Luckystar stretched in her den as weak rays of sunlight poured in. Brackenfur padded in shortly. "You asked for me?" he mewed.

"I did," Luckystar purred. "Bring Lionblaze, Leafpool, Jayfeather, Squirrelflight and Goldenperch to my den."

"A meeting?" Brackenfur tilted his head. "I'll bring them." He promised before exiting the den.

Luckystar pondered the events of the attack. DarkClan had found their camp. She sighed and rested her head on the soft moss. Luckystar knew she would have to do something but didn't know what. She couldn't bring the Clan into battle; they had no idea how many cats there were in DarkClan.

"You asked for us?" Luckystar was distracted from her thoughts by the warriors filing into the den. Brackenfur brought up the rear.

"Yes." Luckystar mewed, sitting up straight. "We must discuss DarkClan."

"About time!" Jayfeather snapped.

"Hush!" Leafpool chided her son.

"I won't!" Jayfeather grunted. But he fell silent.

Six pairs of eyes gleamed at her as she decided on what to say. "You're my council," she managed at last. "What should I do about DarkClan?"

"Tell the other Clans." Squirrelflight responded immediately.

"We should not attack DarkClan, we don't know how many cats they have," Brackenfur added, voicing her concerns.

"We can send a messenger to the other Clans then prepare the cats for battle," Lionblaze suggested.

"I think we should attack them first," Goldenperch interrupted. "I know how they work. They fight not for justice, but for fun. There will be far too many deaths if we let them chase us into our camp."

"Yet we'd be fighting on unfamiliar territory," Leafpool argued.

"Enough!" Luckystar commanded. "I will do what Lionblaze has said. Squirrelflight, will you see to preparing the elders for battle?"

"I'll be on it!" Squirrelflight purred.

"Jayfeather. Will you and Larkleaf prepare the medicine supplies in case some cats get wounded seriously?" Luckystar let her blue eyes rest on the medicine cat.

"Okay." His blind eyes stared at her back.

"Brackenfur, Lionblaze and Goldenperch, will you three sort out training sessions that won't clash with hunting patrols and border patrols? Goldenperch can teach them some moves that will counter the DarkClan moves nicely." Luckystar continued, her tail flicking restlessly.

"No problem," Goldenperch mewed. "Those mange-pelts won't know what hit them!"

"Good. Then this meeting is over," Luckystar declared. She bounded out of the den and leapt onto the Highledge.

"Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" she yowled.

The apprentices tumbled out of their den while the warriors stood up from where they were sharing tongues or resting in the shade and strode over to the Highledge.

Luckystar described the training sessions and which senior warrior would help with which. "I want Echopaw, Hollyleaf, Foxleap and Frogpaw to go out with Goldenperch first. Dawnpaw, Sunpaw, Rosepetal and I will go with Goldenperch next. Thunderpaw and Lightningpaw, go with your mentors and Brackenfur to battle training. Lionblaze, take out a patrol to play out a fight."

Echopaw, Frogpaw, Hollyleaf and Foxleap gave a brief nod before heading out of the camp. 

Luckystar dipped her head to her sister and gave her a blink gratefully as they met eyes. "Thanks," she murmured.

"It's the least I could do after joining our enemy," Goldenperch mewed back.

"I suppose so," Luckystar purred. "It's good to have you back."

Goldenperch licked Luckystar's shoulder quickly before calling her group together. They set off at a brisk trot and disappeared towards the training hollow quickly. Luckystar addressed the Clan members still in camp. "Brackenfur, organize some hunting patrols and a border patrol. We mustn't let this get to us."

"Sure," Brackenfur replied.

"And I want Hazeltail, Dovewing and Larkleaf to go to WindClan and tell them about this threat. Jayfeather, Whitewing and Toadstep can go to ShadowClan. I shall go to RiverClan with Duskpelt and Pineleaf." Luckystar finished.

The Clan cats dispersed to their assigned areas or to their dens quietly but Luckystar could scent the fear and tension in the air. Luckystar paced around the camp, peeking in the dens to check in on the cats. Once she reached the apprentices' den, she could see her own apprentice, Dawnpaw, was in a state.

"Are you alright?" she inquired.

Dawnpaw shook out her brown fur and curled her tail up. "I will do my best to fight for my Clan."

Luckystar was touched. "Good. But be careful. Battles can be dangerous." She warned.

"I will." Dawnpaw promised eagerly, all anxiety gone.

"Duskpelt! Pineleaf! We're going." Luckystar called her patrol together.

Duskpelt scurried over quickly while Pineleaf slunk towards her. She noticed that Pineleaf, in particular, was finding it hard to break his habit of slinking around. After all, he used to be ShadowClan.

Duskpelt met Luckystar's pace as the reached the lake. "Will we go through WindClan or ShadowClan territory?"

"We will cross WindClan's. But make sure to keep next to the lake," Luckystar cautioned. 

Pineleaf nodded slowly before the three cats ran across the moor. The new-leaf wind whipped her muzzle and eyes, causing her to narrow them. Luck was on their side. No WindClan cats emerged to confront them with hostility. They reached the the far end of WindClan's border and the three cats stopped, panting.

"We'll rest for a bit," Luckystar decided. "We'll keep going at sunhigh."

Sunhigh came. Luckystar let her tail rest on the two napping cats beside her, gentling nudging them awake. Her tail quivered as she heard a RiverClan patrol coming their way.

"Wake up!" she hissed.

Duskpelt blinked sleep away, purring as she gazed at her mate. Pineleaf soon stirred as he scented the fish-smelling cats.

"Stop right there!" The leader of the patrol, Pondwhisker growled. "What are you ThunderClan cats doing on our border with WindClan?"

"We're allowed to be here," Luckystar lifted her chin. "We're within three tail-lengths of the shore. I have urgent matters to discuss with Mistystar?"

"What are those urgent matters?" Another RiverClan cat sneered.

"With Mistystar." Luckystar emphasized the last word.

"I suppose I'll take them to camp," Pondwhisker mewed hesitantly.

Luckystar nodded to the four RiverClan cats and strode into their territory, heading towards their camp. Duskpelt and Pineleaf trailed after her, both looking rather worried.

"Mistystar!" Luckystar stopped at their camp. "I wish to speak to you."

"This couldn't have waited until the next Gathering?" the sleek form of RiverClan's leader strode out from a den made out of reeds.

"No." Luckystar replied shortly. "We'll discuss it privately," she added, glaring at the eavesdropping cats. "Duskpelt and Pineleaf, wait here for me. I'm sure our generous hosts can provide fresh-kill, after all, we didn't trek all the way here just to chat."

Mistystar led Luckystar into her own den and she filled the leader in on about the DarkClan attack. "Our Clan is preparing for battle. And I advise your Clan to as well."

"You speak truth," Mistystar acknowledged thoughtfully. "If we were to fight Dark Forest cats- DarkClan again, I will ally with you and your Clan. Are WindClan and ShadowClan being told?"

"Yes. I sent out messengers." Luckystar mewed. "I'm sure an alliance against a shared enemy would work," she purred.

"You are welcome to stay the night. Like you said earlier, it wasn't easy to get here from ThunderClan," Mistystar dipped her head.

"Thank you, but I must get back. Apprentices to train, the usual." Luckystar dipped her head back. She strode out of the den, calling Duskpelt and Pineleaf to her as she went.

The run back to ThunderClan territory was luxurious and relaxing. They padded along in silence as the entered the thorn barrier. A disgruntled Brackenfur was speaking with Brightheart and Cloudtail. He swung around as he heard her enter. "Luckystar! Cloudtail and Brightheart wish to speak with you."

Luckystar wondered what was going on. Perhaps the two cats had noticed something on a patrol? She headed over, dismissing Duskpelt and Pineleaf.

"Luckystar," Cloudtail began.

"We've decided to retire to the elders' den." Brightheart finished in her soft voice. "We're both old and we probably should've retired awhile ago."

Luckystar was taken aback. But now that she looked carefully, she could see gray hairs dotted on Cloudtail's white muzzle and gray hairs sprinkled among Brightheart's creamy muzzle.

"I will announce it to the Clan this evening," she promised. "I'm sure the other elders will enjoy your company.

"Dawnpaw!" She caught sight of her apprentice. "Find Sunpaw and Rosepetal and tell them to meet us in the training hollow. I'll fetch Goldenperch."

Dawnpaw gave an excited mew and dashed off eagerly. Luckystar scanned the cats in camp; Hazeltail, Hollyleaf, Icecloud, Ivypool, Pineleaf and Duskpelt were still in camp.

There! Goldenperch was in elders' den, talking to Longtail with Leafpool.

"Goldenperch. We're about to begin our training session-" she started before she noticed Longtail wasn't moving.

"Longtail?" Leafpool prodded the elder.

"Longtail!" Goldenperch yowled.

"He's d-dead?" Luckystar murmured. Grief swamped her.

"He was an old cat." Leafpool mewed sadly. "It was his time."

Firestar and Sandstorm stared in shock. Of course. They had known Longtail for a long time. Nodding to the elders, she backed out of the den with Goldenperch in tow. They would have a lot of news when she called the Clan meeting at nightfall.

---

At the training hollow, Luckystar watched with interest as Goldenperch demonstrated the most commonly used move by DarkClan cats. Rosepetal stood in front of her, looking uneasy. When the older she-cat lunged at her sister, Goldenperch ducked the bite and whipped her body around so suddenly, she was the one lunging. Then, she closed her jaws delicately around Rosepetal's throat.

"If I was a real DarkClan cat, Rosepetal would be dead." She announced solemnly.

Sunpaw and Dawnpaw gave matching cries of shock and disgust.

"This is how you can stop it from killing you." Goldenperch continued. She flipped Rosepetal around so she was the one on the ground. Using a forepaw, she batted Rosepetal's jaws away and they closed on thin air. She thrust her neck forward, nipping Rosepetal's ear. With amazing speed, she rolled out of the way as Rosepetal tried another bite. Goldenperch raked her paws on her flank while she was distracted. Pushing her over, Goldenperch went for a last blow. Victorious, she nodded to the cats watching. "Most DarkClan cats are cocky and power-hungry. They want revenge. They don't follow the warrior code. They will kill you."

After the training session, the five exhausted cats trooped back to camp. Luckystar still had to make her announcements. Thankfully, most of the Clan was resting or eating fresh-kill that the hunting patrols had brought in. That reminded her of her own rumbling stomach. She'd eat after the meeting.

Bounding up to the Highledge, she gave the summons. The cats gathered and only a few knew what she was to announce. "We have news." She looked down at the Clan. "Cloudtail and Brightheart are retiring to the elders' den."

"Cloudtail! Brightheart!" The Clan cheered their names somberly.

"They have earned their rest. Now." Luckystar cleared her throat. "Some of you may know, but Longtail died today. He was old and it was his time."

"No!" Ferncloud yowled. Luckystar remembered that Ferncloud had been Longtail's apprentice.

Dustpelt looked on sadly. He had been Longtail's half-brother. Brightheart, Brackenfur and Thornclaw had also been Longtail's distant kin. 

"We will sit vigil for him tonight. And remember, he watches us from StarClan now." Luckystar reminded the Clan gently. The elders dragged his body out for the vigil. Luckystar looked away. She had not been close to Longtail. Only his family and friends would sit his vigil.

Grabbing a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile, she paced to her den. Flopping down sleepily, she gave thanks to StarClan for the prey and dug in. The threat of DarkClan loomed in her mind, but she pushed it away. More battle plans would be made tomorrow. All she wanted to do now was sleep. Walking to RiverClan and back had not done good to her aching limbs, not to mention battle training straight after!

DarkClan would be back. She was sure of it. But another thing was also for sure. They'd beat the fox-hearted Clan. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, a loud yowl woke her up. For good.

"Help!"