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Chapter Text

ALLEGIANCES

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER: Thornstar - golden brown tabby tom with blue eyes

DEPUTY: Blossomfall - tortoiseshell and white she-cat (mother to Thornstar's kits: Stemkit, a white and ginger tom-kit, Eaglekit, a ginger tabby she-kit, Shellkit, a tortoiseshell tom-kit and Plumkit, a black and ginger she-kit)

ELDER: Purdy - an old, dark brown tabby tom with a graying muzzle and an injured, twisted hind help.

Shadowclan

LEADER: Rowanstar - heavily scarred, ginger tabby tom

DEPUTY: Pouncetail - brown tabby tom

MEDICINE CAT: Littlecloud - very small tabby tom

WARRIOR: Pinenose - black she-cat with a long scar across her side (Mother to Rowanstar's kits: Hollypaw, Bubblepaw, Moonpaw and Deerpaw)

APPRENTICES

Weaselpaw - brown and white she-cat

Hollypaw - a black she-cat

Bubblepaw - a pale brown tabby she-cat

Moonpaw - a pale silver she-cat

Deerpaw - a dark brown tabby tom with large, wide stripes

WINDCLAN

LEADER: Whitestar - small, scarred white she-cat (mother to Owlwhisker'a kits: Heatherpaw and Ashpaw)

DEPUTY: Owlwhisker- heavily scarred, light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

WARRIORS

Emberfoot - gray tom with two dark paws and ragged ears 

Stormcloud - gray tabby tom (formally a kittypet named Frankie)

Whitebird - white and black tabby tom (formally a kittypet named Benny)

Branchshine - dark brown she-cat (formally a kittypet named Jessy)

APPRENTICES

Heatherpaw - pale brown tabby she-cat, medicine cats apprentice

Ashpaw - gray she-cat

RIVERCLAN

LEADER: Duskstar - large, dark brown tabby she-cat

DEPUTY: Robinwing - tortoiseshell and white tom

QUEEN: Troutstream - a pale gray tabby she-cat (mother to Robinwing's kits: Graykit - a pale grey tom and Pinekit, a brown tabby she-cat)

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

Smokey - muscular gray-and-white tom (lives in a barn at the horseplace with Coriander)

Coriander - ginger and black tortoiseshell she-cat

Minty - small, white and black she-cat

SKYCLAN

LEADER: Leafstar - mottled pale cream-and-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Echosong - small, silver tabby she-cat

Chapter Text

Thunder roared in the dark sky above as a small, silver striped she-cat made her way up a tiny, rocky path that zigzagged across the gorges wall. A place the cats living here had called home for many moons.

The rocks underneath her paws where slick with rain and do to the wind, the she-cat had to balance carefully with the help of her tail as to not fall down to the cold, hard rock floor below. The darkness of night and the constant rainfall made it hard to see. She knew dawn would soon come, but it was still the middle of the night and, for a moment, the tabby considered turning back and waiting until sunrise, but she changed her mind with a swift shake of her head.

This is much more important. She thought to herself with a sense of duty that ran through are spine and down to the tips of her whiskers.

Making her way up to the top of the path she found herself in front of a small cave. Pushing her head inside the entrance, she meowed quietly, "Leafstar?" 

In a shadowy corner of the den she could see the leader turning in her sleep, which made her call out again.

"Leafstar? Are you awake?" The leader turned lazily to face the tabby, pale amber eyes opening slowly. "Echosong?" she meowed, voice slow with the tinge of sleep, "Is everything alright?"

The medicine cat hesitated, then took a small step inside the den. "Firestar is dead." she meowed finally. Leafstar quickly raised her head, amber eyes wide. "What?" she gasped, her voice barely a whisper over the storm outside, "How do you know?"

"He came to me in a dream." Echosong explained, "He and Sandstorm. They.." the medicine cat paused, taking in a small breath of air. "They had a message for me."

The leaders right ear twitched, "A message?" she echoed, "About what?"

"Skyclan must follow the blood trail," Echosong began, "to find the spark that remains and set the forest ablaze, in order to chase away the darkness that hangs over the clans." she explained, trying to recite the prophecy she had just received as best as she could. A silence fell over the den and, at that moment, Echosong became aware of just how hard it was raining outside. Leafstar lowered her head, closing her eyes slowly. The medicine cat was acutely aware of how anxious the leader was feeling, noticing the tip of her tail twitching in the darkness.

She took another small step forward. "I do not think its something we have to do now." the silver tabby meowed, trying to ease the tension. "After all, we have to find the blood trail first- and honestly I have no idea what it could be."

Leafstar nodded, opening her eyes. "Thank you Echosong." she meowed, "You truly are a gifted medicine cat." The brown tabby turned in her nest again, letting her tail rest comfortably over her paws, "Skyclan will act when the time is right." she meowed, a bit matter of factly, "Whatever task is required of us, Skyclan will do it together."

Echosong nodded, looking behind her at the heavy rainfall outside. "I.. I do not want to be alone tonight." she admitted quietly. "May I stay here? In your den?" she asked, feeling slight embarrassment prickle at her pelt.

Leafstar nodded with a small smile, gesturing with her head to the empty space next to her, her amber eyes warm. Echosong padded over and settled on the edge of Leafstars nest, her paws resting on the cold stone floor below them. As the two she-cats slept, confidence began to grow in Echosongs mind.

Leafstar was right, whatever challenges Skyclan needed to face, they would do it together.

Chapter Text

A bright, early green-leaf sun hung high in the bright blue sky as a slender, light brown tom padded across a small woodland, ears perked in search of prey.

After moons of living here, the tom had finally grown accustomed to his new home, a territory he and a few other cats had chosen after leaving almost four season ago. 

It was a small patch of land, a little ways away from the old lake territories, with something for each clan in it. A patch of tall pine trees for Shadowclan. An undergrowth covered field for Thunderclan, with a few sparse trees here and there. A small, abandoned moor with a crumbling twolegs nest on it for Windclan and a small, fish-filled stream running through it all for Riverclan.

It was a small territory, so small that if he climbed the tree next to his current den and craned his just right, he could see right into the other clans camps, a feat that would have not been possible in their old home.

Opening his mouth, the tom hoped to catch a scent of any nearby animals, but instead, he froze in place, scenting something a lot more familiar.

Brightheart?  The tabby thought, recognizing his sisters smell. The fresh, leafy scent of the she-cat whorled around him. It was fluid, constantly changing, like a fast moving stream, a stream he had just fallen in. What is it? He questioned. It was like Brightheart was pushing him, pulling at his pelt, guiding him forwards. 

Are you trying to show me something?

This wasn't unusual, not for Thornstar anyways. After The Great Battle the brown tabby had often felt the presence of his littermates and all of the fallen Thunderclan cats around him. Ever since the survivors of The Great Battle had moved into this tiny, new territory, Thornstar had begun to catch these scents, sometimes glimpsing patches of his clanmates fur if he was quick enough. But, after everything they had been through, It made his heavy, aching heart calm for a moment. It was as if they where still here, still here with him, with them.   

The tabby began stalking forward slowly. Thornstar followed the newly found scent trail, shouldering between a few patches of tall grass as he made his way up a small hill.

Then, his eyes landed on it.

A hare! Of course! How did I not notice that before?

Ever since The Great Battle Thornstar had found it hard to hunt. His mind would wonder and his muscles would tense at the slightest sound, as if Dark Forest warriors were still prowling in the undergrowth, ready to strike. Sometimes he thought his pelt still reeked of blood.

Thornstar shook his head. This was no time for self-pity, his clan was hungry and he needed to catch something soon.

Moving upwind, the tabby stalked closer, tensing the muscles in his hind legs as he prepared to jump. And jump he did.

In a single heartbeat Thornstar cleared the gap between him and the hare. Lashing forward with one paw he grabbed the creature, sinking his fangs into the soft flesh of its throat, killing it with a swift bite to the neck and a moment later the leader placed his prey down in front of his paws, pressing his muzzle into it's still warm fur.

Thank you Starclan, for this prey that will keep our clan strong and fed. 

He raised his head, blue gazes scanning the tiny patch of forest around him. 

And thank you, Brightheart. He thought, as a bang of sadness itched its way into his chest. But the ginger she-cat did not answer him and, just like that, she was gone, like a streak of mist blown away by the wind. But it did not matter, not now anyway.

You have cats to feed. He told himself matter-of-factly.

Lowering his head he picked up the freshly killed rabbit and started making his way back to Thunderclans new camp. Which was a small clearing surrounded by bramble thickets.

He remembered how he and the rest of the Thunderclan survivors, those being Blossomfall and Purdy, had spent days weaving together  the thick, thorny branches after they first arrived. 

Thornstar felt a shiver run down his spine as he remembered the first few days after the battle against The Dark Forest. So many cats had been injured and so many had died... 

Even Lionblaze - who had been one of Thunderclans strongest warriors, had died of exhaustion moments after he had battled a clans worth of Dark Forest cats by himself. Thornstar and what few cats there where left of the other clans, where lucky to be alive, but still, the thought of his time as a Dark Forest trainee did not let his mind rest. After gathering together, the survivors of each clan had agreed to start a new life outside their current boarders, somewhere far away, where the memories of that night could not chase them down. There was no way any of them could go back now, to the old territories, not to what they had left behind.

Thornstars memories didn't let him realize he had already made his way to camp, since he had paused right in front of the camp entrance, lost in thought. Coming to his senses he blinked away his memories and then, in one swift motion, he leaped through the small tunnel that acted as the entrance to their new camp. 

At the edge of camp, four kits, almost as big as he was, huddled together with a graying old tom. Their eyes full of wonder as they no doubt where listening to one of his stories again. The sound of rustling bushes alerted them and, noticing their father had returned, each of the kits scrambled one by one to greet him, tripping over each other as they sprinted towards him. A small white and ginger tom halted in front of the hare, lowering his head down to sniff its large ears.

"Is that for me?" Stemkit squeaked, gazing down in awe at the rabbit which was bigger then he was.

Thornstar let a purr rise in his throat, "It's for all of you." he meowed, giving his son an affectionate lick around the ears, "Make sure Purdy eats as well."

All four kits  let out excited squeals as they began dragging the fresh kill away, each squabbling loudly about who'd get the first bite. Thornstar watched them leave, a knot of guilt building in his stomach. Since when was one hare enough to feed an entire clan? He wondered gloomily.

Then, he felt the thick pelt Blossomfall brush against him, distracting him from his thoughts.

"Littlecloud came by today," she meowed, brushing her cheek against his, "The gathering will be held at the fallen oak, near the bend of the stream." she explained,

Thornstar nodded. Moons prior, when they first arrived here, the survivors of The Great Battle had agreed to let the clans stay separate for while, holding a truce in their new home. Joining together for a proper gathering only when each kit in the clans had reached the age of apprenticeship. Then, as if the mention of the medicine cats name had summoned her, a tortoiseshell she-kit came bounding up towards her parents, mouth still covered in hare fuzz.

The she-kit, Plumkit, halted in front of Thornstar, her amber eyes wide with excitement. 

"Littlecloud helped us finish the medicine cat den!" she squeaked, "And he said I could be his apprentice! Like, officially! Isn't that great? Want to come see?"

Thornstar let out a laugh, the knot deep inside him untangling at the sight of his daughters excitement, "Of course." he meowed kindly, following after her as she sprang away once more.

He followed her to the northmost side of camp, where a large, fallen beech trees drunk had been hollowed out to form a den, the entrance of which had been covered by thick ivy leaves. Plumkit pushed past the tangle of vines and swiftly turned around, greeting Thornstar, who had just stuck his head in the entrance. 

"See?" Plumkit chirped, turning in tiny circles around the den, "There's moss and cobwebs, and tansy and marigold, and Oh! Littlecloud helped us gather some watermint today, so our supplies are well stocked!" 

The tortoiseshell paused and raised her head to stare at her father expectingly. "Well?" she meowed, tucking a small clump of moss into the splintery walls of the den, "What do you think?" 

Thornstar let out another purr, letting the warm sense of pride that had been building up inside his chest over take him. "Very well done, Plumkit!" he meowed, moving to touch his nose to her shoulder, "You and Littlecloud have done a good job here."

Plumkit was about to respond, when a she was cut off by a shrill shriek of pain.

Chapter Text

Thornstar felt his blood run cold as he pushed himself out of the new den, tail lashing and eyes shining with fear. Plumkit scrambled behind her father, eyes wide with terror.  The light brown tabby wiped around to face her, pushing her back with his tail.

"Stay in the den!" he ordered, "If there's trouble, you'll be safer here then in the clearing."

The tortoiseshell nodded and Thornstar sprang away, instinctively unleashing his claws. He leaped towards the center of camp, front fangs bared.

"What's going on?" he called out, flinching at the desperation in his own voice. 

Not again. Thornstar begged inside his mind. Not another battle.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Blossomfall running towards him. "It's Smoky!" she called pausing beside him.

Smokey? Thornstars anxiety was replaced by confused. What was the loner who lived all the way at the twoleg barn doing so far into the forest?

Blossomfall was panting, her tortoiseshell fur fluffed up. "He's with Coriander, his new mate." she explained, noticing the confusion on the brown toms face. "He said she's kitting, but somethings gone wrong." 

"He said he came to find Daisy." Blossomfall meowed quietly.

Oh. The revelation struck Thornstar like a bolt of flaming hot lightning. Daisy had been Smokey's mate at the twoleg place before she had decided to join Thunderclan with her kits. He hadn't cared much about the tom and Daisy relationship before the she-cat had died during the Great Battle. But now Smoky was here, with a queen in labor searching for his former mate. How could they tell him Daisy was dead?

The tabby's blue eyes blazed as he looked behind Blossomfall, seeing the gray and white tom crouched besides a tortoiseshell queen, who had collapsed down on her side. Despite knowing neither he, nor any of his clanmates were in danger, Thornstar couldn't stop the panic building up inside him.

He couldn't let this loner die. Thornstar thought quickly. I can't let another cat die on Thunderclan land. Not again.

"Fetch Littlecloud." Thornstar meowed hastily near Blossomfalls ear. The new clan camps weren't too far away, if both his deputy and the Shadowclan medicine cat ran, they could both get here in a matter of minutes.

"My thought exactly." Blossomfall meowed, turning and disappearing through the bramble tunnel a moment later.

"Plumkit!" Thornstar called behind him, startling the small she-cat who hadn't moved from the den. 

"Go gather your littermates." he ordered, "Tell them to stay with Purdy in the den. Tell them I ordered them to."

Plumkit nodded, almost tripping over herself as she made a mad dash towards the bramble bush.

Thornstar turned his gaze towards the two loners near the camp entrance. Coriander was panting heavily, rasping, gulping breaths, Smoky crouched over here.

This was fine. Everything was going to be fine. Thornstar told himself, although he didn't know if he really believed that.

...

"Two she-cats and a tom." Littleclouds meow rang out across the clearing, loud enough that Thornstar could hear it from the warriors den who's corner the golden brown tom was crouched in. His nerves had gotten the better of him and, instead of helping, Thornstar had hid in his den until Corianders labor was over, which had perhaps been the right choice. 

The tortoiseshell queen had died moments after delivering her final kit and the sound of Smokey's wail still rang in his ears, so loud he was sure ever cat in the forest had heard it.

He remembered a time when he wanted to wail like that.

Steadying his nerves with a deep breath, Thornstar rose to his feat, padding out of his den slowly and towards the group of cats. The sight made bile rise in his throat. Corianders body lay motionless below a small clump of ferns, three squirming body's beside her, and her mate, who'se muzzle was pressed deep into her fur.

The golden brown tabby padded past Blossomfall, who sat between the roots of the old hazel tree in camp. The she-cat shot her mate a sympathetic look which the tom returned with a dip of his head. Walking to stand besides Littlecloud, Thornstar lowered his head in a respectful manner, before raising it and speaking.

"How are the kits?" he meowed, not really knowing what else to say. Should he even have said something?

"They're alright, all healthy." Littlecloud replied, the old toms tone gentle. "But they aren't going to survive long without milk or warmth."

A little ways away, Smokey lifted his head, amber eyes wide. "What?" he meowed, his voice sounded so far away Thornstar could barely hear him. "Well you have to do something!" he pleaded, speaking louder.

"I'd bring them to Shadowclan if I could," Littlecloud confessed, "but we have no nursing queen and they're far too young to eat solid prey."

"Then I'll bring them to the twoleg place!" Smokey meowed, "Coco had kits of her own a while back, she'd be glad to nurse them!"

Littlecloud shook his head, "I don't think that's a good idea," he meowed, tone sympathetic, "They're far to weak to survive such a long journey, we need to find a closer queen." 

"Perhaps we could bring them to Riverclan? Troutstream's kits where born the latest." Thornstar reminded.

"Or they could stay in Thunderclan." Blossomfall suggested, padding up to join the three cats, "My milk is almost dry, but ill give what I can."

"I'd think that be best." Littlecloud concluded, "We shouldn't risk having them make a journey they might not survive."

Smokeys stared at the dappled queen as if she had just sprouted wings, but Thornstar could see his eyes glowing with gratitude. "You'd really do that?'' he meowed breathlessly. Blossomfall nodded and Thornstar say Smokey's muscles tense. 

"And what about me?" he meowed, sounding like a scolded kit. "Can I stay with them? Stay here w-with the kits I mean?"

Thornstar dipped his head. "Of course." he meowed, much to the satisfaction of the loner.

Every clan cat new the importance of kinship, especially now. Thornstar wouldn't dare separate Smokey from his and Corianders kits, even if they weren't clanborn.

"I-I want to take her back to the horseplace." Smokey meowed, gazing down at Coriander. "She would have liked her final resting place to be at the barn." he explained, amber eyes filling with grief.

"I promise to come back with a few rats as thanks for all you've done." Smokey meowed, his voice low and tail weaving amongst the blades of grass below. 

Thornstar was about to argue, knowing how far of a journey the loner had already made. But before he could, the loner had already disappeared with Coriander's body through the bramble tunnel, followed closely by Littlecloud, who had gathered his herbs and left, after dipping his head farewell to both Thornstar and Blossomfall. 

Thornstar watched Blossomfall pick up one of the squirming kits, a small, tortoiseshell, who let out a powerful wail as she did so. 

He padded forward and gently picked up the other two kits, following Blossomfall as they made their way to the nursery.

Chapter Text

That day, Smokey promised he'd come back, and come back he did - along with three of his promised rats.

The three kits grew steadily, raised inside the miniature clamp's walls by Smoky with the help of Thunderclan. And when asked for their names, the loner gave an answer Thornstar did not expect. Coriander, Floss and Daisy. 

"I..I wanted to name them after the cats who have meant to most to me in my life." Smokey had explained, "I hope that's alright."

Thornstar new Smoky's intentions where good, perhaps even strangely noble - but even so, the little tortoiseshell's new name made Thornstars heart ache as memories of the Thunderclan queen flooded over him.

The three kit's spent most of their time in the nursery, listening to the stories Purdy told them and they got on surprisingly well with Thornstar's own litter and Daisy, Coriander and Floss had watched from the nursery, eyes sparkling with excitement and wonder as Stemkit, Eaglekit, Shellkit and Plumkit received their apprentice names, becoming Stempaw, Eaglepaw, Shellpaw and Plumpaw.

Three moons had passed, seemingly without many issues.

 And then came the day Thornstar had been worried about.

...

The Thunderclan leader sat besides Blossomfall underneath the hazel three, watching the scene in front of him. Neither of them moved, as both knew it was not their place to intervene. 

"But why can't we stay here?" Daisy wailed, tiny calico tail bushed up in the air, "I want to stay here! With Stempaw and Shellpaw, and Eaglepaw and Plumpaw! And Purdy and, and-"

Smokey's snarl cut her off. "No. I'm taking you back to the barn, just like I promised."

"But we don't want to leave!" Coriander meowed, springing up beside his sister, his gray pelt bristling. "What if the twolegs take us? I don't want to be a kittypet!"

"Yea!" Daisy joined in, baring her tiny, needle sharp teeth, "We don't want to be kittypets!"

"You're not going to be kittypets, and you're not forest born." Smokey meowed, turning away, "You ain't made for the forest, they won't accept you because you don't belong here." 

"But Berrynose, Hazeltail and Mousewhisker came from the barn, and they became warriors!" Daisy argued, "Why can't we?"

Every muscle on Smokey's body tensed and he slowly turned his head to face his kits, green eyes wide. 

"How do you know about them?" he meowed quietly.

"Purdy told us." Coriander meowed defiantly, "He told us they came to live in the forest from the horseplace a-and that they became warriors!"

"And where are they now?" Smokey snarled, whipping around, "Dead!  They're dead!" Smokey hissed when the three didn't give an answer.

"They died in a pointless battle alongside their mother in the forest!" he growled, "And you will too if you don't come with me." 

Pointless?  Thornstar felt the fur rise along his spine. After everything Thunderclan had done for him and his kits, both in the past and now, this loner - who had no idea what life in the clans was like- had the nerve to call one of the biggest battles in clan history pointless? Had these past three moons meant anything at all to him?

Thornstar felt his unsheathed claws hit the soft earth below him. Calm down. He ordered himself. You're not the only one who lost kin in the battle.

He has a right to want to protect his kits.

For a moment, all three kits shrank back at the sound of their fathers voice and exchanged anxious glances with one other. But then, Daisy straightened up, and Thornstar was taken aback by just how much courage the young she-kit had.

"But..they fought to save Thunderclan! And-and you said Thunderclan saved us so.." Daisy meowed, blue eyes pleading, "Doesn't it make more sense to stay here? To help the cats who helped us?"

Smoky was about to answer, but was cut off by a rustling sound coming from behind the group. Thornstar turned his head and was astonished to see Purdy, hobbling out of the nursery, the curious gazes of Stempaw, Eaglepaw, Plumpaw and Shellpaw escorting him. Smokey's tail lashed form side to side as the elder approached, stopping to stand beside the kits.

"You told them?" the loner meowed, his voice hollow with disbelief.

"That I did.'" Purdy confessed honestly, "Mousewhisker, Berrynose and Hazeltail where their kin. And great cats at that. I frankly, I find it insultin' that you'd say they lost their lives for nothin'. "

"I-I never said they died for nothing." Smokey stammared, "All I said is that I think clan life's full of pointless, unnecessary battles."

"That may be true." Purdy meowed and for a moment, the elders rummy eyes filled with an emotion Thornstar couldn't place. "But is avoidin' that risk better then coopin' them up in twolegs den like a bunch a barn mice?" Purdy took a step forward, now standing eye to eye with Smokey.

"I've lived a thousand moons more then you have youngin' and in that life I've seen love and I've seen loss, but through it all I've learned somethin', and you know what that is?" 

"No?" the loner replied, clearly confused.

"The path a cat walks in life is one they must decide for themselves, cuz it might not be what you expected to be." Purdy meowed. "So.." the elder continued, "Wouldn't it be better, to let these youngin's carve their own path?"

The loners eyes stretched wide and, by the way his ear twitched, Thornstar could tell he was thinking about it. But a heartbeat later the toms pale green eyes narrowed into threatening slits.

"No." he meowed.

Purdy nodded and took a step back. "Then I'll respect that decision." Before any cat could speak, a pale gray she-cat - Floss, stepped forward, not having said a word for the entire conversation,.

"What if I came with you?" Floss meowed and Thornstar was surprised that such a small kit could make such a serious facial expression, "If I came to live with you, willingly, would.. you let Daisy and Coriander stay?"

Another small wail rang out from the clearing and Daisy bounded forward, "No, Floss! You can't! We promised we'd be warriors together!"

For a moment, the ridiculousness of the situation hit Thornstar. Loners where strange - three kits, moons away from being warriors, let alone apprentices, bargaining with their own father for a chance at clan life. For a moment, the tom hoped Smokey would convince them, so Thunderclan wouldn't have more cats to look after with such a small territory.

And more cat's to risk loosing. Thornstar thought grimly, but pushed the thought aside as the conversation in front of him continued. 

Floss turned looking at her littermates. "I know. But Smokey won't let us stay if all of us do." she whispered, pressing up against Daisy's soft tortoiseshell coat.

Smokey eyed his three kit's as they all turned back to look at him. Then he stared down at Floss. "I was hoping you'd all come with me." he admitted. "But I can see I can't convince you." Smokey meowed, and his gaze softened. "But I suppose one is better then none."

"Fine." he meowed, glancing at Daisy and Coriander. "I guess your big enough to make your own choices. You can stay here and Floss will come with me, but know we'll always be waiting in the horseplace if you change your mind."

"Yes!" the tortoiseshell in front of him called.

"Thank you!" Coriander called in unison.

"We'll be sure to bring them to you the second they have any doubt." Thornstar meowed, finally standing from his position under the hazel tree. "You have my word."

Smokey nodded. "I'd hope so."

The loner turned and  began walking away, Floss trailing close behind after she had said her goodbyes to Purdy and her littermates. The loner paused, turning to face Thornstar. "Thank you and all of Thunderclan for all you've done."

Thornstar nodded. "Of course."

Blossomfall and Purdy called their goodbyes as the two loners trailed out of the bramble tunnel, their tails disappearing into the shadowy undergrowth a momenta later.

Thornstar looked down at Coriander and Daisy, who had not taken their eyes off of the tunnel. Then, the realization finally dawned on Thornstar. 

Thunderclan had just grown by two new members. 

...

That night Thornstar feel into a restless sleep besides Blossomfall. Purdy will keep watch. He had assured himself, before letting the shadows of sleep overcome him.

A few moments later, Thornstar awoke in a small clearing, full of short, bright green grass that shimmered like starlight and a clear blue sky. He felt a warm breeze travel through his floor as he got to his feet and looked around. The tabby recognized this place, even if he had been here just once in the past.

Starclan.

He opened his mouth and let the air around him glide over the glans on his mouth, tasting the air, then, his blue eyes went wide and he turned around slowly to face the cat standing behind him.

"Firestar!" Thornstar let out a breathless whisper, feeling his paws turn to mush, as if they could barely hold his body upright. Thornstar hadn't seen the bright ginger tom since the Great Battle. Thunderclan's former leader had not been present at his nine lives ceremony all those moons ago. "He's busy organizing Starclan." Lionheart, Thornstar's father had explained, before giving him the final life of leadership in the toms place. 

It had been because of Firestar's battle against The Dark Forest's leader - Tigerstar, that the clans had even won. An even after death the might leader was still looking after all the cats around the lake.

After all he had done, after training in alongside The Dark Forest, after all the cats that had died, Thornstar did not feel worthy of standing in in front of the mighty leader, let alone as in a leader position himself. Thornstar's paws began to shake and an emotion who could not place built up in his throat. Was Anger? Anger at who? Himself? Firestar? Surely not. Guilt? Regret? Sadness?  Thornstar didn't know. 

All he could do was dip his head to his paws in a gesture of submissiveness. "I'm sorry." was all Thornstar could manage to say after what felt like a lifetime of silence.

"And I forgive you. We forgive you." Firestar's mew same out soft and gentle and it carried with it the warmth of a hundred green-leafs. Thornstar raised his head in astonishment as Firestar continued. "You have done well leading Thunderclan." Firestar meowed, the gleam of starlight in his eyes, "And I know you will continue to do well..but that is not why I'm here."

Thornstar stared for a moment and then swallowed. "Why, are you here then?" he meowed quietly.

Firestar closed his green eyes for a moment and then opened them as he began to speak. "Strangers will come." he meowed.

"What?" Thornstar gulped, taking a step back. Strangers? 

Around him he could hear whispers of other cats, distant and quite, but definitely there. Like the entire clearing was full of them, surrounding him and Firestar all whispering and saying things he could not make out.

"Strangers will come and you must let them, for only they can chase away the darkness that seems to last forever." Firestar meowed and Thornstar swore he saw the ginger toms pelt blaze like fire, spots of red, yellow and ginger dancing around his sleek pelt.

The fire grew brighter, the whispering became louder.

And then, Thornstar woke up.

Chapter Text

A full moon rose slowly in the night sky, ushering the cats of each clan to make their way to the oak stump, which they had agreed would be a meeting place for a gathering, a tradition which had not been upheld for moons. 

Thornstars tail twitched as he eyed the round object in the sky, then turned his gazed behind him once more. A tortoiseshell brushed passed him, turning her head in the same direction, and spoke "Are you sure you'll be alright?" Blossomfall called. 

A ragged, brown tabby emerged from the den in front of them, a gentle smile on his face and two kits frisking around his paws.

 "Of course youngin's!" he laughed, "I've been through it all! Rats, twolegs, one time I fought off six foxes all at once, ain't nothin' in this forest I can't handle! " he meowed raising a graying paw, letting the kits run under it.

Thornstar nodded, gazing around the small clearing. It'll be fine. He told himself, as a hint of anxiety rose in his throat again. Purdy will be fine. 

"Come on," Blossomfall meowed, interrupting his thoughts, "we have to get there before midnight."

Thornstar nodded silently before bidding Purdy goodbye with a wave of his tail. He shouldered his way through the entrance of Their tiny camp, followed by Blossomfall, Plumpaw, Shellpaw, Stempaw and Eaglepaw.

Thornstars pelt felt heavy on his body, as if it was made from stone. Tonight was the gathering, where he and Blossomfall would have to come face to face with the cats of the other clans. Face them as former trainees of The Dark Forest.

Had they forgiven them? Thornstar wondered, after all, they both had fought on the side of the clans when the battle started..but had that been enough?

When the six Thunderclan cats had arrived, the moon had almost made it's way to the center of the sky. 

Thornstar felt his pelt prickle as he gazed around the clearing, which surrounded the tall, mighty stump of the fallen oak. Noticing the other clan leaders atop it he padded to join them, leaping on alongside them in one swift, silent motion.  None of the other leaders turned to face him, but he could feel mood in the area shift as soon as he settled comfortably beside them, their eyes glowing wearily in the moonlight. 

"Hmph." Thornstar turned his head to see a large, brown tabby she-cat he recognized as Duskfur, now Duskstar of Riverclan. A growl rumbled in her throat, so loud Thornstar could feel the vibrations in his paws. 

"Now that we're all here. I say we start this gathering so that we may return to our camps as quickly as possible." Duskstar meowed, raising her head.

"Cats of all clans!" she called, silencing the murmurs that had begun to fill the clearing. "For those who are unaware, I am Duskstar, leader of Riverclan. My deputy is Robinwing, and we also have Graypaw here, who is training as our medicine cat apprentice." the brown tabby meowed, nodding her head to a small, fuzzy tom who was sitting along the tall grass.

"Starclan has..blessed us." Duskstar continued, hesitating slightly. "With plenty of prey, healthy kits and eager warriors." 

The tabby straighten, yet her hazel eyes glowed with an emotion Thornstar could not place. "Riverclan still honors those it has lost." she meowed, confidence growing in her voice, "Ever sunrise our patrols pass a patch of thickly woven ferns and remember the names who have fallen in a moment of silence." 

Beside him, Thornclaw herd Rowanstar grunt, as the red ginger tabby shifted in front of the other leaders. 

After a moment of silence which had indicated Duskstar had finished her announcements, the ginger tabby raised his head, ready to speak.

"Shadowclan does something very similar." he meowed, "Ever night at the first call of the owl, Shadowclan gazes to the stars in honor of our fallen warriors."

Thornclaw suddenly felt anxiety spike his pelt, Thunderclan did no such thing, had no such rituals. Where they not honoring there fallen clanmates enough?

Rowanstar paused for a moment, glancing around the clearing of gathered cats. "I am Rowanstar." he decleared, "Leader of Shadowclan. Our gifted medicine cat is Littlecloud and my deputy is Pouncetail."

Thornclaw pricked his ears at the sound of murmurs coming from below him and he scanned the gathered cats in search of the aforementioned tom. Pouncetail had been little more then apprentice before The Great Battle, was he really now deputy of Shadowclan? Seasons of fallowing the warrior code made Thornstars paws feel like heavy boulders below him. Pouncetail surely hadn't had an apprentice before he became deputy, had he? Did Shadowclan really have so many surviving cats? 

Rowanstar fell quiet for a moment and then raised his tail for silents. "I am aware that Pouncetail is a young warrior, but he is strong and as loyal as any Shadowclan cat. Please be aware that I did not make this decision lightly." Rowanstar growled, daring any cat below to challenge him. Then, the red tabby paused, as if looking for the right words. It had been so long since a gathering of any kind had taken place. It felt as if ever cat had forgotten how to speak.

"Shadowclan is blessed to have had many surviving cats. Which means we have plenty of cats to hunt and patrol our boarders." he meowed.

"We have also welcomed Hollypaw, Deerpaw, Moonpaw, Bubblepaw and Weaselpaw as new apprentices of our clan." 

The clearing below broke out into a silence, before one by one the gathered cats began chanting the new apprentices names. What a wonderful sound. Thornstar thought with a hint of pride, even if it was for cats not from his own clan.

After the cats below had fallen silent, a small, white she-cat began to speak. 

"I am Whitestar, leader of Windclan!" she called out, her voice echoing among the trees. "My deputy is Owlwhisker and Heatherpaw is our talented medicine cat apprentice."

She lowered her gaze to the cats below and spoke again, "A few moons ago I and some of my cats travelled back towards the lake." she confessed, "Do to the recent rainfall, every land as far as the twoleg place was flooded. Because of this Windclan took four kittypet's in as refugees and moons later three of them decided to join us with the names of Whitebird, Stormcloud and Branchshine."

"Whitebird! Stormcloud! Branchshine!" ever cat called out and Thornstar shifted his gaze to three cats sheltered between two patches of tall grass. Each one of them straightened, pride glowing in their eyes. 

"So that's what that stench was." Duskstar hissed quietly, her bright yellowed teeth bared.

Whitestar seemed to take no offence and turned to face Thornstar, "I suppose Thunderclan should go next." she meowed quietly.

"Right." Thornstar mumbled, straightening out to address the cats in front of him. 

How dare you? A voice sounded inside his head. You're no leader. You have no right to speak in the place of a leader.

"Cats of all clans!" he began, "I am Thornstar, leader of Thunderclan." 

Anxiety suddenly spiked inside him and he swallowed roughly, meeting the gazes of the cats below. There eyes shining with wonder and some... with hatred. Ever cat must know I trained alongside the Dark Forest.

Get a grip. Thornstar scolded himself. This is the least you can do after what you've done.

"My deputy is Blossomfall." he continued, "And.. Thunderclan has also been..blessed. With the survival of our elder, Purdy." he meowed, feeling a glow of warmth fill his belly.

Below, some of the older warriors began to chatter again. Purdy was popular with cats even outside of Thunderclan and the news of the elder being alright must have been a welcomed change from the gloom that seemed to have covered the forest lately.

"Because of this, Thunderclan is able to pass down our history and the memories to it's most recent members, Stempaw, Plumpaw, Eaglepaw and Shellpaw."

"Stempaw! Plumpaw! Eaglepaw! Shellpaw!" the cats below called out and after scanning the crowd again, Thornstar noticed his four children all huddled together. Eaglepaw and Shellpaw lifted their chins in satisfaction, while Stempaw and Plumpaw looked more bashful. The former giving his chest fur an anxious lick as the gathered cats eyes fell on him and his litermates.

I shouldn't mention anything about Smoky. Thornstar thought calmly, feeling confidence grow inside of him. Atleast, not yet.

"That is all." the brown tabby announced awkwardly, turning towards the other leaders questioningly. 

Duskfur growled again, tail bushing up in a strange mixture of annoyance and anxiety. "That's all well and good." she meowed,

"But are we not going to address the dream we all had last night?"

Chapter Text

The question hung like a heavy fog at dawn. No cat dared to speak, and the only sound Thornstar could hear was the slight rustle of his paws shifting under him.

The silents apparently grew too irritating for Duskstar, who suddenly whipped around to face the three other cats on the stump, her hazel eyes blazing.

"Well?" she spat, "So we aren't?"

Thornstar saw Rowanstar closing his eyes and then he heard the leaders voice rumble deep inside his throat. "A leader must only share their dreams with their medicine cats." he meowed quietly.

"But non of our clans have medicine cats!" Duskstar growled, "We should discuss it here, now, with Littlecloud!"

"In front of all our warriors?" Rowanstar asked, his surprised, amber stare now on Duskstar.

"If it's something that effects all the cats around the lake, then it's something every cat should hear!" Duskstar retorted.

"I agree." Whitestars calm mew broke between them, "The clans are in no position to hold secrets from each other, not at this time anyway."

The clearing grew quiet as a small tom piped up from the crowd below, ever cats gaze turning to face him.

"I think it's a good idea." Littlecloud meowed calmly, "The clans have always stayed together in times of trouble, I don't believe this time has to be any different."

"So, did we really all receive the same dream?" Duskstar asked, "The one about stranger's we must accept amongst us?"

Below, the gathered cats broke out in hushed whispers as each leader voiced their agreement. Among the undergrowth a voice piped up from the crowd, "What strangers?"
Followed by another, "Is it true?"

Duskstar lowered her head and closed her eyes for a moment, deep in thought, then, when the clearing fell silent, she spoke.

"Last night.." she meowed, hesitating, "Last night, Reedwhisker visited me in a dream." she announced. "He told me of strangers who are coming, of cats who will chase away the darkness that seems to last forever."

"We don't know if they're cats." Rowanstar added.

"What else would they be?" Duskstar growled. "He told me we should accept them."

"Onestar told me the same." Whitestar meowed, "Last night, on the moor."

"I spoke with Firestar." Thornstar added.

"As I did with Blackstar." Rowanstar , "But.." he meowed grimly, "I..I do not know if I can really trust what I do not know after what happened.""

"We must have faith." Littlecloud meowed, padding closer to the stump. "I also received a message, one very similar to all of yours."

Turning away from the leaders on the stump, Littlecloud began addressing the other gathered cats. "Starclan has sent us a message, one that might hold trouble. But the clans are strong. They always have been. Even now, after The Great Battle, we stand here as survivors, gathered around the light of the full moon as our ancestors did at the dawn of the clans! It's too soon to forget the hardships we've endured. Not only the battle against the Dark Forest, but also of The Great Journey, of the battle with Bloodclan."

The old tom paused to take in a ragged breath. At this moment Thornstar realized just how small and frail the old tabby looked, like a pile of bones covered by matted fur. He had never taken the time to realized just how tired Littlecloud must be, being the only medicine cat the clans had. Seeing him speak like this, made Thornstars appreciation for the wise tom grow more then he thought was possible.

"Whatever the future has in store, I believe Starclan will guide us through it, towards a new horizon. But whatever happens, the clans must stay united. " Littlecloud meowed, turning back to face the leaders. "I believe the truce we agreed on all those moons ago should last for a couple more moons." he meowed calmly, "I feel it is the only way we can survive."

Rowanstar hummed a response, his voice like thunder in the sky. "Perhaps you are right, Littlecloud. If that is what you feel is right, then Shadowclan will agree to extend the truce until the time is right." the ginger tom meowed, looking between the gathered leaders. "Are the other clans in agreement?"

"Windclan is." Whitestar meowed, "We have no reason to trespass when our own territory is filled with prey."

"Thunderclan agrees as well." Thornstar raised his voice to join the she-cat, even if seasons of following the warrior code had made it difficult to accept this choice.

Duskstar lowered her head, hazel eyes peering peering out into the shadows ahead. But then, after exchanging a glance with a cream and brown warrior, she lifted her chin and nodded.
"If that is the choice you all wish to make," she mumbled, "then Riverclan agrees as well."

"Then it is settled." Rowanstar meowed. "The truce between all four clans shall last still the next full moon and it will be decided at the next gathering how long it shall last." he announced. "This gathering is now over. May you all get back to your camps safely." Rowanstar meowed, leaping off of the oak stump. "Come, Shadowclan!" he called, raising his tail, "We are leaving."

"Windclan should head home aswell." Whitestar muttered, "Our territory is the farthest walk away."

Duskstar didn't say anything, instead the she-cat choose to shoot the Thunderclan leader beside her a menacing glare, before departing along with her clan.

Thornstar let out a sigh, "Come, Thunderclan!" he called, hopping into the soft grass below, "Let's make our way back as well."

I do not think we are welcome here. He thought with a sense of guilt.

Chapter Text

Starclan help us! Pinenose thought in horror as she watched the large Dark Forest warriors tare through the wall of the nursery, beginning to fight viciously against it inhabitants.

Ivytail, a black white and ginger queen shrieked as she battered a dark ginger warrior with unsheathed claws, driving her out of the nursery, but from the yowls that erupted outside of it, Pinenose knew she had been killed and that the ginger warrior was engaging in a new battle outside the den. 

Kinkfur and Tallpoppy fought just as viciously, but a single, powerful, well-aimed blow knocked Kinkfur off her feet, sending the pregnant she-cat tumbling down, blood staining the sandy floor below her a deep red.

Tallpoppy yowled, wiping her head at Kinkfurs direction, but in that moment, the Dark Forest warrior grabbed Tallpoppy by the base of her tail, yanking her out of the den with such a ferocity that the elderly queen lost her balance, collapsing onto the ground. Before the light brown she-cat could rise to her feet, the Dark Forest warrior landed on top of her, sinking his fangs deep inside her throat.

The elderly she-cat let out a desperate, gargled wail, blood spraying from her mouth as she struggled against the mighty cats grip. 

"No!" Pinenose wailed, as she watched the she-cat collapse limply a moment later, eyes half-lidded and dull. 

The warrior ripped his fangs out of the she-cats throat bringing tufts of Tallpoppy's fur with him, and a heartbeat later, a new jolt of horror ran through Pinenose, as she realized the dark brown tom was now staring right at her inside the nursery.

But before he could lunge - a silver pelted cat crashed into him, knocking him off his paws. Pinenose recognized the starry sheen on the tabby's pelt, realizing they where a a member of Starclan.

Pinenose stared for a moment longer, watching bright warm light rescale against the sinking abyss of the Dark Forest warriors pelt, then her gaze traveled towards the torn walls direction.

There was no other way. This was their only way out.

Quickly grabbing Weaselkit in her jaws, Pinenose made a mad dash towards the hole in the bramble wall, leaping over the gray body of Kinkfur as she did so. She felt the sharp thorns of the now useless barrier tear against her pelt as she squeezed through, angling Weaselkit carefully, so the small she-cat wouldn't be hurt.

The queens paws burned as she galloped through the shadowy pine forest, weaving around ever patch of undergrowth and darting between the tall pine trees, flinching at every sound, thinking a Dark Forest warrior was leaping out at her and her precious kit. 

Pinenose's green eyes stretched wide as she saw a mottled, cream colored pelt sinking between the shadows beside her, pale blue eyes shining at her through the darkness.The sight made the queen triple her efforts, bounding even faster through the forest, before a familiar voice made her stop.

"Pinenose!" A tom called voice becoming farther as she ran.

The queen skidded to a halt, she knew that voice, not very well, but she had heard it at gatherings.

"Pinenose!" the tom wailed again, and by the sound of his voice she could tell the tom had begun sprinting after her. 

She whipped around quickly, running to meet him, and her heart bloomed in relief when she came face to face with the familiar tom.

"Pinenose!" the tom called again, and even in the faint moonlight that shone through the thick branched trees above, Pinenose recognize him, Robinwing of Riverclan.

"Why are you out of camp? Out of the protection of the nursery?" the tom questioned quickly, and Pinenose could see scarlet red blood dripping across his muzzle from a badly torn ear, "What's going on? "

Pinenose settled Weaselkit at her paws, trying to catch her breath as fear chocked her.

"It's gone!" Pinenose lamented, "The barrier around the nursery! They tore through it! They're all dead! All the queens! All the kits! All the elders!" Pinenose shrieked, feeling her paws shake against the cold forest floor, "I had to run, we had to run! We're the only one's who got out!"

She watched horror flash in Robinwing's gaze and the tom pinned his ears back - Pinenose thought he was imagining the sight of the battle, but the sight was gone a moment later, as Robinwing perked his ears in determination. 

"It-it's ok. It's going to be ok." the tom meowed, and for a moment, Pinenose wondered where the patrol he had been with when he came to help defend Shadowclan was.

Had they been killed too?

She watched Robinwing look around franticly, urgency dancing in his bright blue eyes.

"Here!"  the tom called, pushing the queen and her tiny kit gently towards a thick hawkthorn bush. "We'll stay here, and I'll help guard you both." Robinwing meowed crouching protectively over the Shadowclan queen who had settled into the empty space between the thorny branches of the bush, curling projectingly around  her only kit.

""Thank you." she meowed quietly, watching as shadows danced around them as the cries of the nearby battled echoed throughout the forest.

Oh Starclan! Pinenose begged. Please protect us!

...

Pinenose opened her eyes to the feeling of sturdy paws tripping over her, kicking up dust from the sandy ground in the process.

Pinenose let out a small groan of agitation, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she lifted her head, watching as a brown tabby bounded away, tail high in the air with excitement, followed by two younger cats. 

"Oops! Sorry, Pinenose!" Bubblepaw called, flashing her mother a surprised look, before turning back and bounding after the two toms in front of her. 

Even in her carefully picked out spot, under a patch of tightly curled bracken, it seemed Pinenose couldn't get any piece and quite. The small clearing that acted as Shadowclan's new camp was brimming full of life, inside the medicine cat den she could ear Littlecloud patiently explaining some herbs to his apprentice, Moonpaw. On the edge of camp Weaselpaw and Hollypaw where sharing tongues, while Pouncetail, Shadowclans deputy, was wrestling with Bubblepaw and Deerpaw. Only Rowanstar was no where to be found, surely resting in his den behind an old oak tree's stump.

Sure, she could go sleep in the general den, where all the warriors an apprentices slept, but Pinenose had gotten into the habit of sleeping out in camp, just in case. Just in case.

She settled back down, resting her chin on her front paws, watching camp, telling bittersweet memories wash over her. Just in case. 

She remembered the Shadowclan camp from before, back at the lake, a wide, bare earth hollow concealed by branches and brambles. This camp wasn't nearly as grand, a small patch of sand with a few sparse bushes and the aforementioned fallen tree, surrounded by thickly woven bramble thickets and grass. It had just enough space to fit in three dens, a stump where Rowanstar called clan meetings and a prey pile.

Prey pile.. Pinenose thought glancing over at the small patch of earth near the oak stump, where only a half-eaten toad laid. 

Why was it empathy? Pinenose questioned with a irritated flick of her tail. Had Pouncetail forgotten to send out a patrol again?

She rose to her paws, hoping to head out into the forest and catch something, when a dark brown shape knocked her off her paws. Pouncetail!

That's it! Pinenose thought, scrambling underneath the tom and rearing up. I've had enough!

Chapter Text

Early morning sunlight filtered in through the thick branches that hung above the Thunderclan camp, the air was damp and the warm scent of the forest flooded into camp, bringing with it the promise of a warm day and fresh prey.

Thornstar ducked his head as he silently padded into a den made of a small bramble thicket with reinforced walls. The den was a bit small, but relatively new, having been created from half of the old Thunderclan nursery in an attempt to get the apprentices some piece and quite from Corianderkit and Daisykit. Several cats slept inside, Eaglepaw and Stempaw had ended up curled up beside each other, while Shellpaw slept curled up in his own nest, which had been neatly cross-woven with old starling feathers.

Thornstar approached the tortoiseshell apprentice and prodded him lightly. 

"It's dawn." He whispered when the apprentice blinked open his eyes with a groan, "And you're on dawn patrol, remember?"

"Hmhp, so early?" Shellpaw grunted, "The suns barely risen!"

"The forest will be empty this time around, no other clan awakes this early." Thornstar explained.

And so much safer.  He thought quietly.

Both toms emerged from the den a moment later and padded next to the the entrance to camp. 

They where going to do the one thing Thornstar still had - the one thing that still made him feel normal, and like he was still back in the old forest beside the lake.

Patrolling.

Despite Shellpaw's tiredness, Thornstar noticed his sons paws twitching with anticipation. Shellpaw had always enjoyed patrols, an interest both of them shared, although Thornstar had always had had the suspicion that for Shellpaw, it was more so to do with the ability to get close and peek into the other clans territories then anything else.

The fur on tortoiseshell apprentices haunches bristled as excitement ran down his back and he raised his pale green eyes to his father. "Are we going hunting?" he meowed quietly.

Thornstar glanced behind his sons shoulder at the prey pile, where he noticed Blossomfall grooming herself next to a few small, scrawny voles that laid uneaten.

He thought for a moment and then nodded, shifting his gaze back to Shellpaw, "After we finish fetching the watermint for Plumpaw," he explained, "we can hunt along boarder. I'm sure she won't mind waiting."

Then, as if the mention of her name had summoned her, the ginger speckled black she-cat came trotting from the medicine den.

"Sorry!" she called, catching up to the patrol, "I was checking if we where out of cobwebs." she explained.

Thornstar tilted his head. "And?"

"All good!" Plumpaw responded, "We can go now."

Thornstar nodded, satisfied. Plumpaw had always been more punctual and ready to start early then any of her littermates, something the tom thought would aid her in becoming a good medicine cat for Thunderclan. 

Taking one last glance around the clearing, the Thunderclan raised his tail and signaled for the two younger cats to follow him thought the bramble tunnel, into the undergrowth covered forest beyond.

...

The territories where quiet. The dawn light had stretched every nearby shadow into three fox-lengths of what they normally where and a warm breeze danced thought the tall grass around them.

Thornstar's ears twitched as he heard the sound of the rushing water in the nearby stream they where following grow into loud splashing, and with that he knew they had arrived at their destination - a place where the earth sloped downward and the tiny rocks in the stream turned it into a small rapid. 

The Thunderclan leader nodded to the tall, light green and dark purple stocks in front of them. "Is this what we're looking for?" 

Plumpaw bounded forward and gave the plants a gentle sniff as she examined them, then she turned her head back to face her father. "Yes, that's watermint." she concluded, even being such a young apprentice, the tortoiseshell's amber eyes shone with the gentle confidence of a seasoned healer, a gaze that reminded Thornstar of Leafpool, Thunderclan's previous medicine cat. 

And Brightheart, Thornstar realized, his sister had also been gifted in healing, for a warrior at least. Suddenly a grim feeling flooded over him. When had he last felt her presence? Caught her - or any of his former clanmates scents in the open forest? Thornstar realized he couldn't remember.

Surely, they hadn't left him behind, had they?

"Well then lets pull some out and get out of here!" A smile fleshed on Shellpaw's face, as he sprang to join his sister, "I want to go hunting!"

Thornstar blocked him with his tail. "Hold it." he snorted.

"Let Plumpaw show you how to gather them properly and only take what we need, got it?" he meowed "This stream is one we share with Riverclan." 

 Shellpaw huffed his agreement, rolling his eyes.

"Good." he meowed, letting the tom join his sister. Both apprentices hopped closer towards the plants and Thornstar observed Plumpaw demonstrate how to pick the plants - lowering her head and gently nipping at the stalks just before they met the water. Shellpaw followed, surprisingly eagerly, and Thornstar stood guards as the two apprentices work, letting the fresh, scent rich air fill his lungs. He took his gaze away from them for just a second, to observe a bright blue kingfisher swoop down into water, when he heard a mincing hiss coming from the other side of the stream.

"Thunderclan! I should have known!" a violent shriek broke through the silence of the forest, sending both Thunderclan apprentice scrambling out of the stream, their pelts puffed out in alarm.

Thornstar whipped around to see the gaint, bristling body of Duskstar in front of them. Her hazel eyes blazed with strange fury and a small, sharp-furred brown apprentice stood beside her, looking equally as enraged. Mousebrain! Thornstar scolded himself. How did you not notice an entire patrol approaching!  

The Riverclan leader didn't seem to care when Thornstar began jogging up to her. "You stalk around our boarder and now you have the gall to steal fish from the stream? Do you really have no shame?"

"We weren't stealing!" Shellpaw hissed, "We we're only taking watermint! And from our side of the boarder!"

"Likely story." The apprentice beside Duskstar growled, and Thornstar recognized her as Pinepaw, from the gatherings. 

Shellpaw huffed, the fur along his spine rising. "And how do we know it wasn't Riverclan who was trying to cross the border into our side of the territory?"

"Quite!" Thornstar ordered, shooting his son a strict glance. Did Shellpaw ever think before he acted?

 Before any cat could make a move, a silhouette of another cat came crashing through the reeds, sprinting the join the patrol. Thornstar's tail twitched in agitation. Great. More trouble?

Clearing the distance between the rest of his patrol and him in two strides, Robinwing, the Riverclan deputy, bounded up to stand in front of Duskstar, beckoning the she-cat away with his tail.

With an agitated hiss the dark brown she-cat turned and padded away into the undergrowth in front of her, followed closely by Pinepaw, but not before the apprentice could shoot the Thunderclan patrol another mean glare.

Robinwing watched them leave and then turned towards Thornstar with a sigh.

For a moment, no cat spoke. Thornstar stared at the Riverclan deputy in wonder. Why where  there so many Riverclan cats out this early? Riverclan usually patrolled their borders when the sunlight  made everything in the forest well visible, what where they doing stalking around while shadows still cloaked the territories?

"My apologies." Robinwing meowed, breaking the silence. "Duskstar has just been wanting us to be extra careful around our boarders lately, you coming so close must have agitated her."  meowed calmly, meeting the leaders gaze.

Thornstars ear twitched with interest. "Oh? Trouble in Riverclan?" he inquired.

The fur on the deputies mottled shoulders bristled, "Nothing of the sort." he retorted, "Just making sure nothing crosses into our boarders."

Does he really mean Thunderclan? Thornstar huffed, remembering what Shellpaw had said earlier. Riverclan has nothing to fear, Thunderclan doesn't even eat fish. And with the truce among all the clans...would cats from the other clans really mouse brained enough to break it?  The golden leaders eyes laded back on the deputies pale blue ones and he could see anxiety dancing behind his tired gaze. Or is there something else going on in Riverclan?

"Just, please.." Robinwing meowed, turning to leave, "Stay away from our boarder."

And just like that the tortoiseshell tom was gone, patchy tail weaving among the reeds.

Thornstar watched the patrol leave and then turned to face the two apprentices. "Are you hurt?" he meowed. If they are, Riverclan had broken the truce. 

"No." Plumpaw replied and Shellpaw just shook his head.

"I'd like to see one of those fish-breaths try and lay a claw on us." Shellpaw let out a low growl, "I would have showed them something to be worried about."

"Enough." Thornstar meowed, straightening. "Have you got dandelion fuzz in your head trying to anger a patrol trying to defend it's boarders like that? Or have you already forgotten the truce the clans agreed upon two moons ago?"

"They started it." Shellpaw muttered, glancing at the ground.

"And you escalated it." Thornstar meowed, his voice stern. "You're still and apprentice. And while you're an apprentice, out of camp you answer to your mentor's."

Thornstar let his rising hackle fur lay flat. "Next time there's trouble at a boarder you both wait for me, unless I say otherwise, got it?"

"Got it." Shellpaw and Plumpaw muttered at the same time.

Thornstar nodded. "Good." he meowed, turning around and padding back to the stream. "Let's gather whatever watermint we can get and then go back to camp." he meowed, sinking closer to the icy cold water. "I think Duskstar would appreciate it if we hunted closer to out camp this time. "

The apprentices behind him exchanged a glance, but neither spoke as them both padded closer to the the stream, lowering their heads towards the half-pulled watermint stalks, but all three cats where unaware that somewhere, not to far away, a group of cats where watching them.

Chapter Text

The early dawn light had turned golden as the small Thunderclan patrol traveled along the border, making it's was back home. The sounds of the rushing stream growing distant as they left it, and the Riverclan border, behind them. 

Thornstar walked in front of them, leading the patrol back to camp and Plumpaw and Shellpaw trailed slowly behind them, taking in the scenic view of their territory The Thunderclan leader's mouth hung slightly open, allowing the cool morning air travel over the glans in his mouth, ears pricked, with the apprentices believing he was searching the air for sign of prey. 

But instead, even if he would never admit it, the Thunderclan leader was searching for something else, he was looking for Brightheart, or really, any of his former clanmates. How could he have been so scatter brained as to forget about them? Where they hidden to him just because he had not bothered to look for them for so long? 

His ears flicked around lazily, scanning ever sound in his territory. Perhaps if he tried hard enough, he would be able to hear the spirits of Starclan? But all Thornstar could make out where the sounds of the forest, the songs of thrushes and magpies, accompanied by a cool breeze that played in the dew covered grass.  

And then, he picked up something else, freezing in his tracks at the sound, eyes wide with alarm.

The brown tabby prickled his ears, concentrating, listening.

And then he heard it again. 

Voices.

"What is it?" Plumpaws voice came out in a anxious whisper, muffled by the crumpled leaves of watermint. 

"Quite." Thornstar ordered, pinning his ears in the direction of the sound. "I hear something." 

"Are you sure it's them?" a muffled voice came from somewhere just beyond his vision, where low growing linden trees rested.

"Of course it was! You heard them! Thunderclan and Riverclan!" another higher voice responded.

They where definitely the voices of cats, but ones he did not recognize. What do they mean Thunderclan and Riverclan? Where these strangers looking for the clans? Thornstar thought for a moment, lifting his tail in the air and then he gave the signal, sweeping his tail side to side, before flicking it over his back. Stay behind me, stay together and be careful. He signaled to the apprentices behind him. If these cats brought trouble, they'd stand a better chance together rather then apart.

"Well what do we do?" another muffle come just behind the undergrowth, Thornstar guessed it was a tom.

"First off, get off my tail! And second off all, keep you're voice down!" his companion replied. 

"What's the point? They've already noticed us!" a third, much more annoyed voice broke in-between them.

"Who goes there?" Thornstar roared, his voice echoing across the sparse tree tops, "You are on  Thunderclan territory!" 

Startled, all the voices behind the linden bush fell silent, and then, one by one, three cats emerged from their from their hiding place, ears pinned to the back of their heads, eyes wide and fur fluffed out in shame like scolded kits. 

"Please don't hurt us, we don't mean any harm." a pale ginger she-cat was the first to speak.

"We didn't mean to trespass on your territory." a solid gray tom broke in, "I mean... we did- I mean- we didn't, but we didn't know how else to speak with you." he meowed, his amber eyes ernest.

Thornstar stood firm, feeling panic build in his throat as the idea if a battle swirled in his mind. Calm down. He ordered himself. They're probably just lost rouges. Lost rouges looking form the clans, yea, that sounded believable. 

"Who are you?" Thornstar spat, barely hearing his voice over his own heart pounding in his ears.  "You've tresspassed on Thunderclan territory." he reminded, hackles raised.

Shellpaw and Plumpaw exchanged nervous glances behind him, noticing their fathers tense body language, the latter shrinking back slightly in fear. Suddenly it had dawned on them that their small patrol might have to fight these invaders and what would they do then? Sure, they where supposedly capable fighters, but could there skills had never really been tested in a real battle, would they really win?

I'll protect you. Thornstar vowed silently to the two cats behind him. Whatever these cats want, they won't get to you.

"We wanted to...well.." a dark stripped tom meowed unsurely, before being cut off by his companion.

"You're Thunderclan!" the orange she-cat burst out pushing in front of her group. She seemed surprised and slightly embarrassed by her own outburst, covering her mouth with her tail for a brief moment before continuing. "I mean..you really are Thunderclan, aren't you? One of the four clans that used to live in the forest, the one Ravenpaw was from?"

Thornstar felt as if he had just been thrown into ice cold water. What? Ravenpaw?  As in, Thunderclan's former member Ravenpaw, who had left to live in a barn with a loner named Barley, that Ravenpaw?

Two stunned to think, the brown tabby's head whorled. He hadn't thought about Ravenpaw in moons, but how did these cats know who he was? Had the loner told these cats about the clans and about where to find them? They had seeked shelter in his and Barleys barn during The Great Journey, but that had been seasons ago!

Thornstar thought for a moment, ears flicking. "And what if we are?" he growled.

The she-cats pale green eyes stretched wide and her smile appeared on her face. "We've been looking for you!" she repeated.

"Well.. actually.." the stripped tom continued, peeking over his shoulder at the group of cats beside him. "We've been looking for all of the clans. We've been circlin' around this territory for a while, because we weren't sure it was you, but after a while we decided to try our luck and just come to you directly, and introduce ourselves. I guess... we've succeeded."

Thornstar stared at them and for a moment hope bloomed in the light brown tabbies heart. Where these survivors of The Great Battle?

Memories of the moments after the defeat of The Dark Forest raced back into his mind. Dovewing, a Thunderclan warrior, had alerted them that what cats where left had begun regrouping in Shadowclan camp and, thanks to her powers, she was able to send out patrols to fetch other survivors across the territories, before dying the following sunrise, but had she missed some? Surely not, but its was possible. She hadn't said anything after they had brought Whitestar, Owlwhisker and Emberfoot back from Windclan territory..but what if..?

The strangers exchanged a glance before the gray stepped forward, dipping his head. "We apologize for crossing your boarder," he repeated, raising his head to meet Thornstars blue gaze, "But we really needed to speak with you." 

The Thunderclan leader narrowed his eyes, but the gray cat continued. "I'm Harrybrook." he meowed. "And this is Rileypool and Bellaleaf." he meowed, gesturing with his tail to the two other cats beside him.

Dispite his confusion, hope surged in Thornstar's heart. Harrybrook, Bellaleaf and Rileypool? They sounded like clannamed, strange ones, but clan names. Was he right?

"And we come from Skyclan." Harrybrook continued, "We live about a few moons journey away from your territories and we've travelled a long way to see you."  

Thornstar blinked, heart falling in his chest. Skyclan?  There was no clan named Skyclan in the forest. There where only four living clans, Thunderclan, Riverclan, Shadowclan and Windclan, but no Skyclan. 

But there had been another once, Thornstar bristled as he remembered the fight against Bloodclan. Rouges who only called themselves a clan simply because they lived together under one leader? Where these cats like them? Had they come to take over the forest? Is that why they where here?

Behind him, Shellpaw turned to Plumpaw. "I thought there where only four clans?" he whispered, sharing his fathers confusion.

"There are." Thornstar hissed, baring his teeth. "At least in this forest. Why have you come here? What do you want?"

"We came here to find you because of a prophecy." the ginger she-cat, Bellaleaf stepped forward. "We where told that we needed to find the spark that remains and help chase away the darkness that hangs over the clans." 

Thornstar was about to retort, but then froze as the familiar voice of Thunderclans former leader began to rang in his memories.

"Strangers will come and you must let them, for only they can chase away the darkness that seems to last forever."

Rileypool's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "We figured..somethi' might have happened to Firestar and that we needed to find rest of the clans." he explained.

Thornstar stood still, letting his eyes travel from one so called "Skyclan" cat to another.  They all shared the same scent and all of them looked well-fed and strong, powerful muscles rippling under their well-groomed coats. The strangers looked hopefully back at the Thunderclan leader, their fur lay flat and their scent gave away no sign of hostility, just of anticipation and a hint of anxiety.

"You said you liked a few moons away. How could you know about the other clans? About where we where?" Thornstar questioned suspicion in his tone.

"It's a long story." Harrybrook meowed. 

"We have time." Thornstar growled.

The gray tom swallowed, looking back at his companions who both nodded their approval. 

"Skyclan was once part of the five clans in the forest." Harrybrook explained, turning his gaze back on the Thunderclan cats, "Before it was chased away after twolegs began the land that belonged to us. I wasn't born yet when Skyclan when it was first being rebuilt, but I know two cats from Thunderclan who rebuilt Skyclan, Firestar and Sandstorm."

Harrybrook took a ragged breath and continued. "We've..never met Firestar or Sandstorm, but my mother - Leafstar - has. Every full moon we share the story of how they saved our clan.

Thornstar heard Plumpaw and Shellpaw whispering with one another, clearly curious about the Thunderclan leader they had heard so much about, meanwhile Thornstar remained standing, not yet resheating his claws. 

"Do you know Ravenpaw and Barley?" Bellaleaf continued, "They both lived near the clans old home in the forst. Barley's my kin and he was able to point us in the direction you went, that's sort of how we found you."

Thornstar blinked remembering the two loners, he had to admit, that did make sense. Racking his brain, the Thunderclan leader remembered one specific greenleaf back in the old forest territories. Thornstar squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember the old Thunderclan camp.

He had to admit. There was a time, back when he was still a warrior named Thornclaw, when Firestar and Sandstorm had left, no cat knew why or where, but they had been gone for moons, returning only when leaf-fall had arrived. Had they really...?

Thornstar opened his eyes.

These cats weren't lying. He realized, even if they where, it was a perfect lie. There where too many things made sense, too many things for it to be a coincidence.

Thornstar swallowed, finally letting the fur along his spine lay flat.

"Alright." he meowed, "So you're Skyclan."

"Now what do you want with us?"