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Chapter Text

Firestar led a hunting patrol through the forest, some of his warriors trailing behind. A light ginger blur sped past him, and he gave a small quiet laugh at the apprentice's exuberance and enthusiasm. Cherrypaw had only been apprenticed for a few days, but was so eager to learn everything she could.

Foxleap gave a groan, embarrassed that he couldn't control his own apprentice. “I'm sorry Firestar,” he apologized to the leader. Firestar flicked his tail, “No, it's fine. She's just excited to be out. I seem to recall a few apprentices back in the day that were just as excited as she was during their first few days out,” he said amused, and some of the cats in his patrol ducked their heads in embarrassment, knowing that they were some of those excited apprentices back when they started out.

“Cherrypaw, come back! This isn't a race!” Foxleap yowled. Cherrypaw came rushing back, panting slightly. Foxleap twitched his whiskers, exasperated. “Well, since you're so eager, you can tell us what you smell.”

Cherrypaw's nostrils flared as she tried picking apart the different scents around them. Firestar lightly tasted the air himself, scenting the mouth-watering scents of mouse, squirrel and other prey. It was a nice day out. He wished it could like this everyday, without border skirmishes, or hunger, or the threat of dead cats coming after the clans in revenge looming over them.

“I think I smell mouse. And that's squirrel I think. And...” she trailed off as the ground started shaking lightly, small pebbles visibly jumping and moving away from their stagnant positions. All their ears pricked as they heard a strange sound coming from above them. Firestar quickly looked up and his eyes turned to slits as he saw a small flaming ball head right towards them from above. The other cats in his patrol followed his lead.

“What is that?” Cloudtail hissed hesitantly.

“What it is doesn't matter; just get away now!” Firestar commanded. All the cats backed away from where they thought the object would hit, just in time for it to hit the ground and throw them off their paws. Firestar groaned as he got up, giving out a few coughs as he tried expelling the dust from his lungs.

“Is everyone alright?” he called out to his clanmates. He got a few shaky meows of reassurance, and he gave a sigh of relief. He waited for the dust to clear and checked his clanmates, who were also shakily moving to get on their paws. It didn't seem like anyone was hurt. He looked back only to gasp. Whatever had fallen had formed a decent sized crater and they were standing just beside the edge.

They all stood at the edge, gazing in amazement at the big rock that had fallen from the sky. Pieces of it littered the ground, but a good part of the rock was still intact. It was glowing a faint red. No one dared to speak, not knowing what to say.

“Seriously, what is that?” Cloudtail repeated.

“A big rock?” Lionblaze drawled. Firestar couldn't remember the part where he learned that rocks glowed, but didn't voice the thought out loud.

“Oh, oh, I'll check it out!” Cherrypaw declared. She rushed down the slope and approached the glowing rock. The other cats gave hisses of alarm. “Cherrypaw, come back! You don't know what that thing even is!” Foxleap yowled, worried that his apprentice might get hurt.

“That mouse-brain!” Squirrelflight hissed. “What if she gets hurt?”

“Says the she-cat who apparently thought entering a badger den was a good idea,” Cloudtail muttered. She gave him a glare before rushing down the slope herself, the rest of the patrol doing the same.

“I found something!” Cherrypaw announced. “It looks like a pretty red stone!”

“Well don't touch it, you don't know what it is,” Foxleap said. They caught up to her, standing next to the big rock, and saw what she was looking at. It was a shiny, glossy red stone. Firestar had never seen such a polished looking rock in his life. It had smooth looking edges, the top of it being circular before the edges come together to form a point on the bottom. The outer edge was such a dark red it almost looked black, but the inside... The inside was something of beauty. There were reds and oranges and yellows inside, almost like blazing fire. It was glowing a faint red, just like the rock beside it. Did it come off of the bigger rock?

“Isn't it so pretty?” Cherrypaw gushed. She reached out to touch it. “Cherrypaw, no!” Lionblaze exclaimed. As soon as she touched it, the stone's glow intensified, and to everyone's shock it lifted itself off the ground and hovered there. The glow intensified further, bathing them all in red light. They all started backing away slowly, Foxleap grabbing Cherrypaw and dragging her with them.

Then the glowing stopped, but the stone was still hovering there. “Okay, let's get out of here. This is creeping me out,” Squirrelflight stated. Just as they were about to move again, the stone shot forth, heading straight for Firestar. He couldn't react fast enough, and it shot into his chest. He stumbled a few steps back and placed a forepaw over his chest, gasping and panting at the intense feeling of heat flowing through his body.

“Firestar! Are you okay?” Cloudtail and the others rushed forward to their leader. He gave a moan, feeling the stone root itself into his system, spreading out into every part of his body. It was getting unbearably hot. “It's-it's in me-” he panted.

There were black spots dancing in his vision. He didn't feel right at all. Foxleap whirled around angrily to hiss at Cherrypaw. “I told you not to touch anything! What if Firestar dies from this?” Firestar couldn't hear the rest, his body failing him and he collapsed onto the ground, his clanmate's worried and alarmed voices being the last thing he heard.

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He felt off. His head was buzzing and he felt hazy. He could feel soft moss under his paws. Where was he? He fought to open his eyes and he saw he was in the medicine den, Jayfeather and Briarlight sleeping soundly nearby. He looked out the opening to the den and saw it was nighttime. How long had he been out?

The buzzing faded, but his head felt even more hazy than before. There was something compelling him to get to his paws. He did so, and he gave a grunt as he felt something push itself out of his chest. There was the stone, the circular part sticking out of his chest, just enough so that it wasn't hidden in his fur. He felt it give out a pulse of warmth, sending a signal into his mind to go.

Briarlight opened her eyes to see Firestar exit the medicine den, his tail disappearing into the night. “Jayfeather. Jayfeather!” Jayfeather gave a groan and opened his maw into a yawn.

“What is it Briarlight, I'm trying to sleep,” he muttered grumpily.

“Firestar just left!” Jayfeather's eyes widened, nostrils flaring as he tried scenting where his patient went. True to her word, he wasn't in his nest. Jayfeather gave a curse and moved to exit the den. “Stay here, I'm going to get a patrol together to find him.” He hoped the entirety of the warrior's den didn't mind being woken up at this time of night.

Firestar walked in a daze, his eyes blank and glazed over as he followed the stone's command. He found himself back at the crash site, the big rock still glowing a faint red. The stone gave another pulse and suddenly he could see the residual energy around the crater. He slid down the slope and padded up to the rock, before sitting a few fox-lengths away.

The stone glowed intensely as streams of red energy wafted through the air and consolidated into the stone. Firestar gave a sigh; he felt so warm. It was nothing like the intense heat he first felt. This was pure warmth that made him feel good inside, and he liked the feeling. He gave a purr, wanting to feel more.

The stone sent out a pulse of intense warmth through him, and his front paws creaked as black scales pushed their way through his skin and replaced his fur. His paws and claws grew bigger, growing into wicked talons that put Tigerstar's claws to shame. The scales snaked up his foreleg, stopping just before the upper part of his leg met his torso. The muscles in his forelegs strengthened and enlarged, giving him enough strength to easily control them. His paws should have felt too big for him, but they didn't. He looked down at his paws with a vague look of interest, not caring that they had changed.

The stone pulsed again, sending warmth into his tail. His tail lengthened, growing thicker at the base. It thinned as it went down to the tip, black scales replacing his ginger fur. The scales formed into black plates with a serrated edge to each of them that covered the top side of his tail, the biggest plate starting at the base of his tail and smaller plates forming as they went along. Metal formed out of the tip of his tail, forming a three-pronged shape.

Another pulse. His body trembled lightly and he gave a short pant as the warmth continued to spread across his body. It focused on his back legs as they followed his forelegs. He shifted his paws to get used to his new paws, each of them sporting razor sharp talons. He wiggled his back paws, liking the feeling of his scales brushing against each other.

He purred as the stone gave the strongest pulse he felt that night. He felt so warm and good. It was focusing on his back, something trying to push its way out of him. He arched his back, trying to coax the foreign sensation of out him, when four giant wings burst out of his back. They flapped a few times before folding onto his back. They were bat-like, black scales outlining them with a black membrane connecting the insides of each wing together. They felt somewhat leathery. There was a sharp claw sticking out of the tips of each wing.

The stone continued to give out short pulses of warmth, and he felt curved horns grow from his forehead. His ears lengthened into black fins, blending into his ginger fur at the base. Black scales formed along his cheeks, and his fangs lengthened, forming sharp points that hung outside his mouth. He could feel little spines snaking down his neck, down his back and inbetween in his wings, and finally trailing into his tail.

He was so lost in his ecstasy that he didn't scent the oncoming patrol that was looking for him. Brambleclaw was at the lead with other cats trailing behind him. They came to a sudden stop at the edge of the slope and they all gasped in shock at Firestar's new appearance. Lionblaze pushed his way to the front of the patrol. “Firestar?” he called out. Firestar stiffened, and the fur on his back rose up. His head turned and they all stepped back in shock at the red-slit eyes that replaced his normally forest green ones.

Firestar turned his body around and assumed a slight pouncing position, his tail lashing the ground and making gouge marks where it struck. His wings were half out, trying to make himself look more threatening. The patrol of cats were baffled at his threatened position. He looked like a wounded, scared animal ready to pounce on them. He was glaring at them, no recognition in his eyes at the sight of them.

Brambleclaw slid down the slope and walked forward a few small steps, his stance in a non-threatening position. “Firestar, it's okay, we're not going to hurt you,” he meowed to his feral leader. The leader's tail lashed the ground again, and Firestar opened his mouth slightly to scent the air. He caught Brambleclaw's scent.

Hatchling!

He wagged his tail and relaxed. His hatchling would never hurt him, and he wouldn't hurt him in turn. Brambleclaw gave a sigh in relief at the happy look his leader was giving him. He gave a glance at the large claws attached to Firestar's paws. Those could easily kill a cat. He padded forward warily until he was by Firestar's side, noticing that Firestar was slightly bigger than he was now.

He was unprepared for Firestar's happy nuzzle. He stood still in shock; Firestar was never this affectionate, especially with him. The patrol gave bemused looks to each other and to Brambleclaw, and he shrugged. They tried padding down the slope, only for Firestar to snarl at them, wings flared in a threatening position. They stopped suddenly as Firestar covered Brambleclaw with a wing, still growling at the patrol.

Brambleclaw rushed out from under Firestar's wing and turned to face him. “It's okay, no one is going to hurt you!” He didn't know why Firestar was acting like this.

Lionblaze gave a gasp at the sight of the red stone Cherrypaw had found earlier that day sticking out of Firestar's chest. “It's that stone again! Is it making him do this? Did it turn him into that?” he exclaimed. The patrol gave him uncertain looks. Brambleclaw remembered the patrol coming back to camp with Firestar's unconscious body. They claimed that some stone had shot into Firestar, and that Firestar claimed that it was inside him. Jayfeather had checked him all over, but couldn't pinpoint anything wrong with the leader. They thought the patrol was making a bad joke. Sure they felt the ground rumble for a few moments, and they heard something big hit the ground, but a red stone entering the body of their leader?

Until they led the clan to the crash site and the clan realized that the story wasn't some nonsense. Now Brambleclaw had visible proof of the supposed stone. It had turned Firestar into something strange and it scared him. Was Firestar going to be like this forever? It was one thing if he looked this way for the foreseeable future, it was another if Firestar acted like he was for the same amount of time. Could Firestar lead the clan being this...feral?

Firestar paused and saw his hatchling looking at him with fear and concern in his eyes. He didn't mean to make his hatchling worry. He didn't want him scared of Firestar. Brambleclaw gave him a gesture to follow. “It's okay, just follow us back to camp. No one's going to hurt you,” he tried gently assuring Firestar. He led Firestar back up the slope, and the patrol parted to give them space as Firestar gave a light growl in their direction.

The patrol of cats kept their distance from Firestar as they neared camp. Cats were outside, waiting for their return. They all gasped and muttered at Firestar's appearance, and he crouched down in a pounce, tail lashing from side to side as he glared at them. He relaxed his stance as a sand colored she-cat made her way hesitantly towards him. Her sweet scent hit him instantly.

Mate.

His excitement died down when she gave him a startled look. He didn't like the fear in her eyes, much like the fear in his hatchling. He frowned, why was his mate and hatchling afraid of him? Did he do something wrong? He was just trying to protect them. Sandstorm gave her mate a worried look before turning to Brambleclaw. “How did this happen?”

Brambleclaw cringed. “We don't know. Lionblaze thinks it's that stone in his chest that did this to him.” Her eyes turned to the stone sticking out of him. “He didn't seem to recognize anyone but me. He was happy to see me but not anyone else. He looked ready to attack my patrol,” he meowed.

Firestar was still staring at Sandstorm, confused at her hesitance. She gave a sigh and padded up to him, to the shock and fear of the clan. He smiled and gave her loving licks and she gave a light laugh at the feel of his tongue tickling her. He gave a happy trill, the stone giving a warm pulse at his happiness. She led him to the leader's den, and as he was about to enter he looked down at Brambleclaw, wondering why he wasn't following.

His nose flared as he smelled the scents of his other hatchlings. He wanted to go and bring them into the den with him too, but he felt so tired. He hoped they would be fine without him for one night.

Brambleclaw gave a sigh and moved to follow. Squirrelflight rushed up to him, stopping him from moving. “You can't be serious! What if he hurts you?” He gave her a growl, “He's not going to hurt me. You should have more faith in me and your parents.” With that, he walked around her and entered the leader's den. He found Sandstorm coaxing Firestar into the nest and he walked up to join them.

Firestar moved to curl his tail around his mate and hatchling, making sure the sharp scales and tip didn't hurt them, and brought them close to him. Brambleclaw and Sandstorm melted into his hold, his body being surprisingly warm. His eyes closed as he drifted off, the stone sending signals of safety into his head.

Brambleclaw nodded to Sandstorm, and she too fell asleep. But Brambleclaw didn't belong here. He should give these two cats their privacy. He tried to get up, but Firestar's tail was surprisingly strong. It wouldn't budge, and he was afraid Firestar would wake up if he felt Brambleclaw leave. Staying for one night wouldn't hurt him... He closed his eyes, hoping that tomorrow morning would be better.

Chapter Text

“I'm really worried, what are we going to say to the clan about this? He's almost...feral. I could only just barely wiggle out from under his tail this morning, what if he wakes up and panics because Sandstorm and I aren't there with him? We were the only ones he recognized last night.”

“I know, but what do you expect me to do? This could be Starclan's work for all I know, and I don't have the faintest idea of how to fix this.”

Firestar felt somewhat strange as he started to wake up. He felt well-rested, but at the same time he felt different. His body felt weird, but at the same time it felt right? He felt warm, safe. He could hear Brambleclaw's and Jayfeather's voices next to him, talking about him.

Why would he panic over Brambleclaw and Sandstorm not being with him?

“I think he's starting to wake up,” Brambleclaw meowed worriedly. Firestar fought his eyelids open, only to see Brambleclaw's worried face and Jayfeather's neutral one above him. They almost looked wary of him. He gave a sigh as he blinked his eyes a few times.

“Brambleclaw? Jayfeather? Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?”

Brambleclaw gave a sigh of relief. “His eyes are green again, and he's not acting like he was last night, so that's good.”

Firestar frowned. Now they were talking about his eye color. Jayfeather turned to him. “How are you feeling now?” Firestar moved to get up, and stretched out his body. “I mean, I feel pretty good now. Why are you both acting like something's wrong?” He stretched out his wings, trying to remove the stiffness out of them. He froze suddenly, and shifted his wings. He slowly looked behind him, eyes wide in horror. He made small movements with his wings, trying to figure out if they were really attached to his back or not.

To his horror, he found he could control them very easily. “What- what are those doing there?” he yowled. Then he saw what happened to the rest of his body, looking down at his black-scaled talons in horror.

Jayfeather and Brambleclaw gave grimaces. “Firestar, don't panic. It's really not all that bad...” Brambleclaw trailed off, not sure who he was reassuring.

Firestar looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown. “Don't panic? Why shouldn't I panic?! Oh Starclan, what have I turned into?” The two other cats stayed silent, not having an answer for him. He felt a pulse of warm flood him, erasing all his panic away. He... he should be horrified. He should be freaking out over his changed body, but... why did he feel so calm?

He felt another pulse of warmth, a signal of reassurance being sent into his mind. What was that? What was doing that? The pulse originated from his chest, and he blearily turned his head only to see the stone poking out of his chest. His fur bristled, remembering the stone entering him.

He looked up at Jayfeather and Brambleclaw, his eyes unreadable. “What happened yesterday?”

Brambleclaw sighed. “The hunting patrol you were on carried you back, claiming some stone entered your body,” he gestured to the stone in question, “and Jayfeather checked you over. You were out of it for the rest of the day until Jayfeather woke us up in the middle of the night to tell us that you had left the den. We gathered a patrol to track you down and found you in the crater, looking like... this. Except your eyes were red and you didn't recognize anyone but Sandstorm and I.”

Jayfeather snickered, “You should have heard what Firestar was calling you in his head!” Firestar cringed, not sure if he wanted to know. Brambleclaw only blinked, being aware of the prophecy and of Jayfeather's powers.

“What was he calling me?”

Jayfeather only snickered harder. “He was calling you his... hatchling.”

“Hatchling? What does that mean?” Brambleclaw asked. He had a feeling he knew exactly what it meant though.

Firestar ducked his head, embarrassed. Somehow, he could recognize that calling Brambleclaw hatchling was the same thing as calling him his kit. Brambleclaw wasn't even his! He wished he could remember what he had done last night.

“What am I supposed to do now? I can't go out looking like this... what will the clan think? What will the other clans think? Am I supposed to send Brambleclaw in my stead to Gatherings and claim that I'm sick?” he rambled. Brambleclaw looked uncomfortable, not wanting to say that the clan was majorly aware of what happened.

“Well, the clan already knows. You kind of scared them when you starting growling at everyone and looked ready to tear us all apart,” Jayfeather bluntly commented. Brambleclaw whacked him on the head with his tail.

“Don't tell him that!” he hissed. They both heard a sob, and turned to Firestar in alarm as he sank down to his paws. He was already the nosy kittypet leader of Thunderclan, and now he was some black-scaled, multiple-winged freak. Brambleclaw slowly lowered himself down next to Firestar, giving his pelt a few licks. “It's really not all that bad! You look really nice actually...” Brambleclaw tried comforting him.

His hatchling was sweet, but it wasn't making him feel any better. He realized with alarm that he had just called Brambleclaw 'hatchling' in his head. There was another pulse of warmth, trying to get rid of all his negative emotions. He glared down at the stone protruding from his chest, and Brambleclaw and Jayfeather bristled uncomfortably at the waves of hatred exuding from Firestar.

Firestar didn't even realize that there were flames coming out of his mouth, and the other two cats backed away warily, Jayfeather having smelled the fire. Firestar realized they were moving away from him, and was shocked to see and feel fire licking his muzzle. He panicked, and accidentally shot it at the wall of his den. There was a singe mark where the fire had struck, and he backed away into another corner of his den.

He curled up there, wings trying to hide him, his body shaking and trembling. He could have almost hurt Jayfeather and Brambleclaw. The two cats were shocked into silence, until Brambleclaw hesitantly walked up to Firestar. “Firestar?”

They were shocked by the force of his yowl. “Stay away from me!” Firestar curled up tighter and started sobbing, afraid of what he had become. Brambleclaw laid down next to him anyway, muttering reassurances into his ears.

Jayfeather shifted onto his paws. “I'm going to get you some prey; you haven't eaten in a while,” he said awkwardly, not sure how to handle the situation. There was nothing he could say or do that was going to calm Firestar down. Jayfeather could barely reach the most outer layer of Firestar's mind, something keeping him out. He felt anger, loathing, sadness, self-hatred and other negative emotions coming out of Firestar and it scared him. They weren't emotions he would ever associate with Firestar.

Brambleclaw stayed with Firestar, even after Jayfeather came back with some prey and left them alone. He tried coaxing Firestar to eat something. Eventually Firestar's hunger got the best of him, and he surprised both of them by scarfing down the squirrel.

“Feel better?” Brambleclaw asked. Firestar frowned, his stomach was still rumbling. It was like the squirrel did nothing to satiate him, and it had been a pretty decent sized squirrel.

“No, I still feel hungry...” Brambleclaw gave him an alarmed look. Firestar gave another sniffle. How could he need more prey after such a big meal? Did this new body of his need more food to fuel it?

Brambleclaw snuggled closer to him. “Everything will be fine. We'll figure this out together. The whole clan will help.”

He wished he could believe Brambleclaw. But something told him the clan wasn't going to be receptive of his new form...He wanted the ground to swallow him up right now. Noticing that its host still wasn't happy, the stone gave a warm pulse and he felt all his worries melt away. His eyes flashed to red, and he snuggled into his hatchling. His hatchling was here, trying to make him feel better. Brambleclaw stiffened, seeing Firestar's eyes were red again.

“...Firestar?” he asked warily. Firestar wrapped his body and wings around Brambleclaw, almost like Brambleclaw was the one who needed support. Wasn't it his duty to protect his family? Why was Brambleclaw so sad? Couldn't he see he was fine? A sad trilling came from Firestar, and Brambleclaw snuggled closer, trying to reassure him.

Firestar seemed to almost regress into a feral state whenever his eyes turned red, Brambleclaw realized. He was startled by how swift the shift had been. Firestar no longer exuded the negative emotions from before. He was concerned, but for Brambleclaw, not for himself. Otherwise he seemed happy to be with him. Even in this state Firestar cared more for his clan and loved ones more than he cared about himself.

Brambleclaw sighed. It seemed that Firestar wasn't leaving the den anytime soon.

Chapter Text

Cats mingled around the High Rock, casting glances at the entrance of the leaders' den. Last night's incident was still fresh in their minds, and the clan wanted answers regarding Firestar and his feral behavior. Sandstorm lashed her tail in agitation, not happy with the whispers echoing around camp.

“What happened last night? Firestar had wings and scales!”

“Something about a stone lodged in him...?”

“He looked ready to bolt at any moment. Can he really lead the clan like this?”

“Lead the clan? He was ready to tear us apart, maybe he shouldn't be in the clan!”

She hissed angrily at the last comment, and spun around and stalked over to the group of senior warriors who were talking about her mate as if she wasn't there.

“Firestar is still your leader. And that is my mate you're talking about,” she growled. Berrynose opened his mouth,clearly wanting to disagree, only for Thornclaw to shove his tail into it, giving him a look and shaking his head. The other warriors looked at her warily, just now realizing that Sandstorm wouldn't tolerate anyone saying fox-dung about her mate. She gave them one last glare before stalking off.

“You were really about to argue with Sandstorm of all cats?” she heard Thornclaw whisper angrily at Berrynose.

She saw Jayfeather exit the leaders' den, a look of muted fear on his face. He padded over to the fresh-kill pile and chose a decent sized squirrel before heading back into the leaders' den. He was in and out of the den in a flash. She ran up to meet him.

“How is he?” she gave a worried meow. Jayfeather gave a heavy sigh. “He's fine. His eyes are back to being green and he's not acting like he was last night anymore, but we told him what happened and he... didn't take it well.”

She narrowed her eyes. If Firestar was acting normal then why did Jayfeather look so scared? “The expression on your face and your fear-scent say he's less than fine. Or do you fear him like everyone else in the clan?” she hissed at him.

He gave her a glare. “I don't fear him, I just fear what he can do. He was so distraught over what happened last night that he shot fire at the wall of the den. Forgive me if I'm a little fearful of him losing control and accidentally hurting someone. Not only does someone get hurt, but his mind will also fracture from all the self-loathing that was coming off him in waves.” They stood in silence, Sandstorm registering his words. Firestar was a sensitive soul- if he hurt someone from his clan, even accidentally, he would never forgive himself.

“What he needs is our support then, not our fear. Fearing him will just make everything worse,” she said in a low tone.

Jayfeather shrugged. “You need to give him support. I need to figure out if that stone came from Starclan or not. If it did, then they have a lot to answer to.”

“And if the stone didn't come from Starclan?”

Jayfeather was silent, trying to think of a solution. Sandstorm dug her claws in the soft earth, impatient. “Well if the stone came from the sky, can't we just say that this whole thing is a gift from Starclan? The clan might be placated if they think our ancestors were the ones to do this to him.”

“Or they might turn their fear and anger onto Starclan instead. That's the last thing we need right now...” Jayfeather trailed off, not sure if he should tell her about the possible war with the Dark Forest.

Sandstorm have a snort. “Because we need Starclan to help with the Dark Forest, is that it?” He looked at her, startled. “Who told you that?”

“No one. I'm not a mouse-brain Jayfeather; do you really think I would forget Tigerstar's scent so quickly? I can smell him, Darkstripe, Hawkfrost, and Brokenstar all over the territory.” He flicked an ear, not sure what to say. 'So some of the warriors can use their heads, nice to know,' he snarked in his head.

“Look, I'm really not sure what to do about Firestar. I have things to do and you should be seeing your mate.” With that, he padded off to the medicine den, yelling for Briarlight to stop gossiping and get on with her exercises. She didn't know if he was trying to deflect away from Firestar.

Cats watched her as she made her way into the leaders' den. She didn't expect to see her mate trying to snuggle up with Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw raised an eyebrow at her, daring her to say something. Firestar caught onto the fact that Brambleclaw was staring at something else and gave a happy chirp at the sight of his mate.

She twitched an ear, wondering if Jayfeather had lied to her. His eyes were clearly red and he was acting like he had the night before. “Brambleclaw, what's going on? I thought Jayfeather said he was back to acting like he usually does,” she hissed out.

“Usual. Right. I guess his breakdown was also usual behavior for him?” Brambleclaw gave a dismissive snort. “He wasn't acting like this originally. He just...shifted for lack of better term, back into this.” He gestured to Firestar, who look confused as to why Sandstorm wasn't joining them. “It's like every time his eyes turn red, he...regresses into this state.”

She noticed Firestar's wings twitching in agitation, clearly wanting to spring up and greet her but not wanting to leave Brambleclaw. She wondered if he knew they were talking about him, or maybe he did and either wasn't listening or didn't care. She sighed, wondering how long if would be before she saw his beautiful green eyes again. She padded up to join them and Firestar unwound himself from Brambleclaw and jumped at her.

She stood completely still as Firestar showered her in tender loving licks, nuzzling her and purring into her ears, making sure to be gentle with her. She giggled, even with this feral mindset, Firestar was very happy to be with her. She couldn't recall a time where he was ever this overly affectionate with her. If anything, at least he still cared about her.

Brambleclaw got up and stretched out his limbs. Even though Firestar was being gentle with them, his strength had still been enhanced, and to Brambleclaw, Firestar's embrace was still somewhat tight. He had to be mindful of his claws and scales, which looked like they could cut through even stone. He looked over at the entrance of the den, wondering if Firestar would let him go. But no, Firestar was giving him looks while alternating what kind of love to give Sandstorm, almost as if Firestar was thinking, 'Don't even think about it'.

Two shadows stood outside the den. “Brambleclaw, Mother? Is everything okay in there?” He recognized Squirrelflight's voice, and he gave the air a sniff, also recognizing Leafpool with her. He looked over at Firestar, who looked happy at hearing his daughter's voices.

“Everything's fine Squirrelflight, we're just working through some... issues,” Sandstorm said nonchalantly.

They entered the den, surprised to see Firestar hovering over Sandstorm, watching them intently. His red eyes were off-putting. “He's not hurting you is he?” Leafpool fretted, keeping an eye on Firestar's claws.

“She's fine, and I wouldn't be concerned if I were you. He'll get upset and try to comfort you if you do,” Brambleclaw commented dryly. They gave each other wary looks before slowly padding forward. Firestar got off Sandstorm and circled around his daughters, his pelt brushing up against theirs. He finally stopped and started giving them joyful nuzzles.

The two she-cats were rigid in shock, remembering that Firestar was close to pouncing onto the clan last night. Now he was happy to see them. He led them over to where Sandstorm and Brambleclaw were and curled around them, while his wings stretched out and managed to cover Sandstorm and Brambleclaw. He was purring, happy that all his treasures were in one room.

“I'd get used to this if I were you. Seems this is going to be happening a lot,” Sandstorm meowed. She didn't want her mate to be like this all the time; he had a clan to lead. But Firestar was so happy like this. She would give him this moment. He was always stressed out these days.

Chapter Text

Leafpool and Squirrelflight couldn't remember the last time Firestar had been so affectionate and loving towards them. He loved them and gave them his support when needed, but never had he acted like this. They weren't used to him giving them loving nuzzles and licks, not since they were kits anyway, and even those were rare back then. Even though he was being gentle, they couldn't help but be wary of him. One step out of line and they might feel those claws first-paw.

“Think he'll let us go?” Brambleclaw questioned from under Firestar's wing. He doubted it; Firestar had been giving him subtle glares, daring him to exit the den. It was a look of a cat who didn't want anyone leaving until he was finished. Though with Firestar's current mindset, who knows how long it would last.

Firestar, for his part, was just happy all his treasures were in the same place as him. Now he could protect and care for them, away from any threats outside the den.

“He has to let us go sometime; what if someone else comes looking for us?” Leafpool meowed. Something told them all that Firestar wasn't going to be as receptive to the rest of the clan as he was with them four.

The stone sent out a pulse of warmth, analyzing its host. Its host was finally happy and relaxed. It sent out another pulse of warmth into Firestar's head, his eyes turning blank and his body fully relaxing as he began to remember where he was and what he was doing.

The four cats turned to look at him in surprise as he gave a groan and shook his head, wondering what he had been doing. He blinked as he saw his body curled around his daughters and Sandstorm and Brambleclaw under his wings. The fins that replaced his ears were tipping themselves red from embarrassment.

“Firestar? Are you okay?” Sandstorm asked her confused mate. He turned to look at her blearily and retracted his wings. They all gave sighs of relief as the saw his eyes had turned green again.

“I- what was I doing?” he said, trying to remember. His head felt like it had gone through a good night's sleep actually, but he still recalled Brambleclaw trying to comfort him and then- his ear tips flushed redder; he hadn't done much besides giving his mate and daughters his love- as well as Brambleclaw. Wha- Brambleclaw wasn't even his kit! Did his feral side think of Brambleclaw as his own?

He turned his head to Brambleclaw, eyes not exactly meeting his. “I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me!” Brambleclaw's response was to give him a short lick between his ears. “I don't think you're all that aware of what you're doing when you're like that.”

“But I still did it. It must have been so awkward for you all...”

Sandstorm gave his neck fur some licks. “It's okay, you weren't yourself. You didn't hurt anyone; you were just really affectionate.”

“And you prevented us from leaving, that too,” Squirrelflight grumbled. Leafpool whispered a “not now” to her.

Firestar twitched his whiskers. “How long was I...?”

“Not long actually. But the clan seems to think we're taking too long to give them answers. Some of them made me want to claw their ears off though,” Sandstorm meowed. He sighed, he supposed now was a good time as any to address the clan. But Sandstorm had all but confirmed that some of the clan was already upset with him. He feared their ire. Were they mad that he almost tried to claw them to bits or were they scared of him? He was already beginning to stress out again, and it hadn't even been that long.

He felt the stone give another pulse of warmth, and he stared down at it confusedly. What was this thing trying to do? The other cats noticed where he was staring and followed his gaze, seeing the stone glow brighter than usual.

Brambleclaw frowned. “What is it doing now?” Firestar gave him a confused shrug. “I'm not sure. It's- it's giving out such a nice warmth and I... think it's trying to make me relaxed?” He felt good, his stress melting away, but he couldn't help but wonder why.

“What, it is trying to comfort you or something?” Squirrelflight said suspiciously.

“I'm not sure. The last time I ignored the warmth, scorned it even, I went...uh... you know, all feral and cuddly,” he said embarrassed. “In any case, I have a clan to address.” He sat up and stretched out his limbs, wings stretching to their full wingspan that didn't managed to fit into the den. He murmured an apology as his wings almost hit the other cats, the den becoming too crowded and he quickly retracted them.

He realized that he could hear the whispers outside his den clearly. They were talking about him, some scared of his new form, others angry at his feral behavior, others doubting his ability to lead, and others defending him. He shook his head lightly, trying to filter out the voices.

“Firestar? What's wrong now?” He turned to them with tired eyes. “I... I can hear them. All their whispers...” They gave him concerned looks as he tried tuning the voices out. Great, just what he needed; his hearing had gotten to Dovewing-levels of hearing.

“His hearing has gotten enhanced too?” Leafpool said concerned. He gave a short huff and stormed out of the den, the other four following him. Cats stopped and watched in shock and surprise as he finally exited the den, gazing upon his new form. He climbed to the top of the High Rock, claws scratching against the stone, calling for a meeting, trying to keep his voice steady and strong.

Most of the cats in the clan were already out, mingling and gossiping about him. There were a few cats coming out of the dens, those who were tired of the constant talk around camp.

“Firstly, I'm aware of last night's events and I could have hurt someone, and I apologize. I wasn't exactly... myself at the time.”

“We're only getting an apology? You looked like you were going to tear us apart last night!” Thornclaw yowled. Firestar tried his best not to cringe. “I know, and there's nothing I can do to make it up to you all. Many of you are probably scared of... this,” he gestured to himself, “but I'm still able to lead this clan, and I'm going to make sure that I'm not the reason anyone here gets hurt.”

There were many that still didn't look convinced. “How do we know that you won't suddenly act like you did last night and turn on us huh?! What are the other clans going to think when they see what you've become?!” Berrynose yelled out. He heard many cats give their agreement, and he averted his eyes, not knowing how to answer. The stone pulsed and he was flooded with warmth and this time he didn't shy away from it. He didn't want to breakdown in front of these cats.

“Or maybe it's all an act and he'll kill Brambleclaw and Sandstorm next...” someone whispered. He snarled and his eyes flashed red. He shut his eyes tight and shook his head, trying not to succumb to the stone's influence. They all looked up at him in fear, wondering if he was able to go feral again. He took deep breaths, trying to think.

Brambleclaw bared his fangs at the crowd. “How dare you! He's trying his hardest not to hurt anyone!”

“No, they're right,” Firestar said resigned. Brambleclaw's head swerved around to gaze at Firestar incredulous.

“I can't make any promises that I won't go back to acting how I was last night. And I can't speak for the other clans. But...” he trailed off, gazing at his clan in disappointment, “I had hoped that my own clan would try to support and help me through this so nothing bad happens.” His tail curled up around his paws, his head lowered, “Perhaps I was mistaken.”

“That's fox-dung and you know it! Of course I'm helping you, you mouse-brain! Wings and scales aren't changing anything between us!” Firestar's head snapped up to look at the speaker. Graystripe grinned back at him. Of course, his oldest friend would support him. Soon enough, there were multiple cats yowling out their support for him, and he couldn't be more happy.

He leapt down from the High Rock, and he saw Foxleap dragging Cherrypaw over to him. “Firestar, Cherrypaw has something she would like to say,” he said as he gave a subtle glare over at his apprentice.

Cherrypaw wilted. “I'm sorry!” she blurted out. Firestar gave a blink in surprise. “You all told me not to touch anything but I did so anyway! It's my fault you're like this!” she wailed.

“Cherrypaw...” she looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “You should have listened to your mentor when he said to stay put. But it's not your fault that this happened; no one could have predicted this.”

“But I-”

“What's done is done, and I don't think this is going to be easily reversed. But you still disobeyed orders. I trust that Foxleap has punished you accordingly.” He nodded to the warrior, and Foxleap sighed, nudging Cherrypaw to her paws and guiding her away.

Sandstorm padded up to him and gave his pelt a few licks. “Already back to being a leader. I'm so proud of you,” she purred. He purred back, another pulse of warmth going through him at his happiness of his clan being semi-accepting of him. He would show them all that they had nothing to fear from him.

Chapter Text

Firestar gave a frustrated hiss as he completely sailed over the mouse he was trying to hunt, catching himself in time from crashing into a tree. He wobbled a bit before he found his balance, and gave an angry lash of his tail. Sandstorm looked on, giving him concerned looks. He didn't turn around to face her, fearing she would show nothing but disappointment in him.

He was going to visit the Moonpool when night fell and see if Starclan knew anything about his situation. Until then, he would serve his clan like any other warrior. There were still cats that doubted his ability to lead, so he thought hunting and getting the clan some prey would ease their minds. He thought it would ease his mind as well, but hunting hadn't been going so great.

For one, he was still hungry. The squirrel from before had done nothing to sate him, and he felt like he was running on an empty stomach.

The other problem was that he couldn't catch anything. He was doing everything how he usually did, but it seemed like he was putting too much power into his pounces. He also felt unbalanced- not from his paws, which should have felt too big but weren't; the unbalanced feeling was coming from his wings. They felt too big when he was trying to hunt. Normally, they felt fine but now they were giving him trouble.

He kept his head down, angry with himself. He wasn't Sandstorm, who could out-hunt anyone in the clan, but he wasn't this bad at it. Soon enough he would have to go back to camp with the rest of the hunting patrol and he would have nothing to show for it. He didn't want to disappoint anyone.

“I think you're putting too much power into your pounce,” Sandstorm meowed.

“I can see that,” he replied dryly. She shook her head amused and padded over to him. She nudged him, leading him off to scout out another piece of prey. They found another mouse easily. She instructed him to get into a pouncing position and he did so.

“Don't put all your normal amount of strength into it like you usually do. Be gentle,” she urged. He nodded, gentle. He had to be gentle. He gave the lightest pounce he could and managed to land on it.

“Yes, I got it!” he cheered. He frowned as he felt wetness within in paws and he gave a startled gasp he opened his paws only to see the mouse was a bloody pulp on his claws. He stumbled backwards, disbelief apparent on his face. He had been gentle in his pouncing, but he couldn't control the strength and sharpness his claws had. He had absolutely skewered the mouse without trying.

He gave an angry huff, a puff of fire coming out of his mouth. He panicked and held his paw over his mouth, not quite covering his mouth as he feared what his claws could do to himself. He felt Sandstorm give his pelt a few licks, obviously trying to comfort him.

He couldn't even hunt for his clan. “It's okay, we'll just try again until you get it right,” she murmured. He didn't hear her. He couldn't hunt for his clan and his body needed more food than the rest of the clan. He wasn't allowed to take prey to eat if he couldn't bring back anything for the clan... He was already being a disappointment.

He felt a pulse of warmth go through him and his eyes flashed into red. Mate seemed concerned and unhappy... he didn't like it when she was unhappy. Was she doubting his hunting skills? He could hunt for her! He needed to hunt to provide for his family after all. He could do this.

Sandstorm gave a surprised meow as he quickly ran off, the scent of mouse on his tongue. She watched as he gracefully pined down the mouse and gave it a gentle nip, which to any other cat was a flat out killing bite. He carried the mouse gently in his jaws and presented it to her, tail wagging. He looked pleased with himself.

She gave a gentle laugh, “You did it!” He laid down the mouse at her paws and nuzzled her. She let him do so, noting that he was much more affectionate with her with this wild mindset. He was clearly trying to please her. Who was she to take his happiness away? Sunlight filtered through the treetops, lighting up his fur into flames. She could see some of the black in his scales melt into ginger, much like his fur. She admitted that he certainly did look beautiful and exotic.

He blinked as another pulse of warmth went through him and he stared at Sandstorm confused, before his eyes shifted down to the mouse at her paws. Had he caught that? She was smiling at him dreamily, so maybe he did.

She nudged him forward. “Remember, be gentle.” He sucked in a deep breath, and nodded.

He was pretty proud of the few mice and voles he managed to catch, considering the circumstances.

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Finally night fell, and he trudged up to the Moonpool with Jayfeather. “Why not use those wings of yours instead of walking all the way there?” Jayfeather had snarked at him. He had glanced at his wings nervously before declaring that they weren't needed.

Some of his clanmates had been urging him to try flying, but he couldn't; he didn't know how. He probably could have figured it out, but there were still cats giving him a side eye. His appearance was already off-putting, and he didn't want to embrace these new features, he wanted them gone.

He laid down next to the Moonpool had lapped up a few drops, and closed his eyes, drifting off into sleep.

“Starclan doesn't have any of the answers you seek Firestar. Even we don't know how this happened.” He opened his eyes to see Bluestar in front of him, Spottedleaf flanking her. Jayfeather was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is-?” he began to ask, before Spottedleaf gave a light laugh, “He's with Yellowfang. No doubt the two are getting under each other's furs.”

“But the stone came from the sky; isn't the sky your domain? How could have it not come from Starclan?” he said, trying to get back on topic.

Bluestar shook her head, “We only preside over the skies above the lake. Not every part of the sky and stars are ours to roam free in.” He frowned, remembering the Tribe had their own version of Starclan. He gave a heavy sigh, “So no one in Starclan sent the big rock and no one knows what this is?” he gestured to the stone implanted into his chest.

Bluestar and Spottedleaf gave shakes of their heads, and he was filled with bitter disappointment. “Is there a way to remove it at least? Get rid of all this?” he gestured to his wings and scales, hope trying to bloom in his heart that maybe Starclan could do this one thing.

But the two she-cats in front of him gave winces, and his hope immediately died. Of course Starclan wouldn't know anything and couldn't do anything for him. They never could. The only thing they could give him was faith.

Spottedleaf padded forth and weaved around him, “Don't worry, as long as you have your clan behind you, I know you can turn this into a power never seen before.” Her sweet scent hit him and the stone gave an angry pulse. He cringed and backed away from her in revulsion, much to her hurt and confusion. He loved this cat once didn't he? Why was he so disgusted now?

The stone pulsed and an image of Sandstorm came to mind. That was right, he already had a mate! Why was this she-cat trying to mess with his head? He had to stay loyal to his beautiful treasure! Bluestar and Spottedleaf gave same steps back in fear, seeing his eyes flicker from green to red and then back again, the stone glowing an angry red.

The stone calmed down, and so did he. He gave the two apologetic looks before his world faded into white, and he woke up beside the Moonpool. Jayfeather was muttering curses under his breath, thinking over what Yellowfang had tried pounding into his head.

Firestar gave a disappointed sigh. He had learned nothing from Starclan, other than they had nothing to do with anything. He was stuck like this for the foreseeable future.

What was worse was the fact that the Gathering was within a few nights. He would have to stand in front of the clans like this. If Firestar didn't fear anything in his life before, he did now.

Chapter Text

Firestar dug his claws into the soft ground, leaving deep gouges where they dug themselves in. It was the night of the Gathering, and his clanmates were preparing themselves for the inevitable mess this Gathering in particular would bring. He had no idea how the other clans would react to his new form.

He couldn't help but admit that his heart was pounding in his chest, fearful that the other clans would retaliate against him specifically by attacking his clan, who had nothing to do with anything. He could only hope that they would keep an open mind. Though with the rising hostilities in the clans these days, it would be hard to tell.

“You don't have to come you know, I could go in your place instead,” Brambleclaw murmured next to him.

“And what, tell them I'm sick? Some sickness this is,” he grumbled. “I can't avoid the other clans forever Brambleclaw. Someone's going to find out and then everyone will know. Might as well knock it out now.” Considering that Starclan had no idea about literally anything about his situation, this may as well be permanent for all he knew. He could probably get away with skipping out on one gathering, but not multiple gatherings.

He gave a signal to his clanmates and they all streamed out of camp, racing towards the lake and pacing besides the shoreline towards the Gathering Island. He could hear his heart pound in his ears, and he gave deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He was nervous, and it clearly showed, and Brambleclaw and Sandstorm padded alongside him, their pelts brushing up against his in a show of comfort and protection. He stopped before the log, and his ears pricked as he caught the whispers and mutterings of the other clans. They were wondering where Thunderclan was.

He felt another wave of nervousness go through him before a warm pulse drove it all away. He looked down at the stone and it glowed lightly, and he shook his head, wondering what he was so afraid of. He was a leader, not a coward. He had to hold his head up high!

If the clans didn't like it, then it was their problem not his. If they hurt his treasures to get to him, then they would burn. He blinked, wondering where these thoughts were coming from. He noticed the stone's light die down. All of his nervousness was gone, and he felt like the other clan's opinions of him didn't matter anymore. He wasn't afraid of what they could do to him, only of what they might do to his clan.

“Firestar?” His head snapped up to look at Brambleclaw, and he saw his clanmates look at his with impatience.

“Right. Sorry. Just...more of the stone doing it's thing again,” he muttered. His clanmates gave understanding looks, and Brambleclaw's gaze softened. “Look, are you sure you want to do this? I can take your place if you want,” he reassured.

Firestar shook his head. “No. I may not want to do this but it has to be done.” He waved his tail, making sure that it didn't hit anyone, and climbed across the log, his clanmates following. He boldly stepped into the clearing, and all the whispers turned into shocked silence as heads turned to look at him in shock, surprise, and fear.

“Is that Firestar?”

“What happened to him?”

“Are those wings?!”

“What's with all the black; are those supposed to be scales?”

“Whats wrong with him?”

“This is some kind of trick, it has to be!”

“Why am I not surprised; it's always something with Thunderclan...”

He heard every whisper, every comment, and every insult aimed at him and his clan. His ears twitched, trying to filter out the voices. His clanmates huddled together in an area away from the other clans, no one feeling up to mingle with the other clans, and no one from outside his clan daring to go up to them. He held his high up high, seemingly uncaring about the cats around him as he bounded to the Great Oak, Brambleclaw by his side.

Brambleclaw joined the other deputies at the roots and he easily bounded up the trunk, landing on a branch that held the other leaders. He situated himself slightly away from them, their shocked, wide eyed gazes burning into his head.

Blackstar shook himself out of his staring and yowled to get the clan's attentions. It wasn't necessary, all eyes already on the Great Oak, waiting for Thunderclan's news. He turned to Firestar, “Well, seems like you may have...interesting news to share with us tonight,” he said, a tinge of fear in his voice.

“Firestar, what has happened to you? Is this Starclan's doing? Have they gifted you some kind of... whatever this is?” Mistystar questioned.

He gave a sigh, “I don't really know myself. As for Starclan, I went to talk to them about this,” he gestured to himself, “and they didn't know anything either.” He looked out at the clans. “This is just as weird for me as it is for you all. But just know that my clan and I are trying to find a way to reverse this. You all have nothing to fear from Thunderclan.” If it even could be reversed. He knew exactly how it all happened but what else was he supposed to tell these cats? It's not like he understood how everything worked himself.

The looks he was receiving told him that he was being feared, which was the opposite of what he wanted. Did they all really think that he would try to take over the clans or something inane? Onestar bristled. “We're just supposed to believe that you don't know how you've gained wings and claws that even Tigerstar would be jealous of? You're not going to use this against the clans?”

Firestar lashed his tail, the sharp tip making a deep gouge in the trunk, the other leaders jumping slightly at the action. “Well I could either say I don't know, or I could say that some rock fell from the sky and this stone that came off it implanted itself into me and turned me into a black-scaled, multi-winged freak. Which one sounds more believable to you Onestar?” he said plainly.

Onestar gave a furious hiss. “Unbelievable, it's always you Thunderclan cats!” He turned to the other two leaders. “We're supposed to be okay with the fact that Thunderclan just got a major boost in power? There's no telling what he can do with this kind of power!”

Blackstar and Mistystar looked unsure. Mistystar gave Firestar a wide eyed look, and he was disheartened to see fear in her eyes. “You're right, there is no telling what Firestar can do, so I think it would be in Riverclan's best interests to leave Thunderclan alone.”

Onestar's jaw clenched in frustration and he turned to look at Blackstar. Blackstar gazed at Firestar, a hint of fear in his eyes. “I think Shadowclan should also stay away. If we don't bother him, then he and Thunderclan won't bother us.” His voice was raised, announcing his intentions while also telling Shadowclan what not to do. That being the general message of not trespassing over the Thunderclan border.

He wasn't foolish enough to anger Firestar, who looked like he could rip them all apart if they so looked at him funny. Was it him or was Firestar just as big if not bigger than Tigerstar? He wasn't about to make an enemy out of that.

Onestar gave an angry hiss and whirled around to face Firestar. “The others might be afraid, but Windclan are not cowards! Your new features mean nothing Firestar!” He bounded down the Great Oak, gathering up the Windclan cats and hurriedly leaving the island, the Windclan cats hissing at the Thunderclan cats as they left. Firestar stared off after him sadly, wondering where his friendship with Onestar had gone.

Firestar bounded down the oak, signaling Thunderclan to follow. He figured the other two clans weren't going to want to stick around him anyway. Riverclan and Shadowclan cats got out of their way, fear-scent thick in the air. The stone sent a warm pulse through him, sending a heady feeling into his mind. He had stood his ground, just like he should have.

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Sandstorm led her border patrol towards the Windclan border. None of the clans had tried anything since the Gathering a few days before, and it was making Thunderclan antsy. After a big shock like Firestar's appearance, they were on the lookout for any suspicious activity from the other clans. Shadowclan had kept to their side of the border, and so did Windclan despite their hostility at the Gathering.

Spiderleg opened his mouth in shock. “They've moved the border!” he hissed out in surprise. The rest of the patrol gave him startled looks. Sandstorm's nostrils flared and she realized Spiderleg was right, Windclan had moved the border into Thunderclan territory.

“Guess peace was too much to ask for huh?” Cinderheart muttered. Sandstorm waved her tail to the patrol. “We need to go back to camp and alert the clan. The scent still smells fresh-” She didn't get to finished to before the scent of Windclan hit them and a battle patrol of Windclan cats burst out of their hiding spots.

Sandstorm gave a yowl and the Thunderclan cats rushed forward to meet them. Rosepetal pulled Molepaw from the battle, his battle skills not yet ready to face another clan in a full-out battle. “Molepaw, I need you to get back to the clan and get reinforcements,” she urged her apprentice. She dodged a swipe from Sunstrike and leapt onto the she-cat's back, clawing at her furiously. “Go!” she cried to her apprentice. Molepaw nodded fearfully before sprinting back to camp.

Sandstorm gave a furious hiss as she grappled with Onestar. “Why are you doing this? Thunderclan hasn't done anything to you!”

He looked her dead in the eye, “You all exist is the problem!” He clawed at her and she gave a pain-filled screech as he left a nasty cut on her face.

Firestar's ears pricked as he heard a pain-filled screech, recognizing Sandstorm's voice. Molepaw burst into camp, “Windclan moved the border and they're attacking our patrol! We need help!”

Brambleclaw nodded, before calling cats to form a battle patrol. He stiffened as waves of anger rolled over the camp, as did the rest of the clan. He turned to look at Firestar, whose eyes had turned red and was growling furiously. The stone was pulsing a bright, angry glow.

He could hear his mate's cries of pain. Someone was hurting his mate! He spread his wings and let instinct guide him, and took off into the air gracefully, before shooting off in the direction of the Windclan border. Brambleclaw muttered a curse and turned to his patrol. “Hurry, we have to get there before Firestar does something he'll regret!”

The battle at the Windclan-Thunderclan border was still raging on, and Onestar threw Sandstorm away from him, and she skidded onto the ground. She hissed as blood dripped down her face. She tried to stand but didn't react in time as Onestar leapt at her and she hit her head onto the ground. She gave a cry in pain and looked up at the Windclan leader, dazed.

“This will show Thunderclan that they're not invincible!” Onestar crowed triumphantly. Sandstorm only gave a pained moan in response. She closed her eyes, awaiting a killing blow, only for Onestar's weight to suddenly rip away from her.

Firestar beat his wings and landed, watching the foolish cat that dare hurt his mate struggle to get to his paws in a daze with angry eyes. He turned around and checked Sandstorm over, trying to pinpoint any injuries. There was a noticeable cut on her face. His eyes widened and he gave a furious growl; how dare this cat mar his treasure's beauty! He gave the cut a few gentle licks and nuzzled her, trying to reassure her that her mate was here to protect her.

He whirled around to face the other cat, feeling his fire rise up into his throat and travel into his mouth, and he opened it slightly to let the flames pour out, the wind blowing embers behind him. He caught a whiff of fear-scent coming from the cat in front of him, but instead of fleeing, the cat foolishly stared him down.

He opened his mouth fully and let a stream of fire shoot out of his maw, the cat dodging at the last minute. The blaze set the nearby foliage around them on fire, both Thunderclan and Windclan cats alike yowling out their fear.

The cat was shaking now, looking at him fearfully. Firestar gave a growl and advanced forward, intent on ripping this cat apart for daring to hurt his mate.

Kill him kill him kill him killhimkillhimkillhim-

Sandstorm leapt out in front of him, a paw on his chest. “You can stop now, it's over! You've won!” she pleaded. But Firestar only had eyes on Onestar, who was frozen in fear. He wasn't listening to her, too blinded by rage. She gave his face a few licks, and his gaze finally trailed over to her. “It's alright, I'm fine, see? You don't need to kill him.”

He contemplated her words, before curling his body around hers and giving her face gentle licks, trying to clean the wound on her face. She gave a sigh of relief as his eyes flickered back to green and almost didn't notice the Windclan cats retreating.

'Good work,' something whispered into his head. The stone gave a warm pulse, but he ignored it, wanting to focus on his mate instead.

Brambleclaw and his patrol raced towards them, slowing down as it was apparent that they weren't needed. Brambleclaw noted that a lot of the plants and bushes in the area looked scorched, some of them still giving off streams of smoke. He gazed towards his ginger leader and his mate, noticing that Firestar was trying to clean a wound on Sandstorm's face.

“What happened here?” he questioned the border patrol.

“Firestar happened,” Cinderheart meowed, still in shock.

“He went into a rage when he saw Sandstorm was wounded,” Rosepetal said. He nodded, figuring it made sense. Firestar was oddly protective of her, as well as his daughters and strangely himself. If Brambleclaw got injured, or Leafpool or Squirrelflight got injured, would Firestar have done the same thing as he did for Sandstorm?

He turned to the patrol he brought with him. “You all can replace the scent markers while we get injured back to camp,” he ordered. The cats nodded and ran forward, beginning to override the Windclan scent at the correct places.

Firestar didn't leave Sandstorm's side as they made their way back to camp. He growled at anyone who got too close, except for Brambleclaw, who was given a few sniffs from Firestar, trying to assess if his hatchling was also hurt.

Brambleclaw noted in alarm that Firestar's eyes were green again, but he was still acting protective of Sandstorm. Why wasn't he acting like himself now that he was clearly back in his normal mindset?

After Sandstorm was treated by Jayfeather, Firestar herded her into the leaders' den and curled around her as they settled into his nest. The stone glowed lightly, pushing foreign thoughts into his head. What if someone else tried to hurt what was rightfully his? He narrowed his eyes; nobody would hurt his treasures, nobody.

Chapter Text

There was chatter all over the Windclan camp, warriors, apprentices, queens, and elders alike gossiping and speculating how Thunderclan would react to the moved borders. Some theorized that there would be a battle, knowing that Thunderclan wouldn't take it sitting down. Others jokingly thought that Thunderclan would just stand down, crowing about their overflowing 'generosity' and would just give the territory over to them.

Breezepelt padded over to Heathertail and set down a plump rabbit for them to share. “Think those Thunderclan hare-brains have noticed by now?” he asked around a mouthful of rabbit.

“Probably. Knowing Thunderclan, they'll just retaliate and demand justice,” she snickered.

“They won't do anything. Firestar is too afraid of “hurting anyone” as he is. Honestly, if I had that kind of power, all the clans would have bowed down to Windclan already,” he boasted. He would have easily destroyed anyone in his path, and what better cats to test that kind of power on than Jayfeather and Lionblaze. Maybe show Crowfeather how much better he is compared to those two weaklings.

The whole of Windclan was shocked when the battle patrol come back into camp, looking defeated. Sunstrike and Harespring were guiding Onestar into camp, his legs shaking and his face frozen in fear.

Ashfoot ran up to greet the patrol, “What happened?” she demanded. “Why is Onestar like this? Surely Thunderclan couldn't have fought so hard that you're all shaking in your paws.”

Sunstrike winced, noting the fact that her paws were shaking slightly. “Firestar happened,” she meowed numbly.

“What about the border?” Ashfoot pressed.

Harespring shook his head. “We don't know, but I'm going to assume that they took back the border and reset it.”

The whole of Windclan froze. They thought that Firestar didn't want to hurt anyone, wouldn't want to jump into battle. They thought wrong and underestimated Thunderclan and paid the price.

“You couldn't even take down their weak kittypet leader?” Breezepelt sneered.

Sunstrike glared at him. “He's far from weak. Seeing him fight the way he did was the single most terrifying thing I've seen in my entire life.”

“Surely it couldn't have been that bad?” Breezepelt scoffed.

“He flew at us out of nowhere, and tossed around Onestar like a piece of prey. He's the complete opposite of weak,” Sunstrike meowed shakily, the events still fresh in her mind.

“Who cares about how strong he's gotten; I'm more worried about the fact that he shot a stream of fire from his mouth!” Harespring emphasized.

“He shot what?” Ashfoot yelped.

Harespring only nodded. “I've never even seen Firestar fight like that though. He was fighting like a.... like a wild animal. He might have actually taken a life from Onestar, maybe even killed him entirely if Sandstorm hadn't physically stepped in to stop him. It was horrifying.”

Between Sunstrike and Harespring, Onestar was still shaking in his paws, the battle playing on repeat in his head.

“This will show Thunderclan that they're not invincible!” Onestar crowed triumphantly. He was going to give Sandstorm something to remember him by, and readied his claws to bring them down. He wasn't going to kill her; that would be against the warrior code. But she was Firestar's mate, and he would teach Firestar a lesson through her.

He began to bring his claws down when a ginger and black blur swooped down and tackled him, ripping him away from Sandstorm. He was thrown away and skidded a few badger-lengths from Sandstorm harshly.

What was that? What had done that to him? It felt like he had gotten hit by a monster. He shakily got to his paws, dazed. He shook his head, trying to remove the pain and fog the blow had bombarded him with. He blinked and the fur on his back rose up and bristled.

There was Firestar, checking his mate over. He growled furiously over the cut he had made on Sandstorm and gave it a few licks. Onestar lashed his tail, wary of the cat in front of him. He didn't think Firestar would show up in such a manner. Did that tackle come from Firestar? How strong was he?

Firestar whirled around to face him, and Onestar took a few panicked steps backwards as Firestar's red eyes burned into his. Firestar's mouth opened slightly, flames pouring out and licking the scales on his cheeks. He could see Firestar's chest was glowing an intense red out of the corner of his eye, and he couldn't do anything but stare, suddenly fearing for his life.

He had grossly underestimated what Firestar could do. Fire shot out of Firestar's maw and he shook himself out of his stupor and dodged at the last second. He rolled out of the way, watching the fire continue on its way to set nearby foliage ablaze. The plants burned for a few heartbeats before the fire died down and put itself out. The plants looked scorched, half of the plants having been blackened in many areas.

He realized that that could have been him if he hadn't gotten out of the way in time. He saw Firestar begin to advance in his direction, his talons gleaming in the sunlight. He gulped; those looked larger than Tigerstar's claws. Not to mention that Firestar was just as big as the dead Shadowclan leader.

He shakily got up to his paws, and he noted with alarm that he couldn't stop himself from shaking. Firestar looked completely feral and actually might kill him this time.

'Is this what your life flashing before your eyes feels like?' He was breathing heavily, fearing this... monster in front of him.

'No stop, get away! Get away get away get away get away get away getawaygetawaygetaway-'

Sandstorm jumped up inbetween them and stopped Firestar. He had never been so thankful for the sandy she-cat in all his nine lives.

“Windclan retreat!” he managed to yowl.

“Firestar has really changed; he's clearly not afraid of fighting anyone now,” Harespring meowed.

“...That wasn't Firestar,” Onestar whispered hoarsely. His clan shifted their gazes onto him, and he sucked in a deep breath, trying to appear strong. He tried forcing his legs to stop shaking, but to his horror no matter what he tried, he couldn't stop. He had seen true fear and he didn't like it.

He shook his head. “Firestar was about to kill me. The Firestar I know would never do that. He would have tried to resolve things peacefully.” He resented Firestar's weak policies of friendship and camaraderie, but he admitted that he knew Firestar well enough by now to know that Firestar would always try compromise before a fight. Instead the ginger leader had ferociously attacked him.

“That's not Firestar. That was a monster; a monster that Thunderclan is letting lead them,” he declared to his bewildered clan.

“I don't know what happened to the real Firestar, but this thing needs to be stopped. That thing has the power to destroy the clans and it currently has control of Thunderclan. How long will it be before it decides to drive the other clans out?” He could see his clan nodding at his words.

He lamented the fact that he couldn't apologize for his behavior over the past seasons to Firestar before that monster took his place. He never wanted to push his friend away.

“Firestar is dead and a monster has taken his place. It's up to us to stop that thing from destroying us all!” His clan gave supporting yowls at his declaration.

“Chase it out of Thunderclan!”

“Take it prisoner!”

“Kill it!”

Onestar nodded, happy with the results of his speech. Soon Firestar's imposter would be at the very least chased out of Thunderclan. Thunderclan would be grateful for their help in purging such a menace from their ranks. He padded over to Kestrelflight, who ushered him into his den so he could be checked over.

Plans starting forming in his head. The imposter would have to have some support in Thunderclan, so turning a good majority of the cats onto their side would be problematic. If the Thunderclan cats couldn't see there was a problem with their “leader” than perhaps Shadowclan and Riverclan would be more receptive to the idea.

'I don't know where you are or what happened to you Firestar, but I won't let that monster destroy the lake. I'll purge the clans of that thing,' he vowed in his head.

Glowing red eyes belonging to a black-scaled, ginger furred, multiple-winged cat in a burning forest haunted his dreams that night.

Chapter Text

There was nothing to the Dark Forest. No prey, no light, no clans, no friends. There was only misery, hunger, and darkness here. One could wander around aimlessly forever and never find their way out. If one knew where to look they could probably find the border separating Starclan and the Dark Forest, but only cats from Starclan's side of the border could go to and from the border as they pleased.

When you were sent to the Dark Forest, you stayed there.

Of course if one knew where to look, a cat could find one of the very few pools of water in the Dark Forest. They weren't for drinking, for they were much too dirty. They had a very different, specific purpose, and only the higher echelons of the Dark Forest could access them. These pools of dirty water were viewing pools- a somewhat decent attempt at mimicking the viewing pools of Starclan. It was here where the Dark Forest cats watched the living clans and pinpointed unhappy cats that they could swoop down and take for their own purposes.

Which is where a certain Dark Forest leader found himself right now. Tigerstar would have preferred not seeing how happy cat's lives were while he was doomed to eternal misery and starvation until he faded. He previously only came to the viewing pools to scout out foolish cats to help the Dark Forest gain victory over Starclan, but now there was something that gained his interest and attention.

The Thunderclan trainees had spun such a fantastical story about their kittypet leader that most Dark Forest warriors scoffed at them, deeming it untrue and continuing off to train. Tigerstar himself had been skeptical, the Thunderclan cats having a scared look in their eyes when they talked about their foolish leader. Wings? Scales? And claws that put his to shame? Their fear seemed genuine but even he couldn't help but dismiss the story.

That was until the Windclan trainees appeared to train in the Dark Forest, most of them looking rattled. Sunstrike and Harespring especially were off with their movements and techniques, so much that they were pulled aside and asked what the fox-dung was going on with them. Lousiness in training was unacceptable.

They told the same tale as the Thunderclan cats, of a winged- Firestar breathing fire over them in battle. Now there were two clans telling them the same story, so they pulled over the Riverclan and Shadowclan trainees for reaffirmation.

Tigerstar glared down at the image of a multiple-winged, black-scaled Firestar in his nest, hovering over Sandstorm protectively. Unbelievable, those cats were right about him. All around the viewing pool, senior Dark Forest warrior gazed into the pool with uncomprehending stares.

“How does something like this even happen anyway?” Brokenstar murmured.

“You mean how does something like this happen and not happen to you maybe?” Silverhawk snickered. Brokenstar growled at him. Tigerstar gave an inward growl, not wanting to admit that he did wish this had happened to him. Powerful wings, claws sharper than he could ever hope to have, a tail that could be used for attacking, sharper fangs, the ability to breathe fire, and to top it all off, Firestar was just as big as him now.

Such power...wasted on the kittypet of all cats.

His eyes widened as Firestar pricked his head up, giving out a greeting to a cat at the entrance of the leaders' den. Brambleclaw strode in, giving a report and asking for the kittypet's wellbeing. Why bother asking, the kittypet was clearly fine. He watched with sharp eyes as Firestar's tail snaked its way over to Brambleclaw and gently wrapped itself around Brambleclaw, pulling him into Firestar's body. He gritted his teeth as Brambleclaw seemed to melt into Firestar's embrace, the two cats beginning to share tongues.

“Traitor,” Hawkfrost hissed frostily from next to him. He couldn't help but agree as he glared down at the image.

'I could have given you everything Brambleclaw. That could have been me down there, reveling in all that power and I could have been doing it all with my kits at my side. Instead you throw it all away for that kittypet.'

His absence hadn't done any good for him, and if anything it seemed like him being gone had only cemented and furthered Firestar's and Brambleclaw's bond with each other. It stung, knowing that his own son saw that mouse-brained kittypet as more of a father than his own blood father.

“How are we supposed to fight that exactly? I don't fancy being burned to death thank you very much,” Mapleshade sneered.

Firestar's apparent transformation did throw a branch into their plans unfortunately. They didn't know how strong he was, and judging by the stories of the living trainees, he was strong, possibly stronger than him.

It was a hard piece of prey to swallow.

Thistleclaw laughed darkly, drawing everyone's attention onto him. “We may not need to do anything. Breezepelt has reported that Onestar seems to think the kittypet isn't actually the kittypet. Windclan is coming up with a plan to at the very least, drive out what they think is an imposter.”

Tigerstar's pelt rippled with amusement and excitement. They didn't need to do anything; Windclan and Onestar would be doing the work for them!

“Really, Windclan is going to drive out Firestar, with Thunderclan behind him, all by themselves?” Mapleshade snorted.

“I managed to drive out Windclan,” Brokenstar added in.

“Tallstar didn't have wings, or the sharpest claws you ever seen, or scales and the like when you drove out Windclan mouse-brain,” Silverhawk commented lazily.

They were going to fail unless...”Perhaps we can get the Riverclan and Shadowclan trainees to convince their leaders that Firestar has got to go.” All eyes were on Tigerstar now as he grinned. “It shouldn't be too hard. A comment or two about Firestar being the destruction of the clans as they know it and they'll be scrambling to come up with a plan to rid the lake of that pest.”

“Perhaps even convince some of Thunderclan as well...” He held a tone of glee in his voice, wanting Firestar to feel exactly as he felt when he had been exiled from Thunderclan. He couldn't wait to see the look on the kittypet's face as he was betrayed by his own clan.

Cats around him started chattering and growling. “What of Brambleclaw?” Hawkfrost whispered in his ear.

Tigerstar gave a hiss. “He's chosen where his loyalties lie with. He's made his nest, now he can lie in it.” Hawkfrost gave a nod at his words and stepped away to talk with someone else. He turned and glared at the image of his son and the kittypet being joined by the kittypet's squealing daughters. He curled his lip; no kits of his would ever act like those two disloyal she-cats; and yet Brambleclaw still held feelings for the ginger she-cat. They all piled around Sandstorm, Firestar spreading his wings to cover the cats around him. They looked relaxed and happy.

He hated their happiness. He smashed him paw into the dirty water, dispelling the image. He shook his paw of excess water, learning the hard way not to lick it dry. He stormed away into the dense, decaying foliage, intent on releasing his anger where no cat would see him in a rage.

He needed to be ready for what was to come.

Chapter Text

Firestar was beginning to notice that there was something wrong with him. Other than the whole wings-scales-and other abnormalities thing, he noticed that he was starting to act different around his clanmates. He was protective and loving to Sandstorm, his daughters and Brambleclaw, but everyone else he treated with wary caution at best. At worst, he felt threatened by the cats around him, afraid that they would do something to hurt his treasures.

The treasure thing was weird too. He didn't know when he had started calling them his treasures in his head, but now it was starting to be a bad habit. He had to physically catch himself from saying it to their faces, and he was afraid that in time he would just say it without thinking. He was getting more comfortable to the term.

He also couldn't remember what happened with the battle with Windclan. All he remembered was Sandstorm's screech and then a fierce bout of protectiveness, a voice screaming in his head to go- his mate was in pain, and then-

Nothing. He could remember walking back to camp, instinctively hovering over Sandstorm, but he couldn't remember the actual battle or what he had done. He only remembered overwhelming rage. Whatever he had done had scared his clan. He had just gotten them comfortable around him and now there was repressed fear in their eyes and scents. He had to start all over again with them.

He didn't like the new him. He was constantly acting when he hadn't meant to and he was thinking things he never would have thought before. He was scared, feeling like he was losing control of himself.

Now here he was, hunting outside the territory, away from the clans, because his usual diet of small prey wasn't cutting it anymore. He needed something more, something bigger. At the very least he just needed more food. He felt bad, having to excessively hunt for the clan because he needed so much prey to fuel his new body. He felt like he was hunting more for himself at this point.

His gaze was upwards, eyes following a hawk as it circled around, possibly looking for prey itself. He shifted his wings uncertainly, unsure if he was up to the task of hunting this bird down. He wasn't even sure in his ability to fly. The stone glowed lightly and he shook his head. What was he thinking; of course he could fly and hunt it down! He was much more powerful than a measly bird!

He shook his head again, wondering where those thoughts had come from. Nevertheless, he flapped his wings and took off unsteadily towards his goal. He shot towards the hawk and the bird brought its claws down on him, seeing the weird creature trying to attack it. He raised his foreleg up and the claws scratched harmlessly over his scales. He tried lunging towards it, but the bird kept moving away from him and gave a hiss of frustration.

He felt a warm pulse go through him. He had to strike powerfully and gracefully; with confidence, not with fear. His body twitched as the foreign thought registered in his mind, and he let his body catch up to the hawk and strike it down. He held the bird in his jaws as he descended to the ground. He spat it out, gazing down upon it in awe. He had caught this thing by himself.

He quickly dug a hole to hide his prey, spotting another hawk circling the area. He wriggled his haunches as he took off into the air again, confident in his ability to hunt it down.

He was very happy with his two catches, deeming them both enough for himself and the clan. His clanmates all gazed at him in surprise as he flew in with two hawks in tow. He placed both of them on the fresh-kill pile, before lounging on the High Rock, trying to make his hunger less obvious. The sight of the hawks were mouth-watering. He watched as Cherrypaw took one of the hawks for the queens and elders to share.

He laid his head on his paws and closed his eyes, trying to relax. It was hard when he could hear every word being spoken in camp, half of them talking about him and the other half he felt as if he were intruding on conversations he shouldn't be listening in on.

He cracked an eye open when Sandstorm's scent hit him and he lifted his head slightly to see her carrying the other hawk to him. She scowled down at him. “Why aren't you eating?”

He shuffled his paws nervously. “The leader is last to eat, if you remember.”

“I remember, but you've fed half the clan with one hawk alone. And we've established that you need more food than a normal cat,” she meowed.

Normal. It was a term he would never get to use to describe himself ever again. “I just- I just thought if I didn't show how much food I needed, they all would be more comfortable with me again.”

She frowned. “You just used your wings to fly into camp though.” If he was trying to avoid what he was now, he was doing a poor job of it.

“You shouldn't be afraid of what they say Firestar. They're just... weirded out by what you are now. Give it time, and the gossip will stop. You know that everyone here would follow you into battle regardless of how you look,” she meowed gently.

It wasn't just how he looked that they were talking about, it was also how he was acting. He didn't voice the thoughts out loud though as Sandstorm pushed the hawk towards him.

“We- we could share it if you want?” he gave an unsteady meow. He would feel bad if he ate this all by himself..

“I think you need it more than me, but I guess I could have little bit,” she laughed. She took a bite of the meat in front of them and pushed the rest to Firestar. His tail wagged as he placed a claw onto the bird; this would fill him up nicely. Sandstorm was surprised as he wolfed down the bird in record time.

“He-hey! Don't eat so fast; you'll get a stomachache if you do that!”

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Jayfeather recoiled at the smell of smoke burning his nose. His eyes shot open, and was about to yowl that there was a fire in camp until he actually saw where he was. He wasn't in his nest in the medicine den of the Thunderclan camp. He was on a hill overlooking the lake. It would have been an amazing sight.

Except everything was on fire. He could see every territory burning down. He squinted, swearing up and down that there were cats in the fire. A closer look told him that there were cats down there, but he could only see the shadows of cats. They were pure darkness in the shape of a cat, all running away from the raging fires that engulfed the territory.

Who were these cats? They weren't clan cats that's for sure.

'When the leaf falls from the tree and withers, the King's flames shall be unleashed in full.'

His eyes widened at hearing the voice in his head. Was that a prophecy?! Didn't he have enough prophecies to worry about? He hadn't even located the Fourth yet, and here was another prophecy when they hadn't even gotten through the first one! What was the leaf? What was the tree? And what was the King? He didn't even know what the term meant!

“Please! Tell me what you mean!” he yowled out to the sky, trying to urge the voice to give him an answer.

He felt giant, powerful vibrations rumble through the ground, the vibrations getting stronger and stronger with each one. Almost like footsteps coming up behind him. He whirled around and stumbled backwards as the biggest creature he had seen came up behind him. It was lizard like, scales covering every inch of its body. A long, spiked tail with a three-pronged tip lashed behind it. Four wings rose up, all four of them extending to their full wingspan,covering everything underneath them in shadow. Its head was crowned with many horns, two curved horns on top of its head being the most prominent. There was a small red dot that he almost missed that looked apart of the chest of the creature. It was glowing fiercely.

It was massive, towering above the even the tallest trees in all the territories. He wasn't even the size of its smallest claw.

His heart hammered in his chest as the creature reared back its head and roared, a blast of fire shooting out of its mouth into the smoked-filled skies above. It sounded angry, but triumphant; a show of dominance. This creature shared the characteristics of his ginger leader.

'It couldn't be...'

The creature's red eyes trailed downwards to meet his, and the creature raised a foreleg up, claws gleaming in the light of the blaze, ready to bring it down on him like he was some kind of bug.

'Firestar?'  Something prevented him from moving as the foreleg came down on him. He screamed as he woke up, his vision filling up with nothing but darkness. Briarlight gave a gasp as his scream woke her up.

“What?! What's happening?!” She calmed down as she heard Jayfeather's hard panting. “Did you have a nightmare Jayfeather?”

“Yeah. Yeah, it was nothing though. I'm fine,” he tried reassuring her.

“Must have been a really bad nightmare. You sure you don't need me for anything?” she purred.

“I'm sure. Go back to sleep Briarlight,” he grumbled. He heard her lay her head back down and her breathing slow down. He laid his head down, but lay awake as the nightmare and prophecy kept him wide awake. His body trembled in fear, wondering what that creature had been.

'Was... was that Firestar? Is that what he is to become?'

Chapter Text

It had been a strange quarter-moon for Ivypool. The Dark Forest training sessions, no matter how many times she dreamt her way there, never felt like the norm to her. She hated the Dark Forest, with its murky, swampy ground and the constant darkness and chill that made it felt like it was always leafbare. She also really hated the cats there, the ones who manipulated her into joining.

She had been so jealous of Dovewing getting the cool power and attention, being part of a prophecy. Ivypool now had a pivotal part to play in spying on the Dark Forest, a part to play just like Dovewing, but everything over the past seasons made her realize how much she hated the responsibility. Dovewing only got powers because of a prophecy? That was fine, she could keep the powers. She wanted her normal life back thank you very much.

“Tonight will hopefully change everything we know.”

Ivypool shifted her eyes back to Tigerstar at his growl. The dark leader was looking agitated, claws curling into the tree stump he was sitting on. Other Dark Forest warriors stared up at him, eyes gleaming in excitement.

She glanced next to her to peak at the living trainees. Breezepelt, Tigerheart, and Redwillow looked indifferent. Hollowflight trembled excitedly next to Beetlewhisker. Mousewhisker and Blossomfall stood next to her, the two shuffling their paws. Did none of these cats know how evil the Dark Forest was?

She kept her embarrassment to herself at the realization that she didn't know herself when she was first invited to join. She had to be told that she was being fooled...

“We've taken you trainees on special patrols, arming yourselves with knowledge of your battle territory, showing you the best places to fight, the best places for a tactical advantage,” he growled.

“Where to corner your prey,” Thistleclaw growled, swishing his long, gray tail.

Tigerstar nodded to his words, and Ivypool show other cats do the same in the corner of her eye. “We're not done yet though. Our next patrol will see us return to Thunderclan territory.” A pit formed in Ivypool's stomach. Hadn't these cats seen enough of Thunderclan territory already?

“So what is the point of this special patrol if we've seen all we've need to see?” Breezepelt questioned, bored.

Tigerstar's eyes gleamed, ambition plain for all to see. “Because there's a spot in Thunderclan territory that wasn't there before when we were there.”

The pit only grew larger; she knew exactly what he was talking about. He wanted to check out the crash site, where a big rock had fallen from the sky and created a big crater. No one in Thunderclan wanted to get near it, being the place where Firestar had underwent a drastic change.

Firestar was the other strange thing over the past quarter-moon. She couldn't help but admit that she was also scared of her leader. The news about the Windclan battle had traveled fast, especially the part where Firestar had spat out a stream of fire and almost killed Onestar had Sandstorm not been there to stop him.

The scales, the wings, his claws and tail- everything about him was so different, so unnatural. Many cats feared him, either for his appearance, for his actions at the battle, or because of his new weird behavior. Nevertheless, Firestar tried to put a smile on his face and act natural around them, refraining from using his new abilities in front of them all. Lately he had been warming up to flying around them.

But no matter what he did or how much he tried to please his clan, Firestar always held an air of sadness. He always looked as if he was a stranger in camp, afraid of getting too near anyone.

She felt bad for him; he was clearly miserable with his new form. The only time she saw him truly happy was when he was with Sandstorm, or Brambleclaw, or his daughters, Squirrelflight and Leafpool. Everyone else was treated with caution.

Blossomfall and Mousewhisker shifted uncomfortably, also knowing the location in Thunderclan territory Tigerstar was talking about.

Brokenstar shot up eagerly, “This I have to see.”

Thistleclaw grinned. “I'm coming this time.”

Tigerstar nodded. He turned to Ivypool, Blossomfall, and Mousewhisker. “You three are definitely coming, since you all know the way. I'm sure you know very well about where I'm talking about.” He noticed their uncomfortable stances. “There won't be anything to worry about on this night,” he said, mockingly gentle. Ivypool knew that he didn't actually care.

Tigerstar picked other cats from other clans and soon they were off into the shadows of the Dark Forest. After walking through slippery moss and past foul-smelling bogs, the shadowy forest melted into the familiar scents of Thunderclan territory.

Tigerstar gave the three Thunderclan warriors a nod, and Ivypool gathered up her courage and led the patrol. It wasn't long before they reached the downwards slope that lead to the big rock from the sky. The Dark Forest warriors eyes' gleamed in the darkness and they bounded forward, the living warriors following more slowly.

“So this is it?” Brokenstar gave an excited meow as he circled it.

“I don't see what the big deal is; it's just a rock. A big rock that supposedly fell from the sky, but still a rock,” Breezepelt rolled his eyes.

“Didn't your fellow trainees tell you?” Thistleclaw gave him a sad, mocking pout. He dropped the look with a laugh. “This is where Firestar changed.”

The living warriors faces turned from bored to fearful quick.

Hollowflight gulped. “This is where he got those scary-looking claws?” he yelped.

“There was a stone that fell off from the rock that attached itself onto Firestar, from what I heard. But I don't think there's anything else here,” Mousewhisker said uncertainly.

The Dark Forest cats grinned. “Have any Thunderclan cats been here since he changed?” Tigerstar asked.

Mousewhisker gave a calculating expression, trying to think if any of his clanmates had been brave enough to come back. He shook his head. “We haven't been patrolling here and if we do pass by, we tend to avoid this area. If anyone's brave enough to come back here, then they haven't talked about it.”

“Not to mention we would know if someone changed like Firestar did,” Blossomfall added.

Tigerstar gave a nod. “There's always a possibility for more of those stones.” He bounded forward, circling the rock with Brokenstar.

Oh no, was Tigerstar trying to find a stone like the one in Firestar? The already present pit in Ivypool's stomach turned into a pit of dread. If Tigerstar found a stone that could transform him into something like Firestar, the Dark Forest would be unstoppable!

The Dark Forest cats thoroughly examined the big rock, not finding anything of interest.

“Think there are more of those stones inside of it?” Brokenstar asked.

“Well crack it open and find out. Oh, wait, you can't,” Thistleclaw sneered. Brokenstar gave him a growl before returning to examining the rock.

Ivypool gave an inward sigh of relief at their frustrated expressions. Perhaps Tigerstar was wasting his time trying to find another stone. There might have been just the one, the one that attached itself to Firestar. Maybe with Firestar's help, the Dark Forest would be easily defeated.

The Dark Forest warriors decided to give up for the night and led everyone back to the Dark Forest. She managed to get through an entire night without any injuries on her. Thank Starclan.

Chapter Text

“We need to talk.”

Jayfeather and Lionblaze waited for Dovewing to bring over Ivypool outside of camp. Lionblaze and Dovewing were surprised by the sheer urgency in his voice, but complied anyway. Something really spooked Jayfeather, and if Jayfeather thinks it's something urgent to talk about, it was better for them to quickly convene and get everything out there.

Dovewing pushed herself through the undergrowth, Ivypool in tow. Ivypool also had a startled look on her face. “I've got bad news if anyone wants to hear it,” she grumbled.

“So who goes first?” Lionblaze asked.

Jayfeather shrugged. “Whoever has the least worst news I suppose, and I doubt you have something as bad as what I've got to say.”

She cringed. “Maybe you'll change my mind when you hear what I've got to say.”

“Well don't leave us in the dark; what's wrong? Tigerstar planning something big again?” Lionblaze meowed.

She flicked an ear. “Something like that.”

“When doesn't Tigerstar have a big plan?” Jayfeather rolled his eyes.

Ivypool had a sour look on her face. “He's been bringing cats to the crash site. That stone that turned Firestar into what he is now? Tigerstar's looking for more. He and the other Dark Forest cats seemed pretty excited at the prospect of turning into the same thing Firestar turned into.”

The other three cats gave shocked hisses. “But if Tigerstar gets his paws on a stone like Firestars, there's no telling what he could do!” Dovewing fretted.

Ivypool shook her head. “Thankfully it seems as though there aren't more stones. At least, not on the outside. If there are any more, they've theorized that they're all inside the big rock.”

“Which they have no means of breaking it open,” Lionblaze chortled. “Doesn't sound like anything we need to worry about.”

Jayfeather contemplated his brother's words. There would be nothing to worry about until Tigerstar actually found another stone to give him wings and scales like Firestar, and then they would be in real trouble. “Even so, you should keep on the lookout and alert us if they come close to even remotely finding anything,” he meowed, giving a grimace.

“You really think this is something to worry about?” Lionblaze asked his brother.

“Do you fancy the possibility of Tigerstar ending up like Firestar?” Lionblaze thought about it, and he gave a shake of his head, not sure if he wanted to test his invincibility against something like that.

“Thought so.”

Dovewing gave a swish of her fluffy tail. “So what news do you have to share Jayfeather, that's so much worse than what Ivypool just told us?” she gave a shaky meow. Tigerstar trying to find ultimate power was pretty bad in her opinion. So if Jayfeather believed he had worse news...

Jayfeather shifted on his paws, trying to get comfortable. “I had a dream.” He paused, remembering the events in his head clearly, and it wasn't something he liked remembering. “I was onto of a hill overlooking the lake. Everything around me was set ablaze. I could see dark shadows of cats running away from the fire, but I couldn't get a good look at who they actually were though,” he admitted.

“Dark shadows of cats...” Lionblaze contemplated. “Maybe the Dark Forest?”

Jayfeather gave a shrug. “Maybe. Could be. They could have also been clan cats for all I know. It was in the lake territory.”

Ivypool gestured for him to continue. “That was when I received a prophecy,” he closed his eyes, remembering it word for word. The other cats gave him startled looks.

“Another prophecy?” Dovewing gave a dismayed whisper.

“We still haven't found the Fourth either!” Lionblaze exclaimed.

Ivypool just gave an enraged hiss, not wanting more to deal with on top of the Dark Forest.

“Are you guys going to let me finish this or are we going to be here all day?” Jayfeather grumbled. They quieted down, and he took it as a signal to continue. “When the leaf falls from the tree and withers, the King's flame shall be unleashed in full.”

They were silent, trying to figure out what it meant. “The King's flame? What does that mean? And what's a king?” Lionblaze asked agitated.

“I have no idea, why are you asking me? I can't even locate the Fourth, what makes you think I know anything about this prophecy in particular?”

“When the leaf falls from the tree and withers...” Dovewing flicked her tail. “Maybe this 'flame' will be unleashed after leaf-fall, during leafbare?” she asked hesitantly.

“When the leaf falls. Sounds like that could be what it means,” Ivypool agreed.

“Well, the prophecy wasn't the worse part of the dream,” Jayfeather meowed. They all gave him grimaces, though he couldn't see them.

“How could this get possibly worse?” Lionblaze said sarcastically.

“I felt vibrations in the ground. Very powerful vibrations, like something big was walking up to me. I turned around and I saw...” He trembled suddenly, the other giving him concerned looks. He swallowed, this particular part of the dream being the most vivid. “I saw a creature. It was huge, towering over the tallest trees of all the clan territories. It gave the fiercest roar I've ever heard. It was angry, but also it sounded like it was triumphant over something. Then it saw me and brought its claws down on me like I was a bug.”

They gaped at him. “Okay, so we have a prophecy and a gigantic creature on top of that. How are we supposed to fight something like that?” Lionblaze said perplexed.

“Maybe we're not supposed to fight it. Maybe it's our destiny to get squashed like Jayfeather did,” Ivypool meowed plainly.

“That wasn't even the worst part of the dream,” Jayfeather interjected.

“It gets worse?!” they all yelped in unison.

“The creature had four wings, two curved horns on top of its head, a spiked tail with three sharp looking spikes on the tip, huge claws, black scales that looked as if there were ginger underneath, red eyes, and a red looking dot in the middle of its chest. So, who am I describing?”

“Firestar?” Dovewing gave an anguished whisper. “That's not funny Jayfeather. Are you telling us Firestar will destroy us all?”

“I said nothing of the sort! How could you think he would try to kill us?” Jayfeather snapped at her.

“You said his roar sounded angry, but triumphant. Maybe he was getting rid of cats that angered him somehow?” Ivypool said uncertainly.

“What, like maybe he was defeating the Dark Forest or something?” Lionblaze pondered.

“I don't know. It was just something that I thought should be shared with you all.” They all looked down, silent, trying to reflect on what was said this day.

Finally, Dovewing looked up. “Are we going to tell Firestar?”

“Absolutely not,” Jayfeather said immediately. “He freaked out when Brambleclaw and I told him that he was ready to tear us all apart the night he changed and accidentally spat out a fireball in his despair. Then he told us to stay away from him after that. If he had a bad reaction to being told that, how do you think he'll react when we tell him that he may be the destruction of the clans? Or the fact that he becomes something that's not even a cat?”

“So, we should tell him nothing?” Lionblaze questioned him.

Jayfeather turned his sightless eyes onto Ivypool. “Maybe tell him about what Tigerstar and the Dark Forest are up to, but not one word about the dream. He doesn't need to know that.”

She gave him a nod. “If we're done here...” She waved her tail at them and padded off back to camp, Dovewing following him. Lionblaze moved to follow, but looked back at Jayfeather, who was walking away in the opposite direction.

“Where are you going?”

“Going to collect some herbs for the store. Starclan knows we'll need all we can get.” Lionblaze nodded, satisfied with his answer and disappeared into the undergrowth. Jayfeather gave a drawn out sigh, wondering if he should have told Lionblaze that he was only collecting herbs to get his mind off the dream.

The very thought of Firestar being the one to cause so much destruction left him rattled.

Chapter Text

It was around sunset when Lionblaze and Jayfeather finally got around to tell Firestar about what Tigerstar and the Dark Forest were up to.

“...so Ivypool seems to think there aren't any more of those stones, but it's not deterring Tigerstar from trying. She thinks they might try again at a later point,” Jayfeather finished.

Firestar shifted in his nest and carefully curled his tail around his paws. He had stayed silent throughout he whole report, and he couldn't help but be worried. The stone was giving off small angry pulses, just about as happy as he was about the situation.

He wasn't sure why, but the prospect of more stones out there in the big rock set his blood boiling. Bad enough that he had been turned into this, but if cats will bad intentions got their paws on a stone and was turned just like he was?

This was his territory, and he didn't like to share.

No, no, no, that wasn't why he should be worried! Who knows what Tigerstar would do if he got his paws on another stone?

Lay claim to my territory, do something to hurt my treasures; hurt my mate and hatchlings.

What? Where were these thoughts coming from? Of course he knew Tigerstar would do everything in his power to destroy all he knew and loved, just to get back at him. But his thoughts had never been this... vocal before. They were just coming up to the forefront of his mind, uninvited.

“Firestar?” He snapped back to reality to Lionblaze's and Jayfeather's questioning stares. The tips of his ears flushed red, the black making it all the more noticable.

“Right, sorry. If there aren't any more of these stones, then there isn't anything to worry about. You said Ivypool reported that the Dark Forest didn't find anything?”

“She said they were being pretty thorough. Maybe there's more on the inside, but we can't be certain,” Lionblaze informed.

More on the inside. How did Tigerstar think he was going to crack the thing open, with his claws and fangs? Well Tigerstar was persistent, he could give him that.

Firestar took in a deep breath, “Okay, we'll send out a patrol tomorrow morning to see if nothing else is there.”

Jayfeather frowned, “Tomorrow? What if they do find something tonight?”

“That's assuming they go out again tonight. And if you want to be the one to explain to the clan why we need to check the big rock for more stones, be my guest,” Firestar meowed.

The two cats in front of him gave defeated sighs and nodded. Jayfeather reached out and bumped his head against Firestars' in an affection gesture. “Good night Firestar,” he said as he left the den.

Lionblaze gave him a nuzzle, and the stone pulsed angrily. He flinched away from Lionblaze, feeling something was wrong. Lionblaze himself backed away, hurt shining in his eyes. Why had he just done that? Lionblaze had done nothing wrong! The stone have a pulse and suddenly he could see something shining within Lionblaze. He stared at it, perplexed. What was that? It felt.. powerful.

Threat, threat, threat, stay away, stay away, stay away

What?! Lionblaze wasn't a threat, he would do nothing to hurt him or anyone else! He was fighting so hard for this clan. He wasn't a threat!

Or was he?

“Firestar, you're starting to scare me,” Lionblaze whimpered. He shook himself of his trance and felt his wings had moved from their folded up position to being slightly raised and open in a threatening position. He gaped at them, folding them back up with a snap, even though his instincts were telling him that Lionblaze was clearly powerful and he had to tread carefully with this cat around.

“I'm- I'm so sorry; I don't know what came over me!” he said desperately, pleading with Lionblaze to forgive him.

“You've been acting differently over the past quarter moon, ever since your appearance changed,” he stated, gazing down upon the stone with a neutral expression. Firestar twitched his tail, embarrassed. He really hadn't wanted to act like this, it was like the stone was deciding how he should act for him.

“It's the stone again isn't it? It's changing you into what you are now, making you act how it wants,” Lionblaze purred sadly.

Was he being condescending towards him? He couldn't tell. All he knew was that he wanted Lionblaze out of the den so that he could brood and cry. His wings involuntarily moved to slowly cover up his body, trying to hide from the cat in front of him. He stiffened as Lionblaze lowered his head to rest it atop his own. He let out a choked sob and looked up at his grandson.

“I hate what I'm becoming.” Lionblaze gave him a lick and nuzzled him, before bidding him good night.

Sandstorm pushed her way into the den. “What did Lionblaze and Jayfeather want to see you for? More medicine cat or prophecy business?” She took notice of his downhearted expression. He looked like he wanted to cry. “Or perhaps it was family business,” she murmured.

She padded up to the nest and sat down next to him. “What's wrong dear?”

He looked at her with bleary eyes. “What isn't wrong? I'm a freak, I'm acting and thinking differently, and I all but threatened Lionblaze because he felt off,” he listed.

“How did he feel off?”

He sighed. “I don't know, the stone just felt angry all of a sudden, and then I could see something in Lionblaze. Some kind of light; it felt powerful.”

She flicked her ear. “You think the stone doesn't like this power?”

“Not just the stone; me. I cringed away from him. I thought he was a threat and wanted him to get away from me! I'm afraid that it will happen again and- what if I hurt him? Why do I feel as if everyone is out to steal everything from me?” he wailed.

“Steal from you?” she tried urging him on. If she knew how to handle this new mentality of his then maybe...

“Steal my territory. Hurt my treasures. My treasures...” he trailed off, dazed.

“And what are your treasures?” she pressed. His response was to curl around her carefully.

“I- I need to- to protect my treasures. Without my treasures, my mate and hatchlings, I'm nothing,” he mumbled, more to himself than to her. She pursed her lips; did he consider her his treasure? He was sweet, but he talked as if she was something fragile to protect. And she wasn't fragile.

“You know I can protect myself right?” she said heatedly. He looked up at her with wide eyes. She gave an inward cringe; that might not have been the best thing to say. At the very least, she shouldn't have said it in that tone of voice. His eyes turned to slits and he curled around her tighter, enough to prevent her from leaving his hold. Was he mad at her? Maybe she should try being a little gentler this time.

“I'm not going to leave you, but I can protect myself just fine,” she murmured to him. His eyes flashed red briefly before he closed his eyes and laid his head on her pelt. Looks like she was stuck for the night. It was fine; Firestar gave out a natural heat since he changed. It was welcome, since the weather would be getting colder with the coming moons.

Not only that, but his embrace made her feel safe. She wasn't a fragile she-cat, but sometimes even she needed someone to comfort her. Here, she was content to be with her big, strong mate. He still had a gentle heart inside him, she just knew it. She snuggled into his hold, and was pleased to hear a soft, low purr coming from him. She closed her eyes, drifting off into sleep, purring into Firestar's ears.

He needed to know that there would be someone here to protect and comfort him too.

Chapter Text

It was a strange feeling, his body felt strange yet right. He could feel it was different; something about his body wasn't quite right, not the way it used to be. He felt bigger almost.

He also felt powerful, every twitch of his muscles exuding pure power. He felt like he could rip apart anything that comes his way. He could feel his fire rise up in his chest, burning hotter than he was used to. And yet, it felt right. It felt powerful.

This was how he was meant to be though right? He was meant to be powerful!

He felt tiny pricks at his sides, and Firestar opened his eyes to see dark shadows of cats attacking him with their claws. Huh, they were so tiny! Their claws weren't doing a thing to him, the only thing the attacks were accomplishing were torn claws and rising annoyance. He was amused, seeing these tiny shadow cats trying and failing to hurt him. Couldn't they see that he was much too powerful for them?

The attacks were getting annoying though. He just wanted to sleep! So he rose a claw into the air and brought it down, smashing the shadows like they were bugs. That's what they were, really. Annoying little bugs that needed to be squashed.

They fell easily, and he gave a laugh at the feeling of pure power rushing through him. He got up and walked over the pool of water nearby; he felt somewhat thirsty. He bent his head down to lap at the water, only for a black-scaled, horned serpentine head to greet him instead. He stumbled backwards; this wasn't him!

Firestar gave a gasp as he woke up, seeing he was in his nest curled up around Sandstorm. He gave a few pants, and tried relaxing, pondering on his dream. He had felt so powerful... but his body- it didn't feel-

He didn't know how it felt actually. It felt wrong, it felt right, it felt natural and yet it wasn't him. He laid his head back down, trying to return back to sleep. But he lay there wide awake, the dream still fresh in his mind. He shook his head; this wasn't working. Maybe if he got some fresh air?

He unwound himself carefully from Sandstorm, drawing his tail close to him and padded outside the den. His wings twitched in agitation, wanting to be used. He supposed a short flight couldn't hurt. He scanned the camp, wondering if anyone was around to see him and concluded that he was in the clear.

He spread his wings and took off, enjoying the wind flow through his fur and scales.

This felt nice...

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Tigerstar felt a growl of frustration rise up as Darkstripe stumbled forward to the big rock with a big stick in his jaws. They had kept the trainees in the Dark Forest this night, to prevent them from getting suspicious over their more recent activities. Or they weren't called at all with there being a shortage of trusted Dark Forest warriors to train them.

They were trying to find more of those stones and they figured that maybe there were more inside of the big rock. The question was how to crack it open.

Darkstripe swung the big stick, hoping to at least put a dent in the rock, only for the stick to break off as soon as it connected. He stared down at the stick before looking up at Tigerstar.

“We're going to need a bigger stick!” he called. Tigerstar fought down the urge to roll his eyes, as more Dark Forest cats came forward with bigger sticks to swing at the big rock.

This clearly wasn't working.

His eyes shifted to the black and ginger shape flying off in the distance, and his eyes widened as a plan came to the forefront of his mind. It would be in his best interests to at least test the kittypet's strengths and weaknesses, to know what to expect from him.

Maybe even know his own strengths and weaknesses if he got his paws on a stone...

He waved his tail at Brokenstar, who was watching the other warriors with rapt attention. “I need to check on something; be right back!” He got a nod back and he padded forward into the night, watching his surroundings melt back into the shadowy forest he was forced to call home all these seasons. If he wanted to make his plan work, he would need a certain something outside the territories, but to do that, he would need to return to the Dark Forest and go from there.

He continued walking, his surroundings melting once again to an area outside the clans. His eyes lit up at the fox den in front of him, and he padded inside to see two foxes, asleep. He brought his claws down on one, and it woke up with a pained howl, which woke up its startled partner. They gave enraged growls at the cat in front of them and both lunged towards Tigerstar. He dodged easily and backed out of the den, before making a run for it towards clan territory. He made sure to slow down enough for the foxes to continue pursuing him.

Once he was in Thunderclan territory, he scrambled up a tree and watched the foxes look around in confusion, trying to scent him. They pressed onwards, and he cackled, eager to see if Firestar had any weak points to exploit.

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Firestar landed near the Shadowclan border, just wanting to stretch his legs before going back. He weighed his options of either walking or flying back. Flying was fun, but he didn't want to use these wings all the time.

But why not? They were his weren't they? They were one proof of his power!

'Where are these thoughts coming from? I'm not trying to prove anything!'

The scent of fox hit him all at once, and he scanned the area wildly, hoping that they were on Shadowclan's side of the border. His clan didn't need to deal with a fox at this point of time! He stumbled backwards as two foxes crashed through the undergrowth and lunged towards him. He rolled to the side, giving a yelp of pain as one of the foxes managed to clip his side. He stared down at the bleeding in disbelief; his scales couldn't be penetrated but he couldn't say the same for his fur!

They lunged at him again, fangs bared in a attempt to take a bite out of the ginger leader.

Threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, kill, kill kill kill KILL KILL KILL HOW DARE THEY HURT HIM

He shook his head as his eyes turned red, and he met their lunge with his own with an enraged growl. He let instinct guide him and he took great amusement in watching the two predators get torn apart under his claws.

He spat a stream of fire at them for good measure, and they finally fell to the ground dead and charred. He tilted his head, wondering if fox tasted good. He had never considered the possibility of eating a fox, but it seemed appetizing now. Maybe his mate and hatchlings would be grateful for the extra food?

Roar...

He blinked at the foreign whisper as his eyes returned back to their forest green color. Why would he want to roar? He slowly stared at the corpses of the two foxes before the realization that he killed them set in and he backed away in horror.

He had just took down two fully grown foxes with minimal injury. And he couldn't really remember how he did it. He sat down on his haunches in shock.

'What's happening to me?'

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Well, that had been interesting to watch. The kittypet had taken down two foxes with almost no injury. Tigerstar grinned; if he had such power, nothing would be able to stop him. He hadn't really learned anything that he didn't already know, except one key piece of vital information.

Firestar's scales couldn't be penetrated and couldn't be hurt. A cat was more likely to hurt themselves raking their claws down on his scales. But his fur on the other paw...

His fur was still that of a regular cat. The majority of his body could still be injured, which included his vital areas. There was no doubt in Tigerstar's mind that if he could just pin down the ginger fool and slice his throat open, he could easily win and Starclan and the clans would fall.

He tapped the tree he was perched on lightly with his tail, pondering what to do with this new information. Firestar was strong yes, but surely he couldn't take on multiple enemies at once right?

Even with all this power, he still had his limits.

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw padded out of the warriors' den with a yawn and with a feeling of really wanting to return to his nest because it was too early for literally anything. But he was the deputy of this clan, and it was his job to sort out patrols and whatnot.

He mentally checked off cats in his head, deciding who to send out on the dawn patrol to the Shadowclan and Windclan borders. He went back inside the den and took care in stepping around the sleeping cats until he reached Cloudtail's side and prodded him awake. The white tom lazily cracked his eye open to look up at Brambleclaw.

“Dawn patrol,” he whispered. Cloudtail shut his eye back and gave a short groan. Brambleclaw whispered in his ear certain cats and told him to gather them up, before carefully making his way out of the den.

Eventually all the cats for dawn patrol had been gathered up and were about to leave when Sandstorm hurriedly came out of the leaders' den.

“Have any of you seen Firestar?” she asked, a worried look in her eyes.

“He wasn't in the den with you?” Brambleclaw called up to her. She shook her head before gazing out into the distance with a worried look on her face. The cats on the dawn patrol murmured to themselves, wondering where their leader had gone.

“I suppose we need to be on the lookout for him?” Cloudtail asked tiredly. Brambleclaw opened his mouth to reply, but thankfully didn't need to answer as the cat in question made his way back into camp, a conflicted look on his face.

“Firestar? Are you okay?” Sandstorm asked her mate, bounding down to greet him. He gave her a strained smile, showing off his enlarged fangs.

“I can't decide if I've done something good for us all... or if I've done something terrible,” he croaked out.

They all stared at him perplexed, wondering what he meant. He sighed. “You're all going out for the dawn patrol aren't you? Might as well show you what I mean...”

Brambleclaw only blinked tiredly. He just wanted to go back to sleep. Firestar flicked his tail, signaling the patrol to follow him.

“I had a strange dream last night and woke up in the middle of the night. I just... couldn't get back to sleep so I thought some fresh air would do me some good,” Firestar explained as they made their way through the forest, getting closer and closer to the Shadowclan border. The patrol listened in rapt attention. “I flew as far as the Shadowclan border and landed and I was about to make my way back but...” he trailed off suddenly, and all the cats except for Firestar recoiled as the stench of death hit them like a monster on the Thunderpath.

“What is that stench?!” Hazeltail hissed. “It smells like something's decaying!”

“...Maybe because something is decaying,” Cloudtail said plainly.

There were two dead foxes at the border, both cut up and looking burned in areas.

“I was about to make my way back when I got jumped by these two things,” Firestar meowed, staring at the corpses. He had an unreadable expression on his face, no doubt still conflicted if he had done something good or something terrible by killing them in such a manner.

“So what's the big deal exactly? You just did the clan a service by getting rid of them!” Cinderheart exclaimed.

Cloudtail flicked his ear, examining his uncle. “I think the problem is that he killed two fully grown foxes with no injury.” All the cats did a double take, realizing that Firestar didn't look harmed in the slightest.

Firestar looked embarrassed. “Well, they did manage to clip my side,” he said as he turned to show everyone the scratch on his side that was already beginning to heal.

“And anyway, I can't even remember how I did it,” he murmured. “All I remember is that I was so angry that these things had the nerve to attack me and I-” he cut off, trying to remember what happened.

“Well, what did you do?” Hazeltail pressed.

“I- I can't remember. I just remember standing over the them; they were already dead.” Brambleclaw noticed that half of the patrol looked uncomfortable, realizing just how much power Firestar had, and subtly shuffled away from him.

Firestar kept his head down, even though something was whispering in his head that he should have his head held high; he should proud that he was continuously proving his power and might to everyone! He mentally told the whispers to stop. He didn't want or need to prove anything to anyone, and his show of might, even though no one had seen it was only scaring his clan.

He twitched as Sandstorm and Brambleclaw laid their tails over his shoulders in a show of comfort and support. “I don't know what's happening to me...” he whispered brokenly.

“What the heck!” They all jumped as the Shadowclan dawn patrol approached them, all the cats perplexed and disgusted at the sight of the two dead foxes. Rowanclaw curled his lip in disgust, before raking his gaze over the Thunderclan cats, and then showing a hint of fear at Firestar.

“What happened here? How did these foxes get here and why do they look like they got ran over on the Thunderpath?” the Shadowclan deputy asked, trying to keep things cordial.

“We don't know where they came from, but we can tell you that they're dead,” Cloudtail stated.

“We can see that,” Tigerheart said from over the border. He noticed Firestar's guilty expression and his fur bristled.

“Did you do this to them?” he whispered fearfully. Firestar gave no reply and continued to stare down at the foxes.

“So what if he did? Now everyone has two less foxes to worry over,” Sandstorm said quickly in defense of her mate.

Firestar was very much aware of the Shadowclan cat's stares even as he stared down at the foxes, trying to remember what happened the night before. He was frustrated and unhappy- it wasn't his intention to be so feared from all the clans. He felt his fire rise in his throat, burning hotter than before, and some instinct in him longed to unleash it.

The stone gave a warm pulse and his body involuntarily forced it back down. It wasn't the right time to use it.

He offered to bury the foxes and only him, as if he was punishing himself for doing something he shouldn't have done. But he still felt everyone's stares as both sides marked the borders and he quickly dug a deep hole for the corpses.

There was something wrong with him.

No there wasn't; he was just fine. This is how it's meant to be.

Firestar squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head; this isn't how it was meant to be! How could he think everything was fine! The fact that he even thought it was only proved that something was wrong with his head.

The stone pulsed, sending out warmth through his body, but for once he couldn't help but feel the warmth wasn't as comforting as it should be.

'Why does.. everything feel so wrong?'

Chapter Text

Onestar bit back a yawn as he and his small patrol trudged onwards towards Shadowclan territory. It was just him, Ashfoot, his deputy, Kestrelflight, his medicine cat, as well as Crowfeather, one of his trusted warriors. Currently it was about dawn, and he wanted to get an audience with Blackstar as soon as possible without Thunderclan figuring out what he was doing.

He didn't need word of his plan to get back to the ears of the monster roaming Thunderclan's camp.

Crowfeather gave a big yawn. “Why are we leaving at this unholy time of day. Not even the prey is awake yet!”

“The earlier we go, the less chance of Thunderclan finding out,” Onestar replied. They were keeping to the shoreline of the lake, where no one could question them going over the border. All cats were allowed to cross territories as long as they kept within a few tail lengths to the shore.

He realized that he should have taken the route through Riverclan territory instead of Thunderclan, where cats could come down to the lake and question why Windclan cats had come through the area.

Oh well, it was too late now.

They made their way into Shadowclan territory, hoping to either come across the camp or a patrol to take them to the camp.

“Halt! Why are you Windclan cats on our territory?” Rowanclaw snarled as he and his patrol ran up to greet them. Onestar dipped his head, as did the other three cats.

“I wish to have an audience with Blackstar. Can you lead us to your camp so I may meet him?”

Rowanclaw flicked his tail, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What could you possibly want to meet Blackstar for?”

“I'll explain when I'm in front of him, no more no less,” Onestar bit out. He didn't come all this way to speak to the Shadowclan deputy and give him a message. He needed to speak with Blackstar face to face. He held his tongue as the Shadowclan patrol muttered and debated amongst themselves, wondering if they should lead this patrol of Windclan cats to the heart of their territory.

“...Fine. Come with us,” Rowanclaw flicked his tail and signaled for them to follow. “Tigerheart, go on and tell Blackstar we have guests waiting for him.” Tigerheart gave a nod and sprang forth, darting through the springy pine floor of Shadowclan territory.

Rowanclaw looked back at the Windclan cats. “Well, let's go.”

Blackstar was waiting for them as they entered the camp, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Onestar stopped and sat him front of him, dipping his head.

“Greetings Blackstar.”

“Onestar. Why are you in my camp this early in the morning?”

Onestar flicked his ear. “I have something to ask of you.”

“Well?” Blackstar pressed.

“I'm asking for Shadowclan to join Windclan in an alliance.”

The Shadowclan cats that were watching muttered to themselves, wondering what Onestar was up to. Blackstar gave him a sour look and lashed his tail.

“What brought this on?” he asked sourly.

Onestar looked Blackstar right in the eye. “I need help to get rid of the monster roaming around the lake territories.”

The Shadowclan leader frowned. “Monster?”

Onestar nodded. “Firestar.”

Shadowclan grew quiet quick, and Blackstar flinched, immediately knowing what this was about. “Firestar?! You want us to go to war with the one cat who can possibly rip us in two?! Are you crazy?!” he growled furiously. “I'm not going to wage war with Thunderclan when they haven't done anything and especially not going to wage war with Firestar when he hasn't done anything.”

Onestar curled his lip. “Oh, but he has done something. We fought him at our border. That wasn't the cat I knew; the Firestar I know wouldn't have fought like a wild animal. He wouldn't need his clanmates to stop him from killing someone.”

“Are you suggesting that Firestar was ready to kill you?” It didn't sound like the ginger leader at all, who preached peace and unity. It wasn't in Firestar's nature to kill, unless he absolutely had to. Otherwise he adhered to the warrior code.

“I'm not suggesting anything. I'm telling you that Firestar is gone and has been replaced with something else. And the longer we stand around doing nothing, the longer that thing has to sway Thunderclan to its cause. How much longer will it be before it decides to take over the whole lake with its power?”

Blackstar tilted his head, uneasy. “Firestar hasn't done anything to provoke us or show he's a threat,” he said slowly.

Rowanclaw stepped forward. “Well, actually...” he gulped, and Blackstar turned to gaze upon his deputy. Rowanclaw sighed. “I was going to report back to you after these Windclan cats had gone, but... at the border we encountered a Thunderclan patrol that Firestar was on. There were two dead foxes at the border and from what we saw and heard, it seems like Firestar was the one to kill them.”

Blackstar gaped at him and Onestar wished he could be surprised. “He killed two foxes?”

Rowanclaw nodded. “Without injury it seems.”

Onestar turned to face Blackstar again. “Still think it's not a threat?” he uttered.

Blackstar let out a heavy breath. “And what of Riverclan? Is Mistystar in agreement with your alliance?”

Onestar shook his head. “I haven't spoken to her yet. But she may join if she knows that Shadowclan and Windclan are in it together.”

There was a contemplating look on Blackstar's face as he weighed his options. Fighting Firestar as he was now would be foolish. He remembered Firestar had only swiped his tail and had left such a deep gouge into the Great Oak. Not even cat's claws could reach that deep. A swing of Firestar's tail could possibly cut a cat in half. And that was just his tail; what could the rest of his body do? He didn't want to find out.

But what if Onestar was right and Firestar was simply biding his time, trying to get used to his new powers and body before forcing them all to submit? It wasn't a far-out possibility if Firestar was truly not acting like himself.

Blackstar shifted his gaze over to Littlecloud, who sat outside his den watching the proceedings with critical eyes. “The half-moon will be soon,” he murmured. He switched gazes over to Onestar, who was still waiting for an answer. “I will have Littlecloud speak with Starclan at the half-moon. If Starclan thinks Firestar is a threat, then they will tell us. Depending on what they say, I will give you my answer then and only after the half-moon has passed. But not earlier.”

Onestar gave a nod and got to his paws. Blackstar flicked an ear over to Rowanclaw. “Find some cats to escort them out of Shadowclan territory.”

As the Windclan cats left, Rowanclaw padded back over to his leader. “I'm not sure if Firestar is really a monster. Monsters wouldn't look guilty over killing two foxes.”

“He looked guilty?” Blackstar asked incredulously.

“It's possible that Firestar is just as afraid of his powers as everyone else is.”

Blackstar gave a grunt, and padded back into his den. If he did end up joining with Windclan, it had better be worth it. If he lost cats to a pointless battle, or drove out Firestar when he was just as terrified as the rest of them of his powers...

He shuddered. He didn't want to condemn an innocent cat and chase him away from his clan. Firestar wasn't Brokenstar or Tigerstar and hadn't done anything wrong to warrant him getting chased out of Thunderclan. But he couldn't deny that Firestar's apparent transformation had tipped the balance of power in Thunderclan's favor, which was worrying in itself.

He only hoped Starclan would show them the correct path; he better not regret this in the end.

Chapter Text

Firestar lay in his nest, trying his hardest to tune out the voices echoing outside in camp. His enhanced hearing could hear everything- conversations he wasn't supposed to hear, conversations that had nothing to do with him. He could especially hear half of the clan talk about him again though. He scared them again.

He couldn't even flatten his ears onto his head to block everything out; he physically couldn't move them like that. Not anymore.

They were all discussing the foxes. Normally when a cat fought off a fox and got injured in the process- like a normal cat- it was considered valiant and brave. They were doing a service to their clan, getting rid of the predators. Or they were just reckless, that too.

But when a cat fought and killed two foxes without nary a scratch, it was just unnatural. One didn't fight even one fox without injury, but here he was, having killed two with ease. It was possible to chase off or kill one fox without much injury, like Lionblaze, but two of them?

So here he was in his nest, trying to get away from his clanmate's whispers once again. He was getting sick and tired of being scared of his own clan. He was also tired of his clanmate's fear of him; they knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt them, at least not on purpose.

And yet they were scared of him anyway...

The whispers continued to permeate into his den, and he desperately wanted them to stop. He tried placing his paws over his ears, but it didn't do a thing to solve his problem. He wanted to roll over and just bury his head under the mossy nest, but he learned the hard way not to do that. The moss would be pierced and caught on the little spikes running down his spine, and getting the moss off him was just a hassle.

He whimpered, just wanting some quiet. The stone pulsed and sent out a wave of comfort and reassurance. What did it matter if they talked about him? He was meant to be feared!

'That- that wasn't me! I don't want to be feared!' He gazed down nervously at the stone in his chest. It was giving out a warm red glow. He was certain that it was putting foreign thoughts into his head at this point. Even worse, they weren't just foreign thoughts anymore, but his thoughts. He was beginning to truly believe in what was being pushed into his head, and it scared him.

His head perked up at the scent of his mate making her way towards the den, and he gave a chirp of greeting as she entered.

“You look like a kit that had his moss ball stolen. What's wrong?”

“Am I really that obvious?” he grumbled. “I can hear them. All their whispers. I think it's starting to get to me.”

Her face softened, immediately knowing what he was talking about. News of what Firestar did the foxes traveled around camp fast. She could see all the looks they gave him, all the looks of wariness, confusion, and fear. She couldn't blame them for being scared, but couldn't they see what they were doing to him? His new form and powers weren't something that he could easily control.

She was worried; Firestar wasn't one to give up easily. He had fought back against those who told him to go back to being a kittypet and subverted everyone's expectations when he proved to be one of the greatest warriors the clans had ever seen.

But this wasn't the same case. Instead of being ridiculed, he was being feared. Every action he did decided whether or not the clan would continue to fear him. The more they feared him the less chances he would get to prove to them that he wasn't a monster.

If you treated a cat like a monster they might be bound to start acting like one.

She gave him a lick between the ears. “Come on, let's get out of this stuffy camp.” She nudged him up to his paws and led him out of camp. He felt his fur heat up as cats turned to stare at their retreating figures, and the whispers were even harder to block out since he was outside his den.

“Just ignore them,” Sandstorm murmured.

As they trekked further into the territory, Firestar found all the tension in his muscles were leaving him. He was much more relaxed out here, with only his mate for company. They stopped at the lake and Sandstorm laid down by the shore, gesturing for him to join her. He did so eagerly. She reached over and started grooming his neck fur, being mindful of the little spikes trailing down his neck and back. He gave a purr and leaned into her touch.

It would be so much more relaxing if his hatchlings could join them.

His tail gave a happy wag, and he carefully curled it around her, drawing her closer to him. She didn't mind; her close proximity extended her reach and allowed her to groom other areas of his body.

This was nice. For a moment he could pretend to have no responsibilities or leadership duties that needed to be fulfilled. He could pretend that his clanmates weren't whispering about him behind his back. It was just him and his mate; his sweet, loving mate who was giving him all the attention in the world.

As she should be.

But he would be remiss in his duties if he didn't shower his mate and treasure with the love and adoration she deserved. So he reached over and started grooming her, to her delight.

“Feel better?” she purred.

He rubbed her cheek with his scaled one, thankful that his face scales weren't as sharp as the ones on his tail. He wouldn't hurt her like this. “Very much so. You always know how to make me feel better.”

“Want to go hunting after this?” He gave her a nod, but didn't move to get up. He wanted to enjoy the moment some more.

His nostrils flared and he opened his mouth at the strange scent coming near them. He frowned; what was Windclan scent doing here? There shouldn't be a reason for any Windclan cat to travel this close to the lake.

Sandstorm opened her mouth to taste the air, seeing her mate was doing the same thing. “Why is there Windclan scent here?” she scowled.

It was one thing if it was a medicine cat, but with his enhanced senses, he could smell Onestar's scent mingling with the other scents.

“Onestar was here,” he meowed lowly. “He was with a small patrol.”

“But why would Onestar need to gather a patrol and cross this close to the shoreline. They had to have been going somewhere.”

He winced, knowing exactly where Onestar had headed. There was only one place he would go if he needed to travel this close to the shoreline. He looked out towards Shadowclan territory, an ominous feeling traveling down his spine.

Sandstorm followed his gaze. “You think he needed to see Blackstar or something?”

“Possibly. But for what?” He gulped. Whatever Onestar needed Blackstar for, it couldn't be good. Onestar had made his distaste for Thunderclan as well as for himself abundantly clear for moons now. Onestar hated him even more now that he was... well this.

“I'll have to tell the clan to watch out for Shadowclan and Windclan. They might be up to something.” Well that was his day ruined.

Sandstorm sighed. “Well, there's nothing we can do until we actually know what's happening.” She turned back to him and gave his ear an lick. “How about that hunting?”

He purred. “I'd love to.”

Chapter Text

Jayfeather gave a huff as he navigated around Thunderclan territory, on his way to the Moonpool. It seemed like he was here only yesterday when it had been in fact about over a half moon. He had trekked all the way up to the Moonpool with Firestar in order to get answers about Firestar's everything only to be told by an irate Yellowfang that Starclan didn't have all the answers.

He had bit back a response that Starclan never seemed to have any answers, but he knew Yellowfang would have just snapped at him again, maybe even torn out his ears if he had said something like that. They couldn't even give him hints as to who the Fourth was.

This half moon meeting would be different. He knew that the other medicine cats would probably be looking for answers from Starclan regarding the situation with Firestar. He bit back a growl; Firestar wasn't who anyone should be worried about. Firestar was scared of himself and his powers, but it seemed like half of the clan was afraid Firestar would turn on them like on the night he had been changed.

Meanwhile, the Dark Forest was still around plotting the four clan's demise. He wished Firestar hadn't gone through the changes, because he made a perfect distraction away from the Dark Forest.

It was wrong of him, but currently with everyone fixated on the ginger and black leader, the clans were even more divided than before. It would take a miracle for the four clans to unite against the Dark Forest now.

He quickened up his pace, scenting Kestrelflight and Littlecloud already at the Moonpool. He wanted to get the night done and over with. He gave a disgruntled chirp of greeting, and they turned to him with a short greeting, already accustomed to Jayfeather's sour and snappy attitude.

“Are we still waiting for Riverclan?” he grumbled, fur fluffed up from the cold. It was like all the remaining warmth from leaf-fall had been sucked away this night. He got a mew of affirmative and sat down with a sour look on his face, wishing Willowshine and Mothwing would hurry it up.

“So Jayfeather, how's everything been in Thunderclan?” Kestrelflight suddenly asked tentatively. His ears pricked; was that a tone of sympathy in his voice?

“Everything's fine. Why ask?” He knew what Kestrelflight was doing; he was more than likely trying to fish information about Firestar out of him.

Kestrelflight gave a hesitant laugh. “Oh you know, it's just with your leader being the way he is now, I'm just worried he may, uh,” he swallowed, “act out.”

Jayfeather turned his sightless gaze onto the Windclan medicine cat, his unseeing eyes unnerving the two other present medicine cats. “Your concern is unneeded. He hasn't been 'acting out' as you think.” His eyes narrowed. “What are trying to imply here? That he's holding us all hostage? That we're being mistreated inside our own camp?”

Kestrelflight didn't say anything, which confirmed Jayfeather's suspicions. Kestrelflight really did think there was something going on with Firestar other than the obvious. He felt waves of concern, suspicion, and fear coming from Littlecloud; did the Shadowclan medicine cat also think that Firestar was hurting Thunderclan from beyond the border?

“Keep your concerns about my leader to yourself next time,” he growled.

Kestrelflight drew his ears flat on his head. “If it's even your leader...”

Jayfeather's stare grew more intense. “Excuse me?” Did this mouse-brain just call his leader and grandfather an it?

“We can't be sure if that's even Firestar.”

“Wha- of course it's Firestar you mouse-brain! What are you going on about? Did you have a bad piece of fresh-kill or something?” Jayfeather asked incredulous. Littlecloud stepped back, not wanting to be embroiled in the argument. Jayfeather tried keeping his cool; they needed the clans to unite. No one would want to ally with each other if their medicine cats were at each other's throats.

If they were fighting, it would only send an example to the clans that the other clans couldn't be trusted. Medicine cats weren't supposed to fight each other. They were to remain at the very least cordial to one another. But Jayfeather could feel his blood boil at the implications of this tom's words. Firestar was trying his hardest to remain in the clan's good graces. Now the clans didn't even think it was him, but some imposter? Some monster that replaced him?

The two toms growled at each other, and Littlecloud shifted on his paws, unsure if he needed to intervene. Thankfully he wouldn't need to.

“Uh, are we missing something here?” Their heads turned to stare at Willowshine and Mothwing, both she-cats looking horribly confused. Mothwing raised an eyebrow. “You're both not fighting are you?”

The two toms relaxed and shook their heads, grumbling out negatives. The cats stood there in silence before Littlecloud nervously stepped forward.

“Well, we're wasting moonlight here. Why not go in and share dreams with Starclan now that we're all here?” he nervously laughed. Jayfeather turned and stomped up to the Moonpool, wanting to get the night done and over with already. The other cats followed him, Kestrelflight situating himself the furthest he could from Jayfeather. Jayfeather dipped his head and lapped up some water from the Moonpool and surrendered himself to sleep.

He opened his eyes, ready to give Starclan a piece of his mind, but stopped as he noticed that his surroundings were very... normal. He couldn't catch a whiff of the omnipresent starlight that clung to Starclan territory, nor could he scent any Starclan cats he knew of. He opened his mouth to taste the air, only catching the leafy scent of Thunderclan territory. He blinked; why was he here?

His ears pricked as he caught chatter coming from close by and he followed the sound and ducked into the bushes when cats passed him by. What- was that Brambleclaw? The tabby was being followed by cats he recognized and cats he hadn't seen before. Brambleclaw was half carrying and half dragging a large hawk with a pep in his step.

He noticed the other cats with Brambleclaw looking just as excited as he did and caught multiple cats carrying large pieces of prey in their jaws. His eyes narrowed; what was going on?

He followed the patrol as they entered a large clearing and he couldn't keep in his gasp of surprise. There in the clearing taking up most of the space was the creature from his dreams, which he was utterly convinced was Firestar. His eyes had opened as soon as the patrol drew near, but didn't move to unwind himself from his curled up position, only lifting up his head to look down at the patrol. There was spark of happiness and love in the creature's eyes as he gazed down at Brambleclaw.

Brambleclaw placed the large hawk down near Firestar, and stepped aside so other cats could place their prey on the ever growing pile of fresh-kill. This looked like some kind of offering.

The cats crowded around Firestar as they gazed up at him reverently, chattering to him how their day went. Brambleclaw strode forward and Firestar lowered his head completely to the ground for Brambleclaw to butt heads with.

Jayfeather stared at the group of cats, totally lost. They were now passing prey around and chatting with each other happily, almost like this was some kind of event. Brambleclaw stayed with Firestar, and Jayfeather watched as Firestar carefully trapped Brambleclaw inbetween his forelegs and chest, giving the tabby the gentlest nuzzle he could give.

Oh... Firestar's eyes were green instead of the burning red like in his vision. Not only that, but Firestar seemed content and happy, an air of love exuding from him as he gazed upon the happy tabby he was holding and the group of cats that were visiting him.

Sandstorm padded up to the two, and Firestar lovingly gave her a nuzzle before letting her climb into the spot next to Brambleclaw. The two cats were purring loudly.

Jayfeather was confused; why was he being shown this? Was this another path for Firestar to take? Was it possible for him to become a guardian instead of a destroyer?

Everything faded into black, and he was startled at the panicked voices coming from behind him.

“You all saw what happens if we allow him to stay within the clans! We'll all be killed and the lake will be destroyed!” Kestrelflight wailed. “We're all going to burn if he doesn't leave!”

“Let's think through this rationally. We saw those shadow cats running away from the flames, but we can't be sure as to who they were. Maybe the creature was trying to protect us?” Willowshine said worriedly.

Jayfeather's eyes widened in shock. The medicine cats received the same vision he did, with Firestar destroying everything, roaring in anger.

“That creature is what Firestar will become if we leave him alone! Starclan has spoken; he's a danger to everyone in the clans. He has become our destroyer, not our savior!” Kestrelflight forcibly spat.

Jayfeather, having enough, got up and stalked up to them. Willowshine perked up at seeing him. “Jayfeather, did you also receive the dream?”

He flicked an ear. “I did, but I received that particular dream some time ago. I saw something way different than what you did last night.”

“Of course you had that dream. You're trying to protect it aren't you?! You were going to keep it to yourself and not tell us what Firestar is to become!” Kestrelflight snarled.

Jayfeather whirled around to glare at him. “I was doing nothing of the sort! We don't know what that dream means! For all we know, he's trying to protect us from an unseen threat!”

“You would defend that thing wouldn't you?” Kestrelflight turned to the other three uncomfortable looking medicine cats. “Think about this would you? The dream all but confirms what needs to be done about Firestar.” He gave a nod to Littlecloud before all but sprinting away from the Moonpool. Littlecoud left soon after, lost in thought.

“I don't know what all this is about but, it seems really bad,” Jayfeather heard Mothwing mutter to herself. Jayfeather didn't wait to stick around and made his way back to Thunderclan territory. He had serious news to give to Firestar.

Chapter Text

Lionblaze gave a stretch as he stood at the camp entrance, wanting to greet his brother when he got back. The half-moon meetings always got to Jayfeather and rubbed him the wrong way. But Lionblaze couldn't help but admit that he really wanted to know what went on with this meeting in particular. Maybe Starclan had some new information for them? He hoped there would something regarding on where to find the Fourth, or anything pertaining to the defeat of the Dark Forest.

He knew deep down that everyone was fixated on Firestar though. Lionblaze was also unnerved by the changes his grandfather underwent. He wasn't fearful of Firestar's new appendages or the fact that Firestar might even best him in a fight, but he was scared of how he was acting. He remembered how Firestar had flinched when Lionblaze had gotten near him that day, his eyes flickering red for a moment. He acted as if... as if Lionblaze was a threat. He had just stared off, not meeting Lionblaze's eyes, but not staring off into the distance either. He was just... staring at his body, as if there was something that only he could see that Firestar's feral side didn't like.

He had saw the embedded stone glow angrily, and he wondered if it wasn't Firestar that saw something, but the stone itself. He hated that thing- it was turning his grandfather into something else entirely. Firestar had totally lost his composure of a confident, strong leader. He was always frightened now- of his own changes or because of how the clan was reacting, he didn't know. But it always seemed as though Firestar was fighting off some unseen force, trying to prevent his mind from being taken over by the stone's will.

He felt bad for him. He would certainly hate it if the clan was taking about him behind his back- and he knew because he caught several warriors whispering about Firestar and his condition when they thought no one was listening.

He gave chirp to his brother as he hurried into camp, looking frazzled.

“So how did it go? Starclan still doesn't know who the Fourth is and we have to keep looking?” he asked sarcastically. He then noticed the look of sheer anger on Jayfeather's face,

“Uh-oh, what happened? What did Starclan say for you to get this angry?”

Jayfeather lashed his tail. “They didn't even come to me at all. But it's not Starclan I'm angry at for once in my life.” Lionblaze blinked; so much for information...

“Did one of the other medicine cats say something?”

His blind brother gave a bitter laugh. “Oh, he said more than something.”

He sighed. “So who was it this time?”

“Kestrelflight! That absolute mouse-brain! I wanted to shred his pelt for what he said!” he hissed angrily.

“Surely it couldn't have been that bad...” he said unsure.

“Oh it was bad Lionblaze,” he snorted. “You would have had to be restrained if you heard the things that tom was saying about Firestar.” Lionblaze's gaze hardened. Of course they had brought Firestar up at the meeting.

“Remember that day when I told you all about the dream I had?” Lionblaze gave a meow of affirmative. How could he forget? It was only an omen of bad things to come, with Firestar apparently turning into some giant creature that set the lake on fire, no big deal.

“They all received the same dream last night.” Ah, there it was, the feeling of Lionblaze's blood running cold. They hadn't received the dream well themselves, but the other clans finding out?

“Kestrelflight was absolutely convinced that Firestar is going to become some kind of monster and that the dream confirmed that he was a problem that needs to get taken care of.”

“What?!” Well, Jayfeather was right. He would have had to have been restrained if he were at the meeting. Too bad there aren't many cats that could actually restrain him, cause he would have launched himself at the Windclan medicine cat.

“But wait, there's more,” Jayfeather said sarcastically. “He was calling Firestar an it, a thing, like he had no right to exist.”

Well Windclan was lucky he followed the warrior code.

“Anyway, I need to speak to Firestar about this.”

Lionblaze gave him a look of alarm, even thought the medicine cat couldn't see it. “Wait, we're telling him about the dream? Wouldn't that just freak him out more?”

“We need to tell him or he'll wonder why the clans are acting like they hate him for no reason,” Jayfeather sighed.

Who was he trying to fool? The clans acted like they hated Firestar for different reasons anyway.

They walked up to the leaders' den together, to see Brambleclaw exiting and stretching out his body, giving a big yawn. He blinked as he noticed them coming towards him. “What's gotten you both so riled up this early? Did something happen at the Moonpool?”

“Were- were you sleeping in the leaders' den all night?” Lionblaze asked suspiciously.

“Firestar is more comfortable when we're all with him, so we thought we could give him some company last night.”

“We?”

“Yeah, me, Sandstorm, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight.”

Jayfeather snickered. “Of course, because one of those cats is his mate and the others are his precious hatchlings.”

Lionblaze blinked, Brambleclaw's ears going red in embarrassment. “Hatchling?” he tested the word on his tongue. “Is that some alternate word for kit?”

Brambleclaw gave a fake cough. “Is there something you needed or...?” he tried diverting the subject.

Lionblaze snapped back and focused. “We need to speak to Firestar.”

The deputy studied them for a moment, before giving a resigned sigh. Nothing good was going to come out of Jayfeather's report. They ducked into the den, to be met with the sight of Firestar's wings covering up Sandstorm and his daughters.

Lionblaze shuffled his paws, was it warm in here, or was it just him? He envied the four cats; Firestar was apparently a good heater and with leaf-bare coming... If only the clan wasn't so fearful of their leader.

Brambleclaw nosed Firestar awake, and the leader blinked up blearily at the three cats. Lionblaze kept to the entrance of the den, not wanting Firestar to have another bad reaction to him.

“What is it? Did Starclan tell you something at the Moonpool Jayfeather?”

Jayfeather gave a shake of his head. “Starclan didn't come. But something did happen. Remember when Lionblaze and I came to you about the Dark Forest problem?”

Firestar blinked. “Of Tigerstar trying to find more of those stones and by the looks of it, failing?” Of course they patrolled the big rock by themselves, and found multiple broken sticks around the area. Well, Tigerstar was trying, they would give him that. Brambleclaw gave them all a startled look, the news being new to him.

Jayfeather gave a heavy sigh. “I had a dream that day.” So he explained about the dream, about the lake territories being set aflame, about the prophecy, which Firestar tried to keep his groan in, and about the giant creature whose roar of anger still haunted Jayfeather to this day.

“The King's flame... what exactly is a king?” Brambleclaw murmured. Firestar gave a tired shrug. “So we have to prepare for this creature to attack something.... maybe it was attacking the Dark Forest?” Firestar suggested.

Jayfeather and Lionblaze shifted uncomfortably. Firestar's and Brambleclaw's eyes narrowed. “What aren't you telling us?” Firestar asked.

They stood silent before Jayfeather finally spoke up. “That creature I talked about... it had your features Firestar.”

The horror on Firestar's face was apparent. “What?” he gave a shaky whisper.

“Black scales, four wings, same tail as you have, same horns on your head... I'm certain it was you,” Jayfeather said sadly.

“Not only that, but the other medicine cats had that same dream last night, and now Kestrelflight has gotten it into his head that you're a problem that needs to be taken care of and tried convincing the other medicine cats of thinking the same,” he added.

Firestar's mouth worked up and down uselessly, his breathing turning heavy. “They- they think I'm what? Some kind of- of monster?” he whispered brokenly.

It physically pained Lionblaze to see his grandfather so... broken. Firestar looked like he was struggling with himself, thoughts entering his head that only he was privy to.

“Firestar, please calm down. You'll wake the others... and you know what happens if you get too stressed out,” Brambleclaw pleaded. Firestar's eyes shifted over to the tabby. “We don't think you of some kind of monster, you know that.”

“You dont...” Firestar murmured. “But everyone else in the clan...” Lionblaze gave an inward curse. Of course Firestar knew of all the whispers going on in camp. He didn't really think that the clan thought of him as someone who would hurt them right?

'He's not like that!' he screamed in his head.

The stone's red glow caught his attention, and he stiffened as Firestar's eyes flickered to red, looking up at them confused.

Brambleclaw sighed. “Oh no, not again. He always regresses to this state when he gets stressed enough...” He turned to the two brothers. “Thank you for telling us this. I need to stay with him when he's like this.” It was a form of dismissal, and Jayfeather and Lionblaze gave a dip of their heads before leaving.

Before he left, he saw Firestar giving Brambleclaw a sad, but comforting nuzzle, as if Brambleclaw was the one who needed it more. Brambleclaw gave a soft purr and thrust his head underneath Firestar's, to his delight.

That was probably why the four cats slept with Firestar in his den. He certainly looked happier with the four around him.

Chapter Text

“They- they think I'm what? Some kind of- of monster?” he whispered brokenly. The cats in front of him gave him concerned looks, and he averted his eyes. He wasn't a monster! He was-

He was powerful, he was strong. He was meant to be feared, and that was okay. If they weren't okay with him, then he would just squash them. The other clans meant nothing in the grand scheme of life.

What? Of course the clans mean something! He wasn't- he wasn't some uncaring monster that would kill those that opposed him!

Why not?

What were these thoughts-?

They don't matter. My mate and my hatchlings- my treasures- are the only things that matter. Anyone who tries taking them away or makes them unhappy will feel my wrath.

This- this wasn't him. The stone sent a warm pulse throughout his body, and he fought to keep his shudder in.

“Firestar, please calm down. You'll wake the others... and you know what happens if you get too stressed out,” Brambleclaw pleaded. His eyes shifted over to his hatchling. “We don't think you of some kind of monster, you know that.”

“You don't...” Firestar murmured. “But everyone else in the clan...” They were still talking about him and every move and action he made. Nothing he did would ever ease their minds. It wasn't just Thunderclan now, it was everyone around the lake. His transformation would bring war to Thunderclan. Everything was his fault.

Just kill them then. Keeping my treasures safe are all that matters.

He wanted these thoughts to just stop.

A pulse of gentle warmth flooded him, the stone coaxing his mind to forget all his worries. His thoughts were melting away again. Ah, he was regressing again wasn't he? He was beginning to become aware of it happening lately. All of his worries would be washed away, his mindset being reduced to pure instinct, something primal. Surprisingly, it was a nice feeling.

He didn't fight the stone's influence this time. He just... wanted to forget.

Firestar blinked up at the cats in front of him, confused. What were they looking so worried for?

Brambleclaw sighed. “Oh no, not again. He always regresses to this state when he gets stressed enough...” Why was his hatchling talking like he wasn't there? The other two cats gave a dip of their heads before leaving the den.

Brambleclaw turned to him with a sad smile. His hatchling was sad again. He couldn't help but feel as though it was his fault that Brambleclaw looked so defeated. There was obviously nothing to worry about! He didn't need to be scared of or be scared for him. He would never hurt his hatchling, and if anything hurt Brambleclaw or the others, he would defend them until the threat was gone. He gave Brambleclaw a nuzzle, trying to comfort him. His hatchling gave a soft purr and thrust his head underneath Firestar's.

It made Firestar so happy to see his hatchling was no longer shying away from his affections. Usually he would be so stiff!

He felt movement underneath his wings, and he folded them onto his back. Squirrelflight gave a groan at the removal of the heat covering her and gave a yawn. Leafpool got up and stretched out her body while Sandstorm's eyelids fluttered. He gave her face a few licks, and she giggled at the ticklish feeling and opened her eyes. She too gave him a sad smile upon seeing his red eyes.

She turned to Brambleclaw. “What happened this time?”

“Ah... Jayfeather came back from the Moonpool and didn't have... exactly good news to share,” Brambleclaw explained.

Firestar meanwhile, reached over and started rasping his tongue over Squirrelflight's head. Her fur was all tussled on her head. “Father, I can do that myself!” she groaned, but nevertheless gave him a lick in return. This was all he wanted; his mate and hatchlings together where he could watch over them.

Leafpool touched her muzzle onto his head, avoiding his horns in the process. “Go back to sleep father. The clan can survive a bit without you,” she urged him. Well if she insisted...

Sandstorm squeaked as his wings unfolded and wrapped around her frame and pulled her close to her mate. “I don't think he'll be letting me go anytime soon,” she joked. His hatchlings give him affectionate licks before stepping out of the den. He watched them as they left, hoping that they would be fine on their own. He closed his eyes let himself drift off.

.

.

.

.

.

.

He blinked his eyes open, feeling well rested. Jayfeather's dream still weighed heavily on his mind, but at least he felt better now. That was, until he noticed where he was.

He muttered a curse under his breath upon seeing the dark, murky forest in front of him. He glared up at the sky; no moon or stars. He knew where this was.

“Poor kittypet, lost every bit of respect within the clans.” Firestar's eyes narrowed at the evil tabby emerging from the rotten undergrowth. Maybe he could get out of here if he closed his eyes and went back to sleep. It would certainly be better than being here with Tigerstar of all cats.

Tigerstar kept his distance, but there was a mocking smile gracing his muzzle. “That form doesn't suit you kittypet.”

“It wouldn't exactly suit you either, what's your point?” Firestar drawled.

“That power is utterly wasted on you,” Tigerstar hissed. He suddenly smirked. “And yet...”

“What do you want? I'm not in the mood to be playing your games,” Firestar hissed at him. His wings flared out, trying to make him more threatening. He lashed his tail, making deep gouges into the earth below him.

Tigerstar gave a dark chuckle. “Such a pretty little beast you've become.”

Firestar gaped at him, before he gave the tabby a furious glare. “How dare you! The only beast here is you, you murderer. You would have killed us all already if this had happened to you,” he spat.

“Perhaps I would have,” he meowed nonchalantly. “But at least I'm not the one whose a monster.”

Not a monster, not a monster, not a monster, not a monster, I'm not just some monster! I'm-

But what if he was? He had apparently almost killed Onestar in his rage, made his clan and the other clans feel threatened by his presence.

“They all think so don't they? Your precious clan doesn't trust you anymore, Windclan wants you gone, and the other two will be wanting the same soon.” Tigerstar smirked at him. “Even those close to you will hate you. Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Sandstorm, Brambleclaw; they'll all blame you for their troubles.”

Firestar flinched, wondering if he was right. His treasures wouldn't leave him... right?

“Enough.”

A bright light blinded the two, and Tigerstar gave an enraged hiss as the light burned him. It died down, and Firestar's eyes widened at seeing the Starclan cats standing off against Tigerstar. Tallstar bared his fangs at him, Bluestar gave Tigerstar a growl, and Yellowfang nudged Firestar further into the forest.

“Well, look at you. You're even taller and bigger than Tigerstar now,” Yellowfang purred as they walked off. Firestar gave her a startled look, wondering why she was so calm near him. Cats usually treated him with wariness...

“Don't listen to Tigerstar, Firestar. You're not a monster. You've been given a gift that will help the clans for generations to come,” Bluestar said.

“What kind of gift is this?” he cried. “I'm bringing possible war to Thunderclan! My own clan tiptoes around me like I'm easy to set off! What if he's right? They'll all leave me in the end!” Would his treasures be better off without him? Without him they wouldn't be dragged into the mess he made. A mess he made by existing.

Tallstar touched his muzzle to Firestar's head. “I think you'll find that your loved ones will never leave you. You have the power to protect them better than ever before.” Tallstar paused, thinking. “I'm sorry for Onestar's behavior. I wanted Windclan and Thunderclan to help each other in times of need, and instead of helping you get through this, he has convinced others to scorn you.” He gave a heavy sigh. “Perhaps I never should have chosen him at the last heartbeat.”

“Not your fault that Onestar turned into a mouse-brain,” Yellowfang snorted.

“Anyway, we are here for you Firestar. Never give up your faith in your clan and loved ones. They will always be there for you, just like we watch over everyone from Starclan,” Bluestar meowed warmly.

He blinked, and suddenly he was back in his nest within the leaders' den. He stared off into the distance, mulling over their words. Why wait so long to tell him he had support? He sucked in a breath through his teeth as the stone sent out a pulse of heat that washed over him. His head throbbed and pulsed.

Don't trust them.

His eyes narrowed. Liars.

Chapter Text

Firestar padded through the undergrowth idly, not paying any attention to his surroundings. He could make out talk from the camp, which worried him, since before he could be outside camp and not hear the whispers. But now his hearing was getting stronger.

So was his sense of smell, as he scented a mouse scamper by him and he swiftly but gently pierced it with his tail. It shocked him, being so familiar and graceful with his new body. He wanted his body back to the way it was before, to be normal again, not for this to be his new normal!

“You're getting better at that.” His hearing was so good that he wasn't at all startled at Brambleclaw coming up behind him. He could hear his pawsteps coming at him from a little ways away. He wasn't sure if there was anything that could sneak up on him now.

He turned around to face Brambleclaw, a careful neutral look on his eyes. Brambleclaw hesitated, a worried look on his face. He fidgeted a little, not sure if what he said was wrong.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked softly.

Firestar waved his tail. “It's just... I don't want to be better with this body. I just want everything back to the way it was.” He sat down on his haunches. “Back when the clans weren't watching my every move and waiting and wondering when I'd kill them all. Back when the cats in my own clan weren't scared of me.” He turned his head to face Brambleclaw again. “Is that petty and selfish of me? To hate this body despite all the power it gives me?”

Brambleclaw was silent, trying to think of a response. He finally lifted his head up to meet Firestar's eyes. “I... would definitely be a lot happier if the clan treated me normally instead of tiptoeing around me if I were in your paws. And I wouldn't want some stone to put new thoughts and instincts into my head either. I don't think it's petty or selfish of you to want to be you again.”

To be himself again... his thoughts were jumbled lately, and he was never sure if he was ever really himself anymore. Half of him hates what he's become and the other half... wants him to embrace who he now was.

He didn't want to embrace this new self- the side of him that would mercilessly kill everyone to keep his loved ones safe. Of course he wanted them safe, but he didn't want to hurt anyone. It just wasn't him.

But he would rip anyone apart if they dared hurt what was rightfully his, friend or foe alike.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as he felt a rough tongue rasp itself over his head, trying to avoid his horns. His eyes focused onto Brambleclaw, who gave him a worried look.

“You just stood there and stared off into the distance again. The stone isn't doing anything to you again is it?” Brambleclaw meowed.

“...I don't even know anymore,” he said resigned. “I can't tell if it's the stone, or if it's me. I can't tell which thoughts are my own anymore.”

Brambleclaw wasn't sure what to say to lift up Firestar's spirits. It just seemed that the stone would be forever implanted into Firestar, instilling thoughts and instincts that might not ever stop. He frowned as a thought came to him; what if the stone didn't stop at warping Firestar's mind? What if it continued to change his body? Jayfeather's warning of the giant creature with Firestar's feature came to mind. What if that was why he had sounded so angry and set the lake territories on fire- because he was angry and sad that his body had changed so drastically that he was forever out of reach from the cats he lived with? With the stone messing with Firestar's head, it seemed like something he might do.

“I can't say for certain anymore that the clan supports you but I'll never stop believing in you. I know you aren't some monster; you're still the same deep down, you've just... grown some wings and scales and horns. But that won't change who you really are,” Brambleclaw said softly.

Firestar looked at him, a soft purr rising in his throat. A burst of affection washed over him and he reached over and gave Brambleclaw's head a few licks. “Hatchling...” he murmured. Brambleclaw lifted his head, startled at the name Firestar had given him. But Firestar was too enamored with Brambleclaw's eyes to notice. He never noticed that his hatchling had such a lovely set of amber eyes. They were so shiny, like an actual piece of amber!

“Firestar?”

“Hm?” Firestar's body swayed lightly, affection for his hatchling warming him in up inside.

“Why do you call me that?”

“Call you what?”

Brambleclaw hesitated before opening his mouth. “Why do you call me hatchling?”

Firestar blinked, trying to wake up from his trance. His eye twitched a little. 'Please don't tell me I called him hatchling without thinking!' he groaned in his head. He knew the day would come where he would just spout it out without thinking, he knew!

“I... did I actually call you hatchling?” he fretted.

Brambleclaw titled his head confused. “Is that some other word for kit? Because you know you're not actually my father right?” he tried joking.

“More than a father to you than Tigerstar ever was...” Firestar growled, his eyes briefly flashing red.

Brambleclaw gave a sad purr. “It's the stone again isn't it? It's making you think differently again?” Now that he mentioned it... Firestar titled his head to stare down at the stone, which was glowing lightly and sending out weak waves of warmth through his body.

He had spout out things without thinking, but that didn't mean... He didn't want to admit that maybe what he said were his own thoughts this time.

“I'm... not sure if those thoughts in particular were put there by the stone,” he said embarrassed. “Maybe it only amplified them...” Firestar trailed off.

Brambleclaw went rigid, processing his words. Firestar thought him as his own son? Brambleclaw shuffled his paws, wondering what to do with this new information.

Firestar wilted; he should have kept his mouth shut shouldn't he? Now Brambleclaw was going to be awkward around him.

'Wonderful, another relationship I just ruined!'

He moved to get up and walked away, embarrassed, when Brambleclaw blocked his path. “Firestar, I- I don't mind really. You're right, you've been there for me more than Tigerstar could ever hope to claim.”

Firestar looked down, ashamed. “I'm sorry. I just- these new instincts-” he tried explaining.

“Honestly, it kind of made sense. Why else would you be so affectionate towards me?” Brambleclaw purred.

Firestar gave a weak purr in response and turned to the forgotten mouse that near his paws, and buried it. “I could use some time away from all of this.”

“Hunting?” Brambleclaw asked.

Firestar brushed past him and gestured towards the woods beyond. “Shall we?” It would be nice to not talk about the weirdness worming its way into their lives. He just wanted one sun-high to relax.

“You know, I think Jayfeather had more to say about what happened at the Moonpool,” Brambleclaw said as he followed Firestar.

“Oh?” he gestured for Brambleclaw to elaborate.

“He said the medicine cats had that specific dream but didn't say if he dreamed it again. Maybe he saw something else and didn't have the chance to tell us?”

Because he had broken down at the thought of the other clans waging war against Thunderclan, all to get back at him. But Jayfeather said that he already received that same dream before the half-moon meeting and never said he saw it again. Maybe he did see something else. He would have to talk to Jayfeather later.

For now, he just wanted to relax.

Chapter Text

The whispers about him had died down thankfully. Firestar still got the occasion stare and whisper but all gossip about the foxes and his appearance eventually died down for newer gossip. The newest thing being Brightheart moving into the nursery with Cloudtail's kits.

He had wanted to congratulate his nephew for becoming a father once again, but only away from the nursery. He felt like the queens wouldn't be too receptive of him anymore, not because they hated him but because he was dangerous. No matter how much control or gentleness he displayed, his claws, scales, and tail could potentially hurt someone, especially newborn kits. It wasn't like he could sheath his claws anymore; they were so big that they were permanent fixtures on his paws.

If he could even call them paws anymore...

He had caught Cloudtail alone and gave him his congratulations. The fluffy white tom had given him a shaky smile in turn which Firestar had noticed right away. Cloudtail had left before it had gotten too awkward between them. What happened? His relationship with Cloudtail had been rocky at times, but never this bad.

They all still feared him; but tried masking it with a sense of normalcy. Now things were just awkward whenever he tried talking to someone in the clan. Or he was just flat out ignored.

He would rather be ignored than be talked about behind his back. Which was why he finally stopped hiding away in his den or outside camp and decided it was a good time to see Jayfeather and ask about what really happened at the Moonpool.

He shouldered his way into the den, trying to keep his wings folded tightly on his back so they didn't take up much space. Briarlight picked her head up and gave him a surprised look. Jayfeather was in the back, sorting different herbs.

“Jayfeather.” The gray tom's ears pricked and he turned his sightless gaze onto Firestar. He felt a nagging feeling in his head, like something was poking at him. The stone blazed angrily before the nagging feeling went away and Jayfeather gave a pained hiss as he stumbled backwards.

“Jayfeather!” Briarlight cried. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Ahhhh... go outside and do some exercises Briarlight,” Jayfeather groaned.

“But-”

“Just do it! I need to talk to Firestar, alone,” he emphasized. She stared at him for a few heartbeats, before she slowly made her way out of the medicine den, giving Jayfeather one last worried glance before departing.

“Okay, what was that about?” Firestar exclaimed.

Jayfeather took in a deep breath, trying to stop the throbbing in his head. “I tried looking into your mind. Something kicked me out.”

Firestar looked down at the stone, which at that point had stopped glowing and returned to its usual color. “I don't think the stone likes you,” he meowed with a wince.

Jayfeather flicked an ear, surprised. “The stone was the one that kicked me out? It's like it has a mind of its own!” Firestar shifted gazes from Jayfeather to the stone and then back again warily. The fact that the stone had enough possible sentience to detect and kick Jayfeather out of his head was worrying. It was already doing so much to his body already. What even was this thing?!

“Anyway, what are you here for? Is the stone doing anything weird to you again, besides apparently being a mental wall?” the medicine cat grumpily asked.

“Ah, besides my senses getting stronger? I'm not here for that though.”

“Are your senses getting to Dovewing-levels of hearing?” he asked uncaringly.

“Getting there,” Firestar said amused. He quickly schooled his face into a serious expression. “You said that the other medicine cats had the same dream that you had way before the meeting.”

“What about it?”

“...You weren't done telling us everything about the meeting were you? You never claimed to have the same dream as the others that night.” Jayfeather was silent. “What did you see?”

“Well, I didn't see the destruction of the clans for one.” The blind tom rolled his eyes. “I did see something else. But I didn't get to tell you before you went feral on me.”

Firestar cringed. He really didn't mean to; it wasn't something he could control. The stone decided whether to do it for him. “I'm sorry about that.” He bowed his head, even though Jayfeather couldn't see it. Something inside him told him to keep his head up, and he brought his head up just as quick as he bowed it. He shouldn't be bowing to anyone-!

He blinked; that thought made no sense. He still needed to show respect when it was due! What was the stone trying to instill in him?

Jayfeather gave a drawn out sigh. “I was back in Thunderclan territory, and a large patrol consisting of cats I knew and cats I didn't know went past me. Many of them were carrying prey of different sizes. I followed them to a clearing and...” His sightless gaze burned into Firestar. “I saw that creature again. Or should I say, I saw you.”

Firestar kept his shudder inside. He didn't like the implication of him turning into some giant creature.

“You were peaceful actually. The clan was gathered around and sharing prey like it was an everyday occurrence. You seemed happy to see Brambleclaw and Sandstorm especially. You were gentle with them,” Jayfeather continued.

“And.. what of Squirrelflight and Leafpool?” he asked worried. Shouldn't all his treasures be with him, even in a dream?

Jayfeather twitched his whiskers. “I didn't see them. I was more focused on you than trying to pick out who was in the crowd.”

“I see.”

“That was all I saw before I woke up.”

Firestar contemplated what the dream meant. Even as a giant creature, he was still apart of Thunderclan it seemed. In one dream, he was a destroyer, and the other... was he still leader? Would Starclan and the other clans allow him to continue leading the clan as some giant beast? Was it possible to be some kind of guardian?

For the first time in what felt like moons, he was filled with hope at the idea of Thunderclan giving him support and acting like they did with him before his transformation. This dream could prove that he wasn't some monster!

“Think you could present the dream to the other clans when the Gathering comes?” he asked hopefully.

Jayfeather gave him a conflicted look. “I'm not sure I can do that.”

“What? Why not?” Firestar asked alarmed.

“I don't think anyone will listen to me. When I tried convincing Kestrelflight you weren't some monster, he accused me of defending you on the basis of us being kin. The others didn't look too sure of themselves either. I'm the only one who received this dream in particular while the others got the other one. I can't prove my dream is real unfortunately; they'll only think I'm trying to shield you,” he said bitterly.

Firestar gave an inward curse. The other clans could just say Jayfeather was a liar, trying to defend his kin. And with no one sharing the same dream to back him up...

“We still have to try. I won't let Thunderclan be attacked because of some dream!” he declared.

“Especially with the Dark Forest looming over us,” Jayfeather commented. The medicine cat padded forward, using his whiskers to feel along Firestar's head. He tried giving the space behind his ear a lick, when they both felt his tongue go over something that wasn't fur.

“What- what did you just touch?”

“I- I don't know.” Jayfeather felt around Firestar's head with his paw. It felt like Jayfeather was touching something solid on his head. It frustrated Firestar because he couldn't see in that area.

“It's some kind of nub or lump...” Jayfeather gave a frustrated hiss, his blindness being a hindrance. Jayfeather led Firestar to the small pool of water he kept in the den and titled Firestar's head so he could see better.

“Can you describe what's on you or can you still not see?”

But Firestar was staring into the water in horror, his mouth working up and down uselessly.

“Firestar?”

“It's... it's a horn.”

Chapter Text

Further examination of his body yielded another another horn that was growing behind his other ear. They were small, just peeking out of his fur, but if one looked close enough, they would know right away what they were. The clan wouldn't really know since they never looked that closely at him before, and they would just pass it off as something they never noticed before. But the horns hadn't been there before, and cats would start to notice when they started growing larger.

Horns. He was growing horns. His body was still changing. There was a feeling in him, ever since Jayfeather informed him about the dream, that maybe the stone wasn't done changing him yet. Now he knew it was inevitable. He really was going to become some giant creature wasn't he?

He knew it was coming, but it didn't erase the terror he felt deep down. He didn't want his body to change so drastically. He didn't want to be different from the clans. From his own clan. How was he to maintain his relationships when he was some big scaly monster? He obviously couldn't keep living inside the camp if he continued changing- could he even still be Thunderclan's leader?

What was he going to do?

“Well, you're certainly thinking hard aren't you?” He didn't turn around from where he was sitting besides a stream somewhere in Thunderclan territory. He already heard her coming in his direction, her pawsteps echoing in his ears. He briefly wondered if this was how Dovewing felt everyday with her super hearing.

The she-cat sat besides him, looking into the water with him. Her green eyes contrasted with her black pelt heavily. Hollyleaf, his granddaughter.

“You know I don't think I've ever seen you this subdued in my entire life. What happened to the strong, confident leader who wasn't afraid of standing up for what was right? Or were those more tall tales from the elders?”

“No, the stories aren't wrong. I'm just...” He struggled to find the words to explain. Hollyleaf knew about the prophecy and of the Dark Forest's rise. She didn't know about the new prophecy or about Jayfeather's dream as far as he was aware.

“You're just scared of your new body?” she snorted. “It's been almost a whole moon since you've changed and you're still acting like a scared mouse.”

He felt a wave of irritation roll over him. His granddaughter didn't understand what he was going through; no one did. She didn't have to deal with an entirely new body with some stone implanting new instincts and thoughts into her head. She hadn't gain the animosity of the clans by existing.

“Look, I know what it's like to be ostracized in the clans. I killed Ashfur remember?” she meowed, bitterness evident in her voice. Whether it was because she felt remorse for killing him or because she still hated the tom, he didn't know.

But she was right- she had been ostracized by the clan after the revelation of just what she had done- but not for a moon. The clan was wary of her for not even a quarter moon before they started warming up to her.

Here he was, still trying to get the clan to be okay with him again after about a moon for being the way he was now. He stayed silent, continuing to stare into his reflection.

Hollyleaf gave a sigh. “You shouldn't be acting like this. It's not like you've killed anyone yet.”

“Key word being yet,” he grumbled.

“So? Every cat in Thunderclan has the capacity to kill someone in the future. Look at me, everyone thought I was the ultimate code abider, that I would never kill anything but prey because the code says you don't need to kill to win a battle. And then I ended up killing Ashfur,” she meowed.

“And not every cat in Thunderclan has two prophecies and two dreams weighing over their heads, telling them that they're going to become some giant monster that might end up destroying the clans,” he fretted. Hollyleaf was stunned into silence, not having been told about there being another prophecy.

“There's another prophecy?” she squeaked.

“Point being,” he bit out, “is that there's a lot of things going on in the background that cats aren't aware of.” He was so tired of dealing with everything that happens to the clans. Being leader wasn't an easy task. Stepping down as leader and taking his treasures somewhere peaceful sounded like such a nice idea at this point. All they would have to worry about was getting enough prey in their stomachs. “I'm just- I'm so tired. This scales and wings thing isn't helping,” he murmured.

Hollyleaf took a look at her grandfather, and saw how... tired he looked.

“I know you're trying to get me to stand up on my paws again, and I appreciate it Hollyleaf. But things aren't always that simple.”

Hollyleaf took him by surprise by leaning into him. She had never really shown him much affection before- heck, all his grandkits hadn't really shown much affection before his changes.

“You know the clan doesn't actually fear you right? It's just that everything about this is so unknown to them and they don't know how to handle it. But they don't actually fear you. They know you wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone,” she said softly.

He wished he could believe her. But something else about him would come up and then the clan would go right back to fearing him.

Hollyleaf nudged him to his paws. “Come on, no use moping out here like a kit who lost his moss ball. Show me how you hunt like this! Or show me how you fly, I don't know, just do something other than look depressed all the time!”

“I don't look depressed all the time,” he pouted.

“Sure you don't,” she said teasingly. He gave a purr and decided, why not? Hollyleaf felt comfortable around him and he was thankful for that.

She was in awe over how gentle he had to be with his prey. Him being gentle was the equivalent of a cat being somewhat rough. He had to exercise control at all times.

Spending time with his granddaughter warmed him up significantly and he was content as they walked back into camp with a load of prey. She waved her tail at him and bounded off to speak with Cinderheart and Poppyfrost by the warriors' den.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sandstorm wave him over with her tail, and he almost bolted back into the leaders' den when he saw that there were other cats with her. Just because he was comfortable with being around certain cats didn't mean he wasn't awkward around others. Nevertheless he walked up to her and sat down by her side, her purrs of pride warming him up.

Graystripe plopped down onto his other side. “Geez, it's like you never come to visit me anymore! You aren't wasting the day away flying when you could be hanging out with me are you?” he joked.

“Like you don't waste the day away eating and sleeping, you elder,” he joked back. Graystripe gave a fake offended gasp and bat his tail against Firestar's leg. Firestar hardly felt it. Graystripe gave a grimace.

“Ow! Yeah, I'm not doing that again. What are you even made out of?” Graystripe laughed.

“Scales apparently.”

The cats around him purred and laughed, and for the first time since he changed, he felt wanted within the clan. They were all comfortable with each other, no awkwardness exuding from their conversations.

He made sure to cherish the moment.

Chapter Text

There was a sense of unease as Firestar watched his warriors prepare themselves for tonight's Gathering. He couldn't believe that he had been the way he was for over a moon now. A whole moon of being no closer to figuring out where the stone came from or how to reverse what had been done to him. He had figured out that the stone was still changing him though.

He couldn't keep his changing body a secret forever, so he had come clean about the new horns to his treasures. They all responded with worry and concern for him. He hated making them unhappy. He truly hated what was happening to him, because his family was always concerned for his own wellbeing when before he hadn't needed it. He was supposed to take care of and protect them; he was the leader- the last to eat and the first cat to battle- not them.

Thankfully as time went on, his clan eventually stopped with the gossip and moved on with newer gossip. They were still wary around him, but his clan weren't showing outright fear anymore.

(He wanted to believe so badly that the small amount of fear in their eyes when some cats saw him was just due to his wings or claws and not because of him specifically.)

But just because his clan had warmed up to him and all but forgot about the fox incident, didn't mean the other three clans would feel the same way. No doubt Onestar was going to bring up the battle that he didn't remember and he would have no real way of denying what he had done. He probably would have killed the Windclan leader had Sandstorm not intervened.

Brambleclaw padded over to him, an ear swiveled over to listen the cats talk amicably. “Are you feeling uneasy as well?”

“Well, I have no doubt that Onestar will try something tonight. The best I can hope for is that he's too fearful of what happened and doesn't bring it up tonight,” he snorted. He didn't like the idea of anyone being afraid of him, but if Windclan's silence gave his clan some peace, it would be worth it.

They should all be fearing me anyway.

Not again-

“I doubt that Windclan will back down after what happened last time,” the deputy spoke uneasily.

Firestar lifted his head up to stare at the moon. He could see a few stray clouds moving towards it, and he gave a grimace. Seems like Starclan was already prepared to stop the Gathering before it even began. If he was right about this Gathering going awry, then perhaps the clouds covering the moon would be a good thing for them. But it would also mean the Gathering would end on a bad note....

The leader lifted his tail, and his cats stood ready as he walked to the front of the group and raced out of camp, his warriors following steadily behind.

Sandstorm came up beside him. “I have a really bad feeling,” she meowed.

“So do I,” he grimaced.

“Be careful when you're up there tonight, okay?” she meowed softly. He gave her a nod as they stopped by the the bridge to the island. He allowed his warriors to scale over the log before bounding over to join them on the other side. He kept his head held up high as Thunderclan strode into the clearing, the eyes of the other three clans on them.

Show them. Show them all.

His wings gave a twitch of agitation. He was feeling a little rebellious tonight. His wings opened up and he flew up the Great Oak, landing on the branch that the other leaders sat on. He made sure to land away from them, knowing that they probably wouldn't react well to him being near them.

He blinked, even wondering why he had flown up at all. In hindsight, it wasn't the best idea, because one glance told him that Onestar's fur was bristling, and Blackstar and Mistystar looked intimidated. Perhaps showing off an ability even as small as flying was a bad idea. Their opinions of him probably just dropped even more tonight.

There was no need for any of the cats below to be called to attention, for everyone was watching the leaders with baited breath. The tension was so thick in the air, Firestar thought he could cut it with his claws.

“You have some nerve showing your face tonight, after what you did,” Onestar said in a heated hiss.

“I'm Thunderclan's leader aren't I? I think I have a right to be here just as much as you do,” Firestar hissed. “And I don't see what I've done wrong. The only thing I've done so far is defend my territory from those who seek to move the border in a weird show of defiance and dominance.”

“You almost killed me!”

“I- I'm sorry about that. I wasn't exactly... in control of myself,” Firestar retorted.

Blackstar finally intervened. “Are you saying that you're losing control during battle?” he asked, skeptical.

Firestar hesitated, not wanting to admit that he could regress into a primal state at anytime. “It doesn't matter. I'm getting a hang of controlling my powers.”

“So not only did you almost kill Onestar in a fit of rage, but you also single-pawedly killed two foxes without injury?” Blackstar inquired.

“It wasn't in a fit of rage!” he tried denying. “And what does this have to do with anything?”

“He's trying to deny everything! I told you it's not him!” Onestar hissed.

“Now, let's just calm down,” Mistystar said. She turned to face Firestar. “It's just... you've shown that you aren't very... stable,” she struggled to get out.

Firestar narrowed his eyes. “What are you going on about?”

Onestar opened his mouth only to have Blackstar shove his tail into it. Onestar glared at the Shadowclan leader, who gave him a glare back. He locked eyes with Firestar. “What we're saying is that maybe you should step down as leader.”

Step down... as leader? He could only stare ahead as the words reverberated in his head. They wanted him to step down? Down below in the clearing, Thunderclan angrily voiced their opposition.

“Your transformation has shifted the balance of power towards Thunderclan. Plus your clan would benefit from a leader that isn't prone to killing those that stand in his way,” Blackstar fumbled, hoping that Firestar wouldn't turn around and use his claws on them right then and there.

Firestar felt a burst of rage and anger rise within him. How dare these cats tell him to step down when he had done nothing wrong! He could feel the stone's rage mix with his own, heat rushing through his body. He forced down the fire that was welling up in his throat.

“I've done nothing wrong and you want me to step down?” he said incredulous. He slowly glared at them. “You don't get to tell me what is best for Thunderclan. I decide that. The battle and the thing with the foxes were accidents!” Blackstar and Mistystar fidgeted uncomfortably under his glare.

“See how he's not even trying to be cooperative with us? I keep telling you this isn't him.” His gaze shifted to Onestar, staring defiantly back at him. Onestar's ears flattened against his head. “You're not Firestar are you? You're just some monster wearing his fur.”

Firestar gaped at him, surprised at his audacity.

“Our medicine cats have already informed us about what happened at the Moonpool. It's clear to see what you are and you can't hide it anymore can you? You're only going to end up destroying us all!” Onestar spat at him lowly.

“Jayfeather had a different dream from the other medicine cats-”

“Of course he did! He's just trying to cover for your sorry tail!” Mistystar and Blackstar were starting to look more and more uncomfortable as the two leaders growled at each other.

“How dare you! He's not a monster!” Brambleclaw yowled up at the Windclan leader, not wanting to be silent any longer. The Thunderclan cats and the Windclan cats squared off against each other, growling and hissing insults. Firestar was genuinely afraid a fight would break out over him, at a Gathering no less!

“Look at the moon!” someone yowled out. Out of the corner of Firestar's eye, he could see clouds covering up the moon and reducing the amount of moonlight bathing the clearing. Firestar continued to glare into Onestar.

“This Gathering is over,” he declared. He spread his wings and launched himself off the Great Oak towards his clan. As his clan was rounded up and moved to leave, he heard Onestar call down to him from the Great Oak.

“We'll give you some time to step down. If not, we'll make you step down.” Firestar made no move to acknowledge him, trying his best to not cry out at the intense burning the stone was pushing through him.

They have no business telling me what to do. If they want a battle, they'll get one.

He felt intense rage at these cats. How dare he... calling him a monster. He wasn't a monster, he wasn't-! No, he couldn't release his fire here!

Sandstorm raced up beside him and he turned his head to gaze at her with haunted eyes. “I'm- I'm not a monster... right?”

“Don't listen to Onestar; he's clearly lost it,” Sandstorm gave a soft hiss. His body gave a violent tremble and he struggled to not breakdown in front of his cats. He really was bringing war to Thunderclan.

“We're still here for you. No one here thinks of you as a monster, because you're not,” she emphasized.

That's right... he still had his precious treasures. They were the only things that mattered. As long as they were safe and protected, who cared what the other clans thought of him?

Jayfeather padded up to his other side, his head bowed. “I'm sorry, I tried convincing the other medicine cats about the dream but...” They didn't believe him, of course. They hadn't even let Firestar get a word in before accusing him of being dangerous.

“You tried your best Jayfeather,” he said defeated.

Jayfeather gaze at him with sightless eyes. “I'm sorry for getting your hopes up,” he said before falling back into the crowd of Thunderclan cats.

“What dream did Jayfeather have?” Sandstorm asked in a hush whisper.

“...It doesn't matter anymore,” Firestar meowed.

Chapter Text

Firestar didn't know what to do. The Gathering was still fresh in his mind, even after a few days had passed. He knew how dangerous he had become, but that didn't mean he wanted to hurt anyone. He had been trying his best to curb his primal instincts and thoughts, the ones that wanted him to tear apart those that he saw as threats.

A lot of cats were considered threats, especially the ones that threatened his treasures. It was why he had attacked Onestar in the first place, because he was clearly aiming to hurt Sandstorm without remorse. Not only that, but he was trying to impose himself on Thunderclan territory. In Firestar's eyes, him attacking Onestar was valid, and it would have been no different if it had happened a few moons ago. But since he had wings, scales, and the like, everything was suddenly different.

He couldn't deny that his changes had indeed tipped the balance of power in Thunderclan's favor. He never asked for it though...

Now everything over the last moon had culminated to this point and was about to drop onto his head. He had brought war to Thunderclan for existing and because he previously didn't have the control that he now has.

So of course the whispers and gossip had started back up again, wondering if Firestar was in the right condition to lead them. Some of the more outspoken warriors agreed with the other clans, that Firestar should step down; he was too dangerous.

He must have been living in some cruel alternate reality if half of his clan wanted him gone.

“We're not going to let them do anything to you. You've done nothing wrong,” Brambleclaw said resolute.

“Onestar's lost it,” Squirrelflight commented from besides her former mate.

Firestar was silent for a few moments before he finally lifted his head. “I know you're all worried about me, but really, I'll be fine. They... can't do much to hurt me anyway. Just worry more about yourselves okay?”

“No.” His gaze trailed over to Graystripe. “You've done all you can to protect and lead us for all these moons. It's our turn to protect you now,” he said, uncharacteristically serious.

“I don't need you all getting hurt or killed for my sake!” he snapped. He would never forgive himself if they died trying to defend him. All of this nonsense would stop if he just stepped down...

Nearby, Dovewing pricked up her ears. “They're coming. And there's a lot of them,” she reported. He didn't need Dovewing to tell him that; his ears had already picked up their thundering pawsteps as they approached the Thunderclan camp. All around him, his warriors prepared themselves for a possible battle, the elders and queens tucked away safely inside their dens to avoid the possible fight. Some of the warriors carried themselves with the look of a cat that didn't want to fight something so trivial, others were nervous. Others were mad, and Firestar wasn't sure if it was because they were angry that the other clans wanted him to step down or because they were angry that they had to defend someone that they no longer wanted as leader. He hoped it wasn't the latter.

Sandstorm pressed her pelt to his, scared that if she moved away from him, she would lose her mate to the angry clans coming at them. He couldn't help but share her fear. He had no idea what to expect on this day. The best he could hope for was a peaceful compromise.

But if anyone tried hurting her or his hatchlings... all bets were off.

The other leaders strode into their camp, their warriors behind them. Firestar noted with alarm that they were heavily outnumbered. Would his new form be able to fend off so many cats by himself? He narrowed his eyes at the lack of Windclan warriors. He thought that Onestar was the one that hated him the most, so why would he not bring all his warriors with him?

He tore himself away from Sandstorm's side and padded up to meet them. He tried convincing himself in his head that there was nothing they could do to hurt him, and they couldn't just tell him to step down. Starclan would still see him as leader unless he stepped down willingly.

He stood a few tail lengths away from them. “You know I have no intention of stepping down. I've done nothing wrong in Starclan's eyes for me to do so.”

Onestar looked ready to object when Blackstar roughly pulled him aside. “Do you want him to lunge at us? Let us do the talking,” he whispered to Onestar harshly with a hiss. Onestar growled but said nothing.

Blackstar exchanged a wary look with Mistystar. “We know you aren't going to step down willingly,” Blackstar said slowly. His fur bristled when Firestar's glare turned frosty, the ginger leader slipping into a defensive stance.

“Which is why we're offering a compromise!” Mistystar added in hastily. Firestar's ears pricked, as did the rest of his clan. Onestar's expression turned even sourer than possible.

“You can continue being leader of your clan, but you must promise to never raise a claw should the clans attack Thunderclan, or should Thunderclan attack any of the clans,” Mistystar meowed.

It... sounded reasonable. His cats muttered to themselves, contemplating the offer. Firestar gave a frown, thinking it over. “You're asking me that should Thunderclan be attacked, I can't help defend my own clan. How do I know you won't just attack my clan after this deal is made?”

“As long as everyone sticks to their side of the border, which we will, everything should be fine,” Blackstar said.

Their attentions were drew to Onestar, who gave out a furious hiss of outrage. “We're just going to let him stay leader of this clan despite all that he's done?! Can't you see he's been replaced by some monster?” he spat out.

Blackstar twitched his whiskers into a frown. “Didn't I tell you we'd handle this? Besides, he hasn't given us any reason to drive him out, nor has he given any indication that isn't Firestar. What is going on with you?”

“There's nothing wrong with me! I seem to be the only one here with any sense is all. Look at him! He's clearly dangerous!”

“We've established that he's dangerous already. That's why we're making the deal,” Mistystar hissed. “Don't do something mouse-brained!”

Onestar rolled his eyes. “Unbelievable. Guess I have to do everything myself.” He gave Firestar a heated glare, and the ginger and black leader's fur bristled in response. What was Onestar up to?

“Show your true face, monster.” He raised his tail; some kind of signal, and Windclan warriors burst into the clearing, to the shock and surprise of the other three clans. He gave another signal, and some warriors branched off and tackled Sandstorm, who gave a yowl of shock. Firestar whirled around to stare as his mate was pinned underneath the claws of some Windclan warriors.

“Make any sudden moves and she gets it,” Onestar hissed. Thunderclan could only stand there, horrified as one of their own was held under threat of death.

“This wasn't part of the deal!” Blackstar screeched at Onestar. Mistystar gave the Windclan leader a hiss and glare, but otherwise was unable to do anything.

Firestar couldn't hear anything other than his own heartbeat pounding away in his ears. These cats were hurting his mate! The stone let out an angry glow, and a burning hot anger raged though him, mixing with the heat and intensity of the stone's own anger. His vision was clouded with red.

Threatkillthreatkillthreatkillthey'rehurtingherthey'rehurtingmymatekillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillKILLKILLKILL

The Windclan warriors holding down Sandstorm gazed at his red eyes in fear. Everyone around him backed away unsteadily, afraid of what Firestar was going to do.

“You mouse-brains, let her go or he'll actually kill you this time!” Brambleclaw hissed, recognizing the danger. He knew how protective Firestar got over them, and he absolutely felt threatened by the threat of his mate getting killed. The stone had taken him over again.

To Thunderclan's surprise, Firestar spoke. “Get away from her,” he hissed. His voice was deeper, almost bestial.

“Told you it wasn't him,” Onestar muttered smugly, despite his own fear.

Firestar's anger only rose when the foolish cats didn't get off his mate. If they wouldn't listen to him, he would make them. He felt his fire rise in his throat, and he willingly let it surface. He opened his jaws slightly to let the flames lick his muzzle, trying to threaten the cats in front of him. His clanmates stepped back in shock, having been unaware of all of Firestar's abilities.

Onestar's gaze hardened and he launched himself forward, not wanting his clanmates to get fried. He remembered the last time Firestar had spat out flames at him. He was determined to rid the clans of the red-eyed monster. So he tackled Firestar. Instead of the flames aiming toward the Windclan warriors, it hit a nearby tree, which quickly caught aflame.

Unlike last time, the fire didn't immediately put itself out. The clans watched in horror as the flames quickly spread.

Thunderclan territory had been engulfed in fire.

Chapter Text

“Everyone get out of the camp now!” Brambleclaw yowled. At his command, everyone streamed out the camp in a rush, some cats pushing and knocking others over in their rush to get away from the flames.

“Where will we go?” Squirrelflight yowled over the panicked screeching.

“Head towards Shadowclan territory!” Blackstar yelled out.

Brambleclaw nodded. “You heard him, everyone get to Shadowclan territory!” He gazed around worriedly at the burning trees around them, hoping that it wouldn't spread to the other clan territories. Running to Shadowclan territory wouldn't do anyone any good if it also caught on fire.

He grew hopeful after taking a glance at the sky, seeing the gray clouds beyond the smoke told him that rain would be coming soon. If they could just stay ahead of the fire and wait for rain, everything would be fine.

After a mad sprint to Shadowclan territory, he checked cats over, many of them huddling together in shock. “Is everyone okay? Are we all here?”

“Cherrypaw!” He and many others turned to a distraught Poppyfrost, who was trying and failing to be comforted by Berrynose. “I can't find Cherrypaw!” she wailed.

“Someone has to go look for her!” Berrynose added. Brambleclaw looked out over the burning trees of Thunderclan territory. He remembered very well when he had been left behind at the old camp, and he had climbed up a tree in his panic. He would have died if it weren't for Firestar.

“Firestar isn't here either,” Sandstorm whispered in his ear. His ears went flat on his head, hoping that Firestar had snapped out of it in time and was hopefully with Cherrypaw.

Looking around him, he realized that the clan's opinion of Firestar was probably not only soured, but outright destroyed. Everything had been going so well... Firestar might have accepted the compromise and everything would be fine again, but Onestar just had to ruin it for everybody involved. Speaking of...

“If we get out of this without anyone getting hurt or burned, I'm going to skin you alive,” Mistystar muttered lowly to the Windclan leader. Onestar made no acknowledgment that he heard what she said. He was too busy glaring out into the blaze, muttering to himself in a low tone. Brambleclaw couldn't hear what he was saying, but he assumed it was nothing good.

He turned back to the fire. 'Please be alright.'

.

.

.

.

.

.

Firestar sat within the fire, his face set in a distraught expression. What had he done? He had told everyone that he had no intentions of hurting anyone, only for him to set his own territory on fire! This wasn't what he wanted. He had just wanted to keep his loved ones safe...

'This is all my fault...'

He was torn between keeping in his urge to roar out his triumph, like his instincts and the stone wanted, and wanting to cry out at the injustice of it all. He didn't want to roar. There was nothing to be proud of here.

But he had driven away those that wanted to hurt his mate and hatchlings! Of course he should be proud. Now those cats will never attempt such a thing again.

'Please stop,'  he moaned in his head. He was sick of all the foreign thoughts entering his head. They weren't his thoughts. His head felt like it didn't belong to him half of the time!

“Someone please help!” someone wailed. He perked his head up; that sounded like Cherrypaw! His paws moved for him, tearing away fallen burning logs with his claws. He had caused this mess, but he wouldn't let anyone die from his mistake.

Cherrypaw curled in on herself, trying to avoid the flames. She whimpered a bit, recalling that someone had pushed her away from her family as they ran out of camp. She tried covering her mouth with a paw, trying not to choke on the smoke around her. She gave a muffled gasp as she heard a creaking sound above her and she shook as she titled her head up to see a burning branch about to fall onto her.

'Oh no, oh no oh no oh no!' There was no way out. She closed her eyes and braced for impact. Instead of hearing the branch hit her body, she heard the branch hit something else. She cracked her eye open to see Firestar standing over her, his wings shielding her and holding up the branch.

“Cherrypaw, are you okay?” he asked, an neutral expression on his face. He knew his clan wouldn't be happy to see him right now. She gave a shocked nod.

It wasn't hard holding up the branch, but Cherrypaw was going to suffocate from all the fire and smoke if he didn't get her out of here. He shook the branch off his wings, the branch falling to the ground besides them. He flared his wings and flapped them, sending a gust of wind that separated some fire for them to pass through.

“Come on, we have to go,” he urged the apprentice. She gave another nod and he guided her through the fire. He sighed as he realized that the she-cat was in shock. Now what?

He strained his ears, picking up sound where he knew the Shadowclan border was. Did everyone evacuate to Shadowclan territory? He didn't know, but he had to get Cherrypaw away from the fire.

He tore through the burning undergrowth with his claws, clearing the way for Cherrypaw. He had to go and physically pick her up, trying to be gentle with her as he did so, when she fell down to the ground, coughing her lungs out.

“Just a little further,” he mumbled from inbetween her fur to the shocked she-cat. He didn't know who he was trying to reassure here. Even if his clan hated him, at least he managed to save Cherrypaw.

He padded out into the area where the clans were huddled together, deeming it okay for him to go slower now that they were out of the fire.

“Cherrypaw!” Poppyfrost wailed. He walked forward and set the apprentice down on the ground. Poppyfrost and Berrynose rushed over to their kit, pulling her away from Firestar and licking her fur the wrong way. “What happened?” she tried asking her kit. Cherrypaw tried to talk, her mouth moving up and down uselessly. Small coughs came out of her.

Poppyfrost turned her attention back to Firestar and gave him a heated glare. “Did you do this? Did you hurt her?” she hissed.

Firestar's eyes widened. “Of course I didn't hurt her! I saved her from burning to death!”

Berrynose laughed darkly. “Burning... you mean the fire that you started?”

Firestar didn't answer him, knowing that he couldn't deny that the fact that had started the fire, albeit on accident. Or was it intentional? He had been aiming at those Windclan warriors, so was it really an accident?

Onestar got up and stalked over to him, Windclan following his lead. They blocked Firestar off from everyone else. “Get out,” Onestar spat at him. “You're dangerous. Get out!” he screeched. Firestar searched the gazes of the Thunderclan cats. Most of them were silent, conflicted looks on their faces.

“You can't tell him to leave! It was an accident!” Graystripe yowled.

“He was clearly trying to aim for my warriors! This was no accident!” Onestar retorted. Blackstar and Mistystar, though conflicted, conceded to his words.

“He is dangerous,” Blackstar muttered. Mistystar was silent.

Firestar saw his treasures trying to reach him, only for Windclan to block their path. He saw many of his own cats staring at him with accusing eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to walk back into the fire and burn. Even Thunderclan thought he was dangerous...

“Leave! Leave and never come back you monster!” Onestar screeched.

'Maybe... I am a monster.'

Onestar lunged at him, and Firestar hastily bounded back from the Windclan leader.

“Stop it! Stop attacking him!” Sandstorm wailed. But the Windclan cats wouldn't stop barraging him with attacks. He refrained from harming anyone, knowing that it would only put him a worse light than he was in already. Finally, he spread his wings and took off.

“Firestar! Please come back!” he heard Brambleclaw call out to him. He forced his wings to take him somewhere where he couldn't hurt anyone. He landed outside clan territory, and he looked up at the sky as a raindrop fell onto his nose.

He could see the rain putting out the fire. The fire he caused.

All the adrenaline left him and he collapsed onto the ground. His body trembled as the full weight of what just happened crashed onto him all at once.

“My... my treasures...” he sobbed. Without his loved ones he was nothing! The stone sent out a pulse, but nothing it did would calm him down. The pulses were subdued more than usual. It was like the stone had joined him in his despair.

What was he to do now? His clan blamed him for the fire. Most of them hadn't spoken up when he had been accused. He had been chased out from his clan. He didn't want to remember their accusing glares.

He recalled Starclan coming to him after Tigerstar's excessive mocking, how they told him that his clan would always be with him. He glared into the ground, and dug his claws into the soft, wet earth.

'I knew you were liars...'

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw gave a furious hiss as Onestar lunged at Firestar. What was he doing? Why was he attacking Firestar? The fire was an accident! He was only trying to defend and protect Sandstorm! He rushed forward to help his leader, only to get blocked by a Windclan cat.

“Get out of my way!” he hissed. He tried going around the cat only to be blocked by another Windclan warrior. Everywhere he turned, there was a cat blocking him from getting to Firestar, who was being barraged by countless attacks.

He could see that even though he was being attacked, Firestar didn't retaliate. Even now, he was trying his hardest to hold back, knowing that the leader could easily end the lives of the cats attacking him. He wished Firestar would at least defend himself instead of dodging.

'Why aren't you attacking them back?' he desperately pleaded in his mind. Firestar couldn't be faulted for retaliating if he was just defending himself! He looked around desperately to see if any other Thunderclan cats were trying to help his leader. Surely Windclan couldn't them all back?

Besides from Sandstorm, her daughters, Graystripe, and a few others, most of his clanmates weren't in any hurry to help Firestar out. Most of them were watching with apathetic, accusing eyes. His stomach was filled with dread as he realized that most of the clan blamed Firestar for the fire. They probably blamed him for much more than that, but he didn't want to dwell on those possibilities lest his stomach heave all its contents out.

'Why aren't you all helping? He's never done anything to hurt us! You can't blame him for all that's happened; none of this is his fault!'

But he knew deep down that if Firestar attacked, it would only give Onestar more of a reason in his attempts to drive out the Thunderclan leader.

Nearby, the Riverclan and Shadowclan cats watched in rapt attention. Their faces were carefully blank, trying to appear neutral. Mistystar and Blackstar wore conflicted looks on their faces, knowing that Firestar was extremely dangerous at this point, to start such a big forest fire so easily. But watching Firestar do nothing to defend himself besides trying to avoid the attacks coming at him... he didn't seem at all like the monster Onestar was trying to portray him as. The ginger and black leader looked almost guilty and broken. He was gazing at his deputy, mate and children, desperate to reach them.

“Stop it! Stop attacking him!” Sandstorm wailed. She too was being blocked at all ends, even though she had no desire to fight and only wanted to reach her mate.

Brambleclaw watched with distraught eyes as Firestar finally spread his wings and took off. “Firestar! Please come back!” he called out to his leader. But Firestar continued flying away from them all, making no acknowledgment that he even heard Brambleclaw call out to him.

He couldn't tell if he was crying in his shocked stupor, and if he was his tears were lost within the raindrops that started to fall from the sky, putting out the fire.

Thunderclan territory, as well as some of Shadowclan territory was looking charred, but they had survived two fires before. The plant life would recover in time. The prey on the other paw... all the prey would have either died in the fire or were hiding in their dens. Getting food would be a problem in the coming moons. Especially with leaf-bare on the horizon.

“Good riddance,” Onestar scoffed, looking especially pleased with himself. He turned around to face the clans. “Now no one has to deal with that again.”

Brambleclaw rushed up to him. “Why did you do that?! He was just about to agree to the compromise and you had to ruin everything!” he growled in the leader's face.

“You should be thanking me Brambleclaw, now your clan doesn't need to deal with that monster anymore,” Onestar growled.

“Thank you? You want me to thank you for driving out my leader?” he uttered. “I didn't realize that Windclan had business with Thunderclan's affairs. We were doing fine until you had to make a fuss about it.” His voice reached a higher pitch. “Who gave you the right to do that?!” He whirled around to growl at the other clans. “Who gave any of you the right to chase off Firestar?! He wasn't doing anything that warranted him being chased out! He wasn't doing us any harm!”

“He was dangerous,” Blackstar tried refuting. “He was about to attack cats.”

“Only because you threatened his mate with possible death!” Lionblaze yowled.

“Ever since he changed, his instincts have made him very... protective of certain cats, Sandstorm being one of them,” Brambleclaw explained exasperated. “Sometimes he reverts to a primal state if he feels threatened or stressed... or if he feels one of those certain cats are also being threatened. He can't really control himself when he's like that; he goes by sheer instinct.”

“So, Firestar only attacked Onestar at the battle because he felt threatened?” Sunstrike asked confused.

Brambleclaw shook his head. “No, he only almost killed Onestar because he believed his mate was in danger of dying,” he growled. “And in today's case, he saw the same thing happening again and went with even more drastic measures because it seemed as though those cats didn't learn their lesson the first time.”

“He was- he was only trying to defend Sandstorm?” Mistystar whispered.

“You had no right to drive him off like that. Do you really think we would have let him stay leader if he was hurting the clan in any way? Instead you went and decided for us,” Squirrelflight growled, infuriated that these cats had the nerve to chase her father away.

“And you all!” Brambleclaw spun around to glare at the assembled Thunderclan cats, who were listening to his explanation/rant in shocked silence. He gave them a heated glare before his tense shoulders suddenly slumped, as if all the energy he had was sapped out of him. “How did you all manage to make me so... disappointed to be Thunderclan right now? There shouldn't have been only a few of us trying to defend Firestar, it should have been the entire clan!”

“But.. but he hurt Cherrypaw! He started the fire!” Poppyfrost retorted.

“He might have started the fire yes, but he didn't do so with malicious intent,” Brambleclaw explained tiredly.

“If you hadn't noticed, Firestar was the one to go into the fire and save Cherrypaw. He could have ran away in shame, or he could have done nothing, but he went in and saved her regardless. Now tell me if a monster would try and save a cat like that?” Jayfeather deadpanned.

The Thunderclan cats looked down guiltily.

“He's been trying his hardest to fit back into the clan after his change, but you all had to- had to-” Sandstorm trailed off brokenly. Graystripe pressed his wet pelt onto hers, trying to comfort his best friend's mate.

The gray warrior looked up at his clan, disappointment in his eyes. “Why would you do that? He trusted us to have his back and you all... spit on everything's he's done for us.” He turned to Mistystar. “Nice to know that everything we've done for you and your clan meant nothing in the long run.” He didn't sneer, hiss, or growl at her. His tone was just heavy with disappointment, and Mistystar lowered her head, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

Firestar and Graystripe had fed her clan against Thunderclan's will, had gotten her, Feathertail, and Stormfur out of the Tigerclan camp before they were killed for being half-clan. And yet, she did nothing as he was chased out.

“I can't believe you all let some scales and wings decide for you that Firestar was dangerous,” Leafpool said softly.

Mistystar got up, having enough. She dipped her head towards Brambleclaw. “I'm sorry for everything that's happened. Riverclan will leave Thunderclan alone for however much time it takes for your clan to recover from this.” As she led her clan away back to Riverclan territory, she passed by Onestar. “If any of my patrols see a Windclan cat even look at our territory funny, they have my permission to shred them,” she hissed at Onestar. It was the equivalent to dissolving their alliance.

“Shadowclan too will leave Thunderclan alone for the foreseeable future,” Blackstar murmured. He stared at Onestar. “Get off my territory. And don't ever come to Shadowclan looking for an alliance ever again.” He turned away and with a flick of his tail, signaled his clan to return to camp.

Onestar rolled his eyes. “I'm sure you'll be a better leader than that thing could ever be Brambleclaw.”

The deputy only hissed at him. “I'm not becoming leader. And stop calling him a thing,” he hissed out angrily. He wasn't the only one, as Firestar's defenders also hissed at the Windclan leader for daring to imply that Firestar was less than a cat.

The Windclan cats saw that they weren't wanted, and turned to leave to trek towards their own territory.

“Unbelievable,” Brambleclaw muttered. He turned towards the burnt territory of Thunderclan, knowing that there was a lot of work to be done.

“Isn't Brambleclaw our leader now? Shouldn't he be going to the Moonpool soon?” he heard Berrynose ask.

'Firestar is still your leader mouse-brain!' he yelled out uselessly in his head. Outwardly, he gave a tired sigh. “We need to assess the damage done to camp. Let's move it.” Not that they should be sticking around on Shadowclan territory anyway. As Thunderclan passed him by, he couldn't help but look into the rain-filled sky in the direction Firestar had flown off to.

'Firestar, please come back. They- they didn't really mean it...' Of course he knew they meant it. But it didn't stop him from wishing the tom would come back to them. He wasn't dangerous, he was just protective. Deep down, even with his changed mindset, he was still the same gentle tom they knew.

He just wished the clans could have seen it.

Chapter Text

'Now what?'

Firestar lay there on the ground, the same spot where he originally landed trying to get away from those he hurt. Or was he chased away? He had left willingly to prevent himself from hurting anyone else, but at the same time Onestar and Windclan had been attacking him, trying to chase him away, screaming at him to get out.

Shadowclan and Riverclan had stood by, doing nothing but watching. They clearly hadn't wanted him to stick around either. If they had regrets over the whole thing, they would have come to his defense. But they didn't.

He recalled with bitterness that his own clan had stood around and watched as he was chased off. Watching him with accusing eyes; maybe they were yelling obscenities in their heads, also wishing for him to leave. He had caused problems ever since he changed; now that he was gone they could just go back to their perfect lives.

Ah, maybe that was too harsh. Not everyone wanted him gone. Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, and his daughters certainly hadn't wanted him gone. Graystipe and his grandkits defended him too.

His bitterness turned into overwhelming sadness at the thought of his treasures. Exile wouldn't have been so bad if they had come with him. He could have taken them away and started a new life somewhere else. Somewhere where they couldn't be bothered by the trivialities the clans faced everyday. No more borders, no more obligations, no more dead cats telling them what to do, no more dead cats trying to rise up and kill them all...

His lip curled; speaking of dead cats.... He didn't have access to the Moonpool anymore, so it wasn't as if he could just waltz up to Starclan and demand that they explain themselves. How could they lie to him like this? They told him his clan would always be behind him and they lied.

Why couldn't he just go up to the Moonpool? It wasn't as if any of those weak fools could stop him. He could crush them in an instant if they dared stop him from his goals!

He shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out of him. They... they weren't weak fools...

But they were, weren't they? It's why the other three clans, even his own clan wanted him gone so badly. He was too powerful to contain, to control. He was too powerful for Starclan too, and that was why they lied to him- to get on Firestar's good side so he wouldn't turn on them.

'Well good luck getting my trust now,' he thought bitterly.

Eventually the rain stopped and the glow of the fire died down, wisps of smoke rising into the air. He didn't know how long he had been laying in that spot for, but he was faced with the reality that none of the cats he cared about would come for him. Thunderclan needed a leader and strong warriors to pull them through the crisis he brought onto them. He couldn't blame them for staying...

He sniffled a bit; all he had wanted to do was to protect them. Everything he had done was for them, his beautiful treasures, his mate and hatchlings. Why was the world intent on tearing them away from him? Who had he angered; what had he done wrong?

Take them. Go into the camp and take them by force. It's not like anyone could stop me anyway.

No, he couldn't just take them! Thunderclan needed them all!

But why? Thunderclan needed me to fight their battles, and Starclan needed me to fight their Dark Forest problem. They threw me away so callously- why shouldn't I just storm in and take what's rightfully mine?

He shot up to his paws, shaking his head and running off into a random direction, tired of the constant mental war going on in his head. He wasn't going to go in and take them away from the clan! The clan needed them! It wouldn't be fair to just take them against their wills.

The stone sent out a warm pulse and he stopped in his tracks as a mental image came to life in his mind. There he was, with his treasures around him, away from the clans. They were all so happy. He was checking them over, nosing them and giving them licks as they purred happily. They were content and peaceful.

This is what I could have. This is what would happen if I took them.

It was a wonderful fantasy. He wanted it so badly. But he couldn't, because it was... it was wrong...

He noted with alarm that it was getting harder and harder to come up with an answer as to why it would be wrong to take his treasures with him. If that vision was to be his future, why not take it?

He was still loyal to Thunderclan. That was why he refused to do anything. He had grown so attached to his clan, that he didn't want to take away viable warriors, even now. He still wanted to return to them all, to his family and friends.

Another pulse spread through him, this time hotter than before. It was almost like words were forming in his head.

Why do you reject what you are? You don't need that clan. You only need your treasures. You only need to embrace what you finally are.

What? He stared down at the stone, which at that point had stopped glowing and returned to its normal state. Did the stone just talk to him?

He glared at it. “I'm not embracing something that's only caused me heartache.” Unsurprisingly, the stone didn't respond to his words.

He turned his gaze onto the sky. It was getting late. He needed a place to sleep for the night, somewhere he could think of what to do next.

Searching around, he finally found something that looked like a fox den. The almost faded scent told him that it was abandoned. He shrugged; he could probably tear apart any foxes that came his way anyway. He squeezed in until he found himself at the very back. He shifted, trying to keep his wings folded up tight so that they didn't take any space and curled his tail around himself, making sure the sharp scales didn't dig into his body. It was a tight fit, and it wasn't all that comfortable. He would have preferred to sleep on some moss, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

He had a feeling that this was how he was going to be living for a while, until he found a good den with some moss nearby.

'It's not like I can return to Thunderclan anyway...'

He missed the warm bodies of his treasures against his own body. With them by his side, even if it was just him and Sandstorm in the den, at least he knew he had someone who cared about him. He knew that he could keep them safe.

He felt cold, even with the rising temperature of his flame and natural body heat keeping him warm through the night. It was like a void had formed in his being. He didn't like it at all.

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw was frustrated. He was feeling a myriad of emotions, but he was more frustrated at the clan than anything.

Thunderclan had returned to their scorched territory once the rain had stopped. He had been amazed at the sheer damage Firestar's fire had caused to the territory. He remembered the morning after Firestar had changed, shooting off a fireball in his fear and anger. It had hit the den walls with a bit of force, but the flame had gone out instantly, leaving only a singe mark behind.

His fire had gotten steadily stronger and hotter as time went on, the flames not instantly dying out and persisting for longer and longer periods of time, doing more damage with every shot that came from his mouth.

If it was one thing Firestar had tried his hardest to avoid regarding his new body, it was using his fire. The clan had been skeptical when the patrol came back to camp, frantically reporting that Firestar almost incinerated Onestar. He himself had seen the charred plants at the Windclan border...

Nevertheless Firestar had once again sensed their fear and refrained from using it. Going through the blackened territory had been like a smack to the face for many of the clan. It was a wake up call for those who doubted Firestar's abilities, or tried ignoring or avoiding Firestar in general and had written off the patrol as crazy. It probably wasn't even the aftermath that did it either, it was the fire in general that alerted cats to how dangerous Firestar really was.

Brambleclaw wondered if the shock of it all was why the majority of Thunderclan had sat back and watched as Firestar was attacked over and over again until he was finally chased out.

It had been a few days of constant hard work, every cat in the clan doing their part to help restore the camp to a livable condition.

He didn't have it in him to be angry at Firestar; he had served his clan for many seasons, and tried his best to curb his increasingly weird behavior. He had only been trying to protect his loved ones.

What he really wanted to do was blame Onestar and Windclan for getting it into their heads that Firestar was out to kill them all. Because of them, Firestar had reacted and now their territory had gone up in smoke. They had little viable shelter, and all the prey had retreated into their burrows and dens, so now they had little food to feed them all.

To add insult to injury, it was almost leaf-bare. And the Dark Forest was still a problem. So thanks to Windclan, their camp was in shambles, there was little prey, and they were leaderless, because Brambleclaw refused to travel to the Moonpool to receive nine lives that he certainly didn't deserve.

They had taken to doing what Firestar had been doing for the past moon or so; going outside the territory for the things they needed. It was unconventional, but at least they weren't sleeping in the cold air, starving.

His frustration came from the clan's insistence of him going to the Moonpool to take his leader title. In very blunt words that even a kit could understand, he refused and shot down every attempt of cats trying to talk him into going to the Moonpool.

Not only, that but he caught some conversation of cats blaming Firestar for their dilemma, as if Windclan weren't the ones to set him off in the first place. It infuriated him, that it only took one incident for everyone to turn on the one cat who had sacrificed so much for the clan.

He passed by Dustpelt and Cloudtail, who were hard at work at repairing the nursery. Brightheart sat some ways away from them, tongue lapping at her swollen stomach. She was exempt from working, needing to make sure she didn't stress her body out and harm her unborn kits.

“How we doing?” the deputy questioned.

Dustpelt gave a huff as he weaved in some fresh bramble collected outside the territory. “Going as well as things can get,” he said.

“This isn't exactly how I thought we'd be raising our second litter,” Cloudtail commented. “Firestar couldn't have waited until leaf-bare when everything was dead anyway to torch the territory?” he meowed jokingly, before looking down guiltily.

“...I haven't been a good nephew have I?” he asked glumly.

“Cloudtail-” Brightheart tried interjecting.

“No! I haven't been good kin at all! He was clearly struggling with his new form and he feared himself, and all I could think about was when he would finally turn his claws onto us all,” Cloudtail whimpered. Dustpelt stopped what he was doing and sat down, lost in thought. Brightheart made a face and got up to pad over to her sullen mate.

“It wasn't your fault-”

“But it was!” the white tom insisted. He let out a deep breath. “I should have helped him. He needed our help and we just... we sat there and watched. We've been wary and avoiding him because he was so different and we had no way of knowing how dangerous he could get, but we neglected to help him out because of our fear. Face it,” his shoulders slumped, “we're the monsters here.”

“Don't say that,” his mate chided. “We're not monsters, we just...” she struggled to find the correct words, “We were just scared.”

“Not much of an excuse,” Dustpelt mumbled. “Onestar and Windclan set him off. I know I would have murdered anyone if they had threatened Ferncloud like that. I don't blame him for reacting the way he did.”

Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes at him. “Then why did you not at least defend him?” he bit out.

Dustpelt was silent before: “I think I was angry.” Brambleclaw gestured for him to elaborate. “I was angry that our territory just went up in flames. Part of me wanted to blame the thing that set everything ablaze in the first place, so I did.” He peeked up at Brambleclaw. “You need to understand that the moment Firestar changed, he became an even bigger unknown than he ever was before. We all tend to fear what's new and potentially dangerous, just like when we first came across the lake.”

Brambleclaw could begrudgingly give him that. The first few moons living around the lake was filled with uncertainty. Even after moons of living around the lake, cats still weren't used to living there; Blackstar had certainly thought that the lake was dangerous, even moons after settling in. For Firestar, if would have taken the clan a few more moons to get used to his new form had it stayed as it was. But with his mind, body, and abilities continuously changing, it was hard to tell when the clan would ever get used to it.

“I just... I just had to think of the kits,” Cloudtail mumbled, his muzzle buried in Brightheart's fur. Brambleclaw's face softened, knowing that Cloudtail's and Brightheart's concerns placed their unborn kits' wellbeings before Firestar's or even their own.

“When are you going to see Starclan?” Dustpelt suddenly inquired.

Brambleclaw only scowled in response.

“What if Firestar doesn't come back?” the senior warrior asked. “You won't be able to avoid Starclan forever.”

Brambleclaw was well aware that he couldn't avoid Starclan for long, but maybe he could go to them... but not for the reasons the clan thought. Starclan had answers to give after all. Maybe he couldn't avoid them for long, but they certainly couldn't avoid his questions for long either.

Chapter Text

Firestar was beginning to notice that he was acting strange, even stranger than usual. Which was saying a lot, since he had scales, wings, horns, and the most unholy claws he had ever seen, as well as acting overly protective in regards to his mate, his daughters, and Brambleclaw. Everyone else was treated with wary caution at best. So for him to admit that he was acting even weirder than he already was- it was saying something.

He trudged through the entrance and gave an irritated hiss as his horns scraped themselves along the roof of the fox den he was using. His new horns had grown in, and now he found another set of stubs on his head, ready to grow into more horns. He noticed that his scales were snaking up onto his shoulders and onto places that didn't have scales before.

He had never hit the roof of the den like he had now before. He was met with the startling realization that he was getting bigger.

While the physical changes did freak him out, he was more concerned with his increasingly weird behavior. Recently he had been on the lookout for a new den. He had gotten it into his head that he needed a place with a big den, plentiful prey, a water source, and he wanted it away from the Twolegs. This shouldn't be strange to him- all the things he listed were what a clan needed. But he wasn't supposed to be looking for a place for a clan; he was supposed to be looking for a place that could fit him and only him.

No, he needed a place that was big enough for his mate and hatchlings as well- and that's what scared him.

He wasn't going back to Thunderclan and take them away! It wouldn't be right!

The stone had other ideas as it pulsed again and showed him another vision of what could be. He took in a few deep breaths, trying to resist its influence. He wanted what was best for his treasures, and if staying within Thunderclan was what was best for them, then so be it.

He couldn't provide for them anyway at the moment- he still hadn't found a good place for them all.

No that wasn't it! Thunderclan needed them! He curled up tightly into a ball, wishing that he had someone to talk to. Life away from the clan was lonely. He closed his eyes and slipped into the world of dreams.

He snapped his eyes open to see the cats he wanted to see the least, their pelts speckled with starlight. They were giving him concerned looks, but he didn't want their pity.

“My clan will always be there for me huh? Well look how that turned out,” he muttered bitterly. “Bet you couldn't predict that at all, could you?”

“Not everything is set in stone Firestar. All we can do is adapt to the situations that are thrown at us,” Bluestar meowed.

“Sure, like how Tigerstar betrayed the clan and you started calling everyone a traitor was apparently you adapting?” he spat out. “At least you weren't driven out for no good reason.”

“Don't speak to her like that,” Yellowfang scowled. “We're doing our best to help you.”

He gave a dark laugh. “Right. Help. I suppose this dream is some kind of intervention then? You're going to stop me from doing something drastic?” He wondered how much they knew exactly, of his hidden desires to return to Thunderclan in order to fetch his treasures.

They were silent, glancing at each other worriedly, silently asking each other who would speak up.

“You must return to Thunderclan,” Bluestar spoke. He stared at her, incredulous. He must return to Thunderclan?

“Why?” he asked bluntly. They all looked unprepared for his blunt answer, and he felt a wave of irritation go through him. Did they think he was just going to return, no questions asked?

“You are still needed as its leader,” Tallstar said bluntly.

“To what? Fight your battles for you?” he snarled. The stone was giving out short, angry pulses. He didn't know why he was so angry.

Do not trust, do not trust, do not trust, do not trust, do not trust, do not trust, do not trust, DO NOT TRUST

He gave a pained hiss as the command ingrained itself into his head. The Starclan cats gave him surprised looks, wondering why he was acting like this. That's right, he couldn't trust these cats; they lied to him! They always lied to him!

They noticed the stone's angry glow from where he was crouched down. “What is it doing to him now?” Tallstar asked, disturbed. Seeing Firestar writhe on the ground in pain, trying his best to shake out unwanted thoughts was heartbreaking.

“Firestar-” Bluestar began, before Firestar silenced her with a snarl, his eyes flickering to red. His body gave off an intense heat, the starry grass around him bursting into flame. The Starclan cats gasped in shock before trying to stumble backwards, but was met with a wall of flames.

Roar.

What...?

Roar. Prove to them that you don't need them anymore.

He... didn't- didn't want to-

He let out a pained moan as the heat rushed through him. Bluestar raced up to him, wishing that she could ease her former apprentice's pain. “Firestar, please fight it! We're only trying to help you!”

“Argghh- LEAVE ME ALONE!” he screamed. Flames erupted from his body, pushing Bluestar away, and his eyes snapped open to stare off blankly into the darkness of the fox den. He felt the stone give off what felt like a pleased pulse, before dying down. He felt fleeting worry for Bluestar; was she okay?

Why? Why couldn't he bring himself to trust Starclan?

He knew why. They lied to him. The only thing they were good for was giving out useless advice and giving false comfort. They couldn't do anything to help him.

He wished he was back in Thunderclan, with his treasures. Everything was going wrong without them by his side. How did the stone have so much influence over his emotions and mind?

They wanted him to return to Thunderclan to be its leader? He sighed heavily; he kind of figured that Starclan wouldn't recognize his weird exile as genuine. The other clans might have chased him out, but that didn't mean he still wasn't leader. He stamped down the wave of possessiveness that began to rise up as he thought of his clan.

“Go back to Thunderclan huh?” he muttered.

'Why bother? It's not like they want me anyway.'

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw trudged up to the medicine den, exhausted. He had been running around doing both leader and deputy responsibilities, and it was getting tiring. There was a reason that the two roles were split, and he was finding out the hard way.

And yet, there were still cats clamoring for him to go to the Moonpool and receive nine lives. He told them he would go to the Moonpool when they got a sign of Firestar being dead. Considering the circumstances, it would be awhile until that happened.

He popped into the medicine den, to see Briarlight dozing off in her nest, and Jayfeather scrambling around in the back of the den, leaves and herbs being flung around everywhere.

“Jayfeather?” The blind tom gave a grunt of acknowledgment. “Is everything okay in here?” Brambleclaw asked.

“What do you think?” The medicine cat asked sourly.

Brambleclaw gave a look at the scattered mess. “I'm going to guess everything is not okay then?”

“Well you thought right,” he replied crossly. He removed a bundle of what looked like burnt leaves from the store, and tossed them onto the pile of other burnt looking herbs on the ground. “Useless. Everything is useless. The blaze ate up a good chunk of my stores,” Jayfeather said tersely.

Ah, that was bad.

“Especially bad because the Dark Forest is still coming to get us too,” the medicine cat added.

That was worse- and he had totally forgotten about the Dark Forest with the other clans chasing out Firestar. A pit formed in his stomach at the thought- the one cat who could easily take down the Dark Forest and his father had been chased out! Why were the other clans so insistent on weakening themselves?

“Well in any case, I'm going to need you for something,” Brambleclaw said seriously. The medicine cat turned his head and gave him a silent gesture to elaborate. “You know how some of the clan has been wanting me to go to the Moonpool?”

Jayfeather flicked an ear. “You're not seriously thinking of getting your nine lives now?” he asked incredulously.

Brambleclaw looked affronted, even though Jayfeather couldn't see it. “Absolutely not! I just want to go to the Moonpool and... have a little talk with Starclan. Mainly on why they didn't stop the other clans from driving Firestar away.”

“You mean I get to come with to make this trip look important and I get to yell at Starclan cats and they won't be able to do anything about it because it's actually justified?”

“Uh... yes?”

Jayfeather's tail swished excitedly. “I'm in,” he said plainly. Well, at least Brambleclaw had an ally in all this madness.

(When they left that night to trek up to the Moonpool, he tried his best to ignore Sandstorm's angry glare burning into the back of his head as he left camp. He was really hoping Starclan wouldn't turn things around and give him nine lives, or the sand-colored she-cat would never forgive him.)

He gazed around the Moonpool, admiring the beauty of the pool of water reflecting the moon and stars on its surface. He realized that he had never actually been to the Moonpool before, and he had to admit, it did certainly look beautiful.

“Are you going to stare all night, or are you going to share dreams with Starclan? It's cold and I'd rather not wait all night,” Jayfeather meowed plainly.

“Ah, what do I do exactly?” Brambleclaw asked, not having been to the Moonpool before.

Jayfeather rolled his eyes. “Drink a few drops and sleep,” he said, before crouching down to lap up a few drops of water and curling up to sleep. Brambleclaw followed his example, curling up next to the medicine cat for some extra warmth. His eyes snapped open and he found himself in a clearing filled with starlight. Jayfeather was next to him, eyes searching around for something.

“Where are they? Usually they're here whenever I come to the Moonpool...” Jayfeather murmured.

“Starclan doesn't have the exact answers you seek. Even we can't stop the living clans from doing what they want. Starclan didn't have the power to stop Firestar from being driven out,” a voice spoke behind them. They spun around and found themselves looking at a black furred tom. Brambleclaw frowned, the cats appearance tugging something in his memories.

“Aren't you... Nightstar?” he inquired. The former Shadowclan leader nodded. Brambleclaw's gaze hardened. “I swear, if Starclan even thinks about giving me nine lives-”

“Trust me, you aren't here to get nine lives,” Nightstar said.

“Thank the stars for small miracles,” Jayfeather grumbled beside him.

Nightstar shook his head. “Do you both remember my story?” Brambleclaw blinked, confused. Nightstar's story?

“Didn't sickness take away all your lives?” the deputy questioned.

The former leader once again shook his head. Brambleclaw was confused- wasn't that how Nightstar died?

“It's true that sickness was what killed me. But what cats don't know is that I only died once before joining Starclan.” Jayfeather and Brambleclaw flinched, wondering how that could be. Nightstar should have more lives, unless he was implying that he lost eight before he died of sickness.

“What are you saying?” Brambleclaw asked.

“I'm saying that I never received my nine lives.”

“How can that be?” Jayfeather pressed.

“Simply put, you can't get nine lives or your leader name if the previous leader of the clan is still alive, or hasn't willingly stepped down. We chased out Brokenstar, but they refused to give me nine lives because Brokenstar hadn't stepped down. They would only give them to me when he died, and by the time we learned of his death, I was too sick to make the journey to the Moonstone,” Nightstar explained.

The two living cats were silent, processing his story. Brokenstar had trained kits to be apprentices too early, and ended up killing many cats, kits, apprentices, and warriors alike. It was only right to drive such a cat off. But to drive Firestar away, when he had done nothing?

“Starclan still recognizes Firestar as Thunderclan's rightful leader,” Brambleclaw said suddenly.

“Well that's great and all, but if you couldn't tell, we have no idea where Firestar is. It's not like we can drag him back,” Jayfeather said.

Nightstar gave a grimace. “You need to bring him back. He won't listen to us at all. The stone...” he trailed off. Brambleclaw went rigid at the mention of the stone; what was it doing to Firestar now?

“I need you both to come with me,” Nightstar said before bounding off. The two scrambled to follow him, racing through starry filled trees until the scents of an untold number of cats hit their noses. Nightstar slowed down once they drew near to a huge gathering of Starclan cats, muttering to themselves worriedly.

“How could he do this?”

“It wasn't his fault!”

“I knew he was nothing but trouble...”

“What's going on here?” Jayfeather exclaimed. A cat turned to meet their gazes. “Didn't you know? Bluestar's been injured!” Brambleclaw's and Jayfeather's mouths hung open; a Starclan cat getting injured was unheard of. Jayfeather shook himself out of his trance before shouldering his way through the throng of cats, some hissing at him as he forced his way through. Brambleclaw followed him, mumbling apologies on Jayfeather's behalf.

“Hey Yellowfang, what's going on here?!” Jayfeather yowled. The she-cat in question poked her head out of the den she and the other medicine cats were using, and made a face at the sight of the blind medicine cat.

“Of course you chose tonight of all nights to come here?” she grumbled.

“What's this about Bluestar being injured?” he demanded.

She stared at him for a few heartbeats, before letting out a heavy sigh. “Fine, get in here,” she said before ducking back into the den. The two toms followed her to be met with the sight of many former Thunderclan medicine cats hovering around Bluestar. Brambleclaw blinked in shock; Bluestar's sides were covered in cobwebs, and some of the medicine cats were working to heal what looked like a burn mark on her face.

Oh no, he really hoped that Firestar wasn't the one who did that!

“What happened?” Brambleclaw murmured in shock.

“Firestar freaked out on us. We think it was more the stone that did it though; we all know he would never lash out at Bluestar, but he was writhing on the ground in pain because of that blasted stone, and Bluestar tried going up to him. Bad idea,” Yellowfang grimaced.

Brambleclaw felt bad for Bluestar, but he felt even worse about Firestar. The stone was still influencing him, and there was the sickening realization that maybe Firestar's resistance to the stone had gone down because he wasn't there for him. Without Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, or Leafpool, Firestar was breaking down.

“Listen,” Yellowfang began, “We need you to get Firestar back. He's still Thunderclan's leader, no matter what the other clans think. Without him, we're doomed to be destroyed by the Dark Forest. That stone won't let him listen to Starclan, but he'll definitely listen to either of you,” she explained.

“We need Firestar back, got it,” Brambleclaw said.

“Oh, and be quick about it. We have reason to believe that the Dark Forest is speeding up their plans,” she said bluntly.

Brambleclaw's ears drooped, and Jayfeather hissed out a curse. Well, this was bad.

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw wasn't expecting to receive much fanfare when he and Jayfeather returned to the Thunderclan camp. Surely the clan didn't actually think he went to the Moonpool to receive nine lives? He was sorely mistaken when he stepped into camp, and the cats standing guard announced his oh so grand return. Then every cat was pouring out of their dens, congratulating him for receiving his nine lives.

“Bramblestar! Bramblestar! Bramblestar!”

“I'm not Bramblestar,” he interjected dryly. Their congratulatory yowls died down into confused mutterings. “I'm still the same old Brambleclaw you saw yesterday night. You know, the deputy of Thunderclan and not its leader?”

“Didn't you go to the Moonpool to become leader?” Berrynose asked a confused expression on his face.

“Now what gave you that impression? No, Jayfeather and I only trekked up there to give Starclan a piece of our minds. Not that I was eligible to receive nine lives anyway,” Brambleclaw meowed.

“What do you mean? Is there supposed to be someone else more qualified leading us instead?” Thornclaw yelled from the crowd.

“Yes there is actually.” Brambleclaw's neutral expression turned into a glare. “His name is Firestar, I'm sure you all remember him,” he said sarcastically. “So yeah, it turns out that Starclan doesn't like it when cats chase out a leader. They still recognize the leader, even if chased out, as the leader of that clan until they step down willingly or die. Since Firestar was chased out instead of being killed or willingly retired, Starclan still recognizes him as our leader. You all know what that means don't you?”

He could see Sandstorm's relieved looking face within the crowd, happy that her mate wouldn't be replaced so easily. Graystripe was next to her, looking equally relieved.

“It means we have to go out, find him, and bring him back you mouse-brains!” Jayfeather snapped, unhappy with the persisting silence that seemed to plague the clan. Honestly, it wasn't a hard answer!

Half of the clan shuffled on their paws nervously, and Brambleclaw was sure that they were still scared of what Firestar was. Didn't they know that Firestar was possibly breaking down with no one to help him? He held in his anger- getting angry at the clan wouldn't help Firestar's case.

“Look, Firestar has always been there for anyone who needed help. But when he needed us the most, when he needed help figuring out how to go about his new changes, this clan shunned and avoided him, all because of some scales, wings, and fire breath was so unknown to us. I know it seemed scary living with such a cat- but did any of you consider how Firestar felt about everything?” Brambleclaw spoke. He scanned the gazes of the clan- some seemed remorseful, some understanding, and some that looked as if the message hadn't sunk in.

“No one ever asked Firestar how he felt. I can imagine that he was scared out of his mind, having some stone attach itself to him and suddenly be turned into what he is now. What's even scarier was the sudden lack of support from this clan. He had no one to turn to so he clung onto some of us because he needed help. He was so busy trying to adhere to everyone's wishes that he was unable to confront what really happened to him. He was so busy trying to keep himself from hurting anyone that half of the clan didn't bother coming to terms what happened themselves,” he said tersely. If these cats couldn't see what he was trying to convey, then that was their problem. But he was going to track Firestar down and drag him back, even if most of his body sustained major burns and deep scratches.

And then he would help Firestar get through his troubles and restore the dead spark in his eyes back to life.

“I'm going to bring him back- if anyone wants to help, I'll be grateful,” he said.

“You can't leave! We would have no leader and no deputy if you do!” someone cried.

Brambleclaw flattened his ears. “Considering how some of you have been treating Firestar, I don't see how that's my problem.”

“Calm down Brambleclaw, you're not acting right,” Jayfeather said. “They're right, you can't leave the clan or we'll be even weaker than before. Someone else has to go.” Brambleclaw angrily lashed his tail; he wasn't feeling up to being deputy right now. He just wanted to find Firestar.

“I'll go,” Squirrelflight said as she stepped forward. “I haven't been a good daughter lately have I?” she admitted sheepishly.

Lionblaze raised his paw, only for Hollyleaf to push him down. She gave him a shake of her head; if he left, Thunderclan would easily fall to the Dark Forest. Lionblaze dug his claws into the ground, frustrated that he couldn't help. Other cats glanced at each other nervously, wondering who would join Squirrelflight on the quest.

“I want to go!” Cherrypaw exclaimed.

“Cherrypaw, no! You're much too young to go off on some ridiculous search party!” Poppyfrost shrieked.

“No! It's not ridiculous!” she whirled around to face her mother. “I'm the reason he was transformed in the first place. He was the one who saved me from burning to death in a forest fire! I'm not going to sit back anymore when my leader clearly needs help!” the apprentice yowled. Poppyfrost stood rigid, shocked at her daughter's declaration. Cherrypaw raced over to Squirrelflight's side and sat down, unmoving in her position.

“Well, I guess I'm going too,” Foxleap said as he moved to join them. Cherrypaw looked up at her mentor, startled. “Hey, you're my apprentice. Someone has to keep you in line,” he joked.

“Anyone else?” Brambleclaw called. There was silence before a quiet “I'll go” echoed throughout the camp, and Hollyleaf stepped forward.

“I've got some knowledge on herbs. I could be useful if anyone gets hurt,” she said.

“Well, this is great and all, but we don't even know where Firestar flew off to!” Berrynose yowled from beside his distraught mate.

“Actually, when Brambleclaw and I spoke to Starclan, Yellowfang revealed that Firestar was hanging beyond the outskirts of Thunderclan territory. He hasn't been flying, so it shouldn't be too hard to catch a scent trail,” Jayfeather meowed. “I'd leave as soon as you can if I were you. Who knows when Firestar will start moving again?”

“What about traveling herbs?” Hollyleaf inquired.

Jayfeather shook his head. “The fire took out a good chunk of my stores. I don't have enough traveling herbs for everyone. You'll just need to eat and get plenty of rest along the journey.” He flicked his tail, signaling for this small patrol to follow him into the medicine den, and Brambleclaw watched after them. He wanted nothing more than to join them and help find Firestar, but his current duty was to Thunderclan as it's temporary leader.

'Good luck, and please bring him back.'

Chapter Text

Firestar glared into the opening of the fox den, contemplating his next move. The fox den was getting too cramped for his tastes, and he hated that his horns continued making deeper and deeper indents as he moved around in it every day. He needed to either enlarge the space inside or find another place to stay entirely.

He decided that digging into the fox den wouldn't be so bad. He started running his claws through the soft earth gently, before he realized how thin the top of the den was already. If he dug up top, the den would collapse on him. Maybe if he dug downwards?

It was working!

Until he realized that the ceiling of the den was raining little specks of earth down on him, and he hurriedly backed out of the den. His tail thumped onto the ground in an agitated manner. There was no way of enlarging the fox den unless he wanted it to collapse on him. Either he sucked it up and squeezed his body in or he would have to find a place that could suit his needs.

He would prefer a big enough place for himself and all his treasures really. A small little fox den like this one wouldn't cut it.

He let out a short growl at the thought; he wasn't going back for them. Thunderclan needed them more than he did! It would be wrong to take them. But he couldn't deny that he was so lonely. He gazed out at the trees of Thunderclan in the distance mournfully. He missed everyone so much...

But he had hurt them. He had weakened Thunderclan to the point where the Dark Forest would have an easier time picking them off. Maybe he should stick around and join the battle when the time comes?

No, they didn't need him making everything worse.

His wings twitched, his body itching to take flight. He paid the urge no mind, and folded up his wings onto his back with a snap. It was his new changes that got him into this mess; he didn't want to use them anymore than necessary.

The stone gave a pulse, once again asking him why he wouldn't embrace who he was. He ignored it until the stone heated up, and he let out an irritated hiss as the heat rushed through his body.

Why do you reject this? There is no clan holding you back from achieving your truest self now.

He had held back for his clan... the stone was right in that there was nothing holding him back now. But still... he wanted his treasures. He wanted them to be happy and their happiness didn't lay with him at the moment. The stone calmed down at the thought, sharing his lament for the loss of his treasures.

He didn't know why the stone was acting up so much recently. It never happened within Thunderclan, with his mate and hatchlings being kept close.

He forced his legs to move, getting farther and farther away from Thunderclan, his mate, and his hatchlings with every step he took. He forced himself to focus on finding a new den that could fit him easily.

He searched though out the day, but didn't find anything big enough for him specifically. He was resigned to the fact that he would have to spend a night crammed up in a bush of all things.

He was hesitant to continue going forward, with what the edge of a Twolegplace sitting in front of him. He had been so lost in his wanderings that he hadn't even noticed what he was wandering up to! He sat down and sighed. Going into the Twolegplace was a giant no. What if a Twoleg spotted him and tried capturing him for his weird appearance? Or maybe all the kittypets and loners of the place would freak out and try chasing him out like the clans had done?

He wouldn't put it past them- the clans had known him for the majority of his life and they still chased him out. But not all kittypets and loners were as brave as warriors... would any of them even have the courage to chase him out? Perhaps not, but it was best if he didn't step foot there anyway.

He was about to turn around and head back the way he came in order to find a good bush to hunker down in when a shrill screech caught his attention.

He could see what looked like a mottled golden she-cat carrying a white kit with golden spots, running away from a group of rogues or loners.

“Get away from us!” she screeched. The other cats out-sped her and surrounded her on all sides.

“You know the penalty for disobeying the Razor Gang! Come quietly and maybe Razor will give you a good time before killing you,” one of the rogues sneered.

Firestar almost jumped up and raced over, but he hesitated at the last second. He didn't know how these cats would react to him. If he saved this she-cat and her kit, would they be grateful or would they run away in fear?

He heard the kit give a scared mew, and every doubt in his mind was pushed away. These cats needed help.

“I won't let you harm a single piece of fur on my kit's body!” she snarled. The other cats gave harsh laughs before inching forward. The she-cat pressed her kit underneath her and braced herself for a fight.

“You have no honor trying to harm a queen and her kit like that.” Firestar flew in and smacked one of the rogues away, before landing in front of the she-cat.

“What the-?! What the heck are you?!” the leader of the group shrieked. Firestar said nothing, and brought his claws down on another rogue. The rogue wailed in pain and the claws did a fair amount of damage to his pelt, considering that Firestar was being gentle with them. He didn't need to subject the queen and kit to a bloody massacre.

“Fox!” the leader growled. “You'll pay for that!” he swiped his claws at Firestar, and the warrior only brought his foreleg up in response. The cat let out a shriek of pain as he ran his claws down Firestar's scales.

“Forget this! Let's get out of here!” another rogue screeched. All the rogues ran away, even Fox, who was limping in excruciating pain. Firestar watched them go in disgust; first they threaten a queen and her kit, and then they don't even try to help their comrade? And cats liked to call the clan cats a bunch of savages.

The stone gave a pleased pulse, happy he was showing off his strength in a way that made it look so casual and easy.

Firestar glanced behind him to see the she-cat staring at him in awe. Well, she was safe and that was all that mattered. He wasn't needed now. He started walking away when the she-cat called out to him.

“Wait, please! Who are you?”

“...It doesn't matter,” he muttered.

“I wouldn't say fighting off some of the elite from Razor's Gang doesn't matter! You saved us!” she meowed gratefully. “Please, can we stick around you in case those ruffians come back?”

“You want to hang around with a monster?” he gestured to his wings and scales.

“You look strange, but I don't think a monster would fly in to save this she-cat in need!” she laughed.

This queen was an odd one. He never saw anyone who wasn't close to him have such a... positive reaction towards him.

“We won't be much of a bother. We just require some protection until I can find a safe place for my daughter and I to live,” she pleaded.

He really wanted to reject her. Normally, he wouldn't hesitate to help someone in need, but with the way he was now... he was dangerous. What if he accidentally hurt her and her kit while they were hanging around him? But she was like him; a cat who desperately needed a home, who wanted the best for her young.

It was what he was going through right now. Plus, she and her kit were looking up at him with such pleading eyes that he couldn't help but cave.

“...Fine. You can stay, but just know that I'm dangerous. I can't promise that anything bad won't happen,” he warned.

She scoffed. “I've seen dangerous. You seem pretty safe in comparison.” She bowed her head, “I am Hanako. This,” she gestured to her daughter, who was staring at him in awe, “is Hisako. Thank you for taking care of us.”

Very odd indeed. Their names were even stranger.

“It's only polite for our host to give his own name in return,” she said.

“...Firestar.” He walked off, and Hanako picked up Hisako and trailed after him.

Chapter Text

Firestar felt quite awkward as Hanako followed him with Hisako dangling from her jaws. She didn't seem at all bothered by his appearance or his strength, and was following him with a blissful, relieved look on her face. He wondered if she was okay with him only because he provided protection from those rogues.

He was embarrassed as he was trying to be subtle looking for a good place to stay for the night while walking. He didn't even have a good enough den picked out, and here he was allowing this queen and her kit to stay with him! What had he been thinking?

He hadn't been thinking truthfully. He had seen a queen with a kit in need of help and he hadn't thought twice before offering his assistance; it was who he was after all.

He finally spotted a big bush away from the Twolegplace border- it was a decent size and could probably fit all three of them in it. It wasn't a very good place to stay long-term, and it definitely wasn't a good place to fit himself and all his treasures, but it would have to do until he found something else.

“Oh? Is this where you live?” Hanako spoke, her voice muffled by the kit's fur.

“Ah, no. This is only temporary,” he muttered. He ducked underneath the bush and started swiping at all the branches inside with his claws and tail, clearing the space for himself and the two-she cats. He still took up a lot of the room, but at least they could all fit comfortably under the bush. Hanako ducked underneath as soon as he was finished, and gave the bush an appraising look before setting Hisako onto the ground. His ears went red in embarrassment. “I'm sorry I don't have any nests set up or anything. I wasn't expecting to bring others to live with me today,” he meowed.

“Oh no, I don't expect for you to have anything for us. I was very sudden with my request after all. I can take care of us both- all I need from you is your protection, if that's alright.” She curled around Hisako, who had fallen asleep from all the traveling. She gave the kit a few licks before tilting her head up to examine him. “How do you look like that though? You weren't born like this were you?”

“I wasn't born like this. I didn't look like this over a moon ago...” he mumbled. He gave the stone a tap with his claw. “This thing attached itself to me and I was suddenly like this.”

Hanako gave a thoughtful hum, but didn't call him out and say he was spouting a ridiculous story. “Well, I imagine it must have been hard, trying to adapt to your new body like that.”

“It..it was. My clan...” he murmured lowly. He missed them all.

But they had stood back and watched as he was chased off! They probably didn't even miss him. So why should he miss them exactly? The only ones that deserved his care were his treasures.

But there were others that tried defending him too! His grandkits, Dovewing and Ivypool, Graystripe...

But they didn't matter... right?

“Are you okay?” Hanako spoke up, breaking him from his thoughts. She gave him a concerned look. “You started staring off into nothing, and you looked very deep in concentration. Do you frequently have bothersome thoughts like that?”

“I... yeah, I do have a lot of... bothersome thoughts,” he meowed. They were more than just bothersome, but he hadn't known this she-cat long for him to suddenly pour all his troubles onto her. He didn't feel like opening up to this she-cat. She gave him a nod and respectfully backed off.

He examined her and Hisako, noticing that their tails looked like stumps. He was reminded of Berrynose, who lost his tail in a fox-trap. But it was highly unlikely that both her and her kit lost their tails in such a way.

“So why are your tails like that? Did something happen to you both?” he murmured, wondering if he was overstepping his boundaries.

Hanako shook her head. “No, we were born like this. A lot of cats back home looked like us as well,” she sighed wistfully.

“Your home?”

“I came from the land of the rising sun. The Twolegs loved us so much they put up shrines and places of worship in order to cater to the needs of the cats that didn't have a Twoleg to take care of them.” Firestar raised an eyebrow; a whole land that dedicated themselves to worshiping cats? Life might have been easier if the clans could deal with Twolegs like that; maybe they would have left them alone instead of tearing their land up.

“I was happy living there. But then my Twoleg moved to this strange land, a land where cats aren't appreciated as much. Everything was fine, even when I gave birth to Hisako,” she gave her kit another few loving licks, “that is until those ruffians from Razor's Gang kept chasing us around the neighborhood.”

“So that's why you both have strange names... you come from another land. Is that why the father...?” he trailed off. Speaking of Hisako's father might be a sensitive subject.

“Her father was just a fling I had with one of the shrine cats. He's not important,” she meowed. “And strange yourself. Firestar is a very strange name; very literal.”

His tail twitched. “Well what do your names even mean then?”

“Well, my name... I believe it means 'flower' in the Twoleg's language from my homeland. As for Hisako... I believe the closest translation is 'long lived child'. I wanted her to have a good and long life, so I thought the name would bless her with longevity.”

He nodded, not wanting to pry into her life any further. “What can you tell me about those rogues though? They looked like they were really after you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Those were the elite of Razor's Gang. They're ruffians and bullies, and they've been terrorizing the neighborhood for even longer than I've been living here. They're ruthless; they take any housecat from their homes if they stray too far and induct them into the gang. If you don't do as they say, you get hurt. Disobey them enough times and they get rid of you permanently. And if you try running away like we did...” she shuddered, “...you might be lucky enough to escape with a few nasty scars. Otherwise they drag you back so Razor can deal with you himself.”

It sounded like another Bloodclan to Firestar. “But those rogues said if you went back willingly, Razor would show you a good time before...” He dug his claws into the earth in disgust.

“He's a very disgusting individual. He only does that to the she-cats who disobey him enough times. Those that try to run are violated before being killed. It's the ultimate dishonor,” she spat.

Firestar wished he could do something to help the cats being hurt by Razor... but he really didn't want to step into the Twolegplace. Although he had a feeling that Razor and his cats would try to track down the monster that almost killed one of his elites. If that ever happened, Firestar would gladly tear Razor apart.

It would be a wonderful little show of power to those weak cats. Razor and his group meant nothing in the long run after all. They were fools who wanted to assert their power, and he would be more than happy to show them how weak they truly were.

Firestar didn't fight the thoughts this time; these cats were a blight that needed to be gotten rid of. Firestar finally curled up, noticing that Hanako was falling asleep. He wouldn't press her anymore than was needed.

Seeing her curled up around her kit made him envious. He wished he was back in Thunderclan, curled up around one of his own hatchlings. His dreams were filled with the hopes of seeing his treasures again, all of them pressed against him as he hovered over them protectively.

Chapter Text

There was an awkward silence as the search and retrieve party of four trekked through Thunderclan territory, aiming on combing every part of the outskirts of clan territory until they got a whiff of Firestar's scent trail to lead them in his general direction.

Cherrypaw was uncharacteristically silent as she walked, a stoic but thoughtful look on her face. Squirrelflight was almost impressed at the level of seriousness the apprentice possessed; she was clearly trying her best to bring Firestar back to Thunderclan. Perhaps Cherrypaw still blamed herself for Firestar's transformation and current situation. If she had listened the first time, maybe Firestar would still be within Thunderclan, loved and revered by his clan instead of feared and hated.

Needless to say, all of Cherrypaw's hyperactivity had faded over the past moon.

Foxleap was also weirdly serious, the ginger tom having said not one joke or pun to lighten their spirits. His face was unreadable, and Squirrelflight had no idea what he could be thinking. Did he share his apprentice's regrets- the mentor who was unable to stop his apprentice from altering their leader? It wouldn't be fair to blame either of them for Firestar's state- Foxleap couldn't have known what Cherrypaw was going to do, and no one could have known what the stone was going to do to Firestar. Sure Foxleap could have curbed Cherrypaw's behavior, but Cherrypaw was his first apprentice. He still had much to learn himself- about how to be a proper mentor to his apprentice.

Hopefully he didn't feel as though he failed within the first few days of Cherrypaw's apprenticeship.

Squirrelflight cast a glance over at Hollyleaf, the black-furred she-cat staring ahead as her paws glided over the ground. Was their relationship ever going to be healed? Hollyleaf had taken to avoiding her and Leafpool when she had returned from the tunnels, pretending like Squirrelflight hadn't been her mother for the longest time. Squirrelflight was aware of just how much she screwed up- heck, even Brambleclaw is somewhat awkward around her!

Though after Firestar's transformation, Brambleclaw had stopped being cold to her. She didn't know if he was genuinely warming back up to her or if he was warming up to her to appease Firestar's feral side. She didn't want to admit it, but she really did enjoy the times when Firestar would trap them all in the den with him. She and Brambleclaw were forced to spend time together, and it showed.

If all her problems could have been solved by trapping the two in a den together, she would have asked some other cats to do it to them a long time ago.

They finally made it to the outskirts of Thunderclan territory, and the four cats wasted no time in attempting to sniff out Firestar's whereabouts.

“What's this weird scent here?” Cherrypaw called.

Foxleap bounded over, jaws hanging open to taste the air. He lashed his tail. “Smells like badger. It's not fresh but it's not exactly faint either,” he reported.

“So that's what badger smells like. Got it,” Cherrypaw muttered to herself.

Squirrelflight could have groaned out loud. There wasn't a medicine cat out here if anyone got injured! Except for Hollyleaf, but her knowledge of herbs was very limited; her apprenticeship to Leafpool had been moons ago, so who knows how much knowledge the she-cat retained over the seasons.

Jayfeather had given the few traveling herbs her had and let the four cats decide who would receive them. In the end, they all agreed that Cherrypaw would need them more. Jayfeather couldn't offer anything else besides advice to rest and eat often and show them what important herbs looked like.

They just had to hope for the best and not get hurt on the journey- and hopefully find Firestar and bring him back quickly.

Squirrelflight let out a tired sigh as they combed through a chunk of territory and found nothing. She glanced up at the sky, the moon's white glow piercing through the dark. “I think it's time we settled down for the night.”

“But I can keep going!” Cherrypaw protested.

“We know you're determined to find Firestar, Cherrypaw. But we won't find his scent trail if we're too tired to do so. We'll resume in the morning, I promise,” Squirrelflight meowed. The apprentice looked down, but didn't say a word as the four gathered whatever they could to build some temporary nests.

“I'll be guarding everyone for the first half of the night,” Foxleap mumbled. The she-cats nodded and got comfortable. Squirrelflight watched Cherrypaw as the young apprentice yawned and finally nodded off to sleep before turning to Hollyleaf. She felt a twinge of annoyance as Hollyleaf was turned away from her.

“So, nice night out right?” Squirrelflight tried making small talk.

Hollyleaf only gave an annoyed huff. “I'm not here to bond with you Squirrelflight. I'm only here to bring back Firestar.” With that the she-cat curled up and shut her eyes tightly.

Well that didn't go nearly as well as Squirrelflight hoped. Maybe later on Hollyleaf would warm up to Squirrelflight, just not now. Squirrelflight curled up into a ball, her thoughts wandering to her father. She really missed him. Firestar had tried so hard to make his family happy even with his weird changes, only to get chased out in the end. Even though she tried supporting her father, she hadn't really done anything to help him get used to his changes other than giving him her affections. It was really Sandstorm who helped Firestar adapt.

She would find her father and drag him back, and then maybe their family could be somewhat complete again.

.

.

.

.

“Badger!” Foxleap screeched. All of the she-cat's eyes flew open and they scrambled out of their makeshift nests to see Foxleap grappling with a badger. They had to end this before someone got hurt. Hollyleaf rushed forward behind the badger and locked her fangs onto one of the badger's legs. The badger stopped focusing on Foxleap and tried shaking Hollyleaf off, to no avail. Her grip was too tight.

Foxleap and Squirrelflight took turns running and clawing at the badger, the badger howling in pain and confusion as it couldn't pinpoint one cat to attack.

Finally Cherrypaw leaped onto the badger's back from the tree she had climbed up when Foxleap sounded the alarm and started clawing it furiously. The badger shook her off and with a wail of pain, lumbered off away from Thunderclan territory. Hollyleaf let go of its leg as it went, panting in exhaustion.

“Is anyone hurt?” Squirrelflight inquired.

“I've got a few scratches, but nothing too bad,” Foxleap reported.

Squirrelflight clicked her teeth. “We should find some cobwebs... maybe something to make sure the scratches don't get infected.” She tried remembering what Jayfeather showed her before they left. Maybe dock or marigold- no marigold wasn't good; that was only found by water. Oh, oak leaves! Dried oak leaves would help!

As Squirrelflight gathered some fallen oak leaves and looked around for cobwebs, Hollyleaf turned to Cherrypaw. “That was reckless you know.”

Cherrypaw gave a disappointed sigh. “I know...”

“But it was also brave, and it worked, so good job,” Hollyleaf praised.

The apprentice beamed at the praise. She had just helped in chasing away a badger!

“Alright, if you're not injured, then get some sleep. We're probably going to have a lot of traveling ahead of us,” Hollyleaf said. Cherrypaw nodded, yawning. She climbed back into her makeshift nest and let her tired eyelids drop.

She was happy that she was proving herself on this journey already.

Chapter Text

Everything felt different again, but in a good way. Like his body was different, but something deep down told him that this was normal- this was okay- this was right. He didn't question the feeling and allowed himself to drift off again.

“Firestar!”

Who was calling him? Couldn't they see that he wanted to sleep?

“Firestar! Wake up!”

He grumbled and shifted, finally cracking his eyes open. He couldn't see anyone from here....

“Firestar!”

He blinked. Was the voice coming from below him? His gazes shifted downwards to see a satisfied looking Brambleclaw standing below him, a pile of prey next to him. It certainly looked appetizing. He brought his head down, almost about to take a big bite of the meat pile in front of him when his mind caught up to him and realized his vantage point was much higher than usual.

“Brambleclaw? When did you get so small?” Why was his voice so loud? The tabby only gave him a confused look and laughed.

“What are you talking about? I'm the same size as I always was. You're the one that got all big on us!” he said cheerfully. He gestured to the pile of prey next to him. “I hunted all this for you!” Aw, that was sweet of his hatchling. The pile wouldn't fill him up exactly, but it would make a nice snack. He was just about to eat when a nagging feeling entered his mind. Something about this wasn't right.

“Is there something wrong? Do you not want the prey?” Firestar's gaze shifted back over to Brambleclaw, who was giving him a confused, but somewhat hurt look at Firestar's hesitance to eat all the prey he worked hard to hunt for.

“Ah- no! You've done nothing wrong, hatchling! It's just that... something feels off,” he rumbled.

“How so?”

“I just... get the feeling that things aren't supposed to be like this...”

“What are you talking about Father? Everything is fine!” He turned to see Squirrelflight bound up to him, Leafpool running up behind her.

“But I-”

“Everything is fine dear,” Sandstorm meowed as she stood with the other three cats. The nagging feeling that maybe something was wrong intensified. The feeling battled with the pulses of heat and warmth emanating from the stone, which was glowing brightly.

Everything is meant to be. You're right where you should be- with your mate and hatchlings. Isn't this what you want the most?

He did want this....

Brambleclaw looked up at him and said: “Whoa, his wings are so big!”

What...?

Firestar blinked open his eyes to see the little white kit with golden patches, sniffing him. Oh right, the kit's name was Hisako, he remembered. The she-kit was nosing him all over, getting excited as she sniffed his scales and wings. She looked ready to climb all over him too, when he shifted ever so slightly, and the kit noticed he was awake and staring at her.

“Oh! Um...” She stood in front of him and bent her body in a bow. "Ohayou gozaimasu, mister!” Firestar blinked, unsure of what she just said. He titled his head slightly, and Hisako faltered. “Did I say it wrong? I did exactly as Okaa-san told me to do!” she muttered to herself.

“You didn't do it wrong, he just doesn't understand the language, Hisako-chan,” Hanako murmured from where she was laying. She opened her jaws into a yawn and glared at the kit. “We don't climb and sniff every bit of our host, Hisako,” she chided. “Now what do we say?”

The kit's ears went flat on her head, and she bowed once more. “Gomenasai, mister.” He still didn't know what she was saying, and his eyes darted to Hanako, pleading for a translation.

Hanako sighed. “She said she was sorry.”

“And the other things she said?”

“It was a polite way of saying Good Morning.” He figured that Hisako was talking in the language Hanako mentioned the night before. They had strange names, and hearing their language was even weirder. He got up and stretched out his body the best he could without taking up more space. The two she-cats watched him intently.

“I think your wings are super pretty!” Hisako suddenly squeaked. He froze at her compliment. Someone not of his clan thought his wings were...pretty?

'Well, that's new,' he thought begrudgingly. His own clan were scared of him, and here was this kit telling him how nice he looked. He thought these two cats would have left overnight because of his appearance.

“Um, thank you?” he stammered to the kit. She only grinned brightly up at him. He turned to Hanako. “So how long do you need... protection for again?”

“Only until Razor loses interest and stops looking for us. Then we can probably make it back safely to our owner.”

“Won't your housefolk be worried about you?”

She flicked an ear. “He's very old. He probably doesn't realize that we're even gone. But we should be getting back soon before he does realize and panics,” she meowed, worried for her owner.

Should he tell her that he had no intentions of entering the Twolegplace? There were more cats than he liked knowing about his condition already. She noticed his uncomfortable shifting. “Well... I don't expect you to escort us home after all. You've done enough by sheltering us already. I won't ask you to guide us home if you're uncomfortable showing yourself to others who may see you,” she purred.

Why weren't these she-cats scared of him? The only ones who were okay with what he was now were his close family and friends. His legs buckled under him as his thoughts traveled back to his treasures. He missed them so badly-!

He jerked as Hanako's tongue drew over his head, avoiding all of his horns. “You must have gone through a lot since you've gained all these features,” she murmured.

“Kaa-san, is he okay? He's shaking,” Hisako mewed. Was he shaking? He honestly couldn't tell. The stone sent out a warm pulse, and all the tension in his body left him. He breathed in deeply, his body having stopped shaking.

“I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about,” he meowed. He wondered who he was trying to convince here. A look from Hanako told him that she didn't buy his excuse either. She gave a hum and sat back down, beckoning Hisako to her side and she started to groom the kit, much to Hisako's protests.

Watching these two made him miss his treasures even more. He didn't notice the stone's pulsing light as he continued to watch Hanako take care of Hisako.

Chapter Text

Living in the Twolegplace was hard. Everything was a competition. There was little food, and the food that you could eat and didn't make you sick was even lower in quantity. Then you have a bunch of hungry cats, each one looking for a morsel to eat everyday when there was already next to no food in the first place. Everyday was a constant battle to survive, whether a cat was battling hunger or battling another cat for food or territory, there a was always a battle. Unless you were a housecat, living a cushy life with a good place to sleep and all the dry pellets you could eat, life was always going to be hard for those living without Twolegs to care for them.

Unless you were a cat that decided the constant battle to survive was tiresome and did something about it. Which is exactly what Razor did. He was always sick of the constant battle for food, always sick of defending his territory from complete morons who couldn't tell when his scent was lathered over everything. So he decided to fix things.

So he gathered up all the cats he could and quickly established everyone's roles. Now no one had to fight over territory or food! Or at least, he didn't need to fight for food. The fools living under the generosity of his gang still had to fight for the scraps, but at least he was well off. He had all the food he could eat, cats to do his work for him, and if someone disobeyed? He was strong enough to take care of them. The she-cats were more worthwhile before they met their ends at least.

And so what if he had to kidnap kittypets from their own homes to fill up his gang? He was teaching them very important life lessons in his eyes.

He was the strongest cat around these parts, no doubt about that. His elites were all too happy to follow orders and keep everyone in line. He was on top of the world! Then that foreign she-cat Hanako, and her kit managed to make a daring escape. Oh well, he supposed she outlasted her usefulness anyway. She had been disobedient too many times for his liking, and her kit was flat out annoying. He didn't think anyone would be sad to see them go.

Hunting her and her brat down and dragging them back to him should have been kit's play for his elites.

Razor lounged atop the mound of boxes leisurely, lazily looking down at all the scared little kits that were approaching him for the daily offerings. Honestly, they were grown cats; grow a spine already! He wouldn't do anything to tell as long as they did what they were told. That, and bring him a good offering. If you didn't offer him good food, what good were you for?

“You may approach,” he meowed lazily. A black and white tom approached him, shaking in his paws. His soft pudginess clearly marked him as a lazy housecat.

“I- I brought this for you,” he stammered, dropping the scrawniest looking mouse Razor had ever seen in front of the boxes. “I did good right?” If this mouse was what he considered good, then Razor would absolutely hate to see what he considered amazing. Honestly, was this cat blind?

Razor glared at the sorry excuse for a mouse. This wouldn't even feed a kit! “What is this?” he asked frostily.

The kittypet flinched, not expecting such a frosty response. “It- it's a mouse?” he replied dumbly.

“I can see that,” Razor drawled. “Tell me, do you think this would feed anyone?”

“I-” The kittypet was at a loss of words. “But- it's something right? I'm not a very good hunter...” he meowed shakily.

“I can see that,” Razor growled. “Come closer,” he commanded. The kittypet whimpered, looking into the crowd of cats for allies. Everyone averted their gazes, not wanting to show support for someone that might very die from such a pathetic offering. He slowly made his way up to the top of the mound of boxes until he was right in front of Razor. The gang leader pulled out his claws swiftly, and gave the cat's cheek a good scratch. The kittypet yowled in pain and stumbled backwards, tumbling off the mound of boxes.

“Get up,” Razor ordered. The kittypet got up shakily on his paws, trembling in fear at the cat above him. “Consider that a warning for such a dismal offering. Next time you won't be so lucky. Do better. Now get out of my sight.” The kittypet gave him a quick bow and scrambled off, tears in his eyes.

'What a kit,' Razor thought dismissively. “Next,” he said. After a few more actually good offerings, the scent of his elites hit him in the nose. He expected them to drag Hanako and her squealing kit screaming, but instead Slash only approach him with the rest of the elite in a meek fashion. He could see Axel and Jax dragging a very bloody Fox into the alleyway. Hanako and her kit were nowhere in sight.

“What is this? Where is that useless she-cat Slash?” he growled. “And what happened to Fox?” he added as an afterthought.

Slash grimaced. “We chased her and her kit all the way to the edges of the neighborhood, and we were about to finish the job-” He honestly couldn't have cared if his elite killed her or not; bringing her back for him to play around with was a bonus. “But then some thing flew at us out of nowhere and...” he trailed off, his end statement being obvious.

“You were attacked and beaten by a thing? This thing having beaten Fox up to a bloody pulp?” he drawled, not liking the story so far.

“I- well, he lost more blood on the way back,” Slash mumbled. “And it wasn't exactly a thing, but it was definitely a cat. He had wings and scales and the most wicked claws you've ever seen!”

“So you're telling me some cat with wings and scales beat you all easily?”

“Uh, yes?”

Razor stared at him for a moment, before growling angrily. “You fool! What kind of idiot do you think I am? A cat with wings and scales? Did you come up with that excuse because you failed in bringing back Hanako?”

“It's true though! He was a ginger-tom with black scales and four wings! Fox's claws got all messed up trying to scratch the scales!” Axel chimed in, the tabby looking rattled. The rest of the elite, except Fox, nodded to his words. Either the entirety of the elite decided on some elaborate excuse, or they were telling the truth.

“And where is this winged cat now?” he asked lazily.

“We don't know. We had to get out of there quick before he did to us what he did to Fox,” Slash said. Even his elite were useless. Razor made his displeasure known on his face. “But we could show you where we last saw him!” Slash added in quickly.

“Well? Show me.”

He glared at the ground where Hanako and her brat's scents mingled with that of something foreign. It was definitely another cat, but whether the cat actually had wings and scales remained to be seen. What he did know, was that a cat had swooped in to help Hanako escape and had to be extremely skilled in battle to injure and scare his elite so badly. Shame he would have to get rid of him; such a cat would have been useful to him.

'I don't care who you are, but I'll find you, and when I do, you're dead.'

He had done too much to let some unknown topple everything he's worked up for. This was his turf, no one else meddled with his affairs and got away with it.

Chapter Text

Firestar wriggled out from under the bush, unable to stave off the feeling of needing to stretch his wings any longer. While the bush was certainly big, it would be bigger if he didn't have to share with two other cats. Even without them there wasn't much room. Not to mention that he still had a bad feeling that he was continuing to grow bigger.

He spread them out, stretching them to their full wingspan. It felt nice feeling all the bones and muscles pop after having them forced tightly to his sides for a long period of time. Just because he didn't like having them didn't mean he liked forcing them to his sides at all times. It would be like constantly keeping his tail inbetween his legs.

A rumble from his stomach broke him out of his thoughts. He paused in his stretching, wondering when was the last time he ate. He supposed he would have to find and catch a lot of prey, or get lucky and find a hawk or something.

“Where are you going?” Hanako asked, popping her head out from underneath the bush.

“Hunting. I'd imagine you're hungry after eating nothing for over a day,” he said. He drew his tongue over his chest fur, avoiding the stone, embarrassed that he had almost went off hunting without informing Hanako first. He was so used to hunting on his own, because his clan was uncomfortable around him- and then he had found himself outside the clan, alone.

Hanako's ear tips were red in embarrassment as her hunger made itself known, her stomach rumbling out for his ears to pick up perfectly. With her needing to find enough food for herself and Hisako, as well as giving Razor a good offering and running away from him, she hadn't had the time to get something proper to eat. She was starving, but was good at making it look like she was fine.

“Ah, I suppose it's been a while since I've had a proper meal,” she mumbled. “Are you going to hunt alone? I'd prefer if Hisako and I weren't alone. You never know if Razor's Gang decides to come looking for me during the time you're gone.”

She had a good point; what if those rogues came back while he was gone? “I suppose you could come, if you can keep up with me that is,” he meowed.

“Oh you'll find that we certainly can. You didn't survive Razor by being a weak hunter,” she commented. She turned to the bush, “Hisako-chan, come along, we're going hunting,” she called. The kit excitedly rushed out from the bush.

“We're going hunting?! Are you finally going to let me catch something?” Firestar purred, remembering Squirrelflight being like that when she was a kit. He never had the heart to tell her that she wasn't old enough to be hunting. That was Sandstorm's job of course. This kit wasn't old enough either, but that was up for Hanako to decide.

Hanako sighed. “If you're good, maybe I'll let you try and catch something.” Hisako gasped excitedly. Firestar flicked his tail, signaling for the two to follow. He led the two away from the Twolegplace, not wanting to chance running into Razor's Gang, and because it was a prey-poor place anyway.

Hisako was happily taking in the sights, while her mother was trying to scent any prey to hunt. The scent of mouse hit him, and without thinking, he lashed his tail out at a nearby bush, scaring the hiding mouse out of its cover. He swiftly pounced on it as soon as it emerged.

“Whoa, that was so cool!” Hisako squealed. Hanako was staring at the mouse hungrily, and he tossed it over to her.

“You can have it. You need it more than I do.”

“I- I am perfectly capable of hunting myself?” she meowed, flustered.

He shrugged. “I know you can, but you and Hisako are hungry, and that mouse wouldn't have filled me up anyway.”

Hisako tilted her head, confused. “But it's a big mouse! Why wouldn't it fill you up?”

“This body needs more food to fuel...” he mumbled. His eyes trailed upwards, spotting a hawk circling around, trying to find its own prey. It looked so tantalizing to him, but there was a part of him that really didn't want to use his wings in front of these cats.

“Maybe we should go somewhere else, just in case it comes after us,” Hanako said softly, shifting closer to Hisako as she eyed the hawk. Of course he didn't want a repeat of what happened to Snowkit- but he could prevent that from happening again couldn't he? He sighed and spread his wings, kicking off the ground and shooting off towards the hawk. It felt like he didn't need to do much, his body moving on its own as he swiftly killed the hawk in mere heartbeats. He glided back down to the ground, the hawk dangling from his jaws. Hanako and Hisako watched him in awe.

“That was ever cooler!” Hisako crowed. “Why don't you do that more often?” He averted his gaze awkwardly, not wanting to tell them how much he hated his body. The stone pulsed, and all his loathing melted away. His head twitched, his head being filled with foreign thought once again. Why hate what he had become when he could protect his mate and hatchlings much better like this? He just needed to go back to get them...

“Firestar?” his eyes trailed over to Hanako. “You were doing that thing again, where you got lost in your thoughts?” He looked down, embarrassed.

“He avoided my question, Kaa-san,” Hisako stated with kit-like innocence.

“Hisako, that's rude. He doesn't need to answer if he doesn't want to,” she chided.

Firestar put the hawk down. “No, no, it's fine. I just... don't like being reminded of the thing that drove me away from my clan.”

“But why wouldn't cats think how cool it is to have wings?” Hisako asked innocently. He gave a sad purr.

“Well, I suppose some cats thought it was.” His treasures were never scared of him. At worst, they were wary of him, but never scared.

“If those cats thought nothing different of you, then what do other cat's opinions matter then? Shouldn't the ones that care about you be the only ones that should matter?” Hanako questioned. She was right; only the thoughts of his treasures really mattered. But what she didn't understand was that none of them wanted to leave the clan- and the majority of them didn't think highly of his new form. He didn't want to think about it; he didn't want go under the stone's influence again. So he said nothing. Hanako nodded, understanding that he didn't want to talk about it and didn't press further.

“So can I finally hunt something now?” Hisako asked.

“Well... I suppose you should learn just in case you need to find food,” Hanako conceded.

Hisako bounced on her paws excitedly. “Hey, hey, you can help too!” she said to Firestar.

“You want me to teach you?” he purred amused. She looked up at him with the most innocent eyes, and his resolve melted. He was resigned to his fate. The kit was using the special power that only kits had, and he wasn't a match for it. “Alright, the first thing we need to work on is your hunting crouch....”

Chapter Text

In the end of their little hunting trip, Firestar admitted that he was impressed with Hisako's diligence and determination while hunting. With his and Hanako's careful guidance, she was able to catch herself a decent sized mouse. Not a bad catch for a not apprentice-aged kit. Hisako proudly presented her catch to her mother, wanting to give her mother all the food she required, before Hanako gave it back to the kit, telling her that it was her catch and she could have the first bite.

He had refrained from eating the entire hawk in order to give the queen her energy back.

“But don't you need it just as much? If your body needs more food to fuel it, then you must need more than the relatively small amount you've eaten,” she said flatly. Well, he was still hungry, but she was feeding herself and for her kit. Besides, he could have easily caught something else if he really needed it.

But Hanako had slammed her paw down, insisting that he needed the hawk just as much as she did. He was instantly reminded of Sandstorm, who had also insisted that he needed the prey much more than she did. He really missed his mate. But at least he was around cats that didn't fear him for being what he was now.

Go and get them back. They belonged to him after all. Get them back. Get them back. Get them back get them back get them back

No one belonged to him! He tried his best to ignore the unhappy hot pulses emanating from the stone.

These she-cats don't matter though. The only ones that matter are my treasures.

“Firestar?” He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Hanako's concerned voice. “You were doing the spacing out thing again. Not only that...” she leered at the stone's red glow, “that thing in your chest is glowing. Is that stone making you space out often?”

“I... yeah it does. You were insisting so hard that I eat that I... couldn't help but think about my mate. The stone wants me to go back and retrieve her so badly,” he murmured. She perked up at the mention of his mate.

“Oh? You have mate? What is she like?” she purred, intrigued.

“She's... wonderful. She's stubborn and feisty, but she can be gentle when she needs or wants to be. She makes me so happy,” he sighed happily. He ignored Hisako's mock gagging as his thoughts trailed back to Sandstorm. Truthfully, there wasn't a single word that could accurately describe how wonderful his mate and treasure really was.

“She's wonderful to you, huh? But she isn't here with you right now. Did she leave you because of what you are?” she frowned.

Firestar flinched. “No she didn't leave me. If anything, I left her. I'm just too dangerous to be around,” he muttered.

“Well you haven't done anything to hurt us. You don't seem dangerous to me,” Hanako replied blithely.

Yet. He hadn't done anything to hurt them yet. What did this she-cat know anyway? They had been together for one day and she just knew that he wasn't dangerous? He had been doing his best to hold back so he didn't hurt someone again.

“Let's just go,” he muttered crossly, walking away swiftly. Hanako stared after him, confused, before picking up Hisako and trailing after him.

'Was it something I said?' she wondered.

.

.

.

.

Firestar curled up tightly under the bush, Hanako having gone outside to make dirt, so it was just him and Hisako.

“Do you not like us?” Hisako mewed. He cracked an eye open to look down at the little kit sitting in front of him. “Did we do something wrong?”

“You've done nothing wrong Hisako. I'm the problem here, not you or your mother.” The kit still looked confused. “Look, just because I haven't hurt you both, or shown you how dangerous I am doesn't mean that I'm not dangerous. If I wasn't, I would still be back with my clan.”

“Why aren't you then?” she asked innocently. He averted his gaze. “C'mon! You can tell me!” she pleaded. He let out a heavy sigh.

“I burned down my territory alright? I endangered my clan. I couldn't stay around them knowing what I did.” Well, that wasn't the complete truth- he had been driven out, but even if he hadn't, would his clan have been okay being around him? They couldn't handle his new appearance- why let the cat who caused their territory to burn continue leading them?

“How did you burn anything down?” The kit's face was scrunched in confusion. Deciding to humor the kit, he let his flame rise up in his throat and blew out some embers. Instead of being frightened, the kit stared at the embers in awe. “That's so cool though!”

“It's really not,” he muttered. “No one back in the clan thought how you did.”

“Oh,” she mumbled. “Is that why you're trying not to get close to us? You're afraid you might accidentally spit fire at us?”

Well, that wasn't really the reason, but it was a good part of it. “I don't want to get attached to cats who might only run away in fear in the end.”

“But when you were talking about your mate, it sounded like she didn't run away in fear. Why not go back to her and ask how she really feels? If she really loves you, wouldn't she stay by your side?” He stared down at the kit, perplexed. Did kits usually spout out the obvious or was she just smart for her age? He should go back. If his treasures really loved him, they would stay by his side, even if they had to leave the clan.

Especially Sandstorm. But what if she loved the clan more than her mate? Hanako chose that time to return from her trip, and Hisako ran up excitedly to her mother. He shut his eyes, getting lost in his thoughts again.

.

.

.

.

“I think I found where those three are hiding,” Slash reported to Razor.

“I don't care how you do it, just get those two she-cats away from the interloper. By any means necessary,” he growled.

“Yes boss.”

.

.

“I think I found his scent trail!” Cherrypaw called out to the other three cats. She stood in front of an abandoned fox den. Squirrelflight came to sniff at it, recognizing her father's faded scent. He must have been using it for shelter before moving on. A more careful inspection of the den told her that it looked ready to collapse. Of course he father had to move on; this den must have been too small for him to continue living in it. His size must have destabilized it.

“Good job Cherrypaw,” she praised the apprentice. “Come on, it's not too faint that we can't follow it.”

Chapter Text

“We really should be trying to get back to our owner soon,” Hanako mumbled. She was looking through the bush towards the Twolegplace, a forlorn expression on her face. Firestar wondered how long she had been away from her housefolk- it hadn't been that long since he found the queen and her kit desperately running away from the rogues of Razor's Gang. They had only spent about two days with him, but how long had they been forced to live with Razor; for how much time did Hisako spend growing up in the streets? Could she even remember Hanako's housefolk?

“Do you think it's time for you to attempt returning to your housefolk?” he questioned quietly. She swished her short tail, lost in thought. Razor and his rogues hadn't made any appearances since she was saved, but maybe they just didn't patrol outside the neighborhood. What if they were still looking for her inside, prowling the alleyways in hopes that she would pass through? What if Razor ordered cats to raise the alarm if they saw her?

“Well, I can't be sure that it's safe, but I can't stay here forever,” she huffed.

He frowned heavily. “It's only been two sunrises though. You can't know for sure if they're not laying in wait for you to walk back into the Twolegplace,” he argued. From what he heard about Razor, he didn't think the rogue would take the loss of the two she-cats sitting down. He'd probably find a way to get back at them somehow.

“I know but... I miss home,” she murmured. She turned to face him. “Don't you miss your home as well?” He averted his gaze. He supposed she would miss her home, having been forcibly taken from it. Truthfully, he missed Thunderclan. He wanted to go back and be with his loved ones.

“I... do. But I don't think...” he trailed off.

“You think, but you don't know how they actually feel right?” His head snapped up to meet her eyes. “If they actually hated what you are now, wouldn't they have told you so? If they were fine with it, what's with the worry? Your situation can't have been all that bad if your loved ones didn't mind,” she meowed.

That's right, only the opinions of his treasures truly mattered. They hadn't minded being near him. He recalled the day of the fire, when his treasures and loved ones tried reaching out to him, trying to prevent Windclan from attacking him. He remembered Sandstorm's pleas for Windclan to stop attacking him, of Brambleclaw calling out to him to return. His clanmates though...

What did they matter. He just wanted his mate and hatchlings. He pushed the thoughts away, not needing to reminisce at the moment. “So, are you going now? Do you need me to accompany you?” he asked tentatively. He wasn't too keen in stepping foot into the Twolegplace. Cats typically had a bad reaction to his appearance. Either cats would attack him or they would be scared away- which in this case, scaring away cats to get Hanako and Hisako back to their home was the preferable option.

It didn't mean he liked cats being scared of him though.

Hanako shifted on her paws, noticing his uncomfortable expression and stance. She would prefer to have this strange cat guide her and her daughter back to her home, in order to ward off any cats keen on attacking them. But he was clearly uncomfortable just being so close to the neighborhood; she had to wonder how he would act being inside it.

“No, you don't have to accompany us or anything. You've done enough by sheltering us already,” she meowed. “I get the feeling that you wouldn't want to enter the neighborhood anyway,” she added hurriedly.

Well, now he felt guilty. He really should be helping these two she cats get back home, but what good was he when he was scared of the possibility of a Twoleg seeing his appearance? It was much too risky.

“Hisako,” Hanako meowed softly, nudging her kit. Hisako blinked open her eyes, staring up blearily at her mother, her mouth opening in a yawn. “We're going to leave now okay? I'm going to try to get us back home,” she said, picking up Hisako.

“Is he coming too?” Hisako mumbled sleepily.

“I'm sorry, but he's not coming with us. He doesn't want to enter the neighborhood and we need to respect that,” Hanako mumbled, her jaws full of the kit's fur. Hisako's eyes flew open, all of her tiredness gone as if she had been jolted awake.

“You can't leave us!” Hisako wailed.

Well, now he felt even more guilty, with Hisako's kitten eyes boring into his. “I'm sorry little one,” he murmured.

“He's not leaving us, we're leaving him,” Hanako said. She dipped her head to him slightly, not going further lest she drop her daughter. “Thank you for helping us. We are in your debt.” With that, she ducked under the bush, Hisako's sniffles and Hanako's pawsteps echoing in his ears. He was alone again, not because of him, but because this wasn't her home.

This wasn't his home either. Maybe he should try to return to Thunderclan in the morning. If they really want him gone, they'll tell him that to his face. He curled up into a ball, finally letting his wings take up some of the space instead of folding them tightly next to his body, and closed his eyes to sleep.

His eyes snapped back open when a piercing screech loudly reached his ears.

'Hanako?' He quickly uncurled himself and rushed outside the bush, but was met with nothing. Hanako and Hisako were nowhere to be seen. He narrowed his eyes at the outline of the Twolegplace and raced up to it, hoping to catch the scents of the two she-cats. Their scent trail mingled with other, more disgusting scents of the Twolegplace just outside of it. His memory stirred of those rogues that chased Hanako when he saved her that day.

'I knew it. I knew it wouldn't be safe going into Twolegplace this soon, but I didn't go with her! What kind of mouse-brain lets a queen and her kit travel through rogue-controlled territory at night?' He was that mouse-brain. If he hadn't been so hesitate to step foot into Twolegplace, this wouldn't have happened.

If they were this close to the Twolegplace border, then no doubt the rogues had been waiting for her to return- or worse, they knew exactly where they had been hiding and waited, knowing that they more than likely wouldn't be able to take on Firestar himself.

Firestar took a deep breath, aware that he would have to step foot into the Twolegplace to save Hanako and Hisako. If Razor was really as bad as they claimed... He shuddered, thinking of all the things that Razor could do to them.

'Don't worry, I'm coming,' he vowed.

Chapter Text

In hindsight, rushing into the Twolegplace had been a somewhat bad idea. When was the last time he had been inside of one? The inside of the Twolegplace was nothing like the forests or lake he was used to, with their fresh earthly scents of the trees and prey scampering about. But here, it completely stank of Twoleg and monster and other foreign scents that was overwhelming his enhanced senses.

Honestly, what had he been thinking? It was hard enough trying to track down Hanako and Hisako's scents within a Twolegplace normally, let alone with his advanced sense of smell.

Firestar let out a huff of frustration as he brought his nose down onto the cold, hard surface of the Twolegplace, trying to distinguish between all the different scents. What had the cats of Razor's Gang been doing, trying to make their way to Razor in the most confusing way possible? Firestar found himself constantly weaving around into different alleyways and into strange paths. Were they intentionally trying to trip him up or was this genuinely how they did things in the Twolegplace?

He made his way into another alleyway, cautiously looking out for any Twolegs as he did so. Not only was tracking down the two she-cats harder with his senses being overwhelmed and the Twolegplace being a giant maze, but he had to do it all while on the lookout for any Twolegs. He was fairly certain that winged, scaled cats weren't exactly normal. Cats had a bad reaction to him and he really didn't want to know how the Twolegs would feel seeing him. Something told him that no Twoleg would want him to be their kittypet.

He ducked behind some large boxes as a Twoleg stumbled past the alleyway he was hiding in. He stared out confusingly as the Twoleg stumbled around as it walked, muttering something he couldn't understand, gripping some clear, foreign object in its paws.

'Twolegs are so clumsy,' he thought as the Twoleg tripped on its feet. The Twoleg threw the clear thing onto the ground, some kind of liquid spilling out, and Firestar cringed as a strange, disgusting scent permeated through the alleyway.

'Ugh, what is that?! It's blocking all the other scents!' he wailed in his head. He couldn't even smell the other disgusting scents of the Twolegplace, let alone the extremely faint scents of Hanako and Hisako and that of the rogues. He remained silent and still as the Twoleg eventually left. He padded out from behind the boxes, mouth slightly open in hopes of catching a faint scent of the two she-cats. He sniffed in disgust as all he could smell was that disgusting liquid that was pouring out from the broken shards of the clear object.

“Great, how am I going to find Hanako and Hisako now? Who knows what Razor will do to them!” he muttered to himself. He wished he could just spread his wings and scout them out from above, but he obviously couldn't do that unless he wanted Twolegs to spot him.

“Did you say Razor?” a timid voice asked from behind him. He flinched and turned around to see another shape hesitantly walking up to him. His enhanced vision could see a somewhat pudgy black and white tom with a scratch on his face that looked like it was going to scar.

“I did. Who's asking?” Firestar asked tentatively. At the moment, he couldn't trust anyone in this place. Who knows who's working for Razor and who wasn't? It wasn't like he was familiar with this place.

“I-Are you against him or for him?” the cat called out.

“Will you try and attack me if I say I'm against?” Firestar inquired, wings half out intimidatingly. The tom flinched at the sight of his wings and frantically shook his head.

“N-no! It's just, you have to be careful with what you say around here. You never know if one of Razor's supporters is prowling around, listening in on what you're saying. If they don't like what you say, they'll bring it up to Razor and he'll let you go with a nasty scar if you're lucky. If you're not so lucky...” he trailed off. Firestar could piece together what he was going to say well enough.

“I mean, I haven't been around for that long, but I've been around long enough to know how things work. You kind of have to learn quick if you don't want to be killed,” he mumbled.

“So you're against Razor?” Firestar pressed. The cat fidgeted, looking around discretely before giving a hasty nod. He folded his wings back up, his muscles relaxing as he instinctively knew that this cat wasn't a threat. But he wouldn't let his guard down just because this cat was against Razor- what if he was a spy?

The cat stared at his wings with a awed expression. “Hey, you're that cat everyone's talking about right? The winged cat that beat up Razor's elites!” he crowed excitedly. Firestar flicked his tail, agitated. He didn't want to stand around and gossip about him when Hanako and Hisako were in danger. “Hey, you have to be super strong in order to do that to elites right? You can help us!”

“Help with what exactly?” The cat once again looked around the alleyway in case they were being overhead and turned back to Firestar.

“You can help us get rid of Razor!' he whispered excitedly. Well, Firestar had already made plans to get rid of Razor, considering all the depraved things he heard the tom had done. Firestar flinched as the cat started sniffling. “I hate it here! He forcibly took me away from my home and forced me to hunt for him! I'm not that good of a hunter and whatever I give him to offer is never enough for him!” He raised his paw to the scratch on his face, and Firestar realized that Razor would dole out injuries for being the slightest bit displeased. “I can't hunt! I can't fight! I-” he sniffled. “I want to go home. My housefolk are probably really sad. I just-” he sobbed.

Firestar wilted, genuinely feeling bad for this cat. He was clearly a kittypet- and a young one at that. What exactly did Razor think these kittypets could do? They lived within the comfort of their cozy Twoleg dens and had been taken care of by Twolegs all their lives- of course they weren't going to be good hunters!

'How depraved are you that you're willing to take young kittypets from their homes and force them to hunt for you?'

“I can help you, but currently, I need to help rescue two she-cats before Razor does anything to them,” he meowed.

The kittypet perked his ears up. “You mean that foreign she-cat and her kit that Razor was angry about? I know where they are,” the kittypet said.

“You know where they are?” Firestar exclaimed.

“Oh yeah, everyone knows where they are. Razor likes to... make a show of the she-cats before he kills them,” the kittypet said disgusted. “Razor always likes to hang out and do whatever he likes at the same place. I can easily show you,” he said determined.

Firestar's face hardened, the stone sending a warm pulse through his body. He knew what he needed to do. He had a willing cat that could navigate through this confusing maze. But he still couldn't be sure if this cat was sending him into a trap...

Trust no one.

“What's your name?”

“My name is Dart, sir!” the kittypet brightened up.

“Alright, Dart,” Firestar tested the name on his tongue. “Show me where Razor is.” Dart nodded and signaled for Firestar to follow.

'Although, if you're leading me into some kind of trap, you can bet that Razor will be the least of your problems,' he thought bitterly, the stone glowing eerily from his chest as the two raced through various alleyways.

Chapter Text

“Baka! Baka baka baka!” Hisako hissed, struggling and wriggling around while dangling from her captor's jaws. Axel's eyes trailed down to the struggling kit and let out a muffled growl, which did nothing to deter the kit in her attempts to escape from the elite.

“Does she ever shut up?” he bemoaned, his voice muffled from the kit's fur.

“Better question: what is she even saying?” Jax muttered.

“Pretty sure she's insulting all of us,” Slash commented, uncaring that he was dragging Hanako's unconscious body across the rough ground.

“Insulting us, is she?” Axel murmured. “Careful kit. If you don't shut up, something bad might happen to mommy-dearest before Razor can get to her. And he doesn't care whether she comes back injured or not,” he warned. The kit hesitantly stopped struggling, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Don't touch Okaa-san,” she mumbled, subdued. The rogues around her laughed, making fun of her native language, and she looked down at the ground in humiliation. Why couldn't Firestar have come with them? He could have protected her and her okaa-san easily!

“He'll come for us. He has to,” she mumbled. Axel snorted, and the kit really wanted to turn around and use her tiny claws to scratch his eyes out. But she was way too small and weak compared to these cats; they would kill her in an instant if she tried anything. Or they would do something to Hanako instead, and if was bad enough that she had been knocked out. Hisako wouldn't be the cause of her okaa-san getting more injured.

“Please, that winged-menace doesn't even know you're gone. For all he knows, you're still trekking through the neighborhood, trying to get back...home,” he snorted. “Not that you're going to where ever you were going anyway. Besides, you already had a home, and you squandered it when you both tried running away. Now you'll pay for your actions,” Axel chortled gleefully. Hisako only sniffled in response.

“Ugh, someone stop her sniveling. We're almost there,” Slash commented. He dropped Hanako and started shaking her with his paws. “Wakey, wakey. Razor wants to see you,” he sneered. Hisako had to physically stop her sobs from spilling out as the rogue started hitting her kaa-san until the she-cat woke up with a pained, startled gasp.

'Wha-?” She didn't have time to get her bearings straight before Slash dragged her to her paws and shoved her forward into the alleyway, where Razor and all the cats of his gang were gathered. She hissed slightly as she hit the ground roughly, and she glared up at the burly light-gray tom lounging on top of his throne of boxes.

“Well, well, well. Look who's come crawling back,” Razor sneered. He gave her a fake pout. “How rude of you to run away from me. I've spent all this time building all this,” he gestured to everything around him, “for everyone, and this is how you thank me?”

“I ran because I knew I was next in line for you to get rid of,” Hanako hissed.

Razor gave a snort. “Well, now I'm definitely getting rid of you. You'll be an example of why cats shouldn't try to run away,” he sneered, getting up to his paws.

“Firestar will come for us, and then he'll make an example out of you,” she bristled. Razor stopped in his tracks, giving her an incredulous stare. She thought he was intimidated by her bluff, because really, she had no way of knowing if Firestar was actually coming, until she noticed that Razor's shoulders were trembling.

He was laughing!

“Firestar? His name is Firestar? That's got to be the stupidest name I've ever heard!” he chortled. “Like, I thought this winged, scaled cat that could send my elites packing would have this awe-inspiring name, but no, his name is Firestar!” he laughed.

“And yet, he could probably defeat you easy if he were here,” she snarled. Razor stopped laughing and hopped down the boxes, a glare overtaking his face.

“Well, isn't it a good thing he isn't here then.” He stalked forward until he was right up in her face, and he gripped her chin with a paw, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Listen,” he hissed. “Your little friend isn't here to protect you anymore. You've disobeyed and disrespected me too many times already. I'm going to make you wish you still stayed with your little protector in whatever hole you three were hiding in,” he hissed, malice dripping from his voice.

“Let this she-cat be an example of why you fools don't disobey me!” Razor raised his voice for all the cats in the alleyway to hear. Many of the kittypets and loners stared at her regretfully, not daring to make a sound or movement. Many of them looked down, not wanting to see what would come next.

Razor's paws moved to pin her down, and no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't shake the tom off.

“Don't worry, I'll at least get some use out of you before you die,” he sneered into her ear.

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“Here we are. Oh...” Dart paused, staring into the alleyway, already seeing everyone gathered and crowded around. “Looks like they've started,” he whispered.

“Started?! Razor isn't actually-”

“Sounds like Razor is doing the taunting and mocking thing first. He likes to lord over us before he does anything,” Dart murmured. Firestar could almost sigh in relief. Hanako was safe, but she wouldn't be for much longer. He needed a plan, and he preferred something that didn't involve him walking up to Razor and spitting fire onto the cat.

Actually, that might work. Except he was pretty noticeable, and then there was the problem of Razor's so-called elites to deal with. Firestar turned to Dart. “How much do the kittypets and loners hate Razor?”

Dart jumped a little, glancing around them in worry. “Just about as much as I do,” he whispered.

“Do you think you can go around and convince these cats to rise up against him?” Firestar asked. Dart perked his ears up, gazing out into the crowd. He shifted nervously at his paws.

“I'm not sure. Maybe if they realize Razor is losing... but then again they all might just make a run for it if they know that Razor and his elites can't get to them,” he said. Firestar forced himself not to growl; he couldn't rely on these kittypets and loners to help him. Glancing at Dart, he realized that the kittypet didn't look too keen on helping him either. He supposed Dart didn't want to look like too much of a traitor in Razor's eyes if Firestar happened to fail.

But if Firestar could kill Razor, then his whole gang would tear itself apart. His elites would be embroiled in a power struggle and his followers would have run off the moment they knew Razor couldn't hurt them anymore. It was just like Scourge and Bloodclan.

“Let this she-cat be an example of why you fools don't disobey me!” Razor's voice echoed throughout the alleyway. Firestar could see the cats nearest to him avert their eyes in disgust, or nervously shuffle their paws, resentment and helplessness in their eyes.

“Yeah, this is the part where he... you know,” Dart muttered.

Firestar wouldn't let him.

“Suppose it's showtime then,” he growled.

Chapter Text

“Stop struggling!” Razor hissed. Hanako hissed angrily back, wriggling her body around so Razor couldn't get a good hold on her. She didn't know if Firestar really was coming to save her, but if she could give him a bit more time, even if it made Razor angrier, it would be worth it.

“Useless she-cat!” he hissed. She didn't see Razor's paw coming until it was too late, and he slammed her head onto the ground. Hisako wailed uselessly from where she was, tears welling up in her eyes as she watched her mother groan in pain, lifting her head up in a daze. Razor nodded to himself, satisfied that she would no longer be able to fight back, and moved himself around Hanako until he was directly behind her. He pinned her down with a paw and started positioning her body to his liking.

“Stop! Leave kaa-san alone!” Hisako wailed, genuine terror plaguing her voice. The rogues around her laughed and jeered at her and her mother, cheering their leader on in his act of violation.

Firestar was getting frustrated with the crowd, all the kittypets and loners averting their gazes or lashing their tails in disgust. He started pushing his way through the crowd, cats looking at him in surprise- whether it was because of his appearance or because he had the audacity to move during Razor's show, he didn't know or care. But trying to get through the throng of cats was taking too long, so he spread his wings, cats moving away from him as he did so in shock and took off. In mere heartbeats he was in the center of the alleyway, Razor and his rogues staring at him in shock as he landed.

“I think that's enough,” Firestar hissed.

Hisako gasped excitedly. “I knew he would come! I told you so!” she whispered happily. The rogues around her gave no indication of hearing what she said, too busy staring at Firestar fearfully.

“That's the guy, boss!” Slash called.

Razor ran his eyes down Firestar's form, studying him for a bit before he gave a venomous glare. “So you're real,” he rumbled. “The so called winged, scaled cat who defeated my elites so easily.” Firestar was nauseated at the look of disappointment the tom gave him, almost like a father disappointed with their kit. “Shame. You could have joined us, and my rule over this place would have been absolute.”

“Joined you? What, join you in terrorizing these cats? Join you in forcing kittypets to hunt for you when they don't know how to hunt at all? Join you in hurting others when you get displeased? Join you in violating she-cats like you're trying to do with Hanako now?” Firestar said disgusted.

“Well, someone like you wouldn't understand,” Razor meowed. He tightened his grip on Hanako. “Why try so hard to help this foreigner anyway? You hardly know her!” Firestar angrily lashed his tail, knowing what it was like to be the foreigner all his life.

“Because it's the right thing to do.” Firestar changed to a mocking tone. “Well, I guess someone like you wouldn't even be able to understand that,” he taunted, shaking his head in disappointment. It got the desired effect as Razor bristled angrily at the comeback.

“Well maybe you'll understand this,” Razor snarled. Firestar noticed all the cats moving further away from them, all of them gazing at the two in fear. All of the rogues started circling around them, encasing Firestar, Razor, and Hanako in a closed circle. Firestar tensed, knowing that a fight was coming.

'How many rogues are following this cat?' he thought, alarmed at the sheer number of rogues surrounding him.

“Kill him!” Razor screeched. Razor's rogues snapped to attention and started lunging at him from all sides.

'Sloppy,' Firestar thought, as he ducked down and let a few rogues completely sail over him. He whipped his tail, cutting a few rogues that were creeping up behind him and shot forward to meet another rogue attempting to attack him. He brought his claws down a bit of force and sent the cat running away screaming, blooding flowing down his shoulder. Another rogue came running at him from his side, and Firestar hastily shifted his body so that the cat's claws ran down his scales. He had to admit that impenetrable scales were doing him a lot of good for battles like this, with multiple cats stupidly trying to claw at his legs and having nothing to show for it but torn claws.

He was clearly winning this fight. Razor growled angrily, watching this cat decimate his forces single-pawed. “I might have an idea,” Slash whispered into his ear. Razor narrowed his eyes as Slash whispered his plan; that might work.

Firestar was still fighting off the rogues with ease, but was also on the lookout for Razor. If he could kill Razor, then maybe this madness would end. But it seemed as though the rogue leader decided to stay away from the fighting.

'Coward,' he thought bitterly. Then a weight landed on his back, and he hissed as he tried throwing the cat off him. Then more weights starting weighing him down as multiple cats started pinning him down. Firestar realized with shock that he was being overpowered. His enhanced strength couldn't shake off this amount of cats off him. He growled angrily as his body was forced onto the ground, the stone blazing and pulsing angrily.

“Not so tough now, are you?” Razor purred, looking down at Firestar's struggling form. He marveled at the fact that many of his rogues combined were struggling just to hold him down.

All the loners and kittypets watched the battle from afar in rapt attention. “I knew he wouldn't be able to defeat Razor,” a cat muttered in dismay. Dart's ears went flat on his head, listening to the hopeless whispers around him. Firestar was fighting with all he had, trying to help them all. But what could one cat do against that many rogues?

Even saviors needed help.

“We-” Dart took in a deep breath. “We need to help him,” he said, his voice echoing into the crowd. Immediately every pair of eyes was on him, drilling holes into his being. “He can't beat them all on his own. If we help him then maybe we can kill Razor,” he meowed, trying to get his voice from shaking too much.

“Help him? We're going to get killed helping him!” someone cried. Hushed whispering broke out, debating if helping this strange, winged-cat was a good idea.

“We're going to get killed anyway!” Dart cried, frustrated. Everyone grew silent at his words. “Don't you see? We're all going to get killed eventually. Because Razor doesn't care about anyone but himself. He gets displeased at the smallest things- and how long will it be before he kills us because we made too many little mistakes? Face it, we're expendable to him. He'll just find another cat to steal from their home to replace us,” he spat. He gestured towards where Firestar was struggling, pinned under the many rogues. “This is literally our only chance to fight back and possibly win. What do we have to lose? Our lives? We'll lose them soon enough anyway,” he meowed, solemn. “And I- I refuse to die on Razor's terms. I don't want to be scared any longer!”

“Any last words, you scaled fool?” Razor chortled gleefully.

“Tyrant,” Firestar spat. He felt his fire rise up in his throat, ready to burn these cats off him if he must. Razor merely shrugged at his insult, before his face twisted into a loathing smirk.

“Keep him down. I want him to watch me make use of this she-cat that he so desperately tried to saved,” he said darkly, putting a paw on the still dazed Hanako. Firestar snarled, just about to spit fire when a caterwauling interrupted them. Then there were more battle cries reverberating through the alleyway, and Firestar felt all the weight on top of him be pulled off of him one by one. There were enough cats off of him now that he could finally shake off the rest of them with ease, his wings snapping open and throwing the remaining cats off.

He blinked in surprise at all the cats fighting around him. He could see Dart's black and white pelt in the crowd, attempting to claw one of Razor's rogues. All of the kittypets and loners were horrible fighters(but the rogues were equally terrible as well, so he supposed it balanced out), but he was happy that they decided to finally rise from their oppression. He threw himself back into the fight, helping the cats that needed the most help in fighting off the rogues. Cats mewed out their gratitude at him before he ran off to help others.

“Not so fast!” Slash yowled. Firestar stopped and turned to face him, and his blood boiled at the sight of Slash's claws being held over Hisako's throat. “Do anything and she gets it,” he hissed, before yowling in surprise as he was bowled over by an irate Hanako.

“Don't touch my kit,” she meowed, panting in exhaustion. Hisako ran up to her mother, purring in relief.

“Are you okay, Hanako?” Firestar asked.

“I'm fine. My head's a bit fuzzy, but I'll live,” she said. The sounds of battle died down, and they gazed around the alleyway, noticing that most of Razor's rogues had run off elsewhere. “Well, you've been busy haven't you? How did you get these cats to finally rebel?” she asked.

“Ah, I didn't actually,” he said. Firestar gestured over to Dart, who had a nasty scratch down his shoulder and was panting in exhaustion, but otherwise looked satisfied and triumphant with himself. “I'm pretty sure it was all Dart,” he purred. He could hear the sounds of cheering around them, cats crowing and boasting their actions during the battle.

“Well, do you think that you could have beaten Razor and his group without all your changes?” Firestar paused, contemplating the question. He supposed that he could have fought off a good amount of the rogues, but chances are he would have been beaten without help.

“I really don't think your loved ones will mind what you are know,” Hanako purred.

No, they never really cared. “I need to go back,” he murmured. Hanako nodded to his words.

“You!” They all turned to see a snarling Razor march up to them. “You ruined everything!” he spat. Firestar couldn't help but think the tom looked crazed. He supposed Razor finally figured out that his control had completely slipped away from his paws.

“I'll kill you myself!” Razor screamed, rushing at Firestar. Firestar finally let the fire rise up in his throat, and spat out a fireball onto the burly tom. Razor screamed in agony as his fur caught on fire, the tom flailing and finally dropping to the ground, rolling around to put the fire out. Firestar almost pitied the rogue.

'Couldn't even fight his own battles,' he thought cynically. He watched Razor crawl his way out of the alleyway, making no move to follow.

“We're just going to let him get away?” Dart voiced in front of the crowd.

“There's no point in killing him. He's not a threat anymore,” he said. He felt a hot pulse run through him, the stone voicing its displeasure at letting the rogue go. But Razor nor his rogues had really done any damage to him or threatened what was his.

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It was a long night of avoiding and hiding from Twolegs while trying to escort Hanako and Hisako back to their home. They finally reached a fairly small Twoleg den, though to Firestar, all the Twoleg dens were always big.

“They must still be sleeping,” Hanako commented. She turned to Firestar and gave him a deep bow, much to his embarrassment. “Thank you for helping us. If it wasn't for you, Razor would still be lording over us. We are in your debt,” she said.

“No, no! You don't owe me anything. I'm just glad everyone is alright,” Firestar meowed. All the kittypets and loners had thanked him as they made their way back home, Dart especially grateful for his help.

“Does this mean we won't see you anymore?” Hisako questioned.

“Well, I think I need to head back to my clan,” he said, much to Hisako's disappointment.

“Thanks again,” Hanako purred, before picking up Hisako and bounding up to the den.

“Sayonara!” Hisako squeaked as Hanako managed to squeeze through an entryway into the den. He waved his tail at them as they disappeared, confused at Hisako's choice of words.

'Suppose that meant Good-bye then?'

It took the rest of the night to get out of the Twolegplace. It had been much harder hiding himself, with more and more Twolegs coming out of their dens and making the Thunderpaths busier, and more than once he feared that he had been seen. But come sunrise, he was back at the bush he made for himself, Hanako, and Hisako. He couldn't deny that the past few days had been full of excitement, but now... it felt off being alone again. Hanako and Hisako's company had been appreciated, even if he didn't know the two all that well. Loneliness gripped him for a few moments, before he got up to his paws and padded off towards where he knew the clans territories were.

He hated the loneliness. He wanted his treasures back. He needed to go back to Thunderclan- and if they really didn't want him, they would say it to his face. He was broke out of his thoughts when a cheerful voice and the thundering of pawsteps reached his ears.

“There he is! Firestar!”

Cherrypaw? His eyes turned to slits as the ginger she-cat ran up to him excitedly. What was Cherrypaw doing all the way out here?

“Cherrypaw, what are you doing away from Thunderclan?” he questioned.

“Looking for you!” she replied. “Everyone wants you back!”

Thunderclan wanted him back?

“Cherrypaw, you shouldn't just go running off like that!” Foxleap exclaimed, running up to them. His clan came for him... but his attention was stolen away from the cats when his gaze landed on his daughter, the stone letting off a happy pulse of warmth at the sight of his hatchling. Squirrelflight trotted up to him, butting her head under his chin, and Firestar felt the happiest in what felt like forever.

“Hello, Father,” she purred.

Chapter Text

Jayfeather shivered, a cold wind blowing into the damaged medicine den. Thankfully, none of the herbs currently stored were being blown into the wind, the den having been repaired prior. It didn't matter to Jayfeather though, he might as well have no herbs after the blaze had wiped out a good chunk of his stores. It had been a busy quarter moon trying to replenish the herb stocks, to no avail. If he needed any herbs, he would have to wait until new-leaf when everything grew back. Until then...

'We're all going to get picked apart by the Dark Forest,' he thought glumly. He would never forgive himself if he was unable to help heal his clanmates just because he didn't have enough herbs.

There was a foreboding feeling in the air; the feeling of the calm before the storm. He knew that the Dark Forest was going to be making their move very soon.

'And Starclan and the clans are still divided!' he wailed in his head. There was only one thing he could do tonight if the clans had any chance of survival. His ears perked up as he heard Briarlight drag herself back into the den and onto her nest, shivering from the cold.

“Any news?” he questioned without looking up.

“Well, the patrols didn't bring back a whole lot of prey. Other than that, nothing,” she replied. His ears flattened themselves onto his head. They had been struggling with getting enough prey lately, every scrap going to the elders and queens. It could have been worse- Thunderclan could have chosen to not hunt outside the territory and then everyone in the clan would be starving as if it were already in the middle of leaf-bare.

While the lack of prey was worrying, what he really wanted to know was if the search party was okay. He hoped that they would bring back Firestar soon. The cat's enhanced strength and claws would be really helpful against the Dark Forest, granted they got him back in time for the battle. And Jayfeather had a feeling that the battle was going to be sooner than he thought.

“I really hope Brightheart will be okay though, she's really close to kitting,” Briarlight fretted.

“Stop worrying. The last thing you need is to stress out too much,” he chided.

“Because stressing out is your job?” she purred.

He let out a snort. “Very funny.” He moved over into his nest and curled up into a ball. “Get some sleep will you?” She sighed and closed her eyes, her breathing eventually evening out. He too closed his eyes, but sleep wasn't what he desired at the moment. What he really wanted was to get to Starclan's territory. A cold wind ruffled his fur, and he opened his eyes to see a startled tortoiseshell in front of him, her fur bristling in alarm.

“Jayfeather! You startled me!” Spottedleaf exclaimed. “What are doing here?”

“Isn't it obvious? The Dark Forest is going to attack us at any moment and the clans aren't a united front against them,” he said, explaining as he raced through Starclan, Spottedleaf at his heels.

“I get what you're saying, but uniting even Starclan isn't an easy task as you think,” she huffed.

“Well, there's only one way to get Starclan to listen then.” He stopped and turned around to face her. “Look, I need to get the other three medicine cats here. If all four medicine cats tell Starclan to get their act together, then they'll have to listen right? At the very least we can get a meeting set up between the leaders and tell them what's going on,” he explained. “I need you to bring Kestrelflight here, can you do that?”

“Why me? Wouldn't you want one of Windclan's former medicine cats to do that instead?” she frowned.

“I seriously doubt Kestrelflight will listen to me, given with all that's happened over the past moon,” he meowed frustrated. “But maybe he'll listen to a Starclan cat. As for you? He doesn't know you and we don't have time to be looking for any Windclan cats.”

Spottedleaf stared at him for a few moments, and Jayfeather wondered if she was going to say no. But she gave a conceding sigh. “Alright, we'll meet back here once we've gathered them all,” she said, before bounding off into the territory. Jayfeather himself ran off, trying to sense Willowshine or Littlecloud. They had to be around here somewhere!

“Well, you're going somewhere awfully fast, aren't you?” a voice drawled. He stopped suddenly, recognizing the voice.

“Flametail...” he muttered. The flame-colored tom was lounging just a few ways away from him, gazing at Jayfeather with a critical eye. Jayfeather felt bad for the tom, he really did. Flametail had so much to live for. Jayfeather had tried his best to save him, but the blind medicine cat couldn't save everyone.

He shook his head. He had more important things to worry about at the moment. “I'm sorry, but I've got to find Willowshine and Littlecloud.”

Flametail only rolled his eyes. “Of course. I'm never important enough for anyone am I?”

Jayfeather turned around to face him. “Excuse me?” he murmured in a low tone.

Flametail held his gaze. “You heard me. I'm never important enough.” His gaze turned into a frosty glare. “Everyone forgot about me in the wake of Firestar's transformation. Cats remembered me until everything was about him! Not even Dawnpelt and Tigerheart care about my death anymore. Everyone only talks about your leader, even when he's nowhere near the clans!” he cried.

Jayfeather's eyes narrowed. “Oh no, you're not making this about yourself!” He stomped up to the dead medicine cat until he was up in his face. “Look, I get it! You died a horrible death but that doesn't mean cats should have to be hung up over it! I thought you were important enough to jump into freezing water and try to save you!”

“Well you did a poor job of 'saving' me,” Flametail growled.

“Well I'm sorry that I couldn't save you. I'm sorry that no one from Shadowclan even tried to save you. But standing around Starclan being sorry for yourself helps no one,” Jayfeather hissed. He took in a deep breath and softened his tone. “Look, you can either help me get Littlecloud and help bring the clans together, or you can continue sulking around Starclan. Your choice.”

Flametail looked contemplative. “If I help get Littlecloud, I'll be important again?”

“You'll always be important Flametail. I seriously doubt any of your family or clanmates has forgotten about you. No doubt, Littlecloud will be happy to see you again,” Jayfeather murmured. He was beginning to get impatient; Jayfeather needed to get going before the dream ended. To his relief, Flametail nodded and got up to his paws. Without a word, the flame-colored tom raced off, most likely in Littlecloud's direction.

As for Jayfeather, it didn't take long to reach Willowshine, who was wandering around in the hilltops of Starclan. The she-cat looked surprised as he approached.

“Willowshine, I need you to come with me.”

She blinked. “Why?”

“Because the fate of the clans counts on it.”

“Well, when you put it like that...”

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Jayfeather wondered how much time he had wasted trying to get all the medicine cats together. He and Willowshine found Littlecloud and Flametail talking amicably alongside Kestrelflight and Spottedleaf, the Windclan medicine cat pulling a face at the sight of the Thunderclan medicine cat.

“Why is he here?” Kestrelflight growled.

“Who do you think asked for all of us to gather? Certainly not Spottedleaf,” Jayfeather snorted.

“So why did you bring us here Jayfeather?” Littlecloud questioned.

“I'm not going to beat around the bush. The Dark Forest has found a way of crossing over from the Place of No Stars into our territory.” All the living medicine cats gave little jumps, their eyes wide in shock. Flametail lashed his tail, eyes unfocused and lost in memories only he was privy to.

Littlecloud's claws dug into the ground. “It's been them all along hasn't it? Those foreign scents we've been scenting were Dark Forest warriors sneaking into our territory!”

“Into all of our territories,” Jayfeather corrected him. “They're looking for the best places to fight.” He exchanged a glance with Spottedleaf. “We think they're going to attack any day now.”

“Why should we believe anything you say?” Kestrelflight growled.

Jayfeather growled angrily. “Look, I don't care about whatever hatred you still harbor against Firestar, but I'm telling the truth! These cats have been training our clanmates in their dreams, promising them training in order to better serve their clans. They don't know they're being used to fight against us.” He ignored the shock sparking from the pelts around him.

They were silent for a few moments before Willowshine spoke up. “So what do you want us to do about it? We're just a couple of medicine cats.”

Jayfeather sighed. “I have to unite Starclan. If all of us tell Starclan they need to unite, then they'll have to listen right?” He only received unsure glances. He noticed in alarm that the landscape around him was fading into white.

“The dream is ending,” Spottedleaf said.

“We need to meet at the Moonpool tomorrow night! Please!” he pleaded to the others.

“I'll be there!” Willowshine called. Littlecloud also gave his affirmative.

Kestrelflight grumbled before nodding in agreement. Jayfeather gave a sigh of relief as he woke up to darkness.

'Well, at least that's one step completed. Now we need to get Starclan together and then unite the clans. The Dark Forest won't win this one,' he thought determinedly.

Chapter Text

Jayfeather paced along the edge of the Moonpool. The stone felt icy beneath his paws and a cold wind moaned above his head.

'Please, Starclan, let them come!' Last night, the medicine cats had promised to meet him here. They needed to unite Starclan before they could unite the clans, which seemed like an impossible task with the way the clans were divided now. Especially since Windclan had driven out the one cat who could have ended it all before things got worse.

He was worried about Kestrelflight coming the most though. The tom had given him such an attitude the night before, the Windclan medicine cat still angry over the situation with Firestar. If he didn't come, they would never be able to convince the former Windclan warriors within Starclan to unite with the rest of the clans.

A pebble clattered beyond the lip of the hollow.

“Watch out!” Kestrelflight snapped.

“Sorry!” Fur brushed stone as a cat heaved her belly over the ridge.

Jayfeather padded forward, feeling the rock dimpling underpaw. “Willowshine, is that you?”

“We’re here.” The RiverClan medicine cat followed the spiraling path toward the Moonpool. “Mothwing sends good wishes.”

“Why didn’t you wait for us by the stream?” Kestrelflight bounded down to join them. There was an aura of crossness coming from the tom, but Jayfeather didn't have time to be dealing with the cat's sour attitude on this night.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come.” Jayfeather shifted his paws.

Littlecloud padded stiffly into the hollow, his old bones tired from the journey. “We told you we would be here.” They were all silent for a moment.

“So now what do we do?” Willowshine inquired.

“Isn't it obvious? We're going to unite Starclan,” Jayfeather meowed. “I'm going to show everyone the danger myself if I have to.” He flicked his tail, signaling them all to follow, and he dipped his head and let his nose touch the water of the Moonpool.

At once, the world opened around him and his blindness lifted. He was on a grassy hilltop, dark clouds skimming overhead. Wind-battered meadows stretched below him. Trees huddled in the valleys, stripped of leaves. StarClan’s hunting grounds had slid deep into leaf-bare.

“Where’s the sun gone? Starclan isn't supposed to be like this!” Willowshine shimmered into view beside Jayfeather, her nose sparkling with water from the Moonpool.

Kestrelflight stalked from the long grass, eyes round as he adjusted to the gloom.

“Now what?” Littlecloud’s pelt brushed his flank as the ShadowClan medicine cat joined them.

“Each of you must go to your own ancestors and bring them here.”

Willowshine stared down to a muddy river flowing between the fields. Littlecloud faced the swath of dark forest spreading beside it while Kestrelflight fixed his gaze on the rolling moorland beyond, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Can you do it?” From here Jayfeather could see the tops of the mighty oaks where Thunderclan sheltered beneath.

“I’ll bring every cat that I find.” Littlecloud headed down the hillside.

Kestrelflight broke into a run, streaking toward the moors.

“Willowshine?” Jayfeather saw the Riverclan medicine cat hesitate.

She whisked her tail. “Will the Dark Forest warriors come here, too?”

Jayfeather flattened his ears. “We won’t let them.”

Willowshine flashed him an anxious look and began to trot toward the river. Jayfeather headed down the hill and into the woods.

A white pelt moved at the edge of his vision. He snapped his head around. Whitestorm! The Thunderclan warrior was stalking prey. Tail down, muzzle low, he crept forward, his eyes fixed ahead. A mouse skittered over a tree root a tail-length away. Whitestorm sprang and landed on it, killing the mouse with no problem. Whitestorm only sighed over his catch, eyes distant and misty. Jayfeather briefly wondered why the white tom looked so down. 'Maybe because Bluestar hasn't woken up yet?'

“Nice catch!” he called.

Whitestorm jerked around, blinking. The mouse dropped from his jaws. “Hi, Jayfeather.”

“Follow me, Whitestorm. Please, it’s important.” He stared into the white warrior’s eyes. “We need to gather Starclan.”

Whitestorm tipped his head. “Everyone?”

“As many as we can.” Jayfeather bounded forward and broke into a run.

Whitestorm chased after him. “But what about the boundaries?”

“The other medicine cats are helping me gather Shadowclan, Windclan, and Riverclan.” He ducked just in time to avoid the prickly stem of a bramble.

“How did you convince Kestrelflight to help? He and Windclan aren't exactly in a helping mood,” Whitestorm asked, shocked.

“With difficulty,” Jayfeather said exasperated. He couldn't even be sure if Kestrelflight or the Windclan warriors of Starclan would try anything tonight. What if they didn't want to unite because of Windclan's hostility with the other clans?

In no time flat, Jayfeather already had a sizable following trailing behind him into a ravine that cut through the middle of the woods. As he reached the other side of the ravine and scrambled atop it, he caught sight of a thick, tangled pelt lurking in the shadows.

“Yellowfang?” Her amber eyes narrowed as he called to her. “Come with us!” he urged.

She curled her lip. “What are you up to?”

Jayfeather stumbled to a halt. “I’m uniting Starclan!” She blinked at him, before scowling.

“With the way the clans are at the moment? Good luck,” she scoffed sarcastically. No doubt she was referring to Windclan.

“You can either hear what I have to say or you can wallow in the dark. Your choice,” he called as he and the group passed her by. He wasn't about to get into an argument with her, not when he had so little time to gather everyone up and explain the situation.

Pale light showed ahead and he pelted for the edge of the forest, breaking from the trees, tail high. The hill rose before him. Charging through ferns, he led his clanmates onto the grassy slope. Cats were swarming from every direction, racing for the hill. He spotted Willowshine’s gray pelt leading a horde of Riverclan warriors. Kestrelflight raced from the valley, warriors skimming over the grass behind him like a flock of starlings.

Jayfeather’s paws ached from running but hope was swelling in his chest. At the crest of the hill, he stopped and turned, amazed by the ranks of Starclan cats crowding over the slopes below him. The other medicine cats gathered around him, and Jayfeather took a deep breath before turning to address the crowd of starry cats.

“Starclan! Please hear my words! There is a terrible threat to you all! And to the Clans you once lived in. You know the Dark Forest is rising. You can see it in the dead leaves that litter your hunting grounds, and the clouds that block out your sun.” Jayfeather glanced up at the gray sky. “You must face the truth. And the truth is worse than you ever imagined.” He gazed around the raised faces, hoping they understood. “The Dark Forest must be met and fought. You will not win by huddling together like families of mice. You must stand together or fall divided!”

“But how can we beat an enemy that can bring leaf-bare to StarClan?” Raggedstar called.

Darkflower’s eyes glittered. “They have grown stronger than us.”

Sunstar padded forward. “When we sent you the Prophecy of the Three, we didn’t know the Dark Forest would grow so powerful.”

“They should be Four at this point,” Yellowfang shouldered her way into the center, pushing past Sunstar. “The Ancients were supposed to give us an ally that would make them strong enough to fight any enemy.”

Jayfeather's pelt ruffled. “We still don't know who the Fourth is,” he meowed.

Yellowfang rolled her eyes. “Isn't it obvious yet mouse-brain?” He frowned at her tone. The other medicine cats listened in, their ears perked with interest. “You, Lionblaze, and Dovewing are not the first cats guided by a prophecy,” Yellowfang prompted. “Bluestar was promised long ago that fire would save the clan. And now...” she trailed off, scowling heavily.

Jayfeather's fur bristled, jaw hanging open. Of course the Fourth had to be Firestar of all cats- the one cat who could end it all and currently wasn't anywhere near the clans to help. “Firestar is the Fourth? Firestar is meant to save us all? You realize he's not even in Thunderclan anymore right? How are we supposed to win this now?!” He had no idea if the search party was even close to finding the Thunderclan leader!

“What?” Kestrelflight's growl broke him out of his train of thought. “Are you telling me that thing is meant to save us all?”

Jayfeather whirled around and angrily hissed at him, as did Yellowfang and many of the Thunderclan warriors of Starclan. “Don't. Call. Him. A. Thing,” he hissed, taking a menacing step forward with every word he spoke. For every step Jayfeather took, Kestrelflight stepped back. “Do you even hear yourself right now? You're still angry over Firestar even when he's not here! What is your problem?!”

“It's because of him that Windclan is the most hated clan at the lake! He destroyed any chance of Windclan having potential good relationships in the future! He destroyed your territory, Jayfeather!” Kestrelflight yowled at him.

The blind medicine cat lashed his tail. “No, Windclan isn't the most hated clan because of Firestar. You could have left him alone. Our territory wouldn't have been burned down if your clan hadn't provoked him.” A look of realization creased Jayfeather's face. “It's not Firestar you're angry at is it? You all know you screwed things up, but you Windclan cats are so prideful that you don't want to admit that you're the ones in the wrong. You're just using Firestar as some kind of excuse.” Kestrelflight's ears flattened, but otherwise didn't say anything.

“You have a choice,” he raised his voice for all of Starclan to hear. He especially wanted the Windclan cats to hear, as well as every cat that feared his absent leader. “You can either unite and we can all continue living, or you can all hate Firestar for something out of his control and we can either be killed or enslaved by the Dark Forest. Your choice,” he said bluntly. Tigerstar was more likely to kill them all, but he wouldn't put it past the evil leader to keep some cats alive to lord over them all. Cats muttered around him, debating with each other.

“You must follow me once more,” Jayfeather yowled. “You need to see for yourselves.” Beckoning with his tail, he headed down the slope, into a dingy forest where slimy bushes choked the roots of the trees and the sunshine turned to eerie half-light. Traveling within the Dark Forest never got easier, even though he had been here a few times before.

After showing Starclan the Dark Forest warriors' brutal training and listening into the evil cat's taunting of destroying the clans, the large group quickly made their way out of the darkness and into the light of Starclan territory.

“Now that you have seen them, have heard what they are threatening our clans with, are you afraid to fight?” Jayfeather called out.

Raggedstar bristled. “Never!”

Jayfeather saw determination hardening the gazes of the StarClan warriors. “But will you fight together?” he questioned.

Sunstar swished his ginger tail. “We can't fight such cruelty while we're divided.”

Yellowfang stepped forward. “How will we know who to trust?”

“You can trust me,” he gestured to the other medicine cats, even Kestrelflight, who stubbornly averted his gaze, “and all of us.”

Jayfeather opened his eyes into blackness. The Moonpool rippled at his nose. Kestrelflight, Littlecloud, and Willowshine were waking, their pelts brushing the stone as they clambered to their paws.

Jayfeather felt blood welling on his pads. The long journey had left him grazed and aching. “StarClan is united. Now we must gather the Clans.” He pushed himself up. “We must tell them everything.”

“Let's meet at the island at sunhigh,” Littlecloud said. “I'll bring Blackstar.”

“I'll bring Mistystar,” Willowshine said. “But Thunderclan won't have Firestar representing them?”

Jayfeather grimaced, aware of that small detail. “I'll have to bring Brambleclaw instead,” he murmured. He turned to Kestrelflight. “Can I count on you to bring Onestar?” Kestrelflight said nothing.

“Honestly Kestrelflight! You saw what was going on in the Dark Forest! Get over whatever irrational hatred you have with Firestar and cooperate or we'll all die!” Willowshine growled.

The Windclan tom sighed, finally looking up at them. “I can't promise that Onestar will want to come.”

“Try,” Jayfeather growled. Honestly, hearing him out was the least Windclan could do! “The only way we're winning this battle is if the clans unite. Convince him of that if nothing else.”

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw stood out in the chilly air, off to the side by the leader's den. His eyes were staring intently at the nursery, where he could hear the muffled groans of Brightheart as she labored to bring her litter of kits into the world. Other cats stood around within the camp, casting glances at the nursery, wishing and hoping for Brightheart's and her kit's wellbeings. Then Poppyfrost finally poked her head from the nursery entrance.

“Brightheart has kitted!” Faces started appearing from within their dens, whiskers quivering and eyes bright.

Cloudtail was pacing outside the nursery while Mousefur hurried across the clearing on stiff legs. “How many?” the old she-cat rasped.

“Three.” Cloudtail carried on pacing. “Two toms and a she-kit.” He glanced anxiously at the bramble den as Cinderheart poked his head out of the entrance. “Is Brightheart okay?”

“She’s fine,” Cinderheart purred. “Come and see.” She ushered Cloudtail into the nursery, leaving the rest of the clan to chatter about the new arrivals.

Brambleclaw could understand Cloudtail's previous trepidation, given that Brightheart was an older cat and kitting would be harder on her body.

Not to mention that it wasn't a good time for having kits. More mouths to feed during leaf-bare, and not to mention the upcoming battle that most of the warriors didn't know was going to happen, but nevertheless felt stirring within the air. Like the calm before the storm.

Mousefur whisked her tail. “Perhaps we should have sent her away to kit outside our territory.” Her eyes were dark. “They'd be safer.”

“Safer?” Graystripe padded toward them. “The safest place for any kit is at the heart of its clan.” Brambleclaw hid a grimace, eyes glancing over their still somewhat ravaged camp.

“Safer,” Mousefur snorted. “I thought it was pretty safe too until three other clans marched into our camp making demands about Firestar. Then he burned down our territory,” she said bluntly.

Sandstorm exited the leaders' den and jumped down next to Brambleclaw, her eyes wistful and full of melancholy. She hadn't been sleeping within the warriors' den with the others, always sleeping in the only nest that held the faintest hint of Firestar's scent. She had missed Firestar dearly when he had been driven out, walking around and going about her day-to-day activities with an almost lost look on her face. Then Squirrelflight had left to go find him, and now Sandstorm looked even more lost than usual these days, with her having her mate and a kit missing from her life.

Brambleclaw too was lost, and he constantly found himself heading towards the leaders' den when night fell, needing to remind himself that Firestar wasn't there anymore to curl around him to exude comfort and safety.

Leafpool always had a worried look on her face, wondering where her father had gone and if her sister and daughter were okay. All three of the took to sleeping in the leaders' den, hoping every night for the safe return of Firestar and the search party.

“Feeling down?” he inquired.

“Firestar and I should have had more kits,” she murmured wistfully. He briefly wondered what would have happened if Firestar and Sandstorm decided to have more kits with the way Firestar was now. He could see it already: little scaled kits flapping their tiny wings, trying to emulate flight, breathing little puffs of fire from their maws.

'Although, got to wonder if Sandstorm could even handle having sharp scales and claws inside of her for that long.' That couldn't be healthy. What if they all ended up like Squirrelflight? Who could mentor such rambunctious kits?

He supposed it would be amusing watching the clans lose their collective minds over Thunderclan having such strong warriors though.

Cloudtail slid out of the nursery, bright-eyed. “They’re lively!” he purred. “Fighting over who gets to be closest to their mother’s belly.” The thorn barrier rustled and Jayfeather hurried into camp. The blind medicine cat immediately opened his mouth to scent the air, making his way towards Brambleclaw while casting a glance at the new, milky scents within the nursery.

“What's going on? Did something happen when you went to the Moonpool?” Brambleclaw asked him, guiding the medicine cat underneath the Highledge.

“Incredibly. Starclan's been united,” Jayfeather meowed. “The medicine cats have agreed to set up a meeting between the leaders at the Gathering Island at sunhigh today in order to unite the living clans.”

Brambleclaw raised an incredulous eyebrow. “All the medicine cats? You managed to convince Kestrelflight?”

“I had to pound it into his head that we all either unite or the Dark Forest could kill us all,” Jayfeather said, rolling his eyes. “But I can't guarantee that any Windclan cat will show up at all.”

“Of course,” Brambleclaw murmured. “And I can't guarantee that Firestar will have returned by sunhigh,” he muttered sarcastically.

“Well you're deputy of this clan aren't you? Time to step up. For all you know, it might be good practice for when you become leader in the future,” Jayfeather commented, nostrils flaring as his sightless eyes searched the camp. “We need to bring Dovewing and Lionblaze though.” Brambleclaw's tail twitched, before calling out to Dovewing, who was standing around also talking about the new kits, to bring herself and Lionblaze to him.

“What's going on?” Dovewing asked. She eyed Jayfeather as the medicine cat bit back a yawn. “Shouldn't you be resting?”

“There is plenty of time to rest before sunhigh, Jayfeather,” Brambleclaw murmured.

Lionblaze pricked his ears. “What happens at sunhigh?”

“We meet with the other leaders and medicine cats on the island,” Brambleclaw said. “Starclan has been united, and now we have to unite the clans.”

Dovewing stared at them before letting out a gasp. “Brambleclaw is the Fourth?” Brambleclaw blinked, not sure what she meant by that.

Jayfeather gave a snort. “Brambleclaw isn't the Fourth. He's just filling in as temporary leader. The Fourth just so happens to be the one cat who can't help us at the moment.”

“Please don't tell me the Fourth is Firestar,” Lionblaze groaned. Jayfeather nodded, and Lionblaze closed his eyes, breathing in deeply.

“Moons of Starclan telling me that they didn't know who the Fourth was, and suddenly they came out with it last night acting like the answer was obvious,” Jayfeather meowed bitterly. Brambleclaw just stared at the three aggravated cats, feeling lost. He had been recently filled in about the prophecy regarding the Three, but now there was a Fourth?

“We'll fill you in on it later,” Jayfeather muttered tiredly, sensing Brambleclaw's confusion.

.

.

.

.

Apparently three cats gifted with powers weren't enough to combat the forces of the Dark Forest. Even though the prophecy had been known by Starclan since the beginning of the clans, there was a sudden need for another cat to step in to help. That Fourth cat happened to be nowhere near the clans, because he had been driven out by the very cats Firestar was destined to protect.

Brambleclaw quickly decided that he hated prophecies.

“Hear anything?” Lionblaze asked Dovewing as the group of four trekked along the shoreline towards the island. She strained her ears, listening to voices too far away for any other cat to possibly hear.

“They're all scared. I think they know that something big is going to happen if the leaders need to gather now,” she meowed. “Windclan though... they think this is a trap,” she scowled. “They think we're going to make demands of them like they did us.”

“Mouse-brains,” Lionblaze muttered. “This is serious.” They continued to walk in silence until they reached the fallen tree that lead to the island.

“I still don't think I should be here,” Brambleclaw said anxiously. “I'm not Firestar.”

“Well someone has to lead us. You've done a good enough job already Brambleclaw, you can go further,” Jayfeather said.

Blackstar suddenly emerged from the grass. Littlecloud padded after him, chin high. The Shadowclan leader’s gaze narrowed when he saw Lionblaze. “Why have you brought warriors?”

“Everything will be explained when Mistystar and Onestar get here,” Brambleclaw said, trying to look strong. He hoped that the other three leaders didn't think that he had gained nine lives.

Blackstar glanced over his shoulder at the trembling grass. Mistystar padded out, leading Willowshine. “Willowshine insisted I come,” she growled. “She says the Dark Forest warriors are planning to invade Clan territory.” Her eyes glittered with disbelief. “Has she gone mad?”

Mothwing nosed her way from the grass. “Willowshine has never been wrong before.”

“But how can the dead threaten the living?” The RiverClan leader halted in the middle of the clearing.

“Do you know if Onestar is coming?” Brambleclaw asked. The other two leaders pulled a face at the mention of the Windclan leader, before shaking their heads. Then the grass started shaking again, and they all turned their heads to see Onestar and Kestrelflight step out into the clearing, the leader's body tense with reluctance. Blackstar sneered at him and Mistystar huffed, averting her gaze away from the Windclan cats. Onestar ignored the two entirely.

“This better be good, Bramblestar,” Onestar growled.

“Claw. Brambleclaw. I'm not leader. I'm only standing in because a certain clan drove our actual leader out,” Brambleclaw hissed.

“Alright, we don't have time for you all to fight about Firestar,” Jayfeather meowed angrily. “The cats of the Dark Forest have found a way to cross into our territories.”

“That’s impossible.” Onestar growled.

Jayfeather’s tail whipped from side to side. “How dare you question a medicine cat?” His gaze swept like fire over the leaders. “Do you think we’d lie? Especially about something like this? We didn't gather you all here because we thought this was funny!”

Mistystar shifted her paws. Onestar flattened his ears. Only Blackstar replied. “Starclan and the Dark Forest have always been beyond our reach. Now you tell us we are part of a war between them?”

“Not just between them,” Brambleclaw growled. “They want revenge over every clan, not just Starclan. We have to unite against them.” The other three leaders narrowed their eyes at him, and then at each other.

Blackstar scowled. “Is that why you brought warriors with you? To force us to join you?”

“I brought them here because these three cats are part of a prophecy,” Brambleclaw began. “Firestar was told long ago that the kin of his kin would be born with the power of the stars in their paws. For a long time no one knew what that meant. Now we do.” He nodded toward Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing. “Those three cats would be them. They each have a special power that will lead them to fulfill the prophecy.”

The leaders were silent, processing all the information given to them. “So where does Firestar fit into all this?” Mistystar suddenly asked. “Willowshine told me something about a Fourth. So if these cats are the Three...”

“Oh great, so Firestar has another great destiny or something,” Blackstar drawled. “Must be hard to fulfill it when he's not here. How do you expect us to defeat this threat when we don't have all the cats in the prophecy?”

“We sent out a few cats to find him and bring him back-” Brambleclaw started, before Onestar's angry growl cut him off.

“You're bringing him back?! The cat who burned down Thunderclan territory to a crisp!”

“I don't see how the state of our territory is any of your business,” Lionblaze growled.

“Speaking of,” Blackstar cut in. “I recall that I said that I didn't want to be making an alliances with Windclan after they messed everything up last time,” he sneered at Onestar. He turned to Brambleclaw and the Thunderclan cats. “You want us to unite when none of the clans want anything to do with them?” he gestured to Onestar and Kestrelflight, both looking affronted.

“And suppose we believe you about this prophecy- what powers do these cats even have?” Mistystar asked. An interrogation followed, the leaders accusing Thunderclan of spying on them once Dovewing explained how her power worked. Brambleclaw was afraid that the whole meeting was falling apart and that these cats had no interest in staying alive, until Willowshine convinced Dovewing to try to reach out and access the Dark Forest.

Brambleclaw's tail twitched nervously as Dovewing and Jayfeather described what was going on within the Place of No Stars, letting out a deep breath that he didn't know he was holding in.

“You're doing well,” Lionblaze murmured next to him, his tail stroking down his back. “I don't think Firestar could be doing much better here,” the golden tom tried joking.

“Is that a clan cat?” Mistystar suddenly exclaimed, and Brambleclaw's attention was back onto that of the leaders.

“Why would a clan cat be in the Dark Forest?” Onestar snapped.

“They’ve recruited clan cats,” Lionblaze sighed.

“I would never have any traitors within my clan!” Onestar exclaimed.

“Well believe it, because they've recruited cats from all the clans. They believe they are training for the sake of their clan. They don’t realize they are being prepared for our destruction.” Jayfeather explained. Brambleclaw wasn't a mouse-brain; it certainly wasn't thorns causing such bad injuries when those certain cats got up in the morning. It was easy to see who was training in the Dark Forest, especially because he himself had trained there before.

“Fools,” Blackstar muttered, claws digging into the soft earth.

“So what do we do against the Dark Forest?” Mistystar demanded.

“We need to stand together,” Brambleclaw said, stepping forward.

“I'm supposed to trust anyone here? It's not like any of you trust me right now!” Onestar hissed. “Not to mention that I would have to work together with Firestar.”

“Not like we want to work with you either,” Blackstar muttered crossly.

“Well you can fight with us, or you can let the Dark Forest cats tear you and your clan down, Onestar. Your choice,” Brambleclaw growled. Onestar's ears pinned themselves flat onto his head, but otherwise said nothing.

Silence gripped the clearing, broken only by the fretful song of a sparrow high above them.

“We don't have a choice,” Mistystar sighed after a few moments of silence. She dipped her head. “Riverclan will join Thunderclan in this battle.”

“Shadowclan will join, but on Shadowclan territory, Shadowclan is in charge of any warrior from any clan.” He scowled at Mistystar, Onestar, and Brambleclaw. “Even a clan leader or deputy.”

Brambleclaw nodded, knowing that this was the only way for Blackstar to join. “Okay.” He turned to Onestar expectantly. The pale brown tabby was averting his gaze, stubbornly refusing to speak.

“Windclan is the reason why our leader was set off, why our territory is burnt to a crisp, why we have little prey and shelter when leaf-bare is right around the corner, and why Thunderclan's leader is gone. The least you can do is fight with us. You owe us that much, Onestar,” Brambleclaw said angrily.

Onestar lashed his tail angrily. “Fine! Windclan will join your alliance, but only for this battle. After this, Windclan will stand alone.”

'Fine, be that way. We only needed to unite for the Dark Forest anyway. Not like you'll have any allies after this is over,' Brambleclaw thought snidely. At least he got the stubborn Windclan leader to agree.

“Starclan will be pleased,” Jayfeather meowed as the other medicine cats murmured their approval, Kestrelflight murmuring his approval half-heartedly.

“Alright, we're going to need a battle plan,” Brambleclaw declared. It was decided that each clan would send three warriors to the other clans, and two cats from each clan would be chosen to be the messengers between the clans, in case news or reinforcements were needed. As Brambleclaw and his cats left the island, the heaviness in his chest lessened. He and the others had successfully united the clans together against the Dark Forest! Onestar had been difficult to work with, making his... disdain for Firestar very clear through the making of the battle plans.

'But I don't think we'll be able to win this without you. Please come home soon Firestar.'

Chapter Text

Seeing her former apprentice writhe on the ground in pain physically hurt her. His eyes were flickering from green to red and then back again, the stone in his chest glowing an intense, angry red, anger, pain, and mistrust building up within his eyes. It was influencing him again- putting in foreign thoughts and commands without his say. It was hurting him.

In that moment, she cursed whoever had sent the vision of Firestar being their destroyer to the medicine cats. Because Windclan had been so utterly convinced that Firestar was out to get them all, Firestar had been chased out from Thunderclan of all things. He was never have supposed to be driven out. There was no reason for it. They had ran her former apprentice out when he had done nothing to deserve it, and it broke her heart to see the hopelessness and helplessness in his eyes, convinced that he was nothing more than a monster.

She especially wanted to tear the whiskers off of the Windclan warriors of Starclan, most of which had backed up Onestar's lunacy. She wasn't sure if it was because they were truly fearful of Firestar or if it was because they were too prideful of Windclan. It wasn't just Windclan, many warriors of Starclan, regardless of what living clan they had once been, had feared Firestar and what he could now do. She supposed they were right to fear him- no one should be stronger than the powers of the stars.

The Three had been sent to them to be their best preparation against the Dark Forest. Three cats with the power of the stars in their paws. But then Firestar had been bestowed with something even more powerful than Starclan could possibly imagine- and many within Starclan didn't like it.

When would he turn his claws onto them next?

But Firestar was so obviously their Fourth cat, the one the Ancients promised to them that would lead the clans to victory. But what help was he when he had been driven out by the very clans he was meant to protect?

It was clear to see that Firestar had lost all the love he had for the clans. Why help the clans when they wanted him gone? It was a pointless endeavor. All the passion and love he had for the clans...gone. It had been replaced by something primal; something she couldn't make out what it was. Hatred maybe?

But he was needed. Without Firestar, the clans would be destined to fall to the Dark Forest.

She had rushed forward, hoping that with a few well-placed words, she could calm him down, fight off the stone's influence and maybe convince him to return to the clans. She knew she was hoping and asking for a lot, but what else could she do? She certainly couldn't force him to go back. She had made it to his side, urging him to fight it, and then he was screaming at her to leave him alone, and her world was engulfed in fire.

She didn't think she would die again so soon, and not from her beloved apprentice himself!

She thought it was the end... until something just... snapped together in her mind with a click. And then suddenly, she could hear it.

*Thump thump*

*Thump thump*

*Thump thump*

Firestar's heartbeat. She didn't know why she was hearing it, or whose heartbeat it belonged to until she listened closer, hearing a thrumming beating in tune that she almost didn't notice, the thrumming blending in so well. It was pulsing in tune with his heart, and suddenly the image of red lines attached to his heart appeared briefly in her mind.

Don't trust them. They only want to use you. The clans hate you.

With startling realization, she realized that she could hear the mental voice of the stone, implanting commands into Firestar's subconsciousness.

It was totally intertwined with his body, attaching itself onto anywhere it could branch out into, including his mind.

'So that's how it's influencing him...'

They are the only ones that matter.

Images of Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, and Leafpool came to mind, and then a fierce need to protect buzzed through her, followed by an intense feeling of love. Was this how Firestar felt about those four cats?

Why was she being shown this? Why was she hearing this?

'Did I connect with the stone somehow?' Or perhaps the stone connected with her; did it do so to rub in how much control it had over Firestar to her?

You can't become your truest self by following the will of those that don't care about you.

'What it is trying to do to him? What did it mean by truest self!' It confirmed her suspicions that the stone was trying to change Firestar into something else entirely- something that wasn't a cat. Something that cared for... only itself. That's why it was instilling foreign instincts into the ginger leader.

'But why? Why is it trying to change him? It is doing it just because or does it have some kind of purpose?' Her thoughts ran wild, trying to figure out why the stone was here. She strained her mind, trying to delve deeper into the connection, hoping for some kind of answer.

….

Something was keeping her out, but she could make out the faint voice of the stone- it didn't want anyone to know its purpose. But she could hear one of the reasons why it was still attached to Firestar.

Survive. A host is needed.

It needed him! Without Firestar, it couldn't complete whatever purpose it had!

'Come on, just a little more. If I can figure out what this thing really wants with him, maybe I can help Firestar-!' But it wasn't meant to be, as her connection with the stone waned, and she could no longer hear its voice. Instead of darkness, she was suddenly back within Thunderclan territory, laying on her side. She groaned as she got up to her paws, confused, only to stumble back with a startled hiss.

There was the creature that haunted many cat's nightmares- black scales covering it from head to tail, four large wings, many horns crowning its head, a small red dot in its chest- the very thing that Firestar was to turn into. The creature that the stone wanted Firestar to turn into. She was prepared to run, when she noticed the dull shock within the creature's eyes.

“No... please wake up... please...” he pleaded. She edged closer, and her fur bristled at the still forms of Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight underneath Firestar. He was huddled over them, gathering the four within his claws, and pleading with them to wake up.

'Oh no, this isn't good...' She started backing away as hot, angry, sorrowful tears started streaming down his face.

'My.. my treasures...” he sobbed. An aura of malice and hatred emanated off of him in waves, and she wanted nothing more than to run. But her legs failed her, and she was stuck in place and could only watch as Firestar put down the four cats gently, before a roar of sheer anger tore out of him.

“They took them from me. This world took the only things that mattered-!” he snarled. “If the world wants to see me suffer so, then I'll return that suffering back!” he roared out. He reared up and opened his jaws, and a pillar of fire rose up from his mouth, the fire raining back down onto the earth in a shower of fiery death and destruction. She screamed as the fire rained down on her, Firestar's roar of sorrow ringing in her ears being the last thing she heard.

And Bluestar jerked awake yowling, then gasping for breath as her mind registered that she wasn't there and that she was safe.

“Bluestar! You're awake!” Spottedleaf gasped. All the medicine cats presently in the den hurried over and tried checking her over, before an irate meow sounded in the den.

“Stop crowding around her! Are you all medicine cats or are you all newly made apprentices?!” Yellowfang hissed. They all stepped back and allowed the grouchy she-cat to move forward to stand by Bluestar's side.

“What happened?” Bluestar muttered.

Yellowfang flicked her tail. “Firestar got you good is what happened. Thankfully the burns weren't too terrible to treat.” Bluestar turned her head and the sight of cobwebs all over her body greeted her. She turned back to Yellowfang with a grimace.

“How long was I...?”

Yellowfang and the other medicine cats averted their gazes. “You've been knocked out for a while,” Spottedleaf said awkwardly.

“Seemed you had a really bad dream in order for you to wake up like that though,” Yellowfang commented.

Bluestar's eyes widened, suddenly remembering the dream. “I connected with it,” she gasped.

“Connected with what?”

“The stone!” All the medicine cats stiffened in shock.

“You... connected with that thing?” Yellowfang asked slowly.

“It... it has a purpose. I didn't find out what it's here for but it needs Firestar to be alive to do it. And...” she trailed off, not wanting to think about the horrible vision of Firestar destroying everything. “We have to protect them.”

“Protect who?” Spottedleaf inquired softly.

“Brambleclaw. Sandstorm. Leafpool. Squirrelflight. If they die... the result will be even worse than whatever the Dark Forest will do to us.”

.

.

.

.

“The time has come,” came Brokenstar's rasping mew, ringing throughout the Dark Forest. Cats crowed their approval, their yowls echoing through leafless branches. “This is the last night you’ll spend in this stinking forest!” Brokenstar declared from the stump. His amber eyes gleamed as he surveyed the sea of bristling pelts.

Tigerstar leaped onto the tree stump and nudged Brokenstar aside. “Tonight we will sweep away the warrior code that has robbed the clans of true honor for so long. For too many moons, the clans have nurtured the weak and rejected the strong.” He swung his broad head around to take in all the cats below him. “But tonight we will rage through the clans like a storm until only the strong remain. We will build a new clan where strength and victory are prized above weakness and failure!”

“No more warrior code!” yowled a battered tabby.

“The Dark Forest will rule the clans!” Cries rose from the crowd.

“Follow me tonight!” Tigerstar lifted his voice. “And I promise you more power and freedom than you have ever known.”

Hawkfrost jumped up beside Tigerstar and Brokenstar, his pelt glossy in the eerie half-light. “And if Firestar shows up during the battle?”

Tigerstar's eyes gleamed in the darkness, aware that Firestar had been chased out but was making his way back. “You all know what to do if that kittypet makes an appearance,” he sneered.

Hawkfrost nodded. “Then our warriors are ready,” he yowled. “Death to the clans!”

As the Dark Forest warriors picked up the chant, wind surged through the trees. It dragged at the branches, splintering bark and stripping shriveled, dead leaves. Lightning split the sky as Tigerstar jumped down from the stump. The crowd parted to let him through and he raced for the trees, Brokenstar and Hawkfrost at his tail. The Dark Forest army surged after them.

“Death to the clans!”

“Death to the clans!”

“Death to the clans!”

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw sighed as he tried taking in the faint scents of the leaders' den, hoping to draw comfort that the walls used to give whenever Firestar would keep them all together within the den. He had strangely enough enjoyed those times. Firestar just exuded love and protectiveness whenever he had been around his small family; plus his leader was so warm. He made the chilly nights of leaf-fall more than bearable.

But trying to draw in any sort of comfort was incredibly hard at this point, with a battle just on the horizon. He drew in a shaky breath as he realized that this may be his last time within the den. With Firestar gone, he was the one who would lead Thunderclan into battle, and with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost labeling him as a traitor to their cause... there was a good chance he wouldn't survive past the battle.

He wondered what would happen if Firestar and the search party returned after the battle- would they find a clan in celebration of their victory or would they find dead bodies everywhere? He hoped the latter scenario would never come into reality.

Speaking of the search party...

'I never did get to apologize to Squirrelflight,' he thought forlornly. He didn't have the courage to speak to her before she left to find Firestar. All that time trapped in the den with her gave him some much needed time to think things over. He knew why he had been angry with her. After everything with Hawkfrost, they promised to be open with one another. No more secrets. He had confided with her about his visits to the Dark Forest, training with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost. He hadn't hid anything from her since then.

But she hadn't trusted him enough to tell him that their kits weren't even theirs? What did she think he was going to do if she told him, cast the kits away? Apparently the openness had only applied to him- he had been so angry with her, for breaking their promise, for lying about their kits, for not trusting him.

But being forced to spend time with her gave him time to step back and think. He tried seeing himself in her paws, just to try and attempt to understand. If Tawnypelt had come to him asking to take in her kits, he would have done so without hesitation- because she was his sister. Leafpool was Squirrelflight's sister, and they would do anything for each other. He wouldn't have lied about the kits(because really, it's not like he could say he gave birth to them like Squirrelflight had done) but he could understand why Squirrelflight did it.

Perhaps giving her the cold shoulder for so long hadn't been the best idea though. He needed time to cool his head, but not seasons.

'I'm such a mouse-brain. And now I might not even get to apologize to her...' He dreaded to think what would happen if Squirrelflight and Hollyleaf and Firestar came back to hear of his death, or even worse, to see his dead body. Squirrelflight would undoubtedly be distraught, he hoped Hollyleaf would feel something towards one of the cats that helped raised her, and Firestar...

The only good thing about his death was that the Dark Forest would fall under Firestar's rage at the loss of one of his hatchlings.

He hoped he wouldn't have to see such a thing, because it didn't necessarily have to be him- if Leafpool or Sandstorm died.... Brambleclaw involuntarily shivered. He lifted up his head towards the opening of the den, Sandstorm poking her head inside.

“The Shadowclan warriors are here,” she meowed, before withdrawing. He sighed and got up to his paws, hurrying outside to greet the Shadowclan cats to their camp. He stood in the center of camp, eyes focused at the entrance of the camp as Oakfur, Smokefoot, and Snowbird walked in, taking in the somewhat dilapidated state of their camp. They had fixed the damage from the blaze as best as they could, but with leaf-bare on the horizon and with little time to fix things, the camp still looked like a bit of a mess.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Cloudtail muttered. “Shadowclan warriors in our camp.”

“Welcome Oakfur,” Brambleclaw greeted them, flashing Cloudtail a warning look. “Smokefoot, Snowbird, it's good to see you,” he nodded to the other Shadowclan warriors.

“There’s prey if you’re hungry,” Lionblaze offered.

Oakfur flicked his ear, surprise in his eyes. “You still have prey despite the state of your territory?” he asked surprised. The cats around them shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to be reminded of the fire that took down a good chunk of their territory.

Dovewing ran forward from the edge of the clearing. “There’s no time to worry about prey! They’re coming!”

Brambleclaw whipped his head around to face her. “The Dark Forest cats?”

Dovewing pricked her ears, listening in on something only she could hear. “They're in the forest!”

The ShadowClan patrol faced the barrier, hackles high. Lionblaze unsheathed his claws and dropped into a battle crouch.

Hazeltail was staring at Dovewing. “How do you know?”

“She just does, okay?” Jayfeather bounded from the medicine den and stopped in front of Dovewing. “Which way are they heading?”

“I can't tell!”

Brambleclaw snapped his head up, scanning the tree line above. He could hear the distinct sound of thundering paws, all heading towards camp. 'Great Starclan, they really put one heck of a battle patrol! How many cats are we up against?'

“All right, it's time,” he announced. “Sorreltail, Thornclaw, and Spiderleg, go as fast as you can to Shadowclan,” he ordered. “Fight like they’re your own clanmates. Whitewing, Berrynose, and Hazeltail, you must help Windclan.” The warriors raced out of camp.

Only Sorreltail hesitated, glancing toward the nursery. “We’ll keep Lilykit and Seedkit safe,” Brambleclaw promised. Sorreltail dipped her head and charged after her patrol.

Brambleclaw flicked his tail toward Icecloud. She was already running for the entrance with Toadstep and Bumblestripe on her tail. “We’ll get to Riverclan before the Dark Forest warriors,” she called over her shoulder.

Molepaw and Rosepetal rushed over to stand in front of Brambleclaw. “Where should we go first?”

“Molepaw, head for Windclan and then RiverClan. Rosepetal, go to Shadowclan. Bring back any news you can. We need to know where the Dark Forest strikes first.”

Poppyfrost met her kit as they headed for the thorn barrier. “I know you’ll be brave.” She lifted her chin. “I’m very proud of you, remember that.”

She stood aside and let the pair of mentor and apprentice rush out, her eyes glistening. Berrynose padded to her side and pressed his cheek against hers. “He's a warrior today,” he murmured.

“What about Cherrypaw?” she whimpered.

“We'll just have to hope that she's safer than we are at the moment,” Berrynose murmured.

Brambleclaw glanced around camp, noting with shock at how empty it was. 'I really hope the Riverclan and Windclan warriors are coming,' he thought, frustrated. He rushed over to help Jayfeather pull some bramble over to the medicine den entrance, and the blind medicine cat nodded to him before hurrying inside. He scented Leafpool inside, and pricked his ears to hear the muffled murmuring from within.

“Just be careful okay? The clan needs its medicine cat,” Leafpool murmured.

“You're a medicine cat too,” Jayfeather growled. “I need all the help I can get, especially with so few herbs.” There was silence for a moment and Brambleclaw shuffled closer to see Jayfeather had his muzzle buried into Leafpool's shoulder.

“You're going to save us all, remember? Prophecies have never been wrong before,” Leafpool said.

“I'm not worried about this prophecy,” Jayfeather muttered. Brambleclaw pricked his ears up in interest.

“What do you mean? Is there another prophecy?” Leafpool asked quickly.

Jayfeather looked uncomfortable, the fur along his spine bristling. “I received another prophecy recently,” he said.

“When the leaf falls from the tree and withers, the King's flame shall be unleashed in full.”

“The King's flame?”

'The King's flame? That's right, he mentioned the prophecy and vision to Firestar and I before...'

“I don't understand, what even is a King?” Leafpool meowed, agitated. Brambleclaw wondered the same, thinking about the prophecy's meaning.

“I've been trying to interpret it for a while now, but right now isn't the time to be trying to figure out what it means. We've got a battle to get through,” Jayfeather said.

Leafpool sucked in some air and nodded, before pressing her muzzle to Jayfeather's pelt. “You know I'll always love you and your siblings, right?” she murmured softly.

Jayfeather paused in his sorting. “...I know.”

Brambleclaw sprang to his paws, hurrying away from the medicine den, feeling as if he were intruding on something personal. He remembered hearing the prophecy before, but now it felt more real. An epiphany struck him. 'The King's flame... it's not talking about Firestar is it?'

.

.

.

.

Brambleclaw waited on top of the hollow with a few cats. The other side of the hollow held some cats on top as well- they were hoping to trap the Dark Forest cats on both sides when they inevitably stormed the camp. He could hear the sounds of battle as his clanmates tried to hold off the Dark Forest cats outside of camp, and his ears pricked up when he heard a yowl for help.

“We need backup!”

A few warriors raced from the entrance but more ragged pelts swarmed from the trees and began to drive the clan cats back against the thorn barrier. The ferns shivered on the far slope as he and Lionblaze crashed out, intent on helping their clanmates drive out the invaders.

“They’re in the camp!” Lionblaze’s yowl split the air. Dark pelts were streaming through the thorns, turning the narrow entrance into a ragged hole. Lionblaze flashed in after them.

“Cinderheart! Dustpelt! Graystripe! Go with Lionblaze and drive them out!” Brambleclaw sent a Dark Forest warrior flying with a backward kick. “We’ll hold the rest off here.” He sent himself launching at Darkstripe, the tom twisting and contorting his body in an attempt to kick Brambleclaw off, hissing furiously. Brambleclaw lost his grip and quickly scrambled backwards as the dark tom advanced onto him.

Then he heard Ferncloud shriek from inside the camp. He almost turned around to rush into camp, when the scents of Riverclan and Windclan hit his nose, and the warriors pelted into camp, aiming for a few Dark Forest cats along the way.

“There's more in camp!” Brambleclaw screeched to the Windclan warriors as he batted Darkstripe away.

“We’ll deal with them.” Owlwhisker disappeared through the barrier with Whitetail and Boulderfur on his tail.

Brambleclaw lined up with Poppyfrost and Berrynose and began herding a knot of warriors toward the trees. He reared and dived, sure of his movements, knowing exactly where to aim, noticing Dovewing and Millie pushing back another cluster. The Dark Forest warriors jerked around, looking at their scattered allies with dismay before turning and running for the trees.

Soon enough the Dark Forest cats had thinned to a few stragglers. Brambleclaw stood stiff-legged in front of them. “You can run or you can die,” he offered in a low growl. They froze, then turned and pelted for the forest.

“Cowards!” Ferncloud hissed from the entrance to the hollow. Pebblefoot and Sandstorm exploded out from behind her, driving the last few Dark Forest warriors out of camp. Brambleclaw only narrowed his eyes as cats around him purred in victory, knowing that those cats had only been the first wave.

“There's more coming,” Dovewing whispered in dismay.

“Cloudtail! Pebblefoot! Dustpelt!” The deputy called to the bloodiest cats. “Medicine den! Now!” They limped across the battered thorns, turning the branches red, and Brambleclaw wished he could ask the cats around him to receive as little injury as possible since they had little herbs to spare, but that was asking for way too much.

“Is anyone else badly hurt?” He scanned the patrol. Millie rubbed at a torn ear. Graystripe pressed against her, his eye swollen. Poppyfrost licked a wrenched claw. Mintfur sniffed a scratch on Troutstream’s flank while Smokefoot shook out his ragged pelt.

Leafpool wove between them, checking wounds. “Nothing dangerous,” she meowed.

“The kits are safe!” Ferncloud reported.

“For now,” he muttered darkly.

Dovewing stiffened as paw steps pounded beyond the rise.

Cloudtail arched his back. “Who is it?”

A young ShadowClan cat appeared at the top of the slope.

“Stoatpaw?” Brambleclaw padded forward. “How’s ShadowClan?”

“Blackstar’s losing a life!” Stoatpaw raced toward them, eyes wide. “We’ve been overrun! We need help!” Smokefoot darted forward to meet the apprentice. Oakfur and Snowbird watched their clanmates, panic lighting their eyes.

“Have you seen Molepaw?” Poppyfrost asked.

“Isn't he here?” Stoatpaw asked, blinking.

“Perhaps he's gone to find Rosepetal.” Leafpool pressed against the tortoiseshell warrior. “Or maybe he's lying low until it's safe to travel.”

Brambleclaw looked towards Dovewing. “How near is the next Dark Forest patrol?”

She pricked up her ears for a few moments. “They haven’t broken through yet.”

He lashed his tail. “Lionblaze, go to Shadowclan. You go too, Graystripe. We can manage here without you.” He hoped they could at least. They were losing one of their best warriors in Lionblaze by letting him go elsewhere.

“Smokefoot!” he called to the Shadowclan tom. “Take your patrol home. Your clanmates need you more than we do.” As Smokefoot nodded, Brambleclaw weaved around Lionblaze. “Save them, Lionblaze.” He touched his muzzle to the golden warrior’s cheek as though they were still father and son. “I know you can.”

Lionblaze gazed for a moment into Brambleclaw’s eyes, then pulled away and raced into the forest. Graystripe and the Shadowclan patrol hurtled after him, Stoatpaw trailing behind on tired legs.

“The camp’s been destroyed,” Ferncloud growled.

“It was already a wreck. It's not like they destroyed much anyway,” Brambleclaw retorted, turning to head back through the ragged barrier. “We'll rebuild after this whole mess is over.”

If they survived the next wave that is. He dug his claws into the earth. Firestar's claws and tail would have been helpful in defending the camp. Maybe even scare some Dark Forest cats off with some fire.

'Come back soon. We could really use your help.'

Chapter Text

The Twolegplace had disappeared from view a long while ago as the small group pressed forth on their journey to return to Thunderclan. Firestar walked in a daze, his mind trailing back to Hanako and Hisako and Razor and Dart and then back to when Cherrypaw had rushed up to him, telling him that Thunderclan wanted him back. His thoughts were a whirlwind as he tried processing everything that had happened from the last day alone.

Cherrypaw didn't speak for all of Thunderclan. Why would they all want him back? No doubt a lot of them probably still had their misgivings about him.

He knew why they sent this small group of cats to catch up with him- Thunderclan needed a leader, and Brambleclaw currently wasn't it. Starclan wouldn't have allowed it...

He recalled the day when he was escorting Cinderpelt to Highstones back at the old forest, where they had run into Runningnose and Littlecloud at Fourtrees. Runningnose had divulged to him as to why Nightstar had died so quickly, despite having nine lives.

Nightstar had never received them. Starclan still saw kit-murdering Brokenstar as Shadowclan's rightful leader, despite being chased out, and refused to give Nightstar his nine lives. Perhaps Jayfeather or Brambleclaw had found that out and realized that they needed him back.

He couldn't blame his hatchling if he had felt pressured to go to the Moonpool to receive his nine lives. Firestar had left so suddenly, away from a clan that didn't want him. He felt bad for leaving Brambleclaw to take control of an entire clan like that, with a blackened and charred territory to remind him that things would only get harder, thanks to him.

“We should stop for now and continue in the morning,” Hollyleaf meowed to them all. He glanced at the skyline behind them, noting that the sun was dipping below the horizon. He did feel a little tired, but maybe that was because he had been up all night, rescuing Hanako and Hisako, fighting Razor and his rogues, escorting the two she-cats back to their home, and then doing his best to sneak out of the Twolegplace without any Twolegs spotting him.

Plus, he hadn't really eaten all day, with them spending the day trekking their way back to the clans. He glanced around the grassy plains they were standing in. He remembered coming through this way, but he had disregarded this place because of a lack of decent shelter and prey. They certainly weren't going to be sleeping on moss tonight.

Now that he thought about it, had the bush really been all that bad?

“Alright, Hollyleaf, Foxleap, and Cherrypaw will stay here and find some shelter or at the very least something to make a nest out of. Squirrelflight and I will try to see if there's any prey around here,” he said, trying to bring himself into being a leader once again. The cats nodded, not at all questioning his word.

While the two warriors and apprentice got to work on building some decent nests, he and Squirrelflight walked out further away from them, trying to scent the air and hoping for a taste of mouse or vole to grace their noses. The entire time they were hunting, he constantly found himself close to Squirrelflight, not wanting to be away from his hatchling for a moment longer.

“You know I can hunt by myself, right Father? I'm not a kit anymore,” she huffed.

'No, but you'll always be my hatchling,' he retorted in his head. He couldn't blame her for thinking he was being a little too overbearing, but his instincts were screaming at him to stay with her.

They didn't catch much, even with Squirrelflight's superior hunting skills they only managed to catch a few small mice and some moles. After returning to the others, who had managed to make some decent looking nests, he decided that they needed the prey more than he did. Squirrelflight protested vehemently, arguing that he needed the prey just as badly as they did.

He did need to eat. But even all the prey they had found wouldn't have been enough to stave off his hunger- he would just be as hungry as before he ate. Their hunger would at least lessen.

He was surprised when each one of them pushed him a piece of their own prey to eat. He was still hungry, but he felt warm at their gesture.

Once they were done eating, the sun had sunk below the horizon and warriors of Starclan had begun to twinkle through the darkness. He glanced at Squirrelflight once he had settled in one of the makeshift nests, and thankfully his hatchling knew what to do as she settled down beside him and allowed him to curl around her. He started absentmindedly grooming her, thinking back to when they found him.

He stared at the small group of cats that were sent to apparently bring him back to Thunderclan with trepidation. “The clan...wants me back?” he questioned numbly. Of course Squirrelflight wanted him back, and Hollyleaf never had anything against him, and Cherrypaw was remorseful of what her reckless actions had caused him to become. She hadn't been able to defend him, considering she had gone into shock from almost dying in a burning forest, as well as too much smoke inhalation.

He cast a wary glance at Foxleap, who hadn't done anything to defend him, who had given him a dark look as he had been attacked by Windclan over and over again.

Foxleap noticed his wariness and bowed his head to him without a second thought, startling Firestar greatly. “I know that nothing I can say or do will make up for the way we all but abandoned you to face Windclan alone. You did nothing to deserve it and you've done nothing but try your best to defend us, and we threw it back into your face,” Foxleap meowed, a humble tone in his voice.

“But I did deserve it,” Firestar murmured. “I went and burned Thunderclan territory to the ground right as leaf-bare entered.”

“Hey, if I had a mate that was being held at claw-point, I'd be pretty mad too,” Hollyleaf interjected.

“The point is, is that we failed to protect our leader the same way he had been protecting us for moons,” Foxleap said.

“And there are a lot of cats that want you back, including me,” Squirrelflight meowed to him, pressing her pelt again his own.

This was what he wanted, wasn't it? He had told Hanako during the battle that he needed to go back to Thunderclan, just to know if they really hated him or not. But was he talking about Thunderclan as a whole, or just his treasures? Here they were, or at least one of his treasures, telling him that they wanted him back. Squirrelflight clearly loved him...

“You've changed,” Squirrelflight commented, breaking him out of his thoughts.

“Hm? How so?”

“You haven't noticed that you tower over us now?”

“I've always towered over you all, ever since I changed I mean,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, but you're even taller and bigger than I remember,” Squirrelflight meowed softly. “The horns that were growing in before you left Thunderclan are fully grown, and I think I see another pair on the way.” He frowned, using a claw to feel around his head, and sure enough, there was yet another set of stubs he could feel below his newly grown horns.

“Not only that, but there are scales all over you now. Like all the scales from your legs and tail are just... extending into the rest of your body.” Even though it was pitch black around him, his eyesight was good enough to see that there was a lot more black strewn across his pelt within the ginger fur than he remembered having. Had he really changed so much after his departure from Thunderclan?

It was just another reminder of what he was to become. He drew two of his wings over his hatchling, his eyes misty.

“Thunderclan still wants me, despite of what I'm continuing to become?”

Squirrelflight only leaned into him. “I don't know if some of the cats are really happy with Brambleclaw's decision to bring you back, but I think a lot of them are guilty over what happened after the fire. We really tore into them,” she said somberly. “But I want you back, and so does Leafpool, and Mother, and Brambleclaw, and Jayfeather, and Lionblaze...” she rambled on. “But the point is, is that there are cats that care about you Father, and cats that don't care about the whole scales-wings-fire breath stuff.”

She laid her head over his claws, intent on getting some sleep. Even after her breathing evened out, he lay awake, thanking his luckiness that all his treasures cared.

A strange prickling feeling came from the stone, a red light glowing from his chest. He shifted uncomfortably and tried to relax enough to get some sleep, but the feeling wouldn't subside.

'Great, what's going on with it now?'

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.

.

.

It was by the end of the next day that the familiar trees of Thunderclan came into view. He breathed in deeply, frowning at the scents of charred wood that drifted into his senses. He still felt incredibly guilty about burning their territory to the ground.

“We're almost home!” Cherrypaw cheered. “Everyone's going to be so happy to see you back!”

He doubted that everyone was going to be happy to see him, and Windclan as a whole definitely wouldn't be happy to see him of all cats leading Thunderclan again. But his treasures wanted him back, so he would endure the other clans' hatred if only for them.

He rubbed his chest uncomfortably, the stone casting a weak red light on the ground.

“Is there something wrong, Father?” Squirrelflight asked him, running her tail down his back, avoiding his spines.

“The stone's acting up again; it's probably nothing,” he murmured. As they drew closer to Thunderclan territory, Firestar couldn't help but feel anxious. Something was wrong- he could feel it. The moment they stepped into the woods, yowls and screeches reached his ears, as well as the unforgettable scent of blood assaulting his nose.

“Firestar?” Hollyleaf inquired.

“There's- there's some kind of battle going on. A really bad one,” he meowed.

Hollyleaf cursed, her tail lashing angrily. “The Dark Forest battle didn't start did it? We haven't been gone for that long!” she cried in alarm.

“Of course they would begin their attack now,” he growled. “With Thunderclan leaderless and its territory burned down, and with me out the way, it's the perfect time to strike.”

“Wait, what's this about the Dark Forest attacking?” Foxleap asked in confusion, Cherrypaw beside him looking also confused. “Are we sure you're not hearing Thunderclan and one of the other clans fighting each other right now?” he said anxiously, not questioning Firestar's hearing but not wanting to believe that Thunderclan was under attack.

“Trust me, I can tell.” He turned to the four cats next to him. “We're going to have to immediately go into battle. Be careful out there. I don't want any of you to die after journeying so far to find and bring me back. You deserve better than that,” he said, and the four cats nodded resolutely at him. He drew in a deep breath, before rushing into the forest, the other cats quick at his heels.

Chapter Text

He was aware of his clanmates straining their ears in the hopes of hearing the sounds of battle that he had claimed to have heard. Hollyleaf was cursing behind him, muttering to herself that she was no Dovewing. He supposed it was a little far fetched to believe that he could easily hear the battle, but he had heard the other clans coming before they reached the camp, just before he had set everything ablaze. He couldn't block out the yowls and screeches of fighting cats.

He gradually slowed to a stop as they ran deeper into Thunderclan territory, his eyes horrified at the sights around him. The trees were blackened, charred, and some were burned into nothing.

“Firestar? Why did you stop?” Hollyleaf asked quickly.

“Are there cats coming?” Cherrypaw's eyes went wide.

He only stood there, stiff as a log. “Did I do this?” he muttered numbly. He turned his head around to stare blankly at the four awkward cats, who averted their own gazes. “Why didn't you tell me about how much damage I've caused to our territory? How have you survived like this?” They stood there awkwardly, glancing at each other and silently communicating as to who would give him the answers he sought.

“I mean, it wasn't easy. We've just been doing what you were doing; going outside the territory for food and stuff,” Foxleap said awkwardly.

“Broaching such a topic wasn't relevant anyway. We've been surviving, and that's all that matters right now,” Hollyleaf meowed.

“Plus, we were focused on finding you. And I guess... we didn't want to see you unhappy again, Father,” Squirrelflight finished.

He lashed his tail, annoyed and agitated. Of course the state of Thunderclan territory was relevant if he was going to see it again anyway. He was grateful to Squirrelflight, for wanting him to be happy, but he wasn't a hatchling himself. Did they all really think he was going to have a bad reaction to hearing about the state of the territory? He knew what he did- he just didn't realize the extent of what he had done.

“Does the clan actually want me back? Or are they going to tip-toe around me, whispering about me behind my back again?” Firestar asked bluntly.

“Of course we want you back-!” Squirrelflight started to say.

“And yet my own hatchling thinks I needed to be coddled. I can see the wariness in your eyes you know. Are you all afraid I'll lash out again?” Firestar murmured dejectedly.

Squirrelflight drew in a deep breath, before marching over to her father and thrusting her head underneath his chin. “I meant what I said. I do care. And yeah, maybe I was a little afraid of how you would react to hearing about the devastation your fire brought us,” she began. “But maybe that was wrong of me. I know you just want to be treated as you were before you changed.” He bowed his head down, giving his hatchling a few licks, feeling sorry that he upset her.

He did want to be treated normally. He was sick of everyone acting wary around him, and he longed for his clan to treat him as Hanako and Hisako did- without fear.

He pushed her away roughly, hissing as the stone sent out a painful wave of heat across his body.

“Father!”

“Firestar!”

“I-I'm fine,” he panted, turning his head to gaze down at the stone.

More energy is required. He blinked in shock- the stone hadn't spoken to him directly in a while, not since he ran into Hanako and Hisako anyway. What did it mean by needing more energy?

“That thing isn't doing anything to you again, is it?” Squirrelflight fretted. Honestly, he wasn't sure what it was doing this time. He narrowed his eyes, feeling as if the stone was planning something big. But before he could dwell on it longer, the sound of pawsteps stomping towards them easily reached his ears.

The other cats pricked their ears up, the sound close enough for them to hear as well. They got into position as four dark forest warriors burst forth from the charred trees, looking ready for a fight, until they saw Firestar.

“What the- the kittypet's back?!” one yelped.

“Fox-dung...I thought Hawkfrost said we would have more time...”

“It doesn't matter! Go back and tell Tigerstar he's back! With any luck, he'll go down easily. Just because he's got longer claws and some wings doesn't mean he'll use them. Stupid kittypet still has his kittypet softness,” one scoffed. Firestar's eye twitched, ready to show these cats how 'soft' he could really be.

“Get behind me Cherrypaw!” Foxleap meowed to his apprentice, who obediently took a few steps back.

As one of the dark forest cats made a run for it, probably to find Tigerstar, the other three lunged towards Firestar. He swung around, lashing out with his tail, and they were forced to stop themselves lest they gouge themselves. He rushed forth and raked his claws down on one of the dark forest cats, before pinning the cat down. His superior strength made it so the cat was unable to push him off, and with the way he was angled, the only spots that the cat could reach were scaled.

One of the cats hissed angrily, and rushed forward, intent on doing damage to Firestar while he was busy dealing with his ally, when he was intercepted by Squirrelflight. The third cat was busy dealing with Hollyleaf and Foxleap, and was being pushed back by the two warriors.

Firestar growled angrily, and he gladly ended the foolish cat's life with a killing bite to the throat. These rogues didn't deserve mercy, not when they were so willingly to kill themselves. Not when one of them got away to alert Tigerstar that he was back, when the tabby wanted nothing more than to kill everyone that Firestar loved.

“Kill them. Fight like rogues if you have to!” he called out to his clanmates. Foxleap and Squirrelflight glanced at him, surprised, but Hollyleaf only shrugged before quickly fastening her fangs to the cat's neck, and ended his life with a snap.

Squirrelflight, though startled by Firestar's command, dodged her attacker's claws and pinned him down, and delivered her own killing bite. Pride welled up in Firestar; his hatchling was proving how strong she was! Then he realized that he was proud that his daughter had killed a cat, though well deserved, and guilt flooded into his head.

But why fight it? They deserved to die- they wouldn't have hesitated to kill anyone.

“Wow! You all took them down easily!” Cherrypaw cheered from behind them.

“We never had to kill before. The code says we don't need to kill to prove ourselves,” Foxleap muttered.

“Do you think the Dark Forest cares about the code? They want us all dead,” Hollyleaf meowed, a look of complete seriousness on her face.

A strike of heat and pain assaulted his body again, and he let out a pained hiss as his body stiffened up against his will.

There is not enough energy to transition into the final step. More energy is needed. An image of the crash site and the big rock appeared in his mind, along with one, simple command:

Go.

His body moved for him against his will, breaking out into a run as his clanmates yowled out their surprise behind him. The crash site wasn't too far from where he was, and he arrived there within moments. He was forced to watch as his body moved up to the big rock, and he brought down his claws and tail on its surface. He panicked, thinking that his claws and tail would surely break- he was trying to claw a rock for Starclan's sake!

But to his surprise, the rock was easily sliced open by his claws, and wispy, red energy poured out of the rock.

With dread, he remembered that he had changed here- the warmth, the bliss imprinted into his head, and the red aura the big rock was cloaked in when it originally fell from the sky, only to disappear after he changed. If the stone wanted more energy...

He realized that the stone wanted him to change further.

“Father? What's going on? What are you doing!” Squirrelflight yelped from atop the slope, Hollyleaf, Foxleap, and Cherrypaw looking down at him and the big rock with muted fear on their faces.

“I-” he struggled to move away from the energy as the stone began sucking it into itself. “I can't control my body!” he cried. All the heat rushed into him, alternating from gentle warmth to intense heat, from nothing to discomfort and then to pain and back again. He briefly wondered if this was what it felt like when he changed the first time. He moaned in discomfort, wishing that the stone would stop.

Squirrelflight finally snapped out of her shock, and bounded down the slope in a vain attempt to help her father. But by the time she made it to his side, the stone stopped its glow, having sucked away the energy that the big rock had kept inside, and Firestar fell down onto the ground. She nosed him up, the other three cats getting over their fear of the big rock and sliding down the slope to meet up with them.

“Father, are you okay?” she whimpered, needing to crane her neck to look up at him now. He glanced over himself with dull shock- his pelt was more black than it was ginger at this point! It was almost as if the scales from his legs and tail had extended into his shoulders, before advancing onto his pelt and further down into his belly. He could tell that the spines that lined his back were somewhat bigger, longer, and sharper- more prominent than before where they had just been small spikes on his back.

He looked down at his hatchling, and Squirrelflight was saddened to see that his eyes held an untold amount of sadness and fear, when it should have held their previous occupants of happiness and hope. She hated that stone. She hated the big rock and she hated the crater they were standing in. She wished they had never existed.

“No. No I'm not alright,” he finally admitted. “I'm actually really scared.” It took a great deal of courage for him to admit that, because he didn't want to break down in front of his hatchling- he had to show her that he was still strong enough to protect her. He had to show that he was still a capable leader.

But how could he stay strong when Jayfeather's omen of the creature and the clan's destruction seemed more real than ever?

Chapter Text

She didn't need Dovewing's almost supernatural hearing to know that the second Dark Forest patrol was coming closer and closer to their camp. She looked on as Jayfeather rushed around in a muted panic, their herb supply already dwindling down into nothing.

They hardly had any herbs left. The fire hadn't done them any good. Sure, they weren't going to be getting any new herbs anyway with leaf-bare on the rise, but normally they had herbs in reserve to last through the bitter cold moons until new-leaf. The fire had only served to destroy a good chunk of what they had already stored.

Leafpool could have cried if she weren't in the middle of the most important battle that the clans would face in a very long time. She wished Squirrelflight were here, or her daughter Hollyleaf, or even Firestar. She supposed that at the very least they were safer elsewhere than at the clans at the moment.

Pawsteps sounded outside the hollow, determined and fast. “Prepare for attack!” Brambleclaw yowled.

The shredded barrier quivered as Birchfall leaped through it skidding into the camp, Blossomfall at his heels. Leafpool's heart dropped to her stomach; her clanmates were leading the attack against them themselves?

Jayfeather rushed past her and disappeared through the brambles. “Briarlight!” he yowled. “Get back into the herb store!”

Brambleclaw met Birchfall’s gaze. “How could you betray us?” He advanced on his clanmate, his lip curled into a snarl.

“I thought you'd choose to fight on our side,” Dovewing whimpered.

Birchfall lifted his tail. “We would never betray Thunderclan!”

Mousewhisker skidded into the camp. “We came to warn you!”

Blossomfall butted in. “We saw the Dark Forest patrol! They’re coming!”

As she spoke, a huge gray-and-white tom crashed through the thorns. His muzzle was striped with wounds, one eye swollen, but hard muscle twitched beneath his pelt. “Traitors!” he snarled at Birchfall. “We lost the Windclan camp thanks to you!” His tail whipped behind him. “I’ll save killing you till last.”

“Not if I kill you first, Thistleclaw!” Birchfall hissed. “You tricked us!”

Dark Forest warriors began filling the hollow, and Leafpool's senses were assaulted with the sounds of battle and yowling, and the smell of blood. She ducked back into the medicine den, intent on staying out of the fighting. She wasn't trained to be a warrior and deemed herself useless in fighting. She would stay away and heal when necessary. She cursed at the low amount of herbs they had, noting that her skills as a medicine cat were useless if she couldn't actually heal anyone.

“We're running out of supplies,” Jayfeather bit out.

“What are we going to do?” Briarlight asked the two medicine cats.

“Hope they have enough sense to not get too injured out there I suppose,” Jayfeather muttered sarcastically. Leafpool poked her head outside the den, eyes scanning for anyone that needed immediate assistance. It didn't look safe for her to come out, every clan cat locked into battle fighting for their life.

Suddenly, Lionblaze appeared through the thorns. Graystripe landed a paw step behind him. She blinked at the sight of more cats streaming into camp after them. She recognized none of them, and their pelts were oddly pale—almost transparent, with trees and grass clearly visible through them. These were no living cats; that was for sure, but they didn't look like Starclan either.

“It’s okay!” Lionblaze yowled. “They’re Ancient allies, from before Starclan! They’re on our side!” Leafpool let out a breath she was holding as Midnight of all creatures started knocking around some Dark Forest cats, both living and dead scrambling away from the badger. For a moment, hope bloomed in her heart, thinking that the clans had a chance of survival.

The brambles rustled behind her, and Jayfeather pushed past her, his nose twitching. “Half Moon!” His cry was almost a wail. “Are you here?”

“Jay’s Wing!” A smoke-gray Ancient ducked away from the battle and rushed to meet him. She touched her muzzle softly to his.

“You came,” Jayfeather whispered.

“Of course, my love.” Half Moon held her cheek against Jayfeather’s, then broke away.

“I must fight.” Jayfeather nodded.

“Send any wounded to me.” He nosed his way back into his den.

Leafpool stared at the she-cat, raising an eyebrow at the obvious display of love between her and her son, and lashing her tail at the sheer hypocrisy. He had scorned her for some time for falling in love and having kits, but it was totally fine for him to turn around and have some kind of romance with what she assumed was a very long-dead cat. Half Moon turned her head to meet Leafpool's gaze, lightly flinching at the feeling of the medicine cat's eyes burning into her skull.

Half Moon glanced to Dovewing next to her. “Come on,” she meowed briskly, leaping away into the crowd of fighting cats. Dovewing gave Leafpool a nervous glance before plunging in after Half Moon into battle. Before Leafpool could contemplate on the mysterious Ancient any longer, a howl rose up from the fighting, and she watched in horror as Midnight finally fell to multiple claws of the Dark Forest.

A shriek of warning came from Dovewing, and Leafpool's head snapped to her and was forced to watch as Breezepelt pinned down her son.

A black pelt barged past Dovewing. She would recognize Crowfeather from anywhere. The Windclan warrior sank his claws deep into Breezepelt’s shoulders and hauled him back. Lionblaze scrambled to his paws. She rushed up to them, catching the tail-end of their heated hissing.

“-hated you!” Crowfeather growled. “That’s just what you were determined to believe. And Nightcloud encouraged you.”

“It’s not her fault!” Breezepelt spat.

“No,” Crowfeather hissed. “I should have done something much earlier. But now it’s too late. You chose the Dark Forest.” He hauled Breezepelt to his paws and flung him away. “Get out of here!”

Breezepelt stared at his father, eyes wide, then turned and raced from the camp.

“I'm so sorry!” Leafpool meowed solemnly, eyes misty with regret as she padded up to him. “I never meant for this to happen!”

“He’s a warrior,” Crowfeather hissed. “He’s been making his own choices for a long time now.”

Leafpool looked down at his paws. “Perhaps if we’d stayed together, things would be different.”

Crowfeather’s gaze sparked for a moment, then he sighed. “It was never meant to be.” Leafpool flinched, but Crowfeather touched his tail to her flank. “I don’t regret anything,” he murmured. His gaze flicked toward Lionblaze. “Nothing at all.”

Stars exploded into her vision, and they all looked around them as star-pelted warriors joined the fray from what seemed like out of nowhere. She didn't recognize many of them, but she did recognize Longtail as he and Dovewing rushed past them, fighting their way to the elders' den.

She yelped as a black-pelted cat came hurtling at her, only for him to meet multiple claws from Starclan cats and an extra set from Crowfeather. She leaped into action, ducking and rushing past the battle towards the medicine den. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as every time a Dark Forest warrior aimed to attack her was thwarted by a Starclan cat. It was strange, the way Starclan was seemingly positioned to protect her specifically, as none of them were helping any of her clanmates the way they were doing for her.

No, that wasn't right. She squinted, picking out an unusual amount of protection around Brambleclaw and Sandstorm. What made them so important for Starclan to constantly protect them?

“Leafpool!” Spottedleaf's sweet scent hit her as she approached the medicine den, and the tortoiseshell she-cat standing outside with a relieved look on her face. “I'm so glad you're safe!”

“Safe... Spottedleaf, what's going on? Why does it seem like Starclan is invested in keeping me, Brambleclaw, and Sandstorm safe?”

Spottedleaf's expression turned into something strained. “It's- it's complicated. Just know that we need to keep you three safe or the clans may very well meet their ends here and now,” she said uncharacteristically serious.

“What? You're not making any sense! Why do we need to be protected? Shouldn't you all be protecting all the clans and not just three cats? What makes us so special?” Leafpool asked, panicked.

Spottedleaf's scent gave away her nervousness. “If Firestar-”

“Leafpool! Jayfeather! You need to come help! Ivypool's injured and she can't make it back to camp on her own! She's going to die if no one helps her!” Molepaw wailed, running towards them and the medicine den. His words registered in her mind, and she sprung into action, pushing past the brambles and taking as many herbs necessary.

They didn't have much, but Ivypool needed help. She could see Jayfeather was too busy working on some other cat's injuries. She would have to go herself.

“Take me to her,” she mumbled through all the herbs in her mouth to Molepaw. As they sprinted out of camp, she heard Spottedleaf' rushing behind them.

“Wait! Leafpool! I'm coming too!” she yowled.

The smell of fresh blood wafted through the forest, and it was so much that she could smell it despite the overpowering scent of the bundle of herbs in her jaws. Ivypool was lurching towards them, her pelt matted with fresh and dried blood. She stumbled and fell to the ground, and Leafpool jumped over to her and immediately started cleaning away her pelt, looking for the worst of her injuries. Spottedleaf was beside her, using the little herbs Leafpool brought to treat the silver and white tabby.

“Where's- where's Tigerheart?” she slurred. “He was... helping me-”

“Don't try to talk. You've lost enough blood already,” Leafpool interjected. She turned to Molepaw. “Get back to camp Molepaw, we'll be alright.” He hesitated, not sure if he should be leaving two medicine cats and a very injured warrior by themselves. “You're not supposed to be drawn into any fighting remember? Just get back to camp and bring back someone healthy enough to help us bring back Ivypool.”

Spottedleaf looked up at the sky as soon as Molepaw left. “A clawscratch of moonlight,” she breathed. “That must be a good sign.”

“Not for the clans.” A snarl sounded from the ferns. A she-cat with a matted tortoiseshell pelt came into view. Ivypool stiffened underneath them.

“Mapleshade...” she uttered. Mapleshade sneered at her appearance.

“How pitiful. Look how far you've fallen Ivypool! You were one of our best recruits and you threw it all away to help these mouse-brained clans?”

“You and the rest of the Dark Forest are trying to destroy my home,” Ivypool weakly growled out.

“Your home has done nothing but cause me pain!” Mapleshade screeched, eyes flashing with memories only she was privy to. She calmed down, forcing her fur to lay down flat. “But lucky for you, I'm going to be merciful, because you're not who I'm aiming for now,” she hissed, eyes trailing over to Leafpool.

Spottedleaf jumped in front of Leafpool. “You'll have to get through me first!”

“Very well then.” Mapleshade lunged at her. Spottedleaf rolled under the warrior’s weight, paws flailing as she fell. Leafpool was helpless to do anything. The only thing she could do was to keep watch over Ivypool, who was hissing furiously at Mapleshade. “I don't understand you Spottedleaf. She's the result of someone else stealing Firestar's love for herself!”

“There was nothing to steal. Sandstorm made him happy!” Spottedleaf spat.

“Shame that she didn't chase after him to keep him happy. Look where he is now: he's hated by the clans for what he is. Doesn't look like either Sandstorm or Firestar are happy,” Mapleshade sneered.

“That's not true. We don't hate him!” Ivypool almost yowled it out.

“If you didn't hate him, you would have defended him. Stopped him from being chased out. But you didn't.” Ivypool looked down, ashamed.

“I tried to help him...” she murmured.

Spottedleaf tried wriggling out of Mapleshade's grip, only for the twisted she-cat to bring her claws down on Spottedleaf's sides. She yowled in pain, and Leafpool finally got to her paws and leaped for Mapleshade. She didn't get far as Dark Forest warriors jumped out of their hiding spots, blocking her from reaching Spottedleaf. Her meager warrior skills weren't a match for one Dark Forest cat, let alone multiple. One of them brought his claws down on her head, and she fell to the ground in a daze.

“Leafpool!” Spottedleaf and Ivypool screamed.

“Watch it! Tigerstar wants her alive! We don't want her dying of blood loss before we deliver her to him,” Mapleshade yelled to the other cats. She felt herself getting dragged on the ground, her consciousness fading in and out.

'Father...'

Chapter Text

Brambleclaw cursed himself as he stumbled, allowing a Dark Forest cat to leave another scratch to decorate his pelt. Then he had to duck down and allow another cat to sail over his head, before rushing forward to deliver a heavy blow to another cat's head. He heard the distinct snapping of the cat's spine as the cat fell down to the ground with a dull thud and evaporated into shadows.

They just kept coming.

Another duck. Another swipe. Another killing bite and another cat that burst into wisps of darkness upon death.

But for every Dark Forest cat he killed, another took its place. For every cat he fought, the more blood that stained his pelt.

It was clear to see that he was slowing down. Fighting cat after cat was taking its tole on him. So when another Dark Forest cat leaped at him, claws outstretched and fangs gleaming, ready to send him to Starclan, and with him surrounded at all sides, he shut his eyes closed and prepared for the worst.

He wouldn't even get to see Firestar again. Or Squirrelflight. He wouldn't be able to apologize to her.

But the killing blow never came, as a screech sounded above him. He cracked his eyes open, ginger fur obscuring his vision as she fought off multiple cats at once, protecting him.

“Brambleclaw you mouse-brain! Get up! I'm not good a fighter as you are!” she screeched at him. He snapped out of his shock and scrambled up to his paws, preventing another cat from giving Squirrelflight a possible serious wound and killing him with a swift bite to the neck. The two stood back to back as they fought off waves of Dark Forest warriors. A nostalgic feeling washed over him, and Brambleclaw couldn't remember the last time he had fought with Squirrelflight in such a manner.

As the last cat was driven off(finally!) he turned to the ginger she-cat with dull shock in his eyes.

“Squirrelflight, you're back,” he said.

“Obviously,” she snorted. She gestured with her tail and his eyes followed it. There was Hollyleaf, fighting side by side with Lionblaze, who looked both happy and relieved by her presence.

“Cherrypaw!” he heard Poppyfrost cry out joyfully. She rushed over to her daughter, covering her in concerned licks. Berrynose raced after his mate, nuzzling his daughter and whispering something to the two she-cats that Brambleclaw couldn't make out. Molepaw followed more slowly, but was clearly happy over his sister's return.

He gazed around camp, but couldn't see a ginger and black pelt with wings that belonged to Firestar anywhere in the crowd.

He couldn't see Foxleap either for that matter.

“Where's Firestar and Foxleap?” he asked, a pit of fear forming in his stomach. Did they fail to find Firestar- did Foxleap die somewhere along the journey?

Squirrelflight only gave him an exasperated look, guessing what he was thinking by the apparent look on his face. “We split up. Foxleap is out there taking care of any stragglers. Cherrypaw, Hollyleaf, and I came here to help because we knew they would try to hit us where it hurt the most,” she explained.

“But did you find Firestar?” His tail lashed behind him, agitated.

She rolled her eyes at him. “I was getting to that. Yes, we found him-” He stopped paying attention after that relief and happiness and surprise and they found him, he's okay-

“Brambleclaw are you even listening?!” Squirrelflight's outraged meow brought him back to reality. She was glaring at him, but he was too relieved at the thought of everyone being safe(well as safe as they could be in the midst of a huge battle) to care about her faux anger.

'I'm glad you're all back,” he choked out, laying his head over her neck. Her eyes softened, and she leaned into him, both of them tired but happy.

“I'm sorry for being such a mouse-brain and a fox-heart to you,” he mumbled out.

“We're in the middle of a battle, this isn't the right time for that kind of stuff,” she said tiredly.

“I know. But, just in case neither of us make it...” he trailed off, and Squirrelflight, though incensed at the idea of dying so easily, understood what he was trying to say.

“We can talk about that later,” she muttered, withdrawing from him, giving one of his wounds a few licks. It sting a bit, and he hissed in pain. “You really need to see Jayfeather,” she said, worry evident in her voice.

“I don't have time; I have to keep fighting,” he said determined. “We could really use Firestar right about now though. Where is he?”

She gave him yet another unimpressed look. “I literally just said that we split up and that he's fighting somewhere else. Or were you not listening?” Well to be honest, he hadn't been.

“Uh, my injuries were acting up?”

“Yeah, all that blood rushing into your head must be doing a lot more than we think,” she said jokingly. “Or maybe it's the lack of blood that's causing you to space out. Maybe you needed that stuff more than we thought.”

“Haha, very funny,” he said dryly.

“But seriously, you should see Jayfeather,” she returned to being serious, tail flicking around in an agitated manner.

He supposed it wouldn't do him any good to continue fighting while this injured. So he nodded, and began to make his way over to the medicine den, when his body realized how injured it was and his legs buckled down from under him. Squirrelflight steadied him on her shoulder and the two began to make their way over to Jayfeather, thankful that the current wave of attack had subsided for now.

“How long were you fighting with these injuries?!” Jayfeather hissed in shock. Brambleclaw bowed his head down sheepishly.

“You need all the herbs you can spare for cats that need it more than I do,” he argued. Jayfeather only shook his head at him.

“For the love of- well guess who needs those herbs now?” Jayfeather growled at him, though there wasn't any anger towards him in his voice, only concern and fear.

A yowl interrupted them. “What now?” Brambleclaw sighed, lashing his tail and mentally preparing himself for yet another wave of attack. He scrunched up his nose at the scent of fresh blood wafting strongly into camp. Foxleap staggered through the entrance, an extremely beaten up Ivypool balanced on his back. A star-pelted tortoiseshell limped up slowly behind them, also looking worse for wear.

“Ivypool!” Dovewing screeched, running up to meet with Foxleap and her sister. Jayfeather muttered a curse behind him.

'We don't have enough herbs for this!” he hissed in worry, before rushing back into the medicine den.

“Spottedleaf! What happened?” Bluestar called to the tortoiseshell. She and some other Starclan cats raced up to her, guiding her into the middle of camp, where she collapsed in a heap of fur. She looked up at them all, panic and fear and sadness and regret in her eyes.

“I'm sorry- I couldn't do anything- Ivypool was injured- I was weak,” she mumbled out, her voice coarse from shock.

“Calm down. Just tell us what happened,” Yellowfang asked sharply. Bluestar shot her a look.

“Ivypool was injured. We were helping her but- Mapleshade- she came- wanted Leafpool alive- took her-” the medicine cat babbled on.

“They took Leafpool?!” Bluestar uttered in shock. A yowl sounded from Sandstorm, worried for her daughter. Squirrelflight stiffened up next to him, and he looked over to see shock and worry etched into her face. He was faintly aware of Jayfeather moving around them with some herbs in his jaws, the tom's blind eyes widened in shock, but continued forth in his task to heal Ivypool.

The Starclan cats grew restless, and Brambleclaw knew that something was up. Why were they so worried over Leafpool for? He was worried too, but Starclan was acting as if the battle had already been lost.

“We need to find her and get her back,” Bluestar declared. They all nodded to themselves, and Brambleclaw truly wondered what they knew that no one else didn't.

“Oh you won't need to go far; we have her right here!” A deep, very familiar voice echoed throughout the camp. Brambleclaw's fur involuntarily stood on end, his breathing turning heavy and his eyes dilated in terror.

Tigerstar sauntered into camp, many Dark Forest warriors marching behind him. A crazed looking tortoiseshell dragged a dazed looking tabby with her, and Brambleclaw realized with shock that it was Leafpool.

“Leafpool!” Squirrelflight shouted. She gave Tigerstar a fierce glare. “Let my sister go!” she cried, racing up to him, claws unsheathed and ready to fight him. Tigerstar only gestured with his tail and a few of his cats raced up to meet her, easily outnumbering her and pinning her to the ground. She spat and hissed at them, but was unable to free herself.

Brambleclaw broke out of his shock and fear and scrambled up to his paws. He couldn't let Squirrelflight get hurt! He tried his best to ignore his father and leaped up to help Squirrelflight.

He was shoved down onto the ground faster than he could say 'mouse', yowling out in pain as his injuries stung and throbbed worse than before. He wasn't strong enough to throw anyone off him, and he could only watch as the Dark Forest overran the camp.

Not even Starclan was spared as they were quickly outnumbered.

“Don't worry, I don't have any intentions of killing anyone... yet,” Tigerstar purred.

He glared up at his father. “Why are you doing this?”

Tigerstar only grinned at him. “I'm going to give the kittypet a show he'll never forget.”

The only thing Brambleclaw could hear at that point was his own heartbeat drumming in his ears, scared of what was coming next.

.

.

.

.

Firestar's hearing was muddled by too many screeches rising into the air. Tigerstar had really been busy gathering up all these evil cats to wage with them all. Or rather, to wage war specifically with him. But the screeches didn't stop him from running after a few Dark Forest cats, who were running as fast as their paws would allow. They dove into some overgrowth, and he was able to dive in after them when-

“Over here, kittypet!” His head snapped over and he saw Hawkfrost give him a taunting smirk, before turning around and running off. He didn't hesitate in rushing after him.

Heat prickled at his chest, the stone glowing faintly. It almost felt like it was building up power for something. He would dwell over the stone's strange activity after everything was done and over with, after asking Thunderclan their thoughts if they truly wanted him back or not, and especially after figuring out why Hawkfrost seemed very confident all of a sudden.

He was running because he knew he couldn't take on Firestar, not with his current strength. So why was-?

He was running into a trap-!

He realized it too late as Hawkfrost lead him to the top of the hollow overlooking the Thunderclan camp, and suddenly whipped around to lunge at him, shouting out “Now!” and then there were an unholy amount of cats leaping at him from all sides.

The stone burned brightly upon the realization that he had been overpowered again the same way Razor had done it! He growled and tried bucking up, hoping to skewer some of the cats on the spikes on his back. But there were too many holding him down. He couldn't even move his wings to use the claw attached to each one to pierce any cats, and there were too many holding down his tail.

He was better than this! Why weren't these cats burned into nothing yet?

He lifted his head, ready to release his fire on the ones keeping him down. His fangs bit his tongue as Hawkfrost smashed his head back onto the ground, preventing him from opening his mouth.

“You don't think we didn't prepare for you, kittypet? We've spent all this time coming up with plans and ideas on how to take you down,” Hawkfrost hissed, lifting Firestar's head to place his claws by his neck. Now he was in trouble, since his neck was remarkably scale-free. If Hawkfrost was to slit his throat now, it would be all over for him.

He felt the stone burn angrily, in tune with his own thoughts of anger at being taken down so easily.

“Now look down,” Hawkfrost growled at him. His eyes trailed downward into camp, and there was Tigerstar, smirking up at him. Too many Dark Forest cats were strewn across camp, making sure that none of his clanmates fought back or even moved. His heart skipped a few beats upon seeing his mate and hatchlings held down, defeated. He struggled against the cats holding him; he needed to help his hoard-!

“Welcome back, kittypet. You're just in time to see your precious clans fall!” Tigerstar crowed, his cats jeering around him. “And to commemorate your return, I've planned something especially special for you.” He flicked his tail, and two cats dragged Leafpool over to him, throwing her down at Tigerstar's paws roughly. He hissed angrily at the action.

Then his eyes widened in panic as Tigerstar placed his claws over Leafpool's neck. He was still smirking at him.

“I've waited seasons to get my revenge on you. And what better way to do that than to destroy everything you've built up here and watch you break?” He struggled wildly, knowing what Tigerstar was about to do.

“Don't you hurt her!” Squirrelflight yowled.

“Leave her alone!” Lionblaze screeched. All of Thunderclan voiced their opposition, from begging to threats- anything to let Leafpool go. But Tigerstar paid them all no mind, continuing to look up at Firestar, his claws tightening over Leafpool's throat.

His heart broke at Leafpool's resigned look. She was staring up at him too, happy that he was here, but sorry that she was making him watch this.

'I'm sorry Father,' she mouthed.

No, please no-

Blood splattered to the ground, and Leafpool's body fell forward. Screams emerged from the Thunderclan cats her body collapsed lifelessly onto the ground.

“This is what happens when anyone, dead or alive, oppose the Dark Forest!” Tigerstar roared, his cats cheering with him.

But Firestar didn't hear them. He stared uncomprehensively at Leafpool's body.

“Lea-Leafpool...no...”

His hatchling... his hatchling was gone-

Are you going to let them get away with killing her? He took her away from you!

If only he hadn't shirked away at his new powers, he could have stopped this...

It is time for the final step. Make him pay. Make them all pay! The stone blazed wildly, its power coursing through him.

He didn't want this...

Take what was always yours. Take this power and become the Dragon you were always meant to be!

Dragon?

Tigerstar glared up at him, realizing that Firestar wasn't struggling because of anger or fear, but because he seemed to be having a fight within himself. The tom was shaking his head, muttering to himself.

“No- stop! I don't want this...” he gasped out, an intense red light coming from his chest. The light burned hot, until his body was engulfed in fire, driving all the Dark Forest cats off of his body. Through his anger, and regret, and sadness, and fury, he could feel himself getting bigger, his claws, spikes, and the tip of his tail getting sharper, deadlier. More horns burst from his head, more scales enveloping his body.

But he paid the feeling of his body changing no mind. He just wanted his hatchling back. It was because of them that he would never get to hold her again, hear her voice or smell her scent. There was only cold fur, silence, and death now.

Which is what he'll give to them all.

When the fire obscuring his vision died down, his vantage point higher than what he was used to, he looked down and locked eyes with the cat that took away his hatchling. His claws griped at the walls of the camp, creating deep holes into the stone.

The tabby that killed his hatchling was frozen in abject terror. He felt his fire rising up into his throat, ready to burn this cat into nothing. But he stopped, forcing it back down.

No, this cat didn't deserve the honor of falling to his flames.

This cat was a bug to him. So he would give this cat the indignity of dying like one.

He reached down with a claw, and swiftly brought it down onto the tabby, wisps of shadow rising from his claws as he brought them back up. The tabby was gone, but killing him wasn't going to bring his hatchling back. He was angry- angry at the world for taking away one of the few things he had left.

He wasn't satisfied. He let out an angry, mournful roar and was prepared to burn everything in his path.

“Father! Please stop!” He felt something scramble at his claws, and he looked down. There was his hatchling, looking up at him with fear and terror and sadness in her eyes. He felt his fire die down at the realization that he was making his hatchling scared.

He was angry at his hatchling's death... but of course the rest of his hoard must be sad and angry too...Squirrelflight just lost her sister.

Sandstorm and Brambleclaw joined with Squirrelflight, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

He didn't mean to make his family scared. So he turned and reached down into the camp, picking up Leafpool's body with surprising gentleness and laid her body in front of him. He curled around them all, his heartbroken sobs echoing through the air.

Chapter Text

The Dark Forest had been defeated. He could hear the victorious yowls of the other clans as they drove the last remnants away, back to the murky, dead, forest they called home. He could have marveled at his new range of hearing. If he really focused, he could probably hear individual conversations, but until then, he would have to learn to tune out most of the sounds so his head wasn't bombarded all at once.

He could have marveled at the sheer power flowing through his body. He could have marveled at the fact that nothing could hurt him now, that he could protect his treasures so easily without hardly any effort.

But what did that matter?

His hatchling was dead. He had failed to protect her. If only he had given into the stone's influence earlier, taken the powers it had prepared for him, then maybe Leafpool would have lived.

She was dead because Tigerstar saw her as a way to get back at him. To make him break.

If that was his intention, then he had done a magnificent job.

Thunderclan hurried about within the hollow, terrified at first, and then warily when they all realized that Firestar didn't intend to do anything but mourn for his daughter. Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, and Brambleclaw stayed with him through the night, upset over Leafpool's death, but also staying out of concern for Firestar. They didn't know how he would react if they suddenly left him, even to go down into camp.

Eventually, Jayfeather had to trudge up to them to look over their wounds with the limited amount of herbs he had. He hissed silently as he ran out while treating Brambleclaw, but didn't move to complain more. Firestar could easily smell his fear scent, horrified that his visions of Firestar's transformation coming true. But there was also an air of frustration that came from his apparent lack of herbs to treat Thunderclan with.

“I need to see if one of the other clans will spare any herbs. But with the battle, I doubt they have any more than we have...” Jayfeather muttered to himself, feeling his whiskers over some of Brambleclaw's scratches.

“You're doing all you can, Jayfeather. Just do your best to help everyone else,” Brambleclaw murmured to him.

“My best won't help save some of them down there,” Jayfeather mumbled, turning away to climb back down the hollow.

No one said anything more. The three cats just pressed themselves harder onto Firestar's scales while simultaneously mourning Leafpool.

Finally, morning dawned, the first pinpricks of sunlight lighting their way through the clouds. Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, and Sandstorm got up silently, and moved to haul Leafpool's body to be buried. Firestar tightened his claws into the ground, willing himself to stay still and to not growl at them to leave his hatchling's body alone. But he would be doing her a dishonor by not allowing her to be buried with her other fallen clanmates and kin.

He could only watch as they took her away, gazing upon the clan as they buried their fallen clanmates. He kept his keen gaze on Leafpool until her body had been swallowed up by the earth.

What was he doing here? Everything that had happened up to this point had been his fault. With the way he was now, with him being a dragon, he was better off leaving the clan and his treasures alone. He was too dangerous to be around.

With that thought, he spread his four, great wings, preparing himself to fly off.

“Firestar? What are you doing?” Brambleclaw called up to him.

“What does it look like? I'm leaving,” his deeper voice said bluntly. Disbelief, sadness, and heartbreak, he expected out of his treasures. But the rest of the clan turned to gaze and gasp in disbelief and shock. He would have thought that they would be relieved to be rid of him.

“Wha-? Why-?! You can't leave! Not when you finally returned!” Brambleclaw yelped, tripping over his paws to climb up to the top of the hollow.

“Why else? I'm much too dangerous to be around,” he sighed. “Besides, I'm sure many of the clan will be happy to finally see me go.”

He had wanted to come back, just to find out of what the clan really thought of him. If they really hated him like Windclan did. But that was back when he was a cat. How could they ever find it in them to accept him as a dragon?

“You're not dangerous! If anything you protected us all last night! You killed Tigerstar and ended the battle!” Brambleclaw argued.

“It was the stone that caused me to change, to ravage our territory, and it prompted Tigerstar to make a spectacle out of Leafpool to try and break me. If any Thunderclan cat dies because Jayfeather didn't have enough herbs, it will be on me. If any Thunderclan cat dies because I burned most of the prey within the territory, it will also be on me. Everything that has happened here is because of me! Don't tell me I'm not dangerous, Brambleclaw. If I hadn't come in contact with the stone...” he turned his gaze over to where Leafpool was buried, aware of the many eyes burning into his scales. “...then maybe she would still be alive.”

Brambleclaw closed his eyes, breathing out a sigh. He opened them again, staring into Firestar's green slits. “Okay, you're right. No one will deny that you're dangerous-”

At least his hatchling admitted it. Maybe it was for the best that his treasures hated him too. It would surely lessen the pain, right?

“-but aren't we all dangerous? Being dangerous is who we are. We're warriors. If we were so scared of the world around us, then we would keep all the apprentices within camp and not let them battle until they receive their warrior names. But we don't.”

“Besides, we all wanted you back. We all want you to stay,” Brambleclaw pleaded, eyes trailing over into camp, hoping that the clan would see the desperation in his eyes, hoping that someone would speak up in his defense. He didn't want a repeat of last time, when half of the clan didn't act to defend Firestar from Windclan's wrath.

It almost seemed like no one would speak up, until someone did.

“We do want you back.” Firestar's eyes shifted towards Cloudtail, and he remembered the sting of hurt when he realized that his own nephew hadn't tried defending him that day.

The fluffy white tom tried upholding Firestar's gaze, but there was no mistaking the fear in his eyes that Cloudtail looked like he was trying so hard to overcome. “There's- there's no excuse for what we did. We shouldn't have left you to face those mouse-brained Windclan cats on your own. We were just so scared-” he stopped, realizing that he was trying to justify their actions instead of what needed to be done.

“We shouldn't have left you to face what was happening to you alone. We were scared, yes, but we all should have known better- that you would never do anything to hurt us; that you never did anything to intentionally or directly hurt us. Even under all the scales and wings and stuff, you're still you. It just took Brambleclaw pounding that into our heads for us to finally see that,” Cloudtail meowed.

Dustpelt sighed, moving to the front of the crowd to Cloudtail's side. “I suppose we were pretty mouse-brained. You've done nothing but try and support us when you were going through your own problems. Isn't it time we got our act together and support our leader for a change?”

Then the clan was yowling in agreement, pleading for him to stay. It should have made Firestar feel warm inside, that his clan did care about him. Isn't this what he wanted? To know if his clan really wanted him or not?

He finally had his answer.

“That's all nice of you to say,” he rumbled. “Perhaps I would have been convinced to stay if I were still a cat, that is.” Thunderclan fell silent, surprised that their words seemingly failed them. “So you want me to stay. That's great and all, but how would this work? You're going to let a dragon lead a clan of cats?”

“Dragon?” Brambleclaw titled his head at the word.

He lifted a claw to the stone, now just a small dot in his chest. “It... that's what I am now. A dragon. It told me so,” he said, not wanting to elaborate that the stone had been speaking into his head for the past half moon.

“Not only that, but I needed more prey than anyone when I first changed. All the mice in the world wouldn't be enough to satisfy me. I'd eat this clan, all the clans, out of the lake. Not to mention that I can't exactly fit myself into camp with the rest of you. I'm supposed to sleep within the territory and let a, I don't know, a Twoleg see me? Then what?”

Brambleclaw cringed, finding it hard to find any flaws in Firestar's logic. Of course the small prey that they usually ate wouldn't be enough for Firestar. He would starve to death eating like that. And what if a Twoleg saw Firestar? Were dragons common enough in other parts of the world for Twolegs to not care?

He had a feeling it wasn't the case.

“Also, the other clans won't be happy with me staying,” Firestar muttered.

At that, Brambleclaw scowled. The other clans hadn't been happy when Firestar was just a cat with scales and wings, of course they wouldn't be happy now.

“At the moment, I couldn't care less of what the other clans think. What are they going to do, chase you away again?” Brambleclaw grumbled.

Firestar lightly tapped his tail on the ground, humming. He supposed that there was really nothing the other clans could do to him directly. He shifted his gaze to his mate, who gave him a determined look back. It was a silent message, telling him that she wouldn't let anything like when Windclan threatened her life to happen again.

His eyes traveled across the clan, taking in their hopeful faces.

“We will figure something out, I promise,” Brambleclaw meowed softly up to him.

Well, he hadn't wanted to leave his treasures anyway. Even now, his instincts were screaming at him to stay, to protect them, that they were all he had left-

“Alright, I'll stay,” he said, settling himself down again. Brambleclaw purred and butted his head against his claws. He ignored the excited chatter down within the hollow, only focusing on his treasures. He lowered his head to drink in his hatchling's and mate's scents, who had also made her way up to where Firestar was situated to lay with him. They stayed together until Squirrelflight also made her way up to the top of the hollow, where she nudged Brambleclaw and hauled him down into camp.

“You still need your injuries looked at, mouse-brain!”

Chapter Text

The clan had agreed to Firestar's request for him to step down as leader. He wasn't a cat anymore and he had no business trying to lead them when he couldn't even fit himself into camp with the rest of them. He felt strangely disconnected from the cats milling about within the hollow. They were so small, so weak compared to him. Perhaps his disconnection was due to the fact that he could crush them all easily while hardly batting an eye.

Yet it didn't stop him from loving his treasures all the same. Now that he lost one of his hatchlings, the instinct, the will, the desire to protect his treasures came even more fiercely than before. He loved them. They were his.

He would burn everything in his path if he lost another treasure again...

Firestar shook his head lightly. No. His treasures wouldn't like it if he did that. Their happiness was all that mattered.

It had been a strange day of him trying to overcome the newest instincts that flooded his head- the instincts that told him to take his treasures and keep them with him at all costs. The instincts that told him to take whatever territory he could get his claws on. Even stranger were the instincts that told him to take whatever he wanted, preferably something nice and shiny.

The last one confused him, but at the very least it was the weakest of his new instincts. Really, what need did he have for such things?

He watched from above as the most of the clan took the time to mourn for their fallen clanmates, the remaining cats having been sent to Shadowclan and Riverclan to ask for any herbs they could spare.

(They didn't bother with Windclan. None of them wanted to ask Windclan to help after what they had done to their previous leader. Firestar had silently agreed, all the while wondering where his friendship with Onestar had gone.)

Mousefur. Ferncloud. Bumblestripe. His hatchling, all killed during battle. Sorreltail had died not too long after the battle had ended, with no one looking at the wounds she had hid for the sake of her kits. Foxleap had been sent to the medicine den with a badly infected wound after attempting to shield his sister from a fatal blow. He felt especially bad for Foxleap- he had trekked all the way to find him only to come back to die.

At least, he hoped the tom didn't die. He wasn't in the mood for more guilt to weigh down on his mind.

He forced himself to stay still atop the hollow all day long. He scared them all enough already, just overlooking the clan with a watchful eye. They had enough on their minds, and he didn't want to add any unnecessary fear.

After a stressful day of rising tensions, exhaustion, and uncertainty, with most of the clan turning in for the night, he finally allowed himself to shift and silently curled up, making sure not to disturb his sleeping mate and hatchling. Sandstorm too had been busy throughout the day, and finally allowed herself some time to spend with her mate, taking solace in each other after the loss of their daughter. Squirrelflight had joined them later, preferring his warmth to the partly destroyed and drafty warriors' den.

He kept an eye out for his hatchling, who needed to trek up to the Moonpool with Jayfeather to receive his nine lives.

He drifted on and off, trying his best to ignore the instinct that was telling him to get up and make sure he was safe.

As the first light of dawn broke through the horizon, a very tired Jayfeather and Brambleclaw stepped into the camp. Jayfeather dipped his head to Brambleclaw and padded off towards the medicine den, glancing back at where he knew Firestar was situated, a thoughtful glimmer in his clouded eyes. Brambleclaw himself turned to climb up to the top of the hollow. Neither one of them said anything as Brambleclaw tiredly kneaded at his scales, and Firestar shifted to allow him to settle inbetween his forelegs.

“Did you receive your nine lives?” he rumbled, trying to keep quiet as to not wake his sleeping treasures. He feared that maybe Starclan would have withheld a life from Brambleclaw, as Firestar never gave up the remaining life he held. Or maybe Starclan still recognized himself as leader. If it was the latter, he would march up to the Moonpool and speak with Starclan himself.

The tired tabby gave a tired nod. “Yeah, they did. They said something about not being about to feel your last life, so they didn't have a problem giving me all nine,” he yawned.

“Oh? When was this?”

“When you transformed, I think. Into a dragon.”

Firestar briefly wondered what would happen to all his lost lives currently aimlessly wandering Starclan.

“Was she there? Did you see her?” His tone took on some desperation; but he just wanted to know if his hatchling had made it safely to Starclan.

“She was there. And before you ask, she looked as happy as any other Starclan cat. She told me to tell you not to be upset about her,” Bramblestar meowed. Firestar sighed, a puff of smoke leaving his maw. That was a request that he wouldn't be able to uphold. His heart stung at the thought of Leafpool, his sweet daughter, and her face of resolution as Tigerstar slit her throat. He missed his gentle hatchling with all his heart. Of course he was going to continue to be upset over her death.

“I could use your help... you know, with trying to be a good leader,” Bramblestar asked tentatively, wanting to steer the conversation away from Leafpool.

Firestar twitched his tail, knowing why Bramblestar was changing the subject. If he thought about Leafpool too much, he might as well have sunk into a hole of depression.

What he needed to do here and now was to protect his remaining treasures with all that he had.

“Of course I'll try to help you and give advice, but you're going to need to stand up on your own paws eventually,” Firestar rumbled.

“So you can help me pick out a deputy before moonhigh?” Bramblestar joked.

“Very funny. If Starclan said that picking a deputy was my decision alone to make, then it applies to you as well.”

Bramblestar sighed, his head racking through his options for who would become deputy. He stretched his head over Firestar's forelegs to gaze at Squirrelflight's sleeping form curled up against the curve of Firestar's side. Maybe...?

“I will say this though: Choosing a deputy means having faith in their abilities, and not because you chose them as some form of apology,” Firestar said, having seen Bramblestar's inquiring gaze upon Squirrelflight. He would be proud of his hatchling for becoming deputy, but because she earned it, not because Bramblestar gave it to her as some weird form of apology.

“I guess you're right,” Brambestar said tiredly. “I have to pick a deputy, address the clan about rebuilding and the Dark Forest trainees-,” he rambled, before a yawn cut him off.

Firestar looked up at the sky to see the sun rising, the sun's rays hitting his scales to allow some of his previous ginger to peak out from behind the black. “No one judged me when I first returned from the Moonstone and got some sleep. You've had a long day already,” he reasoned, tightening his forelegs gently around Bramblestar to trap him in.

“Suppose no one will mind,” Bramblestar mumbled. He laid his head down on Firestar's scales. “You're so warm...”

Another yawn, one from beside him captured his attention away from his hatchling. His mate was getting up, stretching out her body.

“You make a nice heater,” she purred. He lowered his head and gently touched noses with her, almost knocking Sandstorm onto the ground.

“You're going to have to tell the rest of the clan that Bramblestar will be resting for a bit,” he murmured to her.

“I'm sure we'll survive without him for a little,” Sandstorm meowed. “I'll round up any able-bodied cats for some patrols, and then I've got to see Jayfeather about redressing my wounds,” she said, already bounding down into camp.

He watched her with a critical eye, and then turned his attention to the medicine den. Brightheart was helping Jayfeather, even though she had her kits to worry about. Asking for help from the other clans hadn't resulted in very much, but any herb the other clans could spare, even one leaf could mean the difference between life and death.

Chapter Text

“I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy will be Rosepetal!” Bramblestar yowled from the Highledge.

Firestar cast a critical eye down on the surprised she-cat. She was a strange choice- young and still training her first apprentice. But then again, hadn't he been fairly young when he had been chosen to become deputy? She would learn how to be a proper deputy in time. He supposed that she wasn't the worst choice for deputy.

He personally would have chosen someone else, perhaps Sandstorm or Brackenfur but... He glanced over at the tom. Brackenfur had seen better days. He acted as usual, congratulating Rosepetal like the rest of his clanmates, but if one looked closer they could see a ever-present glimmer of sadness and loneliness that came from losing Sorreltail. Maybe at one point the tom would have made a nice deputy until he was ready to retire, but not now.

As for Sandstorm... He mentally shook his head. It seemed as if cats were either too old to be deputy or just not a good fit for the role. Choosing his mate to be deputy would have been a foolish decision anyway. No doubt cats would have called him out on favoritism if he had done that.

He caught Bramblestar's hopeful eye, and Firestar couldn't help but snort. He hoped that his hatchling wouldn't be looking for him to solve all his problems. But he gave a slight nod anyway, happy at Bramblestar's relieved expression.

As long as his treasures were happy.

The thought came with some melancholy; all his treasures should have been happy. All his treasures should be alive too. He felt a small prick of heat at his chest, and he cast a look down at the stone, whose influence he hadn't felt since his final transformation two days back. It felt more subdued than usual.

'Perhaps it lost its power after changing me?' he thought. He flicked his tail lightly, taking in some satisfaction that maybe the thing couldn't influence him anymore. 'But then again, it could be in a stage where it's recharging itself,' he mused.

He took his mind off the stone. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

Like the rumbling in his stomach. When was the last time he had eaten properly?

He got up slowly, drawing the clan's attention to himself. He rolled his eyes at the scared looks of some of the cats down below. “Honestly, this will never work out if you all continue to be afraid of me. Am I supposed to keep still every day so you all feel more comfortable?” he snarked. “Can't even let me stretch...” With that said, he extended his wings, casting a shadow over the hollow.

“Where are you going?” Bramblestar inquired.

“Hunting. Preferably somewhere with big enough prey. I'm afraid that hawks won't cut it anymore,” he said.

Some of the cats purred, amused.

“I hope you find something out there. Just make sure no one sees you!” Bramblestar added in hastily.

“Now why would I do that? Does my hatchling have no faith in me?” he growled good-naturedly.

Bramblestar started stammering out explanations and apologies, only for Squirrelflight to let out peels of laughter nearby, followed by some laughter from other cats.

Sandstorm had made her way up to the top of the hollow and nuzzled his leg. “Have a good hunt,” she purred warmly. He bent his head down and allowed her to touch her nose with his snout.

“By the way, you're about to have an audience with Blackstar and Rowanclaw. Not sure what they want though,” he mused. His ears and sense of smell could pick up the Shadowclan cat's footsteps and scents easily.

He was up in the air before anyone could question him, his wings sending large gusts of wind the blew into camp. Sandstorm had to dig her claws and hold onto the ground as he flew off, becoming a large black shape soaring into the distance.

.

.

“And no doubt Blackstar saw that,” Rosepetal bemoaned.

“The clans already know,” Bramblestar stated. The warriors the other three clans had sent to them for the battle had quietly left to go back to their respective clans after the fighting was over. They hadn't made a fuss, afraid of what Firestar could do to them if they disturbed him from his mourning. His sobs had shaken them all as the dragon held Leafpool's dead body close to him, as gentle as he could manage.

“Keep working, all of you. Might as well continue to repair the camp before he shows up,” Bramblestar meowed. The camp wasn't exactly in presentable condition anyway. No doubt the Dark Forest had caused damage to all the clans, so it wasn't as if Blackstar could smugly hold it over their heads.

Bramblestar helped out, working on a collapsed wall of the elders' den. He briefly scanned the camp to gaze at his warriors repairing the camp, and frowned lightly when he couldn't spot Dustpelt in the crowd. The dusty-colored tom was supposed to be supervising the repairs.

'Probably visiting Ferncloud's burial place again...'

He felt Rosepetal nudge him. “Blackstar’s here,” she meowed softly. He gave his deputy a slight nod, stopping his work and putting some ivy down.

He saw the Shadowclan leader hobble into the clearing with his deputy Rowanclaw close beside him—so close, in fact, that their shoulders were touching, as if Rowanclaw was holding his leader upright. He raised an eyebrow, wondering why the Shadowclan leader was out in such a condition and also realizing why it had taken so long for Blackstar to get to their camp, despite Firestar saying they were on their way earlier.

Thankfully none of the Thunderclan cats who had stopped working to watch the new arrivals were bristling with hostility. Bramblestar recalled a time not so long ago when these visitors would have been treated with distrust, if not outright hostility. Now they hadn’t even been challenged as they slowly entered the hollow.

“Blackstar! Come and sit down.” Bramblestar bounded over to the tom and showed the Shadowclan leader a space on a newly grown patch of grass where he could rest his trembling legs. He was thankful that the forest was already recovering from the blaze that seemed so far away now.

Squirrelflight joined them from the nursery, where she had been helping Daisy amuse all the kits while Brightheart was out on a hunting patrol.

“Is everything well in Shadowclan?” Squirrelflight asked, exchanging nods with Rowanclaw.

“We are fine,” Blackstar rasped, so faintly that Bramblestar barely heard.

Blackstar seemed to be having trouble speaking due to the wheezing in his chest, so Rowanclaw took over. “We have to come to talk to you about the Dark Forest cats who still walk among us,” he announced.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes, not liking where this was going.

“As you know,” Rowanclaw went on, “the Dark Forest attack was helped in part by warriors from the living clans.” He paused and glanced around the clearing as if he wanted to name those cats right now. “Some of them survived the battle. We need to decide what should be done to them.”

Bramblestar shifted his paws. “I agree this is something to think about, but I assumed each clan leader would decide alone. It involves our own clanmates, after all.”

Blackstar struggled to his paws and lashed his tail. “We are still bound by our alliance during the Great Battle!” he hissed. “This is a problem faced by all the clans, and therefore we should deal with it together. There cannot be any inequity between us.”

“I really hope that you aren't about to make demands of Thunderclan again, after what you and the other clans tried to pull,” Bramblestar growled. Blackstar's ears flattened themselves onto his head. “Oh yeah, we still remember very clearly how you and others stormed into our camp and demanded that Firestar step down."

“Speaking of...” Rowanclaw trailed off. “Are we to assume that the big black lizard we saw flying away was Firestar?” He stood firm, but the agitated flicking of his tail betrayed how uneasy the tom was feeling.

“And if it was? What are you going to do about it?” Bramblestar meowed coolly. He and Blackstar stared each other down.

There wasn't a single thing any of the clans could do to Firestar anymore. Angering Thunderclan would be the same thing as angering the dragon.

Bramblestar let his gaze travel around the hollow, ending up on the four cats who were apart from the rest, clearing trampled brambles from one side of the entrance. “Perhaps it would be right that we should agree on a course of action together. Shall we meet on the island tomorrow night?”

Blackstar nodded, refusing to show the Thunderclan leader any weakness. “I’ll send word to Riverclan and Windclan, if you’ll permit my warriors to travel along your lakeshore.”

“Of course,” mewed Bramblestar. He stood up and padded beside the ancient white cat as he started to leave. “Thank you for coming, Blackstar. Get some rest before we meet on the island. I'm sure one day is all we need for Firestar to come back and join us,” he meowed, effectively cowing Blackstar into silence.

“You know, you might want to make sure the other leaders know he's coming. Wouldn't want them to feel too surprised,” he said, trying to not let his smugness show.

Blackstar just grunted. Rowanclaw dipped his head to Bramblestar and guided his leader through the remains of the barrier, then ushered him into the trees.

He turned and padded up to Dovewing, who had been working on the warriors' den with Cinderheart. There was an uneasy aura around her.

'That's right, Bumblestripe died too. It must be hard for her to have lost a friend so suddenly,' he thought, his sympathy going out to the gray she-cat.

“Dovewing, may I speak with you?” The she-cat turned around, her fur lightly bristling, not having heard him approach.

“I’d like you to come with me to meet the other leaders,” Bramblestar meowed. “Jayfeather will be with me, of course, and the cats who were trained by the Dark Forest, but I think you and Lionblaze should be present as well. You both know more about what the Dark Forest planned than many of us.” He blinked. “Because of the prophecy, right?”

Dovewing nodded mutely.

“Good.” Bramblestar turned away. “We’ll leave at dusk tomorrow. Make sure you get some rest during the day.”

Thunderclan seemed excited at the prospect of choosing a punishment for the traitors among them. Bramblestar felt a wave of impatience at their stupidity. 'Can’t you see that these are loyal warriors who made one mistake? Are you all so perfect yourselves?' he growled in his head. 'Punish me too while we're at it; I trained with Tigerstar, just like these cats!'

He sighed, coming to a stop by the elders' den, picking up the ivy he had dropped previously. There was still work to be done.

Chapter Text

Firestar was getting a tad frustrated as he streaked through the clouds. He hadn't eaten properly in days. His flying was erratic, his body and flying giving the impression of someone who was getting desperate. His eyes analyzed the ground below frantically, trying to spot or smell something he could eat.

Surely there was a place with food big enough for even him?

He stopped in midair, wings flapping ever so often to keep him afloat. He let out a tired, hungry sigh, a puff of fire escaping from his jaws. How far out was he required to go in order to find food? He didn't want to stray too far from the clan. What if he was gone for days trying to find something to eat? How would the clan react with him being gone for days? Would they think he left them after all?

A rumble from his stomach snapped him out of his thoughts.

He really needed some prey...

But what was he to do when there wasn't anything big enough out here?

'Maybe I should go back?' he thought dejectedly.

He was seriously considering going back to Thunderclan when warmth bloomed in his chest and pulsed out across his body.

'No no no no no no no,' he inwardly cried. The stone was active again! The last thing he needed was to be under its influence again.

His body seized up, wings stiffening. They started flapping again, but not by his command. Then they started carrying him through the sky again, his body acting on its own.

Inwardly, he was panicking. He tried to regain control of his body, to no avail. The stone still radiated warmth. Where was it taking him? And why hadn't he gone feral yet? Did the stone want him awake for this?

Then, a delicious scent wafted through the air. It only served to make him hungrier and to make his body move even faster, but he relished the scent. He hoped that it meant that some decently sized prey was nearby.

His body took him to a mountain, and beside the mountain was a large field full of black and white creatures, who were grazing and walking idly around. More importantly, they were big, probably just as if not a little larger than horses. Finally he found some prey!

But the rational part of him wanted to scout the area in case there were Twolegs around. If Twolegs could control horses, then couldn't they control what these creatures did?

There were two problems with this plan.

One, he wasn't in control of his body at the moment.

Two, the creatures were looked oh so tantalizing.

Obviously, his hunger won out. His body swooped down, nabbing a large creature and swerving back up into the sky. The other creatures moved out of the way in a hurry, startled out of their grazing. He killed the one he caught instantly with a snap of his jaws.

Suddenly, he had control of his body again, the stone's glow dying down into nothing. He shakily flapped his wings, surprised. He lowered himself back to the ground, trying to not impulsively wolf down the mouth-watering meat in his jaws. Once his claws touched the ground, he allowed instinct to take over, and before long, he was swiping his tongue over his muzzle, his stomach satisfied.

When was the last time he felt full? He couldn't remember. He was always putting off eating more prey in order to give more food to his clan.

Now that he had regained his bearings...

His eyes scanned the area around him. The black and white creatures were strewn around, continuing to graze. There weren't any Twoleg dens that he could see, which he found strange. He couldn't catch any Twoleg scent either. All he could smell were the creatures, and the scents of nature around him. He let his eyes trail down to the stone, a small dot of red lodged between scales on his chest.

Why did it bring him here of all places? And how did it know where to go?

Maybe it didn't know where to go. Maybe it took over his body to force him to find food because he was ready to turn back, and left him conscious so he could remember the way here. He thumped his tail against the ground.

'Would it hurt to look around, just in case there are Twolegs here?' Thunderclan could survive without him for a little bit. They certainly had survived without him for almost a whole moon.

He flapped his wings, and took off.

It was amazing how easy flying came to him now. His body was instinctively doing the work for him. His wing flaps were gentle so he didn't go shooting off into the clouds. Normally he would have to concentrate on how hard he wanted to kick off from the ground or how fast he wanted to go. Now, it felt natural.

His flight took him all over the mountain range, but he didn't see any signs of Twolegs living in the area. There weren't any signs of any cats living in the area either, like the Tribe. It was just a stretch of mountains, of unclaimed territory. He did find more of those black and white creatures standing around in grassy areas, and weird animals with hooves, long fur, and horns on top of their heads, jumping around some of the more rocky areas of the mountains.

A large chasm within the mountain drew his attention, and he flew in closer for a better look. Upon better inspection, he realized it wasn't a chasm, but a cave. It was fairly large, with enough room to fit him in and then some.

It would make a nice place to raise some hatchlings...

He flinched at the thought, and backed away from the cave, taking off into the air again. He wasn't going to leave Thunderclan. Not again.

He was much too big for him and Sandstorm to have more children anyway.

But enough about hatchlings. He was more worried that the stone was influencing his thoughts again. Or maybe it was his body's new instincts talking? He was so tired of uninvited thoughts running through his head. He thought his transformation into a dragon would finally end them all.

But maybe, if there were too many Twolegs around the lake and he feared being seen, then maybe he could come back to the cave and stay for a while... maybe bring Sandstorm with him...

His head twitched, though it wasn't the worst idea he's had.

'Hasn't my head been messed with enough over the past few moons?' he thought dejectedly.

.

.

.

.

By the time he had flown back to Thunderclan, the sun was beginning to set below the horizon.

His arrival back to Thunderclan was heralded by the sound of flapping wings and large gusts of wind that threatened to topple some unlucky cats over. He could see some cats faces filled with fear until they remembered in that instant who he was.

Cloudtail's and Brightheart's kits, old enough to begin playing outside the nursery and getting under everyone's paws, squealed in fright and ran back to the nursery as fast as their tiny paws could allow. Brightheart slid out of the nursery, as if her kit's cries had summoned her, and wrapped her tail around her three kits. “It's alright my dears, it's just Firestar,” she murmured.

He lowered himself onto the top of the hollow, his ears tipped red in embarrassment. Maybe he should try to be more gentle in his flying before landing? He glanced over at Brightheart's kits.

'Or, maybe I shouldn't be near camp at all.'

“They're kits. They'll get used to you in time, I'm sure,” Sandstorm remarked, watching Firestar's gaze switch back from the kits to her. “Did you have a nice hunt?”

“Very. I found some grassy plains next to a mountain range with these big black and white creatures roaming around. I haven't felt this full in days,” he said.

“No Twolegs around?” she fretted.

“None whatsoever. Hopefully I shouldn't have to worry about being seen, as long as I fly high enough when traveling there,” he rumbled, carefully curling up around Sandstorm.

“Well, that's good to hear,” Bramblestar remarked as he climbed up to join them. “So you were right about Blackstar and Rowanclaw coming by to pay us a visit,” he began.

“What did they want?”

“They wanted the clans to come to the island tomorrow night to decide on a course of action on what to do with the Dark Forest trainees.”

Firestar could have rolled his eyes. As far as he knew, none of the trainees from Thunderclan had actually betrayed them. The only thing they were guilty of was being tricked into thinking they were doing their clan a service and believing the lie for so long. “They want to punish them all the same way?”

Bramblestar shrugged. “It could be because Blackstar doesn't think it's fair that he had a cat who did end up betraying them in the end and the other clans didn't. Or maybe he's caught wind of the fact that none of the Thunderclan trainees died in the battle,” he meowed. “Uh, I might have told him that you would be coming to the island to discuss the matter with us, too,” he said, shifting uncomfortably.

He sighed heavily. “I told you that I can't be there all the time to hold your paw, hatchling,” he chided.

“I just thought you would want to make a statement. It would be a good opportunity to stick to the other clans that they can't do anything to you anymore,” he said softly.

Ah, he did have some choice words for Onestar to hear. He ignored the pleased tingling coming from the stone.

“Perhaps it's not a bad idea,” he mused. He noticed the tabby had climbed in between his forelegs, circling around a couple of times before settling himself down, purring. “You're not going to sleep in the leaders' den?”

“You're much warmer than the den,” Bramblestar murmured.

“We don't want you to feel alone either,” Sandstorm spoke up from beside Firestar.

“Where is-?”

“Right here, father,” Squirrelflight meowed as she trotted up to him. He shifted to allow her entrance, and she curled up beside her mother.

The stars had twinkled into existence by then. He gazed up into the night sky, with melancholic eyes. Leafpool should be with them, curled up beside her sister and mother. He should have all his treasures with him.

He lowered his head down, careful not to lay it in between his forelegs where Bramblestar was dozing off. He needed to rest for the meeting tomorrow.

Chapter Text

A faint three-quarter moon showed over the tops of the pine trees as the cats filed across the treebridge to the island. Dovewing stayed close to Ivypool, trying to comfort her sister without saying anything. Ivypool walked with her head high and her tail kinked confidently over her back, but Dovewing knew she was scared of what might be said at this meeting. Bramblestar and Jayfeather led the Thunderclan patrol, and Birchfall, Thornclaw, Mousewhisker, and Blossomfall brought up the rear. The four cats radiated tension and the fur bristled along their spines.

Blackstar was already seated at the foot of the oak tree, flanked by his medicine cat, Littlecloud. Both cats looked frail and thin against the sturdy trunk. Their clanmates Tigerheart and Ratscar sat a tail-length off, ears twitching. Bramblestar stopped halfway across the clearing and gestured with his tail to his clanmates, inviting them to sit down. “We’ll stay here,” he mewed quietly.

Onestar arrived before the Thunderclan cats had finished settling. He was accompanied by his medicine cat, Kestrelflight, and Breezepelt. The black warrior’s eyes flashed defiantly.

The three clans waited in silence, listening to the rustle of ferns as the last cats approached. Mistystar emerged first from the bracken followed closely by Mothwing and Icewing.

Bramblestar seemed to guess what his clanmates were thinking, though held his own doubts about the number of survived Dark Forest trainees within the other clans. “The other clans lost cats who fought with the Dark Forest,” he murmured. “All of you survived, which is why there are more of us here.”

Onestar spoke first. “Why are Lionblaze and Dovewing here?” he asked. “They weren’t part of the Dark Forest, were they?”

“No,” Bramblestar replied. “But they know as much about the involvement of our clanmates in the Dark Forest as I do.” He stepped into the space between the four clans and looked around at the other leaders. “We must pay attention to the truth of what happened and why these cats behaved as they did. The battle is over; they are no longer our enemies.”

In spite of what he’d said, he was troubled by the presence of so many Thunderclan cats. Whatever penalty was chosen, Thunderclan would be the most affected. The atmosphere in the clearing crackled with tension. It felt strange to have the leaders standing among the other cats, and the warriors who had been associated with the Dark Forest bristled as if they were ready to defend themselves with tooth and claw.

The tension within the clearing was strained further by the sound of beating wings and the feel of intense winds blowing into their faces. Some cats yowled with shock as Firestar descended onto the island, slitted eyes roaming the clearing to judge where to land. The winds finally died down as his claws touched land, digging into the earth as if to stabilize himself, his wings folding themselves up onto his back. His tail lashed out to block the way to the treebridge, where Onestar and Breezepelt had subtly tried backing away to. “I do hope you weren't trying to run away, Onestar,” Firestar rumbled.

“Firestar,” Mistystar breathed. “My warriors had told me that you had changed, but...” she trailed off. It was one thing hearing about his supposed transformation, it was another seeing it.

Bramblestar glanced over at Blackstar, the Shadowclan leader's fur bristling. “You did tell them about Firestar, didn't you?”

“I just... didn't realize how big he was up close,” Blackstar rasped.

“Isn't this what you all wanted though?” All the cats looked up at the dragon. Some puffs of smoke escaped from Firestar's maw, his eyes fixed on Onestar. “You thought me to be a monster, and now I am one. Isn't this what you tried convincing yourselves that this is what I was?” he uttered.

Onestar looked down, not wanting to meet any cat's eyes. “At least you were still half cat then,” he muttered.

“Being half-cat didn't stop you from calling me such did it? Regardless...” His eyes began trailing over the Dark Forest trainees. “I'll say my piece after this is all sorted out,” he said, carefully laying down.

There was a tense, awkward silence, and Bramblestar glared at them all as if to say “get on with it”. Mistystar awkwardly cleared her throat. “As you know, Beetlewhisker and Hollowflight were killed in the battle, so they cannot answer for anything they have done. Icewing knows her loyalty was tested by the Dark Forest, and that she failed. But she has learned from this and I do not doubt her now. She has always been a good warrior. I would like to give her the chance to be one again.”

“The same goes for Breezepelt,” Onestar declared. “We suffered great losses during the battle. Why should I want to punish one of my few remaining warriors? We need Breezepelt on patrol, not wasted because of something that has finished.”

“But they broke the warrior code!” Blackstar protested. He looked at Tigerheart and Ratscar, and his eyes were full of sorrow. “They betrayed the Clan, their leader, and themselves. How can this go unpunished?”

Onestar let his gaze rest on the Thunderclan cats. “I suppose we have to face the fact that some of our clanmates were recruited by the Dark Forest, for whatever reason. Some clans more than others,” he added meaningfully.

Bramblestar opened his mouth to speak but Mistystar interrupted him. “There must be a way to move forward without further weakening our clans,” she meowed. “None of us can spare more warriors, so exile is not an option.”

“Clearly,” Firestar let out. “I seem to remember the last time exile worked out so well for us,” he reminisced. Tigerstar's name went unspoken.

“You have to tell them what happened,” Dovewing whispered in her sister’s ear. “How Hawkfrost recruited you. You weren’t being disloyal to your clan! They have to understand that!”

Bramblestar overheard and nodded. “Go on, Ivypool. Please.”

The gray-and-white warrior looked daunted as she moved into the center of the clearing, but when she spoke her voice was steady. “I think it would help to understand why some of us joined the Dark Forest,” she began. Onestar and Blackstar bristled but Ivypool kept talking. “It wasn’t because we hated our clanmates, or didn’t believe in the warrior code. We thought we were learning more skills that would help the clans. Cats from the Dark Forest sought us out in our dreams and . . . and used our most personal reasons for offering a different way to train.” She glanced at Dovewing, who blinked. Around her, Birchfall and the others were nodding.

“Hawkfrost approached me,” Ivypool went on. “He made me believe that the best thing I could do for Thunderclan would be to train with Dark Forest warriors. I would be braver, better at fighting, more loyal to my clanmates. He made me feel . . . important.” She paused for a moment, then continued. “I overheard Hawkfrost and Tigerstar planning to attack the Clans. I told my clanmates, and became a spy, reporting everything I learned about the Dark Forest. I knew other cats from the clans were being trained, but to avoid suspicion I didn’t say anything to them.” She looked over her shoulder at her father. “Only when the battle began did I tell them the truth, and they instantly followed me back to our clanmates to fight alongside them. They never intended to be disloyal. Like me, they thought they were being given a chance to be better warriors.”

Firestar eyed Breezepelt through Ivypool's explanation, the tom looking smug.

Blackstar heaved himself to his paws. “You have spoken well,” he rasped. “It’s Ivypool, isn’t it?” He peered at her, his eyes cloudy. “But I saw my own clanmates attack each other. How was that being loyal, or a better warrior?”

“We were promised a different way to serve our clan,” Ivypool insisted.

“I believe you,” Mistystar meowed.

“Thank you, Ivypool.” Onestar traced his forepaw in the dust. “I don’t need to know why Breezepelt made his choices. I only need to trust him from now on. Which I do.”

Blackstar shook his great white head. “I don’t know if I can agree with this.” He avoided looking at Tigerheart and Ratscar, who were staring at him in dismay.

“It seems we all feel differently about these cats,” Blackstar went on. He sounded confused, as if he couldn’t understand why the alliance between the four clans had melted away.

“With good reason,” Bramblestar meowed. He looked at Breezepelt. “There is at least one warrior here who attacked Thunderclan cats alongside the Dark Forest warriors. I cannot see that as anything but a betrayal of the warrior code.”

“Breezepelt never turned against his own clanmates,” Onestar mewed. “That is the essence of the warrior code, surely? And he is my warrior, so it is up to me what happens to him.”

“Oh? So that's it then is it? The clans were fighting united against the Dark Forest but apparently any cat was fair game to go after as long as they didn't attack any cat from their own clan?” Firestar's angry growl sounded above them. “Would you both agree that this was fair if Breezepelt went and attacked a Shadowclan or a Riverclan cat?”

Blackstar lashed his tail. “He's right, that wouldn't be fair,” he hissed.

“But shouldn't we each be responsible for our own clanmates? We know our warriors best, after all.” Mistystar added.

Blackstar flattened his ears. “But we must follow a single course of action! Otherwise how will it be fair?”

“Shadowclan does not get to decide anything on behalf of Windclan!” Onestar spat.

“Although... I find it hard to believe that all the other Dark Forest trainees were killed,” Firestar suddenly said, his gaze going back to Ivypool and the other trainees, who all bristled in alarm.

“Of course they're all dead-!” Mistystar tried protesting.

“Does that mean Minnowtail is dead?” Mousewhisker's weak mew voiced over her. Her eyes widened in shock and confusion.

“I- Minnowtail? She's alive!” Mistystar glared at him.

Mousewhisker shrunk back. “I mean, we trained together in the Dark Forest. You only brought Icewing here, and Hollowflight and Beetlewhisker are dead, so I assumed...” Mistystar's head swerved over to Icewing, who was avoiding her gaze.

“Is Breezepelt really the only cat who survived from Windclan? What about Furzepelt, Harespring, or Whiskernose, stars even Larkpaw!” Tigerheart voiced his complaint. Everyone stared at Onestar and Breezepelt, both suddenly looking uncomfortable.

“I can forgive Mistystar for genuinely not knowing that one of her warriors kept their training a secret, but you're clearly trying to defend your own warriors. Did you only bring Breezepelt here because you couldn't hide the fact that he attacked Thunderclan cats during the battle?” Blackstar hissed furiously. Mistystar and Bramblestar lashed their tails, becoming irate with Onestar.

Mothwing hastily walked out from behind Mistystar and stood in the center of the cats with starlight gleaming on her pelt. “I suggest that each of these cats swears a new oath of loyalty to the warrior code,” she meowed quickly, trying to diffuse the situation. “They walked a different path for a while, but now they must return to the way things were. They do not need to be punished—none of our clans should suffer more pain—but we deserve to have some clear sign that we can trust them again.”

Ratscar flicked his patchy brown tail. “This oath . . . do we have to swear it now? In front of cats who have nothing to do with us?”

“No,” Bramblestar meowed. “I think this is a matter for each clan to deal with on its own, since Onestar seems very intent on protecting the Dark Forest trainees within his clan. What do you think, Blackstar?” he added.

The old cat waited for a moment before replying. “I will see that it is done as soon as we return to our camp,” he mewed.

Onestar dipped his head. “As will I.”

“Sure you will,” Mistystar muttered sarcastically.

“I suppose we're done here then?” Bramblestar meowed, glancing at Firestar.

“Since that's settled then... I guess it's my turn,” Firestar said, keeping his tail in place in front of the treebridge. The cats below him looked up at him nervously.

“I'll get to the point then. This lake, and everything around it, is mine,” he declared. “I'm just letting you all live here,” he said, more to the other three clan cats than to the Thunderclan cats. Startled and furious hissing and growls emerged from most of the cats. Bramblestar waved his tail nervously, looking up at Firestar with startled confusion.

“You-! Nothing here belongs to you!” Onestar screeched at him.

“And what's stopping me from killing you all and taking everything for myself?”

At this point, most of the cats looked like they wanted to run away.

“Firestar, what are you doing?” Bramblestar hissed worryingly.

“Protecting you,” he bluntly stated. Bramblestar's jaw hung open for a moment, before snapping it closed. The rest of the Thunderclan cats looked on in confusion. “Now I don't need to tell you all how powerful I've become. You've seen for yourselves what I'm capable of. You won't have anything to worry about from me as long as everyone sticks to their side of the border. If anyone attempts to hurt what I deem mine...” he barred his fangs at the non-Thunderclan cats, leaving the threat to speak for itself.

Bramblestar's ear tips turned red, figuring that he was one of the things that Firestar deemed his.

“You really have changed,” Mistystar muttered.

Firestar snorted. “You all did this to me. I was just trying to protect my clan. Because of you all, I wasn't there to protect my hatchling, and now she's dead. The only reason why I haven't burned everything to the ground yet is because my treasures wouldn't want it,” he growled angrily. He wanted so dearly for these cats to understand the pain he went through for all these moons.

Even now, the stone was beginning to burn brightly, urging him forth as he growled out his terms. Finally being able to bite back at these cats instead of letting them trod over him like when he was a normal cat trying to keep the peace was cathartic.

But above all, he wanted them to leave him alone. He wanted them to leave Thunderclan alone. As he voiced those thoughts out loud, he felt fur brushing up against his claws. He could tell his hatchling was trying to calm him down, though subtly.

It worked.

He was done. He just wanted to go home already. He withdrew his tail and allowed passage through the treebridge.

He had never seen Windclan cats run away so fast in his life.

He blocked the Thunderclan cats from leaving though. “Oh please, I have a much faster way of getting back to camp instead of walking all the way there through the night,” he huffed. He lowered his claw onto the ground. Bramblestar let out a surprised chirp, before climbing onto it, gesturing for the rest of his warriors to follow.

“Is this safe?” Lionblaze voiced out the one thought everyone seemed to have.

“Probably not,” Firestar answered, and everyone dug their claws into his harder. “But I can assure you that it will at the very least be a fast way home,” he laughed.

He just wished that some of them hadn't screamed as he took off towards Thunderclan territory. His hearing was too sensitive for this.

Chapter Text

“Why aren't we down there doing something about this?!”

“Doing what exactly? You're going to go down there, when one, it isn't allowed, and two, do what? Anger whatever Firestar has become?”

“Dragon, he's a dragon,” Leafpool meowed weakly, wondering if it was worth trying to raise her voice over the crowd.

“We're Starclan! Why aren't we protecting the clans from that thing! You all heard what he said! He's going to kill them all!” someone wailed, coming from where the Windclan cats of Starclan were congregated.

She hadn't even been here for that long and everything around the former Thunderclan medicine cat was falling apart.

When the battle was over, Starclan had quietly picked up the spirits of the warriors, apprentices, queens, elders and kits alike who had fallen to the claws of the cats of the Dark Forest. There hadn't been a grand farewell, or a moment to share with their loved ones before they departed to Starclan. They all had been rushed to the stars, leaving their clans in disarray.

It wasn't fair. She hadn't begun to make it up to her kits, especially Hollyleaf, after all the pain her secrets and lies had caused her. She had never thanked Squirrelflight, her dear sister, for everything- for keeping the secret, for risking it all for her. She never apologized to Bramblestar, not even at his nine lives ceremony, for tricking him into believing her kits were his.

But most importantly, she didn't get to give her father a real goodbye, and left him with a fractured heart to remember her by. The stone had taken advantage of her death and corrupted Firestar's form into something monstrous. But she knew her father. She was confident that he wouldn't hurt anyone, not even as a dragon. She tried convincing cats of that, because even after listening to his heartbroken roars from Starclan, he hadn't done anything but watch over Thunderclan.

That was until he threatened the other clans. Firestar and his transformation hadn't gone over well within Starclan's ranks, but was treated with wariness at best from the majority of cats and outright hostility at worst from the small minority. Now his words had sent Starclan into a panic, and she couldn't tell who was genuinely fearful of the clan's futures and who was trying to stoke the flames of hatred against him.

She wished she could do something for him from Starclan. Surely as a Starclan cat, she had the power to make his life a little more comfortable than watching him keep still and quiet above the Thunderclan camp?

“Enough!” Tallstar yowled out. The cats around him abruptly shut their mouths in shock. Tallstar was never one to raise his voice or get truly angry. He had been filled with a lot of anger in his youth, but he had mellowed out significantly once he became the leader of Windclan. It took a lot to get him angry, almost like Firestar himself.

If you got either Tallstar or Firestar angry at you, then you probably either: deserved it, or really messed up somewhere.

Tallstar sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “Ever since that stone implanted itself into Firestar and changed him, all I've heard from many of you are your scared little mews and your angry growls that he'll destroy the clans. What exactly has he done so far that screams 'clan destroyer'?” he growled.

“Didn't you hear what he said?! He said that he would kill everyone just now!” someone yowled, though Leafpool didn't know who.

Tallstar rolled his eyes. “No, he said that no one will have anything to fear from him as long as everyone sticks to their side of the border. Are you all so ancient that you've become hard of hearing, even in Starclan?” Leafpool glanced over at the Starclan cats Tallstar was growling at, and thought that they did look a little faded. “Do I have to go down into Onestar's dreams and personally tell him not to pull any hare-brained plans like last time? Because I will if no one else will do it! I'll tell him that if he does anything like last time, he will be the catalyst that ends up destroying the clans, not Firestar! Is that what you want me to do?” he snarled.

“Well personally, I'd love to know who was the mouse-brain that sent that vision of Firestar destroying the lake to the medicine cats,” Yellowfang remarked, sitting a few tail-lengths from Leafpool. The tabby suddenly scowled, the thought of these cats believing that Firestar of all beings destroying everything and killing everyone disgusting her.

“What about when he burned Thunderclan's territory to the ground? Thunderclan still hasn't recovered from this!” someone yelled out from where, shockingly enough, the Thunderclan cats were sitting. She thought the Thunderclan cats of Starclan stood behind Firestar.

But no, there was dark brown, broad-shouldered tom with amber eyes(almost the same shade of amber that Tigerstar and Bramblestar possessed, she noted) glaring into the crowd.

“You mean that time when Onestar ordered his warriors to threaten Sandstorm and in turn trigger Firestar into his feral state? Seems more like it was in self-defense to me,” Yellowfang snorted.

The tom opened his mouth again, only to have a tail shoved into it. “Speak carefully Oakstar. You weren't a popular tom when you first joined Starclan, and you're certainly not one now,” Sunstar hissed.

“What did he do?” she heard Cinderpelt whisper to Yellowfang.

“Exiled Mapleshade and her moon-old kits because they were the result of yet another half-clan romance. Apparently the father some moons before had killed one of Oakstar's sons and Oakstar himself was extremely resentful of Riverclan ever since. But his actions caused her kits to die and he hasn't apologized for it since,” Yellowfang grumbled. A shiver went up Leafpool's spine at the mention of the Dark Forest she-cat who had dragged her around like a piece of prey before Tigerstar slashed her throat open. She wanted to feel bad for her but...

“I for one, am sick of this conversation already,” a commanding voice sounded over the crowd of cats. Everyone turned and dipped their heads at the four cats and moved out of the way as they made their way to the middle of the throng. The largest of the four, the ginger tom with white paws cleared his throat. “As of now, Firestar hasn't done anything to warrant being chased out, punished or otherwise, and frankly, I'm sick of hearing all the fox-dung being spoken about one of my best successors. If he shows any signs of wanting to kill or if he acts in such a manner, it will be dealt with then, not now when he's clearly trying his hardest not to step on anyone,” he meowed.

“Not that you all can decide on what he is anyway,” the black she-cat spoke up. “First he's too powerful, then he's an imposter, then we need him again to fulfill the prophecy, but now he's a monster that needs to be dealt with? Make up your minds,” she growled.

“All of you- out of here! Go do something, go hunt, do something besides moan about Firestar please,” the silver furred tom said. “And you,” he turned to the last cat. “Control your clanmates. Please.” The brown tabby she-cat flattened her ears, embarrassed by his words and by the actions of her clanmates.

A nudge to her side broke her attention away from the founders. “Come on, let's get out of here. All this negative talk is making me nauseous,” Cinderpelt joked. She let her former mentor nudge her up to her paws, and then they got away from the now dispersing crowd of cats. “Why don't we hunt a little? I've gotten ever better at it since I made it up here,” she suggested cheerfully, a skip in her step. Her leg, once stiff and ruined from her injury, was now healed and as healthy as the rest of her body. Apparently she had been stuck within Cinderheart until the she-cat decided that she was the master of her own destiny, not Cinderpelt, not Starclan, not anyone. Cinderpelt had only recently made it to Starclan, just days before Leafpool herself joined.

“Leafpool, you're spacing out again.”

“I want to visit him,” she blurted out. Cinderpelt abruptly stopped, sighing. “The message I gave Bramblestar wasn't enough. He's still angry and distraught over me. I can't let him stew over it or there's a chance he really will destroy something,” she explained.

“I know Leafpool. I get it, I really do. But no Starclan cat has been able to enter his dreams for a while, not since Starclan attempted to bring him back after he was chased out.” They both knew what happened to Bluestar. The blue she-cat was still recovering from her coma and from all the burns she sustained. She hadn't even been able to make it to the Dark Forest battle.

“It's the stone, isn't it?” she sighed dejectedly.

Cinderpelt nodded. “It's been blocking any and all attempts at us contacting him. It's like it's trying to turn Firestar against Starclan or something.”

Leafpool's ears flicked up as an idea formed in her mind.

“What if I ask the stone?”

Cinderpelt blinked. “What?”

“What if I ask it? If I can talk to Father? It knows that Firestar loves me. Surely it wouldn't block one of his hatchlings-” stars, it sounded weird coming from her- “from trying to console him in what surely is a confusing time for him?”

Cinderpelt didn't say anything for a few heartbeats. “How?”

Leafpool titled her head, quietly asking Cinderpelt to elaborate.

“Bluestar has been the only one to connect with the stone, and she doesn't even know how she did it. How exactly are you going to connect with the stone?”

She flicked her tail, a determined gleam in her eyes. “I don't know. But I have to try something,” she declared.

Chapter Text

Firestar was bored. So incredibly bored. He didn't think such a thing was possible. When he was a young warrior, there was always something to do. Hunting, patrolling, training one of his apprentices, uncovering murders and mysteries. Then he was deputy, then leader, and he seldom found the time to just sit down and relax.

Now he had ample time on his claws. So much free time that he didn't know what to do with it all. His days consisted of taking flight back to the mountains to hunt, come back, scare some cats with his arrival, then sit still for the rest of the day so he didn't continue scaring cats.

He couldn't exactly patrol, especially since the other clans were sticking to their side of the border for once in their lives. Hunting was out of the question too. He couldn't exactly hunt small prey anymore, and if he kept bringing back one of those black and white creatures that he liked to eat everyday, the clan would never have to hunt again. They'd be just as bored as he was now.

He could also add feeling drowsy these days too. With it being in the middle of leaf-bare, and the cold seeping into his scales, he just really wanted to sleep until new-leaf.

A sentiment shared by the stone it seemed, if the sudden pulse of warmth at the thought was any indication.

Wouldn't that be great? To find a nice, warm spot and just sleep until the cold went away. His eyelids drooped slowly until they were closed, his body drifting off into sleep...

“Firestar!”

Until Cloudtail bounded up the hollow that is. His eyes snapped open and he jerked abruptly, trying to fight off the feelings of drowsiness and fatigue that came with some cold wind blowing into his face. His eyes trailed downwards to gaze upon his fluffy white nephew, surprisingly accompanied by three small kits. The three looked curious enough as kits were at that age, but they were also pressed cautiously against their father's pelt, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“What is it Cloudtail?” he rumbled, his eyes more on the kits than anything. He would need to make sure not to make any more sudden movements so he didn't scare them.

The tom grinned nervously. “Well, the kits are getting older and getting into everyone's fur, so I thought that maybe it was time to introduce them to their great-uncle?”

“Why are you making this out to seem like a punishment?”

Cloudtail shook his head rapidly. “It's not a punishment! They're active and young, so it's the best time for them to get used to you!”

Firestar blinked, tilting his head a little.

“What better way than getting the clan used to you if not through the youngest generation first? They'll accept you early on and soon enough the whole clan will follow,” Cloudtail explained.

“I...suppose so? Did Brightheart agree to this?”

Some fear scent leaked out of the senior warrior.

“I suppose not then,” Firestar sighed. He shifted his gaze back on the kits. “I'm not going to eat you whole little ones. Your father has more of a chance of finally taming his pelt than I am of eating a cat,” he tried joking. Cloudtail nudged his kits forward, and one of them, the she-kit, puffed up her fur to make herself look bigger, hesitantly inching forward, dabbing a paw onto him and skidding back every so often.

He had to keep himself from laughing from how adorable they were being.

The other two finally mustered up some courage and slowly padded forward, sniffing him. All the while Firestar didn't even so much as twitch. Not even when the kits got confident enough to climb onto his claws to pounce on their siblings from above.

“Okay, we should get you three back to the nursery before your mother kills me,” Cloudtail said nervously, watching his kits use his uncle as a playground.

“Awww...” they chorused.

“He felt so warm though!” Firestar heard one kit squeak out as they left. The she-kit, who he learned was named Amberkit, glanced over her shoulder for a moment before turning her head away. But in that moment he saw her smiling at him.

It made him feel like a normal cat again.

“Well the kits didn't run screaming from you, so that's a good start,” a voice wheezed nearby.

He turned his head around. “How are you feeling, Foxleap?”

The tom looked tired, his posture in a slight slouch, a rasp rattling out of his mouth with every breath that he took. Firestar hadn't just been eating during his trips to the mountains. He had carefully brought back many kinds of plants in hopes that they were herbs that Jayfeather could recognize. He didn't really understand what he had brought back, but whatever they were, it was enough for Foxleap to pull through. The usually cheery tom had recovered enough to be cleared for a short walk around the hollow every so often. Jayfeather hadn't cleared him to hunt or to mentor Cherrypaw, and with some cats beginning to show signs of whitecough, it was clear that the medicine cat was also afraid that any sickness that Foxleap could catch might actually kill him. So the tom was being monitored for now, and wasn't allowed outside of camp.

At least not without supervision.

“Jayfeather says he getting better with every day that passes!” Cherrypaw chirped cheerfully.

A puff of smoke escaped Firestar's maw as he sighed. “Well, that's good to hear. I'd hate for you to have journeyed so far to bring me back only to get killed almost immediately,” he said, guilt dripping in his voice.

“I'm a warrior. It's the greatest honor I can bare, dying in service for my clan,” Foxleap rasped.

“Yes, to your clan. Not to me. If anyone should have died then, it should have been me,” Firestar sighed, guilt and sadness and anger rising as thoughts of his hatchling came back to assault his head. He dug his claws into the earth, wishing he could crush Tigerstar under them one hundred more times. Or maybe crush just about anything at this point.

“But you are the clan,” Foxleap argued. “You're the heart of Thunderclan. And without you, more cats would have died in the battle. My life is a small price to pay as long you were safely returned to save the rest of them.”

But he hadn't been the leader during that time. Bramblestar had been the real leader of Thunderclan during the battle, leading the charge and making sure to prevent as many deaths as he could.

And Firestar?

Firestar had been taking his sweet time traveling back to Thunderclan, only joining in on the battle long after the Dark Forest had battered all four clans. He should have been here. He should of at the least stuck around the Thunderclan border inside of moving on.

“I think your wings are super pretty!”

But if he had stuck around, Hanako and Hisako would have been...

“Hey, is that Jayfeather calling? I think Jayfeather needs to check on you again Foxleap. You should get back to the medicine den right now!” Cherrypaw suddenly meowed.

Foxleap whirled around, confused. “I don't hear Jayfeather calling me,” he said slowly.

“Well I do! You've been on this short walk for a while now anyway. It's time for you to get back.”

“Since when did you become the mentor?” Foxleap muttered. “Alright, alright, I'm going,” he said when Cherrypaw gave him a nudge. He dipped his head to Firestar before carefully and slowly making his way back down to camp.

Cherrypaw didn't go with him.

“You know, I'm glad that we went on that journey to find you. It saved Foxleap from getting even more injured and I just- I know that I would have lost my mentor if he had stayed behind. Well, you finding those herbs helped, but still,” she meowed lowly.

“You like Foxleap a lot don't you?”

She smiled brightly. “Well, yeah! He's the best mentor a cat could ask for! I wouldn't want anyone else!” With that, she trotted away, following her mentor to make sure he didn't hurt himself along the way to the medicine den.

Firestar laid his head down on his claws. He enjoyed moments like those; moments that broke up the boredom during the day. He enjoyed his clanmates giving him company.

He enjoyed his treasures visiting him more though.

'Wish I had more space to stretch though.' A prickle of warmth from the stone stung from his chest, agreeing with him. Sure, his clanmates were getting used to him now, but he hardly had any space to himself. He could feel the spikes on his back touch the trees behind him.

Maybe escaping to the cave he found before for the rest of leaf-bare wasn't such a bad idea?

“Tired?” Sandstorm asked, butting her head against his scales in greeting.

“Am I so obvious?” he asked her, before his jaws involuntarily opened up in a yawn. She pressed up against him, frowning.

“You're still warm, but you don't feel as warm as usual. It's almost like your body is cooling down,” she said worriedly.

He wished he could care to wonder why that was. He carefully curled around his mate, trapping her.

“Nap with me?” he asked sleepily.

“Firestar, I'm supposed to be on the next hunting patrol.”

“Mmm. Don't care.” He bent his head around and nuzzled his mate. She sighed in exasperation.

“You're not going to let me go are you?” she asked him, half-heartedly struggling to get out of his hold. Guess she was going to have to yell down to Rosepetal that she wouldn't be making it to patrol. Firestar's sudden continued drowsiness was a bit worrying.

“Alright, I'll stay,” Sandstorm sighed, pressing herself against him harder, trying to warm herself from the warmth he was emitting.

The odd purr coming from his throat was somewhat lulling in her opinion.

Chapter Text

Bramblestar's jaws opened up in an involuntary yawn. The cold of leaf-bare was seeping into the leaders' den, which not only made it hard for him to stay warm, especially since he was alone and not surrounded by warms pelts within the warriors' den, but also made it hard for him to stay awake.

Cold and drowsiness were an expected part of leaf-bare though, with starvation and sickness being the norm. Most cats wanted to curl up and sleep until the first bloom of new-leaf, but they were all but required to stay vigilant- making sure they didn't starve, making sure no one dies of sickness, making sure their borders were secure from desperate, starving enemy clans, rogues, badgers, or foxes.

He forced his body into a stretch, relishing the burn from within his muscles as its sting coursed through him and jolted the rest of his body awake. He poked his head of the den. Rosepetal was greeting the sun-high hunting patrol back, albeit with some disappointment at their lack of haul. There was one mouse and a thin looking squirrel between them.

It would have been a bad sign of things to come if there wasn't a giant black and white creature where the fresh-kill pile was, cut up into small, manageable pieces. It had been extremely generous of Firestar to bring it back for them, considering that he needed one of these things to fill him up sufficiently. They couldn't ask him to keep bringing these creatures back for them though.

Speaking of Firestar...

The dragon was curled up on top of the hollow, tail lazily hanging down into camp. He looked drowsy and uncomfortable as the bare tree branches behind him poked at his wings. He clearly had hardly any room to himself.

“No luck?” he rumbled to Rosepetal as he forced himself out of his den, some cold wind blasting him in the face. She shook her head, fur puffed up in the cold.

“I'm surprised we managed to catch anything at all. With leaf-bare and the forest having been burned down...” she murmured, trying to keep her voice down. He couldn't blame her for that- Firestar heard everything that went on in camp. The last thing he needed was to feel more guilt about burning their territory down.

“But maybe this is a good sign? We're finding prey, so that means prey must be returning. Hopefully everything will be back to normal once new-leaf comes around,” he said.

“Maybe,” she sighed. She turned her head over to the fresh-kill pile.

“We can't have him keep bringing back prey like this,” he meowed, knowing what she was thinking of.

“Because he needs the prey himself?” she asked, eyes glancing up at the drowsy dragon in question.

He snorted. “That, but also because we can't be lazy now can we? No need for him to do all the work for us when we've got the claws to do some hunting ourselves.” They needed their warrior skills sharpened, not dulled during these times.

“I suppose so...” his deputy mumbled. “Anyway,” she trailed off, eyes gazing around camp. “Molepaw!” The apprentice jolted from his spot next to the apprentices' den. “Come on! We've had battle training planned for today!”

“Yes Rosepetal!” he called back, getting up onto his paws.

“If you happen to see any prey out there, bring some back would you? We won't need much for today, thanks to Firestar, but it's nice to have something just in case,” he meowed to her. She nodded, ears flicking to acknowledge him as she trotted up to Molepaw, and then the two left camp, leaving him to himself.

Maybe Firestar wouldn't mind if he joined him?

“Hey,” a soft voice sounded behind him. Squirrelflight. He turned his head to stare at her as her intense green eyes bore into his amber ones. “Can we talk?”

“I... yeah, sure. You want to...?” he gestured to the camp entrance, and she nodded.

Guess he would have to wait a little longer until he could warm himself up by Firestar's side.

They walked in silence until they were deep into Thunderclan territory, away from camp, away from any borders, and away from anyone who could potentially overhear their conversation(except for maybe Firestar and his hearing, but the dragon was so tired these days that he would probably be too sleepy to notice).

They sat there in awkward silence, unsure of how to proceed. Truthfully, he was half daring Squirrelflight to go first, considering that she was the one who wanted to talk.

They hadn't gotten to talk like they had wanted to after the battle. They had been just too busy rebuilding camp and making sure that everyone was alright and fed.

She finally sighed. “Okay, I'll go first.” He flicked an ear, listening. “I'm sorry.”

He blinked, not quite understanding.

Squirrelflight looked visibly agitated as she tried to find the right words. “I didn't tell you about the kits because it wasn't my secret to tell.” He mentally rolled his eyes. Yet she dragged him into the secret anyway. There hadn't been a need to trick him like that. He voiced that thought out loud.

She cringed. “Yeah, looking back, I should have disregarded Leafpool's wish to keep everything a secret from you specifically. You should have known just who you were raising with me, and I just- arrgh! Why is this so hard to say?!” she cried. She sucked in a deep breath, frustration building in her eyes. “What I'm trying to say is that- I was trying to protect you too!”

He narrowed his eyes. Protect him? From what?

Guessing what he was thinking, she continued. “You had just become deputy. I didn't want to drag you into a secret that could have cost you the position that you had worked so hard to achieve,” she meowed. “After everything with Hawkfrost, I thought that you deserved to have some peace in your life without getting tangled into Leafpool's mess, but... I suppose you ended up getting into it anyway?” she sighed, some tension leaving her previously bunched up shoulders. He figured that there was more to it- maybe she thought that with his new position as deputy, that he would have been forced to report the sisters to Firestar.

Would he have? He would never know what he would have done at that point. There was only the here and now.

After a few moments of silence, he figured that she was done with her piece.

He sighed heavily. “I understand where you're coming from,” he began. “If Tawnypelt had come to me asking for help with something, I would have given it to the best of my ability. But Squirrelflight...” he gazed into her scared eyes. “You deluded yourself into thinking that I could only love those kits if they had been really mine. I would have loved them just the same; you didn't need to trick me like that. Plus, I was a grown cat then. I know you wanted to protect my integrity, but I can make my own decisions. I could have made my own decision, but we'll never know what that could have been, because everything's said and done now,” he sighed. He paused, letting the cold wind ruffle his pelt.

“Being deputy wasn't as important as my family,” he said quietly. “Becoming deputy was just an idea Tigerstar put into my head. It would have stung to have lost it, but it wouldn't have been a total loss if I had been demoted back to a warrior.”

Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze were his kits, his family. He would still love them, even though he wasn't really their father.

Kind of how Firestar loved him, even though Bramblestar wasn't really his son.

He felt Squirrelflight's pelt press up against his own. His fur bristled, but he didn't shy away from it. Firestar's feral side occasionally forcing them into the same den had lessened his anger towards her. Plus she was warming him up, and that was always appreciated during leaf-bare.

“I don't think I can just jump back into being your mate again Squirrelflight,” he murmured. “How can I trust you again, after everything that's happened?” he asked her softly.

She hummed, thinking it over. After what seemed like the day had passed them by, she spoke. “I don't know,” she finally answered. “I just want us to stop with the anger and resentment. I don't want to fight or have arguments anymore.” Truthfully, he had started getting tired of constantly giving her the cold shoulder all the time. But he had been so angry, so heartbroken.

“Can we just start over then? Just... talk things out like friends would? Meet every so often and get to know each other again?” she asked him.

He would like that.

“I'll start. I'm Squirrelflight, and I'm one of the best hunters this lake has ever seen,” she purred.

He let his muzzle stretch into a small smile. “I'm Bramblestar, the leader of Thunderclan, and I would really love to get out of this Starclan-forsaken cold right now!” She snorted at him, and together began making their way back to camp, hoping to snuggle against Firestar's warm scales soon. Their pelts weren't quite touching each other as they padded through the forest, but the previous omnipresent tension that had lingered between the two had vanished into the cold breeze.

Chapter Text

Starclan, as Leafpool would learn, didn't have borders. At least, it shouldn't have borders. Before the Dark Forest had risen, the omnipresent borders that separated the clans in life... didn't exist in Starclan. Cats could talk and play and hunt freely with someone from another clan without conflict. Territory wasn't an issue. Starclan was ever expanding, and if a cat wanted some territory to keep for themselves for a while, Starclan would expand to allow that cat some room.

Now that the Dark Forest had been taken care of, the borders that had previously separated the Starclan cats into their previous clans had evaporated into fine mist, as if they had never been there in the first place.

So with cats hanging around with who they previously liked to be around again, with space all to themselves, Leafpool assumed that finding Bluestar wouldn't be an easy task.

But no, Yellowfang pointed her in the direction of the Warming Rocks and lo and behold, there was the previous leader of Thunderclan.

The Warming Rocks of Starclan was a replica of Sunningrocks, just ever expanding for all the cats (mostly Riverclan and Thunderclan) to enjoy, and the sight of it sent a pang of nostalgia through Leafpool. The stones were nice and smooth to lay on, and she could detect a perfect amount of warmth emanating from the stones hitting her paws.

But as much as she would love to take a nap here, relaxation wasn't the reason why she had come here. She needed to see Bluestar. And the Warming Rocks just happened to be a favorite spot of hers, enough that most cats knew where to find her most of the time.

The blue she-cat was currently lounging on a large slab of stone, a reddish-brown tom nosing the cobwebs that were still plastered onto her sides in slight concern, a little gray and white she-kit running around the paws of a tom that held Bluestar's and Mistystar's likenesses nearby.

She stopped in her tracks, not sure if going up to her was a good idea. It was clear that Bluestar was trying to enjoy spending time with what looked to be her family. She didn't want to ruin that.

But Bluestar was the only cat that could remotely help her in her goal. Plus, Bluestar had been in Starclan way longer than Leafpool had. She has plenty of time to be around her loved ones; a few moments away from them wouldn't hurt her.

So Leafpool decided to approach her, taking a deep breath, her head held high. The reddish-brown tom perked his head up once she came close, and Bluestar herself cracked an eye open, recognition at the sight of Leafpool, then replaced with a glimmer of understanding at the air of solemnness around the former medicine cat.

“Leafpool...” Bluestar murmured. “Oakheart, could you help Stonefur for a bit? Looks like he's having trouble keeping up with Mosskit,” she purred in amusement at the sight of her flustered son spinning in circles in an attempt to play with his sister.

“Bluestar...” the reddish-brown tom, Oakheart uttered. His eyes swapped from Bluestar to Leafpool, and then to his kits, letting out a sigh as he got up to his paws and put on an amused face as he padded over to his kits.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Leafpool finally spoke up. “So... how are your burns healing?” she inquired. She was quite aware of what her father had done to Bluestar. She was initially shocked, but was quite understanding as Yellowfang told her about his behavior; about the stone's unnatural glowing.

She wanted to believe that it wasn't Firestar who attacked Bluestar, but rather the stone. Or at the very least, it the stone that compelled Firestar into doing its bidding.

“They're fine. The medicine cats say that I'll be able to take the cobwebs off in a few days,” Bluestar stated. “But you didn't come to me to talk about my injuries did you? You came for something else,” she meowed, narrowing her eyes.

“You're right, I did.” This was it. Her only shot at helping her father. “Yellowfang and Spottedleaf told me you managed to make contact with the stone. I want to know how you did it,” she bluntly told Bluestar.

The once leader twitched her whiskers, skeptical. “You want to make contact with it yourself,” she realized. When Leafpool didn't deny it, she let out a heavy sigh. “Stars above know why you would want to make contact with that thing.”

Leafpool's gaze hardened. “I need to. If anyone wants to enter Firestar's dreams, they have to go through the stone first. And I need to reassure him that my death wasn't his fault.”

“What makes you think that you can reason with the stone?” Bluestar murmured, eyes trailing over to her mate and kits, Mosskit climbing onto Oakheart's back, Stonefur finally laying down on the stone slab in grateful exhaustion.

Leafpool sharply exhaled. “Because I'm his daughter. His hatchling. If the stone shares even an inkling of Firestar's interests, it wouldn't keep one of Firestar's treasures from visiting him. It wants to keep Firestar happy, and he won't be happy if he ever learns that I've been trying to visit him and couldn't because the stone won't let me on the basis of me being a Starclan cat,” she explained.

Bluestar have a thoughtful hum, eyes boring into her. “What if that's exactly what the stone wants?”

She blinked. “What?”

“What if the stone is intentionally trying to drive a wedge between Firestar and Starclan?”

Leafpool flattened her eyes onto her head. She hadn't thought of that before. What if this was a ploy from the stone's part in order to drive Firestar into becoming more and more like a dragon?

“When I connected with the stone,” Bluestar began, “I felt fleeting thoughts and signals that it was sending to Firestar. It told him that he couldn't trust Starclan, that the only things that mattered-” She stared into Leafpool's eyes. “-were you.”

“Me?” she uttered in shock.

Bluestar nodded. “You, your sister, your mother, and Bramblestar. But more importantly...” Her ears flattened onto her skull, her claws unsheathing and sheathing over and over again. “It told him that Starclan was just using him. That he couldn't become his truest self by following the will of those that didn't actually care about him,” she murmured, indignation apparent in her voice.

Leafpool mulled over her words for a few heartbeats, tail puffing up as she realized what Bluestar was trying to warn her about. “You think that the stone will spin my visiting him into Starclan using me in order to get close to him again.” Which would only make Firestar harbor more resentment towards Starclan, which would more than likely allow the stone to influence him further.

It was a vicious cycle that Firestar was entrapped in. How much more would it take for the stone to influence him completely? How much more would it take for Firestar to abandon Thunderclan? He already felt like he didn't fit in...

“All the more reason to get in contact with the stone so I can talk with my father. I'm not telling Firestar to regain his faith back in Starclan anyway, I'm just a worried daughter who wants to comfort her father,” Leafpool said, determined.

Bluestar flicked an ear at her. “While I admire your devotion to him, there's not much I can do to help you.”

Alarm jolted through Leafpool's body. Was Bluestar saying that she couldn't help her at all?

“To be honest, I'm not even sure how I connected with the stone in the first place. So I can't exactly tell you how I did it,” Bluestar meowed sheepishly.

There had to be something specific that she had done. “What were you doing right before you connected with it?”

Bluestar's eyes trailed over to the cobwebs stuck on her pelt. “Trying not to get burnt,” she deadpanned. Her eyes then swept over her family. “But above all, I desperately wanted to comfort Firestar; tell him that everything was going to be okay. Perhaps those feelings of protectiveness and desire, along with the powers of being a Starclan cat allowed me leeway past the stone's defenses.”

Leafpool closed her eyes, thinking. It wasn't much to go off of. Would her beliefs and love for her father be the only things she needed? “Leafpool.” Her gaze snapped back to Bluestar. She looked sympathetic, but also fearful. “I want to help Firestar as much as you do. But you need to be careful. That stone is dangerous. If gaining control over Firestar is what it wants, then there's no telling at what lengths it will go for that control. Even if it means hurting you,” she murmured.

She would have to take that risk then. “I thought as much,” the blue-furred she-cat sighed. “Good luck then.”

“Everything okay over here?” Oakheart interrupted, padding up to them.

“Oh nothing much,” Bluestar purred. “Leafpool here was sent by Spottedleaf to check up on my injuries. Everything's fine.”

Oakheart looked skeptical. “Didn't Spottedleaf check over your dressings yesterday though?”

“Ah, well... you know how medicine cats are. You can never be too careful.” Her tail twitched towards her, and Leafpool took it as Bluestar dismissing her. She tilted her head in a slight bow, letting out a friendly chirp of good-bye as the medicine cat hastily made her way off of the Warming Rocks.

She didn't know how much time she had. Was the stone taking it slow and easy at the moment? If so, for how long?

Leafpool would need to act soon.

Chapter Text

Leafpool decided that she wasn't going to wait around and see if the stone would continue to influence Firestar's thoughts and actions. Every day wasted was another day for the stone to place unwelcome thoughts into Firestar's mind. Even with Firestar's sudden drowsiness and exhaustion rendering him unable to do much of anything physically, she figured that it would be easier for the stone to worm itself further into Firestar's head.

As she was making her way to Starclan's version of the Moonpool, she pondered whether it was a better idea to try and make the attempt at communicating with the stone during daytime or nighttime. When would the stone lower its defenses enough for her to slip through? Did it tighten its defenses and hold over Firestar when he was asleep and thus thwart any Starclan cat's attempts at visiting him in his dreams? She slowed down mid-thought, suddenly frustrated.

She knew next to nothing about how the stone worked, aside from the fact that it had turned her father into a dragon and that it was scarily good at influencing and protecting his mind. And she didn't know how exactly she was going to communicate with it, besides the usual manner that all Starclan cats used.

Except she hadn't visited anyone's dreams yet, so she wasn't even sure if she was going to do it right.

Regardless, she was essentially going in blind.

Leafpool was so lost in her thoughts and planning that she didn't notice that she had already arrived at the Moonpool. It was an exact replica of the Moonpool sitting within the living world, but the waters reflected the living world below instead of the band of stars one would usually see when they looked down into the pool. It was the primary entrance and exit of Starclan. It was through the Moonpool that their powers over dreams could be used at their strongest.

Of course, any of the viewing pools scattered throughout Starclan territory could also be used for the same purpose, but entering the dreams of a cat through them tended to end in shorter visits.

The Moonpool also acted as a another, albeit stronger, viewing pool, and there was a cat inside already using it.

She stiffened as she realized that she wasn't alone. The cat, the ginger tom with white paws that had commanded everyone's respect at the last disastrous meeting was crouched beside the Moonpool, staring unblinkingly into its waters.

There was a possibility that he would try to stop her. She could either slip past him, or wait another night to enact her plan...

“Don't bother hiding. I know you're there,” the tom suddenly meowed. She flicked her tail nervously, before padding out into view.

His ears swiveled towards to where her pawsteps were, but didn't take his eyes away from the Moonpool. He opened his mouth to scent the air, and snapped his jaws closed as fast as he had opened them.

“Leafpool, right?”

She hoped that there wasn't too much fear scent escaping her.

“How do you know who I am?” she asked suspiciously. Especially because she had hardly been introduced to any new cats, let alone this tom.

He let out a snort. “I make it my business to know all the cats within my clan, alive or dead.” His clan?

Then she understood. Four cats. Four cats who commanded enough respect for everyone to stop their petty arguments and fighting and listen. One small and wiry, like Windclan. The tom with sleek, shiny fur, like that of a Riverclan cat. One with cunning in her eyes, like that of a Shadowclan cat. And the last...

“Thunderstar,” she uttered, half in shock, half in reverence. The Thunderclan founder only nodded in acknowledgment, continuing to hold his gaze towards the pool.

Her eyes trailed over to the Moonpool, and to her surprise, the Thunderclan camp was currently being reflected within the water. Thunderstar's eyes were transfixed onto the dragon that was situated above the camp. There was pain in his eyes, and also regret, like he was blaming himself for Firestar's situation.

“I care for all my cats. But it always pains me when I can never do anything to help them. Especially my successors,” he sighed, finally looking away from the Moonpool. His fierce gaze pierced through her. “I know why you're here.”

“And you're not going to stop me?” she asked him slowly.

He merely shook his head. “You're our best bet in getting through to Firestar,” he said softly. Leafpool's face twisted into a bit of a glare, and he dipped his head slightly in response. “Now, I'm not saying that in order for Starclan to get past the stone, I'm saying that as a concerned cat who wishes he could do more to help one of his successors.”

They stood there for a few awkward heartbeats. “I should be trying to stop you,” he sighed. “But I get the feeling that you'll just try a different way of trying to help your father,” he purred sadly. He gestured towards the Moonpool, and her eyes widened as she realized that Thunderstar was basically giving her his approval to go forward with her plan.

She merely nodded at him as she stepped forward, a paw already dipped into the water.

“Good luck,” she heard him murmur softly before the Moonpool dropped her into the Thunderclan camp.

It was a sight for sore eyes. Part of her wanted to pad into the medicine den and lay down next to Jayfeather and Briarlight out of habit.

But she wasn't here to reminisce and visit the cats she loved. Her eyes were focused on the dragon above the camp, blissfully sleeping away his worries. As she climbed up the hollow, she noticed her father constantly making little shifts here and there, and she craned her head further to see bare branches poking his back and wings. He was clearly uncomfortable.

She blinked slowly at the three cats pressed at his side, enjoying the warmth he was giving out. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were sleeping next to each other by Firestar's side, their backs almost touching. Sandstorm was up nearer to his head, purring lowly, as if aware that her mate was uncomfortable and making her best attempt to lull him into a more peaceful sleep.

She dearly wished she could join them.

Leafpool walked up by Firestar's chest where the stone lay, the darkness of night making it almost blend in with Firestar's scales. It was by its constantly fiery center that she could identify it.

'I really hope I know what I'm doing...' she thought worriedly to herself. Maybe Starclan's standard way of entering dreams would work here?

She pressed her nose onto the stone, fur bristling at the heat that seared her muzzle, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

'I want to help him. I want him to know that I'm okay. I want him to know that my death wasn't his fault.'

And something snapped in her head with a click.

When she opened her eyes, there was darkness everywhere, save for the red streams that wove through the black. She herself was standing on a red stream. Her eyes gazed around in amazement at the sight, and then she wondered where she even was.

'Is this the inside of the stone?'

“Not quite little one,” a voice resounded in her head. Not expecting her thoughts to be answered, she swung her head around wildly, looking for whoever answered her. A hiss of fright escaped her, and she squinted as a brilliant red light exploded in front of her, bringing forth waves of heat. Her eyes widened as the intensity died down.

“This is a mindscape.”

“Father?” she whispered. Or at least, she thought it was. It was him, but his form was entirely covered in a pulsating red light.