"Get a doctor! We need a doctor in here!"

"She isn't breathing!"

"Get the cat off of her! Here, take the book!"

"MELODY! Oh, God, NO! Baby, please, wake up!"

"Sir, you're going to have to move!"

I wasn't aware of what was going on. I could hear voices, one was the nurses, the other my fathers. I was being carried- so much sounds and scents! They were talking about someone… a girl. Not breathing… who? I tried to open my eyes, but couldn't. I tried to speak, but couldn't. I faintly remembered what had happened the night before- bright light, then… nothing. Ebony. Oh no, I've killed her. It all came back to me then. She gave her life to save mine… did that mean...

I opened my eyes and gazed around.

I was in the hospital lobby, lying in my father's lap. He had his face hidden in his hands. I reached my hand- no, paw now, up and touched him, meowing softly. He removed his hands and gazed down at me. "Hey Ebony…" he sounded strained, and choked, as if he had been crying. He picked me up and cuddled me close, holding me like a baby. "Ebony… we lost her. She's gone, my baby girl is gone…" he started crying again. I instantly felt guilt and sadness. My dad needed me… and I left him. I mewled again, trying to tell him how much I love him, and how I wasn't dead. I tried to tell him I was sorry, that I wasn't sick anymore, and we could still be a family. But no matter how much I tried, nothing came out but a series of meows and purrs. He continued to cry. I wished I could cry.

"Ebonyrose? Dinner."

I sat up from where I was lying on the couch, stretching. Three days ago Daddy had taken me home after the doctors announced the old me dead. He had had a tough time with that, cursing and blaming the doctors and nurses for not watching me and taking care of me. They had to force him out of the hospital. He slept in my old room now, with all my stuffed animals to keep him company. I missed Ebony. In honor of her death I even kept her name. After we got home I started having weird dreams- in each one I was out in the woods, on a patrol with some ThunderClan cats, or hunting, or even in battle. Every evening I would go outside and sit on the edge of our yard, staring across the road at the huge lake you could see from my house. I always liked to pretend the clans lived there. It did look a whole lot like the map. I would stare at it for two hours until my dad called me back in for the night. He was so nice… sad though. After we got home I discovered a few things. I could still read, and write if I held the pencil in my mouth. I could still understand English, and I could understand animals now too. Cat food tasted as weird as it looked. Shiny things were more amusing. So many sights, sounds, and smells that I had never noticed before. It was all very exciting.

I walked into the kitchen and over to the food dish. Instead of cat food, it had been filled with a piece of chicken and steak, leftovers from… who knows when. I ate them without complaint, drinking the yummy milk in the water dish to get the taste out of my mouth. Daddy was such a good caretaker. After my meal I ran to the door, mewing to be let out. My father walked over from the counter and opened the door for me, closing it after I ran out. I went to my usual spot, lying there and staring at the lake. "If only I could…" I thought as I placed my head on my paws. I stayed there for a few more minutes before sleep took over me.

The sound of running water filled my ears. My eyes snapped open. I was now in a dark cave, a river cutting through it and disappearing into a black tunnel. "There you are… I was wondering when you would show." I jumped and looked up, gasping aloud at what I saw. An old, hairless cat was perched on a ledge above me, his dull eyes staring right into mine. "w-who are you?" I demanded, standing. He smiled. "I am Rock, young one. Do you know why you are here?" I shook my head, relaxing slightly. Rock's smile faded, as did the dim light, leavening me in darkness. A voice whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver. "only the rose can lift the blind veil…" a loud hiss sounded behind me. I felt claws digging into my back. I screamed.

I jerked myself up, gasping. I looked around. It was dark out, the stars starting to appear. I stood up, turning and looking back at the house. I walked over and scratched on the door. It swung open easily as I touched it. I meowed loudly as I stepped inside, hoping my dad was there. I heard the sound of someone stumbling and cursing to themselves in the other room. I walked into the living room to find my dad sitting on the couch, a beer in his hand, even more beer bottles littered around him, as well as a broken wine bottle on the floor. I didn't make a sound. I just watched. I had never seen my father drink so much… he got up and stumbled to his room, and I followed quietly. He reached his gun safe, taking out his handgun. My eyes widened in horror. He started stumbling to the dresser. I mewed, trying to stop him. He looked down, and then he kicked me out of his way and went over to the dresser, staring into the mirror above it. My ribs hurt a lot. He stared into his own eyes, crying. "Why her? Why my… why my Melody?" he murmured to himself. 'Oh god…' I thought. 'He's losing it…' he raised the gun to his head. I jumped up in fear. "DADDY, NO!" I yowled at the top of my lungs, hoping to stop him.

BAM!

Silence. That's all there was.

I killed him. I did this. My fault…

I took a step closer to him, mewing. 'Maybe he missed, maybe he's ok…' I stepped even closer and nearly threw up at what I saw. He definitely didn't miss. I looked down as I felt something wet under my paws. Blood… I ran out of the room. Out of the house. Across the road. I wasn't sure where I was going until I was standing on the edge of the dock, overlooking the lake. 'My fault… if I would have stayed human he would have been safe… I killed daddy… I killed Ebony… I did it…' I looked at the lake, then at my blood-soaked paws. I closed my eyes, stepped off the dock, and fainted as the icy water hit me dragging me down into the darkness.

"Are you ok? Can you hear me?" I felt sunshine on my face. I felt wet sand under me, getting my fur all dirty. A voice spoke to me… a male. I didn't move or open my eyes. I felt something sniffing at me. Another voice, this one female. "Do you think she's dead?" I moaned in protest as something poked me. "That answer your question?" a different male voice said sarcastically. I could smell other cats. "We need to get her back to camp." The first male voice said. "How do you plan to do that?" the second male asked. "We could carry her." The female suggested. I decided to step into the conversation. "…or I could walk." I said groggily. They gasped. I opened my eyes and sat up weakly, staring at my company… and nearly fainted again. The first male was a golden brown tabby, his amber eyes glowing. The second a light grey one, his blue eyes clouded and sightless. The female had black fur and piercing green eyes. I blinked and shook my head, not believing the sight before me. "Glad to see you're alive." Jaypaw said, his eyes narrowing. I couldn't speak. Lionpaw smiled, a bit more kind. "We thought you drowned. I'm Lionpaw. This is my brother, Jaypaw, and my sister Hollypaw." I nodded in greeting, finding my voice. "I…. I'm Ebony." I gazed at the cats nervously. "Why were you in the lake anyway?" Hollypaw asked, a bit distant. She didn't trust me. "I was…" I looked away, pain in my eyes. "I don't remember." I lied. Jaypaw stared at me, as if he knew I was lying. Lionpaw spoke again. "You don't smell like a clan cat, or a kittypet… where are you from?" I looked at him. "I'm a… I'm not sure." They all looked at me strangely. Hollypaw stepped over to me. "Well, let's get you back to camp and let Firestar handle you." I nodded and followed as they led the way to their camp… even though I already knew the way there. I kept my head down, my long tail dragging the ground. Jaypaw walked with me. I wondered how he kept in step with me the whole time. As we entered the camp, I looked around in amazement. It was everything I'd dreamed of. The cats in the clearing were staring at me. Lionpaw and Jaypaw led me to the Highrock, Hollypaw running over and climbing up to Firestar's den. After a moment she came back out and walked over to me. "He wants to see you… alone." I gulped and walked to the rocks, climbing up and going inside the leader's den. Firestar was sitting in his nest. He didn't look mad or surprised to see me. I sat near the entrance, waiting. He stood and spoke. "So, you're Ebony." I nodded. "Hollypaw told me they found you in the lake. You don't know where you're from, and you don't know how you got into the lake in the first place." I nodded again. Firestar could be scary when he was serious. "So," I looked up at him, my eyes wide. He smiled. "Would you like to join ThunderClan?" I felt my heart skip a beat. "Yes! I mean, yes, I would like that very much." I said, happiness in my eyes. He nodded. "Good. Then we will have your naming ceremony at sunhigh."