This chapter's title is unintentionally similar to my username.

Just as an overall note, the Dark Forest will not be prominent in this book. I think it's been done time and again (and again and again) both in canon and fanfictions. It's just that the Dark Forest was a convenient place for cats to gather to discuss their evil plans to take down the Clans (ha I rhymed :P ). There actually won't be any battle training going on there. Again, it's just a good spot for these cats to meet during their dreams. I'm sorry I had to add it in, but I promise, after the prologue, it'll be like it's not even there. Okay? :)

Also, I'm leaving for my two-week camp tomorrow. This might or might not be the last update for awhile. As it's a writing camp, I could probably manage to write a couple chapters and post them. There might be a decrease in the amount of chapters. There might be no change. There might be an increase (actually an increase is pretty unlikely but oh well, I'll put it here just because). I honestly don't know. We'll just have to wait and see what happens, I guess.

ShadowHawk540: YAY indeed! ^^ Yeah, it is a little sad, though. This is the last time I'll write a book about Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar. ;-;

RANDOM PERSON: I'm so excited too! :D I hope you're as excited for this chapter!

QLKwriter: I'm glad you love the start! :) And those are good theories, but I'm afraid I'm trying to keep what happened in the prologue rather mysterious, so I'm not going to be able to give you anything else about them. So... moving on to: how's this for updating soon? Was it soon enough? :)

walkswithwheels: I promise I won't make this story cliche. I have at least one major twist in the plot, one that I'm hoping will be completely unexpected but when the readers think back they'll be like, "Oh yeah, that actually kind of does make sense." And, again, the DF will most certainly not appear again unless it's absolutely necessary. It really has been done way too many times. Sorry I can't give more away, I want it to be a surprise. :S Also, my personal format for allegiances is Title, Rank, Cat's Name, Description. It keeps it separate for me visually (I'm a very visual person) and it's just easy because I've been doing it for so long. I'm sorry you have a hard time reading it. :( I hadn't noticed that the formatting had been changed in the previous books. And I will try to get in a chapter with RiverClan's POV. I think it would be interesting. I'll just have to think about where to put it in.

sunstrike: I'm glad you're getting an account! :) The message probably means that you entered in your password wrong. Try entering it again, and if that doesn't work, try resetting your password. There should be a message saying, "Forgot your password?" or something like that. If you click on that you can send yourself an email and reset your password. Make sure it's spelled correctly! The worst thing ever is to misspell your password when setting up an account. :( Hope this helps!

Shadows of Weeping Wolves: Now you can keep reading! :D I also hope this book will be as good as the others. I already have two - three plot points I'm hoping to incorporate. The first will be introduced this chapter. :) And I do remember that I advised you not to add in the DF. You and a few other people told me that the Dark Forest was cliche and I hope my explanation was sufficient. I kind of don't want to retype it here (or even lazily copy and paste :P ) Anyway, enjoy Chapter Number One! :)

ilovewarriorcats: All right, here goes. First off, never feel bad about ranting to me. I am a class A when it comes to rants. Almost every week my best friend has something to rant about to me and I listen. And when she's done I give advice. So I'll do the same to you. Second, I was blown away by how amazingly similar we sound. I'm also from a well-off family, have never had a really serious injury, and the only family members who have died are my great-grandparents and my cats (that was really sad ;-; ). Sure, I'm 3 years older, but I kept a journal when I was 12 so I can revisit my life then. In one entry, I wrote about how I wanted to bring my life away from the computer and in the free time I'd then have, I could start making money. But I didn't know how. I was only 12, who would hire me? Later on (I was actually 13 at this point) I decided I wanted to change the world through writing to make it better for animals. Third, I think that rule about having to be 13 is a new one. I got my account when I was 12 and wrote The Lost Snow (story still up on my story tab because I finished it). Fourth, yeah, the brownie story does make you sound like a spoiled rich kid. :P Sorry but it's true. Maybe to stop stuff like that in the future you can think about whether or not you really need this, and would you buy it with your own money, and would it be good for you. Fifth, to get better in math you might want to ask one of your friends or family members even for help. They know you best and can explain it to you best. Whenever I don't understand something, I go to my mom who majored in engineering in college. She always helps me understand. You said your brother was good at math? If he's anything like my brother he'd be happy to show off a little and do your homework for/with you (my brother's also a math nerd, he probably will follow in my mom's footsteps and become an engineer). However aggravating he might be, you might have to ask for his help. Sixth, I try to pay people back by doing chores around the house and always telling my family I love them and as of recently, drawing then pictures for Mother's and Father's Day (speaking of which, I have to draw something for my dad still). I try to spend time with them and I must certainly always say thank you. It might not sound like much but it certainly feels like enough, especially when my parents go into the kitchen late, tired after a long day, expecting to find a heap of dirty dishes in the sink, only to find every single one in the dishwasher. Same with laundry. After many times asking how over and over again, I actually know how to do my family's laundry. You could maybe write a card to your cousin telling him that you're thinking of him and that he'll do fine, stuff like that. You could also include a drawing or a poem or something, whatever you're best at. I'm sure it will make him feel better. Seventh, just tell your family about her. Don't be nervous or anything. Just do it. Tell them she send nice and call her that evening apologizing for not calling her before. If your parents are like my dad they'll be excited that their introverted, shy (are you either of these?) girl is making new friends. Wow, this was a long reply! I'm glad you got a chance to rant, even if it's only over the internet. It really helps get stress out of your system. Good luck with... life at the moment!

Leopardstar2002: I do have plans for one Clan in particular to come to the lake! (from popular demand of readers :P ) Guess who it is?

Nightfeather: Here it is! :D Yeah, the title as well as the existence of a third book says pretty plainly that the peace ain't gonna last. :P

EradrinSkyleaf: No, don't cry! Here, have a chapter! XD My camp is called RYM and it's in Maryland. It's pretty far away but it sounds like it'll be really fun! ^^

The Guardian of the Sky: One moon... or a bunch more. :P I'm not even sure myself. But Leafbare's beginning so it's been about a season!

Willowdream of ForestClan: Ah, but Mossystar is proud, so maybe she could cause trouble anyway? XD But yeah, you're right, an outside source is more likely. And I sure hope my summer will be fun! ^^ I just might not have as much time to write as I'd like. :(


Sootstar's POV

Crunch.

I glanced down in surprise, picking up my now-white-dusted paw. Quickly casting my gaze around the stone hollow, I realized the first snowfall of the year must have fallen last night.

Several sets of paw prints tracked across the clearing. The dawn patrol must have already left. I smiled to myself as I carefully descended the Rockfall. Rustpelt, though young for his position as deputy, was always on top of his duties. It took a massive load off my shoulders.

My stomach growled. I sighed—my stomach was always growling, it seemed. It was my first time having to ration food; back in the peaceful forest, there was plenty of prey even in Leafbare. It was one perk of having your own territory.

But the hunting patrols had been successful yesterday. Maybe there was something extra I could share with Dawnshine before I headed out on a hunting patrol. I padded over to the fresh-kill pile, or at least where I knew it must be, hidden under the thick layer of powdery snow.

As I crossed the clearing, Snowclaw nosed his way out of the warriors' den and began digging in the snow. By the time I arrived at the pile, he had already made a sizeable hole. I glanced down at his large paws as he pulled out a frozen mouse.

"I'm glad to have you in the Clan," I meowed bluntly.

Snowclaw glanced up, his amber eyes startled. "How come?" he asked.

"Well, you're really useful in the middle of Leafbare," I reasoned. "You have white fur to blend in with the snow, a thick pelt to block out the wind, and those huge paws to dig in the snow."

Snowclaw glanced down, embarrassed. "Yeah, I guess," he muttered. He reached down again to tug a second piece of prey out from under the icy covering of snow.

"When did you last go on a hunting patrol?" I pressed.

"Um…" Snowclaw's eyes narrowed in concentration as he thought back. "The day before yesterday, I think. Why?"

I stared around for Rustpelt, even peering past Snowclaw into the dark warriors' den, but couldn't find him. He must be out on the dawn patrol. "How would you like to go on a hunting patrol with me later?" I asked. "I'm told the first snowfall of the season is always a tough time for finding prey."

Snowclaw dipped his head. "Sure, Sootstar. I'd be honored—"

"Sootstar!"

My ears swiveled around to face the entrance, my nose heartbeats behind. The dawn patrol had returned, and sure enough, Rustpelt bounded in the lead, snow dusting his fur up to his belly. Behind him padded Streamfrost, Tortoiseheart, and Robinchest. "Rustpelt," I greeted my deputy. "What is it?"

Rustpelt's eyebrows were creased in anxiousness. Immediately, my mind jumped to conclusions. NightClan had returned, stronger than ever. A Clanmate was lying in the woods, injured due to a falling branch. Rogues had decided to move into our territory.

"We need to talk," he murmured with half a glance at Snowclaw

I glanced over at the large tom and meowed, "Hey, Snowclaw, have Amberwing and her kits had something to eat yet? I bet they're hungry."

Snowclaw, thankfully, took the hint. Dipping his head respectfully again, he trotted off toward the nursery with a frosty blackbird clamped between his jaws. I looked back at Rustpelt, concern clouding my mind once again.

"Sootstar," Rustpelt began, looking deadly serious, "I think something's wrong out in the forest. I know we weren't a hunting patrol, but… well…" he scuffed a paw against the ground in embarrassment. "I thought it might be good if we returned with a mouse or two, you know."

I nodded, urging Rustpelt to continue. Rustpelt looked relieved that I didn't mind and began talking normally again. "But we couldn't find anything. Not a sniff of prey anywhere. I couldn't understand it. I mean, sure it's Leafbare and all, and sure it's all snowy so the prey would be in their burrows, but honestly, shouldn't at least one mouse be out trying to find food?"

Again, I nodded, only this time it was contemplative. "But why would the prey suddenly be gone?" I asked almost to myself. "They were out yesterday and they can't all have died of cold. Could they?" I kicked at the snow. Was it possible that it was colder here at the lake than in the forest? I'd only experienced one Leafbare, so I couldn't tell whether this one was worse than the others.

Still, Rustpelt's patrol had been a border patrol, so they probably weren't looking too hard for prey. "We probably shouldn't worry yet," I meowed. "Let's send out a few patrols and then we'll see."

Rustpelt nodded and took a few steps toward the warriors' den. I quickly swept my tail in front of his chest, making him pause. "I want to lead a patrol," I informed him. "I'll take Snowclaw and two others with me. And make sure Iceheart is on the other patrol. Every cat with white fur needs to hunt at some point today to make sure we have enough to go around."

The deputy nodded again and I withdrew my tail, letting him head for the den. I stayed put as I heard him call out to several cats. My stomach rumbled again, but this time I ignored it. There was a reason I had nine lives, and it wasn't so that I could eat all my Clan's prey.

I padded over to the nursery to tell Snowclaw about the hunting patrols. As I poked my head through the entrance, I was almost poked in the eye by a flying ginger paw.

"Birchkit!" came a scolding voice from within. "Be more careful! You almost blinded your own leader!"

I snorted, though softly enough so Birchkit wouldn't hear. I doubted whether a kit paw would do enough damage to permanently blind me in one eye, let alone both. Still, I approached the nursery entrance again with more caution than before.

It was warm in the den. As I pulled myself through the thorny outer wall, I felt the lumps of snow in my fur begin to melt. I sighed in the sudden comfort, wiggling my toes, relishing how quickly the numbness receded.

Snowclaw sat in one corner, a ball of tightly packed moss held delicately on one claw. He held it out, dangling it over the heads of three kits, laughing as they jumped for it, missing it by a pawstep. Amberwing curled in her nest, looking tired but still keeping one sharp eye on her kits.

"Sootstar," Snowclaw greeted me, tossing the mossball across the den for Birchkit, Sunkit, and Maplekit to chase. "Is it time for our hunting patrol?"

"Yes," I replied. "Rustpelt's recruiting two other cats to join us right now."

Snowclaw stood up, rubbing his nose against Amberwing's cheek as he padded toward me. "All right, let's go," he meowed, slipping past me out of the den. I cast one last glance back at Amberwing, a hollow forming in the pit of my stomach. Snowclaw was so lucky to have his sister with him in ThunderClan. I missed my own littermates more than I thought I ever could.

It was different, somehow, having Cinderstar and Rainstar in different Clans. When they'd been gone on their quests, I missed them but always knew they'd come back someday. Now, however, it was more that they were just out of reach, so close yet so far. And I couldn't even mindspeak with them anymore.

Snowclaw was waiting in the clearing with Breezelark. Standing a little apart from them were Molewhisker, Iceheart, and Dawnshine. I smiled at my mate as I padded over to stand with Snowclaw and Breezelark. Her eyes went wide when she saw me. She seemed to be trying to tell me something. But for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out.

"I'm sorry I could only find one more cat for your patrol." Rustpelt bounded over from the warriors' den, his face a mask of anxiety. "It's just we had only five warriors left who hadn't already been out on patrol and it'd really be best if they were split up into two patrols of three each, including you."

"It's fine," I said breezily. I beckoned to my patrol and started for the entrance. As I passed Rustpelt, I meowed in an undertone, "And stop worrying so much. I know it's stressful, what with Leafbare here and prey not as plentiful, but honestly, you're doing fine."

Rustpelt flashed me a grin. "I'll guard the camp while you're gone," he promised.

I was almost at the entrance when another call came from behind me. "Sootstar!"

It was Dawnshine. I slowed, letting her catch up to me. "What's up?" I asked, and despite what I'd just told Rustpelt, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

But Dawnshine just glanced ahead, to where my patrol was waiting, and muttered, "I'll tell you later. Good hunting." She rasped her tongue quickly over my ear and slowed to let the rest of her patrol catch up to her.

"Good hunting," I meowed, and even I could tell that my voice was rather hesitant. What was so important that Dawnshine had tried to tell me about it earlier, but not so important it couldn't wait for later? Why couldn't she just tell me now? Why keep me in the dark?

Why were she-cats so confusing?

I shook my head, bounding to the head of my patrol. Whatever it was, if Dawnshine was willing to wait, so was I. I had a job to do. I had to feed my Clan.


The sun had started to set before I finally decided to head back to camp. Everyone was hungry and the forest seemed devoid of prey. I was seriously starting to get worried—ever since I'd reformed ThunderClan, we'd never had this little prey from a hunting patrol. I seriously hoped the other hunting patrol had caught more than we had.

I went through the thorn barrier first, my jaws devoid of prey. I felt shame start welling beneath my pelt—I couldn't even catch one measly shrew. Then I realized no one was in the clearing to see my humiliation. Not even the kits played in the snow outside the nursery, though judging by the myriad pawprints around the entrance, they had been scuffling around earlier. Probably now they were getting warm in their nest with Amberwing.

Snowclaw appeared next, carrying a slightly plump vole, its fat left over from Leaffall. I missed those days of plentiful, nourishing prey almost as much as I missed my littermates, though I could just be nostalgic because of the hunger pangs currently gripping my stomach like a NightClan warrior's claws. I waited for Breezelark to enter the clearing, her teeth clamped around a sparrow she'd barely grabbed with the tips of her claws as it tried desperately to escape to a high tree branch. Then I followed my warriors to where the fresh-kill pile lay at the opposite side of camp.

Or to where it used to be. Already the pile was devoid of prey. I stared morosely at the empty patch of snowless earth, almost too swamped by sudden sadness to notice a voice calling my name.

Goldenwing bounded out of the medicine den to stand in front of me, breaking my line of vision and shattering the funk I'd fallen into. "Stop staring at the ground like it just swallowed up your sister," she grumbled. "The fresh-kill pile was moved into the medicine den to keep it from freezing. I don't know about you but I don't want to break my teeth on frozen food."

I blinked. "Oh, okay." At once I felt rather stupid. Of course we couldn't have eaten all the fresh-kill. ThunderClan wasn't big enough to have finished it off.

I started toward the medicine den alongside Snowclaw and Breezelark, but before I'd taken three steps, Dawnshine had bounded over to me, stopping directly in my path. "We need to talk, Sootstar."

Oh, right. In the mess of the unsuccessful hunt I'd almost completely forgotten about that thing she couldn't tell me this morning. "Oh, okay," I replied, sounding vaguely stupefied. I shook my head to clear it and followed Dawnshine as she led the way up the Rockfall to the leader's den. There, she turned to face me. I sensed something huge coming and steeled myself for the worst.

"I'm expecting kits."

What?

Dawnshine gazed at me eagerly. When my expression didn't change, her face fell. "You don't want kits?" she asked, sounding to be on the verge of tears.

"No! I mean yes! I mean—" I stammered to a halt, took a deep breath, and started over. "I do want kits, Dawnshine," I murmured, moving closer and pressing my cheek against hers. "I'm sorry. I'm truly happy for you—for us. I was just shocked, is all."

Dawnshine smiled tentatively. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure," I echoed.

We stood there in silence for a little while, the cave darkening around us. One thought seemed to bounce around inside my head, circling and circling and circling around.

I'm going to be a father. I'm going to be a father!


He's going to be a father! He's going to be a father!

QOTD: How do you think Sootstar will react to being a father? Will he be good to his kits or will he be not as great like Ashthorn?