Amberstorm. Oh Amberstorm. Moondust hung her head, remembering the best of times with her mother. Icecloud, Stormcloud, and Cherryfall were lost. Dovewing sighed,and Moondust wished that she would be able to help. But that was the tradition. Elders dug the graves, not the warriors.

She then saw the silver shape of Stormcloud, the tom glancing out at nothing, bright yellow eyes was being drug out by Snowfall, her uncle. Moondust blinked blue eyes, and the looked back into the camp. Amberstorm's body was there, and Moondust was her kit, not whichever warrior was going to be taking her out. It didn't matter if it was Dewtail bringing her out either. Something in her wanted, yet didn't want, to carry her out. It was if it was her duty. Hunting meant nothing if she could not see her mother out on the final steps to StarClan.

She saw Ivystar smiling at the dead body. A sad, bitter smile. She looked out to the sky, and Moondust stood still for a moment. She forgot that Ivystar was Amberstorm's neice. Moondust still walked forward though. "Ivystar?" Moondust asked. It was her first words after the vigil, now that it was dawn. She wanted to sound brave and calm, but the sight of her mother's body nearly burnt to ashes was enough to make any cat's voice small, tiny, and weak.

The gray and white tabby blinked in surprise. "Yes, Moondust?" Her fur shone in the dawn sunlight.

"I'd like to…" Moondust breathed in, trying to avoid the sight of her mother. "I'd like to carry Amberstorm's body out." She didn't want to explain.

Ivystar blinked, the leader looking dignified and calm. "I understand, Moondust, It was the same with Whitewing." Ivystar backed away, the cat's eyes dull and milky.

Moondust walked forwards and grabbed the cat's scruff. Her fur was nearly burnt off completely and the skin red and blistered. Moondust blinked back a tear for her mother. She was unrecognizable, that was the only thing distinguishing her from the scratched and bitten to death bodies of Stormcloud and Icecloud. Oh, mother. She thought. It shouldn't be this hard. But maybe it should. It showed she was a normal warrior. Not emotionless, but normal. Maybe normal was good.

Maybe she should just live a normal life. She thought, as she plodded on. Her mother's body left ashes behind it.

Then what would it mean? Would her mother die for nothing? She died defending her clan from those barbarians. Maybe Moondust should do the same. Die defending her, clan, but maybe more. Then it seemed a newfound ambition started to spark in her. She should die defending her clan, while leading it into battle.

She would be the one to land the killing blow on Fangstar, the leader of that so-called clan. She'd land the killing blow on him nine times if that was what it took. She hopped up the last rock of the quarry, narrowing her eyes angrily. Fangstar would have to pay.

She looked at the holes, two of them filled with Icecloud and Stormcloud's bodies. She gave one last look at her mother's face. Her eyes were empty sockets, melted away by the fire. How painful would it have been in that fire? How much would it have hurt her to see her claws, skin, fur, even her eyes burn away?

She blinked back a tear, dropping her mother's body into the grave. It took nearly a second before the body landed with a thud. Moondust closed her eyes, and then walked away from the rosemary and sage being sprinkled over the bodies. It didn't matter. Amberstorm wouldn't ever smell of death, only ashes.

Ivystar stepped out of the hollow, sneaking a surprised glance at Moondust. "Aren't you going to sit vigil?"

Moondust didn't respond. She couldn't be seen in front of all these cats. Well, ThunderClan was dwindling, so it was a small group to be seen in front of. She again, just couldn't explain.

Ivystar took her tail and put it in front of Moondust. Her blue eyes shone. "Tell me, Moondust. I'm your leader."

"If I want to honour my mother's death.." She began. She looked around, wondering what else to say. "I want to do it on my own." Moondust started padding forwards, feeling anger for no good reason at all.

"Amberstorm wasn't only your mother. She was Dovewing and I's aunt, Dewtail and Snowfall's sister, and Hollycall, Sorrelfoot, and Fernwhisker's Cousin. Don't go skulking off in the shadows. Amberstorm is not your pain, she's the entire clan's pain." Ivystar glared at Moondust, who glared right didn't respond. She just needed to be alone. That was all. Ivystar wouldn't chase her. She would stick to the old, restrictive ways of old ThunderClan,sitting vigil for her lost clanmate with the others. Tears flowing freely. She started trotting through the woods, trying to think of her mother.

It took only a few minutes before the running started making her mind stray.

Ugh. Moondust was too proud to sit there, crying in front of the clan. She was her own cat. Not just another ThunderClan warrior. She'd prove them all she could be different, and excel at being a loyal warrior in the same time. Starting with her mother's vigil...

Moondust shook her head. She was trailing on and on. She should keep her mind on one thing at a time. She wasn't some high-and-mighty warrior. For now, she ws just Moondust. Ordinary black warrior, high ambition. There were sure to be many warriors before her. Moondust narrowed her eyes. But she would prove her Clan wrong.

Moondust stopped in the territory at the sight of a giant black hole. It was where the dirt mound was once. She lifted her nose. No badger scent, nor fox scent. She blinked. Nothing dug it up. Maybe it got dug away. She narrowed her eyes and curled her lip at the thought it might even be the new clan, 'FlameClan,' that dug it out.

Maybe there were still warriors in that tunnel. She'd get her claws on them. For all they were worth, FlameClan cats better not be in there.

Moondust crouched down into a crouch, and relying on the dawn shadows, crept into the tunnel.
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Anddd... Crud. I had no ideas at all Icecloud died. Well, lazy me is lazy. I'm not going back to change it. XD So, how is the story so far? Love to hear. :)