(A/N: Please don't kill me after this ._. ;-;)

~

The moons went by quicker than Fernpaw thought. After many moons of training with her mentor, it was almost time for her to become a warrior.

But first, Fernpaw have to pass the assessment. Honeyfrost told her that she have to hunt at least three pieces of prey and have good battle skills.

She felt the wind in her fur as Honeyfrost led her outside the camp, near Tallpines. "This is where your hunting assessment is held," she explained. "Whether you have three pieces of prey or not, be back when the sun reached its peak."

Fernpaw nodded as her mentor continued, "I will be watching how you hunt and make sure that you wouldn't cheat or anything."

"Okay," she mewed.

"Go!" Honeyfrost yowled. Fernpaw immediately darted off.

As she ran through Tallpines, she wondered if she could meet up with Hailpaw.

A prey scent broke her thoughts and she saw a thrush at the roots of a tree. Slowly but steadily, she began to stalk the feathered creature.

Luckily, the wind was in her favour, so she remained unseen and undetected by the prey.

Fernpaw braced herself for a pounce as she became closer to the thrush. Just as it began to take flight, she pounced strongly, remembering her moons of training.

She swiftly bit it and silently thanked StarClan for filling up the forest with prey despite the fact that leaf-bare had just ended.

She buried the prey and continued looking for another. A few heartbeats later, Fernpaw saw a rabbit nearby. It was hidden in the brownish bushes by its pelt, probably thinking that it would be safe.

Even so, Fernpaw carefully stalked towards the prey. The rabbit was busily digging a hole, to make a den, Fernpaw guessed.

She pounced with her claws out and the rabbit didn't have time to react. She smiled at herself. This is going well.

She buried the rabbit with the previous prey she caught. Fernpaw heard something and looked up.

It was a squirrel, not bothered by the predator that stood below it.

Good time to test out my tree climbing skills, Fernpaw thought.

She dug her claws into the trunk and began to heave herself up. The squirrel was totally oblivious and continued to nibble on a nut.

Fernpaw pounced, her claws reaching for the brown pelt. She managed to catch it, and she fell down half gracefully with her prey.

She went to collect the rest of her prey and padded back. Honeyfrost was waiting for her and she nodded when she saw the pieces of prey.

"Bury them here for now and follow me to the training hollow," she mewed.

At the Training Hollow, Fernpaw got ready to fight her mentor. Hailpaw's scent was strong in there, they must have done the fighting first.

"Go!" Honeyfrost yowled, pouncing towards her apprentice.

Fernpaw stepped to the side quickly and batted her mentor's pelt with sheathed paws.

Honeyfrost brust up and Fernpaw stumbled backwards, falling but recovering quickly.

She lunged forward to Honeyfrost and managed to hit her. She looked dazed for a moment, and Fernpaw took the chance to pin her down.

Honeyfrost flicked her tail, a signal for the mock fight to stop. "You did well," she purred. "We are going to meet your brother and his mentor by RiverClan territory, to see Hailpaw's progress."

Fernpaw nodded excitedly as they walked there.

They were by Sunningrocks, where Rockpelt was waiting impatiently on one of the rocks.

Much to Fernpaw's surprise, Froststar was nearby. "May I watch?" she purred.

"Of course," Honeyfrost mewed. "We are going to start a quick mock fight-"

A loud bark interupted her and shocked Fernpaw so much that she stumbled backwards... and fell into the river.

Fernpaw felt dark waves of water crashing her, and before she fell unconscious, she saw Froststar jumping in after her.

~~~~

"No!" Froststar yowled, jumping in before any cat could stop her.

"Froststar, you can't swim!" Honeyfrost yowled frantically.

But a horrified voice covered the other surprised voices. "Froststar, you are on your last life!" Sunstream screeched.

"What?" Honeyfrost gasped. "But she only lost a few these past moons!"

A cream ginger pelt rushed past her and jumped into the river as well. "Patchheart, you can't swim either!" Sunstream yowled.

"I will die trying to save Froststar and my kit!" he growled in determination.

Hailpaw was speechless as Silvercloud came, flustered. "I'm going to save them," she mewed as she jumped into the river.

"Mousebrains!" Rockpelt called after them, although his voice trembled. With fear.

What is happening? Sunstream thought in fear.

~~~~

Silvercloud swam strongly towards Patchheart, who was desperately trying to reach Froststar and Fernpaw.

"Patchheart, go back to shore!" she yowled at him, hoping that he would listen. "I will help them!"

He obeyed and dragged himself to land while Silvercloud continued to swim towards Froststar, who managed to grab Fernpaw.

Silvercloud was still far behind them, and worse, the current was becoming faster and stronger.

Soon, she couldn't see Froststar at all. This gave her more determination to swim faster.

She knocked into a familiar light gray pelt and she carried Froststar and Fernpaw to the bank, grunting with the effort.

Patchheart had reached on that part of the river, licking his mate frantically. "Froststar, Froststar!" he cried. "Please wake up!"

"Take care of Fernpaw and Hailpaw," Froststar whispered weakly before she lay down. Motionless and lifeless.

"Froststar!" Patchheart yowled in grief. "No, no, no! What would I do without you? Why are you so foolish? I can't do it without you!"

Silvercloud dipped her head in grief. It was too sudden... like Brownstar's death. Is there a connection? Silvercloud wondered as Sunstream came to Fernpaw's side.

"Is she dead too?" Honeyfrost asked in a trembling voice.

"No," Sunstream mewed, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "Just barely alive."

Thunder boomed above them, but they didn't take note of it as the sky became dark and then came a huge downpour.

This wasn't meant to happen.