Pineheart stared out into the camp clearing from the safety of the warrior's den. He had been awoken by loud, panicked voices that drifted through the branches.

"What's happening?"

"Where'd the sun go?"

The sun? It should be in the middle of the sky by now, he thought. He had patrolled earlier in the morning but had returned to his nest for a nap upon his return. Maybe the sun was just hidden behind the branches of the pine trees? There's no way the sun could actually be gone.

He noticed as he left the den that the sky was, indeed, dark. The camp clearing was veiled in sinister shadows. All of his Clanmates had clustered together near the camp wall. They spoke urgently or glanced up through the trees to look at the black sky. He scurried over to join them, his black tail raised in curiosity.

"Everyone must calm down," Blizzardstar demanded as he pushed his way into the center of the crowd, "wherever the sun has gone, it will return!" Pineheart could detect a note of worry in his voice. Could something more serious be happening?

Pineheart searched for his sister's white pelt among the other warriors. As he lay his eyes on her, he noticed her face was overcome with horror. What's wrong with her? She looked rigid, completely frozen as her Clanmates clustered around her. He tried to catch her attention but it was hopeless.

Foxstreak suddenly pressed close to his side. He hadn't noticed her approach. "I wonder why the sun has dissapeared?" Foxstreak wondered, her voice soft in his ear. He turned to look at her and noticed that her face reflected the same terror as Frostfeather. But what could have frightened them?

"Blizzardstar doesn't seem too concerned," Pineheart commented, his voice low. Most of the other cats were still caught up in their conversations or glanced up in the hopes to see the sun reappear. But it would not show its brilliant face in the sky, not yet.

Brokensong called out from her spot near the edge of the clamor, "StarClan may just be trying to send us a message! There is no need to assume that the sun is gone forever!" StarClan. Yes, that could be it. Maybe StarClan was just sending them a message. But what sort of message warranted the disappearance of the sun?

Pineaheart noticed Blizzardstar toss his medicine cat an odd look. Was he in doubt that this may be a message from StarClan? What else could it be?

Hailstorm stepped forward to address the Clan, his black and silver fur sleek and undisturbed. "We should carry on as normal for now. The apprentices can escort the elders to their den and make sure they're comfortable. Quietstorm, you will lead a patrol to check the borders." His resolute attitude helped to calm the Clan's worries.

The white and black splotched she-cat dipped her head and turned to pick the other members of her patrol. "Foxstreak, you will lead a hunting patrol," he continued as he turned his attention to the orange tabby.

She nudged Pineheart with her shoulder. "Do you want to join my patrol?" she asked. He shook his head. He still felt exhausted, despite his early nap. He wasn't sure he would even be able to catch any prey. He was never really adept in hunting in darkness.

"Maybe next time," he replied. She didn't seem to be disappointed this time in his refusal. She could probably see the tiredness that still lingered in his eyes.

Foxstreak bounded towards the large group of warriors. She called out for anyone who may want to join her hunting patrol. Quietstorm had started to lead her patrol out of the camp entrance; Sootsplash, Meadowshine, and Appleleaf on her tail.

Blizzardstar had broken away from his warriors as he retreated towards his den. Frostfeather and Brokensong were directly behind him. Even from here, he could scent their fear that clung to their fur. Pineheart stared after them, curious as to what was going on between them. What's so important that I can't be involved?

"Come on, Redfern! We're going to make you a nice, fluffy nest!"

Pineheart turned as he heard Lionpaw's elated voice. The russet apprentice bounced vigorously around the three elders. She didn't seem bothered in the slightest about the sun's absence. He couldn't help but purr at her resilience.

"Just don't tread on my tail," Wildflight chimed as they vanished under the low hanging branches of the elder's den. The clearing was almost deserted, except for a couple warriors who had gone to lay near the camp barrier. Pineheart turned his attention to Shimmerpaw, who sat close to Elkleap's side.

"Maybe you can take Nightvolt a mouse in the medicine den," Elkleap offered his apprentice, "I'm sure he'd be greatful for it."

The excitement had passed, the life of the Clan continued to carry on as normal. Foxstreak exited the camp and the head of her patrol, which only consisted of herself, Aspenclaw, and Smallfire. He sent out a silent prayer to StarClan that they would manage to find some fresh kill out in the shadowed pine forest.

Pineheart caught Elkleap's attention as he turned to pad away. Pineheart lifed his tail and waved him over, a friendly expression across his face. "Today's been such an odd day," he observed as Elkleap sat at his side. The black tom watched Shimmerpaw pluck a mouse from the freshkill pile and trot into the medicine cat den. "I hope whatever StarClan is trying to tell us isn't horrible," he muttered.

Elkleap was about to reply, but he was cut short when a panicked yowl erupted from the depths of the medicine den. Pineheart flinched, his eyes wide. "Shimmerpaw!" Elkleap yowled as he charged towards the den entrance.

Pineheart was right behind him, his tufty fur even more spiked than usual. He almost crashed into Elkleap as he stopped abruptly inside the split rock. Pineheart was completely baffled at what he saw. A few paces away, Nightvolt had Shimmerpaw's throat clamped firmly in his jaws. His yellow eyes glinted with madness, his ears flat against his head. "Let her go!" Elkleap wailed, his breath rasped out in shallow gasps.

Nightvolt did not respond. A high pitched growl droned deep in his chest. His eyes flicked between Elkleap and Pineheart. After only a short moment, Brokensong slammed into the back of Pineheart's haunches, her scent thick with anxiety.

'What's happening?!" she demanded as she tried to push passed the two toms. He could see the glint of Nightvolt's unsheathed claws as he scraped them across the rock floor of the medicine den. There wasn't time to reply. Nightvolt had released his death grip on the apprentice and had leaped straight towards them!

Pineheart summoned all of his courage and jumped forward. He crashed into the elder, surprised at the strength he felt under his unkempt pelt. "You need to stop, Nightvolt!" he growled as he sunk claws into his shoulder. He tried to push him down onto the dirt covered floor, but it was anything but easy. The elder seemed to have gained some sort of unnatural strength.

Elkleap slid around the toms as they fought and rushed to Shimmerpaw's side. Brokensong was frozen at the entrance, her good eye round with disbelief. "Don't just stand there!" Pineheart gasped, "do something!" He struggled to subdue the savage elder, his energy depleted.

Nightvolt surged forward with enough wild strength to throw Pineheart off. He landed with a thud a couple of rabbit hops away. Pineheart expected to have to fend off the crazed elder, but he saw that he had turned his attention to Brokensong.

His shoulders were hunched and his tail twitched along the ground behind him. "I will kill you," he rasped, "just like I killed Stormsurge, and Webpelt, and Quickwater..." his voice sounded foreign, unlike they had ever heard before. Pineheart wondered who those cats were. Maybe some of his ancestors who had lived during the time when IceClan and BreezeClan were in constant war.

"You don't need to kill us, Nightvolt. There's no reason to fight," Brokensong soothed. Her typical silky voice cracked with tension. The gray tabby elder cast his gaze to his paws. A soft whimper escaped his parted jaws.

"But... but I will kill you! All of you... the forest isn't safe for IceClan anymore!" he yowled. He threw himself at the medicine cat in a fit of rage. Faster than a hawk that dove from the sky, Pineheart launched himself between them. He slashed with outstretched claws and took a chunk out of Nightvolt's chest. Blood spurted from the wound, thickening to a steady, red stream. The elder collapsed as his voice bubbled in his throat.

"This isn't over," he gasped, "you will never be safe." Pineheart watched in shocked silence as he bled out on the den floor. The life faded from his eyes, never to return.

Brokensong had not moved, her sides barely twitched as she panted in panic. "He's dead," Pineheart whispered. His heart thumped frantically in his chest, the adrenaline still thick in his veins. How quickly it had all happened, and now Nightvolt was dead.

Pineheart heard Elkleap wail at Shimmerpaw's side. He looked over to see his head and shoulders hunched as he nosed her bloody fur. "You can't be dead," he whimpered, "I promised Meadowshine I'd train you to be the best warrior."

Pineheart crept to his side, emotionally battered after his frightening encounter with Nightvolt. He looked down at Shimmerpaw's dusky, gray fur. It was completely spattered with blood, almost unrecognizable. The mouse she had carried was tossed carelessly down at her side.

"I'm sorry, Elkleap," Pineheart murmured. He could feel the senior warrior as he shook beside him, soft whimpers still punctuated his sobs.

"We need to go out there and tell them what happened," Brokensong's voice called from near the den entrance. She had come out of her trance, but her scent was still rank with terror.

"I'll carry her," Elkleap whispered as he gently picked up the apprentice by her scruff. Pineheart watched as he carried her out. His brown and black striped tail trailed on the ground behind him. Pineheart started to follow, but Brokensong held up her tail for him to wait.

"Troubling times are coming," she insisted as soon as Elkleap was out of sight. Troubling times? What is that supposed to mean?

Pineheart gaped at her, confused. "Do you know why Nightvolt would do something like this?" he questioned her. It appeared she knew more than she was letting on.

"We will not longer be safe..." she fretted.  A far away look entered her eyes as she recited the words, her pelt spiked and her tail tip twitching. Pineheart took this moment to slide out of the den. He felt insanely uncomfortable with what she had just said to him.

But what she had said was true. If their Clanmates no longer feared to kill one another, how could they ever be safe?