Night had fallen over the pine forest, cloaking the land in a shadowy veil of darkness. Crickets chirped softly in the cold dark grass, the only sound breaking the silence of the night. There were fewer trees by the outskirts of the territory. One of these few was the burnt sycamore, an old damaged tree that stood in the middle of the grass, leafless branches stretching out into the dark sky like long bony fingers.

Where are they? Ebonypaw wondered. She sat by the gnarled roots of the burnt sycamore, looking toward the ShadowClan camp. It's been a while...

Earlier that evening, Revengeheart, her mentor, had told she and Flintpaw that they would be training here tonight. There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary at first. They went to the burnt sycamore occasionally for night training, something that all ShadowClan apprentices experienced. But they had always left camp together, with Revengeheart and Swiftstalker. This time, the two warriors were absent. Revengeheart had said something about having business to take care of, urging them to go on ahead, and he and Swiftstalker would meet them there. It was different, but neither Ebonypaw or Flintpaw had questioned this. What apprentice would be disrespectful enough to question their mentor's orders?

Ebonypaw shivered as a cool breeze ruffled her dark tabby fur. It's freezing tonight! I hope they get here soon so we can start moving!

Her brother, Flintpaw, was pacing not far from her, circling the tree boredly. Eventually, he stopped and sighed. "What's taking so long?" He complained, digging his claws into the cold earth. "I'm bored."

"I don't know," Ebonypaw meowed, curling her tail over her paws in an attempt to keep them warm. "Be patient, they can't be much longer."

He sighed. "I hope not." He looked around and twitched his orange striped tail. "Swiftstalker said he'd show me a hunting technique. And he's really good! I want to be like him."

"He is," Ebonypaw agreed. "He's the best hunter in ShadowClan!"

"And Revengeheart is really strong," Flintpaw added eagerly. "We have great mentors."

It was silent for a while. Ebonypaw flicked her ears, listening for the sound of pawsteps, but there was nothing.

Flintpaw yawned and flopped down, rolling onto his back. "If they don't arrive soon, let's go back to camp and sleep!" He purred, looking up at his sister.

She shot her brother an amused look. "Revengeheart and Swiftstalker wouldn't be happy!"

Flintpaw rolled his eyes. "You're too good an apprentice." Suddenly, a rustling sounded from some bushes nearby. He perked up and jumped to his paws. "About time!" He exclaimed.

Ebonypaw purred and stood, raising her tail happily. But her joy snapped away when the cats leaped out of the bushes, yowling and snarling. Terror struck her quick and sharply like a bolt of lightning. It wasn't Revengeheart and Swiftstalker, but four toms she'd never seen before.

Before she had time to react, an orange and black tom slammed into her, knocking her off her paws and throwing her to the ground. "Ha!" He sneered as she gasped in alarm. "Didn't expect us, did you?"

Her heart sprinted in terror, and for a moment, she was paralyzed by fear. I've never fought a real enemy before! She heard Flintpaw yowl as he was attacked, and she started to look in his direction when the tom swung down and slashed his claws at her face. She let out a wail of pain and snapped to her senses. Remember your training! She raised a forepaw to deliver the front paw blow, but a white and brown patched tom lunged at her and bit down on her foreleg while the other cat clawed at her belly. "Stop!" She screeched in terror, desperately pummeling her hind paws at the black and orange cat's stomach, but he wouldn't budge. They're fully grown, and I'm only an apprentice!

"Ebonypaw, help!" She heard her brother cry out, and she snapped her attention toward him, her heart leaping with panic. No! Flintpaw was pinned on his stomach by a silver tabby tom, who dug his claws into his spine while a white cat held him down and sank his teeth into the apprentice's shoulder. He reached out and dug his claws into the ground, struggling desperately to pull himself free from his attackers.

"Flintpaw!" Ebonypaw shrieked and felt her muscles jolt with an urgency to get to him. Seeing her brother suffering gave her strength she didn't know she had. With a snarl, she lunged up and sank her teeth into the orange and black tom's leg. He let out a yowl and jerked back, and she leaped forward, grunting as she pulled free from the white tom and slipped between the other cat's legs, racing toward Flintpaw.

The white cat had pushed him onto his side, sneering. "Rest in peace, apprentice!"

"Get away!" The small orange and gray tabby let out a cry as he struggled under the silver tabby, who lunged down and sank his teeth into his neck. "Ebony-" His voice broke off and rose into a screech of pain as the cat crunched down on his neck.

"No!" Ebonypaw let out a screech of horror, leaping at the tabby and grabbing onto his shoulders. "Get away from him!" The silver cat staggered and let out a muffled snarl, but didn't release Flintpaw, who whimpered and gasped as he struggled weakly. The reek of fresh blood filled her nose, and her heart sprinted in terror at his condition. He's dying! They're killing him!

The white tom laughed and grabbed her by her scruff, throwing her off of the cat and into the two others who had attacked her. They lunged for her, but she swiftly rolled to her paws and dodged them, leaping toward her brother. "Flintpaw!" She let out a horrified wail. "No!"

Flintpaw lay still in the grass, his eyes wide and sightless as blood trickled down his neck. The silver tabby raised his head and licked blood from his muzzle, while the orange and black tom let out a yowl of triumph. "Death to the clans!"

Flintpaw's dead! He's dead! For a heartbeat, she was frozen and numb with shock. This can't be real!

"Nice job, Castiel!" The white tom purred, spinning and narrowing his gleaming eyes at Ebonypaw, and she froze. "One down, one to go."

Castiel and the white tom lunged at her, and she spun to race in the direction of the camp. I have to get help! But she crashed right into the orange and black tom, who snapped at her ear, but she jerked back and let out a wail, running past her brother's body and toward the burnt sycamore. She heard the four other cats hard on her tail. What do I do?! In panic, she leaped at the tree and climbed up the gnarled trunk, digging her claws into the bark. But the moment she did it, she knew it was a mistake. At least one cat was climbing after her, snarling at her hind legs as she scrambled up the branches.

"Where do you think you're going, clan cat?" He sneered, and she realized it was the black and orange cat.

She panted, trembling and struggling to remain balanced as she pulled herself up the branches, terrified as she found them getting thinner and weaker as she neared the top. The brown and white tom suddenly appeared at her side, snarling, and she gasped and leaped onto the highest branch, trembling and digging her claws into it as it swayed under her. Oh no! She cried out in terror. I'm trapped!

"Stupid clan cat!" The black and orange tom chuckled as he and the brown patched tom climbed closer to her. "You'd better jump now. Wouldn't you like to join your brother in your little kitty heaven?"

Ebonypaw whimpered and fought the instinct to tuck her tail between her legs. I need my tail for balance! She trembled as she slowly backed up, getting closer the end of the branch. Her mind spun. Maybe I can jump... Maybe I can jump and run back to camp! She looked down shakily and froze. Castiel and the white cat were looking up at her from the ground, baring their teeth and hissing.

"Come on down!" The white tom purred, lashing his tail.

If I jump, they'll kill me! Ebonypaw jerked her head up again, her fur bristling with fear. The two cats were stepping further up the branch toward her, causing it to creak under her. But if I don't jump, they'll kill me!

The orange and white tom crept closer up the branch, digging his claws into the bark and grinning. "If you don't jump, we'll make you."

I have to jump before they get to me! Her eyes flashed down at Castiel and the white cat, and she swallowed. Oh StarClan, help me! The orange and black tom hissed furiously at her, and she let out a horrified cry, leaping downward, but in her panic, she caught her hind paw on another branch and let out a terrified screech as she plummeted ungracefully toward the ground.

The grass rose to meet her, her body thudding hard into the earth. For a heartbeat, she was stunned, her head throbbing from the impact. Castiel and the white tom circled her, and she let out a weak whimper, starting to her paws only to collapse as pain shot up her shoulder.

Above her from the branches of the burnt sycamore, the black and orange tom and his companion laughed while Castiel and the white tom stood over her, eyes glowing in the darkness. No... The next thing she knew, the white tom had swung down and pierced all four claws into her body. Not a moment after, he slashed them downward, splitting open her stomach. Despite her weakness, an earsplitting screech of agony escaped from her jaws, ringing through the night as her heart raced madly in her chest, her body stricken with terror. She lay in the grass, breathing heavily. The black and orange tom growled and raised his unsheathed claw to deliver another blow.

A yowl suddenly sounded from the trees, and she recognized Timberstorm's voice through her clogging ears. ShadowClan... Help...

"Fox dung!" The white tom spat.

Castiel jerked his head toward the bushes. "Let's get out of here!"

The orange and black tom glared down at Ebonypaw. "She's still alive," He growled.

The silver tabby tom twitched his tail as he looked down at her. "She's as good as dead." With that, he spun and bolted away, his companions following.

Good as dead... I'm as good as dead... The world began to sway under her as she grew more and more light headed. Her stomach felt wet and hot with pain.

"Ebonypaw! Flintpaw!"

Ebonypaw flicked her blurring vision to see Timberstorm racing toward them, followed by several other cats. Her eyes focused on Cliffshade, her father. The gray and brown warrior's eyes were lit with a mixture of panic and fury as he saw the condition of his kits.

"Ebonypaw!" He screeched and bolted to her side, his amber eyes filled with terror. "Who did this??" He pressed his gray paws to her stomach, and she let out a whimper, finding comfort in knowing she would die with her father by her side.

"Oh, StarClan!" She heard Song cry. "Flintpaw is dead!"

"Get Creamheart!" Cliffshade snapped at her, his voice shaky with fear, and the white she-cat nodded, turning and bolting back toward the camp. "Hold on, Ebonypaw!" He touched his nose to her ear. "I'm here. It's going to be okay."

Beyond her father, something white flashed between the leaves of a bush, and she found her clouded eyes drifting to it, the panicked voices around her becoming faint and muffled. A head poked out slightly from the leaves, amber eyes fixed on her, half concealed by shadow. A smirk flashed across his face before he turned and disappeared into the trees.

Revengeheart...? She stared numbly at her mentor, hardly able to comprehend what was going on around her. Why... Her vision grew clouded with black spots, and she let out a groan as she gave into the darkness.