Shadestar froze, shock written all over his face. Pebblepelt and the patrol had just arrived on the gathering island, and after washing themselves off in the lake water, they had reported what they saw. Nightfeather squirmed as she recalled the events. It was horrific and brutal to watch, and the memories were seared deep in her brain.

Shadestar regained his composure. "From what you report, can we conclude that RiverClan is in danger?"

Wolffur gave a tight nod. "Yes."

Shadestar closed his eyes, than continued. "And Rosestar is recruiting rogues for RoseClan?" He spat the name.

Nightfeather shivered. Fury was radiating from every cat. She could feel it.

"Indeed." Echowing said, tone brisk.

"Than we will wait until after the gathering. If Rosestar shows up, we will confront her. As for Thistle and RoseClan, Mistflower and I are working on a battle plan. Senior warriors, meet me by the north shoreline. Now." Shadestar leaped off the tree, landing gracefully next to his deputy. The two padded behind the tree and dissapeared.

Nightfeather sighed. She wasn't a senior warrior, not yet. She watched as Pebblepelt, Addertooth, Fawnfur, Echowing, and Blazefur followed. Sparrowwing, Rainheart, Wolffur, and Snowstripe were the only ones left. She flicked her tail awkwardly

Sparrowwing immediately headed towards her, tail tip twitching. "Hey," he greeted her.

Nightfeather smiled gratefully at him. "Hi."

The brown tabby tom sat next to her and gave her ear a lick, a purr rumbling in his throat. "It must have been hard to see that. You could have asked me to go with you."

Nightfeather felt irritation itching in the back of her mind. Did he think she couldn't take care of herself? "I can take care of myself." She muttered, eyes slits.

Sparrowwing curled a tail around her. "I still have to protect you."

Nightfeather flicked her tail away from his. "No, you don't. I'm still a warrior, just like you."

Sparrowwing heaved a sigh. "Why are you so stubborn all the time? I feel obligated to help you becausr of how tiny you are."

Nightfeather suppressed a laugh. She felt her ears grow hot as he used his two front paws to squish around her cheeks, eyes sparkling. "You're tiny and squishy. It's a win win."

Rainheart had begun to chuckle, and Nightfeather pushed him away playfully. "Stop!" She laughed.

Sparrowwing batted at her with a paw and frowned. "I'm worried about what's going to happen to our Clan," he meowed.

Nightfeather glanced at her mate. She was usually the worried one. Sparrowwing was easy going and seemed to not have a care in the world. "Don't worry about it. The other Clans won't support her. She's clearly in the wrong."

"Great StarClan," he murmured. "That isn't a lot to stand on. ThunderClan hates us, and Flamestar's as prickly as a porcupine."

Nightfeather sighed. "I know, I know. It's just something we'll have to deal with when we get there."

The bushes behind the tree rustled, and the senior warriors padded into the clearing, all looking quite disgruntled. Nightfeather flicked her tail, puzzled, as Shadestar leaped onto the tree.

"We have decided to attack the RiverClan camp in three days. In the meantime, our current condition is not to be reported to ThunderClan and RiverClan. Something else must also take place tonight. I have decided to make Leaftail's kits apprentices." His yellow eyes scanned the clearing.

Leaftail's jaw dropped open and she rapidly began grooming her kits, flustered. "Shadestar! We weren't warned! I haven't groomed them, or-"

Shadestar cut her off gently. "It's alright."

Sunkit bounded forward, his siblings close behind.

Shadestar smiled down at the four cats. "Sunkit, step forward. From this moment on, you will be known as Sunpaw. Your mentor will be Echowing."

The black and gray she-cat looked surprised, but padded forward nonetheless. She bent down to touch her nose to the ginger tom's.

"I trust you to pass down your hutning skills and loyalty. And to keep him in check." Shadestar grinned.

The Clan rumbled with laughter as Echowing gave her reply.

"Thornkit, step forward. From this moment on, you will be known as Thornpaw. Rainheart, you are a loyal warrior. I trust you will pass down all you know to her."

Rainheart stepped forward. "I will." He touched noses to the brown apprentice. Thornpaw glanced at him admirably and Nightfeather let out a purr. The young she-cat reminded her of herself.

"Cloudkit, step forward. From this moment on, you will be known as Cloudpaw. Snowstripe, you are a brave and witty warrior. I know for a fact that you will pass down those qualities to this young apprentice."

Snowstripe stepped forward, a purr rumbling in her throat. Cloudpaw eagerly bounced forward, almost tripping over his own paws.

Shadestar flicked an ear. "Runningkit, step forward. From this moment on, you will be known as Runningpaw. Your mentor will be Wolffur. Wolffur, you have had an apprentice already. She has turned into a great warrior. I'm sure Runningpaw will share her fate."

Nightfeather felt heat rise in her pelt as a few cats glanced at her. She bit her lip and avoided their gazes. Runningpaw stepped forward and, somewhat shyly, touched noses with the white and gold tom.

"Tonight, we have made four new apprentices. ShadowClan is strong." Shadestar dipped his head and leaped to the ground, dissapearing beneath the roots of the tree. Mistflower followed him.

Leaftail was watching her kits fondly. Nightfeather padded over to the dazed she-cat and smiled. "How does it feel to be a warrior again?"

Leaftail mirrored her expression. "Wonderful," she breathed. "But I'm going to miss them, all the same."

》》》》》》》》》》》》

Nightfeather stroked Sparrowwing's spine with her tail as they both dipped into slumber, her eyelids beginning to droop. One of the cats near her stirred.

"Nightfeather! Go to sleep!" Hissed an irritated Addertooth.

Nightfeather ducked her head. "Sorry!" She squeaked quietly.

The black she-cat curled up, trying to even her breathing. She had always had trouble sleeping at night. Once, Fawnfur had asked Blazefur about it, but he just gave her some poppy seeds. She smiled to herself as she recalled Duskpaw. For some reason, as a kit, he would always refuse to eat birds. He hated the feathered creatures. Nightfeather felt a purr rumble in her throat as she faded into sleep.

》》》》》》》》》

A soft breeze rushed through the clearing, rustling the heather fronds bordering it. The sun was just beginning to dip below the lake, casting a pink shadow over its water. The cats of ShadowClan were sharing tongues, the air content. Nightfeather lapped at Sparrowwing's ruffled pelt. He was going on and on about how Echowing made him search for a mouse in a thistle thicket, but Nightfeather wasn't particularly paying attention. She just loved to heaf his voice, the way it rumbled when they shared tongues.

"And I didn't even catch it! I just got stuck!" He exclaimed. "Mistflower had to pull me out. Do you know how mortified I was!?"

"Mmm," Nightfeather murmured as she finished lapping at his tangled fur. The brown tabby tom had groomed hers earlier that day.

"To be honest, I just feel bad for Thornpaw and her siblings," he continued, tail flicking as he sat up to face her. They were both nestled underneath an oak, relishing the darkness. It had seemed so prominent in ShadowClan territory. Now, there was almost none in the day. "They'll never be able to see the territory, or hunt in the swamp, or protect the borders. Sure, they can be trained here, but it'll never last."

Nightfeather nodded in agreement, head buzzing with her own thoughts. "Your bother has Thornpaw, right?"

Sparrowwing smiled. "He does. And she seems to like him."

Nightfeather purred as she was suddenly hit with a pang of nostalgia. "Remember when I just became an apprentice?"

"And I made your nest for you!" Sparrowwing finished for her with a laugh.

Nightfeather echoed his laugh. "Yeah. I was prickly, wasn't I?"

He nodded. "Yes. Yes you were."

"Well that was because..." She trailed off as one thought led to another. "Beetlewing died."

Sparrowwing dipped his head to her, voice taking on a sadder tone. "Yeah. I'm sorry."

Nightfeather quickly tried to change the subject, tail twitching. Within these past few days, she had become frighteningly good at masking her emotions. "How about Brackenclaw?" She asked, voice barely a whisper.

Sparrowwing stiffened at the name of his deceased father. He had died when they were both kits from sickness. Blazefur couldn't save him.

The brown tabby tom avoided her gaze. "I miss him," was all he said.

Nightfeather opened her jaws to press further on the matter, but she was interrupted by a screech.

"Fox!"

The two warriors were on their paws within a heartbeat. Nightfeather's eyes widened as she spotted Echowing heaving for breath. The black and gray she-cat's fur dripped with blood, though her wounds didn't seem too severe. Her pelt reeked of fox.

Shadestar was by her side in a heartbeat, fur bristling. "Where?" He snapped.

Nightfeather unseated her claws. They were especially vulnerable, with every cat hungry.

"Queens, apprentices, and elders, get into the den! Mistflower, Echowing, Wolffur, Addertooth, Fawnfur, Nightfeather, Sparrowwing, and Rainheart, come with me! Everyone else gaurd camp!" Shadestar called, turning around to crash into the bushes.

Nightfeather felt her heart race and shook out her pelt. She watched as Lilyheart and Birdsong scurried into their den, Thornpaw, Cloudpaw, Sunpaw, and Runningpaw close behind.

The black she-cat blinked and sprinted after the patrol, side by side with Sparrowwing. Adrenaline pumped into her veins at the thought of battling blood-thirsty foxes. They couldn't get into the clearing.

Nightfeather let out a hiss as the patrol skidded to a stop and wrinkled her nose in disgust. Fox. Fox scent was eveverywhere. She pushed through the line of cats and bit back a squeak of terror.

In front of them stood four foxes, fangs bared and dripping with blood.

:( I actually have three more chapters ready to publish, but its hard.

So... qotd.

Qotd: Is Rosestar a good villian?
Aotd: Nope. I suck at writing anyway :P

Bye ♥