Mossstar's Omen

By: Mossnose. Check out Mossnose's profile on Warriors Wiki to see what Mossstar looks like!
==Poster==
Coming Soon
==Prologue==
Duskstar was walking his dreams, and he was in a place he was not sure where. He stalked up to a roaring river, and the bank was covered with moss. It was probably enough to give each queen in ThunderClan a nest, as the nursery was really full. Duskstar heard pawsteps coming closer. He whipped around and saw a shining warrior. "Fernwhisker...." he whispered. His mate, the mother of his only son, who was killed by a ShadowClan warrior, was there, right in front of him. "Yes, Duskstar. It is me. I have an important message for you." Fernwhisker murmured. "What is it?" Duskstar whispered. "Moss is ThunderClan's last hope. Frost will try to destroy it, but the Moss will remain strong." "Moss? But moss is only bedding. What can it do for us? Tell me more!" But Fernwhisker was already running up the slope, leaving Duskstar alone in the darkness. " Duskstar. Duskstar. DUSKSTAR!!!!!"
Terrifed, Duskstar awoke from his dream. Frostheart, his deputy, was standing at the entrance to the Leader's den. "Duskstar, Sunfall has just had her kits." Frostheart meowed. "Wonderful! Let's visit ThunderClan's newest warriors!" Duskstar purred. Frostheart just rolled his eyes as the two cats trotted to the nursery. Frost? Frostheart? No. Frostheart is a loyal deputy. Nothing's going to change now. The two cats entered the nursery. Sunfall was sitting proudly in her nest while Nightstorm, her mate, had his chin held high. "What are their names? I can see that the little tortoiseshell's going to be warrior." Duskstar smiled as one of the kits kicked her side but she kicked back harder. " The pale gray she-kit is Petalkit, the black tom with the white stripes is Lightningkit, and the tortoishell she-kit is Mosskit." Duskstar's heart froze in his chest. "Duskstar, are you alright?" Frostheart questioned. " Um, er, nothing let's go." Sunfall looked hurt, so Duskstar reassured her, " They will be great warriors and they will serve their clan well." "Thank you, Duskstar." Then Duskstar and Frostheart disappered out of the nursery and into the darkness.
==Chapter 1: A New Beginning==
Mosskit shoved Petalkit back with her paws. "Petalkit! Get off!" Petalkit blinked, awakning. "Well, sorry Mosskit, I don't know what I'm doing when I'm asleep." Petalkit grumbled. "Quit being so grumpy, Petalkit, It's a beautiful day outside today." Lightningkit, their brother said politely. "Yes, you three need to stretch your legs. Go." Sunfall, the kit's mother said as she roused from her nest. "It could do me good too."
It had been four moons since Mosskit and her siblings where born, and they had just been weaned. It was late greenleaf, and ThunderClan was doing well. Sootkit and her brother, Berrykit, where play fighting in a patch of sunshine, while their mother, Silverdapple, watched them proudly. Sunfall trotted over and sat next to her. "I still can't believe you're expecting another litter of kits while your first is still in the nursery!" Sunfall grumbled to her denmate. "That was Rainpelt's and my desicion. Not yours." Silverdapple retorted. Sunfall just sighed and gave her a swift lick on the ears. "I'm happy for you, I really am. It's just I worry about you sometimes..." Silverdapple just purred with amusment and focused her attention back on her kits.
Mosskit turned her head toward the entrance to camp where Graypaw and his mentor, Waterwhisker, returned from hunting. "Great job, Graypaw. you hunt just as well as the senior warriors!" he complimented. Even though Graypaw was only eight moons old, he was a great hunter. "Take some for the elders and then you may help yourself to the prey." Thinking about fresh-kill made Mosskit hungry. She trotted over to the fresh-kill pile and examined the prey. Squirrel, Mouse, Vole, Thrush.... Which one should I take? Mosskit was about to stalk away with frustration when Graypaw returned from the elder's den. "Having a hard time picking prey?" he let out a mrrow of laughter. "No! Well.... maybe." she finally admited. "Why don't we share this thrush. It'll keep both of us from getting bellyaches." he smiled. Mosskit looked at her mother. She was slowly nodding yes. "Sunfall said I can." he pushed the thrush towards her. "Take the first bite." he insisted. Mosskit nodded in thanks and bit into the thrush. A little bit of feathers, but the meat was tangy and juicy. Once nothing was left but bones, Mosskit yawned with exhaustion. "Thanks for letting me share prey with you." Mosskit thanked him. Sunfall always told her to be polite to the cats older than her. "Your welcome. probably the best meal I've ever had." He licked the thrush blood from his lips. "See you tomorrow!" He stumbled into the apprentice's den.
Mosskit wobbled into the nursery where Sunfall and her littermates where curling up to sleep. "Your lucky. You get to eat prey with an apprentice!" Lightningkit complained. "He asked me to. And he likes me too." Sunfall did her "oh really" face. Nothing's wrong with being friends with Graypaw. If she thinks kits and apprentices shouldn't be friends, she's wrong!
Sunfall moved them closer to her with her tail. "Time to sleep kits. Tomorrow is another big day!" she purred. "But every day is always normal for us. We don't get to do any warrior stuff!" Lightningkit protested. "Maybe one day, when you have to go into battle every day, you'll think about how easy being a kit was." Sunfall sighed. "But why can't the Clans work together instead of fighting over territory and prey?" Sunfall took a deep breath. "We are all born with claws and teeth for a reason. We would get too crowded for one Clan! But I see your point. We may come from different Clans, but in times of need, the Clans will stand up together." Mosskit nestled into Sunfall's belly fur and let her mind drift...
==Chapter 2: Being a Kit Stinks==
2 moons later,when the snow was falling, Mosskit was awakened by Sunfall. "Sunfall, why are you waking us?" she complained. "Is a fox invading the nursery!?" Petalkit said with fear. "No. Silverdapple is having her kits." "But she already has kits? Why is she having more?" Mosskit asked her mother. "Because Silverdapple is a mouse-brain!" Sunfall snapped. "Luckily this is during the day. Go amuse the elders. Maybe Weedfur could tell you a story." I should be training outside of camp, training with the apprentices! She was so concentrated she didn't noticed Graypaw behind her. "Well, are you ready to become an apprentice?" "Graypaw! You scared me out of my fur!" "Heh, sorry. So I heard Silverdapple is having her kits." "Yeah. I wonder when Duskstar's gonna make me an apprentice." Graypaw looked around camp, and finally whispered in her ear, "I think my father is planning to give you, your littermates, and Sootkit and Berrykit your apprentice ceremony at moonhigh tonight." Mosskit's eyes widened. "But Lightningkit isn't feeling well. Does that mean I can't become an apprentice?" "No, but maybe Lightningkit would have to stay a kit until he's feeling better." "But that's not fair! He should become an apprentice too!" Graypaw looked sadened. "Well, if he's sick, he won't become an apprentice until he's better." Suddenly, Grasspelt, the medicine cat, ran out of the nursery to the warrior's den. A few minutes later she came out with Rainpelt, and back into the nursery. "There's only one kit, a she-kit." Mosskit called out, "What's her name?" "Willowkit." the medicine cat purred. Another warrior for ThunderClan.
Mosskit was so busy that day that when moonhigh came she had completely forgot what Graypaw had told her. "all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under the highledge for a clan meeting." Duskstar's voice rang out. Everyone padded from the dens. "There are five kits have been with ThunderClan for six moons. Sootkit, Berrykit, Petalkit, Mosskit and Lightnin- Where's Lightningkit?" Mosskit turned her head toward the nursery where Lightningkit was crawling on his belly. "I'm here." he wheezed. Sunfall hurried over to her kit. "Grasspelt!" The young medicine cat hurried over to Lightningkit. "It's just as I suspected. Greencough."
==Chapter 3: New Apprentices==
Mosskit gasped in disbelief. Greencough? She remembered with growing horror about the terrible greencough outbreak. Luckily, all the victims survied, but some almost died. Mosskit and her littermates had been playing when Sunfall had told them to come back to the nursery. The kits had ignored her and kept playing. "Your going to catch greencough!" Sunfall had warned. Why didn't I listen?
"Lightningkit, I'm afraid your apprentice ceremony will have to be delayed until you are feeling well again." Duskstar sighed. Lightningkit's eyes widened. "Why can't I be a warrior?" "You will be a warrior, sweetheart. I promise." Sunfall promised him. I hope. Mosskit thought to herself. Sunfall reached down down grab her kit by the scruff, but Grasspelt gently nudged her away. "Don't. I can't have you catch greencough. Lightningkit's the only cat with greencough, but it can spread like a wildfire." Grasspelt smiled. "That won't be good, will it?" Sunfall exchanged a sad smile.
Duskstar turned back to his clan. "Well, our other kits are ready for apprenticeship." He said, sadness in his mew. "Berrykit, from this moment on until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Berrypaw. Your mentor will be Nightstorm." My Father. Mosskit thought proudly. "Sootkit, from this moment one you shall be called Sootpaw. Your mentor will be Stormclaw." Sootpaw happily touched noses with her new mentor. "Petalkit you will be known as Petalpaw. Blue-eyes is to be your mentor." Well, I guess the best is saved for last. Mosskit thought. "And Mosskit... you will be called Mosspaw until your warrior ceremony. Flowerpetal, I hope you can pass on your skills to Mosspaw." Mosspaw felt excitement rush through her body as she eagerly touched noses with Flowerpetal. "Let's hope our new apprentices will serve their clan well."
==Chapter 4: Training==
Mosspaw felt the air rush out of her as Berrypaw slammed into her stomach. The apprentices were having battle training. "Nice work, Berrypaw." Nightstorm commented. "Mosspaw, try not to get distracted. Don't rear up on your hind legs either, that gives your opponent the advantage by exposing your belly." Flowerpetal mewed. Mosspaw grunted. Why did she do everything wrong? "Try practicing with Sootpaw." Flowerpetal suggested. "If that's all right, Stormclaw." "It's fine with me!" Sootpaw meowed as she darted into the center of the field. "Begin!" Stormclaw yowled. Sootpaw dashed forward. Mosspaw leaped into the air and landed on Sootpaw's back. The two she-cats wrestled on the ground, but eventually Sootpaw was on the ground, Mosspaw having a paw on her head. She felt proud she could do something right for once. "Okay, Okay, get off me, you lopsided badger!" Sootpaw wriggled away and smoothed her fur. "Good job, Mosspaw. You paid good attention this time. Sootpaw, when your facing an opponent, try lashing out with your paw first, or intimidate them, and when they lunge at you, do exatly what Mosspaw did."
At dusk, the clan was eating and joking as they prepared for the night. The apprentices were sharing prey and grooming each other by the apprentice's den. Leafpaw was grooming Graypaw, who clearly wasn't enjoying it. "Oh, Graypaw! There's a tick behind your ear!" Leafpaw exclaimed. She went to bite it when Graypaw shouldered her away. "I can get my own ticks, thank you very much!" Graypaw snapped. He scratched the back of his ear with a hind leg. "Alright, you seven, time for bed." Blue-eyes growled at the apprentices. "Or else you'll be picking Weedfur's ticks all day tomorrow insead of a hunting assessment!" The seven apprentices quickly hurried into the den to get some rest.
==Chapter 5: The Battle==
Mosspaw was sunning herself on some rocks in camp. Her mentor said she deserved a break from training so hard. After a day's worth of patroling and hunting, the clan was relaxing. Suddenly Mosspaw heard voices and rustling leaves. She quietly went to investigate. She was only a couple fox lengths from camp when she heard the voices. "Are you sure we're going the right way?" she heard a tom ask. "I'm pretty sure the camp's this way..." said another. Mosspaw quickly hid in some bushes. Her heart stopped beating for a second as she saw what looked like all of ShadowClan heading straight for the ThunderClan camp. Mosspaw raced away without hesitation. "Attack! We're under attack!" Mosspaw screamed as she flew into camp. "What are we fighting?" Duskstar meowed franticly. "At least eleven ShadowClan cats!" Duskstar cursed under his breath. "Where is Frostheart?" he yowled. "DUSKSTAR!" Mosspaw heard Frostheart's yowl. He dashed into camp, blood dripping from his pelt. "Get the elders in the nursery with the kits and queens!" Suddenly a swarm of ShadowClan cats poured into camp. The ThunderClan cats flung themselves into battle and started fighting the ShadowClan cats. Mosspaw chomped on a gray tom's tail, then noticed something. The cats were bringing the battle... out of camp? Some warriors stayed behind to guard the nursery while the rest ran out of camp. The fighting was dangerously close to the hollow, where any cat could fall off and hurt themselves. Mosspaw whipped around to see a huge black tom lunging at her. She screamed with pain as she heard the snap of bone as the tom bit down hard on her paw. The tom sliced a claw on the bridge of Mosspaw's nose and flung her over the edge. She fell and hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of her. Eveything was quiet for a moment. The other warriors must have taken the elders, queens, and kits to a safer place. Suddenly the black tom was in front of her, his amber eyes gleaming. "Do you know who I am?" the tom hissed. Mosspaw shook her head. "You should know! I'm Darkstar, ShadowClan's leader." he growled. He raked a claw on her ear, making Mosspaw cry out in pain. "What's your name, she-cat!" Darkstar hissed again. "M-M-Mosspaw." she stammered. "Mosspaw. What a nice name. You're a very pretty little she-cat, aren't you?" he said with an evil grin on his face. He's intimidating me. Mosspaw thought. "You know, I've been looking for a mate to help me rule the clans once ShadowClan enslaves them." Darkstar's eyes glittered. "You could be my mate, the queen of the clans! He said brushing Mosspaw closer. This cat has a sick mind. "It's simple, Mosspaw. Be my queen or death. Your choice." he smirked. Suddenly Mosspaw saw a flash of a gray pelt as Darkstar was flung onto the ground. Graypaw! "Touch one more hair on her pelt and your dead, you worthless piece of fox-dung!" Graypaw hissed. Mosspaw then felt her vision start to blur. What's happening to me!
==Chapter 6: A New Medicine Cat==
"Is she going to be all right?" Mosspaw heard a frantic mew. "Don't worry, Sunfall. She'll live." She heard Grasspelt's postive meow. "But she will have some battle scars to show off." Grasspelt chuckled. "But look at that one on her muzzle! That has to hurt!" Sunfall meowed with distress. Of course it does, mouse-brain. Mosspaw grumbled to herself. "Did she say something?" Mosspaw finally opened her eyes to see Grasspelt's brown and black pelt and Sunfall's tortoiseshell one. Mosspaw heard a cough. "Is she all right?" she heard Lightningkit's wheezing cough. Lightningkit still had greencough, and no matter what herb or how many herbs Graspelt gave him, Lightningkit seemed to grow steadily worse, although Sunfall reassured him he was getting better. Why does she have to lie to him? When Mosspaw, Petalpaw, and Lightingkit were kits, Lightningkit was the biggest of the three, now Mosspaw could easily curl around him. "She'll be fine Lightningkit. Get back to your nest." Sunfall scolded. Lightningkit now had a pernament nest in the medicine den. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the highledge for a clan meeting." Mosspaw heard Duskstar's call. Grasspelt sighed and nudged Mosspaw to her feet. "Come on. You have to be at this meeting." Mosspaw would soon wish she didn't.
"We probably all know now that ShadowClan's leader, Darkstar, is trying to enslave the other clans so they will be rulers of the Lake. He tried to take Mosspaw hostage, which he failed, but in doing so breaking her paw and giving her brutal injuries. I'm afraid Mosspaw will never be a warrior." What?! "Mosspaw, we felt that you needed to be a part of this clan, since you have such great potential. We have decided to make you a medicine cat." Duskstar meowed from the Highledge. "But I'm supposed to be a warrior! I have to be a warrior!" "I'm sorry, Mosspaw. This isn't your fault." Mosspaw was still shocked and grief-stricken. "This clan meeting is over." Duskstar sighed. Grasspelt moved Mosspaw away gently to the medicine den. Mosspaw walked as best she could to Flowerpetal. "I'm sorry, Flowerpetal..." Mosspaw felt her voice crack. "You would have made a great warrior." Flowerpetal mewed as she licked the top of Mosspaw's head. Mosspaw headed back for the medicine den. She sighed as she made a small nest in the corner of the den. She heard claws on the stone floor and saw Lightningkit staggering toward her. "It hurts, doesn't it?" he asked. "I... I..." Mosspaw felt her head droop. "To know your never going to be a warrior because your never going to get better." "Lightningkit..." Mosspaw gasped. "I know I'm not getteing better, Mosspaw. I'm not a mouse-brain. I'm going to die eventually." he rasped. "I should have listened to Sunfall." Mosspaw saw a tear slide down his cheek. "I could have changed the future..."
==Chapter 7: A New Name For Mosspaw==
Moons had pasted since Mosspaw had become ThunderClan's medice cat apprentice. Graystorm, Featherfur, and Leafheart had become warriors, and Wildpaw, Lionpaw, Rabbitpaw, Stonepaw, and Cloverpaw had become apprentices, their mothers had moved back to the warrior's den. Mosspaw groaned as Grasspelt nudged her from sleep. "Come on! We're going to be late getting to the Moonpool!" she hissed. "It's going to be a special one, and we can't afford to be late!" The two she-cats traveled across WindClan territory to the Moonpool, where the other medicine cats were waiting. "It's about time!" growled the ShadowClan medicine cat, Sparkfeather. "Your leader did this to me," Mosspaw said, pointing to the scars on her pelt. "...So I don't see why you should be complaining." Sparkfeather flattened her ears. "I do not approve of my leader's actions, Mosspaw." "Your leader's a piece of fox-dung, that's for sure." said Mintstream, RiverClan's medicine cat. "Oh, everyone, quit your yapping, we're at the moon pool." Wolfspirit of WindClan snapped. "Now, before we share dreams with StarClan, there's something I must do." Grasspelt calmly meowed. "Mosspaw, although you should have been a warrior, you are a very talented medicine cat, and I feel it is time to give you your true medicine cat name." Grasspelt smiled. "I couldn't be more proud of you, Mosspaw." She sounds like she's going to die soon or something. Mosspaw thought to herself. "I,Grasspelt, medicine cat of ThunerClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the way of the medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her clan for many moons." I'm becoming a medicine cat! "Mosspaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between clan and clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" Well, maybe not the rivalry part. "I do." Mosspaw breathed. "Then by powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Mosspaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Mossnose. StarClan honors your courage and your strength. StarClan be with you, Mossnose." "Mossnose! Mossnose! Mossnose!" The other medicine cats cheered. Mossnose thought that Grassplet had given her the name Mossnose because of the nasty infection from her scar on her muzzle. "Now we must share dreams with StarClan." Mintsream mewed.
==Chapter 8: An Unexpected Death==
Mossnose and Grasspelt had left the other medicine cats and started to head home. "Mossnose, you proved yourse-" Grasspelt was cut off by the shrill bark of a dog. Mossnose whipped around and saw a brown dog pelting toward them. "Run!" Grasspelt shrieked. The two she-cats fled, but the dog caught up to them. It grabbed Grasspelt by the neck and threw her like a piece of prey. "Grasspelt!" Mossnose wailed. She circled the dog, preparing to fight it. She remembered her training with Flowerpetal. Intimidate your opponent. Mossnose lashed out her paw, making the dog growl. Make sure your opponent strikes first. The dog lunged at Mossnose, but Mossnose gracefully flew up into the air and landed on the dog's back. She hissed and clawed and the dogs eyes. She heard a twoleg yell, and the dog instantly let go of Mossnose and ran back to the twoleg. Mossnose panted, tired from her ordeal. She turned and saw the huddled body on the ground. Grasspelt! Mossnose hurried over to Grasspelt's side. "Don't worry, Grasspelt! I'll find a WindClan patrol, and I'll help you and then-" "Mossnose, don't be stupid, I'm going to join StarClan." "Grasspelt!" "You are young, yes, but you are a skilled medicine cat. You will be ThunderClan's last hope..." "Last hope? What do you mean?!" Mossnose mewed in disbelief. "On the night of your birth, Duskstar recieved an omen, that moss would save ThunderClan from destruction..." "Grasspelt! I don't understand!" "I'm sorry Mossnose... serve the clan well..." the brown and black she cat sighed and her flank stilled. "Grasspelt!" Mossnose sobbed over the body of her dead mentor. Out of the corner of her eye she ssaw a WindClan patrol. "HELP!"
==Chapter 9: ThunderClan's Newest Medicine Cat==
Mossnose sorted her herbs in the medicine den while Lightningkit slept. It had been a moon since Grasspelt had died. A WindClan patrol had found her and the dead Grasspelt, so they brought them home so ThunderClan could mourn for their medicine cat. Mossnose watched Lightningkit's chest rise and fall, making sure it wouldn't still when she wasn't looking. "Mossnose!" Mossnose turned and saw Graystorm, brambles caught in his fur. "Time for a daily check-up, eh?" Mossnose joked. "Heh, yeah. I was chasing a mouse. Crashed into a bramble thicket." "Yikes." Mossnose help Graystorm pull the brambles out of his fur. You just have some scratches. I put a little marigold on just in case." "Thanks." Graystorm seemed to be getting hurt at least once every day. Mossnose heard Leafheart's whine. "Come on Graystorm. I have a squirrel we can share!" Graystorm just rolled his eyes at Mossnose, as she tried not to giggle. Mossnose saw Leafheart's tail trying to twine with Graystorm's, but it wasn't working well. Mossnose felt a growl form in her throat. Am I... jealous? She heard tiny feet on the den floor and saw Willowkit. "Can I help?" "Sure, I could use some help." Wilowkit had been offering to help Mossnose as much as Graystorm had been getting hurt. "I'm gonna be an apprentice soon." Willowkit piped up as she carried some borage leaves over to a corner of the den. "So, are you excited for training?" Mossnose asked. "Well, actually..." Willowkit shuffled her paws. "I would like to become a medicine cat." Medicine cat?! "I mean, if that's alright..." Willowkit looked down at her paws. "No! No, I would love to have you as an apprentice!" Mossnose stammered. Willowkit smiled. "Really?" "Positive." Mossnose turned outside the den. "Watch Lightningkit while I'm speaking with Duskstar." "Alright." Willowkit seemed happy to care for a patient.
After a while, Mossnose heard Duskstar's call. Willowkit was instantly at her side. When the clan was gathered, Duskstar meowed, "After a word with Mossnose, Willowkit will be made a medicine cat." Willowkit beamed. "Willowkit, from this moment on until you recieve your medicine cat name, you will be known as Willowpaw. "Willowpaw! Willowpaw!" the clan cheered. Willowpaw gracefully touched noses with Mossnose. "Come on, you're going to have some training."
==Chapter 10: A Death and Three Births==
"Help us, Mossnose! Help us, Mossnose, HELP US!!!!" Mossnose jolted awake. Her dream-more like a nightmare-had chilled her bones. Who were the cats screaming for help? Suddenly she saw Willowpaw's amber eyes. "It's Lightningkit!" Willowpaw cried. Mossnose instantly ran up to her littermate. "Lightningkit." Mossnose nudged his pelt, only for it to be deathly cold. StarClan, no... "Lightningkit." Mossnose said louder. She searched desperatley at his flank, hoping for a sign that he was breathing, but Lightningkit's body was still. Mossnose saw no trace of life in him. Lightningkit, her brother, her inspiration, the only reason why she stayed a medicine cat, was dead. "No, no, he's not, he's just sleeping..." Mossnose stammered. Take him with honor, StarClan. All he wanted to be was a warrior. She sighed and felt a tear run down her cheek. She didn't even turn when Sunfall, Nightstorm, and Petalpaw ran into the den. "He's dead! My only son is dead!" Sunfall sobbed. Nightstorm pressed closer to his mate, and turned his head to Mossnose. "You did everything you could, Mossnose. He just didn't have the strength to fight greencough." Mossose padded outside to feel the whole clan's eyes burn into her pelt. "Lightningkit is dead." Mossnose confirmed. She heard gasps from the croud. "He was not strong enough to fight greencough."
"HELP! HELP! HELP!" she heard three she-cats scream from the nursery. Great StarClan! Their kitting right after a death, and all three of them at that! Mossnose ran to the nursery to find Megan, Sandyfoot, and Honeyheart. "Willowpaw, get the right herbs for kitting. I'll work on Megan and Sandyfoot, you work on Honeyheart. Got it?" "Got it!" Moosnose took a deep breth and let it rush out of her. Why was her life so different? Why couldn't she be like everyone else? Willowpaw was only about four moons younger than her, she couldn't be a warrior, she was the sole medicine cat when her sister was still an apprentice, her mentor died right after she got her name, her brother died, and now she was kitting three queens at once! "Okay, let's get this over with."
Sometime later, the three queens cuddled their newborn kits happily. But something... odd had happened. All three queens only had one kit in their litter. How strange. Mossnose sighed with exhaustion and instructed the queens to eat the herbs she had given them. The queen's mates were outside, and when Mossnose came out of the nursery, the bombarded her with questions. "How many?" Waterwhisker demanded. "One, One, and One." She told the toms. They exchanged glances and tried to be the first one in the nursery.
Mossnose sighed. Kitting was her least favorite part of being a medicine cat. Grasspelt would say it's an honor to bring the clan's future warriors into the world, and really it was, but the whole process was nasty and disturbing in Mossnose's opinion.
==Chapter 11: The Exile==
Mossnose trotted amoung the forest happily, a mouse in her jaws. It had been her first time out in a while, and it felt refreshing to be outside of the medicine den when all you could smell was herbs and sick cats. Mossnose's happy outing came to an end when a patrol cornered her. "Hello, does somebody need me?" Mossnose asked politely. "Nobody needs you at all!" Darkfur growled. "Darkfur, the situation will be handed at camp, not out here." Blue-eyes meowed before Darkfur could claw at Mossnose's ears. The partrol took Mossnose away before she could even think. "Graystorm, what's going on?" Mossnose asked. "Uh...well... Duskstar is dead." "He's dead?!" "Don't act like you don't know!" Darkfur hissed. Graystorm continued. "He didn't die from a sickness, or fall off a tree or something like that, well, we found claw marks on his neck..." "Continue this story at camp, Graystorm!" Darkfur hissed again. At camp, cats narrowed their eyes at her and growled. Sunfall wasn't even looking at her. Mossnose heard whispering amoungst the crowd. Frostheart stood at the top of the high ledge, his icy blue eyes gleaming and his fur on end. "Here, standing in front of you, is a traitor!" he yowled. Traitor? I didn't do anything. Did I accidentally go on another clan's land? "This cat in front of you, ThunderClan's medicine cat," Frostheart spat. "Murdered our leader!" shocked gasps from the cats around her echoed in Mossnose's mind. "Now why would she murder our leader, well, this cat has always wanted revenge on Duskstar for making her a medicine cat!" Frostheart snarled. "Do you have anything to say for yourself, you worthless piece of foxdung?" he hissed. "I..." Mossnose saw Graystorm stand in front of her. "Mossnose is not that cruel or evil to murder Duskstar, Frostheart." She saw Graystorm's whiskers tremble. "I do not believe this cat killed Duskstar." He meowed. "I don't care what any cat says! This cat is being exiled!" Frostheart hissed. "Please! Mossnose didn't kill Duskstar! The only time she's been out was today, and she was only gone for about a minute when we found Duskstar's body!" Willowpaw wailed. "What do I do?" she asked her. "Go to the Moonpool. StarClan will give you your medicine cat name. Remember your training." "Bu-but!" "This is the way it is, Willowpaw." The clan gave her icy glares as Mossnose headed to the entrance of camp. She heard Sunfall wail, "Why? Why me? Why is my life so miserable?" she sobbed. If only you knew. Mossnose looked back one more time at her clan, to see all the familiar faces one last time. Mossnose turned and raced away into the darkness.
==Chapter 12:The Life of a Rogue==
Mossnose felt a plop on her head. Ugh, Rain. Just what I need. Mossnose saw what looked like a den in he distance. Unaware of the danger, she ran to the den and poked her nose in only to almost get her ears clawed off by a fox. Mossnose hurried back into the rain, hoping it would cover her scent trail so it would be gone by morning.
It was pouring now, and Mossnose's pelt felt heavy and was soaked to the bone. She needed to find a den soon or she was going to collapse right then and there. Mosssnose saw a tree with gnarled roots that only a cat could fit through. She crawled in and saw the moss growing over her head. Thank you, StarClan. Mossnose put together what looked like a nest and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning was damp, but at least it wasn't raining anymore. Mossnose suddenly felt as if her belly was hollow. She went out into the early morning to find prey. Mossnose saw a plump field mouse quietly nibbling on a flower head. Mossnose crouched, and... pounced! Mossnose suddenly felt claws slice her side. She stumbled over and saw the field mouse scurry away. "Hey! It's that traitor, Mossnose!" Mossnose reconized Stormclaw's hiss. "Kill her! She doesn't derserve to live!" Dawnfur snarled. Mossnose scrambled to her paws and sprinted back into the undergrowth, trying to at least lose the patrol. She saw a flash of a gray pelt. A gray cat leaped at her and pinned her down. "Graystorm!" Mossnose gasped. "Go, Mossnose! Get away before they find us here and kill us both!" Graystorm was about to bound away when Mossnose put a paw on his flank. "Wait." Graystorm looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'll come back for you, I promise." he placed his paw on top of Mossnose's and ran back to the patrol.
==Chapter 13: The Old Twoleg==
Mossnose limped toward a twoleg nest. Normally Mossnose would never go near a twoleg nest, but she was so tired and hungry and exhausted that she didn't care. Mossnose went right up to the twoleg nest and started yowling her head off. In a few minutes time, an elderly female twoleg came to the door. The twoleg put her pink, hairless paws over her mouth and reached down and gently picked up Mossnose and brought her inside.
The twoleg put Mossnose in a hole full of water and scrubbed her fur, which Mossnose didn't like at all, but it felt nice to be clean again after being on the run. "I think I'll call you Sunny." The twoleg smiled. "Because your fur is bright like the sun!" The twoleg gave "Sunny" what she called "Milk," which tasted nothing like the milk Sunfall gave her, from what Mossnose remembered. But it warmed her belly and made Sunny's eyes droop. "I'm going to take you to the vet tomorrrow, Sunny, so he can look at your paw and that nasty infection on your nose." The Cutter! She's going to take me to the Cutter! "You get some sleep so you'll be ready for tomorrow!" Sunny fell asleep, dreaming of Sunfall, Petalpaw, Lightningkit, and Graystorm.
Sunny opened her eyes slowly and looked around. The room she was in was completely white and had pictures of cats and dogs on the walls. Why do I feel... different? Sunny flexed her injured paw. My paw! Her paw felt normal as it had been when she first started her apprenticeship. Sunny noticed the twoleg talking with the Cutter. "Come on, Sunny. Time to go home." The twoleg put Sunny back in the bag and put her into the twoleg's monster and brought her home.
==Chapter 14: A Visit From an Old Friend==
Sunny sat by the window, soaking up sunshine. It had been a day since the Cutter had fixed her paw. He had been unable to do anything to her scars, but Sunny didn't mind. Sunny heard something scratching the window and opened one eye to see a gray tom. Graystorm! The twoleg noticed Graystorm, too. "Is that your friend, Sunny? Go run along and play!" Sunny blinked gratefully and dashed out of the small cat-sized flap in the door. "Graystorm!" Sunny meowed happily. "Mossnose!" Graystorm ran over and licked Sunny's ears. "How did you find me?" Sunny asked. "I saw you run over to this area, so I thought maybe the twoleg took you in." Graystorm replied. "The twoleg calls me Sunny now." Sunny blinked. No one had called her Mossnose in a long time. "I'm still calling you Mossnose." Graytorm stubbornly replied back. "How is life in ThunderClan?" Sunny asked. "Terrible. Froststar has killed Darkstar so his clan can be leader of the Lake." Sunny felt horror well up inside of her. "He's taken control of all the other clans, too, and when queens disobey him, he kills their kits." Graystorm meowed, sadness in his voice. "Dawnfur isn't mates with him anymore, after what he did. He nearly murdered her, too. So far he's killed two litters of kits, one from ShadowClan, one from RiverClan. He's taken your kin hostage." "No... he can't..." Sunny breathed. "Yes he has, Sunfall and Nightstorm and Petaltail..." "Petalpaw's been made a warrior?" "Froststar forced her to, along with Sootshred, Berryblood, Wildkill, and Lionmurder. He needed more warriors for his army." Graystorm shivered at the grusome names he had given them. "What about Cloverpaw, Rabbitpaw, and Stonepaw?" Sunny questioned. "Froststar said they didn't derserve to be warriors, not yet." "And Willowpaw..." "Froststar gave her the name Willowclaw because he said 'I need you for fighting, not healing.'" Graystorm's eyes were full of pain. "You know how Froststar adores Leafheart?" Sunny nodded. "Well... he made me Leafheart's mate." Sunny's eyes widened. "Not the one, eh?" "No." "Are you going to have kits with her?" Sunny asked. "I surely don't want to, but I'm going to go as long as possible before Froststar makes me." Graystorm licked Sunny's ears again and headed back towards the forest. "I'd better leave before Froststar finds me with you and kills me." Graystorm raced away. "Goodbye, Graystorm..."
==Chapter 15: Escape==
It was the middle of the night, and Sunny was longing to be in the forest. Kittypet life just wasn't working out for her. She hated to leave the twoleg alone, but Sunny felt that she was a true wild cat and belonged in the outside world. Sunny slipped through the flap in the door and out into the night. She heard rustling and saw the kittypet who lived next door, Comet, jumping down from the fence that divided their gardens. "Where ya going, Sunny." Comet asked. "The forest." she replied. "Where the wild cats are?" Comet's eyes widened. "I've already told you I used to be one, Comet. I'm going back." Comet puffed out his chest. "Well, this time I'm coming, too." he bodly said. "We're just going to live as loners, not clan cats." "I know. Being a kittypet isn't for me." Comet said. "You were born one, Comet." "I've always been... drawn to the wild..." "Okay, okay, you can come." "Oh, yeah, Comet, I'm changing my name. Call me Moss from now on." "Moss? What kind of name is that?" "My name was Mossnose when I was a clan cat." "Oh."
Moss and Comet traveled until the sun rose into the sky. They had found Moss' old den before she became a kittypet. "Sure is cozy in here." Comet purred as he laid down on the nests Moss had made for them. "I'm going hunting. I'll bring back a mouse for you." Moss ran through the forest, the breeze in her fur, the leaves on her paws... it felt great to be wild again. Sudenly a black tom pinned her down and placed his claws on Moss' throat. "What are you doing near my family?"The tom hissed. "Nothing, I had no idea your family was here." Moss saw a black and white she-cat and a brown kit poke their heads out of underneath a thorn bush. "Please, Crow, don't hurt her. She means no harm." The black and white she-cat scolded her mate. "Excuse my mate, he's very protective of us." The she-cat purred. "My name is Bumblebuzz." What an odd name. "You've already met Crow, and that's our foster kit, Mushroom." "Foster kit?" Crow's eyes darkened. Bumblebuzz purred with amusement. "It's alright, I am unable to have kits, but then we found Mushroom by himself in these woods. I was blessed beyond belief." Moss nodded. "Unfortunately, we have always been driven out by foxes, and one time a badger, and we never stay in one place for long." In idea popped in Moss' head. "Me and another cat, Comet, have made a den not far from here. You could live with us, it would be safer." Bumblebuzz and Crow exchanged an excited glance. "Yes please!"
==Chapter 16: New Friends and A New Love==
Moss stretched and looked at the cats sleeping beside her. Comet, Bumblebuzz, Crow, and Mushroom. They were her new clan now, and she was their leader. She would defend these cats with her life if she needed to. Moss caught a rabbit for Bumblebuzz and Crow, a mouse for Comet, and a finch for herself. Moss dropped the prey back by the den and went back out for a walk.
It was a beautiful day, and Moss enjoyed every minute of it. Moss began to think. Thinking about the future. Moss saw how close Crow and Bumblebuzz were, and Moss wished another tom would care for her the way Crow and Bumblebuzz cared for each other. The only two toms that were "avalible" were Comet and Mushroom. Mushroom was too young and she and Comet didn't have that ind of relationship. A familiar gray tom came to mind. Graystorm has a mate. Moss remembered Graystorm's words from when he visited her when she was a kittypet. Froststar had made Graystorm Leafheart's mate, although Graystorm hadn't wanted to. Moss suddenly heard a laugh and saw cats playing by the small stream. "What are you doing here?" Moss growled. A blue-gray and white tom ran up to Moss. "Hello, gorgeous." The tom smiled. Gorgeous? How can anyone think that about me? "Wave! Don't attract all the she-cats you see!" a dark ginger she-cat sighed. "Oh, Fox, he's just a normal tom." A dark brown tabby she-cat with golden splotches purred with amusment. "Not all toms are like that, Tiger." "Yeah right, Sprint." a very plae gray she-cat told a black tom. The gray she-cat stopped in front of Moss and pushed Wave out of the way. "My name is Blizzard, and these are my littermates, Wave, Fox, Tiger, and Sprint." "My name is Moss, and I'm living with a couple other cats in a den underneath the roots of a tree." Moss told the cats. "Our den is large, I'm sure you can all fit in with us." "Thank you, we've been looking for a den without much luck." Moss brought the cats back to the den. "Hi!" Comet said to the new arrivals. "Who are these cats?" Crow growled. "Relax, Crow. These cats won't hurt Mushroom. They are Blizzard, Wave, Fox, Tiger, and Sprint."
The rest of the day went uneventful, and the cats had settled down for the night. Moss had taken another walk, this time hopefully it wouldn't be interuppted. But Moss had never been more happy to be interuppted. "Sunny!" the gray tom meowed. "Graystorm!" Graystorm touched noses with Moss. "My name is Moss now." Graystorm rolled his eyes. "How many times are you going to change your name?" Moss giggled. "It's great to see you again, Graystorm." Moss said happily. "What brings you here?" she asked. "I just wanted to see you again."
The two cats ran and played and climbed trees and splashed water on each other's pelts. Later, the two were laying by the stream, listening to the crickets and watching the water flow. "Moss, there's something I want to tell you." Graystorm mewed softly. "What?" Moss asked. Graystorm licked her cheek. "I love you, Moss." He loves me! Graystorm really loves me! "I love you too, Graystorm." Moss purred. "I've loved you ever since I laid eyes on you." Graystorm licked he cheek again. "I would stay with you all the time if I could." he whispered. Moss looked back at him. "But you can't." "Don't worry, I'll visit often." Graystorm meowed. He got to his paws and headed back to ThunderClan territory. "I love you!" he called back. "I love you, too!"
==Chapter 17: Back to ThunderClan==
Graystorm snuck out to see Moss for the next twelve nights, and on the twelfth night, as they laid by the shore of the stream, Graystorm shocked Moss. "Moss, you have to come back to ThunderClan." Graystorm meowed. "No, I... I can't." "Please, Moss! Your the only one who can stop Froststar." "No I can't! He has too many cats against me!" "He also has many cats against him." Graystorm replied. "They're just too scared to fight him. You have to come back and unite the cats against Froststar!" Graystorm pleaded. "We could have a better life, we would be together always, and maybe we could have kits." Kits? "What about Leafheart?" Graystorm's eyes darkened. "Froststar made us mates, not StarClan." he growled. Moss sighed and looked at the stars. Is this what I want? To go back and defeat Froststar, to see my family again, to have kits with Graystorm... "Graystorm... I'll come back." a new determination went through Moss. "I'll go back. I'll defeat Froststar." Graystorm curled next to her. "I'll never leave your side." he murmured. Moss let Graystorm's scent cloud her mind and let her sleep.
"We're going back." Moss told the cats sleeping in her den. "What? Where?" Comet asked, confused. "Back to the clans." Crow's fur bristled. "We were perfectly safe here!" he hissed. "There is an evil cat ruling the clans." Moss replied. "Even more the merrier!" he rolled his eyes sarcastic-like. "My mate, Graystorm, is getting together the cats who are against their ruler's reign." Moss felt it was okay to say mate now. "You have a mate?" Bumblebuzz asked, confused. "He's a clan cat, so he sees me every night." Moss beamed. "The battle is at dusk. Wew're going to sneak up on their camp. When Graystorm gives the signal, we'll all attack Froststar and his followers." Graystorm had told her that Froststar had recruted rogues for his forces. "And when he is defeated, you will all be safe in the clans." Crow looked uncertain, but eventually gave a grunt of acceptance. Bumblebuzz nodded, Mushroom pressing againt her paws. The five loners, Blizzard, Wave, Fox, Sprint, and Tiger looked at each other and agreed to fight. Only Comet did not approve. "Why should I go back when I know I'm going to get killed!" he protested. "I'm giving everyone training today so you'll be prepared." Moss licked his ears, but the young tom fliched away. Moss sighed and headed out of the den. "Comet and I will be hunting, Crow, can you teach them some basic fighting?" Crow nodded. "Of course." Moss and Comet headed out of the den and Moss stopped him at the stream. "What's wrong, Comet? I know you're upset about fighting, but something else is bothering you. What's happened?" Moss looked at the golden and white tom. Comet took a deep breath. "Moss... I like you... alot." Moss felt instantly sorry for the tom. "I guess I just got upset when you told us you had a mate." Comet shuffled his paws. "I'm sorry, Comet, I didn't know you felt that way about me." Moss apologized. "That's okay Moss, I'm not just the love type." Comet looked away. Moss thought of another rejected cat she knew. "You know... there's this she-cat... she's looking for a mate, she's nice, and very pretty. I'm sure once you get to know her, after the battle, I'm sure she'll love you." "Really? Will she think I'm handsome?" The tom puffed up his chest. "Well, you are pretty muscular." she giggled. Comet admired his legs. "Why, thank you." Th two laughed and headed back to the den.
The rest of the day was spent battle training and hunting. At dusk, Moss' cats were ready to fight and defend the weak. "It's time to go." Moss growled as they left their den for the last time. She lead them through the forest, and finally stopped in ThunderClan territory, where Graystorm was waiting for them. "Moss." he mewed firmly. "Graystorm." she nodded. "I have brought five cats who will be the leaders of the five attacking patrols." Graystorm stepped away and Dawnfur, Flowerpetal, Rainpelt, Brackentail, and Megan emerged from the darkness. "I have discussed this with the other clans, and we decided that the five cats will be ThunderClan cats, but we will have to put a whole clan on each patrol, Dawnfur leading the ThunderClan cats, Flowerpetal leading the WindClan cats, Rainpelt leading the RiverClan cats, Brackentail leading the ShadowClan cats, and Megan leading the betraying loners and rogues. Megan will also take your cats, as well." Moss nodded and heard Dawnfur shuffling her paws. "I'm sorry you got blamed for murder, Moss. You didn't kill Duskstar." "Of course I didn't, my claws never touched his throat. Who did kill him, though?" The five ThunderClan cats exchanged a sorrowful glance. "And Megan, what about your kit? What if your killed?" Megan sighed and looked at the sky. "Sparrowkit will be fine. Most of the queens are guarding the nursery." Moss flexed her claws, eager to feel them in Froststar's fur. Moss was put on Dawnfur's patrol, the first patrol to strike. Moss was hiding in some bushes while the ThunderClan cats were in camp, but suddenly Froststar's white pelt caught her eye. He was heading into some sort of hole and commanded three rogues to do something. The first rogue brought out a starving tortoiseshell she-cat, the second brought out a wounded black tom, and the third brought out a small gray she-cat with a fluffy tail. No! The cats she reconized were none other than Sunfall, Nightstorm, and Petaltail.
==Chapter 18: Attack!==
"Nooooo!" Moss screeched as she flung herself into camp, only to be flung back by a giant ginger tom. "So you finally had enough courage to show you face, eh?" Froststar snickered as he approached. "I think it's time I told you the truth." Froststar flicked his tail and the ginger tom dragged Moss over to the highledge, where Moss' family was also being held captive. "On the night of your birth, Duskstar recieved an omen. It fortold that a cat, by the name of Moss, would lead ThunderClan and prevent it from destruction, make strong the weak, mend the broken, and vanquish the evil.(Author's Note: a little guardians of ga'hoole in there, I liked that phrase so much I put it in there. XD That one phrase belongs to Kathryn Lasky) I didn't understand what it meant, neither of us, until we saw you as a tiny little scrap in the nursery. In my eyes, what you were destined to do was weak. ThunderClan needed a strong and powerful leader, not some dopey cat who was afraid to lead it's cats into battle. Duskstar was already like that." Moss felt horror building up inside of her. "I agree with the late ShadowClan leader, Darkstar, that he could take over the clans and I would be his deputy, but he was looking for a mate to be his queen. I told him that I would hand you over if he conquered ThunderClan, I which of couse, failed, but in doing so giving you severe injuries, which I found out was perfect so you had no chance of being a warrior, but instead you became a medicine cat. I then realized that you could still become a leader in Thunderclan if you stayed." Froststar unseathed his claws and scraped them on the highledge's rocks. "In order to make the perfect exile story, I killed ThunderClan's weak leader." No... No... This can't be! "You murdered Duskstar?" disbelief echoed in Moss' voice. "I guess you could say that." he smirked. "Traitor!" Graystorm yowled. "I looked up to you, wanted to be like you, and you murdered my father!" Graystorm snarled. "For you to get exiled, I blamed the murder on you." Froststar paused. "But I guess being exiled wasn't a big enough punishment." Froststar jumped down from the highledge and placed his claws on Moss' throat. "Leave my daughter alone!" Moss heard Sunfall's hiss as she swiped her claws across Froststar's face. Froststar yowled and flung Sunfall back onto her side. She was struggling to get up. "Oh, Sunfall, what a sad fate awaits you. Too bad I could have had you as a mate." Froststar's eyes flashed at Nightstorm. "But you chose him instead of me. His own father was a tribe cat!" he hissed. Many cats knew that Nightstorm's father was part of the Tribe of Rushing Water, but no one really talked about it. Suddenly an idea popped in Froststar's head. He turned to Moss. "And I know a perfect punishment for both of you." his whiskers twitched. "Watching your mother die..." Sunfall hissed and attacked Froststar, but he slammed a paw against her head. Sunfall yowled in agony, only to be cut off as Froststar sunk his teeth into her neck. Moss heard the snap of bone, and it was over. "Sunfall!" Nightstorm screeched. He tried to get to her but rogues pushed him back. "Mother!" Petaltail screeched. But it was over. Sunfall was dead. "Mother!" Moss cried. Tears streamed from her blue eyes. I didn't even get to say goodbye. Moss noticed that the cats were getting into groups. The attacking groups. Graystorm's ears flattened, and then... "Attack!" he yowled. Froststar looked utterly suprised for a second, and Moss saw maybe what looked like a hint of fear in his eyes as cats swarmed over him and his rogues. The large ginger tom that had been holding her down was rushing into battle. One after one, the patrols attacked the rogues, fighting for their clanmates, their future, their freedom. Moss dodged a gray and white she-cat and desperatley looked for Froststar. She found him sitting on the highledge, laughing as his cats tortured the clan cats. He's letting the rogues do his dirty work! He's not even fighting! Moss screeched and flung herself at the white tom. She knocked him off his paws and pinned him down. The two cats wrestled and clawed at eack other's eyes. "Traitor!" She pinned him against the rock and clawed at his exposed stomach. Blood sprayed all over her muzzle, making her sick. She sank her teeth deep in Froststar's neck, and soon after she heard the snap of bone, let go of his body. Froststar's eyes glittered with hatred and fury, and then he fell over. Froststar, the terror of the clans, was no more.
==Chapter 19: In the Paws of a New Leader==
Moss stared at the dead body of Froststar.I killed a clan cat! She saw a golden tom halt at Froststar's body. "Froststar! Lord Froststar is dead!" All the rogues imidiantly turned tail and fled. They were no longer fearsome and powerful, but weak and pitiful. Now tthere were only seven rogues left in camp, compared to how many there had been earlier. The clan cats circled them and hissed, ready to rip out their fur. "Please! Don't hurt us!" A gray tom with wavy black stripes pleaded. He shook the cats off him. "My name is Tornado, and this is my mate, Rose." he nodded to a cream she-cat. "She is expecting kits, please spare her." Graystorm nodded. "We would never harm a she-cat expecting kits." he meowed. "Your leader would." Tornado narrowed his eyes. "Before he became leader, our home was an actually safe place to live." "Anyhow, your leader abducted us from our twolegs, along with my friends Night, Red and his mate Poppy, and Sun and his mate Breeze." Graystorm's eyes were sympathetic. "I'm sorry he ruined your life.Would you like to stay in ThunderClan? We have dens to sleep in, prey to eat, and protection from our clanmates." Moss saw Rose whispered something in Tornado's ear. "We would be delighted, but my dear Rose wishes to catch her own prey." "Oh, please don't. It's one of our laws. All elders, kits, and expecting queens shall be fed first. There is no need to catch your own." "Thank you so much." Rose sighed.
Graystorm padded over to Moss, where cats were staring in disgust at Froststar's body. "I knew that cat never loved me." Dawnfur hissed. "He loved me, didn't he mother?" Leafheart asked. "Of course he did, sweetheart. But he wanted power more." Moss saw Leafheart look up to see Graystorm touching pelts with Moss. Moss avoided her gaze, but could see that her ears were laid back and her lips drawn in a snarl. Come on, Comet! Do your thing! As almost if he magically teleported to Leafheart, Comet was bounding up to her. "Hi, I'm sorry we didn't get off to a good start, but let's retry. My name is Comet. And yours?" Moss saw Leafheart blush. It's working! "My name's Leafheart. Your the cat from the battle, right?" "I sure am." Comet and Leafheart went to another side of camp and chatted on and on. That's power. She thought. "Moss, you've done a wonderful thing here." Graystorm mewed. "Wonderful? I murdered a clan cat for StarClan's sake! Pretty gruesome if you ask me." "He was hardly a clan cat at all. Killing him was the best thing to do." Moss nearly gagged as she licked the blood off her claws. "It maybe could have been a little less bloody, if I could change it." Graystorm chuckled. "Alright." he called to the clan cats. "Is anyone dead?" "ShadowClan has lost two." Snaketail, Darkstar's former deputy answered. "WindClan has lost two." Swiftstar of WindClan replied. "Just one from RiverClan." Rainstar of RiverClan mewed. Vixentail was looking up sadly from the elder's den. "ThunderClan has lost Wasptail." her meow full of grief. "ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan, I understand that ThunderClan has brought you great trouble. ThunderClan will leave you all in peace for the next four moons." Graystorm meowed. "Thank you Graystorm. We must return home and care for our wounded and grieve for our dead." Swiftstar sighed. "Graystorm, you are to be ThunderClan's new leader, if I'm correct?" Snaketail asked "Me? Leader? I didn't do anything special. She's the one who rid us of that." He flicked his tail towards Froststar's body. "That's mouse-dung, Graystorm! You made it possible for me to...kill him." Snaketail gently brushed Moss' shoulder with his tail. "Don't be ashamed that you killed him. In a way, you put him out of his misery, and we thank you for that." Snaketail turned to Graystorm. "Go to the Moonpool. Your clan is waiting." Snaketail yowled, "ShadowClan! Return to camp!" Soon RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan were gone, leaving ThunderClan alone in it's camp. "ThunderClan, I am to be your next leader. Yes, we have suffered these past moons, but this I promise you, we will rise from the ashes and rebuild ourselves, our current warriors will become stronger, and our future warriors will be born. We will make our ThunderClan remembered alongside the great clans. I see a glorius future ahead of us, in more ways than none." Cats cheered and yowled and Graystorm's speech. "We have also lost one of our faithful elders, Wasptail. He stood up for what he believed in and fought for his freedom. He is now amoung our ancestors, watching us proudly." Pain flashd in his green eyes. "We also lost our dear Sunfall. Sunfall wasn't afraid to fight Froststar, and was willing to give up her life for her kits. Sunfall, may you watch over us in StarClan." Moss looked up at the sky, were Silverpelt had begun to shine. Is she really watching over me? "You'd better hurry if you're going to get to the Moonpool on time." Moss told Graystorm. "I am, trust me." Moss licked his shoulder and wished him farewell, and realized she had no nest. "Moss, you can share my nest." Petaltail called from the warrior's den. After being stuck in a pit for two moons, I would think she'd want it all to herself. "That's very kind of you, Petaltail." Moss curled next to Petaltail and sighed, finally feeling at home once more.
"Graystar! Graystar!" Moss awoke to cats cheering. Graystorm! Graystorm, now Graystar, was standing in the middle of the clearing, cats all around him. "ThunderClan, I have returned with my nine lives. And as my first duty as leader, I am proud, to welcome new warriors as well make some of our cats warriors as well." He beamed at his clan. "You four." he beckoned Sootshred, Berryblood, Wildkill and Lionmurder with his tail" Please come here. Stonepaw, Cloverpaw, Rabbitpaw, you too." "Tornado, Night, Red, Sun, Comet, Bumblebuzz, Crow, Blizzard, Wave, Tiger, Fox, Sprint, you are welcome too." Graystar's kind eyes met Moss'. "Moss, please come forward." I'm going to be a warrior! "As with any new leader, it is time to choosea deputy. Spirits of starClan, may you hear and approve my choice. Blue-eyes is to be ThunderClan's next deputy." The clan cheered and Blue-eyes blushed a little. "Sootshred, Berryblood, Wildkill, and Lionmurder, Froststar gave you horrid names. These are not your true warrior names."Spirits of StarClan, you know every cat by name. I ask you know to take away the names of the cats you see before you, for they no longer stand for what they are." Graystar paused. "By my authority as clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give these cats new names." Graystar nodded to the gray she-cat with the darker gray head. "You will know be known as Sootface." Graystar touched his nose to Berryblood's head. "You will be known as Berryfur." Graystar nodded to the golden tabby tom. "You will be known as Lionheart." and he stopped at Wildkill. "You will be known as Wildspirit. starClan honors all your courage and bravery, and we hope you will lead ThunderClan well with your new names"
Graystar flicked his tail towards Stonepaw, Rabbitpaw, and Cloverpaw. "I, Graystar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard in your favor. Stonepaw, Rabbitpaw, Cloverpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to defend your clanmates, even with your life?" All three apprentices echoed, "I do." "Then I give you your warrior names. Stonepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Stoneclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and skills." Graystar licked the top of Stoneclaw's head. "Rabbitpaw, you will be known as Rabbitjump. StarClan honors your speed and courage." Graystar turned to Cloverpaw. "Cloverpaw, your new name will be Cloverheart. StarClan honors your loyalty and courage, and we welcome all of you as full members of ThunderClan."We also have numerous loners joining our ranks. Tornado, Night, Red, Sun, Crow, Bumblebuzz, Comet, Wave, Blizzard, Sprint, Tiger, Fox, Poppy, Rose, and Breeze, you ask to become warriors. I now will approve this offer and make you all warriors. Do you promise to uphold the ways of the warrior, to protect your clanmates at all time, even at the cost of your life?" The camp echoed with I do's. "Then by power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Tornado, you will be known as Tornadowind, Night, you will be known as Nightslash, Red, you will be known as Redclaw, Sun, you will be known as Sunheart, Crow, you will be known as Crowtalon, Comet, you will be known as Cometdash, Wave, you will be known as Wavecrash, Blizzard, you will be known as Blizzardmist, Sprint, you will be known as Runningfoot, Tiger, you will be known as Tigerflower, and Fox, you will be known as Foxflame." Isn't he going to give Bumblebuzz her name?! "Bumblebuzz, you should keep your name, I feel thre is no need to change it." Graystar paused. "Poppy, Rose, and Breeze, you will be joining as queens. These are your warrior names. Rose, from this moment on you will be known as Roseheart. Breeze, you will be known as Breezeflight, and Poppy, you will be known as..." "Wait!" Poppy interuppted.Everyone gasped. No one EVER interuppted a warrior ceremony. "Graystar, thank you for offering me a warrior name, but I just can't accept it. I'm Poppy, I always will be Poppy." Graystar nodded "Very well. I also believe that one certain cat deserves the name of a warrior. This cat, as an apprentice, was given grave injuries. However, this cat came back and fought back for other cats freedom." Graystar's loving eyes met hers. "Moss, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect your clanmates, even at the cost of your life?" "I do." "Then by power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Moss, from this moment on you will be known as Mossnose. StarClan honors Your courage and bravery, and we welcome you back to ThunderClan." Mossnose looked around. She was home. Home at last. She didn't have to run anymore. She was finally home. "There is on more thing I have to do." Graystar mewed. "Sparrowkit, Graykit, and Dustkit have reached their sixth moon and are ready to become apprentices. We also would like to welcome Mushroom to the apprentice den. Sparrowkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sparrowpaw. Your mentor will be..." he looked around. He was for sure going to give him a more expirienced warrior as mentor? "Mossnose. I know you are new, but you are an excelent hunter, tracker, and fighter. I want you to teach Sparrowpaw all of these things. Flowerpetal taught you, and I hope you can reflect on her training." Flowerpetal beamed. "Graykit, you will be known as Graypaw. Your mentor will be-" "Graystar, there is too much work for apprentices." a warrior called out. Graystar narrowed his eyes. "We can't just put down more warriors. We just have recieved a lot more cats! There has to be someone!" he growled. Graypaw and Dustkit looked hurt. Mossnose raised her tail. "I can mentor all three, if no one is going to." she meowed. "Really? Are you sure?" "Why not let all our new apprentices get the best training?" Graystar sighed. "True. Graypaw, your mentor will be Mossnose. And Dustkit, you will be known as Dustpaw. Mossnose is to be your mentor. We hope to see the best out of you." Mossnose sighed as the clan finally disbanded. She headed for the warriors den and curled up in her nest.
==Chapter 20: Training and Unexpected News==
Mossnose yawned and headed out to see Blue-eyes organizing patrols. The dawn patrol must have left already. I guess it's time to start training. Ugh, I'm such a mouse-brain. Who would take on three apprentices at once? Me. Another voice echoed. She sighed and poked her head in the apprentice's den. "Sparrowpaw, Graypaw, Dustpaw time for training." She mewed. "Wha?" Sparrowpaw asked as he raised his head sleepily. "We're going to see the territory, and then we're going to collect bedding for the elders." Graypaw had been jumping up and down with excitment, but then stopped when Mossnose mentioned bedding."Bedding?" Mossnose heard a whine in Dustpaw's voice. "Do you want Birchtail to get cranky?" Mossnose raised an eye. The three apprentices looked at each other with fear. "No!" Mossnose chuckled and led the the apprentices out of camp.
The next few days Mossnose had the apprentices hunt, track, and fight. She could happily say that they were on their way to becoming great warriors. Mossnose yawned and crunched on a finch bone. She had been extremely hungry lately. "How's the food, Mossnose?" Graystar approched and sat down next to her. "Best meal I've ever had in moons." Mossnose replied. "How's it been going lately?" Mossnose asked Graystar. "Oh, I don't know much. But I do think," He looked over to were Cometdash and Leafheart were eating a squirrel together. "...That Leafheart is most likely to have Cometdash's kits in the next couple moons." Mossnose laughed. Cometdash had finally found his match. Suddenly Mossnose felt like she didn't want to eat anymore. "Um, Graystar, I'm not feeling so well, I'm going to go lay down in the warrior's den." She told him. Graystar licked her forehead. "I hope you're not sick." and he sent her off.
Later that night, Mossnose was having pains in her stomach. She had felt like she wanted to vomit up her dinner, but she didn't for Petaltail's sake, who's nest was right next to her's. Mossnose carefully tiptoed around the sleeping warriors and almost stepped on Sootface's tail. The she-cat twitched her whiskers and stayed asleep. Mossnose padded into the medicine den where Willowclaw was sleeping. "Willowclaw?" she whispered. Willowclaw snorted and woke with a start. "Wha? Oh hi , Mossnose." She whispered back. "How's life being a medicine cat?" she asked Willowclaw. "It's been pretty good after you came here." "You know, you can just go back to the moonpool and change your name." Froststar had given her the name Willowclaw because he needed her as a soldier. "Actually, Mossnose, I think I'll keep Willowclaw. I don't care what I'm named, I'm still who I am, and I know that I know who I really am." Cats are so different in many ways. "Anyway, what did you really come for?" "Oh, I have been feeling sick lately and I've been having pains in my stomach, bloating." "Hmm..." Willowclaw flicked her tail towards a nest. "Lay down there." Mossnose let Willowclaw inspect her. She pressed her paws against a sensitive spot on Mossnose's stomach. "Stop!" Mossnose hissed. "Let me do my work." Willowclaw sighed. She checked again. "Well..." Willowclaw's eyes sparkled with amusement. "What? Am I going to die or something?" Mossnose demanded. "Whose are they?" Willowclaw asked. "What do you me-" Mossnose's words froze in her mouth. Kits! "Graystar. Graystar is the father." Mossnose told Willowclaw. "How many? What time? Will I have enough milk?" "Stop asking too much questions. By the looks of it, your not very far into your pregnancy. There will at least be two, and if for some reason you don't have enough milk, I'm sure that Poppy, Roseheart, and Breezeflight would be willing to nurse." Mossnose sprang up, ready to tell Graystar, but Willowclaw stopped her. "Don't go running off yet. You need to be careful. You can't fool around while you're expecting. You will probably need another warrior's help with battle training. Go back to your nest, the news can wait until tomorrow." An overjoyed Mossnose padded into her den and slept, eager for morning.
==Chapter 21: Kits!==
"Your what?" Graystar gasped in disbelief. "I'm expecting kits." "Have you seen Willowclaw?" "Yes, I have." "Well, you need to be in the nursery!" Mossnose rolled her eyes. "I still have time left, Graystar! I can still train the apprentices!" Graystar sighed. "It'll be too much for you." "No, it won't! Stop worrying about me!" Graystar chuckled. "Alright, if you insist. But when Willowclaw tells you to get in the nursery, your tail better be in the nursery." "Okay, okay!"
Mossnose traveled to the Sky Oak with her three apprentices. Snow was beginning to fall. "Alright, you three have to catch three squirrels, one each. If you bring back no squirrel in the time given or bring back something other than a squirrel, you did not pass the assesment." Mossnose saw Graypaw flick her tail as she saw a squirrel. "Beginner's luck." Dustpaw whispered to Sparrowpaw. Graypaw chased the squirrel up a snowy tree. "Graypaw, what are you doin up there?" Mossnose meowed to her apprentice. "Trying... to catch... a squirrel." she heaved. Mossnose heard a cry of triumph and saw a small gray and white head poke out of the branches. "Graypaw, how are you going to get down?!" Sparrowpaw asked, worrided. "No need to worry, I... uh..." Graypaw looked around. "Okay, I'm stuck." Mossnose looked up at her apprentice. "Graypaw, can you try to climb down?" Mossnose heard Graypaw's muffled mew. "I thinbk." she said with a squirrel in her mouth. "Drop the squirrel, we'll get it." Graypaw let go of the squirrel and it fell to Mossnose's paws. Graypaw was able to climb down until she got stuck again, and this time Mossnose could see her body clearly. Graypaw attempted to reach for another branch, but it broke under her weight. She squealed and grabbed a thicker limb, her claws digging into the bark. "Help!" she cried. "Don't worry, Graypaw! We'll help you!" Dustpaw called. All of a sudden Graypaw's claws slipped and she fell from the branch. Sparrowpaw dove for her and she landed on his back. "Oof!" Sparrowpaw wheezed. "Sorry, Sparrowpaw." Graypaw quickly got off him. Sparrowpaw licked an untamed tuft of fur between her ears. "It's okay." Mossnose sighed and picked up the squirrel. "Sparrowpaw and Graypaw, see Willowclaw when we get back, to make sure you aren't hurt. we're going to have to retry the assesment tomorrow." The four cats traveled back to camp, and the snow was beginning to fall harder. "So, Mossnose, is it true your expecting kits?" Dustpaw asked. Mossnose whipped around and eyed her apprentice in the face. "you weren't eavesdropping, were you?" Dustpaw looked scared. "No, it's just... I was getting a piece of fresh-kill for Breezeflight, and I walked past Graystar's den and heard you talking about it." Mossnose narrowed her eyes. "If I catch you eavesdropping again, Dustpaw, I have you clean out the elder's bedding for a whole moon." Dustpaw's eyes widened. "Yes, Mossnose."
The next few moons passed. Although Mossnose didn't want to admit it, she was very close to having her kits. Graystar had forced her to make a nest in the nursery. Blue-eyes had offered to train her apprentices. Poppy, Roseheart, and Breezeflight had had their kits. Poppy's were named Foxkit and Copperkit. Breezeflight's were named Icekit and Mistykit. Roseheart's had one kit. whom she named Dragonkit. "A dragon is like a snake with wings and horns and sometimes they have limbs. My twolegs had a kit who had pictures of them all over the walls of his den." Petalail had moved into the nursery expecting Lionheart's kits and Sootface was expecting Wildspirit's kits.Mossnose felt a pain in her lower stomach. Breezeflight noticed and ran to get Willowclaw and Graystar. "Where did mummy go?" Icekit asked. Roseheart nudged her out of the nursery. " She's coming right back." Roseheart meowed.
"Come on, Mossnose! Only one more!" Willowclaw meowed with excitement. Mossnose groaned as the last kit slid into the nest. "Two toms and two she-cats!" Willowclaw mewed. Her eyes darkened when the little white she-cat and the little gray tom started to wheeze and cry. Then the two stopped breathing and their tails stopped moving. My kits can't die! Mossnose felt her eyes mist. "It's alright, Mossnose, they will be safe in StarClan." Graystar came in only to stop when he saw the dead kits. He pressed his head to Mossnose's. "StarClan will take care of them." He licked the surviving kits. "We need to give these ones names." he said. He licked the ginger tom's fur. "How about Firekit for the ginger tom?" Mossnose nodded. "That sounds good." She looked at the she-kit, who was black with jagged white stripes. She looked oddly familiar. "Lightningkit. Lightningkit for the she-cat." Graystar's eyes were understanding. "I do like those names." Mossnose purred and pressed her forehead against Graystar's shoulder. Graystar got up and buried the dead kits.
The day went well. Cats congradulated her about her kits and grieved for the dead ones. Graystar spent everyspare moment of his time with Mossnose, Firekit, and Lightningkit. Later that night, Mossnose was sleeping when she awoke. She looked over and saw herself curled around Firekit and Lightningkit. Is this a dream? Mossnose opened her mouth to taste a strange scent. A starry cat was in the nursery with her. Is this what starlight tastes like? The StarClan cat was a black tom with jagged white stripes. "It.. it can't be... Lightningkit died as a kit..." Mossnose whispered to herself. "It is me, Mossnose. This is what I would have been if I had lived. My name is Lightningstrike." he touched his nose to Mossnose's head. "There are two very important StarClan cats I want you to meet." Two tiny kits poked their heads around Lightningstrike. One was a white she-kit, and the other was a gray tom. "These are your kits that died. They don't have names yet." Mossnose looked at the white she-kit. "Starkit for the white she-kit." Starkit beamed at her new name. "And Moonkit, for the gray tom." Mossnose paused. "For they will always be protected by StarClan." Lightningstrike nodded. "StarClan is watching over you, Mossnose." he stared at Firekit and Lightningkit and then looked back at Starkit and Moonkit. "Be the best for your kits, weither they are living in ThunderClan or are hunting with us in StarClan." Lightningstrike gently pushed Starkit and Moonkit back to the moonlight. Mossnose licked the top of their heads and watched the three cats, a black and white warrior, a white kit and a gray kit, disappear into the starlight.
==Chapter 22: No Help==
(Warning: This chapter could be too graphic for some people)
"You said I get to be StarClan this time!" "You were StarClan last time!" "Nuh uh, you liar! I was the Dark Forest last time!" "Kits! Stop yapping. Lightningkit gets to be StarClan this time, Firekit." Mossnose scolded. Firekit just rolled his eyes "Fine, I'll be the Dark Forest."
Willowclaw was gatheering herbs most of the day, and she was to be traveling to the Moonpool tonight, which worried Mossnose, as Petaltail's kits were almost ready to be born. Mossnose left her kits playing and went down to lay in the sunshine by Petaltail. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked as she licked between Petaltail's ears. "Of course I will." Mossnose sighed and turned her attention back to her kits.
Later that night, while Willowclaw was gone, Sootface wildly shaking Mossnose. "It's the kits! The kits are coming!" "Alright, alright, just let me get up." A worried Sootface led Mossnose into the nursery. Lionheart was there, already licking her ears. He lifted his head and the two cats eyes met. Lionheart's were full of pain and worry. Something has gone wrong. Petaltail was already bleeding. Mossnose quickly ran into the medicine den and grabbed the right herbs. She rushed into the nursery and dropped the first herb at Petaltail's paws. "Eat this, it will help stop the bleeding." Petaltail moaned and pushed the herbs out of the way. "Petaltail, just eat!" Petaltail slowly chewed on the herbs and swallowed them painfully. She looked like she wanted the vomit them up, but didn't. She suddenly shreiked in pain, and she started bleeding a lot more. The first it was coming. How long is she going to last? She has at least two more. Petaltail yowled with pain as the first kit tumbled into the nest. Mossnose cleaned it off and placed it at Lionheart's paws. "Lick it's chest to get it breathing." Lionheart bent down and licked the kit's chest. Petaltail shreiked again, and the second kit slid into Mossnose's paws. She licked the membrane off and let Sootface clean it. Petaltail finally yowled in pain, and the last kit was born. Mossnose licked it clean and got it to start breathing. The kits were okay, struggling to get to Petaltail's belly, but Petaltail had lost a lot of blood and was laying in her nest, exhausted. She was trembling so hard, and she hissed at Lionheart when he tried to lick her ears. Petaltail's fur was matted with blood, and she refused to swallow any herbs Mossnose gave her, occasionally wailing, "It hurt's too much! It hurts!" Mossnose nursed Petaltail's kits and let them cuddle up next to her. Petaltail gave a weak smile and they bundled up in her fur. Mossnose pressed her back against Petaltail's, and stayed there for the rest of the night.
==Chapter 23: The Foxes==
"Does Mommy love us, Mossnose?" "Of course she does, Sunkit, she's just too sick to see you." Mossnose sighed as Petaltail's kits, Dawnkit, Sunkit, and Duskkit, asked about their mother. Petaltail had recieved an infection while kitting and it had spread to her whole body. She had been too weak and too sick to see them. Willowclaw had returned from the Moonpool and had instantly started tending to Petaltail, but unfortunatley, she was growing worse. Lionheart was always visiting her, and saying how beautiful she was. Petaltail would always purr, but in doing so go into a coughing fit. Lionheart had named his kits Dawnkit, Sunkit, and Duskkit. Sunkit had been named after Sunfall, Duskkit after Duskstar, and Dawnkit after Dawnfur.
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the highledge for a clan meeting." Graystar's voice rang out through camp. 'We're gonna be apprentices!" Lightningkit squealed. "Shut up! Do you want cats to stare?" Firekit hissed. Mossnose had already dicussed with Graystar that their kits were to become apprentices. She noticed that Petaltail had come out of the medicine den to watch her sister's kits become apprentices. Dawnkit, Duskkit, and Lightkit all ran up to her and mewed happily. Mossnose was licking her kits to make them look nice for their ceremony. "Let go of me, Mossnose! It's our turn! Firekit complained. Mossnose's eyes misted as her kits bounded up to the highledge. "Today, two kits, Firekit and Lightningkit, are six moons old. It is time they recieve their mentors." Graystar looked at his warriors. "The rebuilding of our camp is over. Firekit, Lightningkit, from this moment on until you recieve your warrior names, you will be known as Firepaw and Lightningpaw. Firepaw, your mentor will be Silverdapple, and Lightningpaw, your mentor will be Darkfur." The clan cheered for the new apprentices.
"Alright, for your warrior assesment, you have to catch three pieces of prey, track me through the forest, as I will be running around, and attack me when you find me." Mossnose instructed her apprentices. The three apprentices nodded and ran off into the bushes in different directions.
Later, Mossnose was licking at a knot in her fur. She suddenky heard a shriek. Graypaw! She heard a loud snarl. Fox! Mossnose wipped through the forest and saw Graypaw cornered by three foxes, her eyes round with fear. Before Mossnose could take action, Sparrowpaw had leaped into the clearing and was slicing at the foxes' muzzles as he stood protecting Graypaw. Mossnose leaped at the first fox and sliced at it's eyes. The fox whimpered and ran off. Graypaw and Sparrowpaw were biting and clawing at the second and Mossnose helped Dustpaw fight off the third. The four collapsed under the trees. "What happened?" Mossnose gasped. "I was looking for prey, when I saw a rabbit. I guess the fox was hunting it too, but I never heard it or saw it. The moment I pounced I was flung back." Graypaw whispered. Mossnose nudged the three to their paws. "Come on. Let's get you three to Willowclaw."
After they had been treated, Graystar called for a clan meeting. "ThunderClan, today Graypaw, Sparrowpaw, and Dustpaw were brutally attacked by three foxes. However, they fought back with courage, and I see no better moment than to give them their warrior names." Graystar held his head high. "I, Graystar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warior ancestors to look down on theses apprentices. They have worked hard to learn your noble code, and I now humbly ask you to make them warriors. Sparrowpaw, Graypaw,Dustpaw, do you promise to uphod the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" "I do." They all said. "Then by powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Sparrowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sparrowtooth. StarClan honors your courage and compassion. Dustpaw, you will be known as Duststorm. StarClan honors your skill and speed . And Graypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Graycloud. StarClan honors your bravery and skill. we honor you as full warriors of ThunderClan."
==Chapter 24: Mushroompaw's fate==
Mossnose was on a border patrol with Blue-eyes, her apprentice, Mushroompaw, Darkfur, Lightningpaw, and Honeyheart. Blue-eyes led the patrol to the WindClan border. "All clear." she reported. The patrol turned around and headed for the ShadowClan border.
Mossnose was in the back, listening in case a fox or something snuck up on them. She saw a flash of gray and black. Mossnose narrowed her eyes. "Quiet everyone! Badger behind us. The patrol froze. The badger could turn around and see them any second. Blue-eyes' white pelt must have given them away, because the badger roared and charged toward them. "Split up!" Darkfur yowled. The cats took off and hid in the bushes. Lightningpaw stumbled and fell on her paw. She cried out in pain. The badger prepared to deliever the killing blow, but Mossnose heard and hiss and the sound of torn fur. Mushroompaw had slashed the badger's face. he quickly nudged Lightningpaw into the bushes. He turned around and started biting and sratching the badger. Mossnose watched the two fight. Mushroompaw couldn't fight by himself! Suddenly Blue-eyes was in the battle, but the badger had slashed her shoulder. Mossnose could see tat the badger was getting tired. Mushroompaw was about to attack when there was a rustling in the bushes. he got coaught off guard for a second, and then... everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The badger's fangs were piercing Mushroompaw's throat and Mushroompaw's claws were raking across the badger's eyes. Everything sped up again and now Mushroompaw was laying on the ground, and the badger was roaring, thundering off toward ShadowClan territory. Lightningpaw was the first to reach his body. "Mushroompaw! Please! We'll get you to Willowclaw, I promise!" Lightningpaw's muzzle was buried deep in Mushroompaw's blood-stained fur. Mushroompaw weakly raised his muzzle and licked her cheek. "I'm sorry..." he managed to whisper before his head dropped down and his tail stopped moving. Lightningpaw wailed and licked his ragged fur. Blue-eyes started at her dead apprentice's body with shock and pain. Honeyheart gently picked up his body. "Come on. Let's go home." Mossnose gently nudged Lightningpaw away and let her lean on her shoulder, like she was a kit again.
"...Mushroompaw died a warrior's death, protecting his clanmates from harm. Although he was not born a clan cat, he would have been a great warrior." Graystar ended the meeting. Bumblebuzz was sobbing into Crowtalon's shoulder. Crowtalon was licking her ears. Cometdash was staring with disbelief at the body, Leafheart's forehead brushing his shoulder. Lightningpaw was already sitting next to Mushroompaw. Mossnose looked up to see a star shining bright in the night sky. StarClan protect him.
==Chapter 25: The True Deputy==
Mossnose yawned and padded into the clearing. The cats were gathered under the highledge. Graystar has called a meeting? Mossnose slid in beside Sootface. "What's going on?" she whispered. "Graystar's choosing a new deputy. Blue-eyes' shoulder got wrenched during the badger attack, so I guess she's retiring." Sootface whispered back. Mossnose heard Rainpelt and Brackentail in deep conversation. She thought she heard them say "Mossnose." She leaned in towards Stoneclaw, Rabbitjump, and Cloverheart. They were whispering her name, too. I surely don't derserve the deputy position? The cats quieted as Graystar started the meeting. "ThunderClan, a badger traveling on our territory met a border patrol and killed our apprentice, Mushroompaw, and severly injured our deputy, Blue-eyes. Blue-eyes is no longer able to keep her deputyship, and wishes to retire to the elder's den. Blue-eyes, is it your wish to retire to the elders den?" "It is." She replied. "Then StarClan bring you many moons of rest." Blue-eyes' nodded and smiled as the clan cheered her name. She went over to sit with Birchtail and Weedfur. "And now, it is time to choose a new deputy." Graystar took a deep breath. "This cat was born to be a warrior, but was severly injured as a young apprentice, forcing her to become a medicine cat." Many sets of eyes burned into Mossnose's pelt. "her mentor died early, but she still kept her position as medicine cat. But she was exiled for the death of our leader, Duskstar. She lived as a rogue, a kittypet, and a loner, while she took care of cats who needed help. She came back to our clan and watched her mother die before her. But she came back and defeated Froststar. This cat put her clan and her kin before anything else. That is why, I ask StarClan to hear and approve my choice." Graystar's eyes met Mossnose's. "Mossnose will be the new deputy of ThunderClan." The Clan broke out in a cheer. Firepaw and Lightningpaw cheered loudly for their mother. Nightstorm was shouting toward the stars. Is he telling Sunfall? Petaltail sat from the medicine den, her eyes approving. Sparrowtooth, Graycloud, and Duststorm were happily calling for their mentor. Mossnose stood at the foot of the highledge. "ThunderClan, it would be an honor to serve such a loyal and strong clan." she meowed. The ThunderClan cats surronded her. "What should I do first, deputy?" Featherfur asked. "What should I do?" asked Megan. "What about me, deputy?" Firepaw chuckled. He pressed his muzzle against Mossnose's forleg. "Everyone, go back to your dens." Mossnose laughed. The cats dashed towards the dens for the night.
Mossnose awoke in the warrior's den. She looked around. She could make out Graycloud's pelt brushing up against Sparrowtooth's, Brackentail's fluffy tail, Wildspirit's spiky fur, and Tornadowind's silver stripes seemed to glow a little bit. She slipped out and headed for the medicine den. Mossnose poked her head in. "May I see Petaltail?" she asked. Willowclaw looked up from her herbs. "Of course, her nest is right over there." Willowclaw flicked her tail towards a seprate room were the sick cats slept. Mossnose crept in and dropped in beside Petaltail, who wasn't quite asleep yet. "Well, well, if it isn't the new deputy." She chuckled weakly. Petaltail leaned her head on Mossnose's shoulder. "Thanks." she told her. "For what?" "For taking care of my kits." Mossnose thought of Petaltail's kits. "Their almost ready to become apprentices." Petaltail smiled. "I want you to mentor one." she rasped. "Which one?" Petaltail thought for a second. "Sunkit. She seems determined." "What about the other two?" "Pick senior warriors. Pick Nightstorm, Rainpelt, Dawnfur, anybody." Mossnose licked Petaltail's head. "I'll visit you tomorrow after I've organized patrols."
Mossnose sat in the clearing, orgaizing patrols, the early newleaf sun on her back. "Rainpelt, take Megan, Darkfur, Lightningpaw, and Cloverheart on border patrol. Rabbitjump, take Tornadowind, Nightslash, and Featherfur on a hunting patrol. And Silverdapple, could you take Firepaw to collect bedding for the elders? They've been complaining that their old ones are worn out and itchy." Silverdapple nodded. "But of course." Firepaw, however, was not excited. "Thanks alot, mom." he said as he brushed Mossnose's side. "Go on know, you have bedding to collect." Firepaw dashed over to Silverdapple.
Later that day, Mossnose was sharing prey with Graystar when Willowclaw approached her. Willowclaw's breathing was ragged, as if it was hard breathing. Her fur was trembling and spiky a little. "Mossnose... please... come to the medicine den." Oh no... something's wrong with Petaltail... When they got there, Lionheart was already there, his muzzle buried in Petaltail's fur. "Petaltail... no..." Mossnose ran over to her sister. "Petaltail! Wake up!" she mewed as she shook the gray she-cat. "Mossnose, she's dead. She hunts with StarClan now. The infection was too strong." Mossnose looked at Willowclaw. " She was fine this morning! What about her kits?" Mossnose asked. "They will grieve, but they will be strong, they're almost ready to be apprenticed." Lionheart gently dragged Petaltail's body into the clearing. Sootface had sheilded her kits from her body. Sunkit saw her body. "Petaltail!" she mewed happily. She ran over to Petaltail and brushed against her. Sunkit nudged Petaltail's body. "Why won't she wake up? Does she still like me?" Sunkit asked Mossnose. "She's with StarClan now, Sunkit. And Petaltail wll always love you, she'll just be watching over you in StarClan." Sunkit's eyes widened. "Does that mean she's... dead?" Sunkit looked back at Petaltail. She shoved her face in Petaltail's fur and wailed. The Clan came forward and grieved for Petaltail.
==Chapter 26: A Cat Is Down!==
A couple moons later, the clan was doing well. Just like Petaltail wanted, Sunpaw was apprenticed to Mossnose, Dawnpaw was apprenticed to Nightstorm, and Duskpaw was apprenticed to Whiterose. Sootface's kits had been born, she had named them Lightkit and Creekkit. Leafheart was expecting Cometdash's kits, Graycloud had just recently moved into the nursery with Sparrowtooth's kits, and Berryfur and Duststorm were now mates. Foxpaw, Copperpaw, Icepaw, Mistypaw, and Dragonpaw had been apprenticed to Stoneclaw, Rabbitjump, Cloverheart, Featherfur, and Wildspirit.
Mossnose entered camp with her hunting patrol. They dropped the prey off and went to share tongues. The border patrol sent near the ShadowClan border hadn't returned yet. Mossnose heard yowling and Whitefoot burst into camp. "Graystar... Graystar is hurt!" he gasped. Whitewhisker had his former apprentice on his back. So much blood stained Graystar's fur, Mossnose could hardly tell if he was a gray cat or not. Mossnose raced to her mate. "Graystar!" she gasped. Graystar opened his eyes and started at his mate. "It was a traitor, a cat from ShadowClan who wanted revenge..." Graystar closed his eyes. "I love you." Graystar licked Mossnose's muzzle and then sighed, and his flank stilled. "That couldn't have been his last life?" Mossnose asked Willowclaw. "No, it was." she replied sadly. "He just didn't tell you. He might have thought it would have scared you." Mossnose sighed. Graystar was gone. Firepaw and Ligtningpaw started at their father's dead body. Mossnose raised her head. She wouldn't let grieve control her. "I want a patrol to ShadowClan. Tell them of what has just happened." Mossnose nodded to Sparrowtooth. Sparrowtooth took Whitefoot, Brackentail, Shiningheart, Nightslash, and Sunheart. Before he went, Graycloud brushed against her mate and ran of into the nursery.
Mossnose went with the patrol to represent the new clan leader. It was dangerous having seven cats on a patrol, but in case ShadowClan attacked, they would have more strength. As they approaced the ShadowClan camp, a ShadowClan warrior stopped them. "ThunderClan cats!" he hissed. "Pinewood, let me handle this." another warrior pushed Pinewood out of the way. "Name's Ravenclaw. Why are you here?" Ravenclaw asked. "We are here to speak with Snakestar." Mossnose meowed codly. "About what?" "None of his warrior's buisness." Mossnose drew her lip back in a snarl. The two toms stepped back and let them enter camp. All the cats looked up at the ThunderClan cats. The kits stopped playing, the elders stopped complaining, and the warriors chatting at the fresh-kill stopped talking. "We are here to speak to Snakestar." Mossnose meowed. Snakestar jumped down from a fallen pine tree. "ThunderClan cats." Snakestar's eyes were no longer compassionate from when she had killed Froststar. "Come to my den." The ThunderClan cats followed Snakestar to a small den were the fallen tree's roots were. "Why are you here?" Snakestar asked. "Graystar is dead." Snakestar's eyes widened. "Graystar is dead?" Snakestar asked. He was obiviously suprised. "One of your warriors apparently betrayed the clan and still wanted control over the Lake." Snakestar nodded. "You mean Woodtail? Yes, we exiled him. How is h-" Snakestar stopped. "Our leader went to check the borders when Woodtail killed him. He was alive when we brought him back, but he died in our camp." Mossnose finished, reliving her pain all over again. "I'm sorry for your loss. Is Woodtail out of your territory?" Whitefoot spoke this time. "A couple other warriors and I made sure he crossed the WindClan border." Snakestar nodded. "Hopefully WindClan will just drive him out of clan territory for good." Snakestar mewed. "Anyway, we just wanted to make sure he's gone, not still in your camp." Snakestar nodded. "Very well. I will have Pinewood and Ravenclaw escort you to the border."
==Chapter 27: The Rightful Leader==
Author's note: The ceremony is in bold black.
Willowclaw and Mossnose sat next to the glimmering Moonpool. "It's time to recieve your nine lives." Willowclaw told her. Mossnose copied Willowclaw and flicked her tongue on the Moonpool's water and fell asleep.
When Mossnose woke, she was standing in a grassy field. Four trees surrounded it. (Author's note: Mossnose does not know where fourtrees is because she lives by the lake, which I expect all of you should know by now. ^^) Where am I? 'Am I not to recieve my nine lives? Suddenly Mossnose saw a flash. She looked up at the night sky. The stars are... moving? One by one, the StarClan warriors gracefully leaped down from the stars. They're all here! Mossnose reconized so many faces. Duskstar, Sunfall, Lightningstrike, Starkit, Moonkit, Wasptail, Petaltail... Graystar! Mossnose almost bounded up to her mate, but he motioned her to stay were she was. "Welcome, Mossnose." they said in unison. Duskstar padded forward. "Mossnose, the moment you laid your claws on Froststar's throat, StarClan had rejoiced. Froststar's evil reign had been put to a stop, thanks to you. You are a true leader for ThunderClan, Mossnose. The moment I saw you in the nursery, I knew that you were the cat destined to save ThunderClan." Duskstar meowed. He walked forward. "With this life I give you hope. It was always be there, even on the darkest night." Mossnose felt pain creep up on her. Her eyes flashed and she was looking down on a dead cat's body, she grieved but she was strong. Duskstar left and Wasptail took her place. "With this life I give you humor. Use it to brighten the attitides of your clanmates." Instead of being painful like Duskstar's life, Wasptail's was warm and calming. Mossnose heard the laughing of her clanmates, as well as her own mrrows of laughter. Sunfall took Wasptail's place. "With this life I give you pride, use it when your are humiliated, even in front of all your clanmates." Mossnose saw cats staring up at her from the highledge. Her face was flushed, but she still kept her head high. It hurt terribly. Starkit and Moonkit stepped forward. "With this life, we give you faith. Keep the will of your clanmates in your heart, and use faith when you need it most." The two kits dashed back to their spots as Lightningstrike padded forward. "With this life, I give you compassion. Use it when your clanmates need it." Mossnose saw herself grooming sharing prey with the senior warriors. It was comforting. Grasspelt came forward. "Grasspelt!" she mewed happily when she saw her old mentor. "With this life, I give you tireless energy, so it can keep you on your paws." Mossnose gasped with pain. She saw herself running, running, running, she was out of breath, but she kept running. Mossnose saw Mushroompaw came forward. She felt happy that he got accepted into StarClan. "With this life, I give you courage. Let courage guide your paws when you are rushing into battle." Mossnose saw her paws rushing into battle, she was scared, but ready to fight for her clan. Is this how Mushroompaw felt when he died? Petaltail quickly took his place. The two sisters touched noses. "With this life, I give you strength. Whenever you feel weak, us strength to keep you together, even at the darkest of times." Mossnose felt like she had been struck by lightning. She was in the medicine den, weak and sick. Strength kept her alive. Mossnose saw a familiar gray pelt and instantly knew who would give her her last life. Graystar's eyes were brimming with love. "With this life, I give you love. Love your clanmates as if they were your own kin." Mossnose felt her fur warm and she saw that her clan was happy and content for each other. Is this really love? Graystar touched her nose. "StarClan now hail you by your new name, Mossstar. May you lead your clan well." The StarClan cats retreated to their stars in the sky, leaving Mossstar alone in mysterious field.
==Chapter 28: Leading ThunderClan==
I hope you're proud of me, Graystar. Mossstar thought as she sat on the highledge. So many cats had died in the past moons. Darkfur, Rainpelt, Silverdapple, Vixentail, Stormclaw, Shiningheart, Birchtail and Weedfur.
Firefur was sitting at the fresh kill pile bragging to a bunch of she-cats. Lightningfoot was playing mossball with Graycloud's kits, Snowkit, Wolfkit, Eaglekit, and Gustkit. Leafheart's kits, Birdkit, Flashkit, and Nettlekit were tackling bugs by the nursery. Duststorm and Berryfur were sunning themselves with Blue-eyes and Nightstorm next to the elder's den. Lightpaw and Creekpaw were practicing battle moves near the entrance while Honeyheart and Redclaw looked on. Sunwhisker was flicking her tail impatiently while her brother and sister, Dawnflower and Duskspirit, argued. Foxclaw and Dragonheart were fixing up the nursery, as part of he wall had blown off in a storm.
"Oh, Firefur, your soo brave!" Icefeather cooed. "And strong..." Copperpelt ran her tail down Firefur's muscular front legs. "And so handsome!" Mistyflower squealed. "Firefur, weren't we going to practice battle moves?" Lightpaw asked, shifting her paws. When Lightpaw wasn't looking, Firefur rolled his eyes at the she-cats. He trotted over and practiced with Lightpaw. When they were fifnished, Mossstar called Firefur over before he could brag more stuff to the she-cats. "Firefur, I'm afraid those she-cats are ruining your relationship with Lightpaw." "Why? She's not my apprentice." "You two used to be really good friends. Now you hardly even look at her unless someone makes you." Firefur laid his ears back. "This is ridiculous nonsense, Firefur, and you know it. Lightpaw looks up to you as a role model, and you are not setting a good example." Firefur's eyes suddenly flickered with understanding. "I guess so." he meowed. Mossstar followed him out of the den. Mossstar thought he would head to the she-cats and start talking about nonsense, but instead he padded to Lightpaw. "Now, where were we?"
Mossstar yawned and flopped over on her side. It had been a very long day, it seemed. Graycloud had asked to go hunting, which was good for the clan and herself. Berryfur and Nightslash had gone with her for support. Mossstar saw a cream pelt and dark tabby fur slip out behind the nursery. Something's not right. Mossstar sercretly followed. Duststorm and Sparrowtooth! What are they doing here? Mossstar crouched down. Duststorm had her head buried in Sparrowtooth's shoulder. "I'm so glad you love me, Sparrowtooth, Berryfur sure doesn't." she whispered. Sparrowtooth licked her ears. "Of course. I won't let some filthy tom mess with you." he replied. Sparrowtooth saw a mouse eating grass not too far away. "I'll get this mouse for you, Duststorm." he meowed. Duststorm just giggled. Just as Sparrowtooth sprang, Graycloud popped out and accidentally hit Sparrowtooth as she sprung, too. Duststorm ran over to him. "Are you oaky?" she asked, worried. 'Of course my lo-". He noticed Graycloud. "Graycloud, what are you doing here, so near camp?" he mewed. "Oh, I guess I could ask you the same question." Graycloud growled. Duststorm and Sparrowtooth had backed into camp. The whole clan was about to witniss the argument. "How could you, Sparrowtooth? How could you do this to me? Our kits? How will they grow up, knowing their father doesn't love them?" Graycloud hissed. "I would give my heart and soul for our kits, Graycloud." "And you love them SOOOO much that you're seeing another she-cat?" Snowkit, Wolfkit, Eaglekit, and Gustkit were meowling around their mother, trying to calm her. Graycloud's eyes watered. "I thought you loved me, Sparrowtooth. I thought we would live the rest of our lives together, but I guess i was wrong." Graycloud wailed and ran out of camp. "Graycloud!" Sparrowtooth called. Mossstar shouldered him away. "Let me handle this."
==Chapter 29: Forgiveness==
Mossstar ran out into the forest, following Graycloud's scent. She finally found the she-cat sitting on the shore of the lake. "Graycloud!" Mossstar called. Graycloud lifted her head. "Mossstar? What are you doing here?" She asked. "I'm just here." Mossstar sat down next to Graycloud. "You know, relationships are hard to handle. It's time I had a talk with you, she-cat to she-cat." Mossstar winked. Graycloud just nodded her head. "Before I came back to ThunderClan, I lived as a loner with some other cats." "Cometdash, Crowtalon, Bumblebuzz, Mushroompaw, Blizzardmist, Foxflame, Tigerflower, Runningfoot and Wavecrash, right?" "That's correct. But soon Graystar started visiting me and soon he told me that he loved me. Of course I loved him too, but I realized that we could barely see each other. What if he got caught? Back then he would have been killed. But in your case, Sparrowtooth is with you in camp most of the time." "MOST of the time." Graycloud muttered. "It's easier for him, but harder for you, yes? Why do you think Sparrowtooth would see another she-cat?" Graycloud's lips were drawn back in a snarl. "He thinks that he can get me with a litter of kits and then go get some other she-cat pregnant." Graycloud hissed. Mossstar shook her head. "Sparrowtooth isn't that kind of cat. He must have had some reason." Graycloud's eyes widened. "Maybe Duststorm and Berryfur have had some sort of disagreement." Graycloud nodded. "They have been arguing alot lately." "Bingo. Maybe Duststorm thinks that Berryfur doesn't love her or somethin'. Maybe Sparrowtooth was comforting her." Graycloud sighed. "Let's go back and find out what really happened."
Mossstar and Graycloud padded back into camp. Berryfur and Duststorm were locked in a huge argument of betrayal and trust. Megan was smaking Sparrowtooth over the head saying how ashamed she was of him. Dawnfur and Flowerpetal were gossiping by the elder's den. Mossstar padded over to Duststorm and Berryfur. "Can someone tell me what's going on? I demand an answer." Mossstar commanded. "Well... You see, Berryfur never let's me leave camp, and it really stresses me out, because he doesn't trust me!" Duststorm broke out. "Well, Duststorm, Berryfur surely won't trust you when you visit another tom. What made you see Sparrowtooth?" "I thought he would treat me with respect, not like Berryfur." Berryfur looked like he wanted to speak. "Duststorm, I trust you with all my heart, but after all the badgers and foxes on our territory, I was scared you would get hurt. Don't ever think that I don't love you." Berryfur whispered. Mossstar turned to Sparrowtooth. "What made you see Duststorm? Your mate is in the nursery with your four kits and you see another she-cat? Your my DEPUTY, Sparrowtooth. Why would you do this." "Duststorm was in pain. I wanted her to be happy. But I would never stop loving Graycloud, or our kits." He meowed. He licked the top of her head. Mossstar padded away. Graystar, please give me strength to lead this clan. 
==Chapter 30: The Missing Kits==
Mossstar licked her paw and listened to Sparrowtooth organize patrols. It had been three days since the incident, and Mossstar had to say it was going pretty well. Snowkit, Gustkit, Eagleit, and Wolfkit acted like it never happened. Speaking of kits... where are Birdkit, Flashkit, and Nettlekit?
Mossstar heard Leafheart entering the nursery. "Kits, time for lu-" Leafheart's words froze in her mouth. "My kits! My kits are gone!" she cried. Mossstar dashed over to her. "Where did you last see them?" she asked. "The-they were playing mossball in the nursery when I left." Leafheart sobbed. "Sparrowtooth, I want two seperate patrols of five cats checking the territory. One patrol will search the side closest to ShadowClan and the other will search the side closest to WindClan, got it?" Sparrowtooth nodded and ran off. Cometdash had Leafheart against his shoulder. "They'll find our kits, I promise." he mewed. Leafheart just buried her head in his fur more.
A couple hours later, both patrols returned, and Birdkit, Flashkit, and Nettlekit were still missing. "We didn't find them, or their scent." Sunheart meowed as he padded into camp. "We met a ShadowClan patrol and asked them if they had seen the kits, but they hadn't." Dawnflower meowed. Then Sandyfoot and her patrol burst into camp. "Mossstar! We found the kit's scent by the WindClan border!" Mossstar nodded. "Sandyfoot, take your patrol back into WindClan territory and ask Breezestar if he has the kits. I'll come, too." The patrol set of, Mossstar in the lead, and Sandyfoot, Icefeather, Stoneclaw, Redclaw, and Lightpaw following.
==Chapter 31: Claiming the Kits==
Mossstar and her patrol silently trudged onto WindClan territory. The winds were strong and the moors were quiet. Mossstar almost stepped on a rabbit when it bounded away. "Hey! That was my ca-" Mossstar heard a she-cat's voice. "ThunderClan!" she gasped. "Featherstorm! They've come for the kits!" the she-cat meowed. Featherstorm, a gray tabby she-cat, growled when she saw the ThunderClan cats. "Larkpaw! Hush!" Featherstorm snarled. She looked up at Mossstar. "Why are you here?" she hissed. "We've come to claim our kits." Mossstar growled. "Kits?" "For StarClan's sake! Your apprentice just blurted it out! You have ThunderClan kits in your camp!" Mossstar hissed. Featherstorm laid her ears back and motoined them to follow.
The cats entered WindClan's camp. She saw the three kits staring from what looked like a nursery. "Mossstar! Mossstar's come to rescue us!" Nettlekit mewed, his brown spiky fur sparked with excitement. "We're gonna go home!" Birdkit squealed. "We can eat forest prey instead of this moor junk that these cats give us!" Flashkit meowed. A queen growled from the nursery. "Breezestar!" Mossstar yowled. Breezestar approached her. "What's this all about?" he mewed coldly. "Don't act like you don't know!" Lightpaw hissed. Redclaw silenced her by flicking his tail across her mouth. "You have our kits. Their mother is devastated." Mossstar calmly meowed. "So? It's not our fault that three kits were wandering out of camp." "We were following mother and we got lost!" Flashkit mewed from the nursery. "That gives you no excuse to keep our kits PRISONERS!" Mossstar hissed. "You broke the warrior code! Your whole clan did!" Breezestar laid his ears back and his eyes narrowed. "We didn't harm the kits." "And you surely didn't help them, either!" Mossstar snarled. "We want something in exchange for your kits." Breezestar growled. "Like what?" Mossstar shot back. "Like, oh I don't know... some of your fresh-kill?" Mossstar got furious. "You mean that I have to make my warriors hunt for your lazy cats instead of doing it yourselves?" She hissed. "All the rabbits are hiding in the burrows because of the heat." "You've got other stuff, like moorhens, why can't you catch those?" "We rarely catch them." Mossstar hissed with frustration. "Fine, in exchange for our kits, our warriors may hunt for you while your cats sit on their lazy (bleep!)!" Mossstar saw Lightpaw flinch as her leader swore in front of her. Mossstar quickly grabbed Birdkit, Icefeather grabbed Nettlekit, and Stoneclaw picked up Flashkit. Graystar, is this what you would have done? 
Later, Mossstar was calmly laying in front of her den while the clan shared tongues and ate. Leafheart was licking the "WindClan scent" off of her kit's fur, Graycloud was dosing while her Eaglekit, Gustkit, and Wolfkit wrestled with each other, Dragonheart was napping with Lightningfoot, the elders were grumbling about how slow the apprentices were these days, Creekpaw was showing Snowkit battle moves, Firefur was grooming Lightpaw, while Icefeather and Copperpelt looked jealous. Mistyflower, however, was chatting with Wavecrash about the WindClan incident instead of mooning over Firefur. Good for her. The rest of the clan was either hunting, eating, or sleeping as the sky turned pink overhead. Mossstar yawned and padded into her den to sleep.
When Mossstar woke, she was in a forest. She looked around and saw a familiar den. "That's my den that I made my nest in when I was a loner!" she mewed with excitement. She ran over to it and relived her memories. She thought of the stream and decided to see it. She ran to the small stream and saw a starry gray pelt sitting next to it. "Graystar!" Mossstar cried happily. She tackled Graystar and the two fell with a thud on the ground. "I've missed you so much!" she meowed, covering his face with licks. Graystar chuckled. "I've missed you too." he mewed. They laid there for a couple minutes, Mossstar's face brushing Graystar's chest, his paws around her, talking about life. "Mossstar, I'm glad you fullfiled the prophecy." he meowed. "I'm glad, too. ThunderClan is doing so well." Mossstar whispered. "But why did StarClan choose me?" Mossstar asked. "Becuase StarClan saw greatness when you were born." "Surely other cats are born with greatness, too?" "They are, but it is very rare." Mossstar nodded. "It's hard. About the Sparrowtooth incident, Leafheart's kits, and just... everything..." Graystar nodded. "Didn't Petaltail give you the life of strength? Didn't Duskstar give you hope? Didn't Mushroompaw give you courage?" "They did." "You need to remember the gifts that they gave you, Mossstar, and maybe then leadership would be easier for you." Then Graystar faded away and Mossstar was alone next to the stream.
==Chapter 32: One Last Goodbye==
(Author's note: I noticed that they haven't been going to gatherings, so I made them in this chapter. Yes, they have been going to them, but I just never included it in the fanfic.)
Moons after Mossstar last saw Graystar, the clan was slowly starving to death, Mossstar thought. It was Leaf-bare and the cats were hungry and exhausted. Lightfeather was scratching behind her ear while Creekwater was gnawing on a small leftover bone. Snowpaw, Eaglepaw, Gustpaw, and Wolfpaw were lapping up snow, hoping to make a meal out of it. "We are totally ready to become apprentices, Leafheart." Nettlekit meowed. "Yeah, we would be great!" Flashkit mewed. "We could help feed the clan." Birdkit said calmly. "No, you couldn't , get back in the nursery before you catch greencough." Leafheart nudged her kits away. "ThunderClan, it's time to go to the Gathering." Mossstar rasped. All the apprentices and their mentors came, Lightfeather and Creekwater came, Sparrowtooth, Firefur, Stoneclaw, Cloverheart, Wavecrash, Blizzardmist, Sunheart, Mistyflower, Icefeather, Graycloud, Megan, and Dawnfur came along. "Time to leave, ThunderClan." Mossstar rasped. The cats poured out of the entrance.
ThunderClan was the last to come. ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan were already there. "Well, well, if it isn't kittypet clan?" A ShadowClan warrior sneered. Megan let out a hiss. "Hey! I'm doing a test, and I need a clanborn ThunderClan cat to help me, oh, I forgot, there are no TRUE ThunderClan warriors here." A RiverClan warrior snickered. His buddies laughed around him. "Fish breath!" Lightfeather yowled. Firefur motioned for her to be quiet. Mossstar hopped onto the large tree that the leaders stood on. Snakestar was there, and a she-cat and a tom that Mossstar didn't know, suggesting that Breezestar and Rainstar had died. "Well if it isn't old Mossstar." The new leader of RiverClan meowed. "There's a truce, don't forget that." she retorted. Am I really getting old? Mossstar thought. Se had looked at herself in a puddle and saw that he muzzle had been turning gray.
"Let the gathering begin!" Snakestar rasped. The clans gathered below them. "I will speak first." Snakestar meowed. It was a tradition that the oldest leader was to speak first. "Leaf-bare has been hard for ShadowClan, but I am happy to say that two new kits have been born to Ravenclaw and Leafwhisker.Their names are Lakekit and Hawkkit." Mossstar reconized the tom from when she had visited ShadowClan after Graystar's death. "Other than that, ShadowClan has no other news to report." Snakestar finished. He nodded to Mossstar. "ThunderClan has also had trouble with leaf-bare, but yet be have two new warriors, Lightfeather and Creekwater!" ShadowClan and RiverClan cheered along withthe ThunderClan cats, but WindClan was silent. Mangy fur-balls. We also have four new apprentices, Snowpaw, Eaglepaw, Gustpaw, and Wolfpaw." Again the Clans cheered except WindClan. I would rip out their livers and feed them to the crows if I could. Before the new RiverClan leader could speak, the new leader from WindClan spoke. "I will speak next." she growled coldly. "WindClan is doing well after I, Whistlestar, have become leader." Mossstar could hear the cats whispering. The WindClan cats were starving, not doing well! "We also have new warriors, Larkflight and Pheasantwing." Cats cheered, but not very many. Mossstar felt sorry that their moment had been ruined, but glad WindClan got a taste of their own medicine. The new RiverClan leader came forward. "I, Troutstar am the new RiverClan leader. We are hungry, yes, but our queen, Fishstream, and her mate, Dogclaw, have given us new kits, Rainkit and Streamkit." The clans cheered, except for WindClan. Snobs. "This gathering is over!" Troutstar yowled. The cats split up and returned home.
When the cats returned, comotion and worry was all over camp. "What happened?" Mossstar asked Willowclaw. "I'm so sorry Mossstar, but Nightstorm has had a heart-attack."
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Mossstar had her head buried in Nightstorm's fur and the clan sat vigil. Nearly the whole clan sat with Nightstorm. He had been a respected and loyal warrior. Mossstar raised her head and looked at the sky. I hope you're proud of me.
At dawn, after the elder's had gone to bury, Mossstar headed for her den and laid there. Why do all my friends and family have to die? Mossstar buried her muzzle in her paws and wept.
==Chapter 33: Death of A Legend==
Mossstar trembeled in her nest. Her body felt weak and tired. Willowclaw was pressing her flank, worried. "I'm sorry, but I think she's dying." She rasped. Firefur's fur bristled. "Why? Can't you save her? Why does this happen when I finally find out my mate is expecting kits!" he hissed. Lightfeather had only told him just this morning. "I can't do anything. StarClan is calling her." Willowclaw sighed. Lightningfoot wept. "Why?" Willowclaw's eyes were stern but sympathetic. Mossstar narrowed her eyes. "I'm dying and I can't even get peace!" she hissed. The cats shut up. "I couldn't have been more proud of any of you." Mossstar weakly turned her head towards Sparrowtooth. "Promise me that I can trust you to lead this clan." Sparrowtooth nodded. his gaze firm. Mossstar slowly felt the darkness at the edge of her vision slowly devlop and surrond her. She sighed and breathed in the scents of her clanmates before her eyes closed forever.
==Epilouge==
Mossstar licked her pelt steadily. I thought there was no ticks in StarClan!
Nightstorm was daring Sunfall, just like when they were younger. Lightningstrike was teaching Starkit and Moonkit the hunter's crouch. Duskstar was grouching to Fernwhisker about how a clan cat had took a former loner as a mate. "Mossstar!" Graystar called. "What now?" she groaned. "Quick! Lightfeather's kits have just been born!" He gasped. Mossstar trotted after him. Graystar and Mossstar peered into a small pool. Lightfeather was laying in the medicine den, four kits cuddled next to her. Firefur and Willowclaw were with her. "What will we name them?" Firefur breathed. Lightfeather gazed at the kits. "How about Flowerkit for the little black and ginger she-kit" she nodded at the black she-kit with the ginger flecks. "And Blazekit for the ginger tabby tom." Firefur nodded. "Does Galekit sound good for the gray tom?" Firefur asked. Lightfeather nodded. "And..." Firefur paused at the last kit. "How about Mountainkit for the brown tabby?" Mossstar's eyes flashed. "I see great power in that one." she meowed. Graystar narrowed his green eyes. "Good or bad?" Mossstar shook her head. "I can't tell as of now." Graystar looked down, his eyes brimming with worry. "I only wonder what the future holds for the clans."
===The End===
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