--Gray Skies, Black Dawn--

[Tigerfur]

Tigerfur: Sunny just changed the title, there are a couple of more chapers that she'll change the title on too. Thanks for the comments guys! ;D Heres the next chapter, enjoy! ;D

Sunsetfur: Thanks to Beautypelt and Tigerfur. ;D ;D ;D

Chapter 4
Journey[/u]

I could sense that Silverpool was worried. She brushed it aside nicely, bidding me farewell calmly. I could see the fear and pain in her green eyes as she watched me pad away behind Mistystar, a pain she had felt before. For she feared what would become of her if I did not return. But I would return, for I was the only living remnant of Hawkwing left among the Clans. If I did not return, she would be broken for ever, darkened to a sorrowful shell of her previous self, so emersed in loss that she would never emerge again, not even for her kits, her friends, or even Reedwhisker.

Mistystar led us silently out of the camp, splashing across the river without difficulty. Once she had passed the woods and crossed into the meadow, she took a shaky breath and fell back to walk beside us. Dawninglight padded on her right, with me on her left and Gorsethorn beside me.

“I’m certain that you understand the magnitude of the quest you are about to begin,” the gray she-cat meowed. “If you fail, the Clans could be lost. You must look beyond your Clan rivalries and learn to work as one.”

“Like you all did during the Great Journey,” Gorsethorn put in. “All the Clans had to band together in order to make it over the Mountains.”

“Yes,” Mistystar replied. “My suggestion would be to seek out the Tribe of Rushing Water. The mountain cat of old, Sharptooth, is long gone and dead…I’m sure you’ve all heard his story. I wouldn’t be surprised if one or more of the six cats who went to the sun-drown place are chosen to go.”

“You mean one or more of the five surviving,” I put in quietly.

“Of course.” A streak of sorrow passed through Mistystar, as if a dark memory haunted her. Her mouth moved soundlessly, raw grief splayed across her face. I thought I caught the words Half-Clan and Tigerstar in her muttered speech.

“Anyway,” Mistystar continued, composing herself elegantly. “make for the Tribe—they are always hospitable. You should stay with them as long as you dare, to learn their customs and ways. They will teach you how to hunt on open rock and track an eagle through the snow. You might even learn a bit more history of the Great Journey and the passing of the sun-drown place quest.”

“Look!” Dawninglight interrupted, bounding forward several paces and pointing with her tail. They had almost reached the Island; I could see the tangled roots of the fallen tree branching upward, outlined with the rising sun’s pale yellow. A group of cats was outlined against it, crouched low and wary.

“Come on!” Mistystar sprinted forward, dodging a broken boulder. I sprang forward, anticipation and excitement dominant in my heart. The flash of Gorsethorn’s light brown fur and sun-colored eyes appeared on the edge of my vision, and Dawninglight’s slender gray and black form moved gracefully as she followed.

There were eight cats already there. Firestar’s bright ginger pelt shone like a second sun in the shadow of the fallen tree’s roots, and standing near him was Blackstar of ShadowClan, pawing the ground in agitation with his dark black paws. Three cats clustered behind each leader, casting each other uncertain glances, as if unsure whether they should speak.

“Hello there!” Mistystar meowed cheerfully, dipping her head to Blackstar and Firestar in turn. “Where is Onestar and his cats?”

“Coming,” Blackstar replied calmly. “They will be here soon.”

“How do you know that?” Firestar demanded.

The ShadowClan leader flicked his tail dismissively. “You can see them coming across the moor.”

I turned my eyes in the direction of the horseplace, and indeed spotted four figures bounding along, nearing the farm with great speed.

“Well,” Mistystar resumed, “who have you two brought? I have here Tigerflame, her sister Dawninglight, and Gorsethorn.” I fought not to cringe as Mistystar said sister.

Firestar’s eyes fell upon each of us in turn, his deep eyes filled with memory. It suddenly struck me how old most of the leaders must have been. “Pleasure to meet you all,” he meowed, nodding his head politely. “I have with me two of our finest warriors, Brackenfur and Sorreltail. After much consideration I have also decided to bring their daughter Cinderpaw—we could have barely kept her in the camp if she hadn’t been chosen to go to the Mountains.”

Firestar met Mistystar’s eyes, and he nodded ever so slightly, as if he had not intended us to notice. It seemed as if some sort of understanding had passed between them. “Well,” Mistystar meowed, “I would have brought Willowleaf, but she had her cats to look after.”

I watched Mistystar oddly. It seemed a rather random comment to make. Looking behind Firestar, I saw a golden-brown tomcat standing close to a somewhat younger tortoiseshell she-cat with ragged white patches. Between them was a small gray apprentice, her bright blue eyes shining and her tail flicking restlessly.

Blackstar growled. “I have brought Amberleaf, as you all requested at the Gathering, as well as my warrior Tawnypelt and her son Blazepaw.”

Amberleaf dipped her head, her golden pelt rustling. Beside her was a gingery she-cat with tawny markings, as well as an almost identical tom, though he was no larger than Cinderpaw. His eyes were different, though: Tawnypelt’s were a bright, emerald green, while his were dark amber.

“Onestar approaches,” Firestar observed. I turned my head, listening to the soft padding of pawsteps drawing closer. The brown leader finally emerged from the bracken, a solemn glimmer in his eyes.

“Hello,” he meowed to the other three leaders and their cats in a dull, tired voice.

“Are you alright, Onestar?” Firestar inquired.

Onestar stifled a yawn. “Yes. Just tired. Most of our warriors spent half the night searching for three lost kits. We found them, eventually.” The brown tabby tom shook his head sharply and indicated the three cats behind him with three flicks of his tail. “I have chosen Goldenlight, Robinwing, and Crowfeather to be part of this quest.”

I saw the ShadowClan cat, Tawnypelt, start slightly. She met Crowfeather’s eyes, and I again sensed a mutual understanding.

Mistystar introduced myself, Gorsethorn, and Dawninglight to the WindClan cats, as did Blackstar and Firestar with their cats. The WindClan cats—a lean black tom, an amber-coated she-cat, and a light brown tabby she-cat—moved forward to stand beside their leader.

“The importance of this quest has undoubtedly already made its impression on each one of you,” Blackstar meowed, choosing his words carefully. “If you do not return, we can’t afford to send any more cats into the Mountains. The disease will spread while you are gone. It is vital that you bring back as much of the cure-plant as you can.”

“Seek the aid of the Tribe of Rushing Water,” Onestar advised. “They are kind and friendly to outsiders, always willing to teach and learn.”

“And you will need to learn,” Firestar put in. “Though it is summer, the mountains are colder than here and still dangerous. Don’t become overconfident.”

“There are also the moors and meadows beyond WindClan territory to worry about,” Onestar added. “They are relatively unexplored, but I usually send a few WindClan cats out there once in a while to ensure that no rogues or badgers are too close to our territory. Rabbits and birds are generally plentiful, but streams and trees are sparse. Twolegs sometimes take their horses and dogs out there.”

Mistystar’s solemn gaze traveled over the twelve chosen cats. “You twelve are the Light in Larkpaw’s prophecy. You are the Clans’ hope. StarClan walks with you and guides you in ways unseen and unfathomable. Do not despair in darkness.”

Silence met her words.

“Is that what we are now?” Cinderpaw of ThunderClan spoke up quietly, her voice reduced to contain a speck of foreboding. “This Light thing?”

Mistystar smiled. “You are the Twelve Companions of the Light, Cinderpaw. You are part of a monumental happening in our history by the lake. Remember the words of Mothwing: seek the Starpath, whatever it may be and wherever you may have to go.”

She stepped back, motioning for the other leaders to follow her. Firestar, Onestar, and Blackstar padded over to stand beside her so that all four leaders stood facing the uncertain group of cats.

“Go now,” Firestar meowed quietly. His green eyes were deep with age and memory, and he seemed to be remembering something from his own past back in the first forest. “While the sun rises. The sun is a symbol of hope, for it will never fail, even in the darkest of hours.”

There was something prophetic, almost musical about his words. I strained my eyes to see the cats around me: Tawnypelt and Crowfeather had moved to stand side by side, looking confident. Cinderpaw’s blue eyes were sparkling again, and Blazepaw sat erect and proud. Amberleaf’s head was bowed, the weight of her job as the sole medicine cat leaving shadowing her mood. Brackenfur in particular looked dark and a little fearful, pressing his flank to Sorreltail’s for comfort.

Mistystar blinked at the patrol comforting. “Come now,” she meowed to the other leaders. “Let us go. We can talk at the lake shore.”

The four leaders turned as one and padded away into the thinning shadows. Silence ensued.

Finally, after a few moments of uncomfortable quiet, Robinwing of WindClan spoke up. “Well. Should we go, then?”

There was a general murmur of hesitant agreement. I saw Dawninglight cast a nervous glance around the cats.

“Perhaps Tawnypelt should lead,” Amberleaf suggested. “She went with the chosen cats to the sun-drown place and has passed through the mountains twice.”

“And Crowfeather too,” Goldenlight asserted quickly.

The two senior warriors exchanged meaningful glances. “That was many moons ago,” Tawnypelt explained slowly. “But we could try. Does anyone else know the way to the mountains?”

Sorreltail waved her tail. “Brackenfur and I went on the Great Journey. I remember the Mountains a bit.”

Cinderpaw opened her mouth to speak, but Brackenfur flicked his tail against his daughter’s flank and she was silent. I wondered what she had been about to say.

“You four should lead, then,” Gorsethorn put in, sounding more confident than the rest of them. “We’ll keep behind. I’ll take the rear.”

“So will I,” Dawninglight meowed quickly. She gave her silky fur a few quick licks as the eyes of the cats briefly traveled to her.

Crowfeather meowed, “Tawnypelt and I have met the Tribe twice before. We will likely be the most easily recognized among them. A word of advice before we set out—don’t contradict their beliefs. They call upon their Tribe of Endless Hunting, which is their StarClan.”

“There are other heavenly spirits?” I asked in wonder.

Tawnypelt looked at me. “Did you think that StarClan occupied the entire sky? No, the Tribe of Endless Hunting has their own territory in the stars: they are very real.”

“How do you know?” Amberleaf asked. She looked curious and interested at the mention of spirits beyond StarClan.

Crowfeather’s eyes were downcast, his tail hanging limply and trailing on the grass. Tawnypelt answered for him. “Their leader at the time, Stoneteller, met with them. They prophesied the coming of a silver cat who would save the Tribe of Rushing Water.”

“Silver cat…?” Blazepaw mewed.

“Never mind that,” his mother interrupted sharply. “We should be on our way: the sun has risen.”

Crowfeather swiftly rose and led the way through the undergrowth. I cast a final, parting glance at the Island, and the roots of the fallen tree seemed to wave in farewell. I followed the rest of the cats, falling into step with Amberleaf and Goldenlight. Cinderpaw of ThunderClan stumbled on a stone with a startled squeak.

We traveled along the lake shore for a few minutes in relative quiet, usually punctuated by whispers from the apprentices. Tawnypelt and Crowfeather walked ahead, with Dawninglight and Gorsethorn at the rear. I could sense my half-sister’s gaze on my back.

The WindClan border drew near, and the horseplace had come into view. Several lengthy copses of beech and aspen separated the WindClan border from RiverClan, as well as a thick tangle of flowering gorse. The morning heat was beginning to assail the atmosphere as the sun began its daily ascent. The gorse was achingly familiar: it was a landmark in my mother’s past. I winced as an echo of an eagle’s cry sounded almost inaudibly in my mind.

Crowfeather and Tawnypelt passed over the border unblinkingly, and were purposefully followed by Blazepaw, Sorreltail, and Robinwing. My breath caught in my throat as I stepped over the border. I glanced backward over my shoulder, looking at the glimmering lake and the meadows, marshes, and trees of RiverClan’s territory. My territory.

Gorsethorn came up beside me and nosed my flank. “You coming, Tigerflame?”

“Of course,” I murmured, turning around and continuing on. The sickly, heat-killed grass of WindClan’s land crackled underpaw. Home was behind me now, and the Mountains awaited, a gray-green ribbon on the horizon. The journey of the Twelve Companions of the Light had begun. There was no going back now until the prophecies of Mothwing and Larkpaw had been fulfilled, the Starpath discovered, and the cure to the Burning found.

---

I apologize for the overall dullness of this chapter, but it was important to give the quest a formal kick-off and for the overall layout of the group to be established. The plot starts building up in Chapter 5: Rushing, in which the cats meet the Tribe...

Oh - I just wanted to make sure that this point is cleared up before the thought is lodged in your brains. My sister read this when I wasn't looking and is now convinced that I'm going to romantically involve Crowfeather and Tawnypelt - I'm NOT.

I'm going on vacation starting tomorrow, 6/21, and you'll all be VERY VERY lucky if I get Chapter 5 up then. I MIGHT be able to get it up by 6/25 (I have a laptop I'm bringing) and I'll try to type as much as possible during my 6-hour plane ride. ;D

Thanks again! ~Sunny

[Mossleg]

AAAAAA you killed Brambleclaw!!! *sobs*
Gorse, Dawning, and Tiger...I smell a potential Love Triangle...

Edit: wow, this post was kind of late..

[Someone who loves ur story]

Amazing story write more soon!!!!!!!!! ;D

[ghostfeather]

YAY!! they get to see the tribe!
i have a question. in ur story, are Stormfur and Brook with the tribe still? just curious

Anyway....post soon! ;D

[Tigerfur]

Tigerfur: I'll answer that for you Ghostfeather, Stormfur and Brook are not with the tribe. Well heres the next chapter, enjoy! ;D

Sunsetfur: I'M SO SORRY! This chapter was hard to write, and now it's pretty long. I attempted it many, many times, and hope this final draft won't be disappointing. I also have the Tribe allegiances here.

THE TRIBE OF RUSHING WATER[/u]

HEALER:[/u]
Silver Of The Midnight Rain (Silver)—black she-cat with gray streaks and blue eyes, daughter of Stoneteller

CAVE-GUARDS:[/u]
Crag Where Eagles Nest (Crag)—dark gray tom
Night Of No Stars (Night)—pure black she-cat with amber eyes
Sheer Path Beside Waterfall (Sheer)—dark brown tabby tom
Bird Who Rides The Wind (Bird)—gray tabby she-cat with green eyes
Scree Beneath Winter Sky (Scree)—dark gray tabby tom
Rock Where Snow Gathers (Rock)—dark brown tom
Chaser Of Tireless Winds (Windchaser)—light gray tom
Wing Shadow Over Water (Wing)—gray and white she-cat
Sunrise Over Dark Mountains (Sunrise)—pretty dark gray and gold tabby she-cat
Horizon At Edge of Sky (Horizon)—black tom with dark amber eyes

PREY-HUNTERS:[/u]
Gray Sky Before Dawn (Gray)—gray she-cat with blue eyes
Mist Where Sunlight Shimmers (Mist)—silvery tabby she-cat
Song of Flying River (Song)—light gray she-cat with green eyes
Dusk Of Flitting Shadows (Dusk)—mottled dark gray tom with unusual bright blue eyes
Thunder Rumble In Darkness (Thunder)—gray tabby tom
Bright Stream Of Sunlight (Bright)—light ginger-gold she-cat

TO-BE’S:[/u]
Runner Under Endless Sky (Skyrunner)—white and light gray tabby tom
Flame Of Vanishing Sun (Flame)—ginger tabby tom
Shadow Of Circling Hawk (Shadow)—gray and white tabby tom

KIT-MOTHERS:[/u]
Moon Of Radiant Silver (Moon)—light gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Singer Of Rosy Dawn (Dawnsinger)—mottled pale gray she-cat

---

Chapter 5
Rushing[/u]

The Mountains were closer than they looked. They grew swiftly from a weather-torn strip on the horizon to a formidable mass of towering stone and snow. Though Tawnypelt and Crowfeather were the undisputed leaders, I sensed a fast-forming aura of unity growing in the group, even though we were of different Clans. Amberleaf, of course, was used to the lack of hostility and competition between cats, but it was strange to me. The days wore on, blending together in memory so all record of time seemed to be lost. There was nothing but rock and cliff, wind and heat, meadow and mountain.

It was amazing how well Crowfeather and Tawnypelt kept track of time, while leading ten other cats through the impossibly confusing mountains and keeping them alive. We trekked onward and onward for days, and the moon shrank from crescent to nothing at all. The apprentices learned quickly and became excellent mountain hunters, where skill was placed in speed and silence rather than stalking and approaching undetected. After seven days of struggling through cliffs and boulders, we came to the river at dusk.

Tawnypelt was in the lead. The sound of the river had been before us all day, and as she bounded up a slope she gave a cry of delight.

“The river!” She called back down to us, her yellow-green eyes flashing with excitement. Crowfeather clawed his way up to stand beside her, triumph in his eyes. Following Robinwing, I hauled myself up the steep slope, littered with loose fragments of rock and tufts of dry, brittle grass. My pads were sore, cracked, and scabbed from the unabated assault of the mountain’s rocks and cliffs. The sound of running water gave me new strength, and as I crested the hill I felt a fresh, wild energy surge through me.

Tumbling white water danced along perpendicular to us, leading away down the mountainside and disappearing over a cliff and into a steep valley. This river was rich and full, undiminished by the cruel heat that attacked us as we gazed down at it. My heart rose in song and I clattered down towards it, sending showers of tiny stones down with me. “Tigerflame!” Called Dawninglight, but I was already at the river’s edge, feeling the spray on my face and the cooling air seep into my fur.

“Come down!” I called up to the others, laughing. Gorsethorn skidded down after me, followed by Cinderpaw and Blazepaw. Goldenlight and Tawnypelt came after, and soon the Twelve stood together by the water, rejoicing in the victory, chattering and laughing.

“Crowfeather,” Amberleaf asked, looking down the river to where it fell beyond my vision, “is that where the waterfall is?”

Instant quiet fell over everyone. The dark-pelted tom ruffled his damp fur and grinned. “Yes,” he replied, and murmurs of more happiness broke out among us.

“But know this,” Tawnypelt added sharply. “We must be extremely cautious from this point on. This is the Tribe’s territory, and though they are hospitable and kindly, this is their land and they may not recognize us. It has been many, many moons since we were last here. Also, getting down into the valley will not be easy. The path alongside the waterfall is treacherously rocky, and slippery with river-water.”

I imagined losing my balance on a nearly vertical path of rocks and falling, falling down into the black chasm of death…

I shook my head, and the images were gone.

We began our descent at twilight. Several stars glimmered reassuringly in the gray-violet sky, but the new moon offered no light. Crowfeather went first, vanishing over the precipice before anyone could follow. Tawnypelt beckoned to the rest of us as she peered over the edge.

The waterfall’s roar was tumultuous. It thundered down over the cliff and down, down, down into a large pool below. Green shrubbery and grasses grew at the water’s edge, and stiff wildflowers grew in bunches. Tall pine trees awkwardly rose in small copses, deep green and spindly. A curving cleft in the side of the wall wound parallel to the cliff until it vanished behind the right side of the falling sheet of silver-white water that crashed down the slope and shattered on the surface of the pool. Billowing white mist floated where the two bodies of water met, fractured by spinning shards of water. Everywhere was flying drops and fragmented river.

Along each side of the waterfall, the rocks had been worn smooth by the endless torrent. Grimy moss clung to the edge, and Crowfeather was clawing his way down extremely slowly, fur on end, his eyes wide and wild. Blazepaw went down after him, his mottled fur bristling as he dug his claws into the stones. I followed the ShadowClan tom, twitching as drops whizzed into my pelt and face. Carefully, I unsheathed my claws and dug them into cracks on and in between the rocks. I lowered myself down a fox-length and looked up to see Brackenfur above me.

The climb down was terrifying and drawn-out. Once Goldenlight gave a shriek of terror as she lost her grip and skidded down the wall. She caught her claws in a crack a heartbeat later, but from then on everyone was thoroughly unnerved. Crowfeather and Blazepaw reached the bottom first, and I chanced a glance down at them. I was only a few fox-lengths from the rock-strewn floor of the valley. The two toms huddled together, shivering as they watched the rest of us ease ourselves down. After another minute I sprang off the stony walkway and landed beside them. I found that my legs were shaking and my heart was racing.

Brackenfur came next with Sorreltail, who buried her nose into his golden-brown fur, shivering. The older tom wrapped his tail around her, and the two cats took comfort in each other’s presence. I felt a strange pang. Cinderpaw nimbly leaped down after her parents and gave her chest fur a quick lick, her blue eyes wide. The other two WindClan cats came after with Dawninglight, and Gorsethorn brought up the rear with Tawnypelt and Amberleaf. No one spoke for several minutes.

Finally, Sorreltail raised her head. “Well,” she meowed hesitantly. “What now?”

Tawnypelt looked up. “We have to wait,” she answered simply. “We cannot just go into the Tribe’s cave unannounced; they’d think we were barbaric invaders. Hopefully, there’ll be some Tribe cats about who will lead us onward.”

No one objected to this. Dawninglight sat in the shadow of a rock and began grooming her fur, while Goldenlight shared tongues with Robinwing nearby. Tawnypelt dozed off with Blazepaw curled at her flank. Amberleaf was standing beside the pool, gazing down into the rippling water. Darkness was hastily gathering in the valley.

Gorsethorn had drifted off at my side, and I watched Cinderpaw sniffing at various plants. She stopped at a cluster of pale green stalks adorned with feathery leaves, crowned with neat white flowers. “Amberleaf,” she meowed to the ShadowClan she-cat. “This is yarrow, right?”

The gingery-red medicine cat turned around. “Yes,” she confirmed, staring at the ThunderClan apprentice. “However did you know that?”

Cinderpaw shrugged. Peering closely at her, I glimpsed her bright blue eyes again. There was a certain depth to them, filled with a wisdom beyond the young she-cat’s years. Perplexed, I opened my mouth to question the gray she-cat further, but my words were drowned by a fierce yowl.

Crowfeather sprang up, and Tawnypelt was instantly awake. Three cats stood across the pool from them, their fur dark and their eyes bright with hostility. They sprinted over to where we were huddled, and we drew closer together.

“Who are you?” Hissed one of the three. It was a she-cat, her amber eyes blazing. Her pelt was streaked with pale brown mud, and its light gray color was barely discernible. Her companions were similar in appearance.

Crowfeather stepped forward. He was a lean but tall cat, his head rising up proudly. His sleek black-gray fur rippled with dappled starlight. “We come from the four Clans of the Lake,” he meowed, his voice strong and powerful. “We are on a mission that takes us through these mountains, and we seek shelter, rest, and friendship with your Tribe.”

“And we seek teaching,” Cinderpaw added. All eyes fell upon the ThunderClan apprentice, who looked sure and unabashed. “Most of us are used to hunting under the trees or fishing in the rivers of our home. We hope you can teach us your ways.”

The three Tribe cats were silent for a few heartbeats. I felt Gorsethorn tensing at my side. Finally, the first she-cat spoke again. “It is not for me to decide,” she meowed slowly. “But I am certain our Healer will welcome you. I am Mist Where Sunlight Shimmers.”

“Mist?” Tawnypelt echoed. “Mist—Crowfeather, Mist! We met you when we were here last time!”

“Last time?” Repeated one of Mist’s companions. It was a tom with white and ginger tabby fur, and a long scar that stretched from his right foreleg to the base of his neck. “You were here before?”

“Yes,” Crowfeather mewed excitedly. “When we were journeying back from the sun-drown place. I’m Crowfeather, and this is Tawnypelt.”

Recognition flared in Mist’s eyes. “Yes! I remember now. It was so very long ago you came here and defeated Sharptooth. Your names are well known.” She looked around at the rest of us. “Are any others with you? Perhaps Brambleclaw, or Squirrelpaw?”

“Squirrelflight,” corrected Brackenfur. “No, none of us save these two were on that quest. But I came in the Great Journey of the Clans with my mate here, Sorreltail.”

Mist and the others dipped their heads to the ThunderClan warrior. “Come,” meowed the third cat, another she-cat. “We can’t stay out here. Night is coming, and we must get you into the cave to rest.”

“Thank you,” Tawnypelt mewed. “We will need to see Stoneteller immediately.”

Mist stared at them, her breath faltering and her eyes darkening. “Stoneteller passed on to the Tribe of Endless Hunting four moons ago. His daughter, Silver Of The Midnight Rain, is our Healer now.”

I tilted my head to one side. Tribe of Endless Hunting? Is that StarClan to them?

“Follow us,” urged the tom. “I am Chaser Of Tireless Winds, or Windchaser, if you will.”

We followed them. The third she-cat fell into step beside me as we began to climb the curving cleft that led behind the roaring waterfall.

“Hello,” she meowed. Her voice was strangely accented, with a deeper tone than the Clan cats. She seemed friendly enough.

“Hi,” I replied. “You’re from the Tribe?”

“Yes,” she answered. “I’m Song Of Flying River, Windchaser’s sister.”

“Tigerflame,” I meowed. “Of RiverClan.”

“I’ve heard about your Clans,” Song mewed. “There are four, right? That is what the dark-pelted warrior said a moment ago.”

“Yes. Go on.”

“Well, I’m curious. Why are you all here? No one from the Tribe has seen a Clan cat since Stormfur left us with Brook. What happened to them, by the way? They were well-liked, even though I was only a to-be when they left.”

“Stormfur and Brook? They’re living with ThunderClan now, where Stormfur’s father lives. Their daughter Featherpaw is training to become a medicine cat.”

“And what of your mission?”

“I—” I faltered, unsure of what to say. “I cannot tell you now,” I meowed. “We must tell your Healer first.”

Song dipped her head. “Of course.”

We paused at the edge of the waterfall. The spray was thicker here, and the rock path below us was tantalizingly sheer and slick. I gasped as Mist swiftly ducked under the crushing waves and vanished into the darkness on the other side. “Where—what?” Spluttered Blazepaw, looking from where Mist had vanished to his mother and back again. Tawnypelt laid her tail on her son’s flank and mewed, “Watch.”

The tortoiseshell she-cat duplicated Mist’s actions. This time I watched more closely, and saw that Tawnypelt did not walk directly under the waterfall: she merely slipped behind it through a space in a cleft where the water did not fall. Robinwing and Amberleaf followed, then the ThunderClan cats with Dawninglight. I padded up to the waterfall with Gorsethorn at my side, inhaling deeply as I darted through the space below the cleft.

We emerged into a vast cave behind the rushing water. The ragged stone was cracked, mottled pale brown, gray, black, and white. Trickling streams of water flowed down from the edges of the front of the cave and gathered in a shallow basin in the stone, forming a small pool of clear water. Long spires of stone poked down from the roof of the cave, and more reached up from the floor like claws of ancient rock. Dips and cracks in the floor of the cave were filled with soft moss, grasses, and downy feathers, and the forms of cats, eyes glinting, lay curled amongst these. Two shadowy tunnels led off from the main cave, and soft mewling could be heard from one. The largest dip in the floor held a prey store—I could see rabbits, birds, and mice. An apprentice-sized cat was sharing a rabbit with another, larger cat, their fur mud-streaked as well.

Mist and Windchaser led us to the back of the cave. I kept close to Gorsethorn, my fur brushing his, squinting to see through the gloom of the cave. The Tribe cats stopped at the mouth of the second tunnel. A single cat, tall and silhouetted against faint moonlight gleaming from the depths of the tunnel, stood there.

Mist dipped her head low to the cat at the tunnel. “We bring travelers from the four Clans of the forest and the lake. They say that they have come on a vital mission that led them through the mountains.”

The cat’s tail flicked back and forth. I caught the gleam of blue eyes as her gaze swept across us. Tawnypelt and Crowfeather stepped forward, Sorreltail and Brackenfur a tail-length behind them.

“We are called the Twelve Companions of the Light,” Crowfeather meowed. His ringing voice echoed through the cave, and many Tribe-cats were slowly gathering together, watching at a distance. “And we come in a time of great peril for our Clans.” He paused, gazing at the she-cat at the tunnel’s mouth. “You are the daughter of Stoneteller?”

“I am.” The she-cat turned and whisked herself away down the tunnel, waving her tail for them to follow. “I am Healer of the Tribe of Rushing Water, Silver Of The Midnight Rain. I see the signs of the Tribe of Endless Hunting and interpret them.”

The tunnel led to a small cave, crowded with claws of stone. A crack in the roof let a gleaming shaft of moonlight filter into the dark cave, illuminating Silver’s black fur, streaked and tinged with gray. She stopped beside a small puddle of water, peering down into it for a moment before turning to face us. “Why have you come? What has happened?”

Tawnypelt drew a deep breath, then delved into the story of the sickness, complete with the two prophecies of Mothwing and Larkpaw. Silver watched almost unblinkingly, her wide blue eyes flickering around to stare at each of us in turn. Song, Windchaser, and Mist listened, fascination written across their faces.

The ShadowClan she-cat continued on about how they had all been chosen to seek the Starpath mentioned in the prophecy of Mothwing, and this seemed to spark the attention of Silver more than the rest of the story. “I am Tawnypelt of ShadowClan,” she told the Healer. “With me is my son, Blazepaw, and our medicine cat, Amberleaf, also of ShadowClan. From ThunderClan are Brackenfur, Sorreltail, and Cinderpaw. Dawninglight, Tigerflame, and Gorsethorn represent RiverClan, while Crowfeather, Goldenlight, and Robinwing represent WindClan.” She indicated each of us in turn with a flick of her ears, tail, or forepaw.

When Tawnypelt’s voice faltered and died, Silver meowed, “I don’t know anything of a Starpath in these Mountains. My father never told me of anything that resembles that…Starpath….” She drew out the last word, looking thoughtful. Looking back up, the Healer meowed, “You came to us seeking shelter?”

“Yes,” Brackenfur confirmed eagerly. “Some of us passed through here during the Great Journey of the Clans—Tawnypelt and Crowfeather here, as well as myself and Sorreltail.” He pointed his tail at each cat in turn.

“And we have been here twice before,” Crowfeather mewed. “Tawnypelt and I. We came with four others from the sun-drown place, many moons ago.”

Silver’s eyes brightened and she bowed her head. “You brought with you the silver cat, Feathertail, who destroyed Sharptooth.” Crowfeather flinched at these words, but Tawnypelt nodded slowly. The Healer looked excited. “You are always welcome here,” she told them earnestly. “We are indebted to you forever. Any cat you bring here is welcome among us.”

Relieved, Sorreltail spoke up. “We’ve come not only for shelter, but in hopes that you can teach us your ways. Most of us aren’t accustomed to hunting in open grounds.”

Silver nodded again and again. “Song and Mist,” she instructed the two Tribe she-cats, “prepare sleeping hollows for these cats. Keep them separated from our own warriors—I trust they’d like a little privacy. Windchaser, please distribute some fresh-kill to them, but don’t use up the entire store.” The black and gray Healer turned to us again, and meowed, “Welcome to the Tribe of Rushing Water. The Tribe of Endless Hunting, our ancestors, watch over us. Feathertail the Silver Cat can be glimpsed in starlight and in water. We are the hunters of the wind and earth, guardians of the waterfall, and moonrise is here.”

---

I don't know when I'll be able to get the next chapter up. It will be called Chapter 6: Conflagration, detailing the Twelve's stay with the Tribe and some unexpected discoveries and events...

[Heatherpool]

Great Story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tigerfur]

Tigerfur: Thanks, even though it's not , my story, well heres the next chapter guys, enjoy! ;D

Sunsetfur: I'll just say it: Sorry for another long wait. My muses are dead right now, but from this point on I know exactly where the story is going. I have it all planned out, so the next update will hopefully be soon.

Chapter 6
Conflagration[/u]

Marvel over the Cave of the Tribe would last with me until we left. We were all given sleeping hollows at the left side of the cave, sheltered and half-hidden behind a thick cluster of rock spires. The flow of the falling river was musical, soothing, and so like my beloved river. It was such a perfect camp, hidden from predators’ eyes. The endlessly falling waterfall would keep out snow and rain and most of the wind, but the chilly waters sent icy drafts into the cave, protecting the Tribe from the burning heat outside.

The mountains were so beautiful and peaceful; I could not understand why the leaders back by the lake had been so cautious and fearful of them. The terrible heat was still present, but the waterfall quelled it slightly with its foam and spray. The Tribe had lived in peace for moons since the death of the great lion-cat Sharptooth. Cats there lived long, and many more died of age here compared to cats of RiverClan. Their main fear was eagles, but those were avoided easily enough. Still, the sight of the great brown birds and their menacing shadows on the rocks sent shivers up my spine. Hawkwing had been killed by eagles.

The shadow of the disease that raged on in the Clans lingered over us all. We couldn’t stay long—we still had to discover what the Starpath was and how to use it against the sickness. Silver understood at once, and bade us good-night before going to attend to her warriors.

“Come with us,” Mist meowed after the Healer had padded away. “You’ll have to stay in the nursery with the kit-mothers, as it’s the only extra space we have right now. The Tribe has prospered greatly since the death of Sharptooth.” The gray she-cat led us through the tunnel once more and turned down the second path from the main cavern. Night could be glimpsed beyond the sheets of water.

Gorsethorn stayed close beside me, wary and shy as usual. His amber gaze flickered all around, taking in every minute detail of the Tribe’s cave and its inhabitants. Dawninglight gazed all around her with wide-eyed wonder, while Blazepaw trembled with excitement. Cinderpaw, walking closely beside him, was strangely calm; her eyes stayed looking directly ahead and her fur lay flat.

The stone tunnel was short and low, and opened up into a cozy open space like a miniature of the main cavern. Spires of stone hung from the roof and reached up from the floor, but they were smaller and less frequent. The floor was littered with moss, feathers, grass, even tufts of fur and bits of fresh-kill. Two she-cats lay in there, nestled with their sleeping kits. One raised her head as we entered with Mist and Song.

“What…?” The queen blinked, staring at us. She had mottled gray fur that billowed out from her like stormclouds in summer. “Who are they?”

“These are Clan cats,” Song explained hastily. “They’re called the Twelve Companions of the Light, and they’ve come on a mission to defeat a horrible disease in their home.”

“Oh, my…” She seemed flustered, and at a loss for words.

Mist twisted her head around quickly, casting us an embarassed glance. “This is Dawnsinger,” the prey-hunter told us. “Or Singer Of Rosy Dawn.” The queen tipped her head before carefully nuzzling her two kits. They mewed softly and shifted in their nest of moss.

“Come over here.” Song was standing at the far end of the cave, where she nosed more bedding with her muzzle. “This is where we keep the extra mosses and such the to-be’s collect while they’re out training. It saves time and energy when a cat needs new bedding. You don’t mind making your own nests, do you?”

“Not at all,” Sorreltail responded instantly. “Thank you.” We all murmured our appreciation.

The two Tribe she-cats nodded to us before backing out of the nursery cave and disappearing down the tunnel. I glanced over at Dawnsinger, who seemed to have gone to sleep. The other she-cat was a silver tabby, sleeping with four little kits tucked beside her.

“Well,” Crowfeather began. We gathered around him in a circle. “All I can say is to be as friendly as possible. Learn as much as you can, and be very kind to these cats. Make friends, and don’t forget to ask if any of them have ever seen anything like a Starpath.”

“Yes, yes,” Robinwing snapped. She had already bunched feathers and foliage into a nest and had curled up, eyes closed. “I need a good long rest. Whoever wakes me up is crowfood.”

Tawnypelt dropped down beside the WindClan she-cat and began grooming her unkempt fur of dirt and dust. Blazepaw carefully made his nest as far away from her as possible, and Cinderpaw made hers right beside his. I grinned as I watched the two apprentices help each other pick the kit-fur out of their nests before nosing my own bedding into shape. Gorsethorn lay down beside me, his tail touching mine.

“Tigerflame?” He murmured.

“Yes?”

“Do you miss home? RiverClan, the lake, the river?”

“Of course,” I replied, lying down beside him. I had never felt so close to the light brown tom before, and indeed I expected that I had never been so near a cat in my life, save Silverpool. “Smokepelt too. He must be lonely. Ashenrain will keep him company, I suppose. The waterfall is so alike the river in its sound and song, it makes me happy to hear it.”

Gorsethorn hummed in agreement, his sun-colored eyes fluttering shut. I looked around and saw Blazepaw and Cinderpaw lying side by side much like we were. A flare of something strange erupted in my heart for the two young cats. Gorsethorn was my Clanmate, whereas they were from two greatly rivaled Clans. Silverpool and Hawkwing…

But had that been a bad thing? Their forbidden love had never been discovered by many cats. Only my mother, Reedwhisker, Willowleaf, Gorsethorn, Brightfire of WindClan, and my three half-siblings knew about it. I shook myself out a little. They were just apprentices. Nothing to worry about at all, I told myself.

---

Three suns rose and fell as we stayed with the Tribe. Amberleaf spent much of her time with Silver, learning the herb-lore of the Mountains. Crowfeather, Brackenfur, Sorreltail, and Tawnypelt stayed in the cave a lot, talking to their old friends from the Great Journey. Everyone else went on as many patrols as possible, learning to hunt in the harsh climate. We had managed to feed ourselves decently on our way there, but luck had saved us. Now we learned the true basics of Mountain hunting.

The WindClan she-cats picked up the skills very quickly and easily, probably because of their comfort with hunting in the open. Blazepaw instantly became one of the best hunters among us, bringing down a falcon before any of us. I gradually settled into their ways, learning to step lightly and move quickly. Cinderpaw and Blazepaw, typically, covered themselves in mud at their first chance in hopes that they would be able to hunt better with the Tribe’s means of camouflage.

Meanwhile, I learned a great deal about the cats of the waterfall. They believed not in StarClan, but something called the Tribe of Endless Hunting. Their warrior spirits departed after death to walk among them. Vigil was held in the Cave of Pointed Stones, where Silver made her nest, and she had received nine lives from her ancestors just as Mistystar and other Clan leaders had from StarClan.

I lay in the main cavern with Gorsethorn, who had been unusually tired and listless since the previous evening. The sun was shining in the bright morning sky, sending rippling pools of pale gold through the waterfall onto the ragged stone. Dawnsinger’s kits, Icicle Of White Crystal and Evening Shadows Of Cliffs, or Icicle and Evening, pounced at the moving lights, chasing the ripples over the stone as their mother looked on with a friend. A few prey-hunters and cave-guards were assembling in a corner, preparing for a patrol.

“Gorsethorn,” I murmured, leaning over him and whispering into his ear. He made a small humming noise in his throat.

“Hmmm?”

“There’s a patrol heading out. Want to come?”

The light brown tom opened one golden eye and shook his head slightly before shutting it once more. I sighed.

“Are you all right? You’ve been acting strange.”

He did not respond, so I touched my nose to his flank and crossed the cave to the little group of cats. I recognized Night Of No Stars and her to-be, Shadow Of Circling Hawk, as well as two cave-guards, both gray toms. The older cat had scraggly dark gray fur hidden beneath the traditional coat of mud, and the younger tom had a lighter pelt.

“Hi, Tigerflame,” Night meowed in her musically accented voice. Shadow dipped his head. “Are you coming with us?”

“Yes, if you don’t mind,” I replied eagerly. The black she-cat swished her tail.

“Not at all. You know Shadow, right? This is Crag Where Eagles Nest”—she indicated the darker cat—“and his son Chaser of Tireless Winds, but we call him Windchaser.”

The two toms bowed their heads in greeting.

Shadow looked around and shuffled his paws impatiently. “Can we go? I haven’t been out of this cave since yesterday morning.”

Night smiled and nodded. “Yes, let’s go.”

The black she-cat led the way through the waterfall and down the Path of Rushing Water. The stifling heat blasted upon my face, sending shivers of warm discomfort down my spine. The scattered pines growing around the pool waved in a hot breeze, while the stiff grass on the sun-baked ground crackled and tangled.

“Good luck finding much out here,” Crag growled, glancing all around him. “Even the prey’ll think it’s too hot to be outside.”

Night ignored him, or else didn’t hear. She kept padding across the waterfall’s clearing before scrabbling up a rocky scree and scaling a ragged gray boulder. Shadow clawed his way up to stand beside her, and I followed cautiously, digging my own claws into the loose rocks and scrambling after them, longing for the feel of earth and leaf litter.

Pulling myself up onto the boulder, I looked around and saw miles and miles of land stretched out before me. The mountains ran away to the north and south, while far away in the distance, green woods and Twoleg-inhabited lowlands were smudges of color on the eastern and western horizons. Above was the cloudless dome of the sky, pale blue with the eye of the sun glowing white-gold of summer, sending down furious waves of heat that warmed even the cold stones. By afternoon there would be no snow or frost left on the low mountain range.

Night briskly went down and wove her way through a small field of dead grasses, killed by heat. Indeed, the warmth today was unusual for the cool mountains: it was hotter than it had been even by the lake. Within minutes my flanks were drenched with sweat and I was breathing heavily. We saw neither saw nor scented any prey.

A cruel, hot wind blasted over the stones, and I shut my eyes tightly against the fresh heat. The grass crackled loudly behind us as Night led us onto yet another scree of broken rocks. The sharp stones pricked my pads and I let out a loud snarl of fury. Frustration and anger had been building up inside me. The incessant rustling of the grass wasn’t helping.

“Night!” I hissed. “Are we going to find anything out here? We should just go—”

The black she-cat swung around, ready to make an angry retort, but she froze, her eyes wide and staring. Her jaws gaped. I spun around too.

The crackling wasn’t just the wind in the meadow.

No!

“Great StarClan!”

A blazing column of rearing flames soared up from the dead field behind us. Wild sparks were spewing from the fire, setting more and more grass aflame. Within seconds the entire field was a mass of scarlet, gold, and spinning shards of citrine, and it all was crowned with a billowing cloud of black smoke that wreathed even the hateful sun in its pungent veils.

“Run!” Shouted Windchaser, sprinting around the fire in the way they had come. I followed immediately with Crag on my left, his eyes wild.Windchaser wove around boulders and crossed safe paths over cliffs and crevices, but the fire raged on, feeding on the abundant dry trees, grass, and shrubs, chasing us as we ran.

The trail turned downhill, and we raced down the slope to where the waterfall still dropped, unchanging in the pale sunlight. Its ruptured surface was alight with the reflected rage of the conflagration behind us.

Crag caught up with Windchaser, and together they sprinted up the Path of Rushing Water to the shelter of the Tribe’s cave. I glanced behind, flinching backwards as Shadow and Night streaked past me. The roaring fire had spread down the slope and was steadily drawing nearer to the edge of the pool. The cats will be protected by the waterfall, I realized. Spinning around, I fled up the Path, while cries of “Fire! Fire!” sounded from behind the waterfall.

Ducking down through the entrance, I saw chaos. Dawnsinger and her fellow kit-mother, Moon Of Radiant Silver, herded their confused and terrified kits down the nursery tunnel. Crag was organizing the cave-guards, while Mist gathered the prey-hunters. Windchaser was padding swiftly beside Silver, who directed various cats while the gray tom told her about the flames outside. I sprinted over to them, and the Healer looked up, her face twisted with amazement and fear.

“I’m going to take a look for myself,” Silver meowed as I came to them. “Don’t worry,” she added as both Windchaser and I opened our mouths to protest, “I’ll stay close to the falls.” The dark-furred she-cat swept away, to be joined by Night and Mist a heartbeat later.

I crossed the cave again, heading for the nursery. The Tribe cats had mostly settled down, gathered in groups or nestled in their sleeping hollows, conversing and worrying together. To-be’s were comforted by their parents.

“Tigerflame!” Robinwing’s voice was barely heard over the din of the echoing cavern. I spun around to see her running toward me, and I bounded over to stare at her expectantly, ready to tell her about seeing the fire.

“There’s a fire, Robinwing, but we’ll be safe with the waterfall—”

“I know,” she cut across me as we ducked down the tunnel. “I’m not mouse-brained; every cat’s talking about it. The point is that not everyone’s here.”

I whipped around to face the WindClan she-cat, who watched me with her blue eyes wide. “What do you mean? Not…not one of our cats? Not one of the Twelve?”

Robinwing took a deep breath. Her face told me the answer.

“Who’s missing?”

“Gorsethorn.”

---

DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNNN...

Oh what will happen??

Find out in Chapter 7: Songbird. It WILL come sooner than this one, I PROMISE. I'm gonna like this chapter, and I think you will to. Thanks to all the amazing comments and reviews: Tigerfur as always, Frostfire, Beautypelt, Hushpad (Tearkit), and Fire.

~Sunny

[mistshimmer]

Wow....this is really, really good. Easy to read, easy to understand even from the middle, and really, really well written! PLEASE keep writing, you're holding me on tenterhooks here! Also check out my one-shot, Do You Believe. (I just had to advertise ) I can't wait for Chapter 7, Tigerfur!

[ghostfeather]

she said dun dun DUN!!!!!!!!!!!! for me again *sigh* lol ;D

i better not have to falsely threaten u again Sunsetfur! lol ...........no really im serious.......or am i? ;D

Gorsefire better not die. EVER.

i'm watching u.....

[Heatherpool]

That was an awsome chapter!!!!! ;D

[Tigerfur]

Tigerfur: Thanks for the comments guys! ;D Sorry for not posting yesterday, but i wasn't home, so heres today's chapter, enjoy! ;D

Sunsetfur: And here it is! Quick, eh? I'm getting back into this story now. It's not over yet for the Twelve, and it won't be for a while, perhaps longer than you expect...many thanks to Tigerfur and Tearkit (Hushpad), especially to Tigerfur for her undying support and for posting GD on Warrior's Wish Archives.

Chapter 7
Songbird[/u]

I knew that this would happen to me. As soon as I felt the cold swoop in my stomach and my head spin and my heart lurch with fear and pain, I knew that it was happening again. Silverpool’s heritage was passed to me, and my story would halt and fade away too if Gorsethorn died. Fate was cruel: Hawkwing, who was of a different Clan, was killed by eagles; yet Gorsethorn, who was of my own Clan, would be killed by the fire. He was already weak, and the Mountain fire would consume him before it burned out.

Gorsethorn had vanished from the cave sometime after I had left. The nursery, Cave of Pointed Stones, and the cavern were thoroughly searched. Several daring to-be’s clambered up into the cliff-like sides of the main chamber, checking all the ledges and cracks high above. Crowfeather watched them with terrible fear in his eyes, and his claws were unsheathed, scratching the stone floor below him. Tawnypelt was beside him, her tail on his shoulder. I wondered what they were thinking of.

Dawninglight sat in the nursery, comforting Moon’s kits as the kit-mother watched her older sons, Shadow and his brother Skyrunner, teeter precariously on the treacherous rock maze overhead. The other to-be, Flame Of Vanishing Sun, gave a screech as he stumbled on a shallow overhang. A terrible gasp went up from the crowd of tense Tribe cats as Flame’s claws scrabbled at the stone face, and a swoop of fear took me as I prepared to watch the young tom plummet to his death. But suddenly he steadied himself, and out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a silver flicker moving along the high cavern, but it vanished a heartbeat later.

We could still hear the fire outside under the din of the waterfall and chatter of cats. Silver had returned from the Path of Rushing Water almost as soon as she went outside the cavern: the flying sparks rained down from practically every angle of the waterfall’s clearing. My heart beat faster and faster as I thought of the weakened warrior struggling to outrun the blaze, desperately trying to find shelter before—

No. I dare not think of that.

A little ways away, I caught a snatch of Silver’s conversation with her senior warriors: “…yes, everyone else is accounted for. Night’s patrol was the second and last to come in. Song’s group made it back first from the Rock Spire and said they hadn’t seen him, nor caught his scent, and they had Thunder with them.”

I felt my heart sink even more. Thunder Rumble In Darkness was the best tracker in the Tribe. If anyone would have found Gorsethorn, Thunder would be the cat.

Unable to remain among so many cats, I retreated to the nursery. Dawninglight’s black and silver fur could be glimpsed in Moon’s nest, with the queen’s kits beside her. All were sleeping. Goldenlight was curled up in her nest of mosses, with Blazepaw next to her. Amberleaf sat upright, staring up at the roof of the chamber, her eyes glassy and unfocused.

As I approached, the ShadowClan she-cat spoke. “I had a dream last night, Tigerflame.”

There was a lurch in my chest. “What?”

The ginger-red medicine cat drew a deep breath. “There was fire, but I did not guess that it meant an actual wildfire like this one. Dark smoke filled the sky, and I was afraid of being burned to death. But the smoke moved and changed, and it became a cat, prowling down the sooty cliffs and boulders. I did not recognize the figure it portrayed. It came to another cat, this one little more than a ghost, and helped it away. They came to a high outcropping of rock, where many broken boulders lay strewn about. Silver flowers grew there, and when I looked back at them they had vanished. Flames obscured my vision, and all fell black.”

I blinked back at her, wide-eyed. “Do you think one of the cats was Gorsethorn?”

“I do not know,” Amberleaf confessed. “I didn’t know the dream’s meaning, so I told none of you about it until now. Which I regret. I could have stopped him leaving.”

“No, you probably couldn’t have,” I told her firmly. “He’s been a little off lately.”

“But I could have warned you against leaving the Cave!”

“No cat can turn aside the paths of fate,” I countered. “And speaking of which, I need to go look for him.”

“What?” Amberleaf rose. She was taller than me, and looked down at me with fierce blue eyes. “You cannot go out there! The fires are still raging, and you’ll be scalded to death before you can go a few fox-lengths.”

I wasn’t listening. My mind was set, and I was padding down the tunnel, oblivious to the medicine cat’s calls. Slipping around the crowd, who was still avidly watching the three to-be’s, who were now clambering down, I made my way to the rippling falls, remaining hidden in the shadows. No one saw me as I slipped through the entryway and disappeared into the outside.

Looking around, I saw that the insane conflagration had been subdued somewhat. Tongues of flame leaped around the pines, whose branches were bare of needles now. A full blaze was still burning above the waterfall’s hollow, but its original destruction path from the dead meadow was clear of flame. The image of a boulder-strewn hillside sprung in my memory: we had passed it on our patrol.

The landscape was black and barren, ash and soot and sun-hot embers nestled amongst charred wood and stone. Carefully I picked my way through the debris, winding up the slope in an irregular path. A flare of fire spun up into life on my left, and I screamed and leaped out of the way, feeling my paws singe as I landed in a bed of orange embers. The heat radiated from the earth and sky, distorting the atmosphere with wavy ripples in mockery of the cool waters of the pool.

I battled on. Thin, dark smoke wafted up through the air, filling my lungs and making it hard to breathe. Snarling with defiance, I padded forward, reaching the overlook boulder where we had observed the lands of the Tribe before going through the field of dead grass. Before me now was a pond of black ash, cinders, and curls of grass like ribbons of fire. My heart was sick for the Tribe cats—prey was already hard enough to find. What would they do?

As I dropped down from the boulder and skirted the ruined field, I couldn’t ignore the terrible thought of leaving the Tribe to starve. But we couldn’t help them. We had set out to discover the cure for the disease that killed more cats every day. Time was running out. We couldn’t save the Clans and the Tribe. But my heart said otherwise.

Hissing, I moved on until I reached the edge of what once was the dead meadow. The scree of shattered rocks lay before me now. I wondered how Gorsethorn had made it here without meeting us. Perhaps he took a different route and we missed him in the confusion.

I pressed on, searching for his familiar scent. The fire had not come through this rock field, and it was strangely quiet. My fur was stained with soot and wet with perspiration, matted until most of the gold streaks were hidden. Doubt began to mingle with determination. Amberleaf had surely reported my flight to the other cats. What if they came out and took me back before I could find Gorsethorn? No. I wouldn’t let that happen.

Weaving through the boulders, a sudden waft of Clan scent came to me. Excitement flaring up, I pursued it eagerly, winding around a cracked stone and leaping over a fallen tree. Then suddenly it was before me.

A shallow hole in the ground was half-hidden by a huge spotted rock, adorned with peeling lichens and scraggly mosses. It led down into a tunnel that resembled a badger set, but no badger would live up here where there was no earth to find food in. It was dug into the side of a little bump in the mountainside, tunneling down into darkness. Gorsethorn’s scent was all about it. Without a second thought I moved forward, ducked my head, and crept into the hole.

As soon as I had gone a tail-length into the tunnel, a screech and a flurry of claws met me. I yowled in surprise, throwing up my paws to defend myself. Blinking in the half-light, I saw a cat standing in front of me, fur bristling, face livid.

“Who are you? What do you want?” It was a she-cat. She had short, dark brown tabby fur that was messy and tangled with little bits of twig and dirt. She stared straight at me, and I was taken aback: her eyes were not amber, nor blue or green, but a strange shade of dusky violet.

“I—well—I’m…”

“Spit it out.”

“I’m Tigerflame,” I hissed. “I come from the Clans around the lake, and I’m staying with the Tribe of Rushing Water.”

The she-cat tipped her head. “Clans?”

“Nevermind that. What—”

“You’re in my place,” the she-cat snarled. “And I’ll tell you when to ‘nevermind that’. What’re Clans?”

Anger surged up inside me. Who was this rogue? Some half-mad she-cat out of the Twolegplace, I’d bet. “I come from the four forest-dwelling Clans of cats who take their territory around the lake. RiverClan is my Clan, and I am here on a mission from StarClan.”

“StarClan? Those’re your spirits, yeah? You think you’ve got a mission from ’em?” She did not have the Tribe’s accent, but despite her blunt and short-tempered speech, her voice was low and smooth, lacking a sharp edge or odd tone. “Hm. Well, it just so happens that I’ve got another cat here who’s got the same story. Half-dead, he is.”

“Gorsethorn! You found him?”

“Yeah. Saved him from being burned to a crisp, I reckon. Come on, if you’ent gonna attack me from behind.”

“I won’t.,” I assured her hastily. “Is he all right?”

“Yeah. He was in pretty bad shape, though. What’s wrong with him?” The she-cat began to pad down the low tunnel, glancing back at me warily and speaking with a guarded tone.

“I don’t know,” I confessed. “He seems a bit tired lately.”

“You bet he is. What’d you say your name was?”

“Tigerflame.”

“Really? He was talking ’bout you, you know? You and some other cats, I guess, might’ve heard a ‘Mothwing’ in there, and something about a ‘Fire’, and there was definitely some ‘RiverClan’ too. Anyway, I’m Songbird. Lived here for a while now.”

Suddenly the tunnel broadened, and it opened into a shallow open space in the ground, a pocket underground walled with firmly packed soil and thick roots.

“Right under the oldest tree in the mountains, this is,” Songbird meowed. “You might’ve seen it. Huge, gnarly old thing. I reckon that this cave is about a cat-length under the ground, right where most of the roots are. That’s why it survived so long, with the tree protecting it from the wind’n’weather. So, why were you wandering about with the fire—”

“Gorsethorn!” I yowled, cutting her off. I had just noticed the light brown fur huddled in a corner. I jumped forward, nearly knocking my head on the roof, and nosed his flank. He groaned and shifted around, his eyes half-closed, before a dreadful cough shook his entire body.

It cannot be…

“No…” I whispered as he coughed again. I whirled around to face Songbird. “Was he like this when you found him?”

“Yes,” she replied. “But I’m no healer—I didn’t know what to do with him.”

“Gorsethorn? Are you alright?” I murmured, bending close to his ears. “Oh, StarClan, don’t let him have the disease…”

“Disease? What disease?” A new voice entered the root cave, and I twisted around to see a second rogue peering out of the shadows. He was small, no larger than Blazepaw or Cinderpaw, with fur like Songbird’s but tinged with distinctive ginger.

“Who’s this?” We spoke at the same time, and Songbird chuckled.

“Tigerflame, this is Jasper,” the rogue she-cat meowed. “Jasper, meet Tigerflame. He is my son.”

Jasper stared warily at me with amber-green eyes. “Where’d she come from? Not another babbling cat, talking about StarClan and missions?”

“I’m afraid so,” I mewed tensely. Jasper glared.

“Thinks she’s better than us?” He hissed to Songbird. “They both do, I reckon. Not like the Tribe cats. They consider everyone as equal…”

I turned back to Gorsethorn, wondering how much time he had left. We’d been away from the Clans for thirteen days: there was little time left. Pressing my nose to his cheek briefly, I looked back at the two cats and spoke.

“Have you ever heard of a Starpath?”

“Starpath?” Songbird repeated, looking puzzled. “What on earth is a Starpath? Is this something to do with your crazy mission?”

“It’s vital to the life of every cat who lives around the lake,” I shot back impatiently. “Please help me. Anything that resembles a path of stars, or something…”

Songbird looked back at me blankly. “Sorry, but I haven’t—”

“I have.”

Jasper looked up at me with a strange expression on his face. “I know what you’re talking about. I know what the Starpath is.”

My entire body lurched. At last! We were saved.

“Where?” I asked immediately. “It it near?”

Jasper dipped his head. “It’s right here.”

---

BWAHAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger!

Find out next time in Chapter 8: Starpath.

[Mossleg]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaahhhh CLIFFHANGER!!!!
Actually, "Cliffhanger" would be a good warrior name! That character would be hated, and yet loved...
"The heat radiated from the earth and sky, distorting the atmosphere with wavy ripples in mockery of the cool waters of the pool."
Beautiful words! Simply Beautiful.

[Tigerfur]

Tigerfur: Thanks for the comment! ;D Heres the next chapter, enjoy! ;D

Sunsetfur: And now...the next chapter! Thanks to Tigerfur and Frostfire.

Chapter 8
Starpath[/u]

I had always thought that the most beautiful of places were sacred to StarClan, and everything else was plain compared to their images of power and beauty. There were many little ponds and pools I’d seen in the river and marshes, but the Moonpool blew them all away. But this place was unknown to so many cats, and no warriors of StarClan or the Tribe of Endless Hunting walked here. It was the secret of the Mountains, the delicate crown atop its mighty and rough head.

There was a second tunnel branching off the main root cave where Gorsethorn lay. It was small and narrow, with barely enough space to allow me passage. Jasper slunk along easily, while I struggled and Songbird cursed and snarled behind.

“Are we nearly there?” She hissed. “And why didn’t you tell me ’bout this, Jasper?”

The brown and ginger tom shrugged. “Never thought to. Sorry.” He sounded hugely pleased with himself as he shook dirt off of his head. “Yeah, we’re nearly there. It’s coming up…now.”

I struggled for breath; so great was my excitement. The dark tunnel was opened up once again into an open space below the ground, like the root cave, but this was so much different.

The ceiling was dirt, yes, but more interspersed with rocks than the rest of the underground cave system. It seemed closer to the ground now, and little holes between the surface and the cave’s roof let little beams of brilliant sunlight dropping gracefully down into the space. The air was fresher here too, and I even caught the hum of an insect. But I hardly noticed these details as I beheld what lay in this cave.

The floor of the cave was probably made of soft earth, loosened by rain and melted snow falling down through the holes, but it was impossible to see this. Hundreds upon hundreds of small white flowers carpeted the ground, pale as snow and delicate as butterfly wings. Each had six pointed petals, and they grew in single blooms on dark green stems. The light of the filtered sun gleamed on their upturned faces, giving the place a soft, lovely softness unrivaled by anything I had ever seen before in my life.

I heard Songbird struggling for words behind me. “Jasper…what—how on earth did you…and you didn’t never tell me anything…”

A slow smile crept across my face. Starpath. This was our salvation.

Jasper looked hugely pleased with himself, his ears and tail flicking to and fro. I simply stood there in awe. After several long moments, I gathered my thoughts and tried hard to remember the two prophecies.


At the time of the Journey the Clans were one, and they shall be again, or they shall fail. Before disease takes you all, send out the Light.


Yes…Larkpaw’s prophecy had already been fulfilled. The Twelve Companions of the Light had set out and had become one with ease, learning to trust each other swiftly and without much trouble. Even wiry Crowfeather and gossiping Dawninglight had been accepted without question, and I had begun to sense a small change in my half-sister: she was less flirtatious now, and more serious than I had ever seen her in the forest. Whether that was simply because of a lack of eligible tomcats or maturity, I would not know until we had returned. Wait. You’re getting off track, Tigerflame. Focus. Mothwing’s prophecy there was also, and that was the one I thought of most.


Seek the leaves of the Moon and the Sun, beyond the Starpath in the far Mountains. There, an ancient shadow will wake, and only the Light can break it when they have become truly one.


My gaze traveled along the Starpath to the end of the cave. I had not noticed before the different foliage growing there, at the edge of the white flowers. A large cluster of glossy-leafed plants grew there, their fronds light green edged with pale white. A shaft of sunlight fell upon them. The leaves of the Moon and Sun! The cure was mere fox-lengths from me.

I flicked my tail in the direction of the herbs. “Jasper,” I meowed. “I need to get to those plants. Is there any safe way through the flowers?”

The young tom shrugged. “I dunno. The only way t’get to ’em is through the flowers, I guess.”

I scanned the earth cave more closely. The flowers of the Starpath fanned out to touch both the right and left walls of the cave. It was impossible to go around them. Glancing back at Songbird and her son, I drew a deep breath and took my first step onto the Starpath of the Mountains.

The flowers and their leaves were soft and cool, hardly rustling under my paws as I crept amongst them. A few tiny insects swept away, up through the holes in the roof and out into the world above. I wove through the flowers, slowly, absorbing every sensation, hardly daring to breathe. It seemed surreal as I reached the edge of the root cave and the last of the Starpath flowers. The herbs were right in front of me now, and I took a closer look at the plants that would save so many lives. They were deep, emerald green, with almost translucent leaves that were edged in silvery white. The sunlight dappled the bunches of them, and I suddenly wondered how much I should take. So many cats were and would be ill…

I looked around. There were seven bunches of the leaves of the Moon and Sun, and I carefully lowered my head and sliced through the thick stems with my teeth. The plants broke and dropped to the ground, and I wondered how long they would last before they withered. Would they still prove useful if they had dried up? Once the whole cluster was severed, I started work on a second. Two large bunches of herbs soon lay on the earthen floor, and I turned to where Songbird and Jasper still sat, gazing across at me in silence.

“Can you help me?” I called to them softly. Jasper obliged instantly, bounding through the Starpath and gripping half the leaves in his jaws. “Be careful,” I told him. “These will save many lives.” I thought of Cloudfeather, and my friend Morninglight’s little Wingkit.

Jasper nodded and began to weave back through the white flowers. I clamped the herbs in my mouth, and a sweet taste flooded my taste buds, like honey with the tang of soil and cold mountain streams. I stepped back onto the Starpath, I padded softly through the flowers and watched Songbird lead her son back through the tunnel. I glanced back. The leakages of golden light shimmered on the white flowers, like frosted stars in a valley of brown and green. I wondered if I would ever come back, and was suddenly loath to leave. Without thinking, I dropped the leaves of the Sun and Moon and plucked a single star from the countless blossoms. Nestling it among the herbs, I lifted them once more and followed the two rogues out of the cave.

---

“Gorsethorn? Are you alright?”

The light brown tom lay crumpled in his corner, his heavy breathing raspy and choked. I bent over him, gently caressing his flank with my tail. “Gorsethorn, we found the leaves of the Sun and Moon. We’ve found the cure. Please, eat them. They’ll cure you.”

He groaned and opened his jaws a little. Quickly I dropped two precious silver-edged leaves in, and he clamped his mouth shut again. I could see him slowly chewing, then his throat bulge as he swallowed painfully. I held my breath, but no chance came.

After several heartbeats, I meowed stiffly, “It probably takes time to work. We’ll see in a while.”

“If he lasts that long,” Songbird remarked dryly. “Anyway, don’t you want to be gettin’ back to wherever you came from? Those friends of yours’ll be worried ’bout you, what with that fire and all. You can go meet them: I’ll look after Gorsethorn, don’t worry, and Jasper will go with you.” She shot a meaningful look at the ginger-brown tom, and he slunk over to me with his eyes averted.

“Come on,” I hissed at him, nodding to Songbird as I crossed the larger cave and through the wide tunnel to the ground. The bright sunlight beamed down upon us, making my eyes water and I squinted around at the dazzling landscape. Smoke still billowed in great clouds up to the sky, and the glimmer of flame still burned in the distance. It was away from the Tribe’s hollow now, though, and I breathed with relief through my herbs.

“So,” Jasper meowed stiffly. “You lead, right? I’ve no idea where we’re going.”

I dipped my head and began to follow the last remains of my own scent trail back through the rock field. The sun was low in the sky, and the first dark colors of evening were tinging the heavens purple and orange. Swiftly I padded along, past the swamp of the burned meadow, and around the overlook boulder. Jasper followed with a look of awe on his face, hardly noticing the puffs of ash his paws sent up and the cinders that settled in his ginger-tinged pelt.

“We’re nearly there,” I told him, clutching the leaves with my teeth. The ground was descending before us, and with a few more steps we were standing at the crest of the slope. Wispy smoke rose from the ground like steamy mist, and all around the waterfall was burned grass and shrubbery. The gorse was crumbling and the pine trees were blackened, most of their needles fallen. The intense heat was subdued with the coolness of the falls, but the pool swam with soot. The Tribe’s situation was worse than I had thought. Their territory was destroyed, and would take moons to heal, and now the water was contaminated with the fire’s debris.

We must save them! My mind screamed in frustration. But didn’t the Clans come first? StarClan would want us to return as quickly as possible, and the laws of the warriors bound us to the warrior code and our Clans first and foremost. But we can’t just abandon them to starvation and death. Perhaps the warrior code can wait.

And without realizing it, my mind was set. We would save the Tribe of Rushing Water, even if it meant death.

“This must’ve been a beautiful clearing, before the fire.” Jasper’s voice broke into my thoughts.

“It was,” I agreed, nearly forgetting to grip the precious plants with my teeth. “Come, Jasper. We need to get up the Path.”

“Path? What Path?”

Without answering, I bounded down the cinder-strewn slope and skidded to a halt close to the water’s edge, sending dusty ash flying up around me. More of it settled into the pool of mountain water. Jasper skidded down after me, looking startled. “Where are we—”

“Tigerflame!” A voice sounded from somewhere above us. I looked up swiftly to see Sorreltail’s tortoiseshell and white fur flash at the top of the Path of Rushing Water as she turned to call something into the Cave. “It’s her! She’s alive—down there, by the waterfall! She’s back! Come, quickly!”

Sorreltail ran down the Path, her face alight with happiness and relief. “Where in StarClan’s name have you been?” The ThunderClan she-cat cried. “We’ve been so worried! And what’s that you’ve got? Who’s this?” Her amber eyes flickered from the leaves in my mouth to the young cat, his shoulder fur bristling, beside me.

I dropped the bunch of herbs in a heap at my paws, but before I could explain Amberleaf was beside Sorreltail, talking at the same time as Crowfeather. Goldenlight appeared with Brackenfur, and the two apprentices were sniffing at Jasper before I could get a word in. Tawnypelt thrust forward and touched her muzzle to my shoulder. “Quiet, everyone! Let her speak.”

“Yeah, who is this?” Blazepaw growled, his eyes on Jasper. The rogue tom ruffled his fur indignantly.

“I can talk, you know,” he meowed, annoyed. “I’m Jasper.”

“A rogue?” Crowfeather mewed, his voice carrying an edge of disbelief.

“A what?” Snarled Jasper. “You think you’re better than me, do you, just ’cause of your stupid Clans and rules—”

“Leave it, Jasper,” I growled to him angrily. “He doesn’t think that. Anyway, listen to me.” I looked at Robinwing meaningfully as her mouth opened to speak. “I found Gorsethorn. He’s staying in a root cave with Songbird, Jasper’s mother. But the more important thing—”

“You left Gorsethorn with another rogue?” Dawninglight piped up.

“Yes,” I hissed. “But listen, for StarClan’s sake! I’ve found it.”

“Found what?” Brackenfur asked.

Cinderpaw’s head moved forward, and the gray apprentice sniffed the leaves of the Moon and Sun. “Herbs!” She cried, looking up, her blue eyes ablaze. “She’s found the cure!”

Before I could ask her how on earth she knew that, everyone broke out in talk again.

“You’ve found the cure? The cure?”

“Are you certain?”

“The cure! We must get back!”

“Where was it? How did you find it?”

“Where’s Gorsethorn, Tigerflame? Why didn’t he come back?”

“The cure? You’re positive?”

I yowled in annoyance, and they were silent. “It is the cure, I’m sure of it,” I continued breathlessly. “I found the Starpath, well, Jasper found it originally, but I’ve got the herbs here. We have to get them back to the Clans before time runs out.”

“But where is Gorsethorn?” Persisted Tawnypelt anxiously. “Why isn’t he with you now?”

I drew a deep breath. “Gorsethorn’s sick,” I meowed in a small voice. “He has the disease.”

Gasps of shock and horror came from the Clan cats around me. I noticed many Tribe warriors peering down at us from the Path of Rushing Water. Many more were gazing around them at the blackened lands, their faces horror struck and bleak at the destruction.

“Is he alright?” Goldenlight inquired. “Did you give him the herbs?”

“Did they work?” Amberleaf put in.

“Yes, but I don’t know if they work yet, or how fast they work,” I meowed to the she-cats. Disappointment flickered in the ShadowClan cat’s eyes. “But we have another problem.”

“What?” Crowfeather and Blazepaw meowed at the same time.

Lowering my voice and leaning in closer to them, I replied, “The Tribe. What are they going to do? Look around. Their territory is ruined.”

“Well, what can we do?” Robinwing asked after a brief pause. “We have our own kin to worry about.”

“We need to get back,” Tawnypelt meowed matter-of-factly. “Soon.”

“The Tribe can look after themselves,” Robinwing continued. “There’s plenty of hunting land in these mountains.”

“But they’ll have to go far every day just to find food, and water,” I pointed out in desperation, flicking my tail at the murky pool.

“It will wash out soon,” Dawninglight stated, pointing to the waterfall with her tail. “Won’t it?”

“Yes,” Cinderpaw mewed slowly, “but there’s still a ton of ash still heaped around the shores, and they can’t move it. I think Tigerflame’s right. We must help these cats.”

“Will they accept our help, though?” Brackenfur asked, shuffling his paws. “Silver, and the others?”

“I think so,” Tawnypelt told us. “They haven’t hesitated to ask for our help in the past, and we’ve helped them in our turn many times. Sharptooth.”

“But how?” It was Amberleaf who asked the quiet question that everyone dreaded.

“I don’t know,” I confessed after another pause, this one longer. “But it would be cruel to simply leave them behind while we go to a place with fresh water and good prey. There must be some way we can help them.”

“What about the moorland beyond WindClan borders?” Goldenlight supplied. “They could stay there until spring. We rarely go there, and I’m sure there are rabbits there. It’s sort of like Tribe land, too.”

“That’s for Onestar to decide,” Crowfeather asserted firmly. “But it’s an idea. I agree—we have to do something. They’ve shared their prey and knowledge with us, and given us shelter, and now it’s our turn.”

“But what about the Clans?” Robinwing questioned.

No one answered.

“We could split up,” Amberleaf suggested tentatively. “Half stay to help the Tribe, half go ahead to deliver the herbs to the Clans…”

“No,” Tawnypelt contradicted. “We were chosen to be one united group. We’re the Twelve Companions of the Light. We can’t split up.”

“But it would make sense!” Amberleaf countered. “How else can we help the Tribe and get back as soon as possible?”

“The Tribe’s not helpless,” Blazepaw snorted. “They can fend for themselves once we’ve given them a head start.”

“But we know the territory, whereas they’ve never been there before,” Goldenlight told the apprentice.

“I know the territory.” It was Jasper who spoke, and once again all eyes turned to the young cat. I stared at him: this was the second time he’d offered his knowledge unexpectedly. Glancing around at the staring faces, he continued, undaunted, “I’ve traveled these moors with Songbird. We can help them.”

“Brilliant!” I meowed enthusiastically. “It’s perfect. We’ll leave with the Tribe, and we’ll go ahead once they’re settled with Jasper and Songbird.”

“I don’t know,” Crowfeather mewed slowly. “Onestar may object.”

“It’s not like they’re moving into our camp, Crowfeather!” Goldenlight meowed playfully, flicking the dark-furred tom’s shoulder with her tail. “WindClan never goes past our borders. They’ll be no trouble.”

“All right,” he agreed at last, after considering this silently for a moment. “We’ll take our ideas to Silver now. If she agrees, we’ll go at once.”

My heart soared. We were going home.

---

Like it? Please comment! Thanks again to my faithful fans. Chapter 9: Desperation will be up...soon, no later than Sunday. This week will be busy for me. The title of chap. nine may change, it depends on what will go in this chapter. I'm a little stuck now, but don't worry. I'll untangle this part of the plot so I can round up this story nicely, hopefully with an exciting ending.

~Sunny

[ghostfeather]

YAY! they found the cure! ;D ;D
that better mean Gorserhorn doesn't die....or else....MUAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

....anyway...post soon!

[Tigerfur]

Tigerfur: Thanks for the comment, you'll see what happens to Gorsethorn Heres the next chapter, enjoy! ;D

Sunsetfur: You guys are THE BEST! Thank you all SOOOOOOOOOOOO much!

Sorry for being late...again. My teachers sprung FOUR tests on us this week as well as three new projects. *dies* No wait, I can't die or you guys will kill me for not finishing this story...anyway, here's chapter 9! I changed the title, as you can see.

Chapter 9
Departure[/u]

I realized as we passed beneath the waterfall that the herbs had to work. If they didn’t, or were the wrong plants, Gorsethorn would die. Far from home, away from the skies of StarClan, in darkness and fear in the Mountains. I couldn’t let that happen. We were the Twelve Companions of the Light, and we had to return to the Clans in triumph, as one, together in victory against the illness.

Three Tribe cats were sent out with Amberleaf, Crowfeather, and Jasper to find Gorsethorn and bring him to the cave. Jasper was thoroughly annoyed, even after many promises that he could see the Tribe’s home as much as he wanted to when he returned again.

Meanwhile, Silver the Healer had given the decision to the Tribe: they would journey with us to stay in the moors until newleaf. Elation spread through me, and energy was restored in my limbs. It would be no easy task: we agreed to stay with the Tribe until they were out of the Mountains before going ahead to help the Clans. Songbird and Jasper would guide them from there.

“Tigerflame!” Tawnypelt bustled over to me with Brackenfur beside her, Blazepaw trailing his mother as if he were still a young kit. Cinderpaw was next to him, and the two apprentices’ heads were bent towards each other’s, giggling as they shared a private joke.

“Yes?” I meowed, lifting my head up to look at her.

“I want you to help Dawninglight and the queens to evacuate the kits. There’s another Tribe she-cat helping too, Song, I think.”

“All right,” I told her, stretching as I got to my paws. I crossed the cave to the familiar nursery tunnel and saw Song’s light gray shape ahead of me. I called out to her in greeting, and she turned, smiling, to greet me also.

“Hey, Tigerflame,” the Tribe she-cat meowed happily, her musically accented voice trilling gently in the enclosed tunnel. “Are you okay? I heard about Gorsethorn.”

My stomach twisted. “Yeah, thanks,” I replied wearily. “I’m just worried. We have to get back to our Clans before the disease consumes them.” If it hasn’t already, a darker part of my mind whispered.

Song flicked her tail lightly across my shoulder comfortingly. “Don’t worry. I’m sure it will work out in the end.”

Doubt and fear prickled down my spine and in my head. There were too many loopholes, too many what if?s. I was silent as we entered the nursery, which was warm and filled with the mewing of the kits. Dawninglight flounced over to me immediately, her fur swishing.

“You’ve come to help? Good,” my half-sister meowed. “Moon and Dawnsinger have six kits together; Dawnsinger with two and Moon with four. They can each carry one, and each of us can carry one…we need one more cat. Can one of you get someone?”

“I will,” Song replied. “The Clan cats are needed more now.” The gray she-cat nodded, turned, and disappeared down the tunnel.

Dawninglight and I watched each other for a moment, and for the first time it struck me how different we looked. She was Reedwhisker and Silverpool’s daughter, with her beautiful silver and black fur, while I was daughter of the sun and moon, the image of Hawkwing, with my mother’s eyes. But I was beginning to feel some new connection between us, something I hadn’t sensed before. The journey has changed us all.

“Well…” Dawninglight looked a bit uncomfortable.

“I’ll help Moon,” I told her, my tone kinder than what I usually gave her. “I have a little experience with kits, since I spent so much time with Morninglight.”

“Okay.” She was relieved.

I swept away without another word, feeling strange. I had always intended to dislike Dawninglight for her flirtatious and foolish ways, but now I felt closer to her. I didn’t know why.

“Hi, Moon,” I meowed to the silvery queen. “Can I help? Silver wants all the kits and kit-mothers by the waterfall at sunhigh.”

“Of course,” the she-cat replied, swiping her tongue over the flank of a gray tabby kit. “Here, take this one. She’s Rain Splash On Stones.”

“What a lovely name,” I murmured. The names of the Tribe cats were a hundred times more elegant than our own formal Clan names. I carefully lifted the little she-kit in my jaws, and she obediently hung limply. Song appeared at my side a moment later with a cave-guard, Bird Who Rides The Wind. “Come on, little one,” Song mewed gently as she picked up another kit. He squalled instantly, his shrieks ringing around the cave.

“Hush!” Moon cried as Song, in surprise, dropped him back into the nest. “I’ll carry Owl, Song. Try Tempest; he’s the calmest of the four, ironically. Bird can have Snowdancer.”

Song picked up a dark tabby kit and, to her obvious relief, he remained quiet. Bird carried the last, Snowdancer, a white she-kit, over to the tunnel mouth, and I followed with Rain.

The cave-guard led the way back into the Cave and crossed it to the great opening. Most of the Tribe was there already, a large crowd of many colors, chattering and speaking in nervous tones. A flash of light brown caught my attention where the Path of Rushing Water began.

“Gorsethorn!”

He looked up at the sound of his name, and a familiar grin split his face. His sun-colored eyes danced with happiness as I placed the kit down beside Dawnsinger and sprinted over to him.

“You’re…well, you’re well!” I meowed joyously, and he reached out and touched my shoulder with his nose.

I stood there for a few long heartbeats, frozen and unsure of what to do. I felt that familiar swooping plunge in my chest while elation surged through my veins.

And then he drew back his head, grinning still. “Now we have the whole Tribe to migration! Well, they seem to be much better at it than the Clans. I guess there’s some advantage to being as solitary as they are—no arguments, no decisions that everyone must agree on.” He sighed and looked out at the rippling veils of water that concealed the Tribe’s cave. “I could stay here forever.”

His words troubled me. “You belong in RiverClan,” I insisted gently. “With me, and Smokepelt, and Ashenrain and Reedwhisker and Silverpool.”

He shook his head. “Of course I do.”

---

Sunset was nearly past when Silver agreed to settle down at a glade of ash trees near the base of the mountain atop which lay the falls. It had been a tedious and long walk, as the apprentices and warriors carrying the kits stumbled frequently. Jasper was unusually sure-footed; the ginger and brown tom leaped ahead as nimbly as a squirrel, calculating distances between rocks without a second thought. Cinderpaw and Blazepaw followed him with a Tribe to-be, Flame.

The dusky gray sky was rapidly darkening with night’s approach. A makeshift den was made for Moon and Dawnsinger in a clump of bracken surrounding a smooth black stone; the fire had not reached here. The brittle leaves of the trees rustled in the breeze that was cooled slightly now. The rest of the cats crouched close together, keeping to the shade of the trees and rocks. Luckily, the sky was clear and cloudless, embroidered with white stars upon a black veil.

I fell asleep quickly beside Gorsethorn, who, for the first time in days, slept easily. I dreamed that we were back at the lake, yet a tall plume of smoke rose from the center of the dark waters. I turned to Silverpool beside me and meowed, “What is it?” She replied in a bleak voice, “It’s the darkness, Tigerflame…”

Sitting upright stiffly, I relaxed my nerves and allowed my shoulder fur to lie flat. I shook my head rapidly, clearing the thoughts of smoke and darkness from my mind. Silverpool’s green eyes were burned into my vision. I rose clumsily, catching my paw on a jutting stone. Nursing my scratched pad, I crossed the grove as silently as possible. No cat stirred, thankfully.

I clambered up onto a tall boulder and gazed up at the sky. The new moon was invisible to me tonight. We had been gone for a little over two weeks. I’d guess three days will be enough time to reach WindClan, I reasoned carefully. Looking around, I started when I saw another cat sitting not to far away. Cinderpaw lay atop a smaller rock a few fox-lengths away, her deep blue eyes swiveling around restlessly.

“Cinderpaw?” She looked up, startled at my approach. “What are you doing?”

“What are you doing?” She countered swiftly, an unusual sharp edge to her tone.

“Couldn’t sleep,” I told her slowly.

The gray apprentice stiffened. “Well,” she meowed, “I couldn’t either. I woke up.”

Obviously. “I was dreaming about my mother again. She was back in the forest, and she was so sad…”

“Your mother had very little joy in her lifetime,” Cinderpaw mewed, still looking skyward. “After Hawkwing and your siblings died.”

I choked, aghast. “How do you know about this?”

She shrugged, and her apprentice side came back. “I know a lot of things.”

“Yes, but that was her secret—”

“She suffered greatly because of her choice,” Cinderpaw cut across me, and she turned her gaze upon my face, and her eyes burned into mine, bright blue and unnatural. “But without it, you would not have been born.”

“I don’t understand,” I meowed helplessly, utterly lost. “You’re an apprentice! How do you know all this?”

“It’s complicated,” she stated.

“So?” I argued. “How? Why do you know so much? No one could have told you that, except—”

“Hawkwing?”

“No,” I snarled, fury rising up inside me. “As you just so very kindly pointed out, he’s dead, and has been for—”

“Of course he’s dead. I know that.”

“Will you stop interrupting me?” My fury exploded out of me. “Okay, I want answers, and no more vague mysteries. Who are you and how do you know all this?”

Cinderpaw’s face was dark and mournful, and she trained her eyes on the heavens. “I met Hawkwing. He was an intelligent cat, quite kindly, and utterly devoted to Silverpool. He was sad, though, like your mother.”

“You can’t have met him,” I mewed tersely. “You were born after he died.”

“I met him. He had light brown fur with hints of gold, very much like yours, and eyes like the sun.”

Ripples of astonishment passed through me. How could she have known that? Silverpool always described Hawkwing’s eyes like that.

The gray apprentice’s eyes bored into my own. “I met Hawkwing of WindClan, Tigerflame, in StarClan.”

“What…?” I spluttered. “How…?”

“I was once Cinderpelt, and I walked these lands a lifetime ago.”

---

Well...I don't know when the next chapter will be finished. Once again, its title is likely to change, but for now it's called Chapter 10: Raven. And no, it doesn't refer to Ravenpaw. I hope you liked this chapter; there wasn't a lot of action and a bit boring, I guess. The plot becomes thicker in the next few chapters.

~Sunny

EDIT: I messed up the chapter number! Sorry! It used to say chapter 10, but now it's correctly labeled as nine.