaction they want."

"Just ignore them?" Viperpaw snarls disgustedly. "How can I ignore something that happens every second of every day?"

As if on cue, the young warrior Flurrypelt rushes up and sends a shower of frost-covered leaves onto Viperpaw, who jumps a tail-length into the air with a startled yowl.

"Oops! Didn't see ya there!" Flurrypelt calls, letting out a raucous mrrow of laughter. Sunclaw and Dustclaw crack up from the other side of the camp. "What's the matter Viperpaw?" Sunclaw shouts. "You're a half-RiverClan cat! A little frost shouldn't bother you. After all, it's just really cold water!" Dustclaw and Flurrypelt roll on the ground with laughter. Viperpaw hisses and races across the clearing toward the entrance.

Flurrypelt trots up behind her and yanks a hindpaw out from under her, causing her to fall right into a puddle in the middle of the camp. "Looks like the fishface wants to go for a swim!" he jeers as Viperpaw shakes icy droplets from her pelt. I stand up with a growl in my throat, ready to teach this bullying foxheart a lesson, but Viperpaw beats me to it. She lunges straight for the gray-and white tom's throat, sinking her teeth in deep. Flurrypelt immediately plays the victim, even though he could easily throw the little cat off of him. "Help! Help!" he yowls pathetically. "She's trying to kill me!" Sunclaw and Dustclaw leap to their paws as if to help Flurrypelt, but instead stand and watch with narrowed eyes. They know that Flurrypelt could easily defend himself, and they probably want a senior warrior to stop Viperpaw so she will be punished.

Sure enough, Ghostfrost and Snowpelt come rushing forward from the bramble tunnel. Snowpelt reaches Viperpaw first and sinks her teeth into the apprentice's scruff, hauling her off of the gray-and-white warrior. Flurrypelt coughs and hacks dramatically, dropping onto his belly as if he can barely catch his breath. "Thank you!" he gasps. "I think she would have killed me if you hadn't shown up."

"What is this?!" Snowpelt yowls, turning on Viperpaw. "This is the third time this moon you've attacked a Clanmate."

Viperpaw stands her ground, glaring at the white warrior, her amber eyes like fire. "He called me names and shoved me into a puddle, and you expect me not to do anything?"

"You're lucky Smokestar allowed you to stay in the Clan at all. I don't want to hear about you attacking your Clanmates! You've given me no reason to trust your loyalty."

Owlpaw, who came in behind his mentor, stands near the barrier, watching through narrowed eyes. Flurrypelt slinks off to join his friends in the midst of the older warior's distraction.

"Don't make me do this on my own, Ghostfrost," Snowpelt hisses. "She's your apprentice. You decide her punishment."

It is obvious Ghostfrost is reluctant, since he is always so kind, but he dips his head to the senior warrior. "Very well. Viperpaw, you will be confined to camp until I can see a change in your behavior. Snowpelt is right; you are not giving the Clan any proof that you are on our side." Disappointment shows in his gaze as he turns and pads away. Viperpaw's tail droops and her eyes well with despair. I get up to go over to her, but Redpaw slips in front of me. "Hey Windpaw! Wanna go hunting?"

I glance ruefully at Viperpaw, and then at the measly freshkill pile. I might as well. "Sure."

As we head out of camp, Owlpaw and Shinepaw trot up to us. "Can we join you?" Owlpaw asks. Redpaw gives me a dubious glance, but I agree, grateful for their company. In the past two moons, Redpaw has become closer to me, always wanting a chance to be alone. Me, not so much.

We pad out into the cold-gripped forest and pause to taste the air. I suddenly decide to break the silence. "Don't you think something should be done about the cats bullying Viperpaw?" I can't keep quiet about it any longer. "She is getting the worst of this, after all." Viperpaw is totally alone in this struggle, while I have Redpaw, and Owlpaw has Shinepaw, who has come to see Owlpaw as a role model, despite all that's happened in the past few moons.

"What can we do?" Owlpaw sounds doubtful. "She seems to be handling it on her own, anyway," he adds with a twitch of his whiskers. I shoot my brother a glare. Has he forgotten he used to see Viperpaw as a sister?

"But none of the senior warriors are helping the situation! They're completely ignoring the cats bullying her and acting like Viperpaw is the cause of everything. It's not like she would attack them unprovoked."

"But is what they're doing enough to provoke her? They're just messing with her, really," Redpaw meows.

"They call her RiverClan slurs and physically shove her around! That's enough to get anyone angry!" I hiss at the red she-cat, feeling my neck fur fluff up. How can she be so blind?

"Well what would you suggest we do?" Owlpaw asks. "There's nothing we can do, honestly. We're ten moons now. Viperpaw needs to learn to take care of herself."

My paws ache with exaustion as I realize we still have eight moons left of training until we can become warriors. If all of this hadn't happened, we would only have two moons left. Shinepaw and Ravenpaw will be warriors before we will. But I guess having twelve moons of training is better than exile - or of course, death.

"But if Viperpaw keeps attacking the cats bullying her," Shinepaw mews thoughtfully, "the senior warriors will see her as the one with the problem, and then they might kick her out."

"Well that would still be her own fault," Redpaw argues. "She can learn to control her temper. She used to never fight like this with anyone."

"Do you hear yourself?" I splutter, anger flaring inside me. "You're siding with the bullies!"

"They're not bullies if they're taught from the moment of birth that any cat that isn't pure ShadowClan is an enemy!" she retorts.

"Yes they are! We were all taught that, but that doesn't mean you and Shinepaw run around calling us RiverClan scum!"

"That's because we know better than that."

"So should they! They're already warriors, for StarClan's sake."

"Not every cat matures at the same level."

"This isn't about maturity. This is about bullying! What part of that don't you get?"

Shinepaw and Owlpaw's wide eyes flit back and forth between us.

"It's about them being ignorant, what part of that don't you get?" Redpaw's hackles are raised and she glares at me through slitted eyes.

"I can't believe I'm having this arguement with you!" I yowl. "And here I thought you were different." I storm off toward the lake, ignoring the hurt look in her eyes as I go. Redpaw hasn't changed at all. If anyone is immature and ignorant, it's her!

I was actually beginnning to think of Redpaw as a friend; after all we had done, she had stuck by us through thick and thin, not caring that we were half-Clan. But apparently her loyalty only went as far as Owlpaw and I. She's never cared one bit for Viperpaw, and that is most likely because of jealousy. Why should she be jealous, anyway? Viperpaw and I are as close as littermates, nothing more. I sigh deeply. I'll never understand what goes through that cat's mind.

I try to hunt, but my anger makes me clumsy, and I miss all my catches. Hot with fury despite the freezing air, I turn and stalk back to camp as twilight gathers through the forest. I flatten my ears in exasperation as Viperpaw's hiss reaches me through the brambles. Emerging through the tunnel, I see Frostheart snarling at the bristling she-cat. "...if there's anything I hate more than a half-Clan cat it's a half-Clan cat that is a self-righteous, arrogant flea-brain like you! Now you can take your mouse bile back to Ashcloud and explain to her yourself why you aren't taking care of my ticks."

How dare he? There isn't anything Viperpaw could have done to get the old cat so angry. Then again, the golden tabby really hasn't been herself lately. Frostheart is always overly-harsh toward the apprentices, as well as exceptionally prejudiced against any cat that doesn't have pure ShadowClan blood.

Ghostfrost trots up to the scene, his pale green eyes anxious. "What seems to be the problem, Frostheart?" he mews cautiously.

"Oh, I'll tell you what the problem is." I wince at the old white tom's tone, knowing what's coming. "This smart-aleck apprentice back-talked me after I told her not to go dripping her mouse bile in my nest. Honestly, she is only a few moons away from warrior-age. She should know better. I suppose that's the ignorant RiverClan side showing through in her."

I unsheath my claws. He has no right to talk about us like that!

"Frostheart," Ghostfrost mews in a calm, even tone, attempting to soothe the old cat's temper. "I'm sure it was an accident any of our apprentices would have made. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's because of her... lineage."

The old white tom opens his jaws to retort but Ghostfrost cuts him off.

"Viperpaw, apologize."

"An apology isn't going to fix my bedding, and it most definitely will not fix my opinion of her! I want a punishment." Frostheart lashes his fluffy tail.

"Frostheart, I don't think-"

"I want an apology, and a punishment, now, Ghostfrost. Do not make me say it again."

Ghostfrost sighs. "Okay, Viperpaw, apologize, please."

Viperpaw sticks her nose in the air. "You can punish me if you like, Ghostfrost. I'm not apologizing to this prejudiced old snake-tongue."

I stare at the golden apprentice in shock. She's going to get herself kicked out of the Clan! My paws itch to rush forward and interfere, but this is her struggle, and somehow I know she will fight through on her own. She's not the same cat she was three moons ago, when we were no less naive than barn mice. She's grown and become hardy to the struggles that the forest and the Clan throw at us. She can take care of herself.

Frostheart jumps to his feet, his bushy white fur fluffed up in outrage. "I demand an apology, apprentice, or I will go to Smokestar myself about this. It will be my word against yours."

I swallow, remembering that Frostheart is not only the oldest cat in the Clan, but he is Smokestar's father. There is no chance our leader would side with Viperpaw over him. I send a silent prayer to StarClan, hoping Smokestar will be able to see reason, but I know it is futile. Fear quivers in the pit of my stomach at the thought of what's coming.

Viperpaw however, stands fearless, her amber eyes blazing with hatred as she glares at Frostheart. Frostheart glares back, unblinking, his blue eyes like a cold flame. Ghostfrost just lingers helplessly, as if unsure of what to do. Finally I see him take a deep breath and adresses the apprentice. "Viperpaw, you will have to apologize and accept punishment, or we will be forced to go to Smokestar."

Viperpaw's gaze flicks back and forth uncertainly between her mentor and the elder. Then she flattens her ears. "Sorry," she forces out through gritted teeth.

"For what?" Frostheart snaps.

Viperpaw shows her teeth. "For ruining your bedding and for being a half-RiverClan pile of fish-guts!"

Frostheart stares in astonishment. Ghostfrost flinches.

Viperpaw pushes past the two cats and marches across the clearing and out into the darkening forest. The three of us just stare after her.

Without thinking, I leap to my paws and follow her. I locate her scent trail in the brambles outside of camp and follow it to the twoleg path. I spot Viperpaw reared in front of a huge, ancient oak that stands at the edge of the path, slashing the rough bark with her claws and leaving gouges larger than I would have expected from her. Her blows become harder and harder until she wrenches a claw and yanks back her paw with a snarl. I step out of the bracken and confront her.

"Viperpaw, I understand you're angry, but you need to be careful with the older war-"

"Stop," growls Viperpaw, without turning around. "I know what you're going to say: that I need to watch myself so I don't get kicked out of the Clan. But you don't understand."

Fury boils in my stomach. I don't understand? Beechnose and Dewleaf were my parents! How could I not understand? Does she think she is the only one suffering, she, the one who never had to watch both her parents die? If anything, Owlpaw and I have had it way worse than her!

I open my jaws to give a stinging reply, but she interrupts me. "You and Owlpaw haven't been treated like I have. You two are strong, confident. Cats are afraid to pick on you. They've never doubted your loyalty. They don't feel that way with me. I've always been small, quiet, and unsure of myself. I let my insecurities rule me. And now I'm paying for it. Because I was dumb enough to let the secret slip, and now the most hateful cats need a target. And of course I'm the target. I show weakness, and that leads to cats thinking I'm disloyal. And I obviously can't put up any real fight back because I'm so pathetic and weak." She spits the last words bitterly.

I feel my anger beginning to ebb. Maybe I've been selfish to assume Viperpaw couldn't understand just because she didn't have to lose her parents the way Owlpaw and I did. This whole time, Viperpaw has been paying for Beechnose's mistake more than we have. All we have is the guilt, grief, and humiliation. Viperpaw is dealing with all of that, plus the harsh treatment of her so-called Clanmates.

"But I decided I wasn't going to be pathetic and weak anymore," she continues. "I decided to be strong, and fight back. But does it make any difference? No. I'm still being oppressed by my own Clanmates, the ones who are supposed to always have my back in any hardship. Well what about this hardship? Where are they when Sunclaw shoves me into the freezing lake and laughs? They're telling me not to be so clumsy. Where are they when Dustclaw claws me so hard during training that I have to see Ashcloud? They're warning me not to provoke him. Where are they when Flurrypelt calls me names and trips me in front of the whole Clan? They're telling me I should be lucky to be in the Clan at all, and should put up with being attacked every day! Don't you see?" Her meow is desperate. "I can't live like this anymore. I can't put up with this on top of an entire twelve moons of being an apprentice. I just can't."

"Yes you can. We will be warriors eventually. We have time to prove our loyalty. Maybe things will be better then." The words feel lame on my toungue.

"Maybe," Viperpaw scoffs, digging her claws into the cold dirt and tearing up the pinestraw. "'Maybe' isn't good enough. And I really don't know how much loyalty I have left for this StarClan-forsaken Clan."

My eyes stretch wide at her words. "What are you saying? You can still be loyal to ShadowClan, if not to Smokestar and Dawnfrost!"

"Why should I? The whole Clan treats me like dirt! Smokestar and Dawnfrost aren't the only ones that have an issue with me. The senior warriors like to pretend I don't exist, and when they have to be around me, they act like I'm a huge hastle, like I'm some sort of rabid fox that could go into a fit at any moment. They act distant so they won't have to deal with me. They turn a blind eye to all the bullying going on. Plus it's not like they were particularly nice to me before all this happened anyway! And what about Owlpaw? He won't even acknowledge me anymore. We're practically littermates!"

She pauses for breath, her chest heaving. Her eyes glitter with raw anger, built up over the past two moons. I try desperately to think of something I can say to help, but nothing comes. She is right about everything. I don't know how I would handle living in the Clan if I were in her paws. I think of the way Owlpaw ignores her, and Redpaw is competely indifferent. Shinepaw looks as if he has some compassion for Viperpaw, but is afraid to show it for fear of Owlpaw getting angry with him. The only cats Viperpaw ever had aren't there for her. I am the only one. And I don't even know what to do to help her.

"I just... I can't do this any longer. I'm sorry Windpaw. I can't." She takes a step back. Her amber gaze burns into mine sorrowfully, and with a jolt of horror I understand what she means.

"No! You can't!"

"I need this, Windpaw, don't try to stop me. The only way out is to start a new life, away from the lies and hatred involved in the Clans."

"But we can make it through this together! We can be warriors. We can earn our trust and respect, like we had before."

"That's just it," Viperpaw snarls. "We shouldn't have to earn it. Our Clanmates shouldn't lose faith in us just because of our blood!"

Pain and fear course through my veins as it sinks in that she has made up her mind. "You can't do this, Viperpaw," I stare deep into her eyes, willing her to listen to me. "I can't do this without you. I need you."

Viperpaw's gaze sparks with something for a moment, something like hope. It vanishes in an instant, however, replaced with a cold determinedness. She turns away. "I'm sorry, Windpaw. But I have to." Her voice shakes. "Goodbye. I'll never forget you." Without another word she turns and plunges into the undergrowth. The bracken and ferns shiver as she passes through them and then grow still. Viperpaw is gone.


I trudge on heavy paws through the freezing forest, my breath billowing in front of my muzzle. The moon has risen by now, and my paws feel as if they are frozen solid. I stood near the twoleg path for what must have been ages, trying to get myself to go after Viperpaw. But I couldn't. What kind of friend would I be if I forced her to stay where she is unhappy? Maybe now she will find peace, in a new life far away from the Clans. I pause before I go through the camp barrier. What will I tell the Clan? That Viperpaw just ran away? They will ask me why I didn't try to stop her. I sigh, realizing I can only tell them the truth. Taking a deep breath, I push my way through the tunnel.

Hawkflight greets me inside, anger and relief glittering in her amber eyes.

"Where were you?" she demands. "I was just about to take out a search party."

I lower my gaze. "Viperpaw ran away." I tell her flatly.

Hawkflight pauses. "Ran away?"

I nod, not meeting her eyes. "I tried to stop her, but she didn't want to be in the Clan anymore. It was too hard on her." I look back up at my mentor.

Her gaze hardens. "Not suited for Clan life, then? Well, it only proves who's the stronger. Perhaps StarClan has its reasons. I'm sure it's for the best, at any rate." As if that's all that needs to be said, she turns and stalks off toward the other senior warriors, spreading the news as if it's just idle gossip. Do these cats not understand that they drove Viperpaw out? With a flash of rage, I begin to think running away might not be such a bad idea. Then I spot Owlpaw, Shinepaw, and Redpaw, and realize I could never leave my friends, or the Clan. This is my home. When I recieve my warrior name, I will swear allegiance to ShadowClan, not to its corrupt leaders, or to the foxhearts who will not support my brother and I.

Owlpaw hurries over to me. "Viperpaw's gone?" His green eyes are wide with genuine sadness. Redpaw hangs back a bit, staring at her paws. Perhaps now she feels guilty, realizing Viperpaw's problems were worse than she thought.

"Yeah," I mutter, feeling a twinge of irritaion that Owlpaw should act like he cares now, when Viperpaw isn't even here. He should have been there for her all along. "She just had to leave."

"And you didn't try and stop her?" Owlpaw demands.

Shinepaw pads up beside the bristling tabby. "You want to stop her from living somewhere where every day was a nightmare for her? She needs freedom. Let her find her destiny out beyond Clan boundaries." Shinepaw's words surprise me; they are wise for his young age.

"But it was cowardly!"

"It wasn't cowardly," I tell my brother. "It was the only option she saw.And our only option is to stay strong, prove ourselves as warriors, and earn our place among the Clan. I just hope that with time, we can bring the injustice of some of our cats to light, for a better future for the cats who live here." I lift my haze to Silverpelt, sparkling silently in the frozen sky.

"Viperpaw will not have left us in vain."