If only things had been different... Cinderpelt's story.

"Longtail, I would like you to lead a patrol. Take any cats you like." Tigerstar announced. Cinderpaw sighed. She missed Bluestar so much, her heart felt like it was bleeding. The beautiful silver she-cat had taken on the responsibility of leading a clan for so long, and she had fought so bravely. How could Starclan have allowed the cat that had fought to much to die because of a Twoleg monster? ''I shouldn't have listened to Fireheart. I should have gone to see whatever Tigerclaw wanted to show Bluestar.  Then the clan wouldn't be lead by the dark hearted warrior. I'm sure he was partly responsible for Bluestar's death''

"I'm going to make some major changes here." she heard him growl to his deputy, Darkstripe. The two powerful toms both instinctively glanced at Fireheart, and Cinderpaw longed to leap between them to save Fireheart from Tigerstar's glare of pure hatred.

"I can't believe this is actually happening." the handsome ginger tom surprised her by trotting to her side. Cinderpaw purred. The warrior had finally spoken to her outside of training! Her heart fluttered like the wings of a sparrow. Like prey to the ferocious warrior who had the power to break it in two... Seriously, Cinderpaw, since when were you so sloppy? 

"Why not? What's so hard to believe?" she gabbled, tongue-tied. Her easily distracted mind was taken from depressing thoughts of her dead leader- but only momentarily.

"Bluestar was only young." he mewed, but she knew that wasn't all. It didn't take the skills of a medicine cat to see that Fireheart wan't happy with Tigerstar's leadership.

"I know." Spottedleaf padded up to greet them, licking his ear affectionately and nodding curteously at Cinderpaw, who didn't miss Fireheart's wince at the sight of Spottedleaf's hideously scarred muzzle. The once- pretty she cat had lost her beauty when she almost lost her life to a Shadowclan warrior long before Cinderpaw was born. Cinderpaw felt much remorse. It couldn't have happened to a nicer cat, and despite their shared love of Fireheart, the two she-cats were friends. The apprentice had learned much from the cat who she had known since kithood.

Cinderpaw had every chance whereas Spottedleaf had none. But none of this mattered now. Her clan was in jeopardy, her leader was perished. Only the scattered skeleton on the thunderpath was left of her. She wasn't even distinguishable as a cat. She was dead.

"But she's still with us! She watches over us always." Cinderpaw blurted out. She couldn't bear to think of the wise leader as dead. The sight of the mangled body was burned into her brain.

"You are wise, young one. The path of medicine is always open for you. Remember, the choice is always there."

"Thankyou, but I'm determined to become the best warrior in the forest." she saw no future for herself as medicine cat. She was already a good fighter- not the best- but improving. One day she would be able to take down any clan single pawedly. Nobody could stop her then. Foxes and badgers alike would quake with terror at the thought of the mighty Cinderfire (the warrior name she desired).

"That's okay. Would you mind if I could have a private word with Fireheart?" Spottedleaf interrupted her thoughts. Cinderpaw was puzzled. What couldn't she hear that Fireheart could? She knew she had no right to listen; she was an apprentice and the older cats were both warriors. But she had to hear anyway. Silently following the two cats into the medicine cat den, the young she-cat's heart was struck by words with the power of a Twoleg monster.

"What is it, Spottedleaf?" Fireheart asked.

"Fireheart, I'm going to have your kits..."