Years of boredom seem to go by after that. Knucklestar is now observing me when he thinks I'm not looking. It's weird. He never said anything about my little fight with Roseheart. I think he's suspecting me. I don't know of what. I already know that he knows what I am, but I don't think he knows about me being Shadowstrike. Maybe that's why he's inspecting my every move. He would've been a warrior when Shadowstrike was around. He became the deputy after Shadowstrike. Blazepelt finally moved into the nursery and her belly is large and swollen because of her kits. They'll be due soon. I'm going to move out of the nursery soon with Emeraldkit. Becoming an apprentice is just around the corner. Now I know why Dawnpaw was so desperate to become an apprentice. When I do become an apprentice, I'll finally be able to return to the MoonCliff. Sonic's voice in my head has been silent and nothing other than that has happened.

"Shadowkit!" Emeraldkit yelled. She had almost doubled in size and was nearly the size of an apprentice. She bowled him over and purred when he couldn't quite kick her off. She had trained against him in her free time making herself into a strong kit. She's been doing it more lately. Probably because she wants to impress her mentor.

"What do you want Emeraldkit? Do you want to send me to the medicine den again?" asked Shadowkit with a smirk on his face. Emeraldkit got off of him and returned to a calm state. Her tail was swishing randomly to give away her excitement.

"I can't wait to become an apprentice! The apprentice ceremony is today!" she announced.

"I know! Finally, I'll be able to move out of this prison!" Shadowkit said hopping to his feet. He looked at the dawn patrol beginning to set out. The ones in the patrol were Acorntail, Dawnpaw, Swiftpaw, and Jetstorm. Early hunting patrols were leaving the camp as well. Knucklestar hopped down from his tree to stretch his legs. He greeted Diamondwing and Camoflight with a nod. He looked back to the nursery at Shadowkit. This time, he knew he was looking back. The leader was thinking. What kind of warrior he would be? Who his mentor would be? His possible future warrior name? His best qualities?

Emeraldkit looked in the direction he was looking. Knucklestar was staring at them. She nudged him. "Why is Knucklestar looking at us?"

Shadowkit stood up and shook his head. He turned away and began to walk off. He flipped around and pounced on her tail. She squeaked in alarm. "HEY!"

"Got ya."

Knucklestar smiled with amusement. He climbed onto the Skyrock and looked down at the clearing and called a clan meeting. Emeraldkit began to vigorously lick her fur. Shadowkit just stood up and walked out to the clearing and sat beneath the Skyrock.

"Today, I am proud to announce that Emeraldkit and Shadowkit have reached six moons! They are now allowed to become apprentices of SunClan. Shadowkit, Emeraldkit, would you please join me up on the Skyrock?" asked Knucklestar looking down at the two of them. They both nod.

Once they got to the top of the top of the Skyrock, Knucklestar started the ceremony. "Shadowkit and Emeraldkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, your names shall be Emeraldpaw and Shadowpaw. Emeraldpaw, your mentor will be Doubletail. I hope that Doubletail will pass on all of his experience to you. Shadowpaw, your mentor will be Sonicwind. Due to your experience that is already beyond even one of our warriors, you shall be assigned as the apprentice to one of the most experienced warriors in the clan. Sonicwind, I do believe that you will pass on all of your knowledge to your apprentice," Knucklestar said. Sonicwind grinned and nodded.

Emeraldpaw! Shadowpaw! Emeraldpaw! Shadowpaw!

"Thank you, Knucklestar," Emeraldpaw said over the cheering crowd of cats. She bowed her head humbly to the leader before dashing away to touch noses with her new mentor. Shadowpaw looked at Sonicwind. That was what Sonicwind was talking to Knucklestar about during their battle. He actually did see them talking to each other out of the corner of his eye. Faker his mentor? Man...

"Is there something wrong Shadowpaw?" asked Knucklestar. His gaze didn't change when he asked.

Shadowpaw remained silent for a heartbeat. He thought carefully about the question. Was there? He shook his head. "No. There's nothing wrong."

Knucklestar nods and Sonicwind waited patiently for Shadowpaw to join him. Shadowpaw touches noses with his new mentor. He knew it was traditions, but it still seemed a little weird.

"Shadowpaw, How would you like to have a tour of the territory with Emeraldpaw and Doubletail?" asked Sonicwind. He looked over at Emeraldpaw who had started up a conversation with Doubletail about something he didn't understand at all. Something about astrology maybe. He didn't even know what astrology was...

Shadowpaw nodded. He padded over to Emeraldpaw. She looked over and wrapped up her conversation with a brb. She faces him.

"Hello, Shadowpaw! I never knew how nice Doubletail was until he became my mentor. However, Shadowpaw, I envy you! You got the clan deputy for a mentor!" Emeraldpaw exclaimed.

"Sorry. I'm too awesome for my own good. Sonicwind is taking me on a tour of the territory. He's wondering if you could come with us," Shadowpaw explained.

Emeraldpaw looked to Doubletail who nodded. She looks back to Shadowpaw. "Tell him we accept. Just give me a minute!" Emeraldpaw said suddenly running off. She dashed into the medicine den.

Shadowpaw became curious. She doesn't need a medicine cat. What was her problem? He followed.

"Cosmicleaf!!" Emeraldpaw yelled.

She sniffed around for a minute trying to find Creampaw or Cosmicleaf. They were nowhere to be seen. She begins to look around and looks through the herbs as if she were trying to find something. Her ears twitched when she saw a specific one. It was bright red and looked like a large cherry. She ruffled her fur and backed away from it and knocked over a shelf of herbs. She squeaked in terror as the herbs fell on the floor. She then growled at her clumsiness. Shadowpaw suppressed a merow of laughter. He slaps his tail over his mouth before he could.

As Emeraldpaw began to pick up the herbs, she finds an unusual stone that was a bright purple. It shimmered on the ground. Shadowpaw's ear pricked. He knew what it was. It was one of the spiritual stones from the StarCliff. He pays more attention as she approaches.

"A... glowing rock?" asked Emeraldpaw as she reaches out to touch it.

DON'T TOUCH IT!!!

Shadowpaw's frantic thought was nothing more than a thought. She couldn't hear the thought. The tip of her claw pierced the rock and her eyes are engulfed in flames. The words of a thousand warriors ran through her head. Shadowpaw watches almost in terror and realizes what is happening. StarClan wasn't going to leave his secret alone were they?

Shadowstrike... 2... 9... 14... 0... 2... 9... 13... 0... Rippleclaw... 2... 9... 12... 0... Shadow... Hedgehog... Emeraldpaw...

"Let... go... For the love of StarClan! Let me go!" Emeraldpaw wailed.

We are StarClan.

At those words, Emeraldpaw fell to the ground. She wasn't awake. StarClan took her soul. Shadowpaw didn't know where. He raced over to her. She was breathing really slowly and her pulse slowed down. She wasn't dead, at least. He turned his attention to the stone.

"StarClan, what do you have to tell her but not me?" he asked to the rock. It didn't respond to him.

"Shadowpaw, what are you doing here?" asked Cosmicleaf.

Shadowpaw jumped. When did she get back? He lowered his fur. "Emeraldpaw touched your StarCliff stone."

"I meant her to. StarClan told me to bring a sample of the stone at StarCliff back with me and to have Emeraldpaw find it so she can share tongues with StarClan. I called her to come to the den before she left camp," Cosmicleaf explained.

"Why would StarClan want to talk to her?" Shadowpaw asked.

"Maybe because they want her to know the truth.

Emeraldpaw opened her eyes. She was in a brightly lit clearing. The voices were gone and she was alone. What did it all mean? Why was she here?

"Welcome Emeraldpaw. We've been meaning to speak with you for quite some time," a deep, female voice stated.

Emeraldpaw turned and saw a white-she cat staring at her. Emeraldpaw sat up straight and held her tongue. She somehow already knew that it was Earthstar. The former SunClan leader.

"I've brought you here for a serious matter. The prophecy on Shadow is exactly the same for you. The prophecy revolves around you as much as it does him," Earthstar explained.

"What do you mean?" asked Emeraldpaw.

"Allow me to explain."

Shadowpaw was pacing in the medicine den. He couldn't stand all the waiting. Emeraldpaw was out for almost an hour. He paced through the afternoon and through sunset. Emeraldpaw didn't respond to anyone. When the next morning came around, her eyes slowly began to open. She didn't say anything. She learned too much in one night. Her eyes were fixed on Shadowpaw.

"Shadow... Why aren't you telling us the truth?" she asked.

Shadowpaw slapped his tail over her mouth. He looked to Cosmicleaf. "Make sure nobody comes in. Okay?" he asked. Cosmicleaf sat in front of the door.

He helped Emeraldpaw to her paws and gave her a serious look. She equally returned the look he was giving her. "I know you Shadow. That's your actual name. I know I'm Zaira. I was dragged into this world like you. I just didn't remember. Why didn't you tell me that you were a hedgehog from another world?" she questioned.

"I didn't think anybody would believe me," Shadowpaw explained.

"Why didn't you tell me then?! I would have believed you! I didn't need a message from StarClan to believe I was part of your huge prophecy! 2-9-12-0!" Emeraldpaw yelled.

"Wait. 2-9-12-0? When I was told of it, I always learned that it was 2-9-14-0!" Shadowpaw said.

"Two cats have died in the Lake of the Lost. Shadowstrike and Rippleclaw," Emeraldpaw answered.

"You mean this prophecy is a giant death countdown?" asked Shadowpaw.

"Only a part of it. Something tells me that when every number reaches zero, something happens. The number keeps on changing."

"When 0 cats are loved, 0 lives are earned, 0 cats are lost, 0 learned will make something happen?"

"The prophecy changes as it goes on. Now it's 2 cats loved, 9 lives earned, 12 to be lost, 0 learned. It's counting down to something."

Shadowpaw suddenly got hit with a wave of knowledge. "Counting down to when the Valley of Lost Echoes will rise and take over the forest..."

Emeraldpaw nodded. Her expression never changed throughout the entire conversation. She knew everything now. There was nothing to hide. Rippleclaw from MoonClan, Shadowstrike from StarClan, another victim on the way... Only going to be slain...

"Come on. We need to get that tour. If we're going to battle the cats within the Valley of Lost Echoes, we must become fully grown warriors first," Emeraldpaw told Shadowpaw. He nods in agreement.

"Shadowpaw! Emeraldpaw!" Cosmicleaf called.

The two apprentices walk over to the medicine cat. She flicks her tail towards Sonicwind who's sitting impatiently in the clearing.

"Well, how was your little chat?" he asked.

The two apprentices looked at each other. They then looked back at Sonicwind and shrugged.

"Well, I'm not going to just sit around all day waiting without any answers! What happened?! I know you two are hiding something! So is Knucklestar! It's all about you two! Tell me!" yelled Sonicwind.

Shadowpaw and Emeraldpaw looked at each other again. Shadowpaw shook his head no. Sonicwind looked slightly offended. Before he could say anything in reply, he was interrupted by Knucklestar who summoned his deputy to him. Sonicwind rolled his eyes and walked over. They exchanged a few words and Sonicwind got a look of amazement in his eyes. He quickly ran back over to his apprentice and looked like he was going to say a million things all at once, but he couldn't say anything unless if he could say every word possible in two seconds.

"Well, now you know," Shadowpaw answered to him.

Sonicwind sat up straight. "We might as well just name you a warrior now then, Shadz," Sonicwind answered.

Shadowpaw's ears pricked. Shadz? That was one of his least favorite nicknames that Sonic gave him a long time ago. How would Sonicwind know of it?

"What did you call me?" asked Shadowpaw.

"Shadz! This nickname for you that I came up with for you. I just have this urge to call you that," Sonicwind explained.

Shadowpaw rolled his eyes. With Sonicwind as his mentor, he would learn a lot, but he would also be driven crazy six times minimum a day. Great. Perfect.

Doubletail ran over and said that he'd join them on their first time out. He wanted to help show them the territory. Cosmicleaf decided to come as well to show them a few things about herbs. What they should eat and what they shouldn't. They set out and padded through the bramble tunnel and crawled under the bush in front of the entrance. Shadowpaw found it easier to crawl under the bush because his muscles have grown stronger. Sunlight greeted him outside of the tunnel. It had been a long time since he last felt the leaves and undergrowth under his paws. Confined in the camp! It was finally behind him.

"Okay, the first place I am going to take you is to Running Life River. After that, Twoleg place. Third, Soul Rock. Fourth, High Trees. Last, is the rocky pass that leads to the StarCliff and the Lake of the Lost. Understood?" asked Sonicwind.

A shiver ran down everyone's spine at the mention of the terrible lake. Emeraldpaw clawed at the ground just thinking about poor Shadowstrike and Rippleclaw who drowned within the dark water with no end. Sonicwind shoved the thought out of his head.

"Okay, aren't we going to Running Life River?" asked Doubletail.

"Right! Follow me!" Sonicwind summoned.

The apprentices bolted after the deputy and Shadowpaw sniffed the air. He could smell the scents of the forest so clearly. It was hard to believe that his nose wasn't nearly as good when he was a hedgehog. Running water rippled and ran its way into earshot. He knew they were close. Sonicwind stopped at the edge of the river at the sandbank.

"This is Running Life River. This river is what separates our territory from MoonClan's territory. You must never cross it!" Sonicwind commanded.

The apprentices nodded. Never cross the Running Life River because it's a border. Sonicwind continued on away from the River. Shadowpaw noticed how he didn't want to be so near the river. Probably because he had a fear of water. Just like Sonic.

"The Twoleg place is over there across the river as well. It's where the Twolegs live. They have monsters that prowl on their Thunderpaths. Never step on a Thunderpath or they will squash you. Oh! A Twoleg! Take a close look apprentices!" Sonicwind hissed. They all leaned forward and watched.

Shadowpaw watched. It was just a human. Wait. The Twolegs were humans. That's why Sonicwind asked if he were trying to be a Twoleg or not. He was trying to walk on two legs like he were human. Sonicwind cringed at the water and ran off. Doubletail ran after him. Cosmicleaf sighed and scurried after them after making sure that the apprentices were coming.

"Did I look like one of those in your world, Shadowpaw?" asked Emeraldpaw curiously.

"Sort of. You had the shiniest wings in all of Mobius. Other than your wings and magic, you were, in a way, a Twoleg," Shadowpaw explained.

"What about you?"

"I was a hedgehog built to help the Twolegs. However, that purpose is gone now. I'm a cat. Since when did cats ever really help Twolegs?" asked Shadowpaw.

"Good point."

They followed their mentors. Sonicwind slowed his pace a little once the sound of the running water faded away. He fell into step with Shadowpaw. He knew that he had many questions. The problem was starting up the conversation... "So, now that I know about you, should I really know anything else?"

"Just don't tell anybody else about me. That's my only requirement. Not even your old apprentice Doubletail. Emeraldpaw has promised. Same with Knucklestar. What about you?" asked Shadowpaw staring the deputy in the eye.

Sonicwind looked over at Doubletail with almost a sad little glance. He sighed and nodded. Shadowpaw narrowed his eyes in disbelief but nodded anyway.

"Aren't we about to reach the Soul Rock within High Trees?" asked Cosmicleaf looking around. She flicked her tail towards a large rock in a clearing surrounded by large, tall trees. They all ran over.

"Ah! Yes, this is Soul Rock! It is said that StarClan made their very first appearance to a cat on this rock. This is the place where the clans got their very first medicine cat! Oh, what I'd give to go back to those times of peace within the clans... Back when both of the clans were good..., but that'll never happen. I can't bring back the past...," Sonicwind explained.

There was a long silence between them all. A silence for the past where peace was existent. However, peace was no longer around. There was a never-ending war with MoonClan. Sonicwind shook himself out of it and announced that they were going to continue.

They moved on down a small dirt path. Shadowpaw recognized this place. He had been here in both his dreams and reality. Mist rose all around them. They came to the fork in the road. One way went to the Lake of the Lost, the other went to the MoonCliff. Sonicwind gave the two apprentices a cold, hard stare.

"This way to the left, is the road to the Lake of the Lost. The road on the right, is the road to the MoonCliff. Only medicine cats are allowed to proceed beyond this point. Remember: Never come down these paths...," Sonicwind explained ominously. The way he was speaking made everyone's fur prickle. Shadowpaw could feel his skin crawl...

Cosmicleaf whispered something to Sonicwind. He gives her a brisk nod and guides the apprentices back through the mist to High Trees. They follow the border line back to the camp. Sonicwind yawns loudly once within the bramble thicket tunnel.

"Shadowpaw, I'm a little beat. Why don't you go to the apprentice den and get yourself settled in. I'm gonna hit the hay in the warrior's den."

Shadowpaw obeyed his mentor's orders. He snagged a mouse from off the fresh-kill pile and trotted towards the apprentice den. He walks in slowly. Dawnpaw and Lightpaw were back already. Swiftpaw was still out with his mentor. Shadowpaw didn't care. Emeraldpaw was exchanging a few words with Doubletail before she went to sleep. He found himself a nest of feathers, moss, and leaves near the back of the den. He curled up into a ball within the nest. For the first time in a moon, Sonic's voice spoke again to him gently in his ear.

2-9-12-0... 2-9-12-0... 2 to be loved... 9 lives to be earned... 12 to be lost... 0 will learn... Those who are lost, will in turn, take you down to be burned...

"Shadowpaw?" asked Emeraldpaw looking around in the den. She found his black pelt in the darkness. He could sense that she was walking up to him. She leaned down close to his ear. "Wherever this prophecy takes us, I'll be right here willing to fight with you. Just like in the battle we had with MoonClan. Goldenheart may have moved on to become a warrior, but I'll always be here at your side. remember that."

Shadowpaw didn't move. He had pretended to be asleep. He listened to her every word, though. Determination filled his heart almost as if lightning had struck it. He was going to fulfill the prophecy and bring the peace everyone wanted so badly back to the forest.

"Emeraldpaw."

He could hear her look back at him.

"Thank you..."

With those words, he curled up again and fell asleep. If he had dreamed, the dreams would have been good dreams. Dreams with peace and Emeraldpaw and Goldenheart. Yet, for some reason, he looked Emeraldpaw differently than Goldenheart. He looked at her like she were his only friend in the world of the warrior cats. He would say to himself, that's what she is.