Firepaw sat in the farthest corner of camp, which was behind the elders' den. His back was hunched as he sobbed, his lungs aching and his heart crying out in agony. He had carried the bodies of three dead cats into camp all by himself because the rogues refused to. He replayed the horrible scene in his head, and pictured to looks on his Clanmates' faces as he dragged a bloody queen and her two kits into camp.

"I smell blood! Who's— oh my StarClan," Goldenflower stepped out of the elders' den, first looking concerned and then terrified as she caught Firepaw's cold, dark gaze. The queen swept her tail over her kits' faces and dragged them back into the den.

"What happened?" Whitestorm wailed. Firepaw could hardly feel anymore pain when he saw the devastated, hopeless look in the senior warrior's gaze. They were his only remaining family, after all. "Who killed them? I'll shred them myself!"

A smirking dark tabby tom slunk from the shadows of the leader's den. "I believe that it was Firepaw, was it not?"

Firepaw hung his head at his Clanmates' horrified gasps, feeling their shocked stares bore into his pelt as his legs trembled violently, threatening to give out. "Yes," he choked. "It was me."

He let out a sigh full of pain as he glanced over at the crowd. Some of the warriors were baring their teeth at him, while others still looked grief-stricken over the news. A cold feeling of numbness began to replace the throbbing ache in his heart. Not able to bare his Clanmates' stares, he retreated to a secluded area of camp, where he could stay hidden in the shadows.

And the worst part was, there was no cat left in camp that he could talk to. He couldn't even sneak out to talk with Princess. All of those cats were long gone, well hidden from the murderous TigerClan leader.

"Greetings, Tigerstar," Nightstar tried to purr, but his scratchy voice made it come out as more of a dry growl. "Say, Runningnose is a little overworked, what with being the only medicine cat for two Clans and—"

"TigerClan is one, Nightstar," Tigerstar growled shortly. "I'm sure our medicine cat can handle it. He's just adjusting, that's all."

The scruffy black tom didn't look convinced. "Maybe one of the kits could become his apprentice?"

"One of my kits, as a medicine cat?" The tabby tom began to cackle, but his eyes slowly opened and the laugh became less and less hearty. "Hmm... I suppose... maybe. I'll speak with Goldenflower." Tigerstar nodded briefly to his ally and turned back to speaking with Jayscar. Firepaw felt his blood boil as he stared at the black she-cat. I'll kill her one day, he imagined sinking his claws into her belly, his fangs into her throat... I'll shred her until she hasn't got any fur left, and then I'll tear out her eyes. I'll rip out her throat and shove it into her belly...

He shook his head to clear it. What am I thinking? What would StarClan think of me now? He snorted. Some prophecy cat I am. I let ThunderClan fall into the paws of a maniac and I've watched more cats die in this one moon than all of the battles before! My life's a mess.

No, a voice whispered in his ear. Do not pity yourself. Some of your Clanmates are suffering more than you are.

Firepaw sighed, realizing this was true. The elders had been executed while he was helping the others escape. I should have brought them with us.

They would have slowed you down, the voice reasoned. You never would have made it, and all of your cats would have been killed.

The apprentice yawned, exhausted by his grief. I guess you're probably right. I just wish things could have been different. Within heartbeats, Firepaw was snoring away, huddled in a shivering ball behind the elders' den.

                             ~~❤︎❤︎❤︎~~

Firepaw's eyes blinked open, and he was instantly on his paws. Where am I? He seemed to be standing on a solid line between open moors that gleamed in the moonlight and a dense maple forest that seemed to have hardly any light at all inside.

"Greetings, Firepaw."

He whipped around and gasped. Standing beside him on the line was a white she-cat with tortoiseshell patches. Her neck fur looked like a thick fluffy mane, like a lion's. She had a broad face and glowing amber eyes. Her pelt seemed to suck all of the light out of the air around her, and some sinister scars lined her muzzle. Unsettled, Firepaw took a step backward. Something isn't right about her.

"Do you know where you are, Firepaw?" The she-cat asked, an air of mystery in her scratchy voiced. It sounded as if she hadn't drank anything in moons.

The tom shook his head, still feeling a prick of discomfort in his pelt.

"Why, you're in StarClan!" She chuckled at his startled expression. "You must be wondering why you're here."

"Y-you're from StarClan?" He stuttered. "But, you look different. There aren't any stars in your pelt. And you smell like two-moon-old crow-food."

The she-cat chuckled again, but her eyes remained cold. "I'm a very old cat. It seems that some of my shine has faded."

"Hm," he grunted, still unsure. He shook his head. "Alright, sorry. So, are you going to help us defeat Tigerstar?"

"I wish we could," she meowed wistfully, gazing at the stars. "But that's out of our control. We can't change a fate that was written in the stars long ago. We can only guide your paws onto the right path."

Firepaw stared at her, his heart sinking. "There isn't anything you can do? Will I have to watch all of my Clanmates die in petty battles, or be killed off by the rogues?"

"Do not lose faith, Firepaw."

He noticed the landscape was starting to fade. "No, don't go! You need to tell me how to save them!"

"I will guide your paws," she meowed, her voice getting softer and farther away. "You will know what to do when the time comes for action."

                            ~~❤︎❤︎❤︎~~

With a triumphant yowl, Firepaw leaped. The animal squealed in terror and tried to flee, but he snatched its bushy tail in his claws and dragged it up to his jaws for a killing bite.

Tigerstar had ordered him to hunt from dawn to dusk today, and he was determined to feed his Clanmates well. However, the rogues kept ambushing him whenever he caught prey to steal it from him, so he only had a mouse and a vole buried so far.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling in the undergrowth. Instinctively, he dropped his squirrel and readied himself in a crouch. You won't get this one, mange pelt.

He pricked his ears and thought he could make out cats speaking. He strained them to their full height and managed to pick up some dialogue.

"Who do you think he'll let us get next?" A tom's voice asked. It sounded like Jaggedtooth. "That mangy white tom is getting on my nerves."

"The one who was mates with that mouse-hearted queen? Yeah, he's even more pathetic than her."

Firepaw's neck fur stood on end when he heard the second cat. Jayscar.

This is your chance! The voice that he now recognized as the StarClan cat's hissed loudly. Lure that tom away and make your move!

I can't hurt her! Firepaw was startled. She's a cat, just like you and me! I don't want any more blood on my paws.

But what about the cats that she killed, and will kill in the future? She retorted. Think about it. You'll be getting rid of one of Tigerstar's greatest allies. This could be a big step in saving ThunderClan.

You're right, Firepaw realized. I know exactly what to do.

As silent as a shadow, the ginger tom slunk towards the two rogues, his fat squirrel dangling from his jaws. Once he neared the rogues, he let out a pitiful wail.

"No! Please don't take my prey! I have to bring it back to Tigerstar!" He wailed, hoping to catch Jaggedtooth's attention.

It worked. "It's that stupid ginger furball again," he heard the burly tom growl. "I'll take care of him."

"Remember, you can't kill him yet!" Jayscar called as Jaggedtooth came tramping through the undergrowth.

Firepaw quickly left his scent on a tree and ran to the next, steadily marking trees in a line to Fourtrees. Just like he expected, Jaggedtooth followed his scent markers, completely missing Firepaw as he raced by.

Prepare for your last breath, Jayscar, Firepaw growled to himself as he neared the black she-cat. You'll never harm any cat ever again.