Hi, guys! Okay. So I'm part of a forum called GalaxyClan, and I am currently an apprentice named Skypaw. In order to become a warrior faster, I must submit a number of Challenge Stories that follow specific guidelines given to me by the lead Moderator, my friend Cheetahstar! This is the Criminal Challenge, my first. Hopefully I do this right XD Enjoy!

Froststar sighed, a sudden wintry breeze buffeting her gray fur. White spots dappled the sea of deep gray, and pale blue eyes scanned the BlizzardClan crowd. These eyes drooped tiredly. It had been a very long day, and tonight, she had to lead her Clan to the Gathering.

Why tonight? Froststar thought to herself. ThornClan, StormClan, and SunClan can wait. But BlizzardClan would be disappointed.

That was the Clan that Froststar led, BlizzardClan. There were three other Clans. They were not ThunderClan, WindClan, ShadowClan or RiverClan. Those Clans had been lost long ago. All four were taken over by new leaders. Their names were changed, as were their customs. ThunderClan became BlizzardClan under rule of Blizzardstar, WindClan became SunClan under rule of Sunstar, RiverClan became StormClan, and ShadowClan became ThornClan

(ThunderClan—BlizzardClan

WindClan—SunClan

RiverClan—StormClan

ShadowClan—ThornClan)

The four leaders, Blizzardstar, Sunstar, Stormstar and Thornstar, had grown tired of the old ways. They took the Clans and molded them into something new. The four Clans that had been created seasons upon seasons ago were forgotten.

Hours passed. Froststar gathered her cats together and headed for Center Island. The Clans still lived on the lake, and most things were held in the same places, like the Gathering, but the island for the Gatherings was no longer known as the Island. It was now known as Center Island.

On getting there, Froststar spotted the other leaders, Emberstar of SunClan, Cinderstar of StormClan, and Coalstar of ThornClan.

Frostsar spotted Coalstar specifically, for this cat meant much to her. Coalstar, the cold, cold leader of ThornClan, was the father to Flarestrike.

Now who is Flarestrike, you ask? Well, that is the cat that Froststar loved. Oh, how painful it was to love a cat another Clan. But how in the name of StarClan, whom the new Clans still worshiped, could a cat live in a different Clan than his own father? Flarestrike was of StormClan, and Coalstar was leader of ThornClan.

An interesting story it is. Coalstar had but one son, the dark golden tom, Flarekit. Coalstar was Coalheart then, and knew that his son was destined to be great. But Flarekit, Flarepaw when he figured it out, could not fit in as a ThornClan cat. He was too slender, too noisy. His fur glinted unlike a ThornClan cat's, which gave him away at night. He preferred water over shadows, and soon realized that in order to be any sort of warrior, that he must leave and join a Clan that shared his traits. This Clan was StormClan of course, being the former RiverClan. Though Flarepaw, who became Flarestrike in StormClan, fit in much better in his new Clan, his loyalty to ThornClan was never put aside. All his life he plotted with his father, who became Coalstar, on ways to take over StormClan and add it on to ThornClan. Though the cats that surrounded him knew not of his plotting.

Nor did Froststar. She was completely unaware that the cat she loved was a horrid, vengeful, territory-stealing cat. Thing was, Flarestrike loved her back. They were bonded by this emotion, this feeling.

Froststar spotted the tom amongst the crowd, still with StormClan but speaking quietly with ThornClan. Little did she know that Flarestrike was talking to Coalstar's cats about their plan to take over StormClan. All she saw was a handsome, dark golden tom, whose rare white tabby stripes gleamed in the moonlight, and his green eyes glittered in the dull glow. She was intrigued by his perfect posture, and the way the muscles rippled powerfully beneath his pelt.

Froststar called to her deputy, Flintfire, who sat beneath the Great Oak, whose name had still not been altered. She clambered up the chestnut-colored trunk, and came to a halt on a bay branch below Cinderstar, and next to Emberstar. Leaning over to the fellow leader, she greeted the SunClan cat. "A good-night to you, Emberstar."

The reddish-orange she-cat smiled. "A good-night to you as well, Froststar. How is your Clan?"

Froststar smiled in return. "They are fine. I do hope that yours are as well?"

"They are in tip-top shape. I'm glad to hear that yours is faring." Emberstar settled into a more comfortable position. Froststar was glad that there was no tension tonight. There seemed to be peace between every cat.

The leaders shared their news. Cinderstar announced that StormClan had welcomed three young kits into their Clan, Leopardkit, Firekit, and Alderkit, which roused mews of congratulation. Coalstar proudly pointed out that his deputy, Clawfur, had chased out a fox, along with the help of Coalstar's mate and Flarestrike's mother, Frondpelt. Coalstar did not seem to think highly at all of his mate—Froststar wondered if he even felt any affection toward her. Glancing at the dappled-gray she-cat, Froststar gaped to see that scars lined her fur. Scars that were too precise to be a fox's—it had to have been a cat.

ThornClan was known for its cruelty and brutality to its fellow clanmates. Rumor had it that if a wrong was done, a cat was abused for it. Blizzardstar shuddered as she watched her Clan. She never imagined ever doing such harm to these cats that were like family to her. Frondpelt had definitely taken some blows. Were any from Coalstar, her own mate? Frondpelt looked at her paws. She was young, very young. But the marks of her clanmates had aged her quickly. She could be a beautiful cat, if only she could live in another place.

The Clans broke apart, and headed back to their territories. Froststar had nothing out of the ordinary to report. Prey ran as what was normal for the cold season, the herb stock was running low from the upcoming leafbare, and an elder, Applenose, had come down with whitecough, which had welcomed some mutters of sympathy from the other Clans.

Froststar lied to her Clan that she had to speak to one of the leaders, and told Flintfire to lead them back to BlizzardClan territory. She was really going to see Flarestrike. Spotting the tom on the edge of a crowd of StormClan cats, she pulled him aside. "How are you?" she asked him, licking his cheek.

Flarestrike smiled. "Fine. How's BlizzardClan?"

"Fine. Prey's running a bit low, but that's how it is for every Clan, I guess." Froststar sat down to lick a paw.

Flarestrike nodded. "Yes. The fish are hidden beneath the ice, and prey is in its burrows. Cinderstar didn't say so, but one of our warriors has greencough."

Froststar's ears drooped. "I'm sorry."

Flarestrike shook his head. "It's fine. It's Tigerfur. He's probably the strongest cat in StormClan. He'll make it."

Froststar sighed. "Okay. See you in two nights?"

Flarestrike smiled. "Two nights."

(Time passes—Story now follows Flarestrike)

Flarestrike crouched low outside the StormClan camp. Cattails that lined the frozen stream waved in the chilly wind. He gathered strength in his legs as he eyed the camp. A tiger-patterned cat crouched beside him. The cat was a dark chestnut-brown. Jagged jet-black stripes sliced through the brown color. Yellow eyes glinted through the tendrils. A long, striped tail was held high, ready to give the signal. This was Coalstar, Flarestrike's father. ThornClan had used almost all of its able warriors for this invasion. They were going to attack StormClan.

"They are weak, Father," Flarestrike informed. "Greencough has struck. They will be unable to defend themselves."

Coalstar grinned devilishly. "Excellent. More territory for my hungry Clan. Flarestrike, Clawfur will step down to become my back-up deputy, and you will take his place. We will rule together, father and son. Imagine. Flarestrike, the great deputy of ThornClan, the biggest addition to the invasion on StormClan. You will go own in history, my son."

Flarestrike laughed with pleasure. He would rule beside his father. He had wanted this all his life. But a sudden thought came to his mind. "Father, are we taking over all the Clans?"

Coalstar looked at his son confusedly. "Why of course. The whole lake will be ours, my boy."

"Even BlizzardClan?" Flarestrike asked. He imagined Froststar's horrified face as dozens of cats poured into her camp, killing her clanmates and possibly killing her. He shuddered at the awful thought. I love her.

Coalstar snorted. "Flarestrike, when I say all, then of course I mean BlizzardClan as well." He turned on the tom. "Why do you ask?"

Flarestrike shook his head. "No specific reason."

"Then let us proceed." Coalstar stalked forward. All of ThornClan followed, satisfied sneers spreading across their faces. Flarestrike forgot his BlizzardClan worries and focused on the invasion. He found himself enveloped in excitement.

After some walking they appeared right outside the camp. Two StormClan cats guarded the entrance—Flarestrike knew them as Flightfeather and Stonepelt. He stopped suddenly. He had trained with these two cats as an apprentice. Blinking away the memories, he stalked on.

Coalstar raised his tail as a sign to halt. "Shredfur. Rattial. Take care of the guards."

Two cats, a gray, scarred tom and a black tom, stepped quietly forward. Instinctively, Flarestrike opened his jaws to call out a warning. Clamping them shut as he remembered his mission, Flarestrike watched as Rattial and Shredfur pounced on Flightfeather and Stonepelt from behind, pressing their faces to the mud before they could cry out. Coalstar pressed his tail to the grass, and pointed it forward, signaling to go forward but to keep low. Flarestrike obeyed, as did every other ThornClan cat. Passing Flightfeather and Stonepelt, he felt a sudden rush of regret. Flightfeather looked up at him in horror and disappointment, which added on to the aching feeling.

ThornClan filed through the entrance. It was the middle of the night, a time when the former ShadowClan fought best. All of StormClan was asleep. Coalstar immediately took action. "Ashclaw, Firepelt, take the nursery. Frondpelt, Nightfoot, take the elder's den. Vinepaw, Crashpaw, Thundercloud, the apprentice den. Birchfur, medicine den. The rest of you take on the warriors. Clawfur, to my side."

Flarestrike headed for the warriors den along with the other cats. Coalstar stopped him. "Son, you're coming with me." Flarestrike was surprised as he, Coalstar, and Clawfur headed for Cinderstar's den.

The three of them crept inside. Cinderstar slept alone. Flarestrike felt a sudden rush of pity for his former leader. Cinderstar's mate, Pineheart, had recently been lost to greencough. Her belly had just started to swell with Cinderstar's kits when the sickness struck, and she was ripped away from Cinderstar's loving paws. The leader had cried out in agony when her flank stilled, as her eyes closed slowly and the life drained. He had grown unkempt and tired. No optimism shown in his eyes anymore. All he wanted was to forget StormClan, to see his mate again, to take her back. Flarestrike was surprised at the amount of pride that Cinderstar had conjured up at the Gathering, which was immediately washed away when they got back to camp.

Flarestrike felt almost as though he was doing Cinderstar a favor by killing him. He would see Pineheart again. He would meet his kits.

Clawfur placed a paw on Cinderstar's neck. The leader awoke, and stared up in shock at the huge, scarred tabby tom. His eyes rolled to where Flarestrike and Coalstar stood, a menacing glare beaming from Coalstar's face, a clouded expression from Flarestrike. "Flarestrike, what in the name of StarClan are you doing?" Cinderstar gasped. Clawfur pressed his paw down harder, unsheathing his claws and digging them into Cinderstar's throat. The leader hacked and sputtered for breath.

"What I have to," Flarestrike said blankly. Was he doing the right thing?

A shriek sounded from outside, followed by some higher pitched squeals that sounded like kits.

They're in the nursery… Flarestrike thought. The invasion has begun.

Flarestrike imagined many tiny lives ripped away, tiny lives that could have lived to be great warriors, or a great medicine cat, perhaps. He cringed in horror as he imagined the faces of agonized queens, crying out in pain not from wounds, but from their kits' deaths.

Coalstar slashed Cinderstar's face, who cried out in pain and in warning to the rest of his Clan. "What are you doing, Coalstar?"

Coalstar laughed evilly. "This will soon be our territory, Cinderstar. We will demolish those who follow you, and spare those who agree to follow us. ThornClan will grow larger with the new additions, and we will take over SunClan and BlizzardClan in turn."

Cinderstar hissed in Coalstar's face. "You're evil." He turned his gaze to Flarestrike. "How could you?"

Coalstar ripped a claw through Cinderstar's ear. "Leave my son out of this!"

Cinderstar closed his eyes. "Kill me. At least I'll see Pineheart again. That's all I want."

Coalstar stepped back. "You do the honors, my brave son. Go ahead, Flarestrike. Kill him."

Flarestrike trembled where he stood. Should he kill Cinderstar? Yowls and shrieks of battle sounded outside. He almost sighed in relief as four StormClan cats rushed into the leader's den. One of them, the deputy Thrushfur, rammed into Coalstar. "Leave our Clan alone!"

Coalstar cackled beneath Thrushfur's pinning paws. "They're already in action. It is beyond my control."

Thrushfur yowled in raged, lashing a paw at Coalstar's grinning face and leaving three long, bleeding scars. Two others, Waterfur and Streamgaze, leapt at Clawfur, knocking him from his grasp on Cinderstar's throat. The leader stood up and glared at Flarestrike. "Get him, Snowpath."

A white she-cat turned to Flarestrike in surprise. "What?"

"He's on their side. He tried to kill me."

Flarestrike gaped. He hadn't even unsheathed his claws, less try to kill the leader! "I did no such thing!"

"You thought about it. You plotted with them." Cinderstar peeled back his lips in a snarl. "Now you'll be punished."

With another shocked blink, Snowpath sprang forward and landed on Flarestrike. The impact knocked him to the ground. Snowpath made a rear! sound and scored his face with her claws. Flarestrike attempted to kick her off, but Snowpath had every one of his limbs pinned down by standing on them.

Thuds of cats falling to the ground were heard outside, and Flarestrike winced at every one he heard. More yowling, more shrieking, more spitting, more hissing. Cries of pain and terror echoed throughout the camp. Flarestrike turned his head to where his father lay, pinned down by Thrushfur. He shouted in horror as Thrushfur clawed out Coalstar's throat, and blood spattered the ground.

(In BlizzardClan camp)

Froststar lay curled in her nest of leaves. She listened to the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, and tried to sleep. But she couldn't help believing that there were cries and shouts echoing from across the lake. She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, curling in tighter. The sounds did not cease. She lifted her head. Standing up, she walked to the lake. Her paw steps got progressively faster as the yowls got louder. When she was finally at the edge of the lakeshore, Froststar gaped in horror as she realized that the terrorized shrieks came from StormClan camp.

Froststar raced back to camp. She roused her deputy. "What is it, Froststar?" Flintfire asked.

"I believe that StormClan is being invaded," Froststar quickly replied.

Flintfire sprang to his paws. "What?"

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the entrance. Flintfire and Froststar raced out of the warriors den. A young apprentice whom Froststar recognized as Drippingpaw panted at her feet. "Help!" he choked out.

Froststar trembled as she realized that deep, bleeding gashes covered the apprentice's pelt. Was Flarestrike okay? He lived in StormClan, after all. "What's going on?"

"ThornClan," the apprentice gasped. "They're at camp… invasion… we're losing… there's—there's blood everywhere…" Drippingpaw dropped to the ground in an exhausted faint.

Froststar nudged the apprentice toward her deputy. "Get him to Birdfeather. I'll gather a patrol to help StormClan."

Flintfire nodded, lifting Drippingpaw onto his back. The deputy disappeared through the medicine den.

(Time passes cause I'm lazy)

Froststar and the warriors of BlizzardClan crashed through the StormClan entrance. The Clan faltered as they stared around in horror. The grass was stained with blood. There was almost no green left. ThornClan cats fought viciously with the defending StormClan warriors. Battered, motionless bodies of cats scattered the clearing. Froststar could barely believe her own two eyes. Was Flarestrike among the fallen?

Not bearing the thought, Froststar sprang into action. "Embergaze, take the elder's den. Amberclaw and Maplefur, the nursery. Dirtpaw, Jumppaw and Starlingfrost, the apprentice den. Littlestone, the medicine den. The rest of you, fight the warriors. ThornClan warriors, not StormClan. We're helping them. Flintfire and Sunfur, come with me." Motioning to her deputy and brother, the three cats headed for the leader's den.

Once inside, Froststar was horrified to see a motionless Coalstar, a hissing, spitting, fighting, lashing Clawfur, and a thrashing Flarestrike. She gaped in confusion to see that he was pinned beneath his own clanmate, Snowpath. "Snowpath! What are you doing?"

Snowpath raised her pearly-white head. "Froststar! Thank StarClan you came!" She frowned at Flarestrike. "He turned against us."

"What?" Froststar replied in amazement.

Snowpath creased her brow. "I know. Unbelievable." She pressed down harder on Flarestrike to get a firmer grip on him as he attempted to wriggle away.

Cinderstar spat in disgust. "He tried to kill me."

Froststar couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What?" she whispered.

(Attention back on Flarestrike)

Flarestrike couldn't bear Froststar's horrified face. "No! No! Please! I never wanted to kill him!"

"So you did try killing him!" Froststar cried. "How could you turn against your own Clan?"

Flarestrike closed his eyes in an attempt to block out Froststar's face. First the death of his father, possibly his mother, and now this? What in StarClan had he done?

(Time passes)

Flarestrike held his head low as he left the camp. The eyes of his remaining clanmates burned his pelt. He had been exiled from StormClan, and banished from their territory. If only he hadn't been swayed by his father's flattery. Now he was an outcast.

(Attention back to Froststar XD)

Froststar paced in her camp. Three days had passed since the battle with ThornClan in order to save StormClan. Cinderstar had told her that he would banish Flarestrike, and no matter how badly she wanted to protest, she knew she couldn't, or her secret would be given away.

"What's wrong, Froststar?" Flintfire asked.

"I'm just a bit jumpy since the battle, that's all," Froststar lied.

Flintfire nodded. "We all are. I can't get the image of when we first broke through the entrance out of my head. So much blood…"

"That's enough remembering for now." Froststar stopped her deputy before he could go on. She turned her head to where Birdfeather was coaxing Drippingpaw to walk to her. The apprentice trembled with horror at the memories, and winced from his wounds. He had been extremely shaken up from the battle. His gashes still hurt him. BlizzardClan had agreed to keep the apprentice at their camp while StormClan recovered. They would take him back when they were able to care for him.

Froststar padded over to the medicine cat and the apprentice. "How is he doing?" she Birdfeather.

Birdfeather smiled optimistically. "Better than yesterday. He got a few feet farther." She frowned. "He still has nightmares."

Froststar shook her head. "He will for a while. But they'll soon go away." Froststar padded over to Drippingpaw. "You're doing fine."

Drippingpaw looked up at Froststar. She remembered how happy and excited this apprentice had been at Gatherings, and now he had dwindled to a terrified kit. His look of fear made her bite her lip in question at whether he would ever recover.

An hour passed. Froststar sat on the Blizzard-Ledge, formerly known as the Highledge. She watched the entrance, dozing in and out of sleep. Suddenly, a cat stepped through. She opened her eyes. It was Flarestrike.

Froststar jumped down and pushed him out the entrance. "What are you doing here?" she hissed.

"I was banished. I was wondering if you would take me in."

Froststar was taken by surprise with Flarestrike's sudden question. She sighed, turning away from him. "I love you. But you tried to kill off your whole Clan for what? A chance at useless power. How could you?"

Flarestrike trembled. "Coalstar promised that we would rule the Clan."

"And then what? Were you going to take over BlizzardClan too?" Froststar's voice shook.

Flarestrike stared at his paws. "I'm sorry…"

Froststar yowled in rage. She knocked Flarestrike to the dirt. He didn't fight back. "You idiot! You coward! You stupid, stupid cat!" Froststar stood. She shook with anger. "I won't take a monster like you." A single tear trickled down her dark-gray cheek. "I love you and hate you all at the same time. Oh, Flarestrike, I love you. But it can't work anymore. I'll never forget our bond. Good-bye, Flarestrike."

Froststar left the gaping tom in the dust. She caught sight of Flarestrike's head hanging as his own tears streamed down his face. Froststar retreated to her den, where she trembled in pain for her loss until it was time for patrol.

How was this? A REALLY LONG ONE-SHOT, I KNOW. The ending is sad, sorry XD wanted to make it emotional. Hopefully Cheetahstar won't hate it for that 8I

Anyhoo, I'll be updating my other stories soon :D Oh, and the Poll that I talked about in Twisted? IT'S A REAL POLL THAT IS ON MY PROFILE. GO LOOK. But in order to vote, you have to read and review Twisted. And just to let ya'll know, I can actually look at who voted, so I know whether you read Twisted or not *puts on boss shades* ',B)

Hope you liked! :)