Gosh, here we are! The beginning of book five of Blue Moon! I'm so excited to start work on Falling Shadows and share it with you all. I owe you all so much for your constant support; without your reviews I would probably have given up on Blue Moon a long time ago, so thank you all so much! I truly don't deserve such amazing readers. Thank you all for 650 reviews too! That's incredible!

I'll keep the Author's note short, as usual! This Prologue isn't as long as a usual chapter, but I hope you'll still all enjoy it. ^^

Oh, and you may notice that I have now started capitalising 'Divisions'. xD I don't know why I didn't capitalise it in the first place to be honest. But yeah, that'll be capitalised from now on.

Disclaimer - I do not own Warriors.

~ Guest Review Replies ~

Molly ~ Ah, I'm glad it was as intense as intended. ^^ Seedflight went to go and find her mother, Sorreltail. Having only just lost her dad, she was terrified of losing her mum too. She planned to find her and then escape together, but obviously the Divisions had the clans surrounded before she could get out. Yeah, the Divisions were hit by the earthquake too, but they've experienced earthquakes back in the town, so they knew the drill really. They only had a few injuries here and there. Besides, they no longer stay in the old twoleg nest, they just sleep in a clearing, so, unlike ThunderClan and SkyClan, there were no cliffs or stone walls to fall on them. ^^ Thank you for the review!

Brian ~ Haha, yeah, Blue Shadows might have been a more fitting name in the last chapter. xD Interesting predictions! ;) Ah, I hope you had a great birthday!

This Is Sarcasm ~ -pats consolingly-

plasmablast ~ Poor Moley indeed. :( Thanks!

Snorby ~ Aw, Brackenfur was one of my favourite canon character too. He was so sweet. Ah, yeah, there may be some more heartbreak, you're right there. ^^' Thank you very much!

Right, on with the allegiances and prologue! You may notice that the allegiances has been updated with all of the eye colours (for all of the clan cats at least!). Some of the eye colours were never mentioned in canon, so I've just made up my own mind on what I think they would be. xD ThunderClan and WindClan are still listed as they've always been, even though their rankings and everything have basically been ignored and stuff by the Divisions. Cats in italics are cats that are in the tunnels.


Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader Bramblestar – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy Lionblaze – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Flamepaw (in the tunnels)

Medicine Cat Leafpool – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits)

Sorreltail – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Squirrelflight - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Whitewing – white she-cat with green eyes

Birchfall – light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Berrynose – cream-coloured tom with amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Mousewhisker – grey-and-white tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Finchpaw

Poppyfrost – tortoiseshell she-cat with bright blue eyes

Cinderheart – grey tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Foxleap – reddish tabby tom with amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Toadstep – black-and-white tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Nettlepaw (co-mentored, in the tunnels)

Blossomfall – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Bumblestripe – very pale grey tom with black stripes and blue eyes (in the tunnels)

Cherryflower – ginger she-cat with amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Lilystream – dark brown tabby she-cat with white patches and amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Ambersky – pale grey she-cat with white patches and amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Snowfall – small, white tom with amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Apprentice, Nettlepaw (co-mentored, in the tunnels)

Pebblefall – golden tabby tom with leaf-green eyes (in the tunnels)

Puddlefrost – very pale grey tom with amber eyes

Honeyflower – golden brown tabby she-cat with bright green eyes

Stormgazer – very dark grey tom with bright blue eyes

Mossfire – long-furred tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Redfox - dark fox-red tom with amber eyes (in the tunnels)

Lakesplash - pale ginger tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes (in the tunnels)

Apprentices (more than six moons, in training to become warriors)

Nettlepaw – mottled pale grey tom with green eyes (in the tunnels, co-mentored)

Finchpaw – dark brown-and-white tabby tom with golden amber eyes

Flamepaw – very bright ginger she-cat with bright green eyes (in the tunnels)

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Dovewing – pale grey she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Bumblestripe's kits; Featherkit (silver tabby she-kit with a white underbelly and bright green eyes), Stonekit (dark grey tabby tom with pale blue eyes, in the tunnels) and Silverkit (silver-and-white tabby she-kit with bright blue eyes, in the tunnels)

Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes, caring for Icecloud's kits; Oakkit (light brown tabby tom with white markings and amber eyes), Tricklekit (pale grey-and-white she-kit with ginger paws and leaf green eyes) and Splashkit (small white she-kit with a splash of grey on her side and bright blue eyes), also nursing Toadstep's kits; Puffinkit (black tom with white paws and tail-tip and bright golden-amber eyes), Ravenkit (black and white she-kit with one blue eye and one green eye) and Swallowkit (pale grey tabby she-kit with white patches and pale amber eyes),

Orangeflight – orange tabby she-cat with white markings and green eyes, mother to Mousewhisker's kits; Russetkit (thick-furred russet-coloured tom with amber eyes), Maplekit (pale orange-and-white tabby she-kit with green eyes) and Pigeonkit (fluffy grey-and-white tom with amber eyes)

Seedflight – very pale ginger she-cat with green eyes, expecting Snowfall's kits

Rosepetal – dark cream she-cat with amber eyes, expecting Foxleap's kits

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Greystripe – long-haired grey tom with yellow eyes

Brightheart – white she-cat with ginger patches and a blue eye

Cloudtail – long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Millie – striped grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes


ShadowClan

Leader Crowstar - black-and-white tom with amber eyes

Deputy Toadfoot – dark brown tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat Berrywhisker – mottled grey she-cat with green eyes

Warriors Owlclaw – light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Shrewfoot – grey she-cat with black feet with bright golden-orange eyes

Scorchfur – dark grey tom with amber eyes

Olivenose – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Tigerheart – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Dawnpelt – cream-furred she-cat with amber eyes

Ferretclaw – cream-and-grey tom with amber eyes

Starlingwing – ginger tom with green eyes

Ravenclaw – black-and-white tom with amber eyes, crippled fore right leg

Thornstrike – pale brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Mottlepelt - mottled dark grey tom with bright blue eyes

Nightfrost - very dark grey she-cat with pale green eyes and a white muzzle

Queens Kinkfur – tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles and pale green eyes, mother to Rowankit (pale ginger she-kit with green eyes) and Jaykit (brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes)

Applefur – mottled brown she-cat with green eyes mother to Starlingwing's kits; Dustkit (mottled light brown she-kit with blue eyes) and Sparrowkit (tortoiseshell-and-white she-kit with golden-amber eyes)

Elders Littlecloud – very small tabby tom with light blue eyes, former medicine cat

Smokefoot – black tom with blue eyes

Snaketail – dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail and green eyes


WindClan

Leader Onestar – brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy Sedgewhisker – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Medicine Cat Kestrelflight – mottled grey tom with small white blotches and blue eyes

Apprentice Larkstep (dark grey she-cat with pale amber eyes)

Warriors Crowfeather – dark grey tom with blue eyes

Owlwhisker – light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Weaselfur – ginger tom with white paws and pale green eyes

Leaftail – dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Littlepaw (small grey she-cat with green eyes)

Emberfoot – grey tom with two dark paws and yellow eyes

Heathertail – light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Harespring – brown-and-white tom with yellow-green eyes

Swallowtail – dark grey she-cat with pale amber eyes

Furzepelt – grey-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Boulderfur – large, pale grey tom with bright blue eyes

Crouchfoot – black tom with yellow-green eyes

Tinystep – very pale grey she-cat with amber eyes

Quickbird – dark brown she-cat with yellow eyes

Hawkclaw – large, dark brown tom with green eyes

Rabbitfoot – pale brown she-cat with white paws and golden-amber eyes

Adderfoot - pale brown tom with darker paws and tail-tip with blue eyes

Falconwing - pale brown-and-white tabby she-cat with yellow-amber eyes

Eaglefeather - dark reddish tabby tom with green eyes

Swiftpounce - golden brown tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

Wildsky - silver tabby tom with bright blue eyes

Queens Sunstrike – tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead and amber eyes, mother to Boulderfur's kit, Fawnkit (dusty brown she-cat with paler dapples and light blue eyes)

Gorsetail – very pale grey-and-white tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Owlwhisker's kits, Acornkit (dark brindled tortoiseshell she-kit with a white underbelly and golden-amber eyes) and Batkit (large dark grey tom with a white underbelly and chest and blue eyes)


RiverClan

Leader Hollowstar - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy Mossyfoot – brown-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat Mothwing – dappled golden she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentice, Willowshine (grey tabby she-cat with green eyes)

Warriors Mintfur – light grey tabby tom with pale green eyes

Duskfur – brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Pebblefoot – mottled grey tom with blue eyes

Minnowtail – dark grey she-cat with white patches and amber eyes

Apprentice, Greypaw (grey she-cat with very pale tabby markings and amber eyes)

Robinwing – tortoiseshell-and-white tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Darkpaw (dappled dark grey tom with green eyes)

Troutstream – pale grey tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Rushtail – light brown tabby tom with short legs and pale green eyes

Heronbeak – brown tabby tom with green eyes

Cloudysky – grey-and-white she-cat with blue eyes, blind in her left eye

Goldenlight – very pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Rapidstream – pale brown-and-white tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Bluepaw (smoky-grey tom with blue-green eyes)

Rainsplash – dark grey she-cat with blue-green eyes

Apprentice, Splashpaw (black-and-white she-cat with blue eyes)

Sandytail – wiry, very pale ginger tom with green eyes

Swanflight – white she-cat with blue eyes

Morningsky - very pale grey tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentice, Rushingpaw (mottled brown-and-white tom with yellow-green eyes)

Shadewing - very dark grey she-cat with amber eyes

Ducktail - dark grey-and-white tabby tom with green eyes

Pikefang - black-and-silver tabby tom

Queens Littlestream – tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes, mother to Heronbeak's kits, Leopardkit (dappled tortoiseshell she-kit with amber eyes), Ryekit (pale brown tom with green eyes) and Applekit (mottled ginger she-kit with amber eyes)

Icewing – white she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Pebblefoot's kits: Galekit (grey-and-white spotted tabby she-kit with green eyes), Sleetkit (pale grey tabby she-kit with white patches and blue eyes) and Ashkit (pale grey tom with white chest, belly and legs and blue-green eyes)


SkyClan

Leader Rabbitstar - very pale brown tom with amber eyes

Deputy Bouncefire – ginger tom with orange-amber eyes

Apprentice, Wolfpaw (dark grey tom with black paws and amber eyes)

Medicine Cat Frecklewish – mottled light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs and amber eyes

Apprentice, Brackenstep (light brown tabby tom with amber eyes)

Warriors Shrewtooth – skinny black tom with pale green eyes

Ebonyclaw – striking, black she-cat with amber eyes, former daylight warrior

Harveymoon – white tom with yellow eyes, former daylight warrior

Rockshade – long-haired black tom with bright orange-amber eyes

Sagewhisker – pale grey tabby tom with green eyes

Creekfeather – grey tabby tom with green eyes

Nettlesplash – pale brown tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Wildpaw (dark ginger-and-white tom with blue eyes)

Plumwillow – dark grey she-cat with green eyes

Sandypelt – light ginger-and-white tom with bright green eyes

Firesong – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Larkpaw (pale grey she-cat with black points and amber eyes)

Robinsong – golden brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (in the tunnels)

Flintclaw – dark grey-and-ginger tom with amber eyes

Greywhisper – very dark grey she-cat with golden-amber eyes

Sparrowfoot – black tom with one white paw and amber eyes

Apprentice, Frostpaw (small white tom with blue eyes)

Cloudfoot – brown tabby tom with white paws and amber eyes

Berrystep – pale brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Brightwing – ginger-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Dewclaw – dark grey tom with amber eyes, formerly of ThunderClan

Whitefern – white she-cat with green eyes

Mouseleap – small, pale brown she-cat with yellow-amber eyes

Aspenlight – golden brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Sootfeather – small dark grey tom with bright blue eyes

Queens Tinycloud – small white she-cat with amber eyes

Stormwhisker – grey-and-ginger she-cat with amber eyes, mother to Sparrowfoot's kits: Wrenkit (tortoiseshell she-kit with yellow eyes) and Beekit (pale ginger she-kit with thick, darker stripes and amber eyes)

Redflower – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with green eyes, mother to Dewclaw's kits: Starlingkit (dark grey dappled she-kit with paler paws and tail-tip and amber eyes), Sharpkit (long-haired dark reddish ginger tom with tufted ears and amber eyes), Thrushkit (sandy ginger-and-white tom with green eyes) and Turtlekit (white she-kit with a large tortoiseshell mark on her back and amber eyes)

Honeysplash – light golden she-cat with amber eyes, mother to Nettlesplash's kits: Lionkit (dappled golden she-kit with blue eyes), Briarkit (brown-and-white she-kit with green eyes) and Owlkit (pale brown tabby tom with amber eyes)

Elders Fallowfern - pale brown she-cat with amber eyes

Echosong – silver tabby she-cat with green eyes


The Divisions

The Guardian - dark grey tabby tom with one blue eye and one amber eye and a battle scarred pelt

Bodyguards Ray – large white tom with yellow eyes

Cleo – black she-cat with amber eyes and white tail-tip

Raven – dark grey tom with white patches and blue eyes

The Watchers

Chief Watcher Drake – scarred reddish tabby tom with green eyes

Senior Watchers Phoenix – bright ginger tom with half an ear missing

Loki – small white tom with amber eyes

Shadow – very dark grey she-cat with green eyes

Misty – dappled grey she-cat with blue eyes

Trigger – dark brown tom with a paler underbelly

Flint – grey tabby tom with white paws and amber eyes

Coco – dark brown she-cat

Leo – golden tabby tom with a white chest

Night – black tom with a white mark on his face and blue eyes

Watchers Kiara – pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Jake – black tom with white paws

Titch – light ginger tom with white paws and amber eyes

Lark – pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Soot – dark grey tabby she-cat with green eyes, former Healer

Layla – brown-and-white tabby she-cat

Brook – light ginger she-cat with green eyes

Bella – black-and-white she-cat

Frost – small white she-cat with blue eyes

Rain – dappled pale grey she-cat

Willow – smoky grey she-cat with blue eyes, formerly of the horseplace

Poppy – pale grey she-cat, formerly of the horseplace

Stripe – striped dark grey tom, formerly of the horseplace

Spots – spotted silver tabby she-cat, formerly of the horseplace

Apple – dark grey-and-white she-cat, formerly of the horseplace

Nutmeg – pale brown she-cat, formerly of the horseplace

Oak – pale grey tabby tom, formerly of the horseplace

Chloe – grey-and-white tabby she-cat

Shade – black tom with a white underbelly and paws

Storm – pale brown tabby tom

Sky – dark grey she-cat with blue eyes

Jack – small black-and-white tom

Sydney – very dark grey tom with amber eyes

Initiates Luna - white she-cat with blue eyes

Lucas - golden tabby tom with green eyes

Ginny - dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Gull - very dark grey-and-white tom with bright blue eyes, formerly of WindClan

The Fighters

Chief Fighter Oscar – golden brown tabby tom with white patches

Senior Fighters Ebony – black tom with green eyes

Tangle – long-haired pale brown tom

Jess – dappled brown-and-white tabby she-cat

Talon – white tom with blue eyes

Shayla – dappled brown she-cat

Connor – black-and-white tom

Blade – pale ginger-and-white tom

Cam – golden tabby tom

Rusty – reddish tabby tom

Scar – battle-scarred grey tom

Fighters Mocha – lithe brown she-cat

Snake – dark brown tom with mottled white paws

Ripple – silver tabby she-cat with white patches

Rio – blue-grey tom with blue eyes

Gus – golden brown tom

Drew – pale grey tom

Mouse – small brown tabby she-cat

Hazel – slender light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Tommo – dark brown tom with white patches

Snowy – white she-cat

Luna – silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Hailey – mottled grey she-cat

Honey – small ginger she-cat

Summer – grey-and-white she-cat

Benji – brown-and-cream tom

Mitri – black-and-white tom

Toby – dark grey tom with white patches

Shimmer - grey-and-white tabby she-cat

Ginger – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Rufus – bright ginger tom

Topaz – pale grey tom with darker points

Charlie – ginger tom

Initiates Grey – long-haired grey tom

Cara – brown tabby she-cat

Smog – smoky grey tom

Clover - grey she-cat with amber eyes

Arrow - dark brown tom

Chester - orange-and-white tabby tom

Draco - black-and-white tom with green eyes

Zola - golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

The Hunters

Chief Hunter Flame – pale ginger-and-white tom

Senior Hunters Dusk – golden she-cat with white patches

Inky – very dark grey she-cat

Tobias – broad-shouldered grey tabby tom

Sapphire – dark cream she-cat

Echo – pale grey she-cat

Jasper – golden brown-and-white tabby tom

Rose – black she-cat with blue eyes

Bailey – black tom with white paws

Ellie – dark brown she-cat

Sandy – ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Snowdrop – slender white she-cat

Lily – grey-and-white she-cat

Hunters Ember – mottled dark grey tom

Amber – pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Finn – grey-and-white tom

Flicka – black she-cat

Ivy – cream-and-white she-cat

Piper – dark brown tabby tom

Brynn - very pale grey tabby tom

Cloudy – white she-cat with blue eyes

Breeze – golden brown tom with green eyes

Rocky – grey tabby tom with paler dapples

Egg – cream tom

Mia – silver tabby she-cat

Scarlet – dark ginger she-cat

Haze – dappled silver tabby she-cat

Jasmine – lithe pale brown she-cat

Dew – white tom with black patches

Silver – dark grey tabby tom

Cinders – grey she-cat with darker grey patches

Timber – dark brown-and-white tom

Crow – black tom with white paws, underbelly and tail-tip

Sam – white tom with dark brown patches

Hail – mottled grey tom

Silky – long-haired tortoiseshell she-cat

Blue – grey tabby tom with blue eyes

Freya – dappled tortoiseshell she-cat

Danny – golden tabby tom

Shrew – pale brown tom

Russet – very dark ginger tom

Initiates Wolf – grey tom

Thistle - fluffy brown tom with hazel eyes

Pine - dark ginger tom

Cia - pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Hamish - smoky grey tom with amber eyes

The Healers

Chief Healer Kaya - silver tabby she-cat with pale amber eyes

Senior Healers Slate – dark grey tom with white paws

Fire – bright ginger tom

Blossom – pale brown she-cat

Ruby – tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Harley – black tom

Jade – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Healers Alfie – black tom with amber eyes

Winter – white tom with dark grey patches

Ice – white tom with blue eyes

Tommy – pale grey tom

Petal – dappled tortoiseshell she-cat

Moon – pale grey tom with darker stripes

Owl – dark brown tabby tom

Tilly – golden brown tabby she-cat

Autumn – golden brown she-cat

Milo – black tom

Maverick – very dark grey tabby tom

Lottie – tortoiseshell she-cat

Initiates Duncan – brown-and-white tom

Splash – dark grey she-cat with white mottles

Holly - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Cass - black-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Rae - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Breeding Stock

Nursing Queens Pip – small brown she-cat of the Hunters, mother to Flame's kits, Jahla (tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes), Faye (spotted tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with green eyes) and Pepper (spotted dark brown tom with green eyes)

Fizzy - dark ginger she-cat of the Hunters, mother to Fire's kits; Maroon (dark red tabby tom with hazel eyes)

Molly – black she-cat of the Fighters, nursing Connor's kits: (black tom) and Rowan (black-and-white she-kit)

Snowy - very pale grey she-cat of the Healers, mother to Silver's (dark grey tabby tom) kits: Aelin (grey tabby she-cat), Dorian (pale grey tom) and Spiky (long-haired pale grey tabby she-cat)

Tris – pale brown tabby she-cat of the Hunters, nursing Tobias' (grey tabby tom) kits: Feyre (pale tortoiseshell she-kit) and Aaron (light brown tabby tom)

Expecting Queens Moth – dappled brown she-cat of the Hunters, expecting Scar's kits

Juniper – pale grey she-cat with green eyes of the Watchers, expecting Night's kits

Vixen – reddish ginger she-cat of the Healers, expecting Jasper's kits

Dusty – dusty brown she-cat with amber eyes of the Fighters, expecting Phoenix's kits

Della – dappled grey she-cat of the Hunters, expecting Oscar's kits


The Tunnel Cats

Sniff – dark ginger tom with green eyes and white paws

Coal – dark grey she-cat with amber eyes

Red – reddish dark ginger tom, formerly of the horseplace

Dart – black-and-silver tabby tom with ice-blue eyes

Blaze – pale ginger tom with amber eyes

Ambersky – pale grey she-cat with white patches and amber eyes

Pebblefall – golden tabby tom with leaf-green eyes

Berrynose – cream-coloured tom with amber eyes

Foxleap – reddish tabby tom with amber eyes

Blossomfall – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Bumblestripe – very pale grey tom with black stripes and blue eyes

Cherryflower – ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Lilystream – dark brown tabby she-cat with white patches and amber eyes

Snowfall – small, white tom with amber eyes

Mossfire – long-furred tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Redfox - dark fox-red tom with amber eyes

Lakesplash - pale ginger tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes

Nettlepaw – mottled pale grey tom with green eyes

Flamepaw – very bright ginger she-cat with bright green eyes

Robinsong – golden brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Silverkit - silver-and-white tabby she-kit with bright blue eyes

Stonekit - dark grey tabby tom with pale blue eyes


The cave was smaller than what he was used to, not at all like the comfortable den he had called home back in the town. But the Guardian could hardly complain, not after today. Because today his cats had seized control of ThunderClan, the pocket of resistance that had seemed untouchable for so long.

It had been surprisingly easy, he mused as he made himself comfortable within the former Clan leader's nest (made up of moss and feathers, typical forest cat). The earthquake had weakened the Clan and his cats had struck immediately. It was fortunate that the Divisions had experienced earthquakes before, back when they had resided in the town. They all knew exactly how to respond in the wake of such an event and, as a result, the casualties had been minimised.

The battle had been fairly clean too, thanks to the noble Clan warriors and their soft-hearted combat techniques. He had only lost four of his cats, a price he was perfectly willing to pay if it meant victory for the Divisions.

And now, ThunderClan had been dissolved. Tomorrow morning, once his cats were well-rested, he would lay out the new laws. The Clan leader had already been forced to give over his power, an act that had been swiftly carried out when the Guardian had threatened the life of his mate. Yes, it had all been surprisingly easy. Almost too easy.

Ah well; do I not deserve a bit of ease for once?

His eyes glided across the cave to the mouth, where pale moonlight washed in, coating his pelt in silver. There was a slight chill in the damp air, sending shivers down his spine. The cold season was fast approaching, a time of year he made no effort to hide his disgust for. Back in the town, it stole away most of the prey from the alleys and streets. Any prey that they did catch was scrawny and mostly bone.

But perhaps in the forest… Perhaps in the forest it would be different?

"My Guardian."

The Guardian started, eyes snapping wide open. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't detected the new scent that the wind carried. Drake stood in the cave mouth, his figure outlined in rimy moonlight. He bowed his head ever so slightly, eyes narrowing.

The tension seeped from the Guardian's limbs upon recognising the Chief Watcher and he sunk a little deeper into the nest. Of course, he had nearly forgotten. He had called a meeting with some of his most senior cats tonight; their reports were due.

Drawing himself up taller, the Guardian inclined for him to enter. "Drake, I'm pleased that you received my invite." The words rolled easily from his tongue, smooth and silky as honey.

Drake obliged, slinking soundlessly into the den and shedding his coat of moonlight in exchange for dripping shadows. As he seated himself, he cast an analytical glance over the cave. "Did they really not have a better den?" He gave a disdainful snort. "I'd hardly call it fit for a leader."

The Guardian's gaze flicked to the stocky tom. Drake's glossy reddish tabby pelt had already been adorned in a variety of scars, but he carried several new additions from today. The Chief Watcher wore them with pride, his eyes lit by that familiar gleam of satisfaction that followed the adrenaline of battle.

"I agree," he murmured eventually. "But it will do for now, until we have finished rebuilding the camp and we can start expanding." His attention drifted back to the cave mouth, eyes scouring the darkness for a flicker of movement. "Where are the others?"

Drake's pupils narrowed a little, following the Guardian's gaze. "They should be along soon. I passed Kaya earlier, she was very busy tending to the injured."

The dark grey tabby tom nodded curtly, but a frown had started to creep across his features. "Busy?" he pressed. "I think that she should get her priorities in order; the Healers can cope without her, this meeting is far more important.." They'd better not keep me waiting. I was rather looking forward to getting some sleep. It's been a long day. He curled his tail around his paws, impatience sparking within him.

Drake cleared his throat, sitting a little taller. "We could start without them if you wish, I-"

"No," he replied sharply. "I want all of the Divisions' Chiefs to be present."

The reddish tabby tom gave a terse nod. "Of course, my Guardian."

After casting his scrutinizing gaze over the Chief Watcher for a moment longer, the Guardian turned his attention back to the cave entrance.

His impatience was beginning to fray by the time three figures finally darkened the entrance way. A growl rumbling in his throat, he let a snarl slip into the night air. "It's about time you turned up. Did you think that you could just arrive at your own leisure? I clearly said to be here at moon-high."

The three cats wilted beneath his fiery stare, muttering a collective, "Sorry, my Guardian."

Giving a lash of his tail, he waited for them to settle. The first figure was a golden brown tabby tom: Oscar, the Divisions' Chief Fighter. Just like Drake, he too carried additional wounds from the day's battle.

His companions filed into the den behind him, a ginger-and-white tom and a silver tabby she-cat. The Chief Hunter and Chief Healer both bowed their heads as they entered. But there was something about the stiffness in their movements that unsettled the Guardian.

A glower darkened his features. "Thank you for being so kind as to grace me with your presence," he hissed, sarcasm dripping from his every word. "Now, I'd rather not waste any more time. Drake, how are things faring on the moors?"

Drake straightened up, his posture emanating self-importance. "I'm pleased to report that the cats have finally started to settle," he purred, his voice gravelly and worn around the edges. "There are still a few individuals who are determined to take a stand by disobeying orders and refusing to hunt." He paused, a dark smirk twisting across his features. "However, my cats quickly taught them that it is in their best interests to cooperate. They certainly won't be pulling any more stunts."

The Chief Watcher looked to the Guardian for some sign of approval, but he kept his features schooled into neutrality. Upon realising that he wasn't going to get a response, Drake continued. "As you requested, I have entrusted Sydney and Nutmeg with keeping an eye on Onestar. He has made no efforts to undermine our power, but he's as wary as a newborn kitten. I wouldn't trust him for heartbeat."

The Guardian let the news wash over him, allowing it to sink in. After a pause, he gave brusque nod. "Good. And you, Flame? How are the Hunters coping?"

The ginger-and-white tom shifted a little. "The change in season is starting to affect our hunting. I fear that our territory may not be able to support our growing numbers when winter arrives."

The Guardian surveyed the Chief Hunter. "I wouldn't worry," he purred, a grin forming upon his features. "You saw how successful today was. We are stronger now; claiming the other Clans' territory will be easy." He blinked, the twisted smirk dissolving. "Have you anything else to report?"

"Tris birthed her kits a few days ago. Only two of them, but both are strong. The tom has the build of a Fighter."

Good. We need as many Fighters as we can get. He merely nodded, dismissing Flame with a sharp flick of his tail. "Kaya?"

The silver tabby she-cat lifted her head, a smirk twitching at the corners of her lips. "My healers have nearly finished seeing to all of our wounded. But I'm afraid they will need time to recover their strength before you consider any further attacks."

The tip of the Guardian's tail twitched at his, familiar stings of impatience prickling through him. But he schooled his features into neutrality, not letting his irritation seep through his mask. Fine. I can wait. With a curt nod, he pressed her further. "And you haven't touched the Clan cats, I hope?"

A gleam of dark satisfaction entered her gaze. "Of course, my Guardian. The poison is having the desired effect; their wounds will take time to heal."

He responded with a mere nod, but deep within him a spark flared. Good. He couldn't risk the Clan cats becoming strong enough to retaliate against his reign. They might have won the battle, but he certainly didn't trust those forest cats for even a heartbeat. He was no fool; they would try and fight their way out at the first chance they got.

It was best that they remained weak. Of course, their numbers would be a welcomed addition to the ranks of his Fighters, but for now they could not be trusted. By the time their wounds had started to heal, he would be able to gage those that were worthy of his trust from those that weren't. He could then dispose of them as he saw fit.

Shaking himself free of the shackles of his thoughts, he turned back to Kaya. "And is that all you have to report?"

The Chief Healer leaned back, eyes drifting as if sifting through thoughts. "Snowy birthed a healthy litter of kits: two she-kits and a tom. But other than that, all is well, my Guardian."

Without a further word, he finally turned to Oscar. The Chief Fighter reeled off his report easily, his voice dripping with ice. A more soft-hearted cat might have quailed at his chilling tones, but the Guardian didn't even wince.

Once he'd finished with his report, the Guardian was silent for a moment, allowing himself to sink into the thick fog of his own thoughts. He hadn't just called his Chiefs here tonight for their reports, there was a second purpose, a more important matter that needed discussing.

Clearing his mind, he finally spoke again. "Now that we have both ThunderClan and WindClan at our disposal, we are in a more powerful position than ever. But we have another strength, a more subtle advantage." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "The other Clans do not yet know that we have infiltrated ThunderClan.

"Now, it would be foolish to not to exploit this. The other Clans must not know that we now occupy ThunderClan or border patrols will be doubled and defences tightened. Whilst they are oblivious to our presence, we have the advantage, one that I fully intend to use when we launch our next attack."

His words rolled off his tongue in a cold drawl, his piercing stare picking over his cats to ensure he had their full attention. "I want all of your cats to be informed of this. There are to be no signs that we have taken of ThunderClan. As to not arouse suspicion, we will have to keep up ThunderClan's petty border control." He sneered those last words, spitting them from his mouth like they were mouse-dung. "When we've recovered our strength, then we'll let them know." His lips curled into a snarl, envisioning the glorious moment when they finally beat the Clans into surrender.

That image had barely had time to form before it was shattered by a sharp voice.

"My Guardian, I'm sorry for interrupting."

Night's eyes glinted like shards of ice, his dark figure nearly indistinguishable from the deep, inky black of the night itself. He stood in the cave mouth, his features creased with an emotion that the Guardian couldn't quite read.

Pelt bristling with irritation, the Guardian opened his jaw to speak, but Night didn't wait to be invited in. Without so much as a moment's hesitation, he padded inside. With six of them now gathered within the cave's enclosing walls, it felt smaller than ever.

"What could you possibly have to say that is important enough to interrupt this meeting?" The Guardian growled, hackles rising as he drew himself up to full height.

Night hardly flinched beneath his fiery gaze, squaring his shoulders and drawing in a shallow breath before speaking. "My patrols have searched both the moors and the forest, but we have been unable to find the Clan cats who fled. They must have left Clan territory."

A stab of exasperation burst within him, but the Guardian fought to keep his expression neutral. "Is that all?" he hissed through gritted teeth. "Couldn't it have waited?"

Around him, his Chiefs appeared mildly uncomfortable, some shuffling their paws whilst others did their best to avoid the Guardian's icy gaze.

Night shook his head hurriedly. "One of the patrols that pursued them reported that-"

"Reported what?" The Guardian snapped, his patience slipping out of his control. "Spit it out."

Night steely expression wavered for a moment. "They spotted some of our own cats amongst the Clan cats, fleeing with them instead of pursuing them."

The silence that followed seemed deafening. The Guardian stared, eyes darkening.

"Fleeing with them?" he eventually responded, his voice scarcely louder than a whisper. He could feel the fury seething within him, pulsing through his blood like liquid fire. Holding Night's stare, he spoke again. This time, his words were barbed, the anger seeping through. "And who were these cats that were fleeing with them? Their names?"

The other cats had fallen eerily quiet and still, watching through wide eyes at the scene that was unfolding before them. They seemed to hardly dare breathe, as if they were aware of the ember of rage that had sparked within him, so close to exploding completely. They had experienced his wrath enough in the past to know to avoid it.

A breath rattled Night's chest. When he finally spoke, his eyes dropped down to his paws, unable to hold the Guardian's blistering gaze. "Blaze, Red, Dart, Coal and Sniff."

Each name fuelled the roaring flames within him, but it was the last name that had him reeling the most. Sniff. One of his closest and most trusted cats. His own bodyguard. And he had betrayed him.

The next moment, he had Night pinned to the ground. He didn't even notice he had unsheathed his claws until he saw the droplets of crimson forming, the tang of blood hitting the roof of his mouth. "Did you know anything about this?!" he snarled, his head pounding. "Sniff was your brother; did you help him?!"

Night twisted beneath him, fear flaring within his eyes. "I knew nothing! We hardly talked! I despise him!" His words came out as a hoarse croak, the dark tom gasping for breath beneath the Guardian's hold.

The Guardian stared back into Night's eyes, searching… But he found nothing but truth reflected in those clear blue depths.

Letting a jagged hiss escape his maw, the Guardian pulled away, lashing his tail. Night shuffled backwards, shakily rising to his paws.

"I should have known better than to trust him," the Guardian snarled, pacing back and forth with brisk, urgent strides. "He was far too soft-hearted."

"It was not you who was at fault, my Guardian," Drake put in, eyes blazing with resentment. "He had us all fooled."

His fellow Chiefs nodded hastily in agreement.

The Guardian ignored them, pausing at the cave entrance to gaze out at the camp below. After the earlier battle, all was quiet and still. Cats from various Divisions were scattered around camp, some sitting guard outside dens and others positioned to guard the camp itself.

Below the cave that he had claimed as his den, two of his bodyguards sat on duty, eyes wide and ears flicking at even the slightest flicker of movement. If he couldn't even trust one of his own bodyguards, who was he to trust? How did he know that he wouldn't be attacked within the next heartbeat, murdered by one of his own?

He might have been the leader of the Divisions, but if anything that made him more vulnerable than ever. The uprising back in the town had heightened his awareness of that. He knew, and had always known, that there were many who only followed him out of fear. If he was killed, the Divisions could completely shatter without him holding it together.

Slowly, he turned back to his Chiefs, his eyes seeking out Drake. "I want another search party sent out at dawn to find those traitors." He spat the last word, grimacing at the taste of it in his mouth. "They must not return until they have been found."

Drake bowed his head. "Yes, my Guardian. Of course."

"I am not one to trust easily," the Guardian hissed, pacing once more. "Those cats made a mistake when they betrayed my trust. They must pay for their actions."

"My Guardian, if I may, she has a sister."

The dark grey tabby tom froze, head snapping towards Night again. The black tom flinched beneath his gaze, but managed to choke out, "Coal, I mean. She has a sister: Soot."

It took little more than a heartbeat for the Guardian to understand Night's reason for bringing it up. A cold smirk twisted its way across his features. "Ah, excellent thinking, Night."

Night blinked at the rare compliment.

The Guardian gave a dark chuckle, letting the anger in his veins simmer. "What better bait than her dear, beloved sister? She'll come running in an instant."

He sat back, letting the thought wash over him. It was perfect. Coal wouldn't be able to sit still whilst her sister was in danger. If she was soft-hearted enough to flee with the Clan cats, she was soft-hearted enough to value her sister's life over her own. The only issue was ensuring that Coal heard her sister's cries for help, which was easier said than done given they didn't know where she was after all. But as soon as she did hear her, she would come running, revealing their hiding place for all to see.

Eyes gleaming with malice, he turned sharply to his Chiefs. "Drake."

The reddish tabby tom sat up taller, meeting his gaze squarely. "Yes, my Guardian?"

The Guardian purred only two words. "Find her."


If there was only one thing he could be sure of, it was that the last two days had been the most intense of Sniff's life. And that was saying something. It had started with the earthquake, which had quite literally shaken his very existence right to the foundations. The ground had still been pulsing with movement when he had fled the Divisions along with the Clan cats and his friends. There had been little time to even catch their breath before they'd then embarked upon a long trek that had stretched out all day and carried on deep into the night, only finishing when dawn cracked through the thick wall of black night sky.

And then, of course, there had been the battle. Sniff still marvelled at how he'd had the energy for that, how all of them had. He had fought against cats he had once shared prey with, cats he'd grown up with...

But it was a fight that had been lost before it had even began. And so, once more, they had been forced to flee.

That was how they had wound up here: the cold shadows of the tunnels. It was hard to imagine that such a place would be such a safe haven. And yet it was.

But it was not the tunnels themselves that had startled the former Division tom the most. It was the cats within them: the way they interacted amongst themselves; the mutual respect and care that they felt for one another. It was like another world.

He should have been exhausted, he should have done as the others had and spent the day wrapped up in the gentle caress of sleep. Yet Sniff couldn't bring himself to. He wanted to absorb every moment of this, to remember every second. For all he knew, he might never experience such an atmosphere again.

The Clans were everything that the Divisions were not, everything that Sniff could have hoped for and more. It wasn't until witnessing this that it had finally hit him just how harsh and cold life had been in the Divisions.

They had settled within a large cavern deep within the network of tunnels, cut in half by a thundering river. A small hole in the roof allowed in a narrow beam of light, enough to chase away a few of the shadows.

Initially, after reaching the tunnels, the majority of cats had headed straight for smaller caves and slept. But now, as the sun started to grow weary and the light dropped, they started to trickle from the caves, bleary-eyed and sore-pawed.

Sniff knew the question that weighed upon all of their minds. What now?

They had escaped the Divisions; if you could call it an escape. They faced a different kind of imprisonment now, held hostage by these enclosing stone walls. They couldn't risk leaving through the tunnel they'd entered, not with the number of Division cats that now swarmed these forests. Besides, where could they run? The Divisions didn't only occupy ThunderClan territory, they had taken up residence in WindClan too. They were surrounded on all sides.

Gritting his teeth, he swallowed that tight ball of fear, letting his attention return to the cave around him. One of the captured cats, Ambersky, came staggering from one of the lower caves. With hollow eyes and trembling legs, he needn't ask what was wrong. She wore the unmistakable façade of grief.

Moments later, a second cat emerged from the same cave, a little white tom who Sniff could only assume to be her brother. He attempted to ease her pain with tender words, but his voice too carried the sharp, fragile undertones of sorrow.

Sniff's mind flew to his own brother, a cat who had become almost unrecognisable to him in the last few seasons. His heart had become steeled by power, his mind contorted by greed. And now, Night was one of the Guardian's most trusted cats.

What had happened to the playful brother he had known as a kitten? Did that youthful spark of hope and joy still reside within him or had it been smothered into dying embers? Would they ever share in a moment as Ambersky and her brother did now, consoling one another in the wake of grief?

He doubted it. The distance that sprawled between him and his brother was irreconcilable, too huge and laced with pain to even be worth trying to close it.

What would his brother make of him now? He had been one of the Guardian's most senior figures, his very own bodyguard, and he'd fled with their enemies. If Night had disliked him before, he would certainly detest him now. He was probably banishing every last memory of him to a dark and shadowy corner of his mind.

But it was harder for Sniff to turn his back on those memories. In spite of the monster that his brother had grown into, in spite of the horrific acts he'd committed and the atrocious things he said, Sniff would never be able to forget the bright-eyed young tom he'd once known. He would never stop caring for him, never stop worrying about him.

And he hated himself for it.

A familiar voice jarred him from his thoughts before he could sink deeper and deeper into that unfathomable darkness of his past. Coal peered back at him, concern etched into her features.

Sniff hadn't even noticed the frown that had darkened his own features. Blinking several times, he was able to manage a smile. This wasn't a time to dwell on the past. What was done was done. He was free of the Divisions… For now…

"Okay?" Coal asked, inclining her head to study him.

The ginger tom eased into a stretch, suppressing a hiss at the pain that streaked through his side. "I could be a lot worse," he replied honestly, gesturing to some of the other cats. It was true, he had escaped with only minor injuries. The battle had been brutal, yes, but he'd experienced far worse.

"True," she replied coolly, sitting down beside him. "But that scratch across your nose could get pretty nasty if becomes infected. Have you cleaned your wounds?"

He nodded.

"Good." The dark grey she-cat looked to her paws, where a small pile of cobwebs lay. She smiled gingerly. "I'm afraid I haven't got any herbs, but these should stem the bleeding a bit."

Sniff eyed the cobwebs skeptically for a moment. "Well, if you think they'll help…"

Whilst Coal applied the cobwebs to his wounds, he let his eyes drift back across the cavern. As the day started to stretch into night, more and more cats were streaming from the caves. Sniff didn't miss the sharp looks that they shot in his direction and, honestly, he didn't blame them. His former campmates had stormed their camp, stolen their kittens, held their Clanmates hostage and spread disease through their Clan. They had every right to hate them.

Coal's voice tugged his attention back to her. "So, how are you feeling?"

Sniff blinked, unsure how to respond. "Honestly, I have no idea."

The dark she-cat continued at her work, her silence indicating that she expected him to continue. Heaving a soft sigh, he did so. "Everything's happened so fast. I can't believe we've actually left now… It's going to take some getting used to, that's for sure."

"Mmm."

Sniff decided to take that as an agreement. "What about you?" he pressed, keen to take the attention away from him. "What about your sister? Why didn't she come with us?"

Although Sniff couldn't see her face, he knew her well enough to imagine the expression that she now wore: the creased brow and the wavering smile. Breath hitching, she didn't speak for a moment or so. "There was no time," she murmured. "We wouldn't have gotten away if I had left to find her." She swallowed hard. "I just hope she's okay."

Sniff felt a pang of sympathy, his thoughts flying once again to his own brother. "I'm sure she'll be fine," he choked out, though he was sure that she saw through his lie as well as he did.

Coal offered him a wan smile, pausing. "You and I both know that's not true." She gave a small sigh. "The moment they notice I'm gone, they'll probably find her and use her to try and get at me."

Sniff had a pretty good idea of what they might do. He'd witnessed the torture that cats had been made to endure as a consequence of their mistakes. And, to his own shame, he'd been the cat inflicting the pain on several occasions. In the moment, he had thought he was doing his duty to the Divisions. He'd hardly questioned it; those cats had committed crimes against the Guardian and so deserved to be punished, right?

Sniff didn't know how he could have been so blind. He had been so grateful to the Guardian for giving him a place in the world that he hadn't even dared to imagine there might be a life outside of the Divisions. Looking out at the Clan cats before him, he realised he couldn't have been more wrong.

"Sniff?"

"Huh?"

"You drifted off to another world." Coal chuckled lightly, there was no hiding the darkness that swum in her eyes.

"Oh. Sorry." He hesitated, glancing back over at the Clan cats. A frown furrowed his brow. "When do you think they'll start to trust us?"

Coal followed his gaze to Ambersky and her brother. "I… I don't know," she confessed, shaking her head. "They all let me see to their wounds but… they were still very wary of me." She frowned to herself. "Have you spoken to Red?"

"No. Why?"

Coal shuffled her paws, avoiding his gaze. "I don't suppose you knew that he had a mate in the Clans, did you?"

Sniff choked on a breath. "What?" he spluttered, eyes widening. "I didn't know he'd even taken a mate!" He paused, eying the dark grey she-cat. "Why did he tell you but not me?"

Coal shook her head. "He didn't. I only found out today because… well… she's one of the cats here in the tunnels."

Sniff stared. "Really? Who?"

The dark grey she-cat subtly tipped her head towards where a ginger she-cat had settled at the foot of a rock-pile, licking her wounds. Two younger cats sat beside her, a russet-furred tom and ginger-and-white she-cat.

Sniff couldn't stifle the gasp that escaped his jaws. "Are those… Are those his kittens?"

Coal nodded. "I don't think they left on good terms though. He left her to raise the kittens on her own. As far as I know, this is the first time he's even met them."

Sniff released a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding, blinking in disbelief. "Wow." After a moment, he realised he'd been staring at the ginger she-cat and quickly pried his eyes away. "Hey, where is Red anyway?"

"Probably hiding."

The ginger tom shook his head slowly. "As if things weren't awkward enough."

The dark grey she-cat gave a dry laugh. "Well, they haven't tried to kill each other yet. That's good at least."

Sniff snorted. "Sure."

Coal smiled faintly before returning to his wounds. He was perfectly happy to allow the silence take over once more, it let him to sink back into the tangled mass of his thoughts.

On the other side of the cavern, the Clan cats were exchanging hushed whispers, no doubt deciding upon the next course of action. He hoped they had some sort of plan; he certainly didn't. They would need to find food soon; his stomach hadn't stopped grumbling since they'd arrived here. But did they dare try and go above ground to hunt? Surely the Divisions would be crawling over ThunderClan territory like ants, searching for them. It was too risky.

Perhaps there was some prey down here? He certainly hoped so. That would be a cruel twist of fate: fleeing the Divisions only to die of starvation down here in these tunnels.

"Ah, that'll do." Coal pulled back, eyes picking over her handiwork. "That should stop any more bleeding. I'm sorry there isn't much else I can do, there aren't any herbs down here I'm afraid."

Sniff twisted his head around to study the patchwork of cobwebs that now adorned his pelt. "I feel like I've walked through a giant spider web."

Coal cuffed him lightly. "Well, it's either that or bleeding to death, it's your choice."

Sniff chuckled. The dark grey she-cat rolled her eyes and made to walk off. It only struck him as she was leaving to thank her. "Oh, Coal! Thanks!"

Coal looked a little stunned at that, blinking several times. Manners were hardly the priority in the Divisions, but now that they were making a fresh start, Sniff felt he should make more of an effort to be polite. "Uh, no problem." Coal shrugged.

Sniff watched as she padded away. Ambersky greeted Coal with a feigned smile and the pair immediately fell into conversation. Of course, they trusted Coal far more than any of the other former Division cats. She was the one who had helped them with the cure for the disease, she had coordinated their escape and she had even helped with freeing one of the stolen kits. She was a good cat, she always had been. The Divisions hadn't shaped her into a cold-blooded killer; not like they had manipulated him. Not like they had manipulated his brother.

Sniff had always thought of himself as a good cat. He'd let others twist his thoughts and convince him that he was doing the right thing. Never again, he silently vowed, shoving away the images that began to cloud his mind.

"Hey, Sniff!"

His head jerked up, resulting in a sharp pain in his neck. Gritting his teeth against it, Sniff followed the words to the cat who had uttered them. In spite of the various wounds that now flecked his pelt, Blaze still wore a lopsided smile as he made his way over.

The ginger tom gestured to the black-and-silver tabby tom behind him, who wore his usual sulky expression. "Dart and I were going to check out the tunnels for any signs of prey. Want to join us?"

Sniff cast a glance over at the rest of the cavern, where cats were groggily shaking off the remnants of sleep and exchanging quiet conversation. If they found prey for the others, maybe they would start to win over their trust? Besides, there was nothing else to do other than sitting here and wallowing in self-pity. Turning back to his friends, he nodded. "Sure, I'll come."

Blaze smiled, amber eyes softening. "Great!"

"We should tell Coal first," Dart put in, eyes flashing in the dark she-cat's direction. "She can tell the Clan cats. They might think we're abandoning them or something."

That was a good point. The Clan cats didn't trust them as it was, they didn't need to shatter that fragile relationship anymore.

Sniff exhaled slowly, nodding.

The reality was slowly starting to sink in. They were never going back to the Divisions, not if they valued their lives. This was their life from now on. It was as terrifying as it was liberating.

Today marked a new beginning. He'd made enough mistakes to last a lifetime, he didn't want to stray down the wrong path again. He would be a better cat, he had to.

He had no idea what tomorrow would bring. Perhaps more tragedy, perhaps more hardships. But whatever it was, he just hoped he was strong enough to face it.


Well, I actually really enjoyed writing from Sniff's viewpoint. I must admit, it was a bit difficult getting into his head, but I love his character. Hopefully you'll all grow to love him as much as I do. ^^

Question ~ What are your thoughts on Sniff and the other Division cats in the tunnels?

Remember, if you leave a review, you get a sneak peek at the next chapter via PM. Tempting enough?

Only a short A/N today! It's really late and I want so sleep. xD I'm sorry if this chapter has more errors than usual! My amazing beta reader, Katie, is away at camp at the moment and I don't want her to worry about beta-reading or anything so this chapter has only been proof-read by one pair of eyes. Feel free to point out any errors. ^^'

Edit: This chapter has now been picked through by Katie, so hopefully it should be better now! She also pointed out that I haven't been capitalising Clans. I had no idea Clans was capitalised. xD So, sorry about that!

Live, Love, Read and Review!

~Leafy