If they knew

If they knew

CHAPTER ONE!!!!!!!!!! The first moons

A kit wakes up, yawning, it's sunhigh I'm a white shecat with a striped black face,one black leg, black tail and piercing blue eyes. I see a badger heading toward me and mother and try to cry but am too scared to even make a sound. It comes closer to them and kills mother, a big leopard like shecat with one slash then my clan mates see and fight it off yowling. They pick me up after my father, a big dark gray tom grieves for my mother and takes me to a place where the smells are different all of a sudden and leave me there, starving and mewling. A small light brown tom with gleaming eyes finds me, cold and hungry around moonhigh. «I'm starving. I thought Hopefully he takes me home». But he doesn't, he takes her farther away to a different camp with a clearing,cliff and dens. I can see a small black shecat with amber eyes with kits around my age. The tom said his name was Mudpaw and took me over to her and meowed "something something Ambersky" that I couldn't understand but her name is Ambersky.

Of course I'll take her. she said. What's your name dear? She asks me.

I hesitate “I don't know really”

Well, welcome to the ShadowClan,our leader, Razorstar will accept you in the clan and name you shortly. Ambersky said with a motherly tone to me, the poor young kit.

A gold colored cat jumped on to a cliff “All cats old enough to catch their own prey and newcomer gather beneath the highcliff for a clan meeting! He yowled from the cliff

“Our patrols have found a kit from RiverClan abandoned on the border of our territory.”Razorstar said. “The deputy, Nightwhisker, the senior warriors and I have had a meeting and we will accept it in to our clan she will be named Badgerkit and Ambersky will suckle her and be as motherly as possible.”

Badgerkit! Badgerkit! Cheered my  new clan mates. «I hope that I will fit in well». I, Badgerkit ran over to her new mother “will I fit in well? I hope so because in RiverClan they were mean to me” I say very quietly. “If anyone is mean I will talk to them my dear” mother says, so we head into the nursery. «Okay... I'm tired» so I snuggle up beside Ambersky and my new siblings Blackkit the black tom and Emberkit the grey shecat.

Badger-kit! Hey, Badgerkit get up!

What? I asks droopily to see Blackkit and Emberkit standing above me, bouncing with excitement

It's our apprentice ceremony! Blackkit replies.

Suddenly I jolt awake. Really? when?who will be my mentor? I gasp for breath. I had mewled all those questions that I totally forgot to breath. Yay! Yay! Yay! I will be an apprentice! I yell, trying not to explode.

“Wait, I'm only four moons old!” “Mother why am I only four and an apprentice?” I ask. In RiverClan we have to be six moons

“Sweetie we always have to be four.” She looked away sadly to the mountains and whispers something I couldn't hear to herself. «She sort of scared me with the sudden change of attitude. Why do only the strongest survive? Is this clan that evil that they kill apprentices?»

All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high-cliff for a clan meeting! Razorstar yowls as he jumps onto the cliff. “It is time for our three kits to become apprentices. Emberkit, until you become a full warrior your name will be Ember-paw and your mentor will be will be Night-whisker. Badgerkit until you have proven worthy to be a warrior you will be Badgerpaw I will be your mentor. Blackkit until you are a warrior your name will be Blackpaw and your mentor will be Darkclaw.

“Emberpaw Badgerpaw Blackpaw! Emberpaw Badgerpaw Blackpaw!” My clan mates cheer.

Four moons later I goes out on a patrol with my siblings, mentor and their mentors out to the ThunderClan border and their mentors tell us to split up but yowl if we need help. I see a patrol of four ThunderClan cats I breath in their scent to remember but also see a stray grey kittypet. A brown apprentice with a grey belly attacks it and it doesn't fight back. A brilliant white shecat seemed to be encouraging it but a light greyshe-cat and her apprentice were yelling. "Stop it Sparrowpaw! I'm sure the kittypet has learned his lesson! Don't!” Eventually the patrol leaves and the kittypet collapses at the border of our territory.

“Are you okay? Should I take you to my camp?” I ask him

“My name is Berry and I don't need your help.” Then Nightwhisker jumps out of the bushes and chases Tiny back to twolegplace. Blackpaw comes out of the bushes panting “did you see that? Ha! Stupid kittypet he should have known!” He smirks

Hey that's not nice! Didn't you see that he was hurt? They could have killed him! I yell at my brother.

We go home after finding everyone else and everyone is angry at me for befriending him.

Chapter two. The Dark Forest

“I didn't do any thing wrong! I was just trying to help him! Why are you blaming me? He could have died! There are only two that agrees with me and they are in a different clan!” Me, Badgerpaw the "traitor" yells at her mentor,forgetting that he is the leader when he takes me to a meeting with the senior warriors. «What the dark forest did I do wrong?!» I storm off into the forest to where I  found Berry and inhale his scent. I start to cry and fall asleep. The last thing I felt was my tear, rolling down the side of my muzzle and a different tear forming in my eyes.

“Get up”  Yells a voice. When I do I see a white she-cat with orange splotches staring down at her. “Well don't just stand there! Look around you! What do you see, Badgerpaw?" She yells at me.p

“Um I see other people training. Why?” I ask as I see a forest, dark and dirty “I said why! Why did you take me here?!” I gets angry so quickly

“My name is Mapleshade I brought you here so your clan will notice you again once you train with me. You did the right thing trying to help the kittypet so that is why we need to tell your clan mates that you were right. Now let's fight!” She jumps at me, unsheathes her claws and scratches my face I start to bleed. “Having a bad dream?” She mocks and jumps at me showing no mercy again. This time I'm is ready so when Mapleshade reaches out to scratch me on the face the young black and white shecat would bite her paw but Mapleshade scratches my belly. She tries to shake me off but I hold on and my gums bleed cause she is tugging too hard. I fly off and skid in the ground with wounds all over me.

I wake up «What a horrible dream I'm glad that's over» she looks down at herself “it wasn't a dream!” I accidentally yell out loud. I'm bleeding and still has bruises. I collapse. I see Nightwhisker and Razorstar along with Emberpaw out of the corner of her eye. They're staring at me in horror and silence until Emberpaw shrieks. I hear a voice toward camp “Why did you have to yell I was about to catch a mouse!” It was Blackpaw. I see a pool of blood gathering around my wounded body. Nightwhisker picks me up by her scruff and hauls me onto Razor-star's body then I pass out.

I wake up in the medicine-cat den and try to stand up but fall back down. The medicine-cat, Brightsky a white shecat walks over with her apprentice Willowpaw “lay down or you might die.” Then Emberpaw and Blackpaw walk in with Ambersky. “Are you okay? What happened? Who attacked you?” Asked my adoptive family «No. Should I tell them? It will make me stronger.» “I...I couldn't see.” I stammer, guilty about lying to them. “Well tell us if you know anything.” They say as they leave. “Do you want poppy seed” Brightsky asks my small bruised body. «No I can't go to sleep again I'll get hurt... But again I will be stronger» “Yes.”  I answer. Welcome back says a voice. I could tell it was mapleshade. Yes hello mentor... I have been working on my moves. I say. As they train the night away I gets scratched, bruised and weak but manage not to get killed.

Many moons later after countless training sessions in the dark forest I'm still in the medicine cat den-«I haven't left sense the day I met Berry.» Razorstar comes in with Blackpaw and Emberpaw. He was talking to them but the part that I managed to hear was "you two did a good job." He approached Me with a glare "Badgerpaw, why are you hurt all of the time? You will be an apprentice for many more moons if you don't stop doing what you are doing!" He walks away. I see Brightsky come to her and ask if I wants poppy. «I'm just so angry! Arrgh!» "No! I'm leaving to where none of you can find me! And I will kill Razorstar! Good bye! I limp quickly away and out of the camp over to the place that got her into this mouse-dungy mess. I sniffs at the ground to see if I could smell the moons old scent. I smell him but something's wrong... The scent is fresh! "Berry? Berry! Where are you?" I calls out to air and then I see him he is still small but he is bigger than last time. "Badgerpaw?" He hisses "what are you doing? and now I am Death, leader of BloodClan." "Could I join you? And congratulations i'm still a puny apprentice." I congratulate him. He says I could join him but need to change my name. I accept and he introduces me to his clan as Badger, his friend from kithood. Later they find a RiverClan patrol. I see my father darkstar, his dark grey fur standing out. I realize it's about time I kill someone and slice his throat "You gave me away! and you, Onlypaw, I will kill you!" I address my dark grey half brother and hiss at the patrol. They run away to tell the clan. We travel through twolegplace to find camp. On the way I try to get to know some of my new clan like some of the queens, like bracken a brown and white she-cat and other she-cats also, Ice, a former white WindClan tom who ran away as a kit and Ash a black and white tom. We travel through an ally with twoleg junk and some rouges. They nod respectfully and hide. «I think that they are scared of BloodClan- it sound vicious and evil.»  Later arriving at a small camp just big enough for us all, I find a small patch of moss not far from the camp and take it for my nest.

CHAPTER THREE. Sharp guilt

That night in the dark forest I wakes up to hear a different voice waking her up "Badgerpaw?" I look up to see Emberpaw staring at me. Mapleshade comes over and explains that I'm a warrior of the dark forest now and that Emberpaw is my apprentice now. "Why did you leave, my younger sister?" She asks, concerned. "And where are you?" "You were there when I left; I train here and got hurt, he disrespected me by saying that I couldn't train! I was fine in the night! And I'm fine! You can't come with me and if I go back! The pressure, the unfairness, the guilt!"I scream at my older adoptive sister, grabbing the attention of everyone in the dark forest. "Guilt?  who?" She asks in a hushed tone. "So everyone here is evil and dead so who cares?" I go on "I killed my father, Darkstar, leader of RiverClan!" A young RiverClan warrior looks at me and cries I realize it's onlypaw now onlywhisker. "You!" I yell at him. "I never go back on my word!" I sprint across the clearing toward onlywhisker and bite his ear. He try's to scratch me but I'm so angry I don't feel it I release his ear and bite his throat. I can taste blood pouring into my mouth and staining my teeth. He scratches my face with a nasty blow. Blood wells there and I realize I'm now half blind; onlywhisker scratched my eye out. I scream in rage and tear open his belly. "I hope you can feel it! Suffer!" I yell at his dying body. I see Emberpaw staring at me in shock. I laugh. I love killing! Next on the list, Razorstar for telling me I can't be a warrior. Then I see onlywhisker's spirit appear, angry at me. I will kill him. No matter if it means dying myself. I launch my self at his spirit and tear his belly open and bite his neck at the same time. I see his blood pouring out for the second time as his spirit fades away. "You taught me well." I look at Mapleshade. She looked proud when the alive ones were angry, shocked, or sad. I spot some other RiverClan cats, they are sad and angry at me but, why the dark forest should I care? "Badgerpaw, if you are going to be a real loyal warrior here you have to fight to the death with  Greypaw of WindClan. Only one can survive." I look over at a grey tom. His eyes and claws shined. He races towards me but I dart to a side and slash his shoulder. He scratches my face luckily not hurting my other eye. We spend a while wrestling and biting, clawing and spitting until he gets on top of me. I roll over, making myself on him. I bite his neck and he falls limp. Then some big brown and ginger tom with long claws says we can wake up.

I see Ice looking at me worriedly. "What happened to your eye?" He asks me "I'm fine I got in a fight with my brother. Now go away." "I can't we are going on a patrol with Bone. You too." I get up, lick my paw and draw it over my wounded eye. That hurts! I see my paw is now covered in blood. Well I don't care! I walk with Ice and Bone around the ally and forest. "Wait. Guys, I smell intruders." I see a ginger tom and a black shecat bother h around my age wandering around. The black one is warning her boyfriend saying, "We should be careful, there are evil cats around here." I sneak up on them and say "And they are closer than you think...Attack!" Bone and I attack the shecat and Ice goes for the tom. I pounce on the girl and pin her down she reaches up to scratch my face but that doesn't hurt then she tries to bite my neck. That weakens me a little then she scratches my face and I staggered backwards away from battle. My face hurt before she scratched me. I see Bone with my good eye lets the black one go and pounces on the boy. He says something to the girl but I already left to find cobwebs.

As I put the cobwebs on my face and neck, it starts to rain. fox-dung! I walk back to Death talking to her. He signals to me with his tail and the girl looks at me. I snarl at her as I go move my bed out of the rain and lick the water off of my moss and lay down trying not to sleep but, I do. I see Emberpaw again looking down on me. "I need to tell you something very important. There was a battle with RiverClan about Onlywhisker and Darkstar." Her voice starts to tremble-something is wrong. "Th...they knew that they were...were killed by a Sh-ShadowClan shecat. I...I couldn't tell them it was you, you are my adoptive sister. But then they...they killed Ambersky and B-B-Blackpaw... And me" I listen in horror as her story comes to an end "No! What have I done? No! No! Please! Why?" I start crying and shrieking. Why did I have to get revenge? Why couldn't Darkstar's patrol have been anywhere else? I could feel others eyes burning into me but I don't care! I'm responsible for the deaths of both of my families! "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make this happen! No!" I start to fade away to see the morning light and Ice again looking down on me worriedly but more were there too. Death was there and Ash, the prisoner -who I learned was an apprentice of WindClan named Daisypaw and was a sister of Ice- and bracken also all worried about me. "You were screaming in your sleep." Said Ice first. "Last night and night before you were having strange dreams- you woke up with one less eye and blood and now you were screaming." "I killed my father, leader of RiverClan and my half brother but my brother in my dreams! Some RiverClan cats saw me and heard me when I confessed!" I start spilling out. "There was a battle with RiverClan and ShadowClan! My adoptive mother, sister and brother were all killed and it's all my fault!" They look at me sympathetically and walk away and I go to train that mouse-brained idiot, the prisoner. I feel my anger surging through me. I unsheathe my claws and leap at her, scratching her muzzle. She gets this surge of rage and sprints toward me to give me a blow in the face and a nip at the tail. Later, we go hunting by the alleyways to find many mice that we hunt easily even though we are both a bit scratched up. After our jaws are full with fresh-kill we go to report Daisypaw's status to Death. I walk off, still heavy with grief and guilt that I get an amazing plan

Chapter Four. Sweet revenge.

"Hi Mapleshade, I have a plan for revenge, so... Would you please let me go to the StarClan territory now?" I ask the  white and ginger shecat. She answers. "Yes"and I run off. Around moonhigh I see Emberpaw Blackpaw and Ambersky. "Guys! Hey! I need to talk to you!" I yell at their direction. They look at me sadly. "Who killed you?" "We were killed by Snowstar, the new leader of RiverClan. We are not angry at you. We can feel how you feel, revenge is and was necessary. Please finish your task!" They say, together. "No!! I can't! who else?! Who else will die because of my stupid revenge!?" I go back to the forest to think about it. I wake up in the camp. I hear a shout! "The prisoners! They've escaped!" I run, following her trail to see three shecats with the ginger prisoner, but I see bracken Ice and bone on our side. I attack a big white one shredding her ear she flees to the bushes.

Many moons later I'm around 18 moons old and me an Ice are mates. I still think about the prisoners that we Lost  all those moons ago. "Death! Hey!" I grab his attention as he looks at me curiously. "We should go attack WindClan. We can show them who's boss." I see the WindClan camp, not far away. I yowl the attack call and jump towards the nursery. Daisypaw comes in I jump at her with a hiss but she kicks my underbelly and nips my leg. I run out to see a ginger tom biting Ice's neck and scratching his belly with a vicious swipe. "Badger." He moans quietly. "Take care of our kits. They are coming. Be a great mom." He lets out a quiet sigh. "Ice! Please! No!" I charge into the nursery to see daisypaw killing his murderur I scream in rage and slash him. Then the leader of WindClan comes in and I scrabble out, crouching over Ice. Me and scourge gather the rest of BloodClan and I report the death of Ice. Then I see Bracken's body. Her kits who are now apprentices are there "Night, Snow come on" I say to the two young she cats and lead them back to the group so I could carry Bracken's body back too camp. When I get there I set her down in the clearing and head off to the nursery, Ice's voice echoing in my ear. "Take care of our kits. They are coming. Be a great mom." But I stop myself. I go towards the leaders den to talk to scourge. "Um I need to talk to you" I say and he turns to me. I continue. "I've heard the rules, a shecats mate will hunt for her when she is pregnant or nursing. Who will hunt for me?" "I will" he answers, so, I go back to the nursery wondering what it's like to be a mother. I sigh settling down I hope that Ice has gone to StarClan.

I wake up to see my family (Darkstar, Leopardspot, Emberpaw Blackpaw and ambersky.) but I also see him. Ice, with his shiny starry fur. None look angry at me, which confuses me. "What's going on? Why aren't you angry? It's my fault you're dead! What's going on!?" I see other StarClan warriors looking at me. "In the future, you will leave. Bring your kits! Save them all but beware!" They say together. "Wake up!" I hear in my ear. The same voice I heard when Ice was alive. I sob into my paws ,memories of my families death fresh in my mind. I see Night and Snow looking at me. I go to scourge with them to ask him if I could train them. Of course he says yes. We go out to hunt and I tell them. "I know how you feel. I am responsible for the death of my whole family, biological and adoptive. Put your rage into your training. Make your mother proud!" I look at the sky, wondering if bracken and Ice are looking down at me approvingly. Please guide me through this hard time and- my thinking was cut off by the two apprentices pouncing on me. "Girls, get off and go hunt. Your mom was not the only one killed last night." I tell them. "But we did!" Says Snow. "We caught five mice! Together." Whines Night. "Fine. Fighting practice." I launch myself at them and they run off in different directions. But they come back,swiping my paws forward so I fall. "Good." I say as I get up. "But most times you will fight on your own." We train until sundown and I teach them hunting skills as we walk back, all munching on mice. When we reach camp I tell Bracken's daughters to go and run of to play with Ash and Flower's kits a shecat and two toms al of them grey. Cinder, Storm and Fern. (Fern is the shecat.) I sigh, wondering if I taught Snow and Night good enough and if their mother is proud of me. I head off in the direction of the nursery and settle down in the nest that was just newly coated with feathers and moss. "Thanks, Snow, Night, Fern" I acknowledge the three apprentices with a nod. There was a cat, leader of ShadowClan. It was Razorstar. He wanted help taking over the forest I walked away until he was gone. "What did he want?" I ask him. "To take over the forest and use us to convince the others who don't join to join. I don't trust him one mouse-length. You saw him that day. The big bully. I will kill him myself tomorrow in the forest. You will not come but I hope I come back alive." I stare in horror. "But I want to fight!" "You can't! You are too heavily preagnant!" "I will and you can't stop me!" I yell back at him. "Fine." He muttered as I walk back to the den. I see one of Diamond one of our queens kits wake up. "Wahhhhhh! I had a nightmare! I don't want mommy to die!" She wails but, no one wakes up. "Gem, would you like to sleep with me tonight?" I ask her. She sniffs. "Yes please." And she walks over to me and lays down. As she does I think of tomorrow. What if I never feel this with my own kits? What if I die before they are born? But I go to sleep with the comfort of Gem and she sleeps with the comfort of me.

________________________Chapter Five. My old clan mates.

I wake up to see gem's blue-grey fur still snuggling against me. Then Diamond wakes up with her kits to see her with me. "Badger, why is Gem with you?" She asks me. "Oh! Um, I was awake eavesdropping on a conversation with scourge and some other tom and when I was about to sleep she woke up saying she had a bad dream, so I asked her if she would like to sleep with me." "Oh. Then thank you Badger." She answers ."Gem, dear, why didn't you wake me?" "You seemed so sleepy that you might have been angry if I woke you up." She seemed shy so she ran out and stretched in the morning light making her blue fur silver. Then Death yowled from the clearing. "All cats old enough or fit enough gather here!" We all go and as I walk over with Diamond she  looks at me. "You are too pregnant!" I give her a look that says that I know what I'm doing and walk over as calm as the others maybe even calmer. Death explains what is happening and points out that I can fight and if they say I can't I will do it anyway. We walk over Death and Bone follow Razorstar's trail. We walk until I see fourtrees. "Death! That's the great oak. I think we have to go there." We head over there and I see Nightwhisker and Mudpaw. I look down at my paws hoping that they don't see my face. "Badgerpaw! Are you okay?" Yells Mudpaw. "Quiet, Mudpelt!" Yells Nightwhisker. Death and Bone walk over to the side of Razorstar. "This is BloodClan" he announces to the other clans. I hear Razorstar yell "BloodClan, attack!" I don't move he's not my leader! "The promise!" Yells Razorstar and he launches himself at Death but he darts aside and lands a sharp blow on his shoulder where it bleeds, bad. Then Death slashes his belly open where he loses some lives then even I can tell that this one is Razorstar's last and he dies forever. My old clan mates and RiverClan run away. "We will meet here in three days at dawn says Scourge. We walk back to twolegplace and I go to find Snow and Night. We train for battle all on the way back. I go to find Gem and her brother Stone telling them the news

The three days have passed and I am ready and have organized a queen who just had her kits to watch Gem and Stone because their mother is well enough to fight. I find Scourge and wake him up, telling him that it's time. We all go out back to Fourtrees. I see the other clans all looking angry at us but even with kit that could be born tomorrow in my belly I keep my chin up. "BloodClan! Attack!" Yells scourge. I launch my self at the closest cat. She was a leader. I rip her throat out not caring how many live I will take. I run so she doesn't kill me when she wakes up. But then, "Aaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! Help! Please! someone! Help!!" That was me. My kits! I see Mudpelt. He didn't hear my screams and he walks over not realizing I'm having kits or that he saved my life when I was a tiny kit. "Mudpelt! Please! Help me! Oh, it hurts!" Thats when my first kit is born. Some RiverClan Tom sees me and gets Mudpelt to help him drag me away from the battle. "Why did you help me? I'm your enemy remember?" "You are my clan mate" says Mudpelt. "And no one would kill a queen in battle." The RiverClan Tom gets up. "I'll go get Treepelt our medicine cat if she is not busy" he walks off. "Treepelt! You once helped an enemy clan when they were in need! There's queen and she's giving birth! Even you wouldn't let a queen a few kits die!" "Calm down Flamesplash! Let me finish with Sparrowwing." Later she comes back. I know I have more kits to come and I only have one so far she gives me some herbs and all three kits are born, a grey shecat that I will name ember after my sister, a white Tom that I will name Ice after his father and a brown she cat that I will name Bracken after the dead queen. "Thank you."I tell the three cats. I start licking my young ones. I could actually see three spirits standing next to me proudly. Ice says something to me. "You have to go back to ShadowClan! Your destiny is there." He started to lick Ice, my kit and Emberpaw came over to lick Ember. Then Bracken looks at me. "Thank you for helping my kits, now I will help yours, guide them." Then I hear a sharp yowl. "Death is dead!" "Mudpelt!" I yell over to my old clan mate. "I want to join again! I want to join ShadowClan!" Then I look at Night and Snow. "Ice came to me with your mother they said my destiny is there. I need to go, I'm so sorry." They both look as if they are about to cry but instead pick up Bracken and Ember. "We're coming with you." They say. I nod and pick up Ice. I go to Mudpelt. "ShadowClan has six new members if that's okay with your leader. Night, Snow come on." We walk over to the new leader Splashstar. But I hear a very faraway shriek like all of the way to our camp "Gem! Where are you!" I run back on the trail of the camp and find Gem the kit wandering around. "Bracken came to me saying that I should go with you. Where are you going?" She mumbles. "Gem! You should have told someone! It's dangerous!" I tell her. "I can't carry you because I'm already holding my kit but if you can walk you can come.

________________________________Chapter Six. My new family.

Once we get back to fourtrees Gems mother sees me with her only daughter. "Badger why is Gem with you?" She asks franticly "She is only a kit!" "She got a sign from StarClan. It said she will come with me. I will take care of her and be like her mother and once she is old enough I will go with her and her mentor to visit you." Diamond nods sadly and says to her daughter. "I will miss you sweetie but I understand. Be good" we walk over to Snow and Night who still had Ember and Bracken. I set Ice down to get a better grip on him. We all walked over to Mudpelt where he just stares. "That's a big group." Was all he said and led us over to Splashstar a blue grey shecat. "Welcome back, Badgerpaw, you are a good fighter. When we get to camp I will make you a warrior." I look at her proudly. "Thank you." I say to my new leader and, we walk away back to my old camp I breath in the old scents and sigh, this is my home these are my scents, they are my family. Splashstar jumps on the Highcliff and yowls the summoning. "Many moons ago one of our apprentices ran away; she came back today and will become a warrior. Badger, you have trained hard and fought well and are free to join ShadowClan as a full warrior. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?" I gulp "I do." "By the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name, Badgerflame." "Badgerflame Badgerflame!" Cheers the rest of my clan

Night and Snow are out doing apprentice duties and Gem is to young to be an apprentice so she plays with other kits or coos over mine. Every time I look at my kits I get reminded of brave StarClan warriors: Ice Emberpaw and Bracken. Why is my destiny here? "Hey, Badgerflame! Could I go explore the camp? I promise I won't go into the forest!" Says a blue grey she cat. "Okay, Gem, but take Snow with you." I say the last part as Snow walks in to give the queens fresh-kill. "Thanks Snow." I mumble as she drops a mouse at my paws. They both walk out and now the only problem is that Ice is the only Tom in the nursery. "Ice, could you come here please?" I ask him. He walks over. "What is it mamma?" "How would you like to go out to... The elders den. Nightwhisker probably has some good tales about when I met your father." He runs out but then came back in. "Where is it?" I giggle and point with my tail to the den. Now I'm left with Ember and Bracken but they are playing with Mosskit and Waterkit. Finally! Peace! I go walk over to the leaders den. "I was wondering if I should give my kits clan names." "You should give it to them if you-and they want." She answers with a dismissive tone. I walk back to see if Bracken and Ember wanted to. "Girls, could you stop playing for a second." I ask them and they run over. "What mommy?" "I was wondering if you wanted to get clan names. Like you Ember would be Emberkit and Bracken would be Brackenkit" I tell them. Their eyes light up. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" They say. I go out to tell Splashstar but I smell smoke. "Fire!" Yells the deputy, Darkclaw. He was Blackpaw's mentor so I respect him deeply. I run to the nursery "Bracken! Ember! Run! To the river!" I yell at my kits. I pick up Waterkit, her mother, Rainmist already has Mosskit. I run towards the river. I see a RiverClan tom. "Please! Take them over on your side! Fire!" He swims over and takes the kits, two by two. I run back to camp, Ice was in the elders den and Gem was exploring the camp! I run to the elders den. I grab Nightwhisker's tall with my own and grab Ice. I drop Ice and tell him, "Guide Nightwhisker to the river. There you will see a RiverClan tom. He will help you." I run off to see if anyone else needs help. Snow and Gem were being guided by Mudpelt but the problem was Darkclaw and Night were trapped in the fire. There was no hope of them getting out alive. Splashstar was losing a life and Gem was growing tired. I go save Splashstar first she is the leader and Gem does have Snow with her. I run over to Mudpelt for a moment but then head toward the river. I leave Splashstar by the river and run back, wondering if I could save them. "Goodbye, Badgerflame. You were a wonderful mother but, now I join my real mother" says Night. "No!" I yell. She  doesn't deserve this! "I go join my apprentice and leave you, take care of Splashstar." Says Darkclaw. I nod and run off. "StarClan will be proud of you!" Yells Darkclaw behind me. As I run my tears fly off of my face quickly. I reach the river with a tear soaked face. My clan is at the other side of the river including the ones that were at my side when I talked to the deputy and my adoptive daughter. I swim over with the help of the RiverClan cat and report my news. "We lost two cats to this tragedy" I pause and sniff trying not to burst into tears. "We lost Darkclaw and Night, StarClan honors them for their services to the clan. I could not save them but we can bury their bodies once we can go back." All of the cats look down, even the ginger RiverClan Tom. I find my kits but mainly address Snow. "Your sister died a brave death, we will sit vigil tonight after the new deputy is named."

____________________________Chapter seven. As a mentor

I help Nightwhisker take the body of the brave to the clearing, the faces of my clan mates all solemn. "Darkclaw was a brave warrior, a good mentor and loyal to the end. He would never go against the warrior code or my word. We all wish he would have lived longer. And Night was just an apprentice brought here by Badgerflame as an orphan she was the first to remember her duties and hunted much but took little for herself. We all wish that she could have lived to become a warrior." That was the speech that made so many cry, me especially but Splashstar continues. "It is clan custom to name the deputy before moonhigh. The new deputy will be Badgerflame, she has mentored Night and Snow for a while and will also have Bracken when she is old enough" I walk up to the Highcliff. "I did not expect this honor but I will serve the clan to my last breath, to the last drop of blood. I will starve to feed others and fight to the death for you." My closer friends cheer loudly as do the ones I don't.

I walk over to the queens den but I will only be there a while longer then I realize something! It's time for Gem to be a apprentice! "Um.. Splashstar it's Gem's sixth moonday could she be my apprentice?" I ask my beloved leader. "Of course. But it's late; tomorrow at sunhigh" I walk out wondering when my punishment will end. Anger, revenge was the start, now so much pain that I might join StarClan early. I lay down warming my three youngest kits with my tail but I can't sleep. I walk out of camp and like many times before I walk over to the ThunderClan border but I sit on a rock and yowl to the endless stretch of silverpelt. "Why are you doing this! Please! You are taking all of my beloved away!" I fall asleep on the rock letting my unhappiness smooth the rock.

"Oh Night, I wondered if you were good up here, with your mother" I say to the black pelted shecat standing with Bracken with my good eye. Then I see a plain tragedy. Stone, Diamond, Fern, Ash, Storm and Flower. The queens and kits of BloodClan. Why did they die? Who? "Who did that?" Was all I could say. "Three of ThunderClan." I see the sun rising over the great oaks of Fourtrees. I feel myself waking up at the rock I was at last night then I remembered that my kits don't like to be alone I run back as fast as possible to camp. On the way I go hunt and remember... I forgot to set dawn patrol! I hunt double and run back seeing my kits looking at me sternly I giggle it looks so funny with their adorable faces. "I'm really sorry, Splashstar I couldn't bear the deaths of last night, so, when I realized I didn't set patrol I hunted double." I see Ashcloud a grey tom looking at me."It's sunhigh, my deputy, time for you to get your official apprentice and will you give her a real clan name?" I nod and run back to the nursery to see my kits again. "Gem you are old enough to be an apprentice do you want a clan name?" I ask her. "Yes yes yes!" I walk off to tell Splashstar. She jumps up to tell the clan and yowls the summoning then she speaks the news. "Our deputy's kit has six moons and she asked to have her kit Gem, Badgerflame please come up to the Highcliff. Badgerflame. You have experienced pain beyond others but are brave enough to confront them and strong enough to get over them. Pass all of those strengths to Gempaw" I walk over to Gempaw and she lets out a squeak of excitement. I touch noses and leap down. We will go out on patrol after we find another warrior. "Hey, Mudpelt! Would you like to come on patrol with us?" "Sure!" He answers, cheerfully and joins us. "Border, hunting or both?" I ask but Mudpelt says border and Gempaw says hunting. "Both it is!" I yell. "We will patrol border and while do that we hunt!" They are all like whatever and we walk off to my least favorite border that used to my favorite. ThunderClan. I automatically get my feeling of anger and sadness "I'm going to go hunt and run off to the WindClan border." I can't stand the RiverClan border after. "I'll hunt ThunderClan!" Yells Gempaw. "Does that mean I hunt RiverClan?" Asks Mudpelt. There are only a small number of trees so it is a bit harder. I walk a little closer to my side where I can smell the crisp pine and feel it crunching under my paws. Then I hear a scrabbling behind me. «A mouse!» I think. But no, it's a rouge trying to sneak up on our camp with more behind it. Luckily he doesn't see me. «oh no! What do I do? Should I warn the clan or the patrol? Clan. Clan first. But how?» I run along the border, swift and fierce. Once I get far from the rouges I head to camp. "Help!" I screech. "Rouges! Heading this way! Elders guard kits! Apprentices! Behind your mentors!" Redpine goes in front of his apprentice and son Rockpaw. Splashstar gets out of her den along with all of the other warriors. She looks at Brightsky who nods and goes on preparing herbs. "Splashstar, could I go and find Mudpelt and Gempaw?" I say quickly. She nods and I run off avoiding the rouges. Then I stop in my tracks. Diamond was there. "Diamond! What are you doing? Your daughter is the opposite direction!" "She is? Take me there please!" She looks so worried. "Follow me." And race of towards the ThunderClan border. "Gempaw! Hurry! attack! on our camp!" I yell to her. "Diamond I will give you some mother-daughter time! I need to find Mudpelt!" I run off following his scent until I see his brownish fur just hunting a mouse. "Mudpelt! Rouges are attacking!" I yell. "Oh! Okay I'm coming!" We race back to camp together. I launch myself at a huge tom, twice my size.

Chapter eight. Loyal to the end

"You will never hurt this clan! Ever!" Then out of the corner of my eye I see some rouge heading into the nursery. "No!" I shriek. They will not hurt my kits! I let go of the huge tom and race off towards the nursery but see Splashstar being trapped with Mudpelt by five huge rouges. Then come Diamond with Gempaw. "Please! Gempaw, Diamond! Help my kits!" They nod and go to the nursery while I run towards my leader who is definitely growing weaker at the moment, her swift jaws nipping at the rouges while trying not to get killed. "Hey big guys! Over here!" They look at me and chase me, snarling. I run off to the river where they, still following me, fall in I see them all flailing in the water disturbing some RiverClan hunter and then climbing out on the other side growling at me. I run back to camp. Splashstar and Mudpelt are both okay, but what about Bracken, Ember, and Ice? I shoot into the nursery. Diamond and Gempaw are wrestling a huge tom. I join them and bite his tail, hard so he flees the nursery. Now my kits are safe. They look scared and a bit scratched, they must have fought the rouge for a little bit! "Good job" I tell them and run out. The rouges have left but Splashstar had just lost a life. Everyone was fine, thank StarClan! Gempaw and Diamond twined tailed for a moment before she left with the other rouges. "Badgerflame, please come here" says Splashstar in a raspy voice. "I have lost another life- I have only two lives left." "That's horrible!" I gasp. She is our leader! The most important cat in our clan! "I know but everyone dies in their own time-mine, is soon. StarClan told me, there is no way to stop it. They said to tell you: “You will face fear, anger, deaths and betrayal, but you will change ShadowClan. You are not alone”. Now off you go." «That was wierd.» "Wait! There is so much danger here. I'm worried. Please get Gempaw a new mentor. I can't do it with my kits in the nursery and danger every quarter moon!" I feel sudden worry for my young ones. "Oh also before the fire I was talking to them about getting clan names." "I'll think about it!" She calls after me as I walk out of her den. "Until then help Gempaw with her hunting!" Fine. "Gempaw! Hunting practice! Let's go!" She trudges over slowly. "What's the matter? What's  wrong?" She bows her head even lower than it is. "I miss my mother so much!" She wailed. Then she sat straight up. I looked around, alarmed. Had she smelt something I didn't? "You're a good mom too! But you're not my real one. I'm sorry." That's what was wrong? I let out a sigh of relief. I thought we would be attacked, again. "It's okay Gempaw, I know that I'm not perfect or your real mother and that you never see your real mother. It's all okay."

"Remember, butt up, back straight, head up." I coach Gempaw as she works on her crouch. "Now, leap and try to grab that leaf over there." She does a very graceful jump and lands straight on her leaf, shredding it to bits. "Good job, Gempaw! Good job! Now let's ditch the leaf and hunt animals." Her eyes light up. "Oh yes! Let's hunt by the...by the... By the river!" I let out a purr of laughter. We head over to the river and I tell her, "This time we stick together, okay?" "Okay." She mumbles. We walk around until a smell hits us. Thrush! "Do you smell that? Badgerflame? Gempaw asked me. I nod and signal for her to be quiet. "You need to be light on your feet it might hear you coming. Go past it quietly and then chase it here. I will catch it." She nods and walks around. I hear her snarl and the thrush comes racing over to me. I kill it with one swipe of my paw. But something is not right. She is still growling and she is not here. "GEMPAW! Where are you?! Gempaw?" I run over to Gempaw. I smell ThunderClan. And blood. Gempaw is lying on the ground, not fatally wounded but she has a few scratches and one of them is really deep. Now I smell ThunderClan behind me too! This was a trap! "Come on Gempaw, we need to get you to Willowwhisper! I, need to talk to Splashstar!" "What about the thrush?" I just spit and help her up. We walk towards camp but the scent of blood must have drifted closer to them. Three fox-lengths from camp Mudpelt, Spashstar, and Snow come rushing to us. "Oh StarClan! What happened? Are you okay?" Mudpelt and Snow were freaking out. Splashstar stepped forward. "What happened to Gempaw, Badgerflame? You are her mentor, you should have taken better care of her." I glance guiltily at Gempaw. We were hunting a thrush and I told her to go behind it." I gulp, wondering how she would take it. "She scared it to me but then a ThunderClan cat attacked her when I was killing it. I left the thrush there and ran to her but the cat was gone. And the thrush." Splashstar looks at young Gempaw. "Is this true?" "Yes, it is." She answers. "I was attacked by a ThunderClan." "And, this, is what I mean when I say it's getting more dangerous. I can't believe how stupid I was leaving my kits in the nursery!"

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below the High-cliff for a clan meeting!" Yes the time, finally I miss ice so much. "We have many announcements, but not all are good, it is time for three cats to become warriors: Mosskit, Waterkit, Snow, Gempaw and Rockpaw please come up to the High-cliff for your warrior names. You too Badgerflame." Im so amazed! I had no warning! All six of us walk up and she looks at Snow. "Snow from this moment on you will be named Snowfall. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?" Snowfall looks at Splashstar. Eyes filled with pride, happiness bravery, and grief. "I do. But I would like to honor the cat that should have been here tonight with me receiving her name! I hope Night is happy with our mother." Splashstar nods. "Badgerflame, has Gempaw proven worthy of becoming a warrior?" I nod. "Gempaw fought the ThunderClan without calling for me. Yes. She does. "Gempaw, from this moment on you will be called Gemstone StarClan will honor your bravery. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?" "I do!" "Rockpaw do you promise to uphold the warrior code at the cost of your life?" "I do." Splashstar finished. "Snowfall, Gemstone and Rockfall I welcome you as full warriors of ShadowClan, but, there was an incident and I would like Badgerflame and Gemstone to tell us about it. Badgerflame?" I step forward. "I was hunting with Gemstone and we smelt a thrush, it was huge! I instructed her to chase it to me where I would kill it. It ran over to me and I killed it but I couldn't find Gemstone. She was attacked by a ThunderClan. When she asked I realized it was a trap. The thrush was gone. We might need a few words at the gathering." The clan was shocked. Gemstone stepped up. "I chased the thrush over to her but a ThunderClan Tom was blocking my way. It launched it self at me and scratched me up. That's when Badgerflame ran over." She said. "The same Tom took the thrush and ran off." Splashstar nodded and stepped forward. "Now Badgerflame told me she wanted to be with her kits in the nursery for the next moon. Nightwhisker died today, he wasn't attacked but died peacefully." I feel the presence of his spirit. "Splashstar may I speak please?" She nods. "He was a great warrior and, I remember when he was deputy. Trying to do the best for the clan. He was a mentor too my sister, Emberpaw. I can feel his presence tonight." Splashstar talks once more, "Our second to final announcement is the renaming of Badgerflame's kits, for they will take on clan names. Ice will be icekit. Ember will be Emberkit and Bracken will be Brackenkit. Lastly Waterkit and Mosskit are now old enough to be apprenticed. Waterkit until you have earned your warrior name you will be Waterpaw your mentor will be Mudpelt. Mosskit until you have earned your warrior name you will be called Mosspaw. Your mentor will be Rainmist. That is all. You may go. Badgerflame, it's the gathering tonight would you, snowfall, Gemstone, Waterpaw, Mosspaw, Rainmist, and Mudpelt will come. Is that okay?" Oh my StarClan! I've never been to a gathering! Yes yes yes! "Yes that sounds good." I say trying to hide my exitment but my eyes probably are gleaming.

"We come with two new warriors, Gemstone, and Snowfall!" "Gemstone snowfall! Gemstone, Snowfall!" Cheered the other cats. "Also we come with two new apprentices, Mosspaw,and Waterpaw!" The other clans cheered their names. Mosspaw, who was beside me was bouncing on her feet. "Our elder, Nightwisker died today and we will all miss him. Our apprentice Night died in a fire with Darkclaw. But last of all our deputy and Gemstone were attacked by a ThunderClan tom. I would like them to speak." We both step forward before ThunderClan protested and told the same story over again. Next stepped forward the WindClan leader, Firststar. "One of our warriors will be having kits and we've had a small case of greencough. Foxfang died." He stopped but was not finished. He was very sad. "There has been two traitors in Windclan. Foxclaw and Lionfang. Foxclaw killed Roseleaf and tried to kill Rainpaw. Lionfang took a life of mine, killed my mate, Snowfield, my daughter, Lovekit my son, Ice." Ice. I look down. I don't like people mentioning his because I love him but he is dead. "And tried to kill Darkkit, and Daisyshade. Daisyshade killed Lionfang. But we have good news too. My kits, Darkkit and Bravekit are now apprenticed." We all stand stunned. Most of us know  Daisyshade Ice, and Lionfang are all his kits. RiverClan and ThunderClan don't have any news really. I walk up to Daisyshade. "Hi." She nods at me. "I'm sorry about Foxfang. And having too kill your brother. And your mother, brother and sister." She looks down. "I know how much Ice meant to you." I nod back. We both comfort each other about this and that for a while. "Goodnight Daisyshade." I tell her and walk off to my clan.

Chapter nine. The prophecy

When we get back, all is calm. The kits and apprentices were sleeping, the Warriors were talking quietly. Willowbreeze was sorting herbs. The pile was only half empty. Good hunting. Such a peaceful night. I go to see how Icekit, Emberkit and Brackenkit were doing. Just fine. I curl up next to them and fall asleep as if I was on poppy seeds. I wake up by the Great oak to see Daisyshade here too. We walk together until we see two others, the ginger RiverClan tom who helped during the fire and a brown tom with a grey belly from ThunderClan. That one tom who attacked Tiny all of those moons ago! The ginger Tom stepped up first. "Hello, my name is Flamesplash and I have NO idea what we are doing here." He looks at the ThunderClan Tom. "My name is Sparrowwing and nor do I." Daisyshade doesn't wait. "Hi I'm daisyshade. And I am confused why we are here. I step up hesitantly. "I'm Badgerflame. And I know all of you but not personally. I have an idea, there are four of us,one from each clan. Maybe that means something." They nod at me thoughtfully. And we hear a noise. We all look at where it came from and see a group of four cats. Emberpaw, Iovekit, a pale Ginger shecat, and a tiny blue grey Tom, most likely a kit. I walk over to Emberpaw, Daisyshade walks over to Lovekit. Flamesplash walks over to the shecat and Sparrowwing walks over too the little tom. I realize at the same time as the others, these are our lost siblings. Then we see four more. Lionfang, Darkstar, a grey shecat and some black tom. These are our enemies. Then the worst part, our families, dead or alive. I saw Daisyshade's family and my own even my adopted. And two other groups that are obviously the toms's families. Daisyshade closes her eyes slowly, next did Flamesplash. Sparrowwing just stared but I cried. I miss them. "Mommy, what the dark forest is going on?" I hear Emberkit. "Wow. Emberkit where do you hear this language? And I'm busy play with Brackenkit and Icekit" She does as told and is quiet. Lastly four more cats. A black and white tom walked over to Daisyshade and she whispers something. A ginger Tom with a crooked jaw walkes over to Flamesplash. A reddish brown Tom walks over to Sparrowwing and a dark brown tabby Tom with Ragged fur walks over to me. The black and white one walked up. "I am Tallstar of Windclan. I died of old age after the great journey and as I died appointed a different cat deputy" He says. "I am Crookedstar of RiverClan. I made a promise that killed my family." Says the Tom close to Flamesplash. "I'm Pinestar of ThunderClan. I left to be a kittypet " says the reddish brown. Lastly the one close to me steps forward. "I am Raggedstar of ShadowClan. I mated with a medicine cat and had a kit. That kit killed me and destroyed my clan." He is talking about Brokenstar. The four speak together to all of us. "You four are going to be leaders, after the next. Meet at the great oak tomorrow at sun high. Stay strong. You are not alone.

I woke up. It was almost sun high. My three kits were looking at me funny. "What were you doing in our dream and what were the big guys saying?" Says Icekit. "You were on my dream and the «big guys» we're telling me about the future." They shrug and play wrestle. "I'm Going out for a while." I go over to Splashstar's den. "Can I go out for a while please?" I ask her. "Why?" "I got a sign from StarClan I need to go soon." She nods and I walk off. When I reach The great oak, I see Flamesplash, Daisyshade, and Sparrowwing, who nod at me. They had the dream. Sparrowwing is looking impatient. "What are we supposed to be doing here?" "Shut up!" Says Daisyshade. "Look! Four drops of blood. It must be an omen! I'm no medicine cat but that is suspicious." I say. "Our leaders! There must be something with our leaders now!" I run to my camp and out of my eye see the others going to theirs.

I'm back at the camp. The clan is peaceful so I look at the leaders den. There lay Splashstar with claw marks. I run out. "Did anyone go into the leaders den today?! Other than me? Everyone shakes their heads. I struggle to Willowwhisper's den and fall to the floor. She rushes over. "What happened?" "Prophecy...last night...I go to great oak...four drops of blood...Splashstar...dead. She gasps and tears fall down her face. "I'll go get you poppy." I'm not prepared for being leader! "I don't need poppy." I walk out. Mudpelt, Snowfall, Gemstone,  and my three kits are immediately at my side. "Splashstar is dead. I wasn't prepared. I thought I was but I'm not." I climb up the high-cliff. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather beneath the Highcliff for a clan meeting." The cats gather and are rather surprised to see me up there. "Did anyone see anyone go into Splashstar's den today when I was gone?" They all shake their heads and look at each other worriedly. "Splashstar is dead!" I yell from the cliff. Everyone gasps. The younger warriors and the apprentices are crying now. "She was murdered! There was no scent but hers; if you saw anything tell me! I need to leave for a while. If you see a ginger RiverClan tom, a brown with grey bellyed tom from ThunderClan or a black shecat from WindClan they are welcome." I go see WindClan first. When I'm about to cross into their territory I see Daisyshade. "My father, the leader is dead!" She was crying. "I'm losing everyone! And I'm leader now too! He was killed and nobody saw who!" She breaks out in crying. "Daisyshade, Splashstar is dead too and no one even went in. Come on. Let's go see Flamesplash. I wonder how he is."

When we reach RiverClan we see Flamesplash, crying. "Snowstar is dead. Nobody saw her die but she was murdered. Why are you here?" "My father Firststar was murdered." Daisyshade nods. "Splashstar is dead too." I say. "Let's go to ThunderClan. What are the chances that Spottedstar is dead too?" The three of us walk to ThunderClan to see Sparrowwing, not crying but, solemn. "Spottedstar is dead." He reports. "He was killed by someone but there was no scent but his." "Were you deputy? Flamesplash, Sparrowwing?" I ask and they both nod. Daisyshade looks up at the stars as if she sees her family there and says, "That was why we saw each other in the dream. Because we will all be leaders. Let's meet at the moonpool for our nine lives tonight."

I walk back home without all of the others to report the new news. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high-cliff for a clan meeting!" I yowl. The cats all gather and I clear my throat. "The leaders from all of the other clans are dead too! With the same problem, murdered but no one saw! Trouble is brewing, we must all be strong! All four of the deputies of the clans will meet at the moonpool tonight to receive our nine lives! Please give me time to think about who will be the new deputy." The clan is shocked. How could this phenomenon happen. It wasn't a coincidence. There are so many loyal cats. I don't know who to choose! Redpine, Ashcloud, Rainmist, Mudpelt are the older warriors. Mudpelt! He is the one! I walk back to the Highcliff and yowled the summoning. As the cats gather around I walk up. "The new deputy will be Mudpelt! He is the one who brought me here when I was a tiny kit, the one who called out for me to return when I was in BloodClan." He walks up to me and announces; "Thank you Badgerflame, but who could leave a kit behind or leave their true love in a horrible clan? I am honored to be the deputy and I will do as much as possible to make the clan great." Mudpelt loves me? Then I see my kits making kissy faces and I scowl at them. "Mudpelt would you like to hunt with out being distracted. I'm still a warrior right now." "Sure!" We walk out into the forest and hunt a big mouse together successfully. It's strange that it's so big around the end of leaf fall.

Chapter ten. Nine lives

By now it's almost Sun-down and it's almost time to leave. Willowwhisper has prepared my herbs for the journey to the moonpool. I am leaving Mudpelt in charge when I'm gone to receive my nine lives with the others and possibly receive some warning. Why did all four leaders die at the same time? If we got a message from StarClan does that they wanted our leaders to die? Or are we going to change everything?

I arrive at the Moonpool to see Sparrowwing and Treepelt there and Daisyshade with her medicine cat, arriving. After a few minutes Flamesplash and his medicine cat come. We are all here. Sparrowwing nods and touches his nose to the pool and falls asleep. I do it next. I see blackness. Then I see The Great Oak. Sparrowwing is already here and Flamesplash is just arriving. "Guys. We should wait for Daisyshade. She must have sleep problems." A few minutes later we see Daisyshade finally arriving. "Sorry guys I needed to ask Leopardleaf what to do. We had some sick cats so she was a bit busy." We all forgive her and wait for StarClan to come. The stars in the night sky swirl around and down. They form into cats. Raggedstar comes over to me and a group of dead cats. Tallstar goes to Daisyshade, Crookedstar goes to Flamesplash and Pinestar walks over to Sparrowwing. They all walk off into groups. I walk with mine. Splashstar walks over to me and says, "Hello my deputy. With this life I give you Nobility. Being noble is always a key." Searing pain goes through me like every time I wasn't noble. Bracken walks towards me with Night behind her. "For your second life I give you mothering. For both yours and the clan itself." I don't feel pain. I feel love. "Thank you for taking care of Night and Snowfall." "Father. I'm sorry." I say after seeing his dark pelt. "I forgive you. With this life I give you bravery. Being brave can lead to your clan being successful." I feel as if since this life hurts like Dark Forest. I can't bear the next life. I can and I will. I see a beautiful spotted pelt with a familiar scent. "Oh, my dear Badgerkit, look at you all grown up!" My eyes fill a bit with tears. "Mom?" Leopardspot nods. "I give you the life of fighting. Remember to fight for your clan. Not yourself." My pain was so strong. I think I just can't make it. I can and I will! The pain stops and Leopardspot walks over to Darkstar. Night walks up. This is my fourth to last life. I can make it. "With your seventh life I give you mentoring. Teach your apprentices well." Night walks over to a black and white tom that I don't recognize who looked only a few moons older than her. A familiar white pelt walks up and licks my ear. "Ice! I miss you. So much." He smiles and touches his nose to mine. He whispers: "For this life I give you love. As I love you and you love Mudpelt. I'll be waiting." A tear rolls down my face as he says after that, "I wanted to come sooner. I had to give Daisyshade her life." I smile. He walks away and her grey pelt walks up. Yes Emberpaw. "Hello sister. I give you the life of apology. Forgive those who tried not to hurt you but not those who did." Emberpaw frowns. "Yes I DO forgive you but please don't make the mistake again." Emberpaw walks back to Snowfield and Blackpaw. Raggedstar finally walks over to me. "For you last life I give you loyalty and Leadership!" His voice rang out. "Never back down when your clan needs you. Badgerflame, I will answer your question with the other leaders after this ceremony. You are now Badgerstar! You are the survival of your clan. We honor your bravery and your strength and we ask you to use it well." Night walks over to me again with the tom she was with. "This is Treepaw of ThunderClan. am amazed. Treepaw nodded. I walk away. Raggedstar was calling me. I walk with him to where the other leaders are. Raggedstar starts when all four of the new leaders are sitting. "I know you are wondering why your leaders died at the same time." Tallstar stepped forward next. "You are wondering who killed them." He nodded to Pinestar who spoke next. "Why we sent you the omen." Crookedstar finished: "Why we are giving you your nine lives on the night of a full moon." Oh my StarClan! I just remembered that it was full moon! "You all will change the clans forever. Every step every word. Every love." Raggedstar looked down. And Crookedstar spoke again. "Something horrible would have happened at the gathering tonight." Pinestar looked up. "The Place Of No Stars is rising. At least two of you know that."  All eyes rested on me and Sparrowstar. Sparrowstar lets out a nervous gulp. "When I visited, they were training clan cats. I was still an apprentice when they made me a warrior." Tallstar nods. I look down and bite my paw a bit until it bleeds. "They made me kill Greypaw. Greypaw of WindClan." Daisystar looks at me with shock and I look down even more. All four of the older leaders tell us, "It is time to wake up. You will all go to the gathering tomorrow." I close my eyes and wake up. "Willowwhisper! It's time to wake up." She looks up at me. "What did you learn?" "We will change the clans forever. One mistake might destroy us all. Something would have happened if we went to the gathering. And we need to go to the gathering tonight."  She gasps and I walk over to the other leaders. "Daisystar, Flamestar, Sparrowstar, good morning." They all nod. "Are we all going to the gathering?" Asks Flamestar. My turn to nod. "Well I need to go home. My kit is sick." We all look at Daisystar. "Your kit?" I ask. "Who's its father?" "Foxfang. Lovekit wasn't even born when he died." Sparrowstar looks like he is about to explode in Flamestar's face. Sparrowstar starts yelling. "My sister! It's your fault my sister died!" "Sparrowstar! Don't kill him!" Daisystar yells. I realize that Flamestar's mate was Sparrowstar's sister. "Gathering, tonight. Goodbye. See you later." I say as I walk off with Willowwhisper.

Chapter 11 Four leaders.

When we get back its around sunhigh and I go off picking cats to go to the gathering. Ashcloud, Rainmist, Snowfall, Rockfall, Waterpaw and Mosspaw. They were all wondering why the gathering was today. I of course also choose Mudpelt and Willowwhisper. We all are prepared for the gathering tonight and we are all preparing for the harsh moons of leaf-bare.

It's almost sundown and my clan is leaving for the gathering. I can see in the distance the island on which is the Great Oak. I can see WindClan arriving at the oak and RiverClan on the way. We walk down the little hill with me and Mudpelt in front. I position myself in a branch so I could see al cats. "Hi Badgerstar. Don't you think it's cold up here?" Asked Daisystar. "Daisystar! You scared me out of my fur!" I say after almost falling off the branch. "Sorry!" She laughs. And I scowl playfully and we both shut up when ThunderClan arrives. I look at Flamestar so he will start first. "We haven't really had news in the last moon other than Snowstar dying. We are all getting prepared for the cold of leaf-bare. Badgerstar? Would you like to speak next?" I smile and step forward. "The hunting is good considering that it's the end of leaf fall. Splashstar is in StarClan where she deserves. She was a great leader." Daisystar steps forward gracefully and announces. "We have been blessed by StarClan with good hunting and very little sick. Most of you know about my leader, also dead." Sparrowstar walks to the end of his branch almost falling off and says. "The prey is good. The healthiness is good. But what's not good is the tragedy with all four leaders dying. A great danger is coming!" I turn to Daisystar. "When the battle comes, ShadowClan will join WindClan. We will fight paw by paw for helping the clans survive. Will you be in it?" "We will fight any danger and I will join you in discovering what happened to our leader." I nod my thanks and look at my clan, gossiping about this and that to others. Snowfall was talking to Rockfall. Gemstone was talking to a WindClan shecat and Mosspaw and Waterpaw were talking to apprentices of different clans. I see the RiverClan medicine cat talking urgently to the others. I can hear him saying something.

"...leaders. Did anyone get a sign about them?" The other medicine cats shook their head.

"We could ask our leaders!"

"Good idea Treepelt!" Wait. Treepelt, and Flamestar helped me when I was in BloodClan! Treepelt was treating Sparrowstar! A debt I can't repay. I walk over to Flamestar.

"Thank you for saving my clan during the fire and helping to save my life. And my kits." He just smiles.

"Not even ShadowClan deserves to die."

"Thank you." I walk off to the medicine cats.

"Treepelt. You saved my life. I am thankful. Anyway...I was listening to your conversation and I'll tell you all I know." Treepelt smiles.

"StarClan told me «Something horrible would have happened if we had gone to to the gathering last night. And the new leaders would change the clans forever. And something about one mistake might destroy us all." They nod and dismiss me with their tails.

"Hi Mudpelt! D'ya want to hunt later?" Asked Rainmist. "I'm free." I stare. What? No. Mudpelt is mine. Back off.

"Uh, no Mudpelt is busy tonight maybe a different night! Or no night at all." I say the last part quietly. But Mudpelt IS mine. Rainmist frowns and walks off. He smiles at me and I get reminded of my favorite tom EVER. Ice.

"I'll see you later!" I tell him. I need to talk to Daisystar.

"Badgerstar! Do you need to talk to me? I am all ears!" Daisystar smelt my scent before I can approach her. She sees the pain in my eyes.

"Is this about Ice? I lost my mate to and I can't get over it either." Daisystar doesn't understand.

"It wasn't your fault Foxfang died. On the other hand, I was the one who suggested the battle!" She looks at me with sadness in her eyes.

"I lost most of my family that night. But it wasn't your fault other than they used it as something to cover up their tracks. I can't help you. I guess you are right about Foxfang dying. It was greencough."

"Did Foxfang believe in StarClan?" I ask Daisystar. She looks around nervously.

"I, uh, don't really know. Ice will be with my family and will be waiting for you." I rest my tail on her shoulder and I see Flamestar walking towards us sadly.

"Flamestar! What's wrong?" He walks beside is both.

"While we're on the conversation of lost family, my mate and kit died. My one of my kits died in a fire and my mate died saving the other kits from a badger. And guess what? Snowypelt was from a different clan. ThunderClan. Sparrowstar's sister actually. That's why he was yelling at me."

"You know, it's sort of late. goodbye you two!" I say to Flamestar and Daisystar. "ShadowClan! Time to go!" I tell my clan and they all walk towards me.

I look around at ShadowClan, the one that is always so evil. We are like any other clan! I see Snowfall, still talking to Rockfall. That was me, once  upon a time. StarClan, please lead me trough the pain. I hear a noise in the bushes. A few cats look over. "Mudpelt keep leading them to camp. I'll check the noise. If I don't come back please assume I'm being sheltered by a different clan or I'm dead. I'll come back." I walk to the bushes and I see the brown fur of Sparrowstar. "Come here." He growls. "I will do evil things. I did evil things. Like I raided the BloodClan nursery. Killed all of those queens and kits. Remember, don't turn your back. Don't believe in mercy, just survival if you join me." He scratches my face and bites my forepaw. He spits blood out of his mouth. "Now go. And think carefully about your kits." Sparrowstar pushes me and I stumble forward. I look back. He is gone. I limp quickly to my camp. I am not going to tell anyone.

"There is a threat deeper than Sparrowstar. It will come later but many more will die." I see a StarClan cat blocking my path. "You will have already joined StarClan and only two of your kits will still be alive. Now go back to your camp to fulfill your destiny." I walk past with my jaw open at the disappearing StarClan cat. I continue to stumble to camp. I can see the clan approaching the camp and most are going to sleep.

Mudpelt turned around and followed the path he took to lead the clan back. After a while when I was almost there, he finds me. "Badgerstar! What happened?" I'm not going to tell even him. "I was attacked by rouges. Don't worry. I chased them out." "Oh. You should see Willowwhisper."

Chapter 12 The last tear

"Badgerstar needs to wake up." "She isn't prepared for the upcoming." "Did she even listen to Sparrowstar's warning?" "Shut up! She will save ShadowClan!" StarClan is arguing about the fate of the clans; me mostly. I can't wait to wake up. "Sparrowstar will try to destroy the clans. He has to try! If not destiny of others will not be fulfilled." Yells Leopardspot. "True. You should've given your daughter a life for wisdom!" Says a different StarClan cat. "Badgerstar is really dumb! You're right!"I'm still here. Then I realize something. I need to warn Daisystar if Sparrowstar didn't tell her. I quietly sneak out of the crowd and run. I think I know where Daisystar visits. I run until I see a few cats in the distance. When I look closer I realize that I am looking at the dark forest there are three cats there: Mapleshade, Sparrowstar and some brownish-reddish Tom. Daisystar can wait. "Sparrowstar, you need to remember the main killer. Bite the throat and slash the belly. "You are a leader! You came when you were an apprentice! You still haven't learned it? Was this Redwillow's fault?" I see Mapleshade scratch Sparrowstar and he cries out. I ran. Ran as far away as I could. I finally saw Daisystar talking to Ice, a small white shecat and a ginger kit. The two kits were with their mother, also white and Firststar a ginger tom. I never knew where Daisystar got her black. "Daisystar! May I talk to you without your family?"   "Er, um, okay. Bye guys." The two of us walk off to a small place. "What do you need? Why couldn't it wait till morning?" "Two reasons. One is that I needed to get away from StarClan because they were saying things about me and reason number two is more like a question. Did you get HIS warning?" Daisystar looks at me. "His warning? Who's?" She doesn't know. "Sparrowstar's. After the gathering!" She just blinks. "What are you talking about, Badgerstar?" She doesn't know. "Sparrowstar told me he was going to do something evil. He already has. Watch out." "Oh. Okay. Goodbye Badgerstar. You, me and Flamestar can meet at the great oak tomorrow at sun high to discuss this."

I wake up and sigh. I need to tell Gemstone. I walk over into the Warriors den. Gemstone was talking to Snowfall. "Gemstone, I need to talk to you. Snowfall, if you want to hear this come over here." The two shecats walk over to me. "What is it?" Asks Gemstone. "Come here. Let's go hunting. I don't want others to hear what I am about to say." We three walk out of the camp and go deep into the forest. "You see, the other night after the gathering, I saw the ThunderClan leader. He told me that he would do bad stuff. He already has. He attacked BloodClan. He killed Diamond and Stone. Ash, Fern, Cinder and Flower. He killed all of them. The two shecats have different responses. Gemstone immediately frowns and runs up a tree where I can hear her sobbing. On the other hand, Snowfall stares at me like I've grown wings. "It's true. Would you like to go to see them?" They both nod and the three of us walk off to BloodClan.

"It's true. The nursery was raided by three cats. One brown and grey tom, one white tom, and a grey shecat. Do you know them?" Said Rock, Gemstone's father. "But daddy, why didn't anyone help them?" Gemstone is on the verge of crying again. "The first cat to make the tiniest sound was Stone. He tried to get me but the brown tom killed him. But can you answer this now? Who are they?" I walked to the front of our group. "I don't really know them. I do know the brown tom is the leader of ThunderClan and one of the others you described are the deputy. I'm sorry we couldn't be there to help you when it happened." Stone lowered his head and a single tear dropped onto the ground. "Badger...star,  thanks to you, Gemstone is alive. Thank you for raising her so well." I smile. "It was an honor to raise her. She has become a very loyal warrior to ShadowClan. And I understand if you want her back to BloodClan." Gemstone leapt forward. "No! I want to stay with you Badgerstar! I want to stay in ShadowClan!" "Very well. My daughter can stay with you and yours." Rock is dead serious about his decision even if it means he won't ever see Gemstone again. "We thank you for your decision. I really must get going. Goodbye." I turn and leave. We had to come early because I need to get to great oak, also, I have to get some freshkill and leave Snowfall and Gemstone at camp. Suddenly I feel as if someone stabbed my heart! I bend over because it hurts so much. Then a vision fills my eyes. I see my camp and the sun is blood red. There is blood all over the ground. I can hear screams in the distance although I can not tell if it is real or just my vision. The vision fades and I look up. "We need to go. Now." I run. I don't care if they are following me but I just run, I don't stop. "Badgerstar!" I don't know why, but the clan needs me. It needs me now.

"Badgerstar! Thank StarClan you're here!" I can smell ThunderClan but mostly the scent of Sparrowstar. "Three cats came! Sparrowstar, a white tom, a-" "And a grey shecat. Mudpelt what is wrong?" I interrupt. "Yes. He killed Redpine. Badgerstar, I don't know how you will take this and I don't know how to tell you." "Mudpelt! What's happening?" He seems sad and nervous. Why? I'm not going to kill him or anything. "He took... He took Brakenkit, Emberkit and Icekit! He told me to tell you this: go to the great oak without any warriors or anyone if you want to see your kits again." My cheeks go hot and all I can do is nothing. I can't do anything! ''My kits! No! "''Badgerstar! What- what happened? Redpine!" Snowfall has a soft spot because Redpine is Rockfall's father. "Mudpelt don't let them follow me. I'm going." "Please! Don't go! You might not come back!" I look at him one last time. His eyes are full of worry and sadness. "I have to. I'm sorry. If I never come back, please take care of my family, of my clan. You will be a great leader." I lay my tail on his shoulder and it slides off as I walk away. I could give up my life to save my family and my clan. I will if I have to.

When I arrive I see Flamestar, Daisystar and Sparrowstar, also ThunderClan warriors holding down many kits. He took all of our kits! I walk over to the side of Daisystar and Flamestar. "I see you've gotten the message. Now, do you dare to fight all of us? Let's see. The first revenge I want is on RiverClan. Flamestar, the only thing in the forest I ever loved was my sister. She died defending you and your kits." Sparrowstar walks over to a warrior who is holding down a ginger kit and a white kit. Most likely Flamestar's. He grabs the ginger kit by it's scruff and I realize it was a shekit. "Sparrowstar! Please! Gingerkit is an angel! Kill me instead!" Sparrowstar smiles. "I was hoping you would say that." His sharp claws fell down onto the young kit and she let out a small squeal. Her pretty blue eyes fade and Sparrowstar laughs. "Next off, ShadowClan. I do hate cats like you, Badgerstar. You were born in RiverClan. Leopardspot's sister was Flamestar's mother. And then you were sent off to live in the worst clan ever." Sparrowstar walked over to a different warrior and snatched Brakenkit by her tail. Icekit and Emberkit started wailing and wouldn't stop. "Mommy! Help me!" I rush forward by instinct but a white tom, most likely the one that helped destroy my camp blocks me and scratches my side. Sparrowstar ran his tail over my other two kits, who were still crying. "You wouldn't like to lose these two would you? No? Then get back!" Daisystar walks to me. "Get back." "Daisystar! You know he's going to kill Lovekit next!" A tear falls off her cheek. "I know. I also know that as strong as love is our clans are more important. When the battle comes, so will my revenge." Sparrowstar smiles as he bit Brakenkit's neck. She falls limp and her eyes close for the last time ever. I hold back a scream as he just throws her body on the ground like she isn't anything at all. "Now for WindClan. Just because it wouldn't be fair not to kill your kit." Daisystar bites her lip and I see blood run down her mouth. He snatches up Lovekit and kills her. Daisystar falls down on the ground. "What have I done?" "This was the warning. Wasn't it?" Asks Flamestar. "Yes. He said think carefully about your kits. Come on Daisystar. We should go home." I walk over to Brakenkit's body and pick her up by her scruff. Emberkit and Icekit run over to me. "What happened to Brakenkit? Who was that mean cat who tried to kill us?" I can't speak. I try but my voice cracks before I can say a word. I walk over to Daisystar with a tiny smile and point with my tail to camp to gesture if she could come with me for a while. Daisystar nods and I look at Flamestar who nods too, his white kit walking behind him. All three of us are carrying our dead kits.

When we are almost there I can see Mudpelt pacing around probably trying to decide if he should go or not. We get to camp any everyone turns and look at us. There is much noise but mostly gasps. "Why are there other leaders with you?" I set down little Brakenkit and look up. I try to speak but I still can't. I just nod to say they are allowed. Daisystar speaks fist once we are in my den. "I can tell your clan if you need." I nod and she jumps on the Highcliff. "All cats! Please gather around!" The cats look surprised to see her up there. They look at me and I nod. "Please listen! Badgerstar is currently unable to speak. I offered to tell you and she agreed." Snowfall and Gemstone run over to me and I signal for them to go back. They look worried and a bit confused. "Um, well, we were planning to meet with the RiverClan leader to talk about something Badgerstar received. It was a message and something happened here when she was doing something else? She left and us two leaders were there two. But also ThunderClan." "So, you are saying that ThunderClan is finally evil?" Calls out Mosspaw. "Yes. That's not important. He kidnapped all of our kits and was talking about revenge!" I feel ready to speak. I jump up. "Her kit, Flamestar's kit, and Brakenkit were killed!" Yowls of outrage explode in the clan. "Ow!" I look over to the edge of the Highcliff and I see Emberkit and Icekit trying to get up. Currently I'm not in a great mood. My sadness has turned into rage. "Get down!" They run scared to the nursery. "Sparrowstar knows I want revenge! He will lay traps for us and I want us to be ready! If we avoid battle Sparrowstar will kill our warriors, elders, kits, and apprentices! If we go to battle there is a chance. A chance we will lose everything!" I am yelling my throat out at the last part. My clan started mumbling, all very shocked by my sudden loss of control. I run down into my den. I hear Daisystar talking to my clan. "...she means that you should... Well. I don't know. You need to be on watch. Also prepare for battle. You never know what she will choose." I look over to the other leader. "Could you and Daisystar please leave? I need some time alone." "Hmm? Oh! Sure! Sorry. Bye." I really hope it didn't hurt their feelings. I'm just really angry right now and sad. I want to be alone! They can't blame me! Emberkit and Icekit curl up by my tail.

I wake up in the middle of the night to see Emberkit staring into the distance "Mommy?" "What?" Emberkit looks at me. "Where did Brakenkit go? Please tell the truth this time. The truth. I need to know." Wow. Where does she hear these things. I'm going to tell her. "She has left." "Where? When will Brakenkit come back?" She asked. "She left to the stars and she won't come back. Come here, Emberkit." We walked out of the den. The stars and moon shone over us. "Look up. The stars around you are long gone warriors. Your sister is in the stars looking down on us. Cats in StarClan have pretty sparkly fur and more wisdom then all of us." Emberkit's eyes grew wide. "I won't ever see her again." I nod. I can't hide the truth. "I bet she is that star right there!" Emberkit points out and then with her tail to a super bright star. "I bet you're right."

Chapter thirteen

"All cats gather around the Highcliff for a clan meeting!" I yell down to the cats. By now it's sun high and they are all awake. They slowly walk over, probably scared I will burst again. "I have a few things. First watch out for traps, second, prepare for battle it will come soon. Third, and easily my favorite," I need to think of two responsible warriors without apprentices. And I need to quick. "Icekit and Emberkit are ready to become apprentices! Rockfall, Snowfall, Emberkit and Icekit please come up to the Highcliff." Icekit and Emberkit jumped up while Rockfall and Snowfall went slower. "Emberkit until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Emberpaw." "Emberpaw..." She muttered. It feels that at this moment a hole opens in my heart. My sister was an apprentice when she died. "Your mentor will be Rockfall. Icekit until you have earned your warrior name you will be Icepaw. Your mentor will be Snowfall." They touch noses and I tell the two mentors. "Teach them to fight first. A battle will come and you've seen what Sparrowstar  did to their sister. Then hunting." They nod and walk off. I don't have anything better to do than follow them to see how they're doing. I watch them walk below me as I jump from tree to tree, trying not to get caught. Even though I told them to focus on battle they were teaching simple hunting skills on the way. I see Icepaw's eyes light up and he jumps into a bush. He comes out with a crow. Snowfall signals to the ground and he buries it. Then the group walks over to the place for battle training. "Awesome! I can learn how to fight! Maybe in a moon I can beat Mosspaw and Waterpaw in a fight!" Silly little Emberpaw. As hilarious as is sound she isn't supposed to be fighting her clanmate! A pain in my chest forms. Dark days are coming and it would crush me if anything happened to any of them. Emberpaw is a natural fighter and Icepaw is better at hunting. "Come on come on! Can I please try to take both of you down? Please please please?" Snowfall and Rockfall  looked at each other and nodded. Emberpaw leaps on to Snowfall and pushes her over by swiping a few legs forward. Then she does the same to Rockfall. Icepaw and Emberpaw start jumping on them. "I won! I won!" A leaf fell on the ground and Snowfall looked up. "You can come down now, Badgerstar." I jump away through the trees. "Badgerstar what are you doing?" Snowfall was really impatient with me. "Ugh!" I jump down. "I wanted to see how they were doing!" Then I hear a yell back from my camp. "Come on!" I run to camp to see Sparrowstar and his fools. "Sparrowstar! You dishonorable assassin!" They all flee with my arrival. They must always be attacking when I'm out! There must be a spy! "Is everyone okay?" There's  murmuring until Ashcloud shouts out. "Mosspaw was hurt!" I look over at the young apprentice. She was wounded but she won't die. "Willowwhisper! Mosspaw is bleeding. Put webs and leafs on it!" Willowwhisper walked out and gets Mosspaw into her den. I go to my den and sit down. I need to find where the spies are set so I can keep my clan safe. "Mudpelt! Come with me. I'm going to find where the spies are!" He walks over. "We can't go far or they will attack." Mudpelt replies. We walk around for a while until we realize we are at the ThunderClan border. "We could follow it around to see where they crossed over. It's obvious they are in our territory." Why is it that Mudpelt is smarter than me? I nod and we walk around the border until we smell three scents. All the same amount of freshness. "We can't split up. We will follow all three." I decide. We take the first one that led up into the trees. ThunderClan is know for tree skills. "We can check this one out later. We go back to the start and take the second, also heads up the trees. Third time is a charm right? We follow the third scent to one of the training clearings where we see three cats. They all look ready to attack us. "Badgerstar, what do we do?" Mudpelt whispers.  I look over at him. "We fight." "What?" "I said, we fight!" We charge over to the three and they run towards us. "Wow, Badgerstar you really are dumb. Going out with your deputy and none else to fight us? What if we kill you? And him?" Says one of them with slashing claws towards us. "We won't die. I will protect my clan to my last breath. And my last breath will be in many many moons." I pin one down and slash her shoulder. "Send a message to your filthy leader. Get out! You and your fools don't belong in this forest. I will fight to my death. If I die I will find you beyond my death and I will kill you!" The shecat runs out to tell her leader and the other two follow. Just before she leaves she turns back. "I'm sorry." And she goes.

A three quarter moons later, every time I left the camp in a while there had been attacks. Nobody else gave dude but many are hurt. On the half moon when Willowwhisper was gone they used that as she couldn't heal anyone injured. The gathering is tonight and I've figured out who's going. No one. We won't go. It's just like Sparrowstar to attack when none are here. I wonder how the other clans are. I mean, Sparrowstar hates Flamestar more than me. Recently the attacks have grown more violent and they will kill who ever is left at camp. I'm not a kit. I'm not a mouse. I can figure out that they are trying to get us to be scared to leave camp. I look at the setting sun and watch the moon rise. Mudpelt walkes in. "Badgerstar, it's about time we started traveling to the gathering. If figured out who should go. Icepaw, Emb-" I cut him off. "I'VE figured out. No one!" "But Badgerstar! The moon is full and there is no cloud in the sky!" Mudpelt was completely taken aback by my answer. "