Goldenperch charged at the head of her patrol, her tail streaming and her ears pricked. She bowled Demonpaw over and looked down at his face. His face- not only was his right eye mangled, but someone had raked sharp claws down his entire right side of his face. He showed no pain, however, and thrust Goldenperch off.

She staggered as she landed, shooting Demonpaw a look. "Demonpaw! Don't you recognize me?" she pleaded.

"Demonpaw is no more. My name is Demonclaw. I have come back to wreak revenge on the Clan that cast me out, called me a traitor!" Goldenperch was taken aback by her son's hiss.

"Demonclaw, then. Stop this! Why are you working with DarkClan?" Goldenperch tried again.

"Working with? How thick are you, mouse-brain? I'm the deputy of DarkClan now!" Demonclaw laughed manically.

"What happened to the old deputy-? What happened to Hawkfrost?" Goldenperch asked.

"I killed him!" Demonclaw purred with glee. "He was so weak and easy to kill! And Tigerstar's so easy to manipulate. I will be Demonstar soon!"

Goldenperch shut her jaws angrily and lunged for him. She pinned him down and battered his belly.

"This won't be the last, Goldenperch!" Demonclaw hissed and signaled for his DarkClan friend to follow him. The two cats ran away into the distance.

---

Luckystar's POV

Luckystar paced as she eyed Goldenperch. "So, you let him escape?" she growled.

"I did." Goldenperch faced her leader fearlessly.

Luckystar sank to the ground. "Goldenperch- I'm sorry about Demonclaw. But he must die."

She prayed that her sister would understand.

"I understand, Luckystar. But I'm not happy with it. Not at all." Goldenperch muttered before stalking out of the den.

Luckystar settled down in her soft bedding of moss, pondering the question of DarkClan and Demonclaw. If they were allied, then this was bad news for ThunderClan. The two leaders of DarkClan, Tigerstar and Demonclaw, both wanted revenge on her Clan. She would have to be very careful. Emerging from her den, she bounded up the Highledge and called a Clan meeting.

After explaining all that had happened, she questioned her cats. "Any ideas?"

"Maybe we could ask the other Clans for help!" Snowfall piped up.

"No! Do you want the other Clans to think we're weak?" Icecloud shot her down.

"I guess not..." Snowfall reluctantly agreed.

Echoflight interrupted the argument. "How about Goldenperch and I go speak with my brother? We could persuade him to leave. And if we can't, we'll kill him there."

"How would you get him to come by himself? He's a rogue, he wouldn't." Graystripe called.

"What if Echoflight and Goldenperch tell him to meet them at the rocks near the abandoned Twoleg nest in our territory- it would make a great spot for a battle. We'd have the advantage of being in our own territory, and we could ambush them easily." Moonshadow mewed with her quiet wisdom.

Luckystar was very grateful that the elder had decided to join them. This was the best idea they had yet. "All agreed for Moonshadow's plan?" she mewed.

Peacefern stood up. "I speak for all of the elders, and we've been discussing this. There are so many elders in ThunderClan, and we don't contribute to food or patrols at all. So, let us contribute in this battle.

Dustpelt gave a confident nod. "We accept that we are too old to do much, but we can still fight."

"Yes, Longtail was the only one of us who was really old, but he's gone now." Sandstorm said sadly.

"Very well." Luckystar hid her shock. "Firestar, you used to be leader, you can rally the elders. Cinderheart and Cherryheart can prepare the elders for battle. Do we have any expecting queens?"

Jayfeather and Larkleaf quickly moved in between the ranks of cats, feeling the she-cats for signs of kitting. Once Jayfeather reached Lightningstrike, he stopped. "Lightningstrike has kits." He called.

"No one else." Larkleaf reported.

"Good." Luckystar let out a sigh of relief. "Lightningstrike, if you don't mind me asking, who's the father?"

"Thunderstorm." Lightningstrike purred loudly. "I didn't even know I was expecting!"

"Foxleap and Frogpaw. You will have the responsibility of looking after Lightningstrike." Luckystar commanded. "And a note to all our apprentices, if we make it out of this battle alive, I'll talk to your mentors about making you warriors."

Frogpaw, Sunpaw and Dawnpaw had matching looks of delight and glee on their faces from this news.

"Goldenperch. Please assign hunting patrols and border patrols. We mustn't let the other Clans think we're weak." Luckystar told her deputy. "Assign some battle training sessions as well."

Goldenperch nodded and ordered Thornclaw, Toadstep and Birchfall on a border patrol, Bumblestripe, Dovewing and Hazeltail on another border patrol, Icecloud, Ivypool, Pineleaf and Poppyfrost on a hunting patrol and Snowfall, Squirrelflight, Echoflight and Duskpelt on another hunting patrol.

Luckystar, Goldenperch, Leafpool, Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, Sunpaw, Rosepetal and Dawnpaw headed towards the training hollow.

"Alright." Goldenperch called the cats together. "I know this is a kits game, but its very useful to learn some strategy and tactics." She rolled a pile of moss together. "Who's up for a game of moss ball?"

Luckystar huddled with Leafpool, Hollyleaf, Dawnpaw on one side of the clearing while Rosepetal, Sunpaw, Lionblaze and Goldenperch stood on the other. Luckystar's team would be ThunderClan, defending their territory, while Goldenperch's team would be DarkClan, invading them.

"What's our strategy?" Dawnpaw mewed excitedly.

"The ball will be in the middle, right?" Luckystar asked.

"Yes," Hollyleaf answered firmly.

"I say that, Leafpool, you're fast, you should go get the ball first. We should watch out for Rosepetal, who's the fastest on the other team. Dawnpaw, you stick to Lionblaze, he's very good at fighting. Make sure he doesn't get the ball, otherwise we might not get it off him. Leafpool, once you've got the moss ball, I'll be waiting up a tree. Toss it to me and I'll jump through trees to get it to their side of the clearing. Hollyleaf, I want you to be waiting inside the tunnel that's near their end. If they start to catch up to me on the trees, I'll dart into the tunnel on our end. Both of us know the tunnels very well, so we'll lose our attackers there. Hollyleaf, I need you to be set up for the final toss. Got it?" Luckystar quickly formed a plan.

"Got it!" Dawnpaw led the echo.

"Ready to be smashed?" Leafpool lifted her chin and faced the other team.

"No, you will!" Lionblaze retorted.

"Ready..." Goldenperch counted them in.

"Set..." Sunpaw mewed.

"GO!" All the cats yowled.

Leafpool darted forwards towards the ball, and just like they had predicted, Rosepetal came hurtling towards here with her teeth bared yet claws sheathed. Leafpool batted her attacker away and nipped the ball into her jaws. In her peripheral vision, Luckystar noticed Hollyleaf at the tunnel entrance, her black fur almost hidden, waiting. Luckystar climbed up the nearest tree and crouched, watching the game through narrowed eyes. Leafpool was surrounded by Lionblaze, Rosepetal and Sunpaw. Goldenperch was no where to be seen.

Dawnpaw was darting around Lionblaze, confusing him with her smaller size and speed. The tabby tom spun around, confused, allowing Leafpool a clear gap. The former medicine cat charged through the gap and launched herself on top of Lionblaze. Lionblaze fell to the ground, dazed, while Leafpool tossed the ball towards Dawnpaw, who was in perfect position to pass to Luckystar.

"More like Dustblaze now, Lionblaze!" Leafpool taunted her son.

The ball came hurtling through the air towards Luckystar, who caught it in her teeth and with the ball in her jaws, jumped towards the next tree, closer to her target.

"That's not fair!" Sunpaw complained loudly.

"Battles aren't fair!" Luckystar dropped the moss ball onto the branch to meow indignantly. She picked up the ball again and to her horror, Lionblaze had advanced on her while she was distracted. She dropped the ball again and snarled. Lionblaze jumped the last tail-length and she defended herself from his vicious blows. Luckystar dodged his charge and twisted around him. She pushed him, wincing as he fell towards the ground.

Luckily, he landed on his feet and the worst he could do in his state was shoot angry glares at her.

"Battles aren't fair!" Luckystar reminded him cheerfully, before picking the ball up again. She froze. In front of her was Goldenperch. Teeth gleaming, her sister took a step forward, then another. Luckystar looked behind her, only to see Sunpaw. She had one shot at this, she couldn't mess it up. "Hollyleaf!" She hollered before tossing the moss ball into the air and towards the tunnel entrance.

"Fool!" Goldenperch snarled.

On the ground, Dawnpaw and Rosepetal both shot towards the ball, but a single black paw inside the tunnel was faster. With sharp claws, Hollyleaf hooked the ball away and vanished into the tunnel.

"Cheaters!" Rosepetal was hissing with fury.

"A battle-"

"Isn't fair! We know!" Goldenperch bared her teeth.

Luckystar landed on the ground gracefully and turned just in time to see Hollyleaf exit the tunnel and place the moss ball on the target.

"ThunderClan wins!" Luckystar purred.

On the way back to camp, Luckystar stopped to track a squirrel, sending the others ahead. But the squirrel's scent wasn't the only reason she stopped. A cat's scent was mingled within it. A familiar scent. Luckystar followed the scent to an old foxhole. The scent was thick in the air now. Could it be true? Had her beloved found his way back into her territory?

Luckystar crept into the den, nosing around. Suddenly, eyes flashed, and teeth snapped at her ear, biting the tip off. Pain shot through her body as she retaliated by raking her claws down her opponent's side. A hard blow and the tom was off balance. "Luckyheart! Stop!" he yowled.

Luckystar backed out of the den. "I'm Luckystar now." She sneered.

"C'mon. You must remember me." The tom insisted.

Memories floated back to Luckystar. Greencough in Greenleaf. Sickness. Love. And her kits...Stormkit who didn't make it, and Lightningstrike. Her mate.

"Rainfall!" Luckystar exclaimed, pausing to lick her wounded ear. "Why did you do that?" she added reproachfully.

"I didn't know it was you, my love." Rainfall purred.

Luckystar shot Rainfall a disbelieving glance. What type of cat forgot their own mate? Rainfall was definitely bluffing, but for what?

Rainfall gave an amused glance. Luckystar quickly realized she'd been staring at him and directed her straying eyes away quickly.

"So?" Rainfall mewed at last.

"So, what?" Luckystar tilted her head.

"So," Rainfall rolled his eyes impatiently, "are you going to let me join the Clan again?"

Luckystar stopped in her tracks. "Join the Clan again?" she replied with mock laughter. "After you caused illness and grief? Never!"

Rainfall dropped his head and let his neck fur lay flat. "I thought as much." He stood up and there was a glint in his eyes. "Drive me out, then." He challenged. "Drive me out!"

Luckystar snarled slightly. "You know I can't do that." She whimpered.

"Then I'll meet you at the border to the Twolegplace at sunhigh in two days." Rainfall gave a cheeky grin before leaping out of the den. Luckystar followed him out of the den and they said a hasty goodbye before she turned and fled back towards her camp.

"Where've you been?" Goldenperch greeted her, amused. Luckystar remembered that they had decided on night watches just in case DarkClan tried an attack during the night. Goldenperch was due on night watch until moonhigh. Snowfall would be taking over at moonhigh.

"Out." Luckystar replied curtly. "Now if you don't mind, I need to rest." Briefly, she glimpsed her sister's shocked expression, but she was too tired to care.

"Okay." Goldenperch nodded and let her past.

Luckystar strode into the camp, her mind whirling. She and Rainfall had flirted. She was the Clan leader for StarClan's sake! She couldn't let this continue. But...an urge told her to keep seeing him. Rainfall made her happy, so what was wrong with it? I can't do this! My mind- I feel torn! Luckystar knew she would have to end it sometime, before any cat found out, but what was wrong with just seeing Rainfall for a couple moons? She could have more kits. Another chance to have Stormkit. Grief filled her and she slumped back into her nest, exhausted. All night, she barely slept a wink, when she was awake, her thoughts were filled with her secret mate, and when she slept, she dreamed, and she dreamed of Rainfall.