Amberkit stumbled over Ashstar's paws. Ashstar purred. Jaywing's new kits were so cute. Jaywing licked the top of Thistlekit's head. 

Mothstripe padded from the medicine den, a patch of cobwebs on her forehead. 

Rowandust was sitting across camp. He glared at Mothstripe. They must of made up....

Mothstripe looked at him, pain in her eyes, but Rowandust ignored the fact that she was still suffering from them not being able to love each other. Rowandust walked towards her though, and then they both walked from camp. 

Ashstar crept toward the camp entrance and stalked through the thick undergrowth, following their scent trails and keeping out of the wind, almost like he was hunting prey or something. 

Rowandust's tail flicked as he and Mothstripe walked through the undergrowth, stepping over vines and twisted tree roots. 

Ashstar followed them as they walked towards a clearing. His heart beat faster. He'd have to show himself, since there was no undergrowth. He shook thorns and leaves from his pelt and stalked around the clearing, keeping to the shade and undergrowth. He watched them still.

Rowandust flicked his tail and Mothstripe followed him under a large tree with four large branches that looked like they were reaching for the other trees. That tree reminded him of the tree that was in the lake territory. 

The river lay behind that tree, and pink blossoms from the tree gently floated down to the river. Rowandust and Mothstripe sat by the river and watched the blossoms land on the water's surface.

"I wish we could...." Mothstripe began, "Be together." Her tail swished. 

Rowandust closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for glaring at you like that in camp," He meowed. "I wanted every cat to think I hated you, but I personally don't hate you, I love you," He meowed. He swished his tail to hers, and their tails entwined together. 

"I was thinking about running away," Mothstripe meowed. "Having our own kits," She purred.

Ashstar lashed his tail and unsheathed his claws and sprang from the undergrowth. His claws dug into the fur of Rowandust's tail. 

Rowandust bristled and jumped to his paws, glaring at Ashstar. 

"Why would you betray your Clan like that?" Ashstar growled. "You should know by now that the Clans are suffering with the loss of many cats," He pointed out.

Rowandust unsheathed his claws. "I'm not betraying my Clan! Clearly I'm trying to get more kits for the Clan," He meowed. 

"Really? Then why are you running away?" Ashstar taunted. "I gave you your warrior name, I even gave your dead brother a warrior name to make you feel happy," He muttered.

Rowandust dug his claws into the ground. "I know that," He growled. "But this... This isn't fair," He turned to Mothstripe. "Why can't I be with the one cat I love?" He asked.

Ashstar glared at him. "Because she's a medicine cat! Medicine cats can't have kits and you know that," He meowed. He felt strange inside him, like he wanted to rip Rowandust to shreds. But I can't do that...

Mothstripe had tears streaming down her face. She then leaped over the large river, catching herself on a rock that stuck out of the water. She then bunched her muscles and leaped to the other side, but slipped on the wet grass. She caught herself with her claws and clawed up the slope, looking back.

Ashstar looked up at her. "Mothstripe! What are you doing?" He asked.

The golden she-cat ran up the slope and into the bushes, her fluffy golden tail disappearing. 

Rowandust's eyes were filled with hate. "I know your back story," He growled. "You killed so many cats. You even killed the leader before you just to become leader of this Clan, and my brother's death is all your fault!" He growled with tears in his eyes. "During that flood, we had to stay because of you, and me and my littermates got lost and you never thought to send a search party!" He cried.

Ashstar stared at him. "I did," He growled. 

"He drowned," Rowandust growled, "I should've known that you wouldn't come after us."

Ashstar looked at him. 

Rain started to pour down lightly and dark clouds rolled across the sky, making the last ray of sunlight die away.

"Then leave if you think I'm a terrible leader," Ashstar hissed. "You just don't know what I've been through," He meowed. Wolffang....Softpaw....Bunnypelt....He thought, I lost them, and he has no idea what it's like to lose three of your kits!

Rowandust looked at him through narrow eyes, his eyes thin slits. He then unsheathed his claws and leaped on Ashstar. "I'll protect the rest of my family from you! And my Clanmates!" 

Ashstar easily leaped to one side and watched as Rowandust hit the earth hard with his face. He stood, panting, blood dripping from his nose. He shook dust and dirt from his pelt and charged at Ashstar. 

Ashstar was knocked off his paws and was thrown into a tree. He unsheathed his claws as Rowandust came near. The golden warrior pinned him against the tree but wouldn't loosen his grip on Ashstar even when he slashed at his arms and muzzle. 

Rowandust looked at him, a fire burning in his eyes. Blood welled on the scratches on his muzzle and red stained his golden pelt. 

Ashstar panted hard. His attacks were getting weaker as he quickly ran out of energy. 

"You sick cat," Rowandust hissed. "I thought you were stronger than that!" He raised a paw and brought it down to Ashstar's head. 

Ashstar screeched with pain and felt dizzy, but he knew he couldn't stand like this. He kicked Rowandust's belly and watched him roll over in the dirt. He padded up to him and sunk his claws into his shoulder. Blood dripped into Ashstar eyes. He felt his head injury burn, and his vision got blurrier with every second. 

Rowandust turned over. "Thought you'd kill me like that? Try again," He growled. He sprang up and slashed at Ashstar's throat. 

Ashstar dodged his attacks, but got more tired each time. He then decided it was his turn. He lashed out at Rowandust's ears, slicing them. Blood sprayed the ground. He leaped on Rowandust and sunk his teeth into his scruff.

Rowandust fought back, lashing out at Ashstar's shoulders. 

Blood stained Ashstar's gray pelt. He lifted Rowandust into the air and threw him by the river, hoping he would fall in and get carried down stream, but Rowandust twisted in the air and landed on all fours, his claws sinking into the earth. "You'll to try a little harder than that!" He hissed. 

Ashstar charged forward and leaped at Rowandust. I'll trick him...

Rowandust ducked under him and got back on his paws and then charged at Ashstar his claws ready to slash his face. But Ashstar didn't think that would happen. Rowandust pinned Ashstar to the ground, and smiled. He raised a paw. "Say goodbye!" He yowled.

Ashstar then struck his paw up, his claws hitting Rowandust's throat. Blood leaped on Ashstar's face. Rowandust's paws shook as he backed off of Ashstar, blood dripping from the gash in his throat. "Hahaha...." He laughed. He held his paw to the gash, blood staining his claws and the fur around his pads. Blood drizzled from his mouth. He panted and gasped for air. 

"You thought you'd kill me that way, didn't you?" He growled, his eyes turning dull. "You thought wrong," He meowed, panting. He stumbled over to the river and bunched his muscles, getting ready to leap across the river. "I can't be stopped. No cat will stop me from becoming Mothstripe's mate," He growled. He turned to face Ashstar.

Ashstar's heart beat faster as he saw his face. His amber golden eyes reflected a burning fire and it was like he could see into the golden warrior's mind; Blood and water mixing together and the cries for help.

"I...." Ashstar began. "I know that," He meowed. He lashed his tail, his vision blurring and everything slowly around him getting covered by shadows. Every second he stared into those amber eyes, his pain deepened and he heard the screams for help getting louder and a picture started to form in his mind; a brown cat stared at the large wave that was heading towards him, his blue eyes widened and his fur bristling. He was frozen in shock. "Move! Out of the way! Hawkpaw!" Rowandust was coming into the picture now, but that was Rowanpaw back then. The large wave crashed over the cat and blackness swamped the picture. It soon blurred into colors and became clear. The brown cat, looking lifeless now, had water soaking his soft brown fur, his blue eyes dull and water leaking from his mouth. Then Rowanpaw came into view. He crouched over the lifeless brown cat. "No! Please wake up! I need you! Don't die! Brother please!" He cried. He looked around, his eyes widened and filled with pain. "Help! Somebody please help! Hawkpaw needs help!" He cried into the darkness. "Help!"

The vision then blurred and Ashstar was back in reality.

Rowandust smiled, yet pain and anger filled his eyes. "See, you understand now, that's why I'm trying to show you my pain. And Mothstripe makes me happy. She's the only one that understands my pain," He muttered.

"I never heard a single cry that night of the flood," Ashstar mewed.

"I cried for help," Rowandust growled. "But nobody came." And with that, he leaped onto the rock that was in the middle of the river, and then leaped to the other side. He was gone, leaving behind a trail of dark blood.

Ashstar stumbled to the side of the river, looking at his reflection. He gasped. His eyes were black with blue slits and his ears were torn along with scars across his muzzle and eyes. Blood stained his face and dripped from his whiskers. He shook his head and looked at his reflection again, seeing that it was back to normal. What's wrong with me....

His vision turned black as he felt dizzy, then he collapsed on the side of the river. Sleep...