Flamewind opened his eyes slowly, his whole body aching. He had slept uneasily, thoughts of silverstar's words the last night haunting him. Who were these rouge cats that could control other cats? Flamewind stood stiffly, cringing slightly at a twinge of pain in his leg and face. He looked up as the small red and white she cat entered his chamber. "Good you're awake." She said. She looked tired and overworked.

"Are there a lot of injured cats?" He asked.

"Some." She replied shortly. "Redstorm and Bramblespark got cut up pretty bad, like you." Flamewind frowned. He hoped they would be okay. He himself was feeling much better that day then he did the previous one.

Rosepaw looked him over and made him swallow some herbs. "You look better now." She mewed. "Don't go running around, you hear me? Stay in camp today, it'll take time Flamewind!"

The orange tom nodded and made his way out of the den. He squinted at the bright sunlight. "I must have slept longer than I thought." He muttered to himself.

"Flamewind!" The tom smiled as Cloudstream trotted over. "How do you feel?"

"Better." He said. Flamewind leaned in closer and muttered in a low voice, "Has there been any news?"

"Not yet." She replied her smile fading. "Riverpelt went out with Mousewing, Brightstorm, and Sunpaw, but they haven't gotton back yet, and Silverstar went out earlier but she didn't find anything." 

Flamewind nodded, downcast. He looked up as Riverpelt's patrol came back. They looked somber and disappointed. "No news, I'm guessing,". Flamewind sighed. Riverpelt walked over to Silverstar. She whispered something to him and they exchanged a glance. She leapt onto the Great Rock and Flamewind perked up his ears. Perhaps they had found something after all.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here, before the Great Rock and hear this news!" Silverstar yowled in the customary manner. Flamewind and Cloudstream hurried over, sitting next to Elmbreeze and Badgerclaw. He saw Briarpelt looking at him and his face grew hot. He ducked his head. He didn't know why he was suddenly embarrassed around her, she had always been his friend.

"MistClan!" Silverstar yowled. "We have two apprentices ready to take on the full responsibilities of warriors. During the battle at the Gathering Place, they have proven themselves worthy, and ready to serve their clan at their full capacity as warriors." Flamewind smiled, his spirits lifting. Accepting new warriors was always amazing and uplifting. He could remember his own warrior ceremony, and how it felt to finally receive his warrior name. "Sunpaw, Lionpaw, step forward." The two apprentices did as she commanded, holding their heads high. Flamewind could tell that they barely restraining their excitement. Mousewing and Scorchfur stood to the side smiling proudly, watching their apprentices become warriors.

"I, Silverstar, leader of MistClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you in their turn. Sunpaw, Lionpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Sunpaw beamed proudly. "I do."

Lionpaw looked at Silverstar and mewed solemnly, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sunpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sunstreak. StarClan honors your faith and your enthusiasm and we welcome you as a full warrior of MistClan." Sunstreak beamed and nodded. "Lionpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Liondusk . StarClan honors your strength and forethought and we welcome you as a full warrior of MistClan." Liondusk looked up proudly. The two apprentices' coats gleamed as they grinned.

"Sunstreak! Liondusk ! Sunstreak! Liondusk !" Flamewind chanted with the rest of his clan. The two new warriors glowed with happiness as they came down into the crowd below. "Congratulations! Sunstreak! Liondusk !" Flamewind said, beaming at the warriors. The two nodded.

"Thank you!" Sunstreak mewed happily. Liondusk nodded. Flamewind grit his teeth and turned away, grimacing in pain. He gasped as fire shot through his veins. He felt a cat supporting him and leaned into her gratefully. She supported him to the med cat den and he lay down in the central den. Flamewind looked up to thank her, but saw to his surprise not Cloudstream's green eyes, but Briarpelt's queer blue-green-greys.

"Thank you." He whispered. She nodded.

"I'll get Mintleaf."

A few moments later Briarpelt returned with not only Mintleaf, but Cloudstream too. Mintleaf made a funny sound of disapproval and frowned. "You've gone and opened up your cut again!" He said exasperatedly. He wrapped his leg in cobwebs and put some more herbs on it. "Lie still for the rest of the day, okay? You have to keep off that leg!"

Flamewind sighed. "Fine..." He said. He looked down, missing the look that passed between the two she cats.

Cloudstream coughed, mumbling something about hunting and excused herself. Mintleaf smiled softly. "Stay here." He said firmly, then exited as well.

"Do you need anything?" Briarpelt asked hesitantly. She came and sat beside him, their pelts brushing together.

Flamewind felt a shiver go through his body at the contact. His face grew hot and he mumbled, "n-no, I'm omkay." He closed his eyes. "You are so stupid!!" He silently berated himself. Briarpelt just chuckled and nudged closer to him, laying down and closing her eyes. Flamewind stilled, scared to move and hurt her or something. His ears pricked up, and so did Briarpelt's.

"What was that?" She whispered in his ear. Flamewind flicked his tail.

"I don't know." A faint yowl was heard, and Briarpelt got up in one fluid movement, trotting briskly out.

"Stay here, I'll come back and tell you what happened!" She said over her shoulder.

"But-" Flamewind began, but her tail whisked around the corner and she was gone. The orange warrior sighed, and strained his ears to hear anything, but he couldn't make out anything that was said. He sighed. At least it didn't sound dangerous. He waited for what seemed like seasons. After multiple attempts to get up he resigned himself to wait. Waiting was not one of his favorite things to do. Flamewind's ears perked up at the sound of paw steps outside. Soon Cloudstream and Briarpelt padded in.

"What happened? Who was it? Is everything okay? Was it those mouse-dung rouges again? Did we hear from the other clans? What happened?!" He yowled in a rush.

"Shut it!" Cloudstream yowled over him. "We would tell you if you would shut up and listen for two seconds!" She snapped, but her eyes were clouded and her brow furrowed.

Flamewind cringed, subdued. "I-is everything okay...?" He asked hesitantly.

Briarpelt sighed. "A warrior from RainClan found Scorchfur's patrol. They brought him back here to see Silverstar."

"What? RainClan! Is their clan okay?" Flamewind asked disbelievingly.

"No." Cloudstream said coldly. "They experienced much the same as us over the past moon. Cats disappearing, prey harder to find. The day before last, rouges attacked their camp, turning nearly all of their cats black and evil. Foxflight, the warrior who is here now, got away in time and found us."

"That explains Dustclaw." Flamewind murmured, trying to process through all this new information. "What are we going to do?"

"We don't know." Briarpelt meowed. "Silverstar took him into her den with Riverpelt. Too many cats I suspect. This is just what we heard before they left." Flamewind nodded. The warriors' ears perked up at Silverstar's call. The she cats got up when Rosepaw poked her head in.

"She wants everycat." The apprentice said. "Can you help him out?" They nodded and supported Flamewind, helping him out if the med den. The whole clan was gathered in front of the Great Rock, Flamewind noted with worry that Bramblespark and Redstorm were being supported by other cats too.

"As you all know," Silverstar began after everycat was gathered before her. "A warrior from RainClan has joined us today." A lightly built, red-furred tom sat next to Silverstar. He shifted uncomfortably under the stares of MistClan. "RainClan had been suffering from similar attacks as us. "

"Had been?" Elmbreeze asked, shifting around her slightly swollen belly.

Silverstar looked at her a moment before answering. Her voice was loud and clear. "RainClan was attacked, day before last. Most, nearly all, cats were corrupted and turned against themselves and their friends." She paused, silver-blue, sorrow filled eyes sweeping over her clan. Foxflight looked down sorrowfully. "The battle was lost. RainClan is no more."

A/N sooo what did you think? Good? Bad? Constructive criticism is always welcome!