Fernstalk opened her eyes to a new place. It was dark and nothing like StarClan.

"Where am I?" She thought aloud.

A deep purr came from behind Fernstalk and then a huge shock, making Fernstalk collapse. She gasped for air.

"Well, Fernstalk. We meet again."

Fernstalk flinched from this harsh tone, but flinched even more when a huge muscular white Tom stepped on her.

"B- B- Budstal- k?" Fernstalk gasped.

The white Tom's eyes glazed over with joy and sorrow. He raised his head high, and fluffed out his chest fur. "Yes."

Fernstalk heaved herself off the ground and onto her paws.

"Budstalk! Why are you here?" Fernstalk questioned. "It's not safe here."

Budstalk shook his head sadly.

"That's what Lilacwishes"--he scowled at the name--"wanted you to believe, my Fernstalk."

Fernstalk's heart jumped. He knew her warrior name.

"Have you been watching me? Are you proud of me?" Her eyes closed. "Or are you disappointed in me?"

Budstalk opened his jaw in disbelief and wonder.

"Be disappointed in you?" He chuckled. "Oh, no. Never. I just want to help..."

Fernstalk didn't like the way her father, adoptive father, whatever, had said the word 'help'.

"Who am I to you, Fernstalk?" Budstalk growled, coming closer to Fernstalk.

She stepped back. "I... I... I don't know."

Budstalk's eyes filled up with pain and the happiness was gone. "Then leave."

Now it was Fernstalk's turn for her eyes to be glazed with pain. "No! You can't make me!"

Budstalk turned to her so that he could say this eye to eye. "Yes I can."

Fernstalk shook her head solemnly.

"You're not my father. I don't know who you are... but I know that you're not the cat that I used to know."

Budstalk's lip curled. "Yes, I am your father, Fernstalk!"

"No you're not!" Fernstalk yowled as she dodged her father's attack.

Wake up!

WAKE UP!

FERNSTALK!

YOU'RE BLEEDING!

Fernstalk's eyes snapped open when she heard those words. She found Driftrain and Falconprowl watching her.

Falconprowl was the one screaming for her to wake up.

Falconprowl stood up. "Where is Barktwist?"

Fernstalk winced in pain, but got up anyway. "What about Ebonykit and Deerkit?"

Driftrain shook her head. "Ebonykit is dead."

Fernstalk almost choked on the blood in her mouth.

"WHAT?!" She yowled.

"He overdosed on catnip."

"No, no, no! This can't be! This is WORSE than seeing my not-father in some dark place!" Fernstalk yowled.

"What did you say?" Falconprowl pryed, his eyes filled with worry. "Budstalk?"

Fernstalk nodded, and licked her wound.

Falconprowl flicked his paw and started pacing around.

"Budstalk is back... Dove said that she had seen him."

Driftrain looked troubled.

"Has Barktwist had any dreams lately?" Fernstalk meowed.

Both Driftrain and Falconprowl stared at her. "Why do you need to know?"

Fernstalk licked her muzzle. 

"I got a prophecy."

Driftrain's eyes widened into the size of saucers.

"What? Tell me!"

"The darkness that rises will startle the predator stalking through the ferns, taking it's last breathe with the falcon that prowls," Fernstalk meowed silently.

Falconprowl ducked his head down as if someone had smacked him. 

The words had smacked him.

"The Falcon that prowls is me, isn't it?" Falconprowl groaned at Driftrain.

Driftrain nodded solemnly. "The predator stalking through the ferns must be Fernstalk."

Falconprowl licked his chest fur. "I cannot let Darkness rise, my Fern." 

"Lilacwishes called me her Fern..."

"Because we both know that this would happen someday, Fernstalk," Falconprowl squeaked.

It was pretty funny to hear the fiercest warrior squeak. No, I'm serious.

But for Fernstalk, it was different. He squeaked. He wasn't like this. Something was wrong.

"Is everything okay?" a brown cat with a white tail tip meowed.

"Barktwist, did you have any prophecys lately?"

Barktwist looked at his apprentice. "No, why?"

Driftrain looked at Fernstalk. "Tell again."

Fernstalk immediately felt shy. No one knew the gender of the medicine cat, making it hard for Fernstalk to know wether to trust the cat or not.

"You can tell me, Fernstalk." 

It's as if he or she read my mind..

Fernstalk took a deep breath before talking.

"The darkness that rises will startle the predator stalking through the ferns, taking it's last breathe with the falcon that prowls," Fernstalk finished.

Barktwist shook his head. "No idea. Fernstalk and Falconprowl. Wow." Barktwist chuckled. "Family forever and ever, never separable."

Driftrain's eyes glazed with anger. "This isn't funny, Barktwist!" 

Barktwist winced. "Okay, okay. Calm down. I'm not laughing anymore."

He shrugged, and turned towards the entrance. "Well, I'm going to comfort Leechfoot now. She must be devastated, losing both of her kits like that."

Fernstalk jolted upright. "What happened to Deerkit?"

"She ran away, never to be seen again, poor thing. I'll miss that blue pelt, running around like a mini version of her father."

Falconprowl rolled his eyes, trying to hide the pain. But every cat could see that he was very upset on losing two kits.

"Leechfoot will be going back into the warrior status. She'll be helping all of you again," Barktwist yowled as he padded out the entrance of the deep cave.

Fernstalk slowly padded out behind Barktwist. She stopped at the hollow trees and grabbed a piece of freshkill. 

"Hey, Fernstalk! Go out hunting for Leechfoot, will you?" 

Fernstalk froze.

Gorsesky.

He was the real deputy, the next cat to take Hailfall's place. Treeleaper would be after him.

Gorsesky licked Fernstalk's ear harshly. "Do it. Do it for her, not for me."

Fernstalk gulped, and rushed off.

At the forest part of the island, many squirrels were leaping around and burying their nuts. Other squirrels were stealing them.

Leechfoot's favorite prey is...

Snake.

The word rang through Fernstalk's brain. Snake. The hardest thing to find on the island.

Fernstalk at that moment heard a slither. She swore it was a snake. Rubbery skin. Fast tongue. Icky taste.

How could Leechfoot like such a thing?

Oh well, here goes nothing.

Fernstalk grabbed at the snake. It wriggled in her teeth viciously, trying to run away. She bit it harder, and it died. She padded back to camp and gave it to Leechfoot.

"Here you go, Leechfoot." She tried to sound calm, but the snake freaked her out.

Leechfoot smiled. "Thank you, whatever-your-name-is."

Fernstalk was taken aback. "Fernstalk. That's me."

She turned around. 

How could she not know my name?

Oh well

At least she knows now...

But that's not the same.

I should go see Treeshade

I'm thirsty

Where is Lilacwishes?

How is Dove?

STOP MEOWING, CONSCIOUSNESS!

Fernstalk padded out of the Two Trees and out into the forest on a walk. She found Treeshade, and slumped down.

"I don't get it, Treeshade!" Fernstalk exclaimed as she nibbled on a twig. "What am I supposed to do now? Just sit here and wait?"

The wind rustled the tree's leaves.

Fernstalk shrugged. "I have no idea what to do. I wish Lilacwishes were here."

"You called?" purred a silky voice.

"Lilacwishes!"

The dappled gray she-cat smiled. "You are stressed. Just let it be. All will be known in time. Just give it time.." and with that, she faded away without warning and without saying goodbye.

Uh, well then

I guess that worked?

She shrugged, and headed back home while watching the sun fall into it's secret place and letting the moon rise up into the sky.