The Snowies were just beginning to wake up at dawn and Talonswipe was gathering the patrols for hunting and border patrolling.

"Windblaze, gather five Snowies and patrol the southern border. I'll lead another patrol and we'll patrol along the Northern border, just in case Dawnwing comes-" Talonswipe stopped when he heard a loud rumble heading towards the Snowie tree.

Suddenly, a large pack of wolves exploded out from the oak forest and thundered towards the Snowies. There was a dark brown wolf leading the pack.

"Snowies attack!" Talonswipe screeched as the first wave of wolves hit them. The owls fought desperately for their lives as the wolves launched their attack towards the Snowie tree.

"Defend the owlets!" Windblade shrieked and five Snowies flew with her towards the nests.

More wolves crashed towards them and soon the Snowies were forced closer together to the tree. Talonswipe slashed at a grey wolf and then flapped his wings and soared up to Ember's nest. To his great shock, Talonswipe saw a dark brown wolf cornering his father, Ember hissed threateningly at the snarling wolf. The wolf must have managed to climb up the Snowie tree somehow. Talonswipe flexed his talons and got ready to slash the brown wolf.

"What are you doing here?" Ember growled angrily.

"You lied to us," The dark brown wolf snarled, "You said that the fugitives were heading south; they were hiding in the north this whole time! We sent a patrol down south and they returned empty pawed with no scents of those fugitives. The scarred wolf will be here soon and you will pay by watching your owls die."

"I will never let you harm a feather on any of them," Ember spat. He attacked and scratched the wolf's muzzle.

The wolf snarled and swatted Ember away then he pounced on him.

"NO!" Talonswipe screeched and flung himself at the wolf's head. He crashed into the wolf and the wolf stumbled. Talonswipe slashed at the wolf's shoulder. The wolf hissed in pain and then he leapt at Talonswipe's throat.

Ember crashed into the wolf and saved Talonswipe. The wolf reeled away from the impact and Ember slammed into the wolf again. The wolf staggered and just as Ember was about to finish him off, a white flash striked Ember's body. Ember crashed to the ground and lay winded. To the two Snowie's horror, the white flash revealed himself as the scarred wolf.

Talonswipe rushed over to his father and helped Ember to stand up again. Ember's wings were scratched and bleeding, he wouldn't be able to fly.

"Talonswipe, let go of me," Ember rasped. "Take the others to safety, evacuate the Snowie tree. Go now."

"No, I'm not leaving without you father," Talonswipe insisted. "You're the leader of the Snowies, you must come with us."

"No. You must go without me, there will be a new leader after me. The second in command will become the next leader. Now go!" Ember flung himself at the scarred wolf and the two viciously fought against the other. Ember slashed at the wolf's face and the wolf backed away. Ember seemed to be winning the fight when suddenly, the scarred wolf lunged forwards and grasped Ember's neck in his jaws. There was a crunching noise and Ember hung limp in the scarred wolf's jaws. The scarred wolf tossed Ember's body away and the two wolves stared hungrily at Talonswipe.

"No." Talonswipe whispered. He glared at the two wolves as they began to corner around him. Talonswipe glanced one last time at Ember's still body, then he flapped his wings and soared. The brown wolf leaped up to grab him but Talonswipe dodged and flew swiftly away out of the nest. Looking behind him, Talonswipe saw the two wolves standing at the entrance of the nest. The brown wolf leaped at Talonswipe in an attempt to catch him. Talonswipe veered away and the wolf plummeted to the ground with a howl. The scarred wolf glanced down and scrambled down the tree.

"Snowies, evacuate the tree!" Talonswipe screeched to the remaining Snowies. Some were badly injured but they managed to flap their wings and fly away. Talonswipe saw Windblaze helping a few owlets to escape, he dived down to help her and together they managed to get away from the Snowie tree.

***

It was now two days after the rescue patrol had managed to save Dawnwing. When they had returned, the Dawntreader's medicine cat Flower tended to their injuries and patched up Moonshadow's neck wound. Then Sunblaze showed Stardust, Moonshadow and Robintail where they could sleep in for the night; they slept in a small den and there were neat moss nests for them to sleep in. Stardust was weary and fell asleep in one of the nest. She dreamed that she was at the mountain tops with her father and mother.

"Stardust, you fought well against Icefeather," Ash praised her.

"When the great battle comes, you will need to fight harder than ever to defeat our enemies." Lilac mewed.

"Are we going to fight against the scarred wolf?" Stardust asked.

"Yes," Ash nodded. "Remember this; you must unite against the scarred wolf or everyone will fall. Be the star and join the Moon, together you will succeed and bring victory to everyone. Listen to what Twilight tells you and everything will become clear." Lilac and Ash's voices faded away and suddenly, Stardust's dream changed into a nightmare.

There was blood and screeching. Dark wolves were fighting against snowy white owls. They clashed together in a vicious battle of survival. Stardust soon recognized that the owls were the Snowies and then she saw Talonswipe and Windblaze soaring overhead. They had a few other injured Snowies with them; apprentices, owlets and elders. They struggled to fly and escape from the wolves, then the scene changed again. The Snowies were journeying through tall grass, hiding on the ground out of sight of the wolves. They were about to arrive at a camp full of ginger cats when suddenly, Stardust heard voices outside.

Stardust blinked her eyes open and saw that Moonshadow was awake too, they both went out of the den to see what was happening outside. Stardust saw about twenty Snowies in the Dawntreader's camp, they were badly injured and Talonswipe was talking to Sunblaze.

"Talonswipe, Windblaze, what's happened?" Moonshadow hooted in shock when he saw their wounds.

"Yesterday at dawn, the scarred wolf attacked our camp. They tried to wipe us out like they did with the Tribe of the Oak woods, we only just managed to escape. Ember didn't make it." Talonswipe hooted darkly, his head was bowed in a mournful way. "Four days ago, they asked for information about where you were; if we told them, they would set Dawnwing free and give her back to us, she's still a prisoner."

"Oh, we rescued her two days ago," Stardust told him.

"That's good, we were worried she might have been killed," Windblaze hooted in relief. Looking behind her, Stardust saw trembling owlets and injured apprentices.

"We need shelter and a place to stay for the night, our owls need medical attention." Talonswipe hooted wearily. "Please let us stay."

"Sunblaze," Driftclaw meowed. "If we let them stay, the scarred wolf will come after us because of them and our friends; Moonshadow, Stardust, Robintail and Dawnwing. They are all fugitives of the scarred wolf and therefore, he will go after them. If the scarred wolf comes after us, we all die."

The Dawntreaders began to gather into small groups and mutter anxiously to one another about the scarred wolf. A few were protesting to Sunblaze to not let the Snowies stay in the camp. Stardust gulped. If the scarred wolf was after them, then all the Dawntreaders would be in danger but if Sunblaze decided to get rid of them, where would they go then?

She looked worriedly at Sunblaze and the Dawntreaders, there was a small group of senior Dawntreader warriors surrounding Sunblaze and they were discussing the situation. Stardust strained to hear what they were saying but their voices were too quiet and low for her to hear. Then finally, Sunblaze looked at Stardust, Moonshadow and Talonswipe. He motioned with his tail to follow him, Moonshadow and Talonswipe glanced at each other before following Sunblaze into his den, Stardust trailed in after them. They settled down on the sandy floor and Sunblaze began.

"My senior warriors are worried that if you stay with us for much longer; the scarred wolf will come and kill us all but we wouldn't want to get rid of you when both of you need help and a place to stay, it would be cruel to do so." Sunblaze meowed. "I haven't made my decision yet but I have a few suggestions; we could let you stay here in secret or, we leave this place for good."

"Staying here in secret could cause trouble for all of us," Talonswipe hooted, he turned to Moonshadow. "I lied about where you and your friends were when the scarred wolf's lieutenant came to ask. After finding out that I had lied, they attacked and nearly wiped us all out." Talonswipe turned back to face Sunblaze. "If we lie again and the scarred wolf finds out, we're all doomed. I think that it's better to leave."

"I agree with Talonswipe," Moonshadow hooted. "The scarred wolf will not rest until he has every single one of us but where will we go to when we leave?"

"I have heard rumors from the north about a rebellion against the scarred wolf. A few small groups have already united to try and fight against that wolf but there is still not enough of them. We can go to the Twilight mountains and join the Rebellion." Sunblaze answered. "There is also a prophecy about a moon and a star that will save everyone." He added.

"Wait," Stardust mewed. I have heard plenty about a star and a moon, my parents have told me about it before, she thought. "I had a dream last night about my parents; they told me about this Star and Moon and how it will save everyone. They also told me that I have to be that star and to win a battle against the scarred wolf, we have to unite together. I think we have to unite with the Rebellion." She mewed.

They stared at her as if she had sprouted rabbit ears. Moonshadow blinked in disbelief and Talonswipe snorted. Sunblaze twitched his ear, looking deep in thought.

"That can't be possible, can it?" Talonswipe hooted with doubt. "I mean, aren't your parents... dead? They can't possibly tell you anything, can they?"

"But that's not the first time, was it?" Moonshadow stared at her. "You had a vision when we were at the Silver Viel mountain, you saw what happened to them. Have you been having visions ever since then?"

"Yes, even when I'm awake I can still feel my father's presence around me. Remember how I fought against Icefeather's patrol that night and how I defeated Icefeather when we went to rescue Dawnwing? My father taught me." Stardust mewed.

"Wait, she defeated one of the scarred wolf's followers? By herself!? Then that's real proof something's been happening." Talonswipe looked greatly surprised.

"Yes, she defeated Icefeather- a white barn owl with blue eyes, she seems to be one of the scarred wolf's lietenants now." Moonshadow replied.

"Then if it's true," Sunblaze meowed, "tomorrow, we will leave at dawn and travel to the Twilight mountains and join the Rebellion. Um, Stardust? Did your parents in your dream also reveal who the Moon is?"

"No, they didn't tell me." Stardust answered. They said something about "twilight", I guess they were just telling me the mountain's name, Stardust thought to herself.

"Very well, I will now announce my decision to the others and we will prepare for tomorrow's journey." Sunblaze meowed and he padded out of the den towards the Dawntreaders and the others. Stardust, Moonshadow and Talonswipe followed him out.

Outside, the Dawntreaders, Snowies, Dawnwing and Robintail were waiting anxiously for Sunblaze's decision. When they saw Sunblaze, Moonshadow, Stardust and Talonswipe coming out of the den, they gathered around them to hear Sunblaze's decision.

"Dawntreaders, Snowies and our guests, I have decided that leaving our home and traveling north to the Twilight mountains is the safest way possible to get away from the scarred wolf for now." Sunblaze announced. "We will leave tomorrow at dawn."