Harmonypaw lay still on the Thunder Path. The monster went by once more, but missed the medicine cat apprentice this time. Wolfpaw looked around and listened for any more coming. When none came, Wolfpaw made his way over and took Harmonypaw by her scruff. He dragged her over to Silverpaw, blood following behind them.

Wake up... Wolfpaw prayed. Please... Rollingrock needs you... Silverpaw needs you... I need you... Please, Harmonypaw... Wake up...

"Oh, Harmonypaw!" Silverpaw wailed as Wolfpaw set her sister down before her. "I told you there wasn't going to be herbs over here!"

"I'm sorry, Silverpaw..." Wolfpaw lowered his head.

"Oh, Wolfpaw!" Silverpaw cried, burying her face in his chest. "Why did this have to happen! She was my sister! My only darling sister! She never did any cat harm!"

Wolfpaw couldn't speak. He couldn't find the words to make the RiverClan she-cat feel better. He'd seen so many others before Harmonypaw, but they all meant something to him. Harmonypaw was a big part of RiverClan.

"I... I'll help you carry her to RiverClan..." Wolfpaw spoke, trying to hide his pain.

Silverpaw nodded and headed over to her sister's limp body. She began to lift her up, while Wolfpaw walked over and lifted her on to his back. The two pushed their way through bracken, bushes, and avoided ShadowClan at any means necessary. But, to Wolfpaw's dismay, Snarlpaw, Sharpfang, and Mimi were hunting in their path. Mimi was the first to look up and spot the three apprentices.

"What in the name of StarClan happened?" Mimi asked. Snarlpaw and Sharpfang looked up and both widened their eyes.

"Harmonypaw was looking for herbs," Silverpaw explained, "she thought there'd be some just outside the Clan territories, she was killed by a monster on the short Thunder Path."

"Did the poor dear even know the monster was coming?" Mimi asked.

"I doubt it..." Silverpaw mewed pitifully. "She was blind after all... She never even knew about monsters..."

Wolfpaw almost felt sudden offense to the she-cat's remark. RiverClan wasn't that far from a Thunder Path. How could Harmonypaw never hear one pass by, the one Wolfpaw has seen was loud enough for WindClan to hear. He then shook his head. Silverpaw was Harmonypaw's sister. He should feel bad for her. He knew what it felt like to loose a sister too.

The ShadowClan cats let them pass after hearing that Wolfpaw was helping carrying Harmonypaw to RiverClan. Snarlpaw lowered his head sadly as they passed. Harmonypaw was liked among all the Clans. Even ShadowClan seemed to be mourning her death already.

When the two came in to camp, Minnowstar rose his head and his widened. Wolfpaw set Harmonypaw down gently as the rest of the camp looked. Silverpaw told them the whole story and all of RiverClan was silent. Rollingrock shoved her way through them all and looked down at her apprentice in sorrow. Minnowstar pushed him through the cats around them as well and rested his tail on the medicine cat's shoulder.

"I am getting too old," Rollingrock spoke sadly, "I can't go on much longer, Minnowstar..."

The whole of RiverClan shared concerned glances. They needed a medicine cat apprentice to take Rollingrock's place before she died.

"Um... Minnowstar?" the whole Clan turned to see a light brown she-cat with silver eyes walk up. "If Rollingrock will allow it... I'd like to help... I'll be her apprentice... And learn all I can until she goes to the elder's den..."

The RiverClan leader and medicine cat looked at one another for a moment and nodded.

"Very well, Calmpaw," Minnowstar spoke, "if that's what you want."

"You can go now, Wolfpaw," Antpaw hissed.

Wolfpaw bowed his head, payed his respects to Harmonypaw, and made his way out of the muddy Clan. He decided to go toward WindClan territory. He'd be passing the barn where Mimi's kin lived. He hadn't seen them since he and Cavernheart spoke to them during the Gathering.

When he got closer, he could smell his Clanmate nearby. What was Cavernheart doing back here? The scent was stale, but still too fresh to be from the Gathering. Shaking his head Wolfpaw kept going. The crazy tom was probably just looking for a fight with the loners.

Wolfpaw was careful not to be spotted by a WindClan patrol, though he saw two, both consisting of either Quickpaw or Sandpaw. He wondered if his half-kin ever thought of him. Would things have been different if they were all raised together as one Clan? Wolfpaw lowered his head and dragged his tail all the way back to ThunderClan territory. He dug up his catches and went to camp. Poundpaw had already returned with an adder and a vole. Glaregaze was sitting outside the nursery watching his kits play, while Poppystream was sharing a mouse with Sunnigpelt.

Wolfpaw wanted to cry out when he saw Snowkit had stop shuddering. She was shuddering because her senses knew Harmonypaw was the bad thing that was going to happen. And now she was gone. The she-cat Wolfpaw had feelings for. Dead. He didn't want to tell anyone. He'd wait for the next Gathering, so Minnowstar could announce it.

The silver apprentice wasn't hungry. He went to the apprentice's den and laid down on his bedding. Wrapping his tail around him, Wolfpaw thought of Harmonypaw and the first time he met her. She was so kind and gentle, it was hard to believe she'd ever have an enemy anywhere, especially StarClan. Why did she have to die so young?

"Wolfpaw," The tom jolted awake. It felt like he was about to wake up in the Dark Forest, but someone called him to the apprentice's den. He looked up to see the light ginger fur of Sunnigpelt looming over him. "I wish to speak to you."

Wolfpaw stood and saw Meadowpaw and Poundpaw were sound asleep in their nests, though they twitched at the sudden noises. He carefully followed the elder out to the camp and saw the sun setting behind the trees. Sunnigpelt continued walking and Wolfpaw followed with concern. Was the she-cat well?

They climbed up the slope where the Clan refuged during the flood. Sunnigpelt stopped and sat down. Wolfpaw followed and saw that they were just above the trees and he could see the sun setting in the distance. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. He never watched the sun set on the horizon, he could only see it through the trees.

"Wolfpaw," Sunnigpelt started, "in order to be great leader, you must know how to understand your Clan."

Not this again... Wolfpaw thought bitterly, looking away from the elder.

"Even if what they do goes against the warrior code..." Sunnigpelt looked down, not noticing Wolfpaw's disinterest. The apprentice turned his head and looked up at the old she-cat. "Halfmoon broke the warrior code because no one taught her right from wrong... She came from every Clan, except ThunderClan, and they all turned their backs on her. Marshstar even turned on her and joined ShadowClan."

"Wait, you knew Halfmoon was Adderstar and Marshstar's mother?" Wolfpaw looked at her in shock.

"Every elder in every Clan knows," Sunnigpelt looked down at Wolfpaw calmly, "but, Adderstar and Marshstar are respectable leaders, no one wants them to get hurt, I was an apprentice at the time, and I was nieve, I didn't really care about Halfmoon being a medicine cat of every Clan and having kits."

Wolfpaw lowered his head. He hadn't realized so much happened to Halfmoon when she was young and had her kits. She was a part of every Clan, yet they turned their backs on her. Did she still have feelings for her old homes?

"When I became a warrior I thought I had the whole world in my paws," Sunnigpelt purred, "I would explore every part of the lake, I even found those tunnels you train in. And I wasn't the only one... I met a RiverClan warrior. He was one of the bravest warriors near the lake. At first we wanted to kill each other. Then we saved each other a couple of times... Then..." Sunnigpelt took a deep breath and looked down at her paws. Wolfpaw wasn't sure what he should say. She seemed to be remembering something painful.

"We continued seeing one another and became mates..." Sunnigpelt went on. "He was always there when I had a problem... Then, one day, I found out I was expecting his kits... I waited in the tunnels for him... But, he never showed up. A few days later... I heard at a Gathering... He was killed by a rogue... I gave birth to his kits... Stripeclaw and Poppystream."

Wolfpaw's eyes widened. That meant Snowkit, Frostkit, and Featherkit were part RiverClan. No wonder Frostkit liked fish more than any other prey. She had her grandfather's taste.

"The older cats know... But, Poppystream and Stripeclaw can never know." Sunnigpelt wrapped her tail around her paws.

"But, why not?" Wolfpaw asked.

"Poppystream looks so happy being Glaregaze's mate, she even had kits with him... As for Stripeclaw... I never want to see my son sad... He was an energetic little tom and always laughing... I don't want to see him loose it all because I was foolish..."

Wolfpaw stared at Sunnigpelt with sympathy. He wondered if this was what Bluestar, Leafpool, and Yellowfang were thinking. Would he have taken Harmonypaw as a mate and watch his kits be raised in RiverClan. He shook his head. What he dreamed of, was never going to be, even if she was still alive.

"Do you understand why I did what I did?" Sunnigpelt asked looking down at the silver tom. "Even if I went against the code, Poppystream, Stripeclaw, Featherkit, Frostkit, and Snowkit would never have been born." she looked away. "Not to mention, who knows what could've happened to Glaregaze without her..."

Wolfpaw looked at her questioningly, but she didn't explain what she meant. He nodded slowly. He never wanted a mother to regret having her kits. Especially if those kits were Poppystream and Stripeclaw. He also loved the kits, Featherkit, Frostkit, and Snowkit were just like their kin, carefree and strong.

When the sun vanished in the distance, Wolfpaw followed Sunnigpelt back down the slope and in to camp. She said good night and headed in to elder's den while Wolfpaw went back to the apprentice's den. He laid down and readied himself to fall asleep, but he was afraid he'd find himself in the Dark Forest. Wolfblood and Sparrowwing were probably waiting for him. Looking over at Meadowpaw and Poundpaw, Wolfpaw closed his eyes and prayed the next thing he'd see was the morning sun.