Sliced Gems

This is a warriors fanfiction by Sparkflash.

Hedgestar - Silver tom with a white paw

**Deputy**

Leafstem - Large dark gray she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine Cat**

Sorrelbeam - Light ginger she-cat

**Warriors**

Silverbelly - White and black she-cat with a silver belly

Skyfall - White tom with large brown spots

Crowstripe - Black tabby tom

Mossfang - Light ginger and white she-cat - Apprentice: Lightningpaw (Brown tom)

Wishwhisker - Brown tom with blue eyes

Iceclaw - White tom with blue eyes - Apprentice: Dappledpaw (Gray she-cat)

Goldenpelt - Golden she-cat - Apprentice: Rippleclaw (Gray tom)

Rockspeck - Old brown tom

Brightface - Sleek white she-cat

Poolsplash - Gray tom - Apprentice: Mottlepaw (Brown she-cat)

Ryethorn - Ginger tom

Maplefur - Brown she-cat

**Queen(s)**

Songlight - Silver she-cat - kits: Flykit (silver she-cat), Acornkit (Brown tom), Sunnykit (Silver she-cat)

### StormClan

**Leader**

Breezestar - Pale silver she-cat

**Deputy**

Rosescar - Ginger she-cat with many petal shaped scars

**Medicine Cat**

Snowdapple - White and silver dappled she-cat

**Warriors**

Sharpleap - Blue-gray tom

Yarrowtail - Black she-cat with yellow eyes

Strikestep - Silver tom

Shadeshadow - Shadow black tom with blue eyes - Apprentice: Leappaw (White she-cat)

Heatherleaf - Dark gray spotted she-cat

Stoneskip - Gray and white tom - Apprentice: Hoppaw (White and gray tom)

Tumblestone - Gray tom

Drizzlespots - Dark gray and black tom

Fernfeather - Gray she-cat

Blueclaw - Blue-gray tom with green eyes

**Queen(s)**

Owlheart - Light tan she-cat

**Elders**

Browntuft - Gray tom with brown spots

Mousefoot - Small gray she-cat

### ShellClan

**Leader**

Waspstar - Yellow tom

**Deputy**

Houndfur - Brown tom

**Medicine Cat**

Quailleaf - Pale gray she-cat

**Warriors**

Antwhisper - Blood colored tom

Barktooth - Solid brown tom with blue eyes

Flintclaw - Ginger she-cat

Bloomflower - Brown dappled she-cat - Apprentice: Songpaw (Golden she-cat)

Gravelfoot - Gray tom

Beetleeyes - Black tom with dark amber eyes

Hickorypelt - Brown tom

Eelwhisker - Slender black and gray she-cat

Hopheart - Silver she-cat - Apprentice: Barkpaw (Brown tom)

Mistlestem - Ruffled silver and gray she-cat

Primrosepetal - Light golden she-cat - Apprentice: Sedgepaw (Golden she-cat)

Plumleaf - Golden she-cat

**Queens**

Cloudbreeze - White she-cat

Tallear - Brown she-cat

**Elders**

Whitecloud - White tom

### IvyClan

**Leader**

Sandstar - Golden tabby she-cat

**Deputy**

Nightshade - Black she-cat

**Medicine Cat**

Riverstream - Gray tom

**Warriors**

Vixentail - Gray she-cat - Apprentice: Strongpaw (Black tom)

Weaselwhisker - Light brown tom with blue eyes

Thornpelt - Black and white tom

Starlingspring - Black and white spotted she-cat - Apprentice: Wishpaw (White she-cat)

Molefoot - Brown tom

Wildheart - Silver and tan tom

Nectartooth - Golden she-cat

Deertoe - Light gray she-cat

Flaxear - Gray tom with white patches

Paleshade - Gray she-cat with yellow eyes

Bluebellfur - Gray she-cat with blue eyes

Curlytail - White she-cat

**Elders**

Blizzardfire - White tom with orange eyes

Mossystone - Gray she-cat

Pidgeonfeather - Gray she-cat

## Prologue

"Leafstem, they look excellent."

"How are they? Have any of them opened their eyes?"

"No...but they look healthy enough."

Sorrelbeam gave Leafstem the borage she had brought. The sun was just peaking through the tops of the trees a long distance away. Almost everyone was still asleep, except the morning patrol, Leafstem, Sorrelbeam, and Hedgestar.

Ducking out of the den, Sorrelbeam twisted around and bounded over to Hedgestar. "How is everything? I hope your old life is still fine."

Hedgestar smiled wryly down at her, "This life has been used for so long, as you know, however I will go onto the next life when I die for the sixth time."

Sorrelbeam spluttered, "I-just wanted to tell you that StarClan seems to be unsettled. It feels like their going to send a warning anytime now."

Hedgestar frowned, "I've never heard of that before. Are you sure...your mentor Ebonypelt taught you well enough about them...?"

"I'm a medicine cat," Sorrelbeam reminded, not just to Hedgestar but also to herself. "I think I can handle it, I have a special connection to StarClan, I think I know what is correct."

"We must prepare for anything," Hedgestar replied with definite finality, meaning the conversation had ended. Though it seemed to Sorrelbeam like it had just started. "I will make sure that we are ready for what is going to happen."

Sorrelbeam headed away from her leader so that he wouldn't see her worried looked. "Well, I'm going to hunt for herbs, there should be some fresh herbs and such I can gather," she called over her shoulder.

She thought of heading to her favorite place to gather honey. It wasn't that hard, but always gave her some bee stings in the end. So she first went off to find some blackberries and dandelions which would help with the bee stings. They weren't too far away from the many bee hives scattered all over the territory. Soon she gathered enough for herself and at least two other cats, and headed back to get honey.

Sorrelbeam set her herbs down near the hive that had been the easiest to gather honey from. However, there was one other thing that she need to do to prepare. She found some leaves that could carry the honey.

Sorrelbeam circled the nest and saw that only a few bees were zooming here and there. She climbed up the great tree that housed the bee hive and prepared to leap. She hadn't really been taught how to gather honey, her mentor and former medicine cat Ebonypelt had done that. However, she had a general idea of what to do, not a very good one, but one that should satisfy.

Leaping at a part of the hive, Sorrelbeam tackled part of the hive, her claws soaking into the honey and nectar inside. Part of it dropped down from the tree, along with Sorrelbeam and approximately a thousand bees. Sorrelbeam quickly placed the honey in the leaf wraps and grabbed it, along with her other herbs in her jaws. The bees were on her, they tried to sting her, but only a few managed to land a sting on her.

They still hurt, a lot, but Sorrelbeam was able to run away from their swarm and back into the camp. She was panting hard but fine. She headed to her den as a few other cats emerged from their dens.

Sorrelbeam hurriedly placed some her herbs in their respective places, but as she was going to treat herself. An apprentice, Scorchpaw, hurried into her den and exclaimed, "Leafstem and Lightningkit need you! They're coughing a lot and say that you should come!"

Luckily for her clan, Sorrelbeam had just collected what she needed. Rising to her paws, she grabbed a block of fresh honey and charged towards the nursery.

"Leafstem," Sorrelbeam murmured when she was in the nursery, "Are you okay, I have honey that I need you and Lightningkit to eat. It will help your coughs."

Leafstem smiled weakly as she and Lightningkit accepted the honey, "Thanks, I'll be fine soon, and so will my kits. I know they'll one day be great warriors."

*And may StarClan light their paths...*

## Chapter 1

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. Lightningkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lightningpaw. Your mentor will be Mossfang. I hope Mossfang will pass down all she knows on to you." Hedgestar turned around to face Mossfang, a tortoiseshell she-cat. "Mossfang, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Leafstem, and you have shown yourself to be strong and diligent. You will be the mentor of Lightningpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Lightningpaw."

"Lightningpaw! Lightningpaw!" called the AmberClan cats. Lightningpaw sat tall and gazed proudly around him as he walked swiftly to Mossfang, then touched the nose of his new mentor with his own.

Hedgestar repeated the same words to his littermates. Ripplekit, becoming Ripplepaw, was apprenticed to Goldenpelt, a newer warrior. Dappledkit, becoming Dappledpaw, was apprenticed to Iceclaw, Goldenpelt's brother. And finally, Mottlekit, becoming Mottlepaw, was apprenticed to Poolsplash, a senior warrior.

"New apprentices," Hedgestar meowed, "I hope you train well for the sake of this clan, and serve to the last tail tip of your abilities for your clan. Meeting dismissed."

Lightningpaw beamed proudly at his mother, Leafstem, who was also the clan deputy. His siblings were doing the same as their father, Rockspeck, nudged his mate's shoulder lovingly. Rockspeck was a senior warrior, nearly ready to retire, but was genial and supportive.

"I'm proud of you kits," Leafstem meowed lovingly.

"We're not kits anymore," Ripplepaw replied, lifting his head high, "We're apprentices now!"

"You'll always be kits to me," Rockspeck laughed, "Now go and meet your mentors."

Lightningpaw killed the crow fast before it could take off. He saw his mentor give a nod of approval.

"Now get back down here," Mossfang called.

Lightningpaw obeyed. He asked, "Will we hunt more?"

"Catch another piece of prey," Mossfang suggested. She was stern but reasonably supportive, but also let him learn and train at his own pace. He liked that about her, but felt like her face and body language was *too* blank and empty. There was some aura of mystery and power around her that he couldn't keep thinking about.

"Alright," Lightningpaw agreed, trying to push his thoughts about Mossfang away as he burried the crow. He sniffed quietly and felt the sent of a rabbit wash over him. He took a deep breath and followed it.

A few rabbit holes had been dug here, near the edge of the thin forest. Lightningpaw stepped lightly around a bush to see a large, fat rabbit nibbling a few nuts. Lightningpaw went around it so that when he approached, it wouldn't see him. He stepped lightly towards it, then pounced, throwing his paws on it before it could escape and killing it.

"Good work," Mossfang meowed from beside him, "Now get the crow and let's head back."

When they got back, the medicine cat, Sorrelbeam was just prying parts of a plant from a few stones in the camp. Lightningpaw quickly dropped his prey on the freshkill pile and raced to her side.

"It's an omen...with a prophecy," Sorrelbeam announced to the gathering crowd.

"What?" Hedgestar asked roughly, pushing his way through the crowd and resting his cream-colored muzzle a few inches from the plant. "What...what is it?"
"It's a plant's leaf and stem," Sorrelbeam whispered. "Leafstem."

"What's about me?" Leafstem called from the crowd's back.

"I have an omen and prophecy from StarClan," Sorrelbeam told the deputy as she made her way to the center.

"A plant's leaf and stem," Leafstem tilted her head. "And, what's the prophecy?"

Sorrelbeam looked into the distance and murmured, "*Her kits will meet the powers unknown, and the gathered mystery will have its say. Uncover it, and protect the goal, or freedom will be taken from the spirits of the clans*."

Leafstem looked at Lightningpaw, Ripplepaw, Dappledpaw, and Mottlepaw, "My kits?"

"StarClan gave them each a special power at birth," Sorrelbeam returned her gaze to the plant, "Lightningpaw can enter the minds of other cats and control them if the other cats give him permission. Ripplepaw can create and control water. Dappledpaw can know everything there is to know about other cats. And Mottlepaw can find whatever she needs to find."

"So that's why I somehow know what life Hedgestar is on!" Dappledpaw burst out.

"You do?" Hedgestar asked harshly.

"Uh...yes..." Dappledpaw squeaked.

"And that's why I know random thoughts of other cats when they happen!" Lightningpaw meowed.

"And why it rained when I thought of wanting it to rain," Ripplepaw added.

"And why I was easily able to find those strands of comfrey root for Sorrelbeam!" Mottlepaw added.

Hedgestar asked angrily, "Why haven't you told us?"

Sorrelbeam met her leader's angry orange eyes with her own calm yellow ones, "I just found out from StarClan, I'm sure they have a good reason. Trust me, Hedgestar, this isn't the end of the clan."

"If they had such power," Hedgestar exploded, "Then they could easily take over the clan from me, and who knows what they'd do to it!"

## Chapter 2

The cats murmured a few agreements and arguments among themselves.

"They wouldn't!" Leafstem protested.

Hedgestar glowered at her, "Why?"

"I know them," Leafstem persisted, "I can trust them."

"I can't," Hedgestar growled. "And since I'm the leader, my decisions count. I herby ex-"

"If you exile them," Mossfang interrupted. "That wouldn't be entirely right. History has proven that exiles has only lead to grudges and vengeance that hurt the clan badly, many do not heal from those wounds."

"Yes," Leafstem agreed, "Mossfang is right, don't do that, its for the good of the clan."

"Are you questioning me?" Hedgestar roared.

"Don't good leaders listen to their warriors and deputy?" Leafstem parried. "Isn't that what you want to be."

Hedgestar rubbed his face with his white paw, "Very well, I'll listen to you this time." He turned away from the faces of his cats and slipped into his den. Leafstem's face showed extreme annoyance and irritation, "Well, since this conversation is over, I'm assigning patrols. Mossfang, Iceclaw, and Goldenpelt, go on a border patrol. Wishwhisker, Crowstripe, and Brightface, go on another border patrol. Poolsplash, take the apprentices on a hunting patrol."

Lightningpaw bounded towards Poolsplash and his siblings as they headed for the camp entrance.

"Let's go hunting near the Moon Ledges," Mottlepaw suggested.

"Sure," Poolsplash agreed.

Lightningpaw sprinting alongside Dappledpaw to the Moon Ledges. Mottlepaw, Ripplepaw, and Poolsplash trailed behind. Mottlepaw was the first to track down a piece of prey, a squirrel. She missed catching it but Lightningpaw and Ripplepaw managed to surround it and Lightnignpaw caught it.

"Nice," Poolsplash congratulated, "Lets see everyone catch another piece of prey, one for each of you. I'll catch one too."

Lightningpaw slipped past a bush to find a shrew skirting around, trying to find food. Lightningpaw cornered it, then pounced. He missed it and the shrew scuttled away. Ripplepaw caught it and killed it. "Thanks!" Ripplepaw joked, "Excellent skills you have."

"I do have excellent hunting skills," Lightingpaw meowed testily, but gave his brother a small smile. Turning around, he stalked away but spotted his sister Dappledpaw chasing a rabbit. Laughing silently, he stepped a few more fox-lengths and spotted a mouse. He raced near it with swift, silent paw steps, killing it from behind its back. *Thank you StarClan for this prey.*

He found Ripplepaw stuffing his caught shrew in a hole. Lightningpaw quickly dug his as Poolsplash came towards them with a fat hare in his jaws.

"We can hunt a bit more," Poolsplash suggested.

"Sure!" Ripplepaw agreed, sprinting away.

Newleaf was generous in prey, Lightningpaw was extremely thankful. After gathering some moss for Songlight, the queen, and her kits, Flykit, Acornkit, and Sunnykit, he helped play with them. The clan didn't have any elders, though Rockspeck would become one soon. *If I become a warrior before they become apprentices, I might be able to mentor one of them.*

Lightningpaw liked Acornkit the best. He reminded Lightningpaw of his father. Acornkit snuggled close to him and said in a loud whisper, "My sisters are a bit loud sometimes." Acornkit and his siblings were barely two and a half moons old, but they were playful and like kits who were already five moons old.

Dappledpaw nudged her muzzle towards Acornkit and meowed, "Not all sisters are like that, you like them, because their kin."

"I know," Acornkit murmured.

Lightningpaw's first gathering approached quickly. He and his siblings were *extremely* excited.

"Keep your fur down," Iceclaw barked at Dappledpaw. He was a gruff and strong tom but had a softer spot for his sister.

Goldenpelt was a cheerful she-cat with a lot of kindness, though was very intense. Lightningpaw often caught her making faces of extreme bitterness, concentration, or superiority. It made him wary to stand next to her for a few hundred heartbeats.

At the gathering, Lightningpaw and his littermates clustered around the other apprentices. The apprentices from StormClan were also new and each introduced themselves with a lot of tail twitching and large smiles. They were called Leappaw and Hoppaw, which seemed to suit them a lot because they were super jittery.

The apprentices of ShellClan, Songpaw, Barkpaw, and Sedgepaw, were older and had already been to a gathering. While the apprentices of IvyClan, Wishpaw and Strongpaw, were quieter and about two to three moons older than Lightningpaw.

"Do the leaders make announcements about us?" Leappaw asked excitedly.

"If your new," Songpaw told her. "They also tell everyone of new warriors. They did that with Plumleaf and Primrosepetal last gathering."

"Primrosepetal is my mentor," Sedgepaw added, "She's stern but otherwise fine."

Strongpaw flicked his tail and muttered, "Be quiet, gathering is starting."

Hedgestar was padding forward from his perch on one of the Star Spires. "Cats of all Clans!" He called, "I am happy to announce the gathering's beginning. Newleaf is generous to us, prey is well and we have four new apprentices. Lightningpaw, Ripplepaw, Dappledpaw, and Mottledpaw!"

The gathered cats chanted their name. Lightningpaw heard a StormClan warrior, Stoneskip, mutter, "They need it, warriors are never plentiful in AmberClan."

"There is something else I will announce, but I will wait after all the leaders have shared," Hedgestar meowed, turning to Sandstar, "How is IvyClan?"

Sandstar beamed at him and announced, "IvyClan has received equal treatment from New-leaf, StarClan has blessed our hunting grounds and we are well. Waspstar, how is ShellClan?"

Waspstar proclaimed, "ShellClan is flourishing," he flicked his tail to Sandstar, "However we had to fight off some sniffing foxes, it passed through your borders just yesterday, you may want to check."

"IvyClan will check," Sandstar promised.

Breezestar meowed, "And StormClan is well too. No rogues, loners, or anything else. Hedgestar, what is it that you wanted to tell us?"

Hedgestar meowed, "StarClan sent an omen. Sorrelbeam, will you tell them?"

Sorrelbeam told everyone, "A few days ago, StarClan planted an omen in our camp. A plant's stem and one of its leaves. I have interpreted it and it carried an omen."

"A plant's stem and leaf?" Riverstream, another medicine cat, asked, "Leafstem? Is it about her?"

Lightningpaw saw Leafstem bristle slightly, but returned his gaze solely to Sorrelbeam.

"Apparently," Sorrelbeam said, "The omen carried a prophecy: *Her kits will meet the powers unknown, and the gathered mystery will have its say. Uncover it, and protect the goal, or freedom will be taken from the spirits of the clans.*"

Snowdapple asked sharply, "Leafstem's kits will do what...?"

"We are not sure," Hedgestar told her. "We are trying to understand it. But we know that her kits have been blessed by StarClan, and have special powers. We are trying to figure out what the prophecy means."

Now everyone looked at Lightningpaw and his siblings. Lightningpaw thwapped his tail into his eyes in embarrassment but pulled away his tail as Hedgestar continued, "I hope the other clans will help us, StarClan and the prophecy seems to tell us that it involves all the clans."

"*the spirits of the clans*," Sandstar murmured, "Clans, not clan. I suppose you have a point." She stood up and told the gathered cats, "I think Hedgestar and Sorrelbeam have a point. I hope everyone will do as told, my clan certainly will."

"We'll do it," Breezestar called, "StarClan always had good reasons, and even though they are always cryptic, they always want to lead our hearts to peace and prosper."

Waspstar nodded slowly, "Very well then, gathering dismissed."

## Chapter 3

"Where's Mossfang?" Lightningpaw asked Crowstripe, a black tabby warrior whom he had never really spoken to.

Crowstripe shrugged, "I last saw her leading a patrol with Goldenpelt and Iceclaw a few minutes before you came out of your den."

"Poolsplash," Mottlepaw called, "Since my littermates' mentors aren't here, can you teach us more battle moves?"

"Sure..." Poolsplash muttered, blinking sleep from his eyes.

"I wonder why Mossfang went patroling with Goldenpelt and Iceclaw," Dappledpaw huffed, "They should of known that we'd get up sooner or later."

Lightningpaw shrugged but thought of her question. *Dappledpaw is right, they should of known.*

"Lightningpaw, we're here!" Ripplepaw meowed into Lightningpaw's ear. Lightningpaw jumped back and hissed.

"Fine," Lightningpaw mewed, "Ripplepaw and I can show off what we know first."

Poolsplash nodded, "Good idea."

Ripplepaw leapt at Lightningpaw, claws sheathed. Lightningpaw dodged and leapt at Ripplepaw from the side and slamed his paws into his side. Ripplepaw tumbled and Lightningpaw jumped onto him, pinning him with three paws and using his free paw to hit Ripplepaw's soft belly over and over. Ripplepaw heaved Lightningpaw off him and Lightningpaw landed softly on his paws, then pivoted, dodging Ripplepaw's attack. Then as Ripplepaw looked back at him, Lightningpaw pounced on top of him and pinned him with Ripplepaw's face mushed against the ground. Lightningpaw let go after a few heartbeats.

"Good practice," Poolsplash congratulated. "Mottlepaw and Dappledpaw, I want to see you two practice."

Lightingpaw and Ripplepaw twined their tails together as Mottlepaw and Dappledpaw took their place.

Dappledpaw and Mottlepaw ran at each other. Mottlepaw leapt at Dappledpaw but Dappledpaw slid under Mottledpaw, then, still under Mottlepaw, Dappledpaw surged upward, pummeling Mottlepaw's belly and throwing Mottlepaw off her paws. Dappledpaw tried to pin Mottlepaw but Mottlepaw was quicker and leapt to her paws, then tried to leap onto Dappledpaw. She succeeded and pinned Dappledpaw beneath her, then let go.

"That was good too," Poolsplash said kindly. "Now, Lightingpaw your good at dodging and pinning, but you should work on keeping your enemy pinned, you did that the second time but let Ripplepaw catch you off guard the first time. Ripplepaw, you are good at getting out of a bad situation but you should work on dodging and getting in a good spot to win against your enemy. Dappledpaw, you are good at that move you did first, but try pinning practice more. Mottlepaw, good job at throwing your enemy of their paws, try keeping your balance more though."

"Can we practice what you suggested and then teach us a new move?" Ripplepaw asked.

"Of course," Poolsplash nodded.

They did. They had become better fighters at the end.

"Is Mossfang back?" Lightningpaw asked.

Silverbelly, a senior warrior, shook her head. "Nope, not even a bird call. I do hope their safe..."

Leafstem overheard their conversation and came over, "Mossfang, Goldenpelt, and Iceclaw told me there were going on a border patrol. It's possible that they got into trouble. I think I'll send a patrol or two to search for them."

"Please do," Lightingpaw told his mother, "I want to train with my mentor!" He had only started training as an apprentice for two moons, and already he had learned so much, he didn't want it to stop.

"I agree that it would be the best," Leafstem mewed, as she turned around and trotted to Hedgestar.

Silverbelly meowed, "Pray to StarClan that they come home safe."

Leafstem beckoned Silverbelly and Lightningpaw over to her. "Silverbelly, Lightingpaw, go on a search patrol with Dappledpaw and-" She broke off when she saw Songlight's kits hopping towards her, shepherded by Songlight.

Songlight meowed, "Could someone help look out for them? I need to stretch my legs you know."

Leafstem sighed, "Wait a moment. Dappledpaw and Ryethorn will come with you two," she finished to Silverbelly and Lightinginpaw."

"Are they going on a patrol with you?" Sunnykit chirped.

"Yes," Silverbelly agreed, "Now, I need to go with Lightingpaw."

"Why?" Flykit asked.

"Yes, why?" Acornkit echoed.

"We need to patrol the borders, we're trying to find Mossfang, Goldenpelt, and Iceclaw," Silverbelly answered.

"We want to come!" Acornkit announced.

“Your just kits!" Lightningpaw reminded them.

The kits huffed and bounded back to Songlight.

Leafstem went on and called to Skyfall, "Skyfall, take Ripplepaw, and get Wishwhisker and Mottlepaw and patrol about, try to find Goldenpelt, Iceclaw, and Mossfang."

The white tom nodded, "Of course, I'll get them."

Silverbelly and Lightningpaw trotted away to find Dappledpaw and Ryethorn. They were sharing prey with each other, near the freshkill pile.

"We're going to search for our mentors," Lightningpaw told Dappledpaw.

"Leafstem assigned us to search for Mossfang, Goldenpelt, and Iceclaw," Silverbelly explained.

Ryethorn nodded calmly, "Of course, we'll go now." He licked his paw and beckoned to Dappledpaw.

Silverbelly led the patrol, heading to the ShellClan border first. They met a patrol consisting of Primrosepetal, her apprentice Sedgepaw, Hickorypelt and Eelwhisker.

"Some of our clanmates have disappeared," Ryethorn explained.

Eelwhisker widened her eyes, "Really?"

Hickorypelt poked his clanmate, "Don't believe a word!" He snarled.

Silverbelly told the ShellClan patrol, "The cats are Mossfang, Iceclaw, and Goldenpelt. They were mentors of three of our apprentices. We were wondering if your clan saw them."

Sedgepaw blinked at her mentor and mewed, "Umm...I haven't seen anything."

Eelwhisker meowed, "ShellClan promises you that we haven't seen them."

Silverbelly sighed, "Great, thanks though." She flicked to her patrol, "Let's go, we'll search on."

Lightningpaw sighed mentally, he was seriously worried about Mossfang and the others. *Where ARE they?*

There was no sign of the missing clan cats. Even when they crossed the rogue borders and asked all around. None of the kittypets, loners, or rogues (which they would usually need to fight off) knew anything, or had seen anything.

Hedgestar was further in an annoyed state when they reported back, "I wonder if any cat is competent enough," he muttered under his breath.

"I hope Mottlepaw can find where they are," Dappledpaw meowed. "She can find whatever she wants."

Lightningpaw nodded, "Let's wait, let's help Sorrelbeam while we have time."

Dappledpaw made a face, but didn't object.

## Chapter 4

Mottlepaw, and Mottlepaw's patrol, had only found a trace. They found a faint scent of the cats they had been looking for, along with StormClan scent. That was...sort of suspicious.

Now, Lightingpaw and a few other cats, including Mottlepaw, were searching. AGAIN. They were searching near the StormClan border for more traces of the missing cats.

*Arrgh!* Lightningpaw thought, *Why did they have to disappear?*

Skyfall meowed, "I've picked up that scent. I can tell that Goldenpelt and the others weren't hurt by the StormClan cats, there is not blood or anything like that..."

Mottlepaw exclaimed, "Hey look!" She dug around a border and revealed...a secret passage. It was dark, just big enough to fit a normal sized cat, a cat, maybe a bit on the larger side.

Maplefur mewed bossily, "I'll go first, we need a TRAINED warrior to go first."

Crowstripe snorted and rolled his eyes, "Don't be mouse-brained, Maplefur. I can go first, your just a new warrior Maplefur."

Maplefur grunted. She had lost her sister, Shadepaw, because Maplefur hadn't kept a good eye on her. Shadepaw had gone exploring, just before they were going to get their warrior names, and had never appeared again. A rogue, or many rogues, had killed her, but no one knew their identities. Maplefur was still trying to prove herself to be a capable warrior, but she still had Brightface, her other sister, to comfort her, and keep her sane.

Crowstripe squeezed through the narrow gap and Maplefur went immediately after him. Lightningpaw went next and beckoned Mottlepaw to follow him. Skyfall and Wishwhisker brought up the rear.

"This tunnel *so* dark!" Maplefur meowed testily.

Wishwhisker snorted in amusement but meowed, "You'll survive, Maplefur."

Skyfall laughed and Lightningpaw chuckled.

Suddenly, Crowstripe meowed sharply, "I can see something glowing ahead. Also, this passage is getting larger."

Lightningpaw could tell easily. Gradually, his whiskers nor tail could reach both sides of the passage. Crowstripe gave a yelp of alarm as the tunnel led out to a medium-tall ledge, which dunked uninformed creatures into an ice-cold stream. Crowstripe slipped and fell, giving a screech of alarm, then splashed into the water and yelled in shock. "There's a ledge, and a stream!"

Skyfall surged past Lightningpaw and jumped, landing neatly on the other side of the stream, then yanked Crowstripe out.

Maplefur giggled but stopped at a look from Wishwhisker.

"Let's be more careful," Wishwhisker warned, "We've never been here, and I've never heard of...any place like this."

The others jumped to Skyfall's side, but leaped backwards as a cold water soaked Crowstripe shook himself. A few drops landed on Lightningpaw and instantly chilled his fur and flesh.

"Let's get on," Mottlepaw suggested, when Maplefur was drier.

They stepped lightly through the tunnel as it lead farther away from its beginning. Lightningpaw followed closely, listening for any noises.

Abruptly, the path went steep down, down. Skyfall, who was in front, yelped as she tumbled through the tunnel, and dropped down into the cave below. The other cats had no choice but to follow.

The cave glittered with strange light, coming from glowing moss and gemstones. No sooner had they all gotten up to get a good look, then shadows appeared. They revealed themselves as cats, cats of mostly muscular build, but with many sleeker, faster cats mixed in with them. They were heading towards the group.

Lightningpaw gasped as he saw that all their fur was on end, and their whiskers twitching ominously. Something that was nearly the most unsettling about them, was that their eyes had been drained of color, and then been replaced with a piercing golden glow. That was not the worst part, in Lightningpaw's mind. The worst fear that threatened to drag him down, was the unsettling, terrifying, mysterious way they crept forward. They moved in perfect unison, no one flaw of how they moved so perfectly, in complete, horrifying unison.

Crowstripe growled at them, "Who are you?"

None of them made a sound as they crept forward closer, and closer. Lightningpaw huddled next to his sister and the others. The glow coming from the moss and the gems was getting creepier and creepier, like a hundred glowing worms that had been scooped up from the bottom of a cave's dark lake, and plastered all over the cave walls for everyone to see their eeriness.

"We should go!" Skyfall suggested.

"Where? There are not exits except the entrance we came through!" Maplefur asked.

"We must go back the way we came!" Crowstripe decided.

"But, what about these cats?" Mottlepaw asked, waving a tail at one of them.

That was when two of them attacked. They leapt at Mottlepaw and pinned her down. Crowstripe and Lightningpaw joined the fight and managed to unpin Mottlepaw, though one of them, a sleek brown tom, still held on with his teeth.

Lightningpaw hadn't thought to count the number of cats, but he thought that there were about eight. He slashed at the brown tom that was holding onto Mottlepaw, and the tom retaliated by slashing back with one of his hind paws. Lightningpaw shoved into him and they went spiraling away, Lightingpaw on top.

"We need to get out of here!" Maplefur wailed. Lightningpaw caught a glimpse of Maplefur climbing onto Skyfall, and leaping up into the hole.

The tom he was fighting raked his nose with his claws, and Lightningpaw refocused his attention on his opponent. He slashed at his opponent's belly and kicked with his back paws.

The other cats attacked him at this moment. Lightningpaw faced with another cat and had to fight both of them. However, he managed to grasp that Mottlepaw was managing herself well, so was Crowstripe. Maplefur was pulling Skyfall up the tunnel as a large black she-cat tried to clamber up Skyfall's back legs.

Lightningpaw hissed menacingly at the two cats facing him, then ran to Skyfall's side and dug his claws into the black she-cat's back. She let go and Skyfall was able to join Maplefur. The two other cats faced him, along with the black she-cat. Crowstripe and Mottlepaw joined him with their opponents.

Between swipes, Lightningpaw saw that three of the cats weren't fighting them, one had disappeared while the other two other cats were lying on the ground.

"Are they dead?" Lightningpaw asked.

"Uh...yes," Mottlepaw meowed, abashed, "Me and Crowstripe got them."

"Oh," Lightningpaw answered.

## Chapter 5

The sun had not yet set when another patrol came hurtling back to camp. They looked almost as if they had more wounds covering their body as they had fur. Silverbelly, the leader of the patrol, had a large gash along her side, with blood oozing out as dark as the darkest of storm clouds. It took a few more seconds for anyone to realize that someone was missing.

"Brightface..." Ryethorn gasped. He couldn't finish his sentence.

Maplefur threw herself on top of him, "Where is she?" she growled. She looked as insane as Lightningpaw had ever seen her, back when he was a tiny kit, and Shadepaw had died. He could tell what she was feeling. One more cat she loved, was gone.

"We...don't know if she was killed," pointed out Rockspeck, another cat on the patrol, between gasps. "They chased us. We ran. We heard them chasing us back here, but when we finally looked back, they...were gone. And so was...Brightface."

Lightningpaw and his siblings quickly ran to their father's side. Leafstem did too, while Sorrelbeam and Wishwhisker tried prying Maplefur off Ryethorn, so Sorrelbeam could check his wounds.

"Who attacked you?" Hedgestar asked at last.

"Rogues, we think," Ryethorn said. "But they looked all shimmery and stuff. Not like StarClan, but kind of, but eerier. And their eyes, were gold."

Lightningpaw's fur stuck straight up. "Golden eyes?" He glanced at Mottlepaw. "I think we saw them, back when we patrolled."

"What!" Hedgestar whipped to face him. "Really?"

Skyfall nodded, "I think the descriptions match."

"We should find them," Hedgestar murmured, he turned back to the patrol, "Where exactly did you find them?"

"They found us," Silverbelly corrected, "And it was, sort of near the StormClan border."

Crowstripe jumped up from his perch on a large root. "Then they WERE the same cats we fought!"

Hedgestar paced around the camp, "I need to think," he growled. He beckoned Leafstem, "We need to talk." He turned to Sorrelbeam, "Join us when you can."

"Yes, Hedgestar," Sorrelbeam agreed.

That night seemed endless as Lightningpaw writhed around in his nest. Maplefur was making incessant growls and hisses that made it hard to relax. Lightningpaw wished that Maplefur could of been dragged to the medicine cat den, so she wouldn't bother anyone, well, except perhaps Sorrelbeam, and her patients, the cats on the patrol who had been attacked.

As Lightningpaw's thoughts rounded back to Maplefur for the trillionth time, a rainstorm kicked up, making it even harder to sleep, though it did drown out Maplefur's noises a bit.

A branch snapped outside. Lightningpaw's ears pricked, who was it? Another branch snapped. Lightningpaw got up and edged himself towards the den entrance, making sure not to startle anyone. Maplefur had finally fallen asleep and wasn't snorting anymore, though she writhed around in her nest.

Lightningpaw peered out of the den entrance. He saw the guard, Wishwhisker, stand up and move a few branches away. Then, two cats appeared, bedraggled and torn-looking. Lightningpaw watched as Wishwhisker sniffed them, then start talking. Lightningpaw could just make out one of them, Mossfang! His mentor! The other one was Brightface!

After Wishwhisker delivered the news to everyone, a few cats, including Lightningpaw and Ripplepaw, stayed up to help around. Lightningpaw stayed near Mossfang and Brightface, wanting to know what had happened.

"Our patrol was attacked and chased by some foxes," Mossfang explained. "Goldenpelt telled us to run, so we did. I ran, but I then when I looked back, Goldenpelt and Iceclaw wern't there. I was chased out of our territory, and then some rogues found me, chased and fought me some more, and then I ended up quite a long way from here. I found some helpful loners who were willing to help me. I was so torn up...well, at least I'm slightly better now."

"I'll have to see about that," Sorrelbeam interjected.

"Anyway," Mossfang continued, "I lived with them for a while. Yesterday, I decided that I needed to go home. StarClan sent me a dream. So I started back, asking for directions from loners and kittypets. I met some shadowy rogues a while ago, they had Brightface. They left her with a guard. I knew I had to help Brightface, so when the others went away, I attacked the rogue and we escaped. The others chased us, but we managed to escape and find our way back here."

"What happened to you?" Hedgestar asked Brightface.

"So some rogues attack us right?" Brightface answered, "Two of them led me to fight in another place, cut-off and away, then chased me a good distance away from our territory. I was then surrounded. The leader of the rogues then said, 'Bring her to them, and we'll get our reward'. I have no idea what it was, but anyway, they brought me to a clearing. All of them but one left. And that's when Mossfang rescued me."

"Oh," meowed Hedgestar, turning to Mossfang. "How did you do it?"

"I distracted them a bit while Brightface ran. Luckily some dogs arrived and chased everyone away. I escaped after that," Mossfang explained.

Sorrelbeam then hustled Brightface and Mossfang away, "I need to treat their injuries now," she muttered.

Lightningpaw sighed and looked out into the distance. Then, he saw it, the flicker, the wink of a star. He wondered what it ment, but whatever it ment, it seemed like a good sign.

## Epilogue

"They're here!" Mottlepaw yowled. She used her claws and dug a bit further through the rocks and dirt.

"Careful, it might collapse," warned Poolsplash. He lumbered forward to help his apprentice.

"Where are the rogues?" asked Lightningpaw, moving around to get a better look.

Hedgestar answered, "We found them. I managed to convince the other clan leaders to help out. We surprise attacked them and chased them away. Apparently there were fewer cats than we expected."

"Why did they have those creepy eyes?" Lightningpaw asked.

"We have no idea," admitted Hedgestar. "But what we did find out was that their leader died in another battle, and so they were in chaos. That helped us win."

"But-" started Ripplepaw.

Leafstem cut him off, "That's as question for another day, and that day may not come, and it may not need to."

Dappledpaw shrugged and nudged Ripplepaw. "Just be proud that you helped find them."

Ripplepaw had helped Mottlepaw move a large branch that had block the prison containing the captured cats to the rest of the world.

"Got it!" Mottlepaw meowed loudly, proudly moving a rock. A familiar face popped out, Iceclaw. He looked pale and weary, but when he saw Mottlepaw, his face lit up.

"Mottlepaw!" he meowed.

"Iceclaw!" Mottlepaw said in return. "How are the others?"

Iceclaw winced, "Um...not all of them survived. Goldenpelt...got killed. She tried to rebel..."

"But is she in StarClan?" Dappledpaw asked, vying for a position.

"Maybe," Iceclaw answered, looking distressed.

"We'll see if Sorrelbeam can find them," Ripplepaw meowed confidently. He looked around at all the others, and the others gave him weak smiles, trying not to disappoint him. Ripplepaw huffed, annoyed but Lightningpaw nudged him and he quickly rearranged his expression.

Hedgestar cleared his throat importantly and everyone looked up. He rubbed a paw to an eye and announced, "Let's try to finish this quickly. We need our rest." He was right, as it was just past sundown and everyone was starting to yawn. The diggers helped everyone out and some of them organized themselves to escort everyone back to camp, helping the injured move along.

"Hey," Ripplepaw whispered to Lightningpaw, "When do you think our warriors assessment will be?"

Mottlepaw butted in with a knowing look in her eye, "I think just this was the end of it," she murmured.

Leafstem brushed against her kits and teased, "I think I'll have a few suggestions to make to Hedgestar."

"Oh really?" Ripplepaw asked, growing excited.

"I think Ripplepounce would work well for you," Leafstem mused. She turned to Dappledpaw, Mottlepaw, and Lightningpaw, "And Dappledflower, Mottlesight, and Lightningstorm."

"Ooh! Will Hedgestar actually use them?" Dappledpaw asked, her eyes shining.

"Perhaps," Leafstem meowed, lifting her head to scan the darkening skies, "Perhaps he will."