"Get it right this time." 

Sharptalon flung himself at Rowandust, shoving him up against a rotting tree. He dug his claws in hard. 

"You have to fight harder than this!" Wolffang called out. He stepped forward. 

Sharptalon kicked Rowandust in the stomach, making him gasp with pain. He then pushed him down to the side, clamping his jaws against his neck. 

"Better. But can you counter this?" Rowandust hissed. He kicked out, hitting Sharptalon's stomach and knocking the breath from him.

Sharptalon hooked his claws into his mentor's shoulders, trying to hold on. He felt a surge of pain as a pawful of claws raked his belly. He kept holding on.

Rowandust smirked. "That's right. You don't let go until your enemy gets tired. Then you finish them off."

Sharptalon then felt a tug on his scruff. He was hauled off Rowandust and was thrown to the ground. Wolffang was on top of him, his paw on his throat. "Watch your back. This will happen in a battle."

Sharptalon grunted, slithering out from under Wolffang. 

"The stupid play-dead trick makes Clan cats seem more like opossums than cats. So if you're pinned down, don't act dead or defeated. Bite your attacker's paw or give them some powerful kicks to the belly," Wolffang advised.

"Thanks," Sharptalon meowed. 

"Don't thank me, Sharppaw," Wolffang growled. 

Sharptalon bristled, flattening his ears. "Hey, I told you not to call me that anymore!" He hissed.

"You're still an apprentice in my eyes. You don't become a warrior unless you kill someone," Wolffang snarled. He lashed his tail. 

"Good. I've been wanting to kill Snowbreeze and Frostheart for a long time," Sharptalon meowed. 

"Why not kill Darktail? You could kill him and take over the rogues and be their leader," Wolffang sighed. "Not many leaders end up in the Dark Forest."

"Hey," a deep voice hissed. A large, scarred, dark brown tabby tom padded from the shadows. His face was scarred and his ears were torn. His amber eyes glowed. "I'm still here."

"Oh, yeah, Brokenstar. I forgot you were still here," Wolffang sighed. 

"How can you forget a cat like me?" Brokenstar growled. He came closer. "Tigerstar died. Now I make the rules in this place."

"Tigerstar died?" Sharptalon echoed. "By who? Or what?"

"Stupid mange-pelt was weaker then we all thought. He was blinded and killed by an apprentice. Jaywing," Brokenstar growled. 

"Jaywing? She's old now," Sharptalon murmured. 

"And her father Ashstar killed Thistleclaw too. Not many of us left. But Hawkfrost is great. And Wolffang, don't you dare forget that Russetstar and Crowstar are still here," Brokenstar hissed, lashing his tail.

"I haven't... forgot," Wolffang murmured. 

"Sharptalon, I need your help. The Dark Forest needs more recruits. Is there any cat in your Clan that would seem willing to train?" Brokenstar asked, his whiskers twitching. 

"Not any that I know. Maybe Berrynose?" Sharptalon mewed. 

"How about Ivypool or Sparkpelt?" A new voice suggested. A dark brown tabby tom padded from the shadows, Crowstar at his side.

"Hawkfrost, Crowstar," Brokenstar dipped his head. 

"There's no way Ivypool would train here. She's too loyal to her Clan," Sharptalon pointed out. "But Sparkpelt seems tough."

"I don't want to mess with Firestar's kin," Brokenstar growled. He looked at Wolffang. "What about your son Mistfang?" He asked. "And your daughter Cherryflight?" 

"I think they'll train here once they see that I'm here," Wolffang meowed. 

"Good," Brokenstar purred. 

"What about Breezepelt?" Rowandust asked, his green eyes shimmering. "He's been mad ever since his father left WindClan for Leafpool," he pointed out. "He's angry and he might want to train here to get revenge." 

"Good," Brokenstar purred. "I'll visit Sparkpelt and Breezepelt tonight. Wolffang, you're in charge of visiting Mistfang and Cherryflight." 

Sharptalon licked Stormgaze's head. "Thanks for listening to me. I was glad you decided to go to the nursery early."

"Anything for you, mouse-brain," Stormgaze purred. She took in a deep breath and sighed, closing her eyes. "I think I can already feel them kicking inside me. I wonder what they'll look like."

"I do too," Sharptalon purred. 

"Sharptalon!" A tiny voice squeaked. Wingkit came scampering from the nursery, her bright amber eyes shimmering. Her tortoiseshell fur was fluffed up excitedly.  

"Yes?" Sharptalon sat up. 

"Where did Mothstripe go?" The small kit asked.

"She's in WindClan's camp," Sharptalon meowed. "Uh, while Kestrelflight is sick. She's trying to figure out what's wrong with him."

Wingkit's eyes clouded with sadness. "She's really nice to me. I hope she's ok," she murmured. 

Stormgaze stood up. "I'll go get us something to eat," she meowed before padding away.

Wingkit stepped closer, resting against Sharptalon's leg. "Sharptalon? Where's my mother?" She asked. "Ambertuft doesn't even feel like my mom."

"Your mother is... g-gone. She ran away," Sharptalon lied. 

"Why did she run away?" Wingkit asked. 

"I don't know. She thought she couldn't take care of you properly so she left," Sharptalon lied once more.

"Do you miss her?" Wingkit asked. 

"I... guess," Sharptalon murmured. I don't.

"Why don't you miss her? You're my father," Wingkit whimpered.

Sharptalon froze. He felt sympathetic towards her. "I'm sorry. I'm not your father, Wingkit. But I promise to take care of you."

"Then who is my father?" Wingkit asked. "Ripplewind? He seems to take care of my siblings." 

"No. Your father.... he's filled with grief. He couldn't take care of you after your mother left him," Sharptalon meowed, curling his tail around Wingkit.

"Why not?" Wingkit's eyes rounded. "Doesn't he love me? Does he care about me?" She asked, her mew cracking.

"He loves you deeply, Wingkit. That's why he put me in charge of fostering you," Sharptalon mewed. He touched his muzzle to hers. 

Stormgaze padded up, two mice in her jaws. She dropped one beside Sharptalon's paws. 

Wingkit glanced up at Sharptalon. "Ok. That makes sense, I... guess," she murmured. "What about my siblings? Why aren't they as small as me?" She asked. 

"They're five moons old. About to be six. You weren't born with them," Sharptalon meowed. He didn't want to tell her about how her two brothers had died.

"Blazekit is the nicest to me. He always plays with me even if his sisters make fun of him," Wingkit mewed.

"That's nice of him," Sharptalon purred. He crouched his eat his mouse. 

"Wingkit! Get back to the nursery!" Ambertuft called. She gazed warmly at the kit as she scampered into the den.

"She's a nice kit," Stormgaze murmured. "I wonder why Lighttail won't even take care of her. He's lucky to have her," she meowed, taking a bite of her mouse. 

"I know. But I don't mind taking care of her. I'll treat her like my own kit," Sharptalon purred. He took another bite of his mouse. I just hope she doesn't die. Not like her siblings or mother...