Half and Half: The Dark Forest Returns

This is the sequel to Half and Half: The Story of Halfstripe. Brams recommends that you read that first. :)

Blurb
''Moons after Skystar got thwarted, the Clans are thriving. Halfstripe and Heronstar's kits are ThunderClan apprentices now - Shinepaw and Snakepaw. But not even death can stop Skystar from plotting revenge.''

''Snakepaw is one of the cats lured into the Dark Forest's trap. When Halfstripe intercepts him, he realizes that he's done something wrong, but he can't escape.''

''Halfstripe and Snakepaw lure up a plan to spy for the Clans. But when Skystar finds out, the Clans are threatened more than ever, as a battle to save the Clans begins.''

This is a story by Brams.

ThunderClan
Leader:

Heronstar - dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Deputy:

Burningcinder - large smoky gray tom

Medicine Cat:

Shimmerwater - blue-gray she-cat with black flecks

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Flightpaw - ginger-and-white she-cat

Warriors:

Nightshade - pitch-black tom

Oakrise - reddish-brown she-cat

Halfstripe - half-black, half-white she-cat with am amber eye on her black side and a blue eye on her white side, formerly of ShadowClan

Apprentice, Stormpaw

Waspstrike - gray-and-white tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Wingpaw

Foxpad - dark ginger tabby tom

Apprentice, Snakepaw

Vixenstep - dark ginger she-cat with black ears, legs, and tail-tip

Apprentice, Shinepaw

Flywing - white tom, formerly of ShadowClan

Dawnstorm - dark ginger she-cat, formerly of ShadowClan

Cedarclaw - dark gray tom with black ears

Winterfrost - white tom with amber eyes

Flashrunner - ginger tom with a silver tail

Firelight - ginger-and-silver she-cat

Apprentices:

Snakepaw - black tabby tom

Shinepaw - half-dark brown, half-white she-cat with green eyes

Stormpaw - dark gray tom with dark ginger legs

Wingpaw - white she-cat

Queens:

Lightningheart - white she-cat with golden paws and a black mark like a lightning bolt on her forehead, mother to Foxpad's kits: Slightkit, Hootkit, Spikekit, and Havenkit

Briarflame - brown she-cat with yellow eyes, expecting Flashrunner's kits

Kits:

Slightkit - white tom with a flash of black on his chest

Hootkit - black she-cat with amber eyes

Spikekit - spike-furred ginger tabby tom

Havenkit - black-and-white she-cat with green eyes

ShadowClan
Leader:

Eaglestar - silver tabby tom with blue eyes

Deputy:

Toadspring - dark brown tom

Medicine Cat:

Primrosewing - light cream she-cat

Warriors:

Whiteflight - white she-cat with green eyes

Yewflight - black she-cat

Littlewhisker - small tabby she-cat

Beetleflight - black-and-white tom

WindClan
Leader:

Applestar - mottled brown she-cat with dark green eyes

Deputy:

Rabbitswift - light brown she-cat with a stumpy white tail

Medicine Cat:

Blackstripe - ageing gray tom with thick black stripes over his back

Warriors:

Tumblespring - brown-and-white tom with amber eyes

RiverClan
Leader:

Elmstar - dark brown tom

Deputy:

Dustthorn - brown tabby tom with black legs and brown paws

Medicine Cat:

Gingertail - ginger she-cat

Warriors:

Mallowsplash - pale brown tabby she-cat with a white underbelly, and green eyes

StarClan
Rosestar - pretty dark cream she-cat, formerly of ThunderClan

Cloudsky - blue-gray tom with white patches like clouds, former ShadowClan deputy

Thistleberry - spike-furred white she-cat, formerly of ShadowClan

The Dark Forest
Skystar - blue-gray she-cat with white patches like clouds, formerly of ShadowClan

Prologue
As the black tabby padded through the dark forest, he saw nothing but darkness. He knew he wasn't awake - this wasn't the ThunderClan camp he was in.

A putrid scent wrinkled the cat's nose. In disgust, he screwed it up.

A rustling noise alerted the cat to attention. Suddenly, he sat up.

"What's that?"

"It's me." A cat stalked out from behind a gnarled tree.

The black tabby tom thought she looked magnificent. She had short, blue-gray fur. White patches like clouds dotted her fur.

"Your ancestor," the she-cat continued, purring sweetly. "I have been looking forward to meeting you."

"So... you died before I was born?" the black tabby inferenced.

The she-cat laughed. "Obviously! I am the mother of your mother! Don't you know who I am?"

Maybe, said his thoughts, but at this current moment he couldn't remember his mother telling him about her.

She doesn't smell like ThunderClan, said another thought.

She smells like ShadowClan!

Now he could remember. His mother had mentioned something, but she had never said her name. She had told him, that like her, she was half-ThunderClan - however, there was a fact that she didn't know in life.

"Follow me," the cat beckoned, flicking her tail.

The black tabby followed apprehensively. Who was this cat?

.~*~*~.

The black-and-white she-cat heard echoes in her ear, as she lay down in the warriors' den. She tried to figure out what it was saying.

''Beware... darkness will rise again... and a sky full of stars will lead the way...''

That was what the she-cat thought it said, anyway.

Darkness?

What would the darkness be?

A sky full of stars will lead the way...

Her blood chilled. She could guess who that could be.

That was the cat who had given birth to her, the cat that had caused her so much pain in her life.

It had been twelve moons since she had died, and the she-cat was thankful. Her life had blossomed. Her kits were training to be warriors. She had an apprentice of her own, in her Clan by her father's blood.

Darkness will fall...

Did that mean that her mother would try to conquer the Clans again, like the time when her nine lives were stripped away by the cat she had loved, the cat that was her mate?

The father of her?

She rested into an uneasy sleep.

What's going to happen to ThunderClan?

Chapter 1
Halfstripe yawned.

The newleaf sun touched her black-and-white pelt as the sun rose. It dappled into the ThunderClan camp, bringing warmth to every cat.

Looking around, she could see activity from the cats nearby. The Clan deputy, Burningcinder, was organizing the day's patrols, while Heronstar, the Clan leader, watched from where he was lying on Highledge. Her fellow Clan warriors were going around the camp, seeing Burningcinder, or basking in the sun.

This is how life should be.

Looking back at the previous newleaf, Halfstripe was sure that she couldn't say the same. Last newleaf, she had been ShadowClan, trapped under the influence of Snakestar and his warriors, under Skycloud, who would go on to take Snakestar's life to become leader.

She wouldn't have left, if she hadn't seen the battle in which her ShadowClan mentor, Shinedusk, was killed by Oatclaw.

She was exiled unfairly - only to the knowledge of Skycloud. She'd fled across the border.

That was where she had stayed since.

"Hey, Shinepaw! Do it again!"

Halfstripe flicked an ear at the apprentice's conversation. Wingpaw - one of Flywing and Dawnstorm's kits - was speaking.

"Are you kidding?" came Shinepaw's voice. "That move's tricky. Vixenstep had to spend all day with me, just so I could get it right."

Some of those kits could have been ShadowClan, Halfstripe thought, all of a sudden.

After Skystar had murdered Snakestar, the former ThunderClan leader, Rosestar, had sent a patrol to the ShadowClan camp. After Flywing - Skystar's littermate - had found out about the parentage of her - Skystar had exiled him from ShadowClan. Flywing's apprentice had chosen to go with him - that cat was now Flywing's mate, Dawnstorm.

It had caused war between the four Clans - ThunderClan and WindClan against ShadowClan and RiverClan. ThunderClan and WindClan had won, after Skystar was killed by Nightshade - but at a price. Rosestar and Oatclaw, the ThunderClan deputy - had both died in battle, as well as Greenoak, the WindClan deputy.

After the battle, ThunderClan was left leaderless, until a sign came from Shimmerwater, the medicine cat. Heronstar - then Heronflight - became the leader of ThunderClan, and Burningcinder had become the deputy.

I'm happy that that's over.

Halfstripe stood up, and stretched in the sun. It was about time that she got out into the forest. She had Stormpaw to train - Wingpaw's littermate.

At the same time, she saw the other mentors - Waspstrike, Foxpad, and Vixenstep - going to fetch their apprentices. Halfstripe joined them.

"Where's Snakepaw?" Foxpad asked Shinepaw, his amber eyes narrowing.

"He's sleeping again," Stormpaw interrupted. "He's got more scratches again."

"Again?" Foxpad sighed. "I swear he's been fighting in his sleep, that tom! He's been getting scratches every day for the past half-moon."

"Again?" Halfstripe echoed. She was starting to get concerned for her son's safety.

"Looks like we'd better go without him again," Vixenstep mewed.

Why, Halfstripe thought, and how, can Snakepaw - my only son - be getting injured in his sleep?

Chapter 2
He was slashing his paws in the air, fighting at his opponent. Blood splattered at his paws, and clawmarks were scored down his legs. He wanted to stop - but what would these cats say?

"Stop."

Skystar's call rang through the air. Snakepaw paused, taking care not to sheathe his claws. His opponent - a spike-furred tom - did the same.

"That's enough," Skystar purred, fixing her ice-blue gaze on Snakepaw. "It's dawn. Snakepaw, get out of my sight."

Snakepaw made no comment. He wanted to be the best warrior he could be - but what was this place?

Dragging his paws, he turned away. Darkness was in the sky. Everywhere Snakepaw could see, there was darkness. There was no light in this place.

Closing his eyes, he wished for some peace, but it was interrupted.

"Snakepaw! Snakepaw! Wake up!"

Snakepaw struggled to open his eyes: they were heavy. Pain pulsed through each part of his body. Wincing, he stood up, and stretched.

"Snakepaw?" Foxpad poked his head into the den. "Snake - oh not again!" The dark ginger tom looked agitated. "How did you get all those scratches? You're going to have to see Shimmerwater again."

Snakepaw groaned. He didn't like going into the medicine den. "Do I have to?" he complained.

"Yes," his mentor replied. "And be quick about it - the other apprentices have already gone out for training."

Snakepaw moaned softly as his feet whisked across the dusty floor of the apprentice's den. His tail trailing on the ground, he left it.

The ThunderClan camp was bright and sunny as usual. The occasional cat was scattered around the clearing. Lightningheart's kits, Spikekit, Havenkit, Slightkit, and Hootkit were play-fighting outside the nursery, Briarflame and Lightningheart watching them. Flightpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, was with them. The ginger-and-white she-cat was talking with Briarflame.

"Shimmerwater wants to see you." Snakepaw heard Flightpaw's words as he started to drag himself over to the medicine den. "Your kits are only a half-moon away..."

"Really?" Briarflame sighed. "Did my mother have to go through all this?"

Snakepaw pictured Briarflame's mother, Mistsong, in his head. The black she-cat had died due to greencough last leaf-bare.

"Yes..." Flightpaw mewed in reply.

Snakepaw switched off from their conversation as he approached the medicine den. No cat was there, as far as he could see.

"Shimmerwater?" he mewed quietly. There was no reply.

"She's not here," Flightpaw mewed, as she gazed over. "She's out collecting herbs."

Snakepaw groaned softly. Shimmerwater was always off collecting herbs at the wrong time.

He sat down, and curled his long black tail over his paws. Today was going to be a long day, he could tell.

But why was he being visited in dreams by Skystar?

What was the reason behind it?

Chapter 3
After a day of training Stormpaw, Halfstripe wandered back to the ThunderClan camp, dragging her paws along the ground. Today had tired her out - Stormpaw had insisted that he trained all day, and being his mentor, she had to obey his request.

"Halfstripe!" Stormpaw scampered through the undergrowth towards her. The dark gray tom was still full of energy.

"Oh, Stormpaw," Halfstripe sighed wearily. "What is it?" As she spoke, Halfstripe could see the looming walls of the ThunderClan camp moving towards her.

"Flywing promised me," Stormpaw puffed, as the young cat reached Halfstripe's side, "that he would tell me more about Skystar tonight when we got back from training."

"Why?" A chill ran through Halfstripe's blood at the mention of her mother's name.

"He said he'd tell me all about her past," Stormpaw added, as the two cats reached the bramble barrier.

I never really known what happened in Skystar's past.

The sudden thought hit Halfstripe with a pang. In fact, she realized that she didn't know what happened before she was born - what happened before her rise to power. Of course Flywing would know - they're littermates.

"Stormpaw! You wanted to hear about Skystar?"

Halfstripe flicked an ear as Flywing spoke. At once, Stormpaw bounded over to his father, begging: "Tell me! Tell me about Skystar!"

"Skystar?" Shinepaw poked her head out of the apprentice's den. "I'd like to listen." The half-dark brown, half-white she-cat padded over to where Flywing was with Stormpaw.

"I'd like to hear this, too." Heronstar meowed, as the large tabby set his blue gaze on Flywing. "Tell us."

Halfstripe padded over and joined the group, just as Flywing started to speak: "We - Skystar, Whiteflight -"

"Wait," Heronstar interrupted. "Whiteflight is your littermate?"

"Yes," Flywing snorted. "Let me continue."

I remember Whiteflight, Halfstripe thought. She was still a warrior of ShadowClan.

"As I was saying," Flywing continued, cutting into Halfstripe's thoughts, "Skystar, Whiteflight, and I were born in the chilliest leaf-bare the Clans had ever imagined. Our father was Cloudsky - and Skystar is the spitting image of him. However, we thought our mother was a cat called Thistleberry."

"Thought?" Heronstar interrupted the white warrior's speech again. "What do you mean by thought?"

Flywing looked down, and took a deep breath. Finally, he spoke: "Thistleberry wasn't our mother. When Cloudsky died of greencough, he told Skystar, then Skycloud - that Thistleberry wasn't our mother."

"Do you realize," Shinepaw sniggered, when Flywing had finished speaking, "that if Skystar's end of her warrior name was the first bit, and same with the other, that her name would've been Cloudsky?" As she finished speaking, the young she-cat giggled under her breath, Stormpaw joining in.

"At this time," Flywing continued, ignoring the apprentices, "the Clan suspected Skycloud of sneaking out of the camp at night. Soon enough, about two moons after Cloudsky's death, a kit turned up in the camp." As he spoke, he looked into Halfstripe's eyes, triggering all the other cats who were listening to also stare at her.

So that's why Skystar was so unforgiving, Halfstripe thought. She didn't know who her mother was.

"Twelve moons later, everything changed." Flywing's voice dropped to a whisper. "Halfstripe was exiled from ShadowClan. Crowsong, the ShadowClan deputy, retired, and Skycloud became deputy. And in less than two moons, Snakestar was dead." Flywing panted as he spoke. "Skystar's annihilation had begun."

"Tell us more!" Stormpaw begged.

"Enough for now," Flywing decided, swishing his tail along the ground. "I'll tell you more later."

The group of cats broke up. But Halfstripe didn't move. Only one thought was on her mind:

Who was Skystar's mother?

Chapter 4
"Now, Snakepaw, tell me the cats on the Stick of the Fallen."

Snakepaw was tired - yet again, after another night training. Herbs were slicked to his black tabby pelt - a torture which he now despised.

"Come on, Snakepaw," Foxpad mewed, his amber eyes round. "Surely you'd know them by now? Stormpaw knows them, and he's been training for a moon less than you."

Snakepaw sighed, but fortunately Foxpad didn't hear him. He stared at the Stick of the Fallen - a memorial that was created by the ancient ThunderClan medicine cat, Jayfeather, after the feared Dark Forest battle. The six clawmarks on it were to represent the six cats from ThunderClan who had died because of the battle.

"Okay..." he mewed hazily, pointing a claw at the bottom mark. "This one is for..."

In the corner of his vision, Foxpad raised a paw, beckoning for him to continue.

"Uh..." Snakepaw hesitated. He did remember that the first one was a ThunderClan elder at the time, after having given many days of service to her Clan. "Isn't it... Furmouse?"

Foxpad sighed, while Havenkit, one of Lightningheart's kits, bounded over. "It's Mousefur, you mouse-brain!" she yowled.

"Havenkit! Don't bother Snakepaw and your father!" called Lightningheart from across the camp. Havenkit shot an annoyed glance at her mother, before the black-and-white she-kit stomped away.

"Havenkit was right there, you know," Foxpad mewed quietly, almost growling at Snakepaw. "At least you only got them round the wrong way..." He straightened up, then continued: "Anyway, how did Mousefur die?"

Snakepaw thought about it for a moment, then spoke: "Did she die fighting a tom from the Dark Forest?"

Foxpad gave an approving nod. "Good work, Snakepaw."

Snakepaw's thoughts drifted back to the Dark Forest. Skystar had been training him fiercely. But he was sure he wasn't the only one. He'd seen a cat from each of the Clans - Yewflight from ShadowClan, Mallowsplash from RiverClan, and Tumblespring from WindClan. All were older than him - well, they were warriors, after all.

"Snakepaw!"

Snakepaw jolted awake at Foxpad's voice. The dark ginger tabby tom seemed agitated, for a reason Snakepaw didn't know.

"Snakepaw!" Foxpad repeated. "Where have you been lately? I really need to have a talk with Heronstar about your appalling behavior over the past few days..."

Snakepaw groaned. Heronstar would easily listen to Foxpad's words, and punish him fairly - he treated Halfstripe like any other cat, despite them being mates. His father wouldn't favor him.

"Let's just get this over and done with first," Foxpad intercepted, as Snakepaw opened his mouth to reply. "Which cat is represented here?" Vixenstep pointed at the scratchmark above Mousefur's.

This was the easiest one for Snakepaw to remember, and he got it in a flash. "That scratchmark was for Hollyleaf. She left the Clan, at some point, but then returned. She died intercepting a blow from a Dark Forest tom, saving a cat's life."

Foxpad's mouth hung open. "That was more than I ever told you," she rasped. "Who did you get all that information from?"

Snakepaw didn't say anything. He had learnt it off the elder Eelfish - before he had died of the greencough bout that had swept through the Clans.

Smiling to himself, he was sure Foxpad wouldn't tell him off now. But would any cat find out his secret - that he was training in the Dark Forest itself? Turning away from Foxpad, he gazed out into the distance - a place of home, sanctuary - and, quite possibly, war.

Chapter 5
Halfstripe leapt onto the Gathering island, the greenleaf breeze ruffling her fur. Looking around, she only just realized how long ago was the last time she had visited.

This was the first time she'd been to a Gathering since she gave birth to Shinepaw and Snakepaw.

"Hey Halfstripe!"

Halfstripe heard her name being called. WindClan was arriving on the island. The speaker was Rabbitswift - the WindClan deputy.

When the windswept warriors had come onto the island, Rabbitswift bounded over.

"Hi, Halfstripe!" Rabbitswift mewed, as the pale brown she-cat approached. "I haven't seen you for a while at the Gathering."

"I had kits, remember?" Halfstripe cut in.

Rabbitswift smiled. "Oh, of course... I forgot that Heronstar announced that moons ago." Rabbitswift's eyes were alight with happiness. "How's the prey running in ThunderClan?"

"Fine, thanks," Halfstripe replied.

Rabbitswift looked at Halfstripe, then turned away, and joined Burningcinder where the deputies sat.

Paws hit the ground. Halfstripe turned to see the ShadowClan warriors. Their paws thrummed across the island as they moved around. Two - a small tabby she-cat and a black-and-white tom - went to see her.

"Littlewhisker." Halfstripe dipped her head to the tabby.

"Halfstripe." Littlewhisker's eyes were friendly, yet hostile.

The black-and-white cat snorted. "She's ThunderClan. Why are you so -"

Littlewhisker shot a fierce glance at her Clanmate. "Beetleflight, a reminder that you two were apprentices in ShadowClan once."

Beetleflight snorted crossly, but said nothing.

Halfstripe beckoned for the cats to sit down, and they did so, Beetleflight reluctantly. There was a noise coming from nearby.

"Where's RiverClan?" complained a ThunderClan warrior, Flashrunner. The ginger tom was unimpressed by the wait - Halfstripe guessed he wanted to head back quickly to see his mate, Briarflame.

"They'll come," yowled Toadspring, the ShadowClan deputy. "RiverClan's not usually late."

"Look!" called Applestar, the WindClan leader, making all the cats fall silent. "I can see them! RiverClan's coming!"

All the cats turned, including Halfstripe.

A large cat was at the head of the RiverClan group, his dark brown fur sleek, and shiny. There was silence, then:

"Hey, where's Bravestar?" called a WindClan warrior from among their crowd.

The RiverClan cats were unusually silent at the WindClan cat's words. Finally, after a silence that Halfstripe thought would last forever, ceased. The dark brown tom opened his mouth, and spoke:

"Bravestar is dead."

Chapter 6
Snakepaw felt his mouth drop open in surprise. The RiverClan leader - as some ThunderClan warriors had said - was going to live for longer than this!

Wingpaw nudged Snakepaw in the ribs anxiously. The white apprentice's gaze was stern. "Don't let the RiverClan cats let you see that!"

At once, Snakepaw shut his mouth. Elmfall - the RiverClan deputy, he had heard Nightshade say - was leaping onto the Great Oak, where Applestar, Eaglestar, and Heronstar were sitting.

Well, of course, if Bravestar's dead, wouldn't he be Elmstar? Snakepaw thought quickly.

Before he had realized it, there was silence. Obviously Elmfall - or Elmstar - was going to speak.

"For all the cats who are wondering what's happened to Bravestar," the dark brown tom meowed, "what happened was that he got an unknown sickness. He got killed swiftly, for which we are all thankful for. We never wanted Bravestar to suffer pain as he lost his last life."

A few murmurs came from cats from other Clans, but Elmfall waved his tail for silence.

"With the help of our medicine cat, Gingertail, I have got my nine lives at the Moonpool. I am now Elmstar."

At this, a lot of cheering erupted from cats of all four Clans, especially RiverClan. Cheers of "Elmstar! Elmstar!" split the air. Snakepaw didn't join in. Looking around, he noticed that his mother, Halfstripe, was cheering along with the majority of the cats.

Does she know Elmstar from something? Snakepaw thought.

"Dustthorn is my deputy," Elmstar yowled over the noise of cats.

There was silence at this, as all the cats turned to face a brown cat, which had black legs. As the cats on the island turned to look at him, Dustthorn shrank away nervously, obviously uncomfortable with all the cats glaring at him.

"In the past two moons," Elmstar went on, "we have a new warrior - Mallowsplash. That is all."

Snakepaw recognized Mallowsplash from the meetings with the Dark Forest. He wasn't in the mood to cheer names, so he stayed quiet.

The Clans hadn't meant for a while, because last full moon clouds had covered the silver orb. The Gathering had been cancelled.

There was silence as Elmstar stood back, and Heronstar took his place.

Snakepaw bit his lip in apprehension. Please don't mention me, he thought. Not like my first Gathering.

"In the past two moons," his father meowed, "ThunderClan has got three new apprentices. Wingpaw has been apprentices to Waspstrike, Stormpaw to Halfstripe, and Flightpaw to our medicine cat, Shimmerwater."

Beside Snakepaw, Wingpaw shrunk back as her name was called. For once, Snakepaw joined in with the cheering: "Wingpaw! Stormpaw! Flightpaw!"

He looked around. The cats in ThunderClan were cheering wildly - and to Snakepaw's surprise, ShadowClan.

I thought they were mouse-hearts! thought Snakepaw. Why are they cheering?

When the cats had quietened down, and Heronstar started to talk about Briarflame expecting kits, Snakepaw turned to Wingpaw. "Why did all the ShadowClan cats cheer for you and your littermates?"

"You don't know?' Wingpaw mewed, surprised.

"About what?" Snakepaw replied, confused.

Wingpaw dropped her voice to a whisper. "Flywing and Dawnstorm," she said quietly, "were both ShadowClan born."

Chapter 7
Halfstripe was walking through a thick patch of forest. Twisting under trees, stepping under roots, she wondered why she hadn't been here before.

I've never seen this in ThunderClan territory.

It was true - not even ShadowClan was this dense. Why were there so many trees?

"This isn't ThunderClan, Halfstripe."

"Then what is it?" Halfstripe yowled back.

"It's StarClan," the voice replied, and in front of her, Halfstripe could see a clearing. Sprinting over the remaining trees, she bounded in, to see a dark cream she-cat sitting there. Her green eyes were bright, and her fur was brighter than it had ever been in life. Dotted on the cat's fur were many stars.

Halfstripe recognized the cat at once. "Rosestar!" she gasped.

The dark cream cat purred. "It is good to see you again, Halfstripe."

"But..." Halfstripe's voice faltered. "Why am I here? Normal warriors usually don't get dreams from StarClan."

"You're definitely not a normal warrior," Rosestar purred. "Your life has been harder than most. I don't entirely blame you."

"Well, whose fault was it, then?" Halfstripe challenged. "Skystar? Cloudsky? Thistleberry? Skystar's mother? You?"

"It is a combination of them all," Rosestar mewed calmly. However, despite her calmness, Halfstripe swore that she saw Rosestar flinch.

"But Flywing and Whiteflight didn't -"

Rosestar flinched again. "Skystar chose the wrong path," she mewed simply.

"Maybe I shouldn't have told her about the truth about her mother, then."

"You shouldn't have," growled Rosestar in reply, as a blue-gray tom with white patches - the spitting image of Skystar - and a spike-furred white she-cat slid into the clearing.

"I can't do anything about it now," the blue-gray tom sighed. "And now..."

"She wants revenge," hissed the white she-cat. "I looked after her, Cloudsky. I treated her as if she was my own. It is her fault for causing this. Don't blame yourself."

Halfstripe gasped. Cloudsky! He was the father of Skystar!

"It is," Cloudsky complained. "She should've been raised in ThunderClan with her mother, not with me." He shot a glance at Halfstripe as he spoke, then at Rosestar.

"But... why wasn't she raised with her mother?" Halfstripe asked, her voice shaking.

Cloudsky turned towards Halfstripe at her words. "She was too busy to have kits," the blue-gray tom meowed. "And too much responsibility. If any cat found out she had kits with a forbidden mate, she would be exiled by her Clan." Cloudsky's gaze then turned to Rosestar.

"And why is Rosestar involved with this?" Halfstripe hissed, dropping into a crouch. "It's none of her problem."

"It is, actually." Rosestar trotted up to Halfstripe, and they stood in front of each other, face to face - green against amber and blue. Finally, Rosestar stepped away.

"It is my problem," Rosestar repeated her green gaze widening. "It is time for this to be known. Skystar, Flywing, and Whiteflight... are the kits of Cloudsky and myself."

Chapter 8
"So, are you sure about this?"

Snakepaw's head swung in the direction of Wingpaw, as they bathed in the evening sun. How could it be that Wingpaw had ShadowClan blood?

"Yes," Wingpaw huffed. "You never listen half the time. Shinepaw knew that ages ago." The white she-cat brushed one of her paws against the ground.

Snakepaw was silent, too shocked to believe. "Why?"

"As I state once again," Wingpaw pressed, "you don't listen half the time. I swore Dawnstorm told us many times about this when we were kits."

"She did," answered Stormpaw, who was sunbathing nearby with Shinepaw. "You're ignorant, Snakepaw." His gaze flickered to Halfstripe, who was nearby, and trying to get Flywing's attention. "Do you know what's up with your mother today, Shinepaw? She looks really eager to talk with Flywing about something."

"I wonder why," Shinepaw mewed thoughtfully, swishing her tail along the ground.

"She was wanting his attention all day," Stormpaw groaned. "She asked Burningcinder if she could go hunting with him, and take me with you guys battle training, but Burningcinder said no." The dark gray tom sighed. "She made me hunt instead."

"I like hunting better," Wingpaw sniffed.

"Flywing? I really need to talk to you."

Snakepaw's head turned, and so did the other three apprentices. Halfstripe was speaking. The black-and-white she-cat was at Flywing's shoulder - and it was quite obvious to Snakepaw that it was at Flywing's dislike.

"It's important," Halfstripe insisted, her fur rising.

"Does it have to be now?" Flywing complained. "I was just about to -"

"Oh, yes, it definitely has to be now," Halfstripe snapped, cutting Flywing off. "You've been avoiding me all day. Get a piece afterwards."

Flywing sighed. "Fine... what is this about?"

Halfstripe led Flywing away, her voice dropping to a whisper. Not able to hear their conversation, Snakepaw turned away from the two cats, and towards Shinepaw, Wingpaw, and Stormpaw again.

"That was weird," Stormpaw muttered. The other three apprentices nodded in agreement.

"Bet it's going to be a shock," Shinepaw challenged.

"Bet it isn't," Stormpaw retorted. "It's bound to be -"

At that moment, Snakepaw saw Flywing break off, and start to pace rapidly in a tight circle. The white tom looked shocked.

"I never would have guessed," Flywing was saying. "I never would have guessed she - she was -" Flywing broke off from his own speech, and sat down, trembling. All the ThunderClan cats were staring at him.

"What's going on?" Heronstar asked. The dark tabby tom bounded down from the Highledge. "Flywing, what did Halfstripe just tell you?" At that moment, Heronstar shot a scorching glare at his mate.

"It's just a shock -" Flywing insisted.

"No, tell us what she said," Heronstar replied. "I insist."

By now, Flywing's trembling was very noticeable. "She told me who my mother is," he gasped. "It's Rosestar -" At that moment, Flywing collapsed to the ground, barely moving apart from the rise and fall of his chest.

Chapter 9
"You're kidding."

Halfstripe never would have guessed that a cat like Rosestar - noble, brave, loyal Rosestar - would have broken the warrior code. It was impossible. Halfstripe felt her mouth hang open.

A feathery tail brushed along Halfstripe's flank. "Snap out of it," huffed Rosestar irritably. "There's no time for this."

At Rosestar's command, Halfstripe snapped her jaws shut, still in disbelief.

"I was a ThunderClan warrior by the name of Roseheart when I first met Cloudsky," Rosestar began. "It was at a Gathering. We had so much in common - a desire to have a mate, be loyal to our Clans - maybe even be leader someday."

Out of the corner of her eye, Halfstripe saw Cloudsky nodding vaguely. Obviously the blue-gray and white tom was uninterested in him and Rosestar's love story.

"We agreed to meet up at the border," Rosestar went on. "We realized that we loved each other. We kept on meeting - but soon after, we both got apprentices within our Clan. Our time together was very limited. And at the worst possible time, I became ThunderClan deputy."

Halfstripe's breath caught in her throat. Sometime, Rosestar's going to be expecting Cloudsky's kits...

"We still managed to meet up. But then, the leader of ThunderClan, Kestrelstar, died, and I became ThunderClan leader by the name of Rosestar. At this point, it was easier for me to sneak off to meet with Cloudsky, as none of my Clanmates would suspect me of doing such a thing."

"Get on with it, we don't have all day," Cloudsky growled, his tail flicking.

"Keep your fur on," Rosestar hissed. Turning back to Halfstripe, she continued with her story: "A few moons after I became ThunderClan leader, however, the thing that I had been dreading would happen, happened. I was expecting Cloudsky's kits."

And one of them was Skystar, Halfstripe tjought bitterly.

"I had to hide the fact that I was expecting. It was hard, but I managed it. And on the night that I gave birth to my three kits..." Rosestar sighed wistfully, remembering the moment. "I snuck over to the ShadowClan border, and the kits were born in front of him - two she-cats and a tom. The tom and one of the she-cats were white, and the other she-cat was Cloudsky's spitting image. No cat would guess that I was their mother."

"Yes, because I like to think that they look like me," Thistleberry growled. The white she-cat's green eyes blazed. "I raised them, Rosestar."

"But they are still mine," Rosestar purred softly. She then turned back to Halfstripe. "You know who they are, Halfstripe. The white tom was named Flykit, the white she-cat, Whitekit, and the blue-gray and white she-cat..." Rosestar's voice faltered. Taking a deep breath, the dark-furred she cat continued: "Was Skykit. They became Flywing, Whiteflight, and Skycloud - warriors of ShadowClan. The respected kits of Cloudsky, now ShadowClan deputy, and Thistleberry - or so they thought."

"That's right," Cloudsky mewed, cutting off Rosestar. "But then, that fateful leaf-bare that I died of greencough, I told Skycloud my secret. That's what drove her to be evil. I didn't tell her what Clan her mother was in, but I told her that her mother wasn't ShadowClan. And then..."

"She turned evil," Thistleberry finished. "Not what I raised her to be."

There was silence after Thistleberry's words from all four cats. Finally, Halfstripe had the courage to speak:

"Should I tell Flywing?"

Rosestar's green gaze looked f=thoughtful. Finally, she nodded. "It is time for him to know. One day, Whiteflight will know as well, but the time isn't right just yet."

Halfstripe shot one last look at the three StarClan cats, and then she turned away. Now Halfstripe understood why Skystar had turned evil.

But it definitely wasn't the wisest choice.