Emberpaw watched as her denmate padded out of Ambersky's den, her eyes glassy with tears. Other warriors looked inside the den, and slowly the entire camp was swallowed by the grief of death. Ambersky, Honeyleaf, and Thornstar didn't get back until moonrise, and by then cats were already lying around Crowstep and rubbing his fur with mint, lavender, and rosemary to hide the scent of illness and death. Ambersky immediately went over to Burningstrike, Crowstep's mate who is heavy with his kits, to make sure she was alright. He then let the mourning queen lie next to the dark warrior, and Silverpaw next to her and Nightstripe. Cherryheart laid next to her mate, Ravenflight, who is Crowstep's brother, and groomed his fur while he and Nightstripe exchanged sad glances.

Emberpaw, wanting to be away from the grief, left the center of camp and went into the apprentices' den. She then saw the other apprentices: Barkpaw, a brown tom with brown eyes; Rainpaw, a white-and-gray tom with pale gray eyes; his littermate, Mosspaw, a pale gray she-cat with amber eyes; Maplepaw, a golden she-cat with brown paws and tail tip with blue eyes; and Ripplepaw, Silverpaw's littermate, a silver tabby tom with leaf-green eyes like Snowleaf. Ripplepaw sniffled every once in a while, but he curled up with his tail covering his nose and eventually his breathing slowed.

Emberpaw picked an empty nest of moss near Barkpaw and curled up, and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she saw a black tom talking to a white she-cat with silver stripes. Silverpaw? What's she doing here?

"Hello, Emberpaw." came a voice behind Emberpaw. She turned to face the newcomer, and what the ginger apprentice saw was a soft-furred gray tom with ice-blue eyes. "Welcome to StarClan."

Panic and fear rushed through Emberpaw. "Are we dead?" she asked anxiously, looking back towards Silverpaw and Crowstep. "But nothing was wrong with us!"

The tom walked next to Emberpaw and rested his tail on her shoulders, now standing parallel to her. "You are not dead yet, Emberpaw. You still have a few seasons ahead of you." He looked over his shoulder at the other two cats, and Emberpaw heard something about "...path will not lie with..." before the tom urged her on.

"We should not get over heard by each other. Both of your destinies cannot be shared with the wrong cats." his meow was curt now, no longer soft like his pelt. "Now, remember this, Emberpaw. It will be needed before the next two generations of medicine cats are through." he took a breath, and his voice changed. "The dying ember of the scattered Clan, and the silver moonlight of the Clan's faith."

Emberpaw waited a moment, thinking he would continue. When he didn't, she asked, "What does that mean?"

"Your friend will know soon enough. But you will never tell another cat about the prophecy until it is time." Prophecy?But I'm just an apprentice!

Emberpaw took a breath to ask another question. "When will-" her head shot up from her mossy nest. She was back in the tree, in the apprentices' den. Silverpaw was in the nest next to Emberpaw. Softly, she poked Silverpaw with a forepaw. The silver-striped apprentice stirred and went still again. The ginger apprentice was about to poke Silverpaw harder when the she-cat stretched and got up. Emberpaw watched Silverpaw go to the den entrance and followed her out, past the cats who were still lying around Crowstep's body as the dawn light shined.

***

"Silverpaw," Emberpaw mewed once they were in their tree, "were you in StarClan?"

Silverpaw visibly stiffened. There was a silence that hung between the two denmates like a fog. "Why?" she asked, finally.

Emberpaw's eyes widened. "You were talking to Crowstep! Did he tell you about the prophecy?"

"Yes." Silverpaw looked away. "He also told me I have to become Ambersky's apprentice. If I don't, I will be maimed beyond Ambersky's ability and be forced to become a medicine cat, losing some cat's their lives." she looked back at Emberpaw, now having tears in her icy eyes. "Emberpaw, he told me something else. I found it strange. Crowstep said, "She has a destiny of her own, one you will play a bigger role in if you become her medicine cat," and he was talking about you."

Emberpaw tilted her head in confusion, not seeing what it was that Silverpaw did. "What's weird about it?"

Silverpaw sighed. "Are you deaf? He told me, "...if you become her medicine cat". That doesn't sound weird to you?"

Emberpaw shook her head. "It doesn't, but I'll try to figure it out. We should go back. Swallowflight and Honeyleaf will be burying Crowstep soon."

***

"May you find good hunting," Ambersky started the words to send Crowstep to StarClan, even though Silverpaw had seen, or thought she had seen, Crowstep leave with the other StarClan cat that Ambersky had given a name to: Lilystorm.

Swallowflight continued the blessing, "Swift running,"

"And shelter while you sleep," Honeyleaf mewed somberly.

Emberpaw noticed Silverpaw hung her head in sadness, staring at her paws. Every once in a while she heard sniffing from the silver-striped she-cat. "Silverpaw," Emberpaw mewed gently, "you know you will see him again, with what he told you, surely?"

Silverpaw exchanged a glance with Emberpaw. "I know. But what will the Clan think if I don't mourn him?" she sniffed again. "Either way, I won't be able to see him alive anymore, even if his life is continuing in StarClan. I'll still miss him, and his ignorance like the rest of the Clan has, not knowing StarClan's wisdom." she got up and walked over to Graymask, and once the gray tabby she-cat walked towards her, Silverpaw padded over to Thornstar and Ambersky, who were under the Pineledge. With her curiosity piqued, Emberpaw made her way towards the four cats.

Silverpaw was explaining her sudden need to become a medicine cat. Emberpaw saw her eyes were glassy, but just barely. The older cats didn't seem to notice, and if they did, they let the silver-striped apprentice think they knew nothing of it. "Your mentoring was perfect, Graymask, but this is not my destiny." she finished. "Ambersky, would you be willing to teach me the way of the medicine cat?" Emberpaw sensed sadness coming from her silver-striped friend.

Thornstar and Ambersky exchanged a look for a few heart beats, then the PineClan leader looked at Graymask. Graymask seemed alright when Thornstar flicked his tail at her for her dismissal, then shot her a kind glance, just to let her know she was still a respected senior warrior and started whispering to Ambersky. Silverpaw waited, her tail tip twitching from either anxiety or disappointment, Emberpaw couldn't tell. Finally, Ambersky looked at Silverpaw and nodded. By this time, Emberpaw was near enough to hear their conversation.

"What is this sudden change in desires, Silverpaw?" Thornstar asked kindly.

"Yes," Ambersky mewed, "we all thought you were hard-set on becoming a warrior."

Silverpaw shifted and kneaded the wood beneath her paws. "Can we go to your den, Ambersky? I don't want ears to hear what I have to say before it needs to be known." she looked at Emberpaw and motioned with her head to join them in the den.

Once the four cats were inside Ambersky's den, Silverpaw told the two toms what had happened to her during Crowstep's vigil. "Crowstep told me I had to do this, unless I wanted to be maimed beyond your skills, Ambersky, and to cost some cats their lives this way." she finished.

Thornstar was nodding, but Ambersky was watching Emberpaw, which made her dark ginger pelt hot. "Why did you not add anything, Emberpaw?"

Emberpaw looked at the brown warrior and golden-ginger medicine cat, her blue eyes troubled. "The StarClan cat I spoke to said I was not to say anything about the prophecy until it was time." She mewed carefully. Thornstar nodded.

"Wait," the was a slight edge to Silverpaw's mew, "how come you didn't tell me? I am part of the prophecy, like you, after all."

Emberpaw shook her head. "I never got a chance alone to explain everything."

Ambersky looked thoughtful. "Silverpaw and Emberpaw, you each must tell myself or Thornstar if you hear anymore prophecies."

The two apprentices nodded. Then Thornstar leaped up to the Pineledge. "Let all cats old enough to leap join here beneath the Pineledge for a Clan meeting!"

As the Clan started gathering, Emberpaw saw Thornstar shot a questioning look at Honeyleaf. For a moment she looked annoyed, maybe even frustrated, but nodded to Thornstar at his new call. Honeyleaf sat next to Emberpaw.

"It is as well," she started, having seen Emberpaw witness the exchange, "I was only told the normal summons by StarClan that were used by the other Clans who still live around Fourtrees. This summons is unique to PineClan, and PineClan alone."

"What do you mean? Isn't that the old SkyClan sum-?" Emberpaw was cut off by Thornstar.

"Warriors of PineClan, you all must know what I have called you together for. One cat will be chosen as my deputy." his gaze swept the gathered cats, and Burningstrike peaked out from the nursery. He then continued with the words that have been traditionally announced from each Clan leader since the dawn of the six Clans. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice. PineClan's next deputy will be..." all the warriors held their breath, secretly hoping they would become the next deputy. Then Thornstar's gaze fixed on a gray tabby she-cat. "Graymask. I value your patience and your wisdom."

The Clan started calling out the gray warrior's name, Silverpaw being loudest. Emberpaw called out to match her friend's own, but Silverpaw was loudest of all the cats. Her yowl was the only one she could distinguish.

"Before you go back to your normal tasks, we have our next medicine cat apprentice among us. Silverpaw, step forward, please."

Silverpaw stepped forward, passing Emberpaw. The silver-striped cat was shaking, but not visibly. Ambersky moved to stand beneath Pineledge, and both Snowleaf and Nightstripe gasped. The few murmurs from the Clan were quiet and went silent once Thornstar spoke again.