Darkstorm licked Arrowheart's forehead. "I'm back," she murmured.

"You're back." 

"You're together," Thorntail mewed flatly. "Again." He and Arrowheart exchanged a glare. Arrowheart held his longer and Thorntail walked away, his face like stone.

"You like him, don't you?" Arrowheart asked. All of Darkstorm's doubts rushed away like a waterfall.

"I do like him. As a friend." She stared at the grey tom. "But not as much as you." They touched noses again.

"I missed you. It was hard, finding the Clans. I'm sorry about Shadeflight." Darkstorm blinked.

"Thanks." She spotted Orangetail running towards her.

"Guess what!" the ginger she-cat mewed happily, eyeing them cheekily.

"What?" Darkstorm asked.

"I'm expecting," she mewed. "You haven't noticed?" Darkstorm's eyes widened.

"That's great! ShadowClan needs new kits." Arrowheart nodded, his tail swishing cheerfully. Orangetail grinned. 

"Now I know why you've been so crabby lately," Darkstorm snorted. Her friend batted her ear. "What? It's true!" Arrowheart laughed and swatted her back with his tail, and the three began play-fighting like kits. Darkstorm didn't care that they were acting so young; it was good to feel carefree.

"Does Snarlfang know?" Arrowheart asked as they paused. Orangetail shook her head.

"I mean, maybe. They'll come really soon."

"Tell him!" Darkstorm gasped. "How did you not already?" Orangetail shrugged. She's so brave and smart, but she can't even remember to tell her mate that's she expecting kits!

Darkstorm watched as Orangetail walked towards Snarlfang. She turned to Arrowheart. 

"What's going to happen to ShadowClan?" he asked. "Is DarkClan going to replace it?" Darkstorm shook her head.

"No way. You know what, I should call a Clan meeting for that... A Clans meeting." She padded onto a small hill. "Let all cats gather!" she yowled. They flooded towards her, the other leaders taking their place beside her. "Moleflight, tell the clans that as soon as we find a place to connect with StarClan, you'll receive your nine lives and name." He nodded quickly, repeating this.

"And StarClan will officially grant me my name, and they'll give me my lives," Fishstar added. Darkstorm closed her eyes briefly.

"I want to discuss what will happen to ShadowClan and DarkClan. I personally think that ShadowClan has to be reunited. DarkClan was temporary."

"I agree," Treepool mewed. "And I'll take my place as leader. Darkstorm over here will only be a warrior."

"Wait!" Yowltail screeched. "I don't want a leader that threw ShadowClan away! I want Darkstorm!" Orangetail nodded, and Snarlfang whispered something in her ear.

"Me, too!"

Snarlfang stepped forward. "I will train a ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice, and then I will join ShadowClan to be with Orangetail and..." he trailed off, letting his mate finish.

"Our kits," she announced. Yowltail's eyes widened. "I'm expecting."

Treepool stepped back. "Why should you get a choice? You destroyed the warrior Code!" Yowltail hissed.

"My mate and friend died 'destroying the code'- and you know what, they fixed it! Grassfang and Badgerleap did not die to see ShadowClan be led by you!"

"Stay with ThunderClan or leave," Orangetail spat, unsheathing her claws. Darkstorm nodded, coming to her senses. Treepool cast them an angry look.

"I'm leaving. You're all pathetic anyways." He turned, stalking away. Darkstorm blinked and captured the attention.

"Farewell, DarkClan," she mewed formally. "I'm sorry this was only temporary, but we made strong friendships, and we won't forget that. ShadowClan." Orangetail and Yowltail perked up... And Arrowheart? Snarlfang, too. "Come." They followed her.

"You're all with me?" she asked. "Snarlfang, Arrowheart, you'll leave your clans?" They nodded. "Than-"

"Me too," a voice interrupted. Darkstorm looked back to see Thorntail. "I know you don't love me, but I love you, and I won't be able to live in another Clan." Arrowheart glared at him.

"As long as you don't try anything," he warned. Thorntail nodded. 

"I won't. I may not be happy with her choice, but I love her too much to argue."

Darkstorm blinked again. "Comfreytail," she mewed, recognizing a scent. The kind she-cat stepped out of the shadows.

"I'll join you. Shadeflight may have betrayed me, but I still love him, and I will join your clan for him." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes."

"Then we should get to sleep... ShadowClan."

...

Darkstorm yawned. "It's cold here for leaf-fall. How will we cope in leaf-bare?" she asked Arrowheart. She had given Orangetail the title of deputy, but her friend was weak, close to birth. Yowltail was acting deputy.

"Yeah, but we'll cope," Arrowheart mewed. "But StarClan told you new dangers." Darkstorm nodded.

"It's weird. I can already smell leaf-bare on the wind... And there are almost only pines here. I guess they're the only trees that can survive this cold." Arrowheart shrugged. 

"It isn't that bad."

"I mean..." They continued to bicker until they finally stopped to make camp. 

"It is pretty cold," Duskkit mewed from behind them. "But no too cold, either. Right, Starkit?" The other kit nodded, licking her long white fur thoroughly.

"Yeah, Starkit's right!" Darkstorm recognized Amberkit's grey fur and amber eyes as he popped up. Riverkit looked at them calmly and nodded. The kits are always together. It's nice. They look out for each other.

She lay down and closed her eyes, sleeping well and easily for the first time in moons, head against Arrowheart's side.

...

"How is this..." Darkstorm stared at the deer carcass. "Only Two-legs bring deer, and barely. But there's not the hint of scent of Twolegs." Yowltail nodded.

"It's very interesting..." Strikestar mewed. "What killed it?"

"I bet we could kill one if a clan sent out a patrol with all their warriors and apprentices, along with the leaders and deputies," Quickstar snapped. He was still grouchy that he had to take back the WindClan cats. Fishstar blinked thoughtfully.

"You may be right," he mewed. "But the dangers of risking it..." 

"No," Darkstorm mewed sharply. "That's mouse-brained." Yowltail nodded.

"We could run away if it struck back," Quickstar mewed. Moleflight licked his nose, pausing to think, and then shook his head.

"I don't want cats to die because of a bad decision," he argued. Darkstorm glared at Quickstar, seeming to solve the dilemma, and padded away. She glanced forwards; the deer looked like something, like a dog or fox, had taken it down. She blinked. Was this the new danger? Was there an animal even stronger than a fox, dog or badger? She shook herself. No. Even if there is, we'll cope.

"Moleflight!" she heard Coralfall mew, and spun around. "I want to join SkyClan," she explained. Moleflight flicked his tail. I think everyone knew she would. She loves Sparrownose more than she ever loved Fishstar; he loved her, but she only liked him. I don't know why she took him as a mate. Darkstorm's gaze sharpened. Actually, I do. Fishstar was well liked as a warrior, and I'm pretty sure Coralfall wasn't. I remember a RiverClan elder telling me about it, how Coralfall only liked him, but had to take him as a mate to earn respect as a leader.

She watched as Moleflight nodded and went over to Fishstar, murmuring something. She turned back and gasped. Was Thorntail dead?

She stared at his body, his throat savagely torn. He smelled of Shadeflight. The first and the second.

"Yowltail!" she yowled. She needed her acting deputy. The yellow she-cat padded over and gasped. 

"Is he..."

"I think so," Darkstorm replied hoarsely. "We need a medicine cat to check... ShadowClan needs a medicine cat, really, but now's not the time." She turned. "Cloudstorm?" The SkyClan she-cat ran over, a crowd beginning to gather. Cloudstorm understood her question without talking, shaking her head immediately.

"Dead. I'm sorry." 

Darkstorm stared at the tom's body. She didn't love him, but all he had done was love her. She thought he was a coward for leaving his clan; he could cope without her, but now she realized that he was brave. He had left everything behind to be with her, and she hadn't done so much as glance at him after she had found Arrowheart.

She was the coward. She needed to face Shadeflight and kill him... Even if it meant killing her littermate, too. 

She flicked her tail, closing her eyes.

She would avenge Thorntail's death, and Badgerleap's, and Grassfang's, and Thinfur's, and all the others, even the non-ShadowClan cats. Shadowstar had told her to kill Shadeflight, and she didn't think, she just didn't. But now she would.

My kin had better get ready. Her yellow eyes opened, and she stared at the sky.

I'm coming for them, and this time, I won't hesitate to hurt them.