Clouds drifted over the half-moon that hung in the pitch black night sky. Stars twinkled here and there in the sky and the camp was silent except for a few crickets buzzing. It had been a moon and a half since the battle either the rogues. Sharppaw had been so badly injured that he'd collapsed, and Smoky had died shortly after due to his injuries. 

Sharppaw rested his chin on his paws. And Monarchpaw hates me now, blaming me for her father's death. He swept his tail closer to him. Stormpaw was in a deep sleep beside him, her flank slowly rising and falling.

Lightpaw was curled up with Monarchpaw near the den entrance, while Stalkpaw was snoozing alone in a moonlit patch in the corner of the den. 

The den seemed a bit empty without Frostpaw, who'd left to join the rogues, and Echopaw, who had earned her warrior name, Echostrike, and moved to the warriors' den. 

A branch suddenly snapped. 

Sharppaw lifted his head. He couldn't sleep. He got to his paws and crept from the den quietly, his shoulders feeling heavy. He sat down, looking at the sky. Time was slow as he watched the clouds drift across the moon. Then a large cloud pass over the moon, and no more crossed into the shimmering ball of light. 

A cold breeze traveled in the strong wind, ruffling Sharppaw's fur. Snow had fallen the night before, and Sharppaw was hoping that snow wouldn't come again. Palewhisker had also given birth to Sparrowkit, Beechkit, and Rookkit, but Sparrowkit had died overnight due to the harsh cold.

"Sharppaw?" 

Sharppaw snapped around, wondering who'd called his name. Straining his eyes through the darkness, he spotted Squirrelstar sitting on the high-rock, her tail high. Sharppaw padded over to her. Coldness pricked his pads like a sharp claw. 

"Why are you up so late at night?" Squirrelstar asked, her tail curling around her paws. She sat down as Sharppaw sat down next to her.

"I can't sleep," Sharppaw admitted, his body shivering. 

"Why?" Squirrelstar asked.

"I miss my mother," Sharppaw whimpered. Looking down and flexing his claws, he added, "I never got the revenge I wanted."

Moving her tail from around her paws, Squirrelstar let it rest on Sharppaw's shoulders as he hung his head low, closing his eyes. "I know you miss her, but it's just a part of life, to die. No cat lives forever."

Sharppaw avoided her gaze. "I feel like no other cat cares about me more than she did. She loved me," he murmured. Feeling like he couldn't stop, he continued without waiting for his Clan leader to reply, "I feel like everything has been just so messed up lately! A-and I feel like I'm the problem! And every one of my Clanmates hate me! And I can never get enough sleep, and I just... I just..."

Squirrelstar huddled closer to him, pressing her warmth on him. "Relax, Sharppaw. I know how it feels to lose cats who deeply care about you. But for the caring cats who are still alive, I'm sure that they wouldn't you to feel like this," she whispered.

"That's not just all. Lightpaw feels like Monarchpaw is more important than me. He never has time for me. Stormpaw is my only friend ever since Jaywing lost interest in me," Sharppaw growled, feeling his heart pound in his chest. 

Squirrelstar looked as if she didn't know what to say. "Be happy for your brother. Get some rest, Sharppaw, and maybe you'll feel better in the morning," Squirrelstar suggested before getting up and walking back towards the High-Rock. 

Sharppaw got to his paws, trudging back to his den. He curled up beside Stormpaw, who was still asleep. Darkness covered his vision. I guess things will be better in the morning.

Sharppaw padded into camp, placing his two mice and squirrel in the fresh-kill pile. He headed back to his mentor. "Ambertuft!" He called.

The dark ginger she-cat was talking with Ripplewind. Touching her nose to his, the creamy colored tom padded to the fresh-kill pile. She turned towards Sharppaw. "Yes?"

"Can I go out on my own?" Sharppaw asked. 

"Oh I don't know," Ambertuft meowed. "There's been a kittypet hunting on our territory and he might attack a young cat like you."

Sharppaw bristled. Is she doubting my fighting skills? "I can fight off a stupid kittypet, I'll have you know!" He growled.

"Keep your fur on. Sure, you can go out, as long as you don't go too far," Ambertuft cationed, her tail flicking. 

Sharppaw headed past her, padding into the forest. The ground was cold and puddles were frozen dirty water. The trees' branches creaked in the wind and leaves crunched under Sharppaw's paws as he padded over them. A half moon had passed since Squirrelstar's chat with him. He had felt better, trying to forget about Fluffypelt, and trying to get used to Lightpaw ignoring him. Now he felt as though Lightpaw was just a friend of his. Stormpaw was beginning to feel like actual family. 

A yowl interrupted his thoughts. Lashing his tail, he crept through the undergrowth. Kittypet scent flooded his jaws suddenly. 

A sleek-furred black kittypet with tufted ears and amber eyes was creeping through the undergrowth. He had a long tail with a white stripe. He seemed to have some badger-like pattern. The kittypet was quite large.

The kittypet suddenly lunged forward, his claws outstretched. A vole suddenly scuttled from the undergrowth, heading towards Sharppaw. Out of sight, he darted forward quickly and killed the small creature. He hid it in a clump of ferns. Is this the kittypet Ambertuft was talking about? He can't even hunt!

The kittypet lashed his tail in frustration and crept from the undergrowth, padding away from Sharppaw, his ears pricked. Sharppaw decided to follow the kittypet. 

Hauling himself up a fence, Sharppaw spotted the kittypet padding towards the entrance to the twoleg nest. "Hey!" Sharppaw hissed.

The kittypet swung around, bristling. He glared at Sharppaw, his tail lashing.

Trying to remain calm, Sharppaw jumped off the fence, narrowing his eyes as he glanced at the kittypet. "Can you tell me what you were doing on ThunderClan territory?" He asked.

"Oh, that was Clan territory?" The kittypet mocked.

"And I'm Sharppaw of ThunderClan and I caught you trespassing. Answer my question," Sharppaw growled, curling his lip.

The kittypet stalked towards Sharppaw, unsheathing his claws. 

Sharppaw then unsheathed his claws, a growl rumbling in his throat.

"Why should I tell you, Clan cat?" The kittypet growled. He sighed. "Well, I'm Arbonx."

"Well then, Arbonx, I just have to tell you that you're a terrible hunter!" Sharppaw mocked, flicking his ears. His whiskers twitched as the kittypet flattened his ears. 

The kittypet lunged forward, pressing against Sharppaw. His fluffy fur rubbed against Sharppaw's nose and mouth, and for a second he couldn't breath. 

Struggling with all his might, Sharppaw kicked the heavy tom off of him. He leaped on Arbonx and raised a paw, his heart pounding. 

Arbonx looked at him with round, pleading eyes. "Ok, ok, I swear I made a mistake by hunting in your territory!" He mewed like a kit. 

Sharppaw hesitated. He's learned his lesson... Suddenly a faded dark gray tom appeared beside him. Dark mist swirled around the tom, writhing around his paws. His thin amber gaze fixed on Arbonx. He curled his tail around round Sharppaw's shoulders. "Kill him," he whispered.

Sharppaw knew this cat. It was Wolffang, the cat who would train with him in his dreams. Sharppaw looked at him, shaking. His icy gaze made his stiffen more. Turning back to Arbonx, he extended his claws and lashed out with his paw, striking Arbonx's throat.

The black tom yowled with pain and terror. He looked down at the gash in his throat with wide eyes. Blood trickled from his mouth and spilled from the gash and stained his white chest fur. He started making a horrible choking sound. Satisfaction surged through Sharppaw.

Then, the entrance to the twoleg nest opened, and four twolegs came out: a male twoleg, a female twoleg, and two young twolegs. They let out gasps of horror as they saw Sharppaw with his blood-stained paw and their kittypet jerking wildly on the ground, blood gushing from his throat. 

Then the twolegs yowled in anger. One of the young twolegs picked up something and hurled it at Sharppaw. He darted to the fence, avoiding the object just in time. He clawed up the fence and hurled himself on the other side. After a moment's hesitation, Sharppaw quietly climbed back up the fence, looking at the twolegs once more.

The female twoleg was holding Arbonx in her arms while whimpering with grief. Blood stained her and blood was pooled in the grass. Arbonx then let out a low yowl and fell limp in the twoleg's arms, blood still streaming from the gash. Sharppaw swung around, jumping off the fence, and headed for the stream.