A pale morning light beamed from behind heavy clouds drifting across the sky. The forest was very quiet. The silence was broken only occasionally when birds chattered briefly in the trees. Bloodfur slowly emerged from the thorn tunnel, Mistybreeze at his side. They carried Swiftstalker's body between them on their backs.

His heart ached as they padded to the center of the camp and carefully lowered Swiftstalker to the ground. He pressed his muzzle against his black fur for a moment before raising his head. Bloodfur had expected the clan to confront him the moment he set paw in the camp. But no cat seemed to notice him. They were all too lost in grief.

Greenpine and Timberstorm were crouched over Ashcloud's body, their eyes closed and ears flat. Beyond them, Boost rested his chin over Copperstripe's shoulder. Blood stained the tabby's pelt. Coldpebble pressed his muzzle against Crowmask's flank. Mistybreeze let out a cry of grief when she saw her father's body. She left Bloodfur's side to join her brother, pressing her pelt against his.

"Bloodfur!" Bloomfire's cry caught his attention and he spun, ready to apologize to her for everything he'd done. But when he faced her, his heart skipped a beat.

She stared at him, her eyes round and anxious. She sat close to her kits, who were huddled around something, their heads low and ears flat. He saw Creamheart beyond Heatstorm and Foxflower, staring numbly at the cat she was trying to save.

No... No, please don't let it be... Bloodfur's heart pounded as he shot across the clearing to them, and Bloomfire stepped back to let him in the circle, closing her eyes. Flameheart lay in the grass on his side, his flanks rising and falling rapidly. Blood ran from a deep wound in the side of his stomach. Creamheart had pressed cobwebs over the wound, but blood continued soaking through and dripping onto the ground.

"Bloodfur..?" Flameheart rasped, his green eyes flickering open.

"I'm here." Bloodfur's voice caught in his throat. He crouched beside the tabby, his heart throbbing. Heatstorm growled faintly at Bloodfur, but he ignored it. "I'm so sorry!"

Flameheart stared up at him with exhausted eyes as he breathed quickly. "You came to warn us..." He murmured. "I hoped you would come back... I-I was afraid I wouldn't see you again."

He twitched his ear I'm surprise. "You wanted to see me again?" He rasped. "After everything I did?"

"Of course," The ginger tabby murmured. "I've known since the day you were born... that you were not the cat Hawkfeather thought you were. You have always had a good heart." He gazed at Bloodfur. "I'm s-sorry we lied to you. It's my fault you went down the wrong path."

"No, it's not!" Bloodfur protested. "I shouldn't have been so angry." He rested his chin on Flameheart's shoulder, swallowing a lump in his throat. "You did what you thought was best for me, and you were right. I had the best parents I could have asked for."

He felt his foster-father purr under him before he jerked and coughed. Bloodfur moved his head back from his shoulder and saw blood running heavier from his wound. He pressed a paw to his pale underbelly, looking to Creamheart anxiously. "He needs more cobwebs!"

The cream and brown she-cat looked down, shaking her head. "It's too late," She murmured. "I'm sorry."

Bloomfire and her kits did not react to this news, and Bloodfur understood that they had already known. It was why she had called him over. To see Flameheart one last time. He choked out a cry of grief and pressed his muzzle against the tom's cheek fur. "Thank you," He croaked. "You raised me as your own and loved me so that I wouldn't feel abandoned. You were the greatest father." He licked Flameheart's ear. "I wish I'd really been your son."

A purr rumbled in Flameheart's throat. "To me, you've always been my son." He murmured. "And you always will be..." He looked at his real kits. "I'm proud of all of you."

"Flameheart," Bloomfire whimpered and curled around her mate, resting her head over his. Bloodfur stood and stepped back as Foxflower, Applefall, and Heatstorm crouched to share tongues with their father for the last time.

His green eyes drifted across the cats around him. "I love you all... Take care of each other." After a moment he sighed, letting his last breath escape from his lungs. Bloodfur hung his head, his heart heavy with grief. He's gone... My father is gone... He closed his eyes and leaned against Bloomfire, who curled her tail around him. The family grieved quietly together for a long moment.

"Bloodfur."

He jumped a little when he heard Creamheart's voice by his side. She was sniffing his shoulder. "You're hurt badly," She meowed. "Let me treat you."

Bloodfur nodded, feeling blind as he let the medicine cat guide him to her den. Flameheart is dead... Swiftstalker is dead... I've lost so much today... When he slumped into a nest of moss in the medicine den, pain shot up his shoulder, and he realized how injured he was. Everything happening around him had made him too busy to feel the pain. He saw Depthstar laying asleep in a nest beside him, cobwebs plastered to his throat.

"Great StarClan, I can't even tell where you're hurt," Creamheart exclaimed as she dabbed cobwebs at his pelt. "You're covered in blood!"

He moaned and rested his chin on his paws, closing his eyes. He was exhausted. Between his injuries, fighting in the battle, and the race against time to get to fourtrees, it had been a long, hard night. He felt his mind try to drift into sleep.

"You fought hard for us," The medicine cat meowed suddenly. "Didn't you?" Bloodfur gave a tiny nod, too sore and exhausted to speak. "I'll make sure Depthstar knows it." The she-cat meowed quietly. "He was wrong to-" Creamheart's voice drowned out as he drifted into darkness, letting sleep overcome him.

***

When Bloodfur awoke again, his fur was warm against his body. His pads were no longer sore, and he felt no pain anywhere. Wow. He thought, keeping his eyes closed. Creamheart must have given me a lot of poppy seeds... He curled into a ball, letting out a soft purr of comfort.

"Bloodfur."

He froze, his ears pricking forward when he heard her voice. He snapped open his eyes and leaped to his paws. "Poppy-" He broke off, amazed at what he saw before him.

I'm in Starclan! His mother, Poppywing, stood before him, her red tabby pelt sparkling with stars. Her eyes shone at him proudly. Many more cats stood behind her, watching Bloodfur. Brownstripe, Rosebreeze, Diamondrain... Crowmask... Swiftstalker! He froze when he saw his friend sitting tall, his blue eyes shining with starlight. Maplefur sat beside his son, his creamy fur glowing. Cougarfoot sat with his tail wrapped around his two tiny daughters, Leafkit and Rowankit. Flameheart! Bloodfur's heart ached when he saw his foster father. Beside him, another cat stepped forward, gazing at Bloodfur with bright green eyes.

"Cardinalpaw!" His voice cracked, his heart swelling with emotion when he saw his young kin. He bounded toward the red tabby, touching noses with him.

The starlit apprentice purred. "Hello, Bloodfur."

"I'm so sorry!" He blurted out, his heart burning with guilt. "I never wanted you to die! Or Creamheart! I-"

Cardinalpaw dipped his head. "I know," He meowed. "I forgive you. Besides, it wasn't your decision. It was the path StarClan laid out for me."

Bloodfur stared at him. "What-"

"My son," Poppywing meowed, and he turned to her, his yellow eyes wide. "I'm so proud of you." She stepped forward to stand in front of him. "You have fulfilled the prophecy."

"What?" He stared at her, his mind spinning with confusion. "What do you mean? How?"

Poppywing tilted her head. "I told you, A darkness is growing. A poison that will spread and destroy your clan from within."

"And it nearly did." Maplefur stepped to the she-cat's side, his yellow eyes resting on Bloodfur. "Poisonedsap was recruiting cats from within ShadowClan to participate in she and Deserve's plot to destroy the clans.

"Not to mention, having kits and raising them to be like her." Swiftstalker twitched his tail. "Her poison was spreading."

Bloodfur nodded slowly, his mind clearing with understanding. "Of course..!" He paused, staring at the StarClan warriors. "But what did you mean, 'Only the spilling of blood will save ShadowClan?' Whose blood was it?"

Poppywing dipped her head. "The blood was referring to you, Bloodfur. You needed to be spilt from the clan. And Cardinalpaw's death was necessary in order for the clan to finally exile you."

"And Revengeheart guided you to that point," Maplefur added.

Bloodfur gaped. "Why would you want me to be exiled?"

"You went to Deserve's Army, where we needed you to be," Maplefur explained. "You would never have known when they were attacking if you'd stayed in ShadowClan. You wouldn't have returned to warn the clans."

He blinked. "But I barely had a chance to warn them before Deserve's soldiers arrived! Would it have made that big a difference if I wasn't there? Swiftstalker and Mistybreeze would have warned the clans."

"No." Swiftstalker stepped forward. "Me and Mistybreeze had a lot of doubts about whether or not we would be able to do something about the attack." He dipped his head to his friend. "You gave us the strength to try. We would never have warned ShadowClan and WindClan without you."

I guess that makes sense... Bloodfur thought.

Poppywing's eyes clouded. "However... You broke the warrior code severely in the process, and caused the deaths of many cats... Like they have." Her eyes drifted aside, and Bloodfur followed her gaze, his fur prickling.

Just beyond them stood the border between StarClan and the dark forest. Twisted, gnarly trees stretched from the dead grass on the other side, a foul looking mist drifting through the dead forest. He saw cats moving across the border into the dark forest and froze when he recognized some. Revengeheart and Poisonedsap padded alongside each other, their pelts bloody and scarred. Falconclaw followed, his tail lashing. Beyond them, two ghostly black cats ran into the forest, and he recognized them as Blackstorm and Ravenfeather. They'll spend all of eternity in the place of no stars...

Bloodfur noticed the way the StarClan cats were looking at him and tensed, his fur prickling. "A-am I going to go there one day?" He stammered anxiously. "For all I've done?" Several cats exchanged uncertain looks, and his stomach twisted.

"He killed Cardinalpaw and Silverberry," Crowmask commented. "Not to mention attempted to kill Creamheart."

Flameheart glared at the black tom. "He was influenced by Revengeheart," He growled. "He was driven by grief and betrayal!"

Maplefur twitched his ear. "Isn't that how most dark forest cats are made?"

They're really considering putting me there! Bloodfur's stomach churned with anxiety as he listened to the StarClan cats debate about his afterlife. And maybe I do deserve to be there, but... But I'm not like any of those cats! Not anymore!

"Don't forget it was your prophecy that put him in this position." Swiftstalker pointed out, lashing his tail. "Me and Cougarfoot made mistakes too. If we're here, surely Bloodfur deserves to walk with us?"

"Wait," Bloodfur interrupted, staring at the starlit warriors uneasily. "I know I've made a lot of mistakes. I've done a lot of terrible things, and for that I'm so sorry. But I never wanted to hurt any cat. I have more regrets than you can imagine, and they might haunt me for the rest of my life." He lowered his head. "You don't have to forgive me, and if I'm destined to walk the dark forest, I understand. But I promise I will spend the rest of my life as a loyal ShadowClan warrior. I'll defend my clan with my life, and never break the warrior code again."

The StarClan warriors didn't respond for a moment, as though they were considering Bloodfur's words. Just when he thought StarClan would not forgive him, Poppywing spoke. "Thank you, Bloodfur." She dipped her head. "I promise that one day you will walk with us in StarClan."

Bloodfur let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank you!" I'm going to join StarClan one day! They've forgiven me!

His mother purred and stepped forward, resting her chin on his head. After a moment, she stepped back. "There's someone who would like to meet you."

Who? He wondered just as a gray tabby padded to Poppywing's side, his yellow eyes hesitant. "Bloodfur," The tom dipped his head. "I wish we'd met sooner."

Bloodfur stared at the tabby. "Who are you?"

"My name is Rainheart," The tom meowed, and echoed Bloodfur's thoughts when he added. "I'm your father."

Rainheart! My real father... He stared at the warrior for a moment, unsure of what to say. "Why did you leave me?" He rasped.

Guilt lit the gray tabby's eyes. "I loved your mother too much to live without her," He murmured, lowering his head. "But I realize now that it was horrible of me to make my son an orphan." He glanced aside at Poppywing. "We are no longer mates in StarClan. She has refused to forgive me." He looked back at Bloodfur. "I only hope that you can. There are no words strong enough to express how sorry I am for abandoning you... For giving you that horrible name that has caused you pain since you were a kit." Poppywing twitched her tail, her blue eyes narrowed at her former mate.

"I'm proud of the cat you've become," Rainheart meowed, his yellow eyes filled with emotion as he gazed at Bloodfur. "I wish I'd been there for you. But I was young and stupid." He looked over his shoulder at Flameheart. "I can't thank Flameheart enough for raising you as well as he did. Better than I could have."

Bloodfur followed Rainheart's gaze to the tom who had raised him. Rainheart may share my blood, but I will never think of him as my father... Flameheart is my father. He always will be, and he always has been...

"If any cat knows about being young and stupid, it's me," Bloodfur murmured. "We all make mistakes. I forgive you, Rainheart."

The tom's eyes lit with relief. "Thank you." He hesitantly stepped forward, touching his nose to Bloodfur's. "I'll watch over you always." Bloodfur closed his eyes, a purr rumbling in his throat.

***

"Will he survive?"

"Yes. He's just exhausted."

Bloodfur slowly blinked open his eyes, finding himself back in the medicine den. Creamheart was standing close to him, pressing cobwebs to Depthstar's throat. The ShadowClan leader lay in a nest beside Bloodfur, his dark eyes fixed on him.

"Depthstar," He croaked, starting to stand. There's so much I have to say!

"No." The dark blue tom twitched his tail. "I will speak first."

Bloodfur sat down in his nest, staring at the tom nervously. Will he tell me to leave? I'm supposed to be exiled...

"I lost a lot of lives today," Depthstar murmured, looking exhausted. "And I would have lost more if you hadn't saved my life. Thank you."

He was surprised that Depthstar wasn't angry with him. "O-of course." He dipped his head. "I couldn't let them kill you." He paused. "Listen, I'm so sorry about-"

"You don't have to say anything." The ShadowClan leader interrupted. "I saw you with StarClan just now."

Bloodfur's pelt prickled in surprise. "You did?"

"Yes," Depthstar nodded. "I only woke up a few moments ago." His blue eyes clouded with sadness. "I didn't realize how much you were struggling with. I was wrong about you. We all were. I'm so sorry for how ShadowClan has treated you. Can you possibly forgive me?"

"Of course." Bloodfur murmured, dipping his head. "You were only afraid for your clan."

The leader shook his head. "It was wrong of me to judge you before you even left the nursery. You tried to warn us about Deserve and fought for us in the battle." He dipped his head. "I'm proud to call you one of my warriors."

He's letting me back into the clan! Bloodfur's heart quickened with joy. "Thank you, Depthstar." He bowed his head. "I will not let you down ever again."

Depthstar hesitated. "You understand it'll take some time for you to earn the clan's trust again?"

"Of course." He nodded. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"Good." Depthstar's eyes warmed. "I know just how you can start. Ebonypaw is in need of a new mentor. Once her injuries have healed, you can train her."

Depthstar is already trusting me with an apprentice! Bloodfur purred. "I'll make her the best warrior in ShadowClan."

"Depthstar?" He was surprised when Frostedstar appeared at the mouth of the den.

The ShadowClan leader blinked, clearly just as surprised to see the RiverClan leader. "Frostedstar?"He grunted as he pulled himself to his paws, nearly collapsing, but Bloodfur rushed to his side to support him. He let Depthstar lean against him as they left the den. The RiverClan leader was not alone. Strawberrystar, Ravenstar, and Monarchwing stood behind him, looking solemn.

"We've been stopping by every clan to see how they are," Ravenstar meowed. His black fur was parted with fresh scratches. "This was a very bad battle. SkyClan has lost many warriors tonight."

"And ThunderClan," Strawberrystar added quietly.

Monarchwing's amber eyes blazed with grief. "Gladestar did not survive the battle. I will go to the moonstone tonight to receive my nine lives."

"The dead aren't the only cats we've lost," Depthstar meowed quietly. "Some of our warriors turned on us." He looked around the clearing. "Mottledface, Foxshadow, and Amberrose never returned, and their bodies were not found. I take it they've joined Deserve's Army."

Strawberrystar's ear twitched. "Battalon never returned to camp."

"Neither did Tornadowind," Monarchwing meowed.

Frostedstar's ice blue eyes narrowed. "We all had traitors," He murmured. "I never imagined I would have to kill my own deputy."

Depthstar dipped his head. "We've lost so much tonight," He murmured. "It will not be easy to move on. But the clans will recover. We always have."

Bloodfur let his gaze drift across the clearing where many cats still grieved. He saw Spiderfang crouched over Falconclaw's body, and he remembered how the young warrior had saved him from Revengeheart earlier in the battle.

I wonder why he decided to switch sides? Bloodfur glanced back at Depthstar to make sure he could stand without him, then padded away. "Spiderfang," He called. The black and gray warrior glanced at him and sat up.

"Thanks for saving me in the battle," Bloodfur studied him. "Why did you do it? You were on Deserve's side."

Spiderfang looked down at his brother's body. "After I saw Deserve kill Blackstorm, it made me realize how horrible those cats were," He meowed quietly. "I don't know what I was thinking. My mother just made the army sound so great, but..." He shook his head. "I don't want to be like that."

"Bloodfur,"

He turned to see Coldpebble, Greenpine, and Timberstorm approaching him. He grew uneasy. Were they going to confront him for returning to camp?

"We saw you fighting in the battle with us," Greenpine meowed. "Thank you."

Timberstorm nodded. "I can't believe you tried to warn us about the attack, after all we did to you..." His eyes grew solemn. "We were wrong to judge you just because of Hawkfeather's interpretations. I'm so sorry."

Bloodfur was surprised that they were apologizing to him. He hadn't expected the clan to warm up to him for a while. "I-it's okay..." His heart warmed with belonging. "Thank you. I'm sorry too."

"Don't think we've all accepted you." Cliffshade stepped to Greenpine's side, narrowing his eyes. "I'll be sure to keep an eye on you, traitor."

"Right." Heatstorm stepped to the warrior's side. "You killed my brother. The rest of my family may forgive you, but I won't so easily."

As the warriors moved away, Mistybreeze joined Bloodfur, her blue eyes lit with disbelief. "I can't believe those idiots!" She exclaimed. "After all you did today, how can they not trust you?"

"It's okay," Bloodfur meowed, feeling surprisingly content. "I'll prove myself to them. They'll see the cat I really am, one day." He turned his gaze to Mistybreeze, feeling warm. "But if they don't, I have enough cats who do."

Mistybreeze purred and leaned against him as she rubbed her muzzle against his shoulder. A purr rumbled loudly in Bloodfur's throat.

***

Bloodfur raced through the forest in pursuit of a frog. It felt fantastic to be back in ShadowClan. Two days had passed since the battle, and he was spending as much time as he could hunting and patrolling for his clan to make up for all the wrong he'd done.

This frog is for Mistybreeze. He thought. When the creature paused near a tree trunk, he pounced, grasping the frog in his claws just as it leaped. He pinned it and swiftly delivered the killing bite. He straightened, looking at his catch with a rush of satisfaction.

"Nice catch."

He nearly jumped out of his fur at Castiel's voice. He spun to see the silver tabby sitting beside a tree, watching him. "What are you doing here?" Bloodfur unsheathed his claws. "Get off my territory!"

"Calm down." Castiel twitched his tail. "I have a message from my father. Your clanmates Stripednose and Song will be staying with us for a while."

Bloodfur bristled. "You can't keep them prisoner for that long!"

Castiel shook his head. "It's not like that. Song is very close to giving birth. Deserve doesn't want her travelling until after the kits are born."

Bloodfur slowly nodded. He decided to believe this. He'd seen how much Deserve still cared for his sister. He didn't believe that the army leader would harm her or the kits. He eyed Castiel warily, growing uneasy. I'm alone... He kept his claws unsheathed, preparing to defend himself if the soldier decided to attack.

The tabby seemed to know what Bloodfur was thinking. "I'm not going to kill you. I respect you too much." He paused, his voice hardening. "Deserve's Army is not finished with the clans yet. We may have lost this battle, but I can assure you it won't be the last."

Bloodfur narrowed his eyes. "The clans will be ready for you." He growled. "I will be ready for you."

Castiel's eyes gleamed. "I admire your loyalty." With that, the tom spun and ran off, disappearing into the forest.

Loyalty... I've made so many mistakes. Bloodfur thought, staring after Castiel. But I've learned so much. There are so many cats who love me...There will be some cats who doubt my loyalty, but I'll never stop trying to prove them wrong. I will be patient with them. Even if they never trust me, I will defend every one of my clanmates with my life.