"So, you changed?" A voice snapped Ashstar's eyes open. He turned to see Thistleclaw. 

"Please!" Ashstar hissed. "Leave me alone! I don't want anymore of your power!" He leaped on Thistleclaw and slashed his eyes. The gray-and-white patched body slithered from under him and slashed Ashstar's nose.

Ashstar staggered back.

"It's not that easy to kill me," Thistleclaw meowed.

"And it's not that easy to kill me either!" Ashstar meowed. He sprang back at Thistleclaw and bit down hard on his ear. 

Thistleclaw slashed at his muzzle and pushed Ashstar away. "You really need to work on your training!" He hissed to Ashstar. 

Thistleclaw leaped at Ashstar, but Ashstar crouched low to the ground. Thistleclaw rolled on the ground and down a low hill. His body hit a rock and he stretched in pain. 

"You need to work on landing!" Ashstar taunted. He leaped down the hill and slashed Thistleclaw's belly. 

The Dark Forest tom screeched in pain. He slithered around like a dying snake.

Ashstar was about to wait for Thistleclaw to get up when...

"Thistleclaw!" A voice spat. 

Ashstar turned around to see Hawkfrost.

The dark brown tabby tom padded closer and into the light. 

"It seems Thistleclaw is as weak as a little kittypet," Hawkfrost spat. His voice sounded disappointed. 

Ashstar turned to face him. "I guess he was. But we're done training now," He meowed, his blue eyes troubled. 

"Oh, no you aren't done training," Hawkfrost informed. He smiled and lashed his tail. 

"What?" Ashstar asked. "I'm not done?" He was surprised.

"Finish it."

Ashstar's eyes widened. "N-no!" He hissed. He crouched in front of Thistleclaw. "I'm not killing him."

Hawkfrost narrowed his eyes. "Look. Kill him and we won't bother you again," He meowed. He unsheathed his claws. "Before I kill you myself!"

"Fine!" Ashstar cried. He closed his eyes and slammed his claws into Thistleclaw's throat. 

He opened one eye and saw Thistleclaw's beaten and broken body. He faded into thin air.

"See? That wasn't so bad. Now Thistleclaw can only be heard as a voice in our dreams," Hawkfrost meowed.

"So- he's not dead?" Ashstar mewed.

"No. And Tigerstar isn't either. But now they're just voice that can only be heard in our dreams," Hawkfrost meowed. He narrowed his eyes. "Now wake up before you bleed to death."

Jaypaw walked beside her brother. She leaned towards him. 

"This is sooo boring. I just want to hunt. Patrolling borders is just boring," Jaypaw grunted.

"This is fun! Our first patrol as true ThunderClan apprentices!" Stonepaw meowed.

"Dream on," Jaypaw grumbled. She padded forward and saw Bumblepaw. 

"Hi Bumblepaw!" She greeted him. 

"Hello Jaypaw!" Bumblepaw greeted her back.

Jaypaw flicked her tail. "So... how long until you're a warrior?" She asked.

"Not long," Bumblepaw lifted his head and closed his eyes. "But its been forever."

Jaypaw dipped her head, her ears flicking in embarrassment. "Well...I," She began.

Stonepaw bounded up to her, bouncing on his paws. "Jaypaw! We're going to be warriors soon!" He meowed.

Jaypaw almost stopped dead in her tracks. "When?" She pricked her ears.

"Tomorrow!" Stonepaw mewed. "That means we can lead patrols! And we also don't have to worry about the elders!" 

"I'm becoming a warrior today! Even Briarpaw and Blossompaw as well!" Bumblepaw meowed.

Jaypaw stumbled along. She sighed. "I wish I was becoming a warrior today," She meowed. 

"Bumblepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Ashstar asked.

Bumblepaw lifted his head. "I do!" He mewed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Bumblepaw, from this moment you will be known as Bumblestripe. StarClan honors your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Ashstar finished. He rested his muzzle on the new warrior's head, and Bumblestripe licked his shoulder in return.

"Briarlight! Blossomfall! Bumblestripe!" The Clan cheered.

Ashstar saw his daughter and son in the crowd. They both looked proud, and eager to become warriors. Ashstar flicked his ears. Don't worry, you'll be a warrior soon. 

As soon as the Clan was breaking up, Ashstar bounded down towards Jaypaw and Stonepaw. 

"Don't worry," He told them. "You'll be a warrior as soon as you know it!" He meowed.

Jaypaw grunted slightly. "But that's tomorrow!" She complained.

"I know," Ashstar meowed. "But sometimes you have to wait."

Jaypaw looked up at her father. "But I've worked my tail off!" She meowed. "And I had a kittypet as a mentor!" Her eyes flashed as if she could still remember Ashstar's  evil times.

"I know," Ashstar repeated. He flicked his tail towards her. "You need to wait like every other apprentice did," He told her.

Jaypaw sighed but flicked her ear at him like she'd understood. 

Ashstar paced around his den, wondering what to do. He then sighed and slumped down into her nest, hurting his shoulder. Whatever, I'm tired as ever.

He snapped open his eyes and found himself in the stupid Dark Forest again. But there were no trees. He was in a pitch black void. Ashstar found himself all alone in this dark place. He sat down. I'm not sure about walking in this place. I don't even know it.

"Hello, Ashstar," A voice hissed from the darkness. 

"T-tigerstar?" Ashstar hissed in confusion. 

"It's me," Tigerstar meowed. 

"But...I can't see you! I can only hear you," Ashstar meowed, his eyes flashing.

"I can see you and hear you. But you can only hear me, because I'm dead," Tigerstar meowed.

"I'm sorry for failing to kill you," Ashstar meowed. "I just- I just lost my focus for a bit!" He told Tigerstar.

Flames lit up all around him, and red, glowing eyes peered from the flames.

"I'm training you now," Tigerstar meowed. "Shadows, attack!" 

Ashstar stood still, his paws still as stone. "What?! I don't want to train!" 

The red eyes peered closer, revealing their sharp white teeth and claws. 

"Tigerstar, please!! I don't want to train!" Ashstar howled. But deep down, he knew he had to do this. He unsheathed his claws. I just wanna get this over with!

Black cats with glowing, red eyes and glowing claws and teeth leaped out from the flames. Their eyes were battle and blood hungry. 

Ashstar dodged from one side until a shadowy cat took hold of his leg. He turned around and slashed at it's stupid red eyes. He kept slashing until the red faded away.

"Don't let your enemies have the advantage," Tigerstar's voice echoed around the void. 

Ashstar felt the bodies of the shadow cats build up on his back. He felt his blood spill out of him, and claws slash and tear at his pelt. He twisted around and bit into the throat of one of the cats. Blood gushed into his mouth and he let go, seeing the cat's red eyes fade.

Claws hooked into his throat. Ashstar whipped around and slashed at the cat. He kept slashing and turned to slash at the others on his body. But the weight crushed his back and he stumbled over and felt claws tear into his belly. He held back a screech of pain, but it came out instead.

He struggled under the lump of claws and fur, but it was no hope. His eyes were closing slowly, and his vision was clouding. What will happen now? What will Tigerstar do to me?