AUTHOR'S NOTE

I usually put these last, but, whatever. This is the SECOND book of the DarkClan trilogy. If you haven't already, I recommend reading the first book, Shadows of the Heart, first. You don't have to, but the story will probably make a lot more sense if you do. Rated T for violence and dark themes.

I hope you all enjoy the story!

Greysight stepped back into camp, taking in a deep breath of air while enjoying the fall breeze. The leaves had already begun to darken and fall off the trees of their territory. She padded to the center of camp and laid the rabbit she'd caught on the hunting patrol on top of the fresh kill pile.

Browneyes padded beside her and did the same, making sure to deposit his catch of the day before meowing a quick "see you later" to Greysight. She smiled in response and listened to the tabby go. He was a good cat; always courteous toward others. If only she could say the same for his brother.

Greysight grimaced. After the attack and Willowstar's declaration of war, Darkpelt had raised the number of patrols, making it extremely busy in the camp for every cat. -Well, save for Sunstar.

They rarely saw him nowadays. The only time Greysight had ever felt him leave his den was when he led them to a Gathering or had to give an announcement, which he did not do often.

It was strange, Greysight decided. Things had always been tense with TreeClan, and even more so with Willowstar's vow to destroy their clan, but at the last Gathering everything had been completely normal. The tom gave no sign of outward hostility or even mentioned the previous fight where both DarkClan and TreeClan lost numerous warriors to the landslide.

'He has to be planning something,' Greysight surmised suspiciously. She knew Darkpelt must be thinking the same thing with number of patrols he organized. The tom was extremely determined, Greysight was sure he even ran patrols by himself at the beginning and end of each day.

"Greysight! Greysight!"

Greysight's ear twitched and she turned to where her little sister was now running towards her. The Siamese she-cat skidded to a halt and breathed heavily with a wide smile on her face. Her lively virescent eyes sparkled as she looked up at her sister.

Greysight smiled. "Hey, Mintpaw."

She lifted a paw to ruffle the fur on top of Mintpaw's head. The young she-cat groaned softly and pushed her paw away.

"Roseclaw wanted me to come get you," she said.

"Okay."

Mintpaw's entire being lit up as she led Greysight cross the clearing to the medicine cat den, going on about her training the whole while.

As a kit, Mintpaw decided she wanted to be a medicine cat and not a warrior. While Greysight knew this pleased Longtail, she was sure Sunstar wouldn't accept it, seeing as they only had a few warriors in the clan, but the tom said nothing and merely brushed the issue aside. It was almost as if he had given up and didn't care anymore.

Greysight knew it put them in an even tighter spot, but as long as Mintpaw was happy, that was all that mattered to her. She was such a kindhearted kit, Greysight hoped Mintpaw would never have to experience the horrors she had gone through when she was young.

Mintpaw and Greysight slowed to a stop halfway across the clearing when Longtail approached them. Greysight frowned as she felt the limp in Longtail's walk; her leg had never healed properly and Sunstar retired her from her warrior duties early. Greysight still felt guilty about what had happened, but she knew she shouldn't blame herself.

Longtail limped over to her two daughters.

"Where are you two off to?" she purred good-naturedly.

Greysight could tell Longtail tried to stay positive, but Greysight could tell by the lack of breath in her voice that even walking had become a difficult task for her. Longtail was stubborn as always and refused to take it easy, saying she wasn't "senile yet".

"We're going to see Roseclaw! She wanted me to get Greysight," Mintpaw meowed.

Longtail nodded in understanding. "Alright, but you better come and talk to me later."

"We will," Greysight and Mintpaw responded in unison.

Longtail rolled her eyes as she watched her daughters walk toward the medicine cat den, smiling at their retreating figures.

Mintpaw looked up to Greysight so much, and Longtail knew how much Greysight cared for her little sister. The thought made her happy, forgetting about all the hardships their clan was going through.

"Took you long enough!"

Greysight smirked as she heard Roseclaw's annoyed tone. The white she-cat was sitting outside the medicine cat den with Lostheart beside her.

"Good, I wouldn't want to impress you," Greysight meowed. She smiled, knowing Roseclaw would be pouting, and turned to Mintpaw.

"Why don't you go and talk to Longtail while I talk to Roseclaw?"

The young apprentice nodded hurriedly, hanging on to Greysight's every word.

"Okay!"

Mintpaw scrambled off to return to Longtail at her sibling's request, leaving Greysight with Roseclaw and Lostheart.

Greysight smiled at the she-cats.

The day she and Lostheart had stumbled back into camp, both bleeding like crazy, Roseclaw had freaked out and forbidden them from leaving the medicine cat den. When Roseclaw asked what happened, Greysight had told her she was attacked by a fox, and that if Lostheart hadn't been there she might have died.

Lostheart had remained silent when she said those words, giving no outward reaction. Roseclaw had sighed and told Greysight she needed to stop pushing herself so much.

After the fight, Greysight had approached Lostheart and asked if she would train with her. The she-cat seemed surprised, but agreed nonetheless. Greysight had never met another cat who could keep up with her like Lostheart did, and she was sure the she-cat would be able to help further her training.

Lostheart was a more inverted cat, and often didn't say too much during Greysight and Roseclaw's banter, but Greysight felt like the she was slowly opening up to them. She had even managed to convince Lostheart to move her nest to the other side of the warriors den near her own, and invited the she-cat to eat with her and Roseclaw.

Roseclaw acted as if she hadn't even realized how distant Lostheart had become and didn't appear to give Greysight's sudden actions a second thought. Greysight doubted she even realized how much she and the others had been alienating Lostheart before now.

Lostheart's strange eyes watched silently as Roseclaw and Greysight began to argue with one another.

It was still strange to her.

That night, Greysight had helped her...and she still didn't quite understand why.

The she-cat was surprised even further when Greysight had approached her, asking if they could train together. Despite her confusion, Lostheart agreed.

She had even told her to move her nest over to the opposite side of the den as, saying that she-cats needed to stick together and it could get really cold sleeping alone at night. Greysight also invited Lostheart to eat with her, though the two didn't talk much during their meals.

She was used to being ignored and not spoken to; it felt strange now that someone was...acknowledging her.

"We still have to go on that patrol," Lostheart meowed, snapping Greysight and Roseclaw out of their argument.

"Oh yeah," Greysight murmured, and she shrugged. "I almost forgot. Don't see how I could though with all the patrols Darkpelt assigns."

Lostheart didn't reply, figuring it was the end of the conversation. She stood up without signal and began walking to the tree tunnel.

"I'll wait for you by the camp entrance," she said quickly.

Greysight shook her head and stood up. "Hold on, I'm coming. See ya, Roseclaw!"

Greysight sprinted to catch up so that she and Lostheart were walking side-by-side now.

Several crows cawed loudly from up in the dark canopy as the two cats walked through the forest and along the border. It was quiet as they walked along the cliffside and then along the river.

Lostheart's eyes slowly glanced to her when she noticed the way Greysight's expression had changed on their route, becoming more pained with thought.

Lostheart returned her gaze to the path in front of them, choosing not to bother Greysight. The two cats had to walk around the large mound of dirt that now sat at the edge of the fields, choosing to not think about the multiple bodies now lost, buried beneath the rubble.

They were walking along the stream in the fields now, making their way down to the ravine. The two cats were each so focused in their own minds that they barely heard the sound of someone calling out to them.

Both she-cats paused and looked across the stream, seeing a patrol of TreeClan cats. Greysight's paws twitched in anger when she recognized Pinepaw and Eaglepaw among the four.

Lostheart gave no outward sign of any emotion and turned to the group dully.

"What do you want!" Greysight hissed across the water.

Pinepaw flicked his tail and the two other cats continued on their way down the stream, leaving him and Eaglepaw behind.

"That's no way to treat one of your friends," Pinepaw jeered with a smirk on his face.

Greysight's fur bristled at his comment while the TreeClan cats ignored her rage.

"We just wanted to talk is all. After all, it's not every day you run into both the blind cat and the freak at the same time."

Eaglepaw laughed from beside Pinepaw, while the latter just rolled his eyes at his friend's idiocy.

"Come on Lostheart, let's go. We don't have time to deal with annoying apprentices."

Her words caused Eaglepaw to stop laughing and glare at her harshly. Pinepaw sneered from beside him.

"Actually, we're warriors now, and of high rank at that. Willowstar trusts us to carry out the most important needs of the clan," Eaglepaw meowed haughtily.

"Right, that's very interesting Eaglepaw, but Lostheart and I really should be on our way, so if you'll excuse us..." Greysight replied, turning away from the TreeClan cats.

Pinepaw sneered in annoyance.

"Fine, and it's Pineneedle and Eagleclaw now. Don't think you and your pathetic clan are safe either. In the end, we'll be the ones on top."

With that final statement, the two TreeClan tabbies turned away from the she-cats and continued their patrol across the river. Greysight spat on the ground and turned to Lostheart.

"Let's go," she meowed angrily.

Lostheart made a slight nod and continued walking through the tall grasses with Greysight by her side.

"I don't know how you can stay so calm all the time," Greysight meowed, still fuming from the encounter.

Lostheart's eyes rolled over to the she-cat before looking forward thoughtfully. "

It just doesn't bother me."

Greysight was a little surprised that Lostheart had answered her; the sound of her sudden icy voice made Greysight jump slightly.

"You must get angry sometime," Greysight replied.

"No."

Greysight frowned lightly, but said nothing as they continued their patrol. Eventually the two cats made it past the ravine and Fourtrees and were now finishing along the OceanClan border. Although they rarely had problems with OceanClan, it was still necessary to check it out.

Greysight and Lostheart were finishing their patrol as they finally padded through the swampier part of the territory.

Greysight had been down this way a few times, but she had never encountered any problems. Darkpelt and Sunstar were always speaking about the numerous rogues and loners that often wandered into their territory from twolegplace, but she had yet to see any sign of trouble.

It was around sundown when they finished their patrol and returned to camp. Darkpelt's eyes flickered over to them noticeably when they entered, but he said nothing.

"I'll see you later, I'm going to go check on Mintpaw."

A pause.

"Okay"

Greysight nodded and padded away from Lostheart, intent on finding her little sister. It wasn't hard to do. She smiled when she found her eating a mouse outside the medicine cat den.

"Hey," Greysight greeted.

Mintpaw's eyes snapped up at the sound of Greysight's voice.

"Greysight! You're back!"

"Yup, I just came to see how you were doing. I know Roseclaw can be a real slave-driver sometimes."

"I heard that!"

Mintpaw stifled a laugh at Roseclaw's outburst from inside the medicine cat den.

"It's great! Tomorrow is my first solo assignment. We don't have a lot of catmint, so it's my job to find us some more."

Greysight purred at her enthusiasm. "I know you'll do great."

"Thanks, Greysight!"

Greysight smiled. "Now get some rest, you can't mess up that assignment."

Mintpaw nodded and retreated inside the medicine cat den. Greysight stood back up and stretched her paws lightly. The crickets were already chirping loudly now and the rest of the clan had fallen back into their dens as well.

Greysight made her way to the warriors den and paused when she sense Darkpelt stepping out of the leader's den to the east.

Reporting to Sunstar.

The white tom barely even glanced her way as he brushed past her and entered the warriors den. Greysight scowled at his rudeness and followed him inside, intent on getting a full night of sleep.

And so it begins.