Flamewind walked away, tail dragging in the dust. His cuts stung and he was fuming on the inside. It had been two sunrises since the incident on the border with rogues, and he had fallen out of a tree. He fell. Out of a tree. A full grown warrior, scampering after a squirrel. Fell. Flamewind sighed, and he had fallen in front of Fireleap and Creekpaw, too. Mintleaf had given him strict orders to stay in camp for the remainder of the day, so he curled up in the Warriors den. In the silence, he saw the fresh moss lining the nest beside his. This smallest of things tipped him over the edge and he found himself drowning in an ocean of grief for Cloudstream again. Her nest used to be next to his, she would sleep beside him, like any sister would. The grief gave way to a huge, crashing, torrent of anger. His claws slid from their sheaths and dug into the soft moss of his nest. The rogues were to blame. They were the ones who did all of this. They had killed her, killed Cedartail, and taken more of his clanmates. Taken Briarpelt, and wounded Ashpaw. They had tried to take him, too. Him, and Brightstorm, Liondusk, and Deerpaw. But they had not succeeded, and they would not succeed, he vowed. No more cats would fall victim to their terrible darkness. With these thought, full of malice and revenge, he drifted off to sleep.

Flamewind opened his eyes in a shadowy forest. The shadows of the dark trees shifted and moved, making him feel as if he was being watched... Flamewind unsheathed his claws and hissed menacingly. Suddenly, black cats sprang at him from every side. His anger mounted, but against so many there was nothing he could do. The tom flailed in their shadowy grasp, fueled by a raging fire, and thirst for revenge. Soon though, he began to grow tired and the black shadow-cats seemed tireless and invincible. Whenever his claws met their flesh, the wounds they inflicted would vanish almost instantly. Flamewind was tiring swiftly, but clung to the ember of hate inside himself. Suddenly, a bright, white light shot down from the stars, driving back the shadows and darkness. The light coalesced, and formed the shimmering outline of a cat. "Cloudstream." Flamewind breathed, grief and pain cracking his voice. In an instant, he remembered her omen. "But Cloudstream!" He yowled to the light-apparition. "What do you mean? Doesn't anger give us strength? Harden our resolve in a battle? Brightstorm won the fight with the rogues because she wanted to avenge you, and she didn't back down." The bright cat-form only bowed its head, then shook it almost sadly. "Cloudstream!" Flamewind called out again as the light began to fade. "No don't leave me!" Soon she faded into nothing, and the vision ended.

Flamewind woke with a start. He was shaken from the vision, and for the first time he noticed the steady breathing of his clanmates around him. The sky outside was black, and stars shone brightly. Flamewind sighed, he must have been sleeping for hours, but it felt as if he had just lain down. His limbs felt like they were made of lead and he closed his eyes tiredly again, falling into a gentle memory.

"CloudKit!" Flamekit yowled, scrambling after the older, bigger white she-kit.
"Don't go far!" Snowytail called after the two. Brightkit lay curled up in her mother's nest still; she didn't want to play.
"Hey wait up Cloudkit!" Flamekit said again. The white kit huffed a sigh, but slowed to catch up with the other.
"Soon we'll be apprentices!" Cloudkit mewed excitedly. "Then warriors! I'll be the best warrior in the forest!"
"Yeah..." Flamekit said gloomily.
"Hey, who put thorns in your nest?"
"I'll have to wait before I become an apprentice! You and Brightkit will become 'paws before me!" The orange tom pouted.
"Aww come on," Cloudkit said. "My mother said she thinks Foxstar will just make you an apprentice a half-moon early with us!"
"Really?!" He exclaimed, perking up instantly.
"Yes..." She said, then looked slyly at him. "But I heard Silverheart saying otherwise. As deputy, she'd have a lot of influence on these kinds of decisions don't you think?" Flamekit's face fell, until Cloudkit burst into laughter.
"She said no such thing, did she?" Flamekit accused her. She just looked up at him innocently, but he didn't care. The little kit puffed out his chest and stood tall."Wow! I bet my mother and father would be so proud if they could see me now! I'll be an apprentice a half-moon early, cause I'm the best!"
"They can see you, mouse-brain!" Cloudkit said, cuffing him softly around the ear."They're up in the stars like all the other cats."
Flamekit nodded, pouncing on Cloudkit. "Well, I'd better make them proud then!" He said, tussling with his adopted sister. The memory slowly faded, and Flamewind blinked himself awake. Sunlight was streaming into the den, painting everything in its warm glow. Flamewind loathed to wake up and ruin it. But, he pulled himself to his paws and stepped out, to find the clan in a frenzy.
"Hey!" He called to Redstorm. "What's going on?"

"Elmbreeze's kits came early! She's had four!" He mewed over his shoulder, bounding towards the entrance.

"Four kits?!" Flamewind thought in surprise. He hurried towards the nursery, poking his head gently inside. Rosepaw was sitting inside, next to Elmbreeze who was curled up around four tiny bundles of fur. Goldberry and her kits were sleeping nearby. Rosepaw looked up and saw Flamewind, nodding to him. The orange tom crept in, and Elmbreeze raised her head tiredly, but her eyes were shining with a fire that had been lacking ever since Badgerclaw's disappearance.

"Hello Flamewind." Elmbreeze said tiredly, raising her head.

Flamewind smiled at the tiny bundles of fur. "Have you named them?" He asked her.

She looked up sharply, then nodded slowly. She nosed a dark brown tabby kit. His chest fur was white and so was his tiny tail tip. "This one is Cedarkit." She said softly. Flamewind felt a pang of sadness sweep over him, grief for Cedartail brought back to the surface. He noticed Goldberry had woken and was gazing at Cedarkit, sadness in her gaze. With a pang he remembered that Cedartail was her kit's father. Elmbreeze turned to a small, light brown tom. This one was a tiny tabby with darker brown stripes. "He is called Sandkit. For his father's father." Flamewind remembered old Sandpelt faintly, and realized he must have been Badgerclaw's father. He realized with a jolt of sadness and strength that Elmbreeze wouldn't name him Badgerkit because she wouldn't accept that Badgerclaw was dead. He looked at her with new eyes, and saw the steely determination in them. She licked at a tortoiseshell she kit. "She is Hopekit. StarClan knows we need more of that." She muttered. The orange tom nodded, looking softly at the tiny kit's dappled pelt. She was mewling softly and Elmbreeze pulled her closer with her tail. The last kit was a small white thing, with pale gold splotches on her back and paws. Elmbreeze seemed to hesitate a bit, her gaze boring into his. "This is Cloudkit." She whispered eventually. Flamewind looked up sharply, the reality of her death hitting him again. He looked with wild eyes down at Cloudkit, remembering Cloudstream. He missed her so much it hurt. At least he, like Elmbreze, could hold out hope that Briarpelt and Badgerclaw were out there somewhere, but Cloudstream was so immovably, unquestionably gone. His green eyes filled with sorrow, and he touched his nose to Cloudkit's head. "I'll never forget you, Cloudstream." He thought, dipping his head to Elmbreeze, Rosepaw, and Goldberry, then turning out of the nursery. 

Flamewind walked towards the entrance to the camp, desperately wanting to do something, anything, just not have to be stuck in the camp where he felt useless. On the way out he almost collided with Mintleaf, coming back from StarClan's camp. He looked preoccupied, but had his wits about him enough to say,"Oh no you don't. Not until I've checked you over. Come on." With a huge sigh Flamewind followed him, padding to Silverstar's den.

~~~

Mintleaf hurried back from StarClan's camp, saying hasty goodbyes to the other medicine cats. He ran through the territory thinking about what he had seen. His own clanmates had been warped, but he knew that Badgerclaw had recognized him. Had called out to him, if only for a split second. He knew that his beloved clanmates were still there somewhere, but he had no idea how to heal them. "What kind of useless medicine cat are you anyway? You couldn't save Cloudstream or Cedartail, can't save Ashpaw, and you can't save any of your other clanmates! I bet Emberheart--"  The grey tom stopped, forbidding his thoughts from going down that path, Soon, he made it to camp brushing past Flamewind. He started slightly, wincing at the amazing resemblance in him with his mother, the very focus of his deepest fears. "She chose her path!" He told himself fiercely. His mind elsewhere; he barely registered the limp in Flamewind's walk, and the scent of blood clinging to his fur before the ginger tom was almost past him. The old medicine cat stopped him with his tail. "Oh no you don't. Not until I've checked you over. Come on." he said swiftly, hurrying to Silverstar's den, only glancing back once to make sure the young tom was following him. He walked forward swiftly. "Wait out here, I'll be back in a moment." he turned to go in, then stopped short. "Actually, could you find Riverpelt and tell him to come. Rosepaw as well if you can get her." He hurried forward, slipping into Silverstar's den. She was in there, thank StarClan, and looked up a trace of alarm flashing in her eyes.

"Is everything okay Mintleaf?" She asked, rising to her paws.

"Yes, well, I need to talk to--"he was cut off as Riverpelt pushed his way into the den, followed by Rosepaw.

"What's happened?" Riverpelt said anxiously. "What did StarClan have to say?"

Mintleaf twitched his tail irritably. "I would tell you if you would stop interrupting me." He frowned. The other cats settled themselves and looked expectantly to him. Mintleaf hesitated for a heartbeat, what could he say? "I was shown the RainClan camp." He began slowly. "I-I saw our clanmates." He saw the flash of pain in all of their eyes, and knew that his own mirrored theirs.

"Yes, this we knew, Mintleaf." Silverstar said softly. "Surely you remember Dustclaw?" Mintleaf nodded, and saw Riverpelt wince slightly at the mention of the RainClan deputy.

"Yes I am aware." He said. "But I know that they can be helped! I saw Badgerclaw, he knew me. He recognized me." 

Silverstar looked at him, eyes full of pain and understanding. "I know it may seem as if they know, but they could not possibly do this if they were aware of what they were doing. Our clanmates are trapped deep within."

Mintleaf nodded and twitched his whiskers. "Yes but I know we can help them! I know what I saw!"

Riverpelt and Silverstar hesitated, but Silverstar dipped her head to him eventually. "I- just don't want to...stir up false hope." She whispered. Mintleaf looked bewilderedly at her. Didn't they want to believe that they could help their friends? Wasn't it a good thing that they showed signs of themselves?

"Is that all?"  Riverpelt asked.

Mintleaf shook himself, turning to the deputy. "No, StarClan told me this: Darkness is coming. Four must become one, and want for revenge must cease. Hate has no part in this battle."

"What?" Riverpelt said confusedly. "Is that a prophecy?"

Mintleaf was about to shake his head, but Rosepaw cut across him. "No, I don't think so." She said softly. Her head was down and she looked to be deep in thought. "It feels more like advice, a warning, rather than a prophecy." She looked up, seemingly surprised to find that she had talked out loud. She gave herself a few embarrassed licks. Silverstar and Riverpelt looked at her surprisedly. Mintleaf nodded, proud of his apprentice.

"Yes, I feel the same way." Rosepaw looked up at him, admiration and pride in her eyes.

"Well, we must figure out what they are trying to tell us." Silverstar said.

"It's obvious what the 'darkness' is." Riverpelt put in. "These rogues, the so called 'Night Raiders'. " he spat out their names. "Four must become one, surely this refers to the clans?"

Mintleaf nodded. "It makes sense, but we mustn't jump to conclusions. It could mean anything--" he was cut off as a yowl came from the camp.

"Silverstar!" Scorchfur poked her head into the den. She looked flustered and annoyed. Mintleaf was surprised; usually the deep ginger cat was calm and cool. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Sandstar is here to see you." Silverstar looked up in surprise, and followed Scorchfur quickly out of the den. Riverpelt followed, and Mintleaf waited for Rosepaw to exit before padding out himself. In the middle of the clearing he saw Silverstar and Riverpelt facing Sandstar, her deputy Oakpelt, and another warrior. Mintleaf struggled to place her speckled pelt, remembering her name was Spottedfern.

"Greetings," Silverstar was saying. "What is the reason of this visit, Sandstar?" She asked politely. By now more cats had padded out to see what was going on, and the whispers started. They died down as Silverstar flicked her tail, but Mintleaf could tell Sandstar and her cats noticed.

"As you know RainClan has come to shelter with us. Their sick, old, young and nursing have come to us in need, and only a pawful of Warriors and and apprentices got away, and of them not a single one unscathed." Sandstar said.

Silverstar stared back. "Yes, I fail to see what this has to do with us. RainClan thanks you, I'm sure, for taking in their cats in their time of need." She said cooly.

Sandstar twitched an ear, but remained cool. "Something must be done."

"I don't understand what you are asking of us." Riverpelt spoke up beside Silverstar. Mintleaf looked between them. Could the meaning of this meeting explain Hollyfrost's coldness toward him?

Sandstar rose to her paws and raised her voice slightly to talk to the whole clan. "Our territory can no longer support our cats as well as RainClan's." She said authoritatively, her piercing gaze raking across the crowd. "MistClan must allow my warriors to hunt on your territory."

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