The rays of the setting sun shone over the grass, coloring it a bright orange. No wind stirred the trees or the plants, settling an ominous and eerie feel onto the shore of the lake, despite the sun's light still shining. The light reflected off the water of the lake and into the eyes of a blue-gray cat, staring down into the reflection. Her ears were pricked, intently listening for noise, but it was completely silent aside from her quiet breathing.

A rustling sounded from the bushes behind her, and a tortoiseshell popped her head out, her amber eyes shadowed with worry and her breathing anxious. Upon spotting the other cat by the lake, she walked out of the undergrowth but came no closer to the blue-gray cat.

"What is it, Spottedleaf?" the blue-gray cat murmured without turning around to look at her. "Have you come to warn me?"

Spottedleaf padded over next to her and looked down into the water as well. "Have you seen them, Bluestar?"

"The signs in the stars? Yes, I have." Bluestar let out a sigh and curled her tail around her paws. "I had thought that the Clans would be able to stay safe in their new homes..."

Spottedleaf ran her tail over Bluestar's flank. "They've proven themselves capable of the trouble they've been facing. They will win the fight with the badgers. That's for certain."

Bluestar's tail-tip twitched irritably. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Well, nothing's for certain, Bluestar," the pretty tortoiseshell replied. "There is still hope."

Bluestar turned her head, meeting the tortoiseshell's gaze. "How can there be hope, Spottedleaf, if StarClan are wrong? The Clans have faith in us." Her eyes lowered. "But we will fail them."

Spottedleaf said nothing but simply followed Bluestar's gaze back into the lake.

"How can we watch everything we've lived for and fought for dissolve into mist?" Bluestar's voice shook. "StarClan's prophecies have guided all of us along the way, keeping peace and stopping evil... But now, is every other prophecy doomed to crumble?" She let out another sigh. "I can see no hope in this bleak future."

"It was never destined to turn out this way," murmured Spottedleaf. "It was never written in the stars..."

Suddenly Bluestar turned on her, her fur bristling. "That doesn't help us now, though, does it?" she spat furiously. "The stars have failed the Clans! We have failed the Clans! Soon there will be destruction, and there is nothing we can do to stop it!"

Spottedleaf dabbed a paw into the water. "The stars are not always right."

"Then what purpose do we live for?" Bluestar hissed. "All true warriors are guided by the light, by the stars and the moon. If we cannot follow the light to our destinies, then what are we to do?" She turned away and gazed at the orange sun dipping below the horizon, shining light along the ground past the lake.

"We can only trust the light with our own instincts... and pray that we follow the right path. Deep down, you know that the Clans cannot rely on the stars for everything. They must use their own judgement and follow their own hearts to see where their destinies truly lie." As Spottedleaf spoke, she circled her paw in the water, swirling it around. Slowly, the image of a light-brown tabby's face faded into surface of the water. "Even if it means making a sacrifice."

Bluestar looked over her shoulder into the water. "Perhaps it is what you told her that caused the destruction of this future, Spottedleaf."

"What I did was already prophesied long ago, Bluestar." Spottedleaf's paws scuffed the ground in frustration, but her tone remained gentle. "It is destiny that one young cat must leave ThunderClan and give up the future that may have once stretched out in front of them."

"One young cat!" Bluestar exclaimed. "So you admit that StarClan were wrong after all?"

The tortoiseshell twitched one ear. "Did I not say that StarClan are not always right?"

"Without the guidance of the light and their code, the Clans are nothing more than rogues." Bluestar lashed her tail. She turned back towards the shimmering sunset. "But if the light gives way..." Her voice trailed off.

For moments the two cats stood there, not moving, not speaking, hardly daring to breathe. Suddenly, the red sun was swallowed by a wave of utter blackness, and the red hue that had shaded the trees and the ground the same bright color was replaced by a thick darkness. The sky was a dark yellow color and provided barely any light, only enough for the two cats to see each other's silhouettes. Bluestar gasped in horror.

"Then the Clans will never be able to overcome the difficult challenges ahead," Spottedleaf finished, closing her eyes. Slowly she padded away into the darkness of the forest, leaving the blue-gray she-cat looking into the water all alone.

For what seemed like forever, the former ThunderClan leader watched the black sun slowly set until it was no longer visible. The sky grew from a dark yellow to a cold black, with the smallest sliver of a crescent moon shining on Bluestar's pelt. Her blue eyes glowed in the darkness, and she lowered her head with a sigh.

"I chose you well, didn't I?" Bluestar murmured, her gaze fixed on the ripples of the water. "Firestar taught you so much. I saw so much potential in you..." Her eyes grew clouded with sadness and regret. "No matter what doubts he and I may have had, you were a loyal warrior through and through. I only wish I could've been a better leader for you when I was still alive. And I am sorry for the mistakes we have made. This was not meant to happen, I promise. You would've made a fine leader for ThunderClan. You had a great destiny in front of you..."

As she stirred the clear water with her front paw, reflecting the blackness of the forest, the image of a dark tabby with amber eyes began to appear in the dim light. The ripples around her paw began to grow in size until they grew until full waves, shattering the image of the tabby's face. The waves turned a crimson red color, and Bluestar backed away slowly. She bowed her head. "ThunderClan, forgive me..." Her voice was soft, barely breaking the silence of the pitch-black forest. "This was not written in the stars..."

Above her, the stars glittered coldly.

...

Brambleclaw was peering out from behind the screen of brambles. "I'm going to help Firestar defend the entrance," he mewed.

Squirrelflight drew her breath in painfully. "Is Firestar still alive?"

"I spotted him a few moments ago," Brambleclaw reassured her. "The battle isn't over yet. I'll see you later." He sped off with a twitch of his tail.

Squirrelflight's heart lurched suddenly as she saw him vanish into the thickest of the fighting. Would they really see each other again? Or was it too late to put right everything that had gone wrong between them?

Unable to bear the thought of losing Brambleclaw now, Squirrelflight ran after him.