Shadeflight ran towards Yowltail. "Dead?" he demanded. Darkstorm watched as he checked. "You're right. His belly has been cut open. Who- who would be savage enough to do this? Killing him is one thing, but killing him like this... He must have felt pain." Shadeflight's eye caught on a tuft of fur. "His killer didn't leave a scent. It wasn't MoonClan- they stink of dung. I don't think they wash."

"He's dead," Yowltail repeated numbly. "He was the only other ShadowClan warrior that remembered. Shadeflight, you and Darkstorm are young. You don't have such fond memories of the lake... You don't remember how it was when there was prey, and no Twolegs. It was beautiful. No cat could have asked for a better home. We fell asleep every night with full bellies."

She's right. I have fond memories of our old home... But not as fond as hers. Not as fond as Grassfang's. They were mates. They were so, so close. But now he's dead. If Arrowheart died...

"I'm sorry," she murmured, nuzzling Yowltail. "He... He shouldn't have died."

"No, he shouldn't have!" Orangetail snapped. "You fox-hearts! Who did this?" She turned on DarkClan, fur bristling. "Who?"

"Orangetail, it's not a cat in this clan," Ravenfur protested.

"Maybe it's you?" Ravenfur stepped back, visibly hurt. 

"Of course not! Why... Why would you even say that?" Orangetail snarled, unsheathing her claws, and Snarlfang pulled her back, murmuring something. Darkstorm caught the words 'Stop' and 'They'. 

"Look, we're all stressed out," Darkstorm mewed. "Grassfang is dead. But we can't go around throwing false accusations, and we can't let this stop us. But," she continued, regret filling her voice for the need to say this, "if any of you don't want to stay, you can go. But I promise- I promise that I will try my hardest to stop everyone's deaths." Comfreytail looked up.

I trust you," she announced. "I will stay." 

"Yes, you all finally get why I was angry all the time," Sparrownose added. "I can't leave you, not now when you're the only ones that will make me feel wanted." Coralfall blinked.

"Finkit may have died, but he was loved, and Sparrownose wasn't thinking straight. I will stay; now I have a friend." She nodded at Sparrownose. "You shouldn't have killed Finkit, but I have been through so much death. I am letting go of hate." That's... Unexpected. Coralfall's kit was killed. But I won't argue, Darkstorm licked her fur, embarrassed, as similar announcements rang through the cats.

"Then we must go," she declared. "Yowltail, I know this hurts, but we're too close to stop." Yowltail glared at her.

"You shouldn't be leader; you're too young to have experience! You're not leaving someone behind!" she spat, her tail lashing. "You don't know how this feels!" Darkstorm winced and snarled.

"I do. You may not trust him, but I could be leaving Arrowheart behind.  His scent is here; what should make me believe that he isn't? I have a life, too, you know," She growled and flattened her ears. "I gave it up to lead you. And I'm only leading you because you wanted me to lead you. Have you ever thought of that?" she snapped harshly. "So we'll go. Grassfang was my mentor- I care about him, too. Maybe not as much as you- you're mates. But still, don't tell me that I shouldn't be leader or that I don't know how this feels!" She spun around. "Come, we're going." No cat argued, glancing at each other behind her back.

...

Darkstorm sighed, curling up. Moon-high had come and gone, a moon long, and still nothing had happened. They had gone on in the direction of the moon, Starkit and Duskkit playing games with Mosskit in their sleep. "Darkstorm," Thinfur mewed, sitting down beside her. Shadeflight padded towards them, glancing at Darkstorm. 

"Yes?"

"You have to start thinking about the new code. That's what these cats joined you for. I know it's hard to multitask, especially since you already are, but you have to."

"Call the clan for a meeting," Thorntail suggested, overhearing. "Then start discussing it."

"DarkClan!" Darkstorm yowled. "There are decisions to be made!" She glanced at the cats gathering around her, making sure that they were listening. "You joined me to change the code. So we will change the code." Murmurs rose. "But we all have a say. Step forward if you have a suggestion for the new code. Our code. The improved warrior code." 

Bushpaw was surprisingly the first one to step forward. He was unbalanced, still hurt from the battle, but he stood tall. "We have to take away the fact that the clans are against each other." He stared at Darkstorm. "I don't mean that we should be as close as kin; I mean that we shouldn't leap to a fight." He dipped his head. Darkstorm made a mental note. Clans shouldnn't leap to fights, that's understandable.

"One medicine cat and two warriors will have to agree," Darkstorm declared. "And after everyone says what they must, I will say if I agree." Cloudstorm flicked her tail.

"I agree." Coralfall nodded, agreeing, followed by Comfreytail.

"We have to be allowed to love, us medicine cats," Snarlfang mewed. "It's because we couldn't take the responsibility to take care of kits that we weren't allowed before, but our clanmates and mates can help. Why should medicine cats be the ones who can't love? You have my vote."

"And mine," Orangetail glared at the other cats, looking for someone that didn't agree. When Badgerleap stepped forward, she sat.

"I think this has logic. The medicine cats are cats, too, why shouldn't they have mates?" Riverkit nodded.

"I count as a warrior! I agree!" 

"You do," Darkstorm meowed. At surprised glances, she defended herself. "Kits are cats, who will grow to be medicine cats or warriors. They have their say. I let Bushpaw, an apprentice, have his say, why shouldn't the kits?"

"We should vow," Sparrownose mewed, "when we become a warrior, we could swear that we won't kill unless there's no choice." Coralfall nodded, her expression guarded, Tenderleaf dipped her head, and Shadeflight flicked his tail.

Hardclaw raised his tail. "Leaders should eat before anyone else. They need full bellies to lead clans." Two cats agreed, Darkstorm blinking thoughtfully.

Shadeflight glanced at Comfreytail briefly. "Cross-clan relationships should be allowed. I'm a medicine cat, so only two warriors have to agree." 

"He's right," Comfreytail mewed. Thorntail flicked his ears, giving the final agreement.

"Leaders should have meetings," Coralfall began. "Meetings just with each other, where they can't fight, like gatherings." Troutfin and Sparktail agreed quietly.

"Anyone else?" Darkstorm asked. "Nobody?"

"No! I do, I do!" Starkit yelped. "Duskkit and I thought of it, and it's important!"

"Apprentices and kits should have equalized voices as warriors," Duskkit explained, looking around. Coralfall only blinked, but Cloudstorm was nodding along, same as Badgerleap and Ravenfur.

"Okay," Darkstorm licked her paw slowly, thinking. "So our suggestions are equalized voices, clans not fighting as much, leaders eating first, cross-clan relationships, medicine cat relationships, a vow to not kill, meetings for leaders... That's it?" The cats closed their eyes briefly and answered.

"Yes."

"I agree with medicine cats being able to love others," Darkstorm sighed. "And I would to cross-clan relationships," she paused. This was hard. "But then one of the warriors would have to change clans. What if mates meet in a fight? They still need to put loyalty to their clan above everything. So do you all still agree for cross-clan relationships? I do, but remember before agreeing that one of the mates will have to join another clan."

Every cat agreed.

"So those are official." Darkstorm flicked her tail. "Now, about equalized voices." She felt guilty as she met the kits' excited gazes. "I don't think that can happen. It's just that warriors have experience." Fishkit sighed, and Darkstorm guessed that he, Riverkit and Amberkit also helped decide.

"Okay," He sulkily sat down.

"A vow not to kill. I think that's a good idea. Meetings for leaders, too. Clans not fighting as much... That's more of a thing to do then to put in the warrior code, so that's how we'll listen to that- common sense. Now, leaders eating first. I'm afraid I can't agree with that. Leaders have nine lives, and so they can spare some for their clans."

"Speaking of that, when are you going to take the name Darkstar?" Coralfall asked. Darkstorm winced.

"Not until I'm a true ShadowClan leader. DarkClan is temporary." She willed no one to argue, and thankfully they didn't. 

...

"Fishkit! Badgerleap!" Shadeflight yowled. Darkstorm sat up and ran towards him. "It's like Grassfang," he snarled. "They're dead, and by the same cat! They have the same fur!" Darkstorm froze. 

"D- dead? Are you sure? Who killed them?"

"I'm a medicine cat, of course I'm sure! I don't know who!" His claws sunk into the ground. "An innocent kit and our friend have been murdered!" Darkstorm widened her eyes, shocked. Dead? She promised that no cats would die! And worst of all... Worst of all, Shadeflight looked like he knew who the killer was. So why didn't he say who?