The sun had finished peeking from the ground and was now floating a fox length into the blue sky. Silverstorm waited what seemed like moons for Badgerstike's return, he had never left without consulting her first. He had, however, been strange the past two sunrises. The tom hardly ever spoke, especially not about the so called plan he had to get them both out of the arena. In fact Silverstorm had found herself always striking up the conversations, only recieving a nod or simple one worded reply. Badgerstrike was like a stone wall, impossible to reach. The little emotion she ever saw was a gleam in his eyes or cloud that raged violently across his pupils.

What was worse was that Starclan had abandoned her. It seemed a cruel game to abandon a medicine cat right before she was about to die or if she was lucky...live. Yet the Dark Forests clutches were already reaching out for her in her dreams. Silverstorm remembered the last games where the medicine cat had lost his mind, she had forgotten his name, but not the insanity in his eyes. Silverstorm never could understand why medicine cats were gifted to walk along Starclan warriors, only to be cast away to the Dark Forest. It was something she'd never understand and yet it terrified her to the very core.

Silverstorm wished Starclan had told her all the tributes biggest regrets, like they had done with Shadowfur, Snowfrost and many others. However they seemed to save the selected few that were last in the arena hidden. Another cruel game.

Suddenly Silverstorm's head began to throb violently. She placed her paws over her ears to stop the ringing from within. Thats when her eyes shot open wide into the sun's harsh glare.

The sky was bloodred and the tree's black as charcoal, as if a fire had came through and devoured their leaves and turning them to standing ash. Before Silverstorm stood a beautiful tall snow white she-cat with a bald head. A scar of pink ran down her left ear, through her eye and down to her chest. Silverstorm couldn't take her eyes away from the handsome queen in utter astonishment. The she-cat administered so much power in just her stand alone.

"My. My," The she-cat giggled like an innocent kit. Cackles rose from the shadows of the trees, less innocent and less friendly.

"What do you want? Where am I?" Silverstorm shouted, finding her strength.

"My dear dear pet." The tall she-cat stalked towards her, more graceful than any Starclan cat. "You have been sent here to redeem us. Save us." The she-cat ran her paw down Silverstorm's forehead before booping her nose.

Silverstorm was so entranced by the cats beauty she didn't know what to say nor think.

"Of course you have to die to do so, I'm sorry to say." The she-cats round sky eyes grew larger. "We've been doing things all wrong spoiling these young medicine cats with night horrors worse than the Dark Forest itself. When all we needed was a pure soul to gain access to Starclan."

"Starclan?" Silverstorm questioned.

"Yes. You see in this world things are much more unfair. Cats who are damned to the Dark Forest are only damned because of the games! We are forced to kill, what more does Starclan expect? So we began to take what was theirs to get back what we deserve."

"You took medicine cats?" Silverstorm asked confused.

"Indeed. Medicine cats were the only hope of ours to communicate to Starclan. Find reason." The she-cats voice grew somber.

Suddenly mist stirred around Silverstorm painting pictures of sorrow. Cats who were in the games falling, calling out to Starclan for help. Shrieks of terror. A queen reaching out for her unborn kits. The cries grew louder.

"We tried. Any cat can become good again, but Starlcan cast us away like rotten flesh. So what more do they expect from these damned souls but to be angry and full of hatred. We are to never see our families, never catch fresh-kill. Just rot. A medicine cats soul is pure though, it can lead us back to rightousness. However, once a Starclan warrior sees a medicine cat with any speck of the Dark Forest in its aura they immediately become tainted and cast away just like us. We've tried many many moons. Until now. Starclan has turned you away before we could reach you." The she-cat's voice became hopeful.

"But won't they see my aura-" Silverstorm was cut off.

"Not in an omen, no. Only if you walked with us in your dreams, but an omen is sacred only to the cat to recieves it. And you my dear Silverstorm will be our salvation."

For a split second the bloodred sky lit white and maybe a hundred cats were crouched down in a bow towards Silverstorm, even the handsome white she-cat.

"Silverstorm!" Badgerstrike poked the gray and orange she-cat on the shoulder. The she-cat had her eyes wide open staring into the sun, not responding to his calls.

"Silverstorm hello?" Badgerstrike waved a paw in front of the she-cats sun yellow eyes.

With a jerk Silverstorm broke out of her trance. The she-cat was suddenly trembling and collapsed onto her stomach.

"Silverstorm! What is it? What is wrong?" Badgerstrike picked her up pulling her into his lap. He didn't know what to say. Was she dying? Had Starclan sent her a message? Had she seen another tribute?

"Thats the most you've said the past two sunrises," The she-cat purred in his lap.

Badgerstrike pushed the she-cat out of his lap grumbling. It was some stupid prank. He put his forepaw to his eye to hide any tear that had escaped when he thought she was gone forever. Yet, when he looked over to the giggling she-cat he could see there was something she was hiding in her eyes, something that worried her.

Berrytuft had almost forgotten Biohazard was crouched beside him in the brambles. His eyes had never left the golden warrior until he disappeared over a hill. He found himself trembling with anger. Hailscar was the reason for Snowfrost death. Hailscar could've warned them. 

"Berrytuft?" A voice whispered from far off.

Berrytuft shook his head, his ears had been ringing from the blood pumping through his veins. He turned to face Biohazard and started to see a double of everything. His anger was getting the best of him, he began to shack hysterically.

SLAP!

Pain coursed through Berrytufts cheek and he was ready to pounce, when he realized his attacker was his own ally. Biohazard.

"Stop this! Are you crazy!" Her voice was hushed as to keep quiet. " You're acting ridiculous! These past two days you've lectured me on controlling my voice, my feelings and my frustration. And here you are hissing through your teeth, clawing the dirt and shaking with anger! You are such a hypocrite!"

Berrytuft stared at her astounded. She was the one who asked for his company and protection and here she was attacking him. Who did she think she was? She didn't understand. This tom was meant to rot in the Dark Forest. She should understand, one of his group had killed the cat she had first paired up with.

"Sometimes you have to forget those rules..." Berrytuft breathed through clenched teeth.

"So you're going to run at him blinded by anger and die. Thats how your family is going to see you. Your life will have been worth nothing-"

"It would if I could avenge Snowfrost!" Berrytuft snapped.

There was a look in Biohazards eyes that he couldn't quite make out. Hurt? Disappointment? Frustration? Berrytuft wasn't going to stick around to find out. Berrytuft turned away about to run on all fours when Biohazard slipped in front of him and took his chin, reaching up on her hind paws trying to be eye level with him but failing. Thats whens she smashed her lips against his. The kiss was hard and desperate, but also sloppy. It was like a she-cat who hadn't ever kissed before. What was worse was when Berrytuft looked at Biohazard all he could see was Snowfrost white pelt covered in blonde markings. Her mismatched blue and green eye...but it wasn't her.

Berrytuft shoved the she-cat away shaking his head and ran off towards the hill not knowing what to think and leaving the dark brown maine Coon she-cat standing alone.

Barbwire sat on a log rubbing her head. She was getting another hot flash, her head reeling and the voices were getting louder and louder. The whole reason behind living was getting more confusing. She woke up this morning wanting to kill Mousesnarl and return home to save her sister. Yet now she just wanted to make the voices end, they were too loud and mumbled that they just bounced off the inner corners of her head. Barbwire was starting to think she'd be seeing things now.

Thats when Barbwire looked up to make sure it wasn't true. She was reassured by an empty forest clearing before her. Barbwire sighed in relief and rubbed her forepaw over her eyes. Thats when she suddenly made out one of the voices and instead of in her head it was right next to her ear.

"Surprise."