"Help!" Goldenperch heard the distress call as she was settling in her nest. It was definitely a she-cat's call. It was clear that the other cats in the camp had heard it too. Dashing out of the den, she noticed Luckystar and Brackenfur alert, their ears twitching. Thank goodness it wasn't a Clanmate. Luckystar started issuing instructions.

"I want a small patrol of cats to go investigate. I will lead them. Goldenperch, Hollyleaf, Larkleaf, Fogwhisker and Dawnpaw come with us." Luckystar ordered. "Brackenfur, organize a second patrol of cats in case we need reinforcements."

Brackenfur dipped his head. "Frogpaw, Thunderpaw, Lightningpaw, Echopaw, Foxleap, Pineleaf, Poppyfrost, Squirrelflight and Whitewing, you can be the second patrol. Jayfeather, you can come with us but do not fight."

"The rest of you stay in camp to defend the elders." Luckystar commanded before signaling with her tail for her patrol to head off.

Goldenperch ran side by side with her sister as they headed towards the Gathering island. The wail had come from there. "Be quiet. This could be an ambush." Luckystar warned. "If it's an ambush, Dawnpaw, you must be ready to run back to camp to get reinforcements."

Dawnpaw gave a confident nod and puffed out her chest.

Goldenperch followed Luckystar across the tree-bridge and to her horror, the island was in chaos. Dawnpaw saw her cue and bounded back towards ThunderClan's camp, tail streaming behind her. Goldenperch peered towards the battle; Mistystar of RiverClan was facing off a horde of DarkClan cats. She counted ten, no twenty cats standing behind a tom. He was the leader, she guessed, although she had never seen him before.

"Greetings." Luckystar mewed coldly to the rogues. "What causes you to break the peace of the Gathering island and to ambush a leader?"

The tom pulled himself to his full height. "I found this cat sneaking around my camp. I woke up and she fled. We pursued her here."

"It's not true!" Mistystar snarled angrily. "I had a vision that told me to come here alone." She paused. "These cats were waiting here for me."

"StarClan wouldn't do that to you." Fogwhisker sneered. "Perhaps you're the one lying."

"Fogwhisker! Don't accuse a Clan leader of lying!" Luckystar spoke sharply. "Rogues, leave our territory now. Otherwise we will put up a fight."

The leader bristled slightly. "Never! This land is prey-rich and the cats here are so dumb they can't see their own tail, not even if it was right in front of them!"

"Then you shall have a battle." Luckystar gave a piercing yowl. "Attack!"

Goldenperch found herself locked in battle with a skinny tom. "Yellowbranch? Why are you here?" she dodged his vicious bite. Yellowbranch had been one of the less blood thirsty DarkClan cats.

Goldenperch saw a glimmer of recognition in Yellowbranch's pale eyes and he reared up suddenly. "Goldenperch!" He cried. "I'm sorry. Tigerstar gave us orders. The cats here," he motioned around them, "these are the ones who are in trouble with him. We were too weak, apparently. He told us to defeat at least one leader tonight. Otherwise he'd kill us all. He also told us if we saw your sister, we should capture her." With that, he spun around and joined the cats in bringing down Luckystar.

Goldenperch sprung forward and raked her claws down his back. "No one threatens Luckystar!" she hissed.

Yellowbranch faced her again. His eyes were filled with regret. "You leave me no choice, then." He said in an even voice. The two cats sparred and fought, neither of them letting down their guard. Goldenperch realized she was quickly tiring out. Instead of playing on the defensive, she ducked his blow and shot underneath his belly to nip his hind leg. Yellowbranch staggered and she reared up onto her hind paws to push him over.

Yellowbranch fell into the mud and the thick substance oozed over his face and body and splattered onto Goldenperch's white underbelly. She plunged her paws down, claws unsheathed, and ripped open a gash in his stomach. Yellowbranch let out a gurgle before falling still. Goldenperch quickly checked he wasn't dead, then turned away. His Clan would find him later.

Goldenperch spotted Luckystar facing off against three full grown DarkClan toms. One of them was the leader of the patrol. Finally, she recognized the twisted features. It was one of the senior warriors; Redstorm. His orange-red tabby coat gleamed in the moonlight when he spun around, swiftly dodging Luckystar's blows while administrating his own. Luckystar was bleeding heavily from a gash on her cheek and a tear in her ear. Taking a moment to catch her breath, her eyes travelled to Fogwhisker.

As she watched Fogwhisker fight a DarkClan calico, she saw something was wrong. Very wrong. The calico was only a kit, while Fogwhisker was a trained warrior! But to her horror, the kit seemed to be winning. Fogwhisker was limping on three paws and his movements were slow and unsteady. His eyes were glazed over, probably from the lack of sleep from sneaking out to see his secret mate! The kit knocked the warrior over and clambered onto his back, raking her miniature claws. She jumped down lightly before calling a tortoiseshell over. The tortoiseshell bit her jaws down on Fogwhisker's neck and with a sickening crack, he keeled over, dead.

The first death of the battle.

"Go away!" Goldenperch whirled around and saw Brackenfur's patrol charging towards them. The DarkClan cats hissed menacingly, arching their backs. Luckystar gave a yowl and with Brackenfur and Goldenperch at her side, they fought Redstorm. Their size and skill were equaled. Redstorm was a tough opponent, with his long claws and sharpened teeth. She remembered from her time in the Dark Forest that Redstorm used to bully his own apprentices. An apprentice that she knew- Silverpaw- she had been Redstorm's apprentice. Every time she returned from training, she would be bleeding, and her ears would be torn. She had never recovered.

Goldenperch spun lightly and batted Redstorm's claws away. If she hadn't, they could've given her a severe injury. Luckystar took Redstorm's moment of weakness to her advantage and she pressed in on the older cat, biting his ear viciously. Redstorm gave a yowl of pain but he didn't seem fazed. He continued attacking with the same vicious frenzy.

"This is only the beginning!" Redstorm purred, his eyes alight with wild laughter. "DarkClan will rule!"

Luckystar responded by leaping over the warrior and pinning him onto the ground. Brackenfur leapt to his leader's aid, pushing Redstorm's forepaws into the churned-up mud. "This won't keep me down forever!" he snarled.

Goldenperch watched with horror as Redstorm lifted himself up with great strength. Luckystar and Brackenfur were both knocked backwards. "You." Redstorm barked at a DarkClan apprentice. "Keep the traitor busy."

The apprentice nodded fearfully before charging at Goldenperch. She dodged his initial attack and twisted her claws down his belly. He let out a wail before curling into a ball. Goldenperch surged forwards, rage filling her mind. She leaned over the apprentice, but he spun around, teeth bared. It was a trick! The apprentice had grasped her ear. Goldenperch wriggled and squirmed but she couldn't get free; his jaws were very strong for such a young cat.

"Stop!" Luckystar caterwauled. "Redstorm. Your fight is with me and me alone. Or are you too cowardly?"

Redstorm grinned crazily. "DarkClan, move back!" he howled.

"ThunderClan, this is my battle. I will defeat Redstorm!" Luckystar yowled to her warriors.

Brackenfur seemed horrified but stepped backwards.

Redstorm and Luckystar trod in a circle. Goldenperch couldn't bear to watch it. Then, Luckystar made the first move. She darted forwards swiftly, dodging Redstorm's jaws and going underneath him, biting her opponent on the hind leg. Redstorm staggered and limped away. She saw blood trickling down the bite, it looked sore and yellow pus pulsed from it. Luckystar ducked as Redstorm thrusted towards her tender ears. Luckystar leaped high into the air. Her eyes had a cold glint in them. She landed on Redstorm's back and sank her teeth into his neck.

Goldenperch widened her eyes. Luckystar was trying to kill him! But as she watched, she realized Redstorm would not die so easily. He shook Luckystar off and sank his jaws deep into her belly. Luckystar shivered before going still. The light faded from her eyes. She was losing a life!

"Luckystar!" Brackenfur gave a shocked yowl. "ThunderClan, attack!" he led the ThunderClan warriors towards Redstorm. Goldenperch found herself at his side.

Redstorm took one haughty glance at Brackenfur and kicked out a powerful paw. Brackenfur snarled slightly before the wound on his belly started bleeding. Goldenperch dragged his body out of the DarkClan warriors' way and looked around for a medicine cat. Blood was pooling over her paws; her fur was stained red and all she could smell was the metallic scent of blood.

"Jayfeather! Help!" Goldenperch called to the medicine cat. Jayfeather's sightless blue eyes travelled to Brackenfur's body.

"It's too late." He mewed gently. "He's dying."

"No!" Goldenperch insisted. "You've got to help him!"

She was so caught up in grief that she didn't notice Luckystar opening her eyes. There was a loud crack, and everyone turned to Luckystar and Redstorm. Her sister was standing, with blood on her muzzle and fur, and Redstorm was lying still. Redstorm was dead.

---

The Clan sat silently around the still bodies of Brackenfur and Fogwhisker. Luckystar stood forward, her pelt gleaming in the moonlight.

"I say these words before the body of Brackenfur, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors will hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of ThunderClan will be Goldenperch." Luckystar mewed somberly.

"What?!" Thornclaw growled. "She hasn't mentored an apprentice yet!"

"I was getting to that. Goldenperch is currently mentoring Echopaw, who is ready to become a warrior." Luckystar silenced the protests. "Brackenfur was Thunderpaw's mentor, but he has passed. However, Thunderpaw will not be needing a new mentor."

Goldenperch gasped. She was to become deputy!

"No cat can say Goldenperch didn't fight bravely today. And no cat can say that the apprentices who came, Lightningpaw, Thunderpaw, Echopaw, Frogpaw and Dawnpaw, didn't fight with the bravery and the skill of a warrior. Frogpaw and Dawnpaw are too young to be made apprentices, but Lightningpaw, Thunderpaw and Echopaw are ready.

Lightningpaw, Thunderpaw and Echopaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect the Clan at all times, even at the cost of your life?" Luckystar purred.

"I do." Lightningpaw said clearly.

"I do." Thunderpaw mewed with delight, his voice quivering.

"I do." Echopaw echoed happily.

"Then I give you your warrior names. From this moment on, Lightningpaw will be known as Lightningstrike, Thunderpaw will be known as Thunderstorm and Echopaw will be known as Echoflight." Luckystar rested her muzzle on all three newly made warriors' heads before licking them.

"Lightningstrike! Thunderstorm! Echoflight!" Goldenperch raised her voice and joined in the cheering.

"We will now sit vigil for Fogwhisker and Brackenfur." Luckystar added before pushing her muzzle in her trusted deputy's fur. 

Fogwhisker's didn't have any kin; he was abandoned as a kit to die. ThunderClan had taken him in. But he had grown close to Thunderstorm and Lightningstrike. The two newly made warriors sat at his side, keeping their warrior vigil and their friend's vigil. 

After the Clan started to disperse, Goldenperch raced to Echoflight's side and nuzzled her. "Congratulations!" she purred.

"I'm busy, Goldenperch." Echoflight rolled her eyes. "I have to keep a vigil remember?"

"Demonpaw should be here." Goldenperch tilted her head sadly.

"I know. But he's not." Echoflight mewed.

Goldenperch turned and plodded back into the warriors' den, her mind filled with thoughts of Demonpaw. How was he? Was he eating well? Was he cold? Was he even alive? Slowly, she drifted off to sleep, but her dreams were not much more peaceful.

Goldenperch rose early the next day to order patrols. "Rosepetal, take Sunpaw and Lightningstrike out on the dawn patrol to the WindClan border. Hazeltail, find yourself a hunting patrol. Cherryheart, go with Bumblestripe, Foxleap and Frogpaw on another hunting patrol. Hollyleaf, you can lead the midday patrol. Take two warriors. Go to the ShadowClan border. Thunderstorm, you can take a hunting patrol once the midday patrol comes back. Same with you, Lionblaze." Goldenperch finished issuing the orders and padded into Luckystar's den.

"Luckystar." She greeted her respectfully.

"Goldenperch. What do you want?"

"Well, it occurred to me that you've been neglecting Dawnpaw's training. Perhaps you'd like to assign her to a different mentor?" Goldenperch asked warily.

"I do not." Luckystar replied coldly. "I've been taking her out at night."

"Oh-okay. Sorry." Goldenperch mewed before backing out of the den. It was proabbly true. Dawnpaw slept during the day until sunhigh and Luckystar was always tired when she got up at dawn. Her peace was interrupted shortly though. The dawn patrol was racing back into the camp, breathless and panting.

"Goldenperch!" Rosepetal called. "We have news. But you won't like it."

Rosepetal explained that at the WindClan border, they had seen a DarkClan cat running around with another cat. The cats' scent had a trace of ThunderClan in it.

"Go tell Luckystar," Goldenperch ordered Sunpaw. "Rosepetal, Molewhisker, Lionblaze, Dawnpaw, Squirrelflight, Whitewing and Larkleaf, come with me."

Her patrol followed her out of the camp and at the WindClan border, a scent that she hadn't smelled in a long time hit her right in the nostrils. It was tainted with rogue scent and DarkClan scent, but she recognized it. After all, what mother wouldn't recognize her own kit?

Demonpaw!