''Those Memories..''

''Memories... why can't they go away?'' The ginger tom muttered, as his mind was littered with the same constant thoughts. No matter how hard he tried to erase them, they would not go away.

He leaped onto a large stone, and looked up at the mighty crowns of the trees, sheltering most parts of Thunderclan camp.

'It's been two moons and I can't seem to understand why I haven't forgotten about that terrible day... the day Whitestorm.. got killed.' He thought. The gentle breeze that weaved through leaves and branches of trees was all that was heard.

The ginger tom had some quiet time, at last, after a long day of keeping to his duties of a Leader, receiving easy or difficult tasks, and completing them.

In a couple of heartbeats, that silence was broken by the Leader's mate, by a sand pelted she – cat.

''Firestar, I've been looking for you. What's wrong?'' The she – cat asked, trying to catch a glimpse of the ginger tom's grass green eyes that slowly began to glow as the sun fell lower and lower, closer to the horizon that was not been able to be seen due to the crowns of the trees above blocking it.

Firestar met the sand pelted she cat's grass green eyes. ''Nothing is wrong, Sandstorm. Thank Starclan that nothing is wrong, though.'' He spoke, and gave his mate a warm smile.

Sandstorm lightened up every single time her mate smiled at her. It brought her the warmest and happiest of memories she had with him. ''Now come on. I could see you were thinking about something. Tell me about it, please.''

Firestar sighed, and looked away, his warm smile fading from his muzzle. ''To be honest with you.. I haven't been thinking about the brightest of things..'' He paused, and decided to keep eye contact as he spoke to Sandstorm. ''That battle. That battle we had with Bloodclan about two moons ago. I don't exactly know why are those memories still stuck in my head, but they are. I can't seem to do anything about them.''

Sandstorm kept silent, she continued listening as her mate spoke.

''.. nothing can change the cost that we paid. Many loyal cats died. Our good friends. I can never forgive myself for Whitestorm's death.''

Sandstorm was still silent for a couple of heartbeats. 'He is thinking about the battle with Bloodclan? Wow, I would have never guessed.' She thought to herself.

''Firestar,'' She spoke. ''I understand that you feel guilty that you couldn't save Whitestorm. But you shouldn't. Whitestorm would have wanted you to move on. To remain who you truly are. He believed that Greystripe would have been the rightful new Deputy of Thunderclan, and he was right.''

Firestar raised an eyebrow ''But so many lives were lost and-''

''I know.'' Sandstorm interrupted. ''But we had no choice. We fought. We did what was needed. If we wouldn't have fought, Bloodclan would have still probably wiped us all out one by one.''

Silence was present for a couple of heartbeats. Firestar did not know if he could say any more about that topic. He sighed. ''If I see it from that point of view.. then I can say that you are right.''

Sandstorm smiled and gave Firestar an affectionate lick on the ear. Firestar nuzzled her lovingly. ''We should go back. Time to organise a night patrol.'' Firestar mentioned. He jumped off the large stone and glanced at Sandstorm, waiting for her to follow.

''Hmph, alright.'' She chuckled, and jumped off the large rock after Firestar and followed him back to Thunderclan camp.

The two cats walked on. Firestar called the clan's warriors, and began picking out cats to go out for the night patrol. Sandstorm left Firestar to finish his duties. She entered their den, and settled herself onto her moss bed. The warmth of the den, and the pleasant moss bed, travelled up through her body, making her feel relaxed. She slowly placed her chin onto her two front paws and began drifting off into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, during the Thunderclan Night Patrol...

''Found anything unusual?'' Asked Frostfur, a snow white pelted she – cat with beautiful blue eyes.

''No, not really.'' Answered back the Thunderclan's deputy, Greystripe. A grey pelted tom with a darker grey stripe running across his back, with golden yellow eyes.

The patrol slowly, silently and carefully began moving through the forest's dense flora. They had to make sure they examined as much of Thunderclan's borders as possible.

Suddenly, Greystripe's ears twitched as he heard a fallen stick snap. Greystripe's head quickly turned to the left, his ears still twitching. ''What in the name of Starclan was that?'' He hissed quietly.

''Sorry, that was me.'' Dustpelt, a dark brown tabby tom whispered to Greystripe, as he swiped the stick he accidentally stepped on away.

''Be careful on what you step. Somebody unwelcome might hear you, Dustpelt.'' Greystripe warned, and turned his head, his golden yellow eyes facing what was ahead again.

''Okay Greystripe. Sorry.'' Dustpelt whispered, following Greystripe. The rest of the patrol also tagged along, trying their best to make the least amount of noise possible.

Moments passed, and still, nothing strange or unusual was inhabiting the Thunderclan borders.

Suddenly Greystripe halted the patrol.

''Greystripe what is it?'' Frostfur asked curiously.

The Thunderclan Deputy turned around to face the rest of the patrol that was with him, and spoke. ''We should spilt up.'' He paused, and his eyes met Dustpelt's eyes. ''Dustpelt, you will be coming with me. Frostfur will be going with Brackenfur.''

Brackenfur, a golden brown tabby tom, nodded with understanding. Frostfur glanced at Brackenfur, and nodded with agreement.

They separated, continuing their patrol. Greystripe and Dustpelt went to the East while Frostfur and Brackenfur went to the West.

Meanwhile, during Greystripe's and Dustpelt's patrol...

Greystripe and Dustpelt patrolled very carefully. They had to have eyes around their heads. Anything could have been lurking in the shadows of the deep forest.

Heartbeats passed, until, Greystripe and Dustpelt halted. Their ears twitched, they could smell something, as well as hear something. Something.. unwelcome.

''Shh!'' Greystripe hissed quietly, and listened closely, his ears twitching from time to time.

''Em.. Greystripe...'' Dustpelt's voice shivered, and he nudged Greystripe's shoulder to get his attention.

''Keep it down! I know I've heard something.'' Greystripe hissed in annoyance.

Dustpelt nudged the Thunderclan Deputy again. ''L-Look there.'' Dustpelt shivered, gesturing his head over to what he wanted Greystripe to look at.

Greystripe looked, and got a slight fright when he noticed two glowing pairs of pale, ice blue eyes, staring right at them from the bushes. Now, there was no sound. Just pure, silence. No wind, no sounds of the forest's fauna. Nothing. Pure silence. Everything stood completely still for a couple of heartbeats, until, the silence became broken by Greystripes startled voice.

''Who are you? Show yourself.'' Greystripe spoke in a commanding voice, placing his left front paw to the front.

'Surely, that is a cat. I can smell that it is. But I cannot seem to resemble from what clan the cat is from. And I can also smell... blood.' Dustpelt thought, as Greystripe's voice was being heard.

The hidden cat said nothing. Again, the pure silence came back for a couple more heartbeats, till the pair of pale, ice blue eyes disappeared from sight. Ratting of sticks was heard from the mysterious cat's direction. The sound of the cat running became fainter, and fainter, till, it was not heard no more.

''Who was that?'' Dustpelt asked, padding over to Greystripe's side.

The Thunderclan Deputy met Dustpelt's eyes, and spoke slowly. ''That is what frightens me, Dustpelt. I don't have a clue who that cat was.'' He paused, and his head turned, facing the front. ''We must inform the others. Firestar, Brackenfur, Frostfur.. everyone.''

The gentle breeze of the night returned, and began weaving through the forest's flora, and was hitting itself against Dustpelt's and Greystripe's pelt.

Dustpelt nodded with agreement slowly, and the two toms raced back to camp, abandoning their patrol completely.