"So you're training with them too?" Sparkpelt asked.

Breezepelt gazed at her. "Uh, yes." 

The training cats had decided to meet by the Great Blossom. Sharptalon, Sparkpelt, Breezepelt, Mistfang, and Spikefur were meeting here.

"I'd been training there for a while," Sharptalon admitted. "Ever since I was an apprentice."

"I like training there," Breezepelt meowed. "It takes my mind off... Crowfeather."

"I only wanted to see Wolffang, my father. But I like the training. It's good," Mistfang meowed. "I can't believe Cherryflight doesn't like it there."

Sparkpelt looked around. "I train there because I want to become a better warrior."

Sharptalon lifted his head. "And I train there because I want revenge on my father and sister," he meowed, lashing his tail. "They made my life miserable."

"Spikefur, what about you?" Sparkpelt asked, looking at the ShadowClan tom.

"I don't know yet. Brokenstar said that he'd help me become a better warrior," Spikefur meowed.

"Then we've all figured out why we're training there," Sharptalon meowed smoothly. "Lets go home."

Sharptalon walked into camp, Sparkpelt and Mistfang by his side. He could smell WindClan and fear-scent. He bristled. Was WindClan attacking? "What's going on?" He growled.

"WindClan came back with Mothstripe." Ambertuft padded forward, her tail flicking. "S-Sharptalon, I thought you said you'd be back in time for my kits' apprentice ceremonies."

The thought had completed slipped his mind. "Oh, Ambertuft. I'm sorry. I just forgot about it," he murmured. 

"It's fine," Ambertuft sighed. "WindClan only brought Mothstripe back because she got the... sickness," Ambertuft explained. 

"What? How?" Sharptalon gasped. 

"Eaglefeather said Kestrelflight was acting crazier and bit Mothstripe when she tried to see if she could cure his sickness," Ambertuft explained. "Now Mothstripe is running a fever and.... seems a bit quiet."

"When did she get attacked?" Sharptalon asked. He wondered what this sickness was. Maybe Wolffang was right about it being a threat.

Berrynose padded forward. "Stupid WindClan thought that they should keep the secret to themselves. They told us she'd been attacked five days ago!" He hissed. "Now we have a sick cat in our camp that we have to worry about!"

Eaglefeather, Sunstrike, and Boulderfur padded from the crowd of cats, their eyes clouded. Eaglefeather glanced at Sharptalon. "Hey. Sorry about your medicine cat," he meowed. "We should've told you sooner."

"Yeah, you should've. But if WindClan cats weren't so cowardice, then-" 

"Shut it, Berrynose. Even if they'd of told us sooner, we'd still have this problem," Ambertuft growled, interrupting Berrynose. 

"See you at the next gathering," Eaglefeather meowed, dipping his head to Sharptalon and the others. 

Sharptalon turned to Ambertuft, blinking at his former mentor. He padded past her, his tail flicking. Heading to the fresh-kill pile, he grabbed a mouse and a plump squirrel. He padded towards the nursery. 

Squeezing through, Sharptalon saw Leafpool comforting Coriander in the corner. Auburnkit and Peachkit were playing with Wingkit. Phoenixwing was watching them with Stormgaze. 

Stormgaze looked up, her bright green eyes shimmering. "Sharptalon!" She purred. "Bring me something to eat?" 

"Yeah, I did," Sharptalon purred. He dropped the mouse by her paws. "I'll give the squirrel to Leafpool and Ambertuft," he meowed.

"What about Coriander and Phoenixwing?" Stormgaze asked, blinking.

"We've already had a meal," Phoenixwing meowed. "But thank you for caring."

"No problem," Stormgaze purred, slumping on her side and kneading at the moss. "I wish these kits could be born already," she trilled. 

"I know," Sharptalon meowed. He crouched down. "What do you think we should name them? He asked.

"We can't name them until we see them, mouse-brain!" Stormgaze meowed playfully. "What do you think they'll look like?" She asked.

"I think one will look like you," Sharptalon guessed. "And one might look like me."

Stormgaze purred, her green eyes shimmering. 

"Sharptalon!" 

Sharptalon froze as he heard Squirrelstar's voice. He blinked sadly at Stormgaze. "I'll see what she wants," he murmured. He turned around and padded from the den, seeing Squirrelstar on the high-ledge. Ivypool was with her, along with Twistedfoot and Flamedawn. 

Sharptalon crossed the clearing quickly, his tail flicking. He climbed up the rocks and blinked at Squirrelstar.

"Come in my den. We have a few things we should probably... discuss," Squirrelstar meowed, her whiskers twitching. She led Sharptalon into her den. 

Squirrelstar, Ivypool, Twistedfoot, and Flamedawn sat down, their eyes clouded with concern. Squirrelstar shifted her paws. "So, Sharptalon. I suppose you don't know why we've called you."

"Right," Sharptalon meowed, shifting his paws. 

Squirrelstar then nodded to Twistedfoot and Flamedawn. 

"We think we had a prophecy about you," Flamedawn murmured. "Ashstar warned us about it."

"He told us that 'the sharp talon will draw blood'," Twistedfoot mewed. "I don't know but... It might be hinting to you, Sharptalon," he meowed, flattening his ears. 

"Look, Sharptalon. It may not be related to you, but just to be sure, I'm going to keep a close eye on you," Squirrelstar meowed, her voice filled with guilt.

"What? Squirrelstar, are you--?" Sharptalon growled. "I'm loyal to my Clan! I'd never kill some other cat unless I had to!" He hissed. 

"I'm..." Squirrelstar sighed. "Better to be safe than sorry," she breathed.

"I'm your Clanmate! Think about this! You can't just not trust me all of a sudden!" Sharptalon hissed, bristling.

Ivypool stood up, bristling and flattening her ears. "Sharptalon. Don't forget that you keep waking up every night with scratches. Squirrelstar has a reason to not trust you."

"I can't help-" Sharptalon began.

"Enough!" Squirrelstar hissed, lashing her tail. "Sharptalon. Tell us why you wake up in an injured state. Tell me that I can trust you!" She snapped. 

Sharptalon stared at them, feeling powerless. I can't lie. But I can't tell the truth either. What do I do? He hung his head low, feeling guilty. "I'm so sorry! I train in the Dark Forest!" He mewed.

Ivypool gasped, unsheathing her claws. 

Twistedfoot backed away, his green eyes clouding with alarm. 

Flamedawn's eyes widened. "H-how we trust you?" He gasped, his voice filled his disbelief.

"Listen, I'm sorry that I-"

"Sharptalon! Do you know how evil the Dark Forest is? That's where evil cats go!" Squirrelstar snarled. "Tigerstar may be dead. But there's still Brokenstar and Thistleclaw and Hawkfrost... and any other blood-thirsty cat in there.

"So you lied? You're not even loyal to us. Maybe Snowbreeze was right about you being just as filthy as those rogues!" Ivypool hissed.

"No, no. Sharptalon, you can't be serious," Flamedawn mewed. He looked away. "All those times I thought you were.... No, this isn't you." Flamedawn shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm sorry. I only trained there because I wanted to be a better warrior for my Clan," Sharptalon mewed honestly. He glanced around at them desperately. 

"We need to punish him, Squirrelstar," Ivypool growled. She looked over at her leader. 

"I'm thinking," Squirrelstar sighed. She flattened her ears. "For now, Sharptalon, you will be a prisoner with apprentice duties."

"He can't clean out the elders' den. I don't trust that," Ivypool sighed. "He should just be a prisoner." 

Sharptalon felt like unsheathing his claws. Ivypool was being unfair. "That's not fair!" He argued.

"No. I.. Sharptalon..." Squirrelstar trailed off. "You're fine for now. But if you continue to train in the Dark Forest, you'll be punished."