I'm really sorry, readers. I went through a little author's block, and I coldn't type. Lucky for me, I had an inspiration for this chapter. Thanks, readers! Constructive criticism always welcome!

Shadedlily

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Moss Rock for a Clan meeting!" Swiftstar's command echoed through the eerie camp, cutting through the silence. Cats slowly emerged from their dens, their fur matted with blood and their faces wearing the expression of defeat. A few of the warriors grumbled among each other, their voices low so their leader would not hear them. Flowerpaw stumbled clumsily among the many cats, looking for a familiar face. Finding none, the she-cat sighed and padded up to her mentor.

"What's going on, Lilystep?" she asked. The senior warrior just shook her head with shame.

"It seems," Swiftstar began, "that MoonClan and CrystalClan are tired of fighting. I have called a meeting that will decide our fate. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what we could do?"

"I know!" Sparrowflight meowed from in the crowd. "Why don't we leave? My mate was injured in the last battle!"

"Yes, let's leave!" Riverheart mewed. Many cats joined in with the chanting.

"Silence!" Swiftstar spat. "We need more than one suggestion." The angry leader scanned the cats beneath her, but none said a word. "So that's it. What a shame."

"Lilystep!" Flowerpaw hissed under her breath. "I think Swiftstar is acting...different."

"She is losing her belief in the Warrior Code," Lilystep meowed. "She can no longer trust our warrior ancestors." Flowerpaw bristled.

"What can we do? We can't just sit here and wait for CrystalClan and MoonClan to just attack us!"

"Than what do you suggest we do?" Lilystep hissed. Flowerpaw bit her tongue to hold back a retort. It seemed that everything was falling apart. The Warrior Code, the clans, and the strong belief that the RainClan cats had in their ancestors.

"Cats of RainClan," Swiftstar meowed. "We have no choice. Cherrykit is still being held captive, and we have no choice but to attack the enemies."

"Fox dung!" Firelight spat. "We must have another way! Those cats will turn us into crow food!"

"We have no other choice!" the leader meowed. "Unless you think that fleeing will solve all of our problems?" Firelight opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.

"We need to flee!" a cat mewed from the crowd. "More and more cats keep dying!"

"Flee!" desperate meows broke the tension that loomed in the air. "We need to find a new home!"

"A new home!" Hawktalon meowed. The tom jumped up on the Moss Rock to join Swiftstar. "A new home? What good would that do?"

"We wouldn't keep getting attacked by MoonClan and CrystalClan," Lilystep offered. "If we found a new home, than things would be back to normal." Swiftstar nodded, but said nothing.

"So is that it?" Hawktalon asked. "Are we leaving?"

"Yes," Swiftstar meowed after a long pause. "We will leave."

"When?" Flowerpaw asked.

"At dawn," Swiftstar replied. "Leafspiral, I need you to get as many traveling herbs as possible." The slender medicine cat nodded, and disappeared into her den. The cats began to leave the clearing, but a sharp meow stopped them.

"Wait!" Lilystep meowed. "I believe it is time for my apprentice to take her warrior name." Swiftstar nodded, and Flowerpaw's mentor nudged her up to the Moss Rock.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look upon this apprentice. She has worked hard with a determined heart to learn and protect the noble Warrior Code, and I commend her as a warrior in her turn. Flowerpaw, do you promise to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Flowerpaw meowed.

"Than by the power invested in me, I give you your warrior name. From this moment on, you will be known as Flowerheart. StarClan honors your bravery and intelligence." Swiftstar purred. Flowerheart shakily licked her leader's shoulder before returning to her position next to Lilystep.

"Flowerheart, Flowerheart!" the cats cheered. The young warrior burned with pride as the cats chanted her new name. Swiftstar jumped down from the Moss Rock, and the cats began to disperse.

"Well done," Lilystep muttered in her ear. "I couldn't have had a better apprentice."

"Thank you," Flowerheart mewed. "It means a lot." Lilystep motioned for the new warrior to follow her into the warrior den. Flowerheart shakily sat down in a nest, and closed her eyes.

"Oh, Rainpaw," Flowerheart meowed sadly. "I hope you're safe."

---

Rainpaw opened her mouth and tasted the air. Dawn winds brought the scent of fresh kill towards the apprentice, and Rainpaw dropped into the hunter's crouch as she scented mouse. The silvery-grey she-cat padded forward evasively, making sure that her paws didn't make a sound on the damp earth. Rainpaw spotted the creature bustling about the ferns, and as she pounced, the mouse fled.

"Fox dung!" she meowed, looking at the empty spot where her paws hit the ground. No prey meant no food, and no food meant going hungry for today. The she-cat sighed, and sat down. Since Tigerstar had visited her, she had been restless. Rainpaw had taken his warning into consideration, but the she-cat had turned her back on her clan. Getting up from her resting spot, Rainpaw began to walk over the sodden moor. It had been at least a moon since she was banished from her clan, and she couldn't find a trace of NightClan anywhere. As Rainpaw climbed over a hill, a sharp stench stuck her. It was not a clan scent, so it must be a loner. Rainpaw hissed and unsheathed her claws.

"Who's there?" she asked, digging her claws into the ground. If it was Tigerstar again, she would be ready. Instead of hearing Tigerstar's rough meow, a softer voice answered her question.

"I am Jadeflower," the voice meowed. Rainpaw turned around and saw a black and white tabby she-cat looking at her. "Who might you be?"

"Rainpaw," the she-cat replied.

"Rainpaw?" the cat called Jadeflower meowed in astonishment. "You're here already? We weren't expecting you for at least a couple moons."

"What do you mean, expecting me?" Rainpaw asked. "Where are you from?"

"Questions can be answered later," Jadeflower mewed. "Let's go take you to see Lionstar."