The next evening Brownpaw decided to go see if this Dark Forest she-cat those 2 cats had talked about was real. He waited until most of the cats in camp were asleep before leaving.

A gentle night breeze buffeted his fur. The Wind blew downwind, opposite in the direction that Brownpaw was traveling.

Good. No one should catch me.

He proceeded on and paused when he got to the thunderpath. He could sense no monsters, so he quickly hurried across. He paused to catch his breath as soon as he got to the other side before continuing on.

Mothermouth stood before him. The scents coming from it were of stale Shadowclan stench. Brownpaw snarled at the thought of such a horrible cat like Brokenstar receiving his nine lives. He could not wait until every last one of them was gone.

He padded around to behind mothermouth. Behind it lay a small forest. Since it was getting dark, it would be harder for him to find the black rock. Then, he remembered the withered flower that the cats were talking about. He searched out for that instead.

As it grew darker and darker, he became more agitated.Maybe I'm wasting my time here. Foolish cats.

He searched and searched, still not seeing any sign of the flower. Finally, he decided to give up. Before deciding to head back, the thoughts of Brokenstar's clan driving Windclan came back to clawed at the ground in frustration.I'm a fool for ever believing them. As he raised a paw, he noticed a crumpled flower. It was the gray flower that the two cats were talking about. The gray flower vanished into bits that flew into the he looked up, he noticed a black she-cat with red eyes standing in front of him. Behind her was a giant oak that was as big as one of the oaks at fourtrees. The night sky was noticeably lighter, and thus it appeared to be just around sunset.

" Who are you?" inquired Brownpaw.

" I am Heart. You have summoned me," replied the her paw was a bundle of red leaves." This is for you,"

Brownpaw accepted the offer.

" Inside it is a big red berry. In eating it,you are in a covenant with me,"explained the she-cat." After eating those berries, your tormentor will be taken to the Place of no stars,"

In hearing this, Brownpaw proceeded to unwrap the berry.

"However," Brownpaw paused and looked into the she-cat's eyes when she spoke again." You must deliever your part of the bargain once vengence is you die, your soul will also belong to the place of no stars. Your soul will be left to wander in everlasting solitude and in the will never know the joys of Starclan,"

The scene around him became dark. He looked up to the sky and noticed that there were no moon or trees around him were tall and dark, and he felt as if something sinister were behind them.

" Hello?" He called out. His voice echoed. There was no reply. He tried to search for any scents around him. But the only other one was his. A cold breeze made him shiver. This land all around him was silent, lifeless and dark. He couldn't imagine spending an eternity here, all alone in such a place as longed for his clanmates and companions and to be able to see the moon and stars in the sky at night.

Brownpaw then found himself back on the moors of Windclan. The bundle that Heart had given him was right in front of his paws.

" The decision rests with you," came her voice.

Brownpaw picked the bundle up, and proceeded to hide it in a safe place. He decided to bury it in the apprentices' den next to the nest he slept in.

Brownpaw lunged to the left. Leafpaw unbalanced him form underneath, sending him crashing onto the ground.

" Well done, Leafpaw," congratulated the young tom's mentor, Tornear.

" Your technique needs more improvement," Brownpaw's mentor, Haretail, commented.

Last night, Brownpaw had trouble going to sleep. And all day, he couldn't concentrate. It was hard for him to decide on whether or not to send Brokenstar to the Dark Forest. If he did, that mean cat wouldn't be allowed to torment anymore souls. But if he was allowed to go on living-. Brownpaw shook the thought didn't even want to imagine what Brokenstar could do next.

But is sending him to the Dark forest worth an eternity there?He pondered.

" I smell shadowclan near our border!" reported Tawnyfoot." Along with some unrecognizable scent,"

" It looks like we might be driven out again!" worried Onewhisker.

The two cats along with one other warrior and an apprentice stood at the border. Brownpaw paused from his meal to carefully listen in.

" It seems that Brokenstar is on the move again," meowed Tawnyfoot to Tallstar. The Windclan leader had a solemn expression on his face.

"Inform Deadfoot of this, and have him send out extra patrols to mark the border," responded Tallstar.

"Right," Tawnyfoot nodded and padded away.

" It's going to take more than scent to scare them off," commented Mudclaw." We should invade their camp and drive them out so that they can know the misery that they have put us through,"

" No," disagreed Tallstar." We should wait and see,"

Mudclaw drew his lips back in the beginnings of a snarl, as if Brownpaw thought that his father would attack his own leader, he saw his snarl fade and his fur lie flat. The warrior walked away.

Maybe Onewhisker is right.I can't hesitate any longer. If I wait too late, shadowclan might invade again. I can't let that happen.

As soon as the apprentice finished his meal, he went back to the place where he buried the Berry. He uncovered it as quickly as he could. Just as he proceeded to unwrap the Berry, he stopped himself. I can't. He reburied the Berry, and walked away. Sending a cat to the Dark Forest wasn't worth spending an eternity there. Maybe things will get better.

" Spottedleaf was killed in a raid," announced Bluestar. Gasps came from the crowd below. The cats began to chat among themselves, pondereing about the murderer.

" What coward would dare kill a medicine cat?"

"She was such a nice medicine cat,"

" Only a real heartless fool would have the guts to do it,"

" That's just plain wrong,"

Brownpaw stood there listening,dismayed. It's my 's all my fault.I waited too late.

Bluestar raised her tail for silence.

"Who killed her?" inquired a she-cat.

" It is unknown,but it was learned that the raid was lead by Brokenstar," replied Bluestar.

"Speaking of Brokenstar, did you notice that he's not here?" mewed Leafpaw. Brownpaw noticed that he was in his place was an elderly black tom.

Brownpaw saw the other leaders turning their attention towards the Thunderclan leader.

" And is he dead?" inquired Tallstar.

Fourtrees grew silent as they awaited the Thunderclan leader's response.

" He is a prisoner in our camp," replied Bluestar.

"WHAT?" hissed Tallstar, his eyes wide with shock. The Windclan leader drew his lips back in a snarl, and his pelt began to bristle." He's not dead?"

" No,but-" just as Bluestar began to speak, she was cut off from the cacophony that arose from the crowd below. Cats began to insult Bluestar, some of them using very colorful language while doing so.

" You know what he did to us!" hissed Tallstar." That piece of-of foxdung must be dealt with right away,"

"You should kill him," added Mudclaw.

" If Thunderclan can't handle this, then Shadowclan will," Meowed Nightstar." Expect an unpleasant visit from us soon,"

"And Windclan too,"Added Tallstar.

Brownpaw's pelt the distance, standing next to the Riverclan deputy was Heart. She only stared back at him, saying nothing.

I know what I must do now.Thought Brownpaw.

As soon as the gathering was over, he headed back to his camp along with his clanmates. He headed straight for the apprentices den, and to the spot where he had buried the berry.

When he uncovered the berry, he unwrapped it out of its bundle.

"It's time to end this now!"

"Time to end what?" Leafpaw was standing behind his brother, watching.

Leafpaw chewed the berry, and swallowed it in one gulp. The leaf in which the berry was bundled disappeared into the sky.

"Your Grievance shall be avenged," Came a deep voice.

"What's going on?" asked Leafpaw.

" I did what I had to do," replied Brownpaw, solemny.