The atmosphere was cold. It felt as though something horrible will be in the near future. The tension lingered in the air, as if it was a tiger waiting to pounce on it's prey.

Cold mist clung to Fernstalk's fur, making it damp. She shivered from the unfamiliar feeling around her.

Fernstalk looked around her for danger. None. She looked up to the sky, praying for best and not the worst.

The gray tabby exhaled as she watched her own breath dance with the air. It floated around her, effortlessly, as if it was showing her a passage to somewhere. Fernstalk naturally followed it's way.

Her breath—which she didn't think it was anymore—brought the gray tabby to a dark cave. Fernstalk could see a slightly glowing pelt and another darker one that wasn't glowing.

As she got closer, Fernstalk could hear voices.

"They are here," growled a shrill voice.

"Good," meowed a slithery voice that sent shivers down Fernstalk's spine.

For an odd reason, Fernstalk's breath seemed to be drawing closer to the cave. She followed willingly, not questioning her own motives.

The gray tabby sighted a small, black figure, as a glowing silhouette trailed behind it.

When Fernstalk reached the entrance of the dark abyss, she saw several other figures, simply standing there. A small kit was, its fur a bright shade of gray as the mist around it seemed to make its fur glow vibrantly.

Fernstalk looked back at the other cats. A small black Tom which looked like...

Darkpaw?!

And is that...

Budstalk?!

What is going on over here?

Is that SNOWYKIT?!

Fernstalk barged into the den and tackled the small black tom. They fought for a little while, only giving each other small cuts and bruises.

Then the gray warrior threw the small black tom—that was presumably Darkpaw—off of her and on the wall of the den.

The starry warrior smirked and helped Darkpaw down. He then looked at Fernstalk straight in the eyes.

And it was Budstalk.

"Well, well, well. Look at who came to join the party, Darkpaw." Budstalk meowed snakily and menacingly.

"So I was right, you are Darkpaw," Fernstalk huffed.

Darkpaw's fur fluffed up, but then came back down as he saw that Snowykit was awakening.

"Bah?" Snowykit yawned.

"Snowykit!" Fernstalk yowled, grabbing the kit in her jaws.

Snowykit meowed in pain before getting comfy, but after fell down and started crying again.

Budstalk had hit Snowykit out of Fernstalk's mouth before attacking her.

"Darkpaw, take care of the puny little rat." He growled while pinning Fernstalk against the cold stone floor.

Fernstalk yowled in concern and regret, but she fought her adoptive father for her freedom.

"You've gotten stronger," Budstalk meowed. He sounded like he was annoyed for having such a hard opponent, but he also sounded proud, the pride standing out in his voice.

And with that, Fernstalk threw her not-really-father off of her.

"Yes, I have."

Budstalk moaned as Fernstalk padded closer to him, a trail of bloody paw prints following her.

"And now I think I need to get rid of you from this world for once and for all."

Fernstalk held a bloodied claw to Budstalk's opened neck.

Budstalk sighed ungratefully.

"Do it."

Fernstalk hesitated. He sounded like he has a plan.

But she did it anyway.

Fernstalk slit the gray warrior's throat with speed and anger. Blood oozed out and so did a soul.

Fernstalk had to flatten her ears when the soul traveled out of the body, the yowls so loud that they could make any cat deaf.

She panted as she watched the starry body of Budstalk turn into dust and smoke, his ashes laying on the cold stone ground.

Fernstalk turned her head to see Darkpaw carrying Snowykit. His eyes were full of anger, hatred, and anguish while also full of fear, pain, and heartbreak.

Snowykit wailed loudly and then Darkpaw put her down.

"B- Budstalk?" he meowed faintly. "Where is he? What did you do to him?"

Fernstalk sighed and pointed to the ashes of Budstalk.

Darkpaw wailed like a kit. Even Snowykit watched with big and confused eyes.

Fernstalk quickly got up and grabbed Snowykit by the scruff before leaving for KestrelClan camp.

On the way back home, Snowykit asked why Fernstalk was at the cave.

"Well, because I wanted to save you." That was the simplest thing that Fernstalk could think of to tell to Snowykit that she could understand.

"Oh."

Fernstalk and Snowykit were greeted at the Two Trees by a worried mother and leader.

"Snowykit! Where were you? Oh, Fernstalk, you're safe!" Treeleaper rambled.

Snowykit looked ashamed. Fernstalk thought that she didn't need to be ashamed.

"Treeleaper, I think that there is going to be a war," Fernstalk blurted out.

Treeleaper stared at her. "Why?"

Fernstalk told Treeleaper the story about the breath and the cave and the fighting and about everything. Every little detail that she could remember.

At the end when Fernstalk had finally finished her story, Treeleaper looked more pale than normal.

"Darkpaw is from which clan again?"

"FieldClan."

Treeleaper paced around wildly, her mind obviously on things that she normally would never think of.

"Yes, I think I'll talk to them about it tomorrow. At the gathering." Treeleaper sighed.

Fernstalk gulped, but did not object. Why would she? She had the idea, unfortunately, and she needed to stick with it now because Treeleaper would like that.

"For Snowykit," Treeleaper meowed dreamily.

"Sandypond, Finchtrees, I hope you are proud of me," Treeleaper continued. "Oh, and Driftybranch. I wish you were here with me now."

Fernstalk didn't dare interrupt her leader's daydream of a chat with her family.

"I wish that Falconprowl was okay. I wish that he wasn't dead."

This is when Fernstalk had to interrupt.

"Falconprowl is dead?" She asked.

Treeleaper snapped out of the clouds and whipped her head back and forth. "Wha?"

"You said that Falconprowl was de-ad. Is he really?" Fernstalk's voice cracked.

Treeleaper sighed. "He died when you left, probably when you were fighting Budstalk."

Treeleaper most likely saw pain in Fernstalk's eyes, because the brown tabby she-cat quickly went on.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Fernstalk. I really am. He was my brother and your father. I promise that I'll look after you and I guess you'll look after me, won't you, Fernstalk?"

Fernstalk solemnly nodded. "Yes."

Treeleaper looked relieved, and then turned back to her kit.

"Now, you need a good grooming. Get over here!"

Snowykit mewled a mew of surprise and horror before laughing and licking her mother back.

Fernstalk watched all of this before leaving to grieve. Falconprowl died right before the war, making them have a smaller chance of winning.

But maybe they could join forces with another if not two other clans who would be okay with an alliance.

Make a mental note to tell Treeleaper about that.

And then Fernstalk walked around until she found Falconprowl's grave and grieved.