Author's note- I don't own warriors, so don't try to pull that one on me! I do, however, own my little made up characters! (Just not certain ones- I credit my guild for giving me some characters!) (Yay for Sandystar!!)

By the way, I'm halfway through the 4th chapter already!!! I just have to type it up!!!!!

During the night, Mosstail, like all the other medicine cats, had another dream. This time, no prophecy was voiced. The message was clear enough.

Mosstail was sitting at the edge of a moon washed clearing with large towering trees surrounding it. In the direct center were two large boulders, one sitting precariously on top of the other. Both the boulders were at least ten times the height of a cat.

After Mosstail had gazed at this scene for a few minutes, the top boulder started to move. At first it appeared to move with the breeze, but then Mosstail realized that there was none. Imperceptively at first, but with gathering speed, the boulder moves back and forth. Mosstail is not alarmed. She simply watches as it wobbles, barely managing to stay balanced each time.

Then something does change. The full moon above the clearing suddenly lets down a powerful ray of moonlight, which floods the entire clearing, except for the boulders. The boulders remain dark, lit only by the faint light of the stars.

Then, slowly, cats begin to materialize. Mosstail's eyes widen as she recognizes her leader and clanmates among them.

The cats collect around the boulders. A sort of humming fills the air as they are exited by the cold presence of the rocks.

Before Mosstail could shout an alarm, and without the cats noticing, something slips and the top boulder slowly starts rolling. As it falls, it gathers speed until it is a blur moving through the shadows. It looms over the milling cats below as if it were a hawk swooping on an unsuspecting rodent.

Just before hitting the ground, both rocks come out of the shadows and are showered with a blinding light. Only then did the clans notice the boulder falling, falling, looming closer and closer…Now it is too late to save them. Only at the last second did the cats yowl in fear and alarm…

Mosstail is back in the clearing. It is now pitch dark, but she can smell the presence of…something. She also smells blood. Sounds and smells start whirling in her head. Unable to bear it, she rocks back and forth, trying to clear her skull. All around her are high pitched yowls of fear and the sharp smell of anger…

A calming voice settles Mosstail. A gentle looking pure white shecat with a dark mask walks up to her, and rubs against her, purring. Mosstail realizes the cat is Ivynight, former medicine cat of Cliffclan. After all that Mosstail had seen, Ivynight's voice fills her with calm and peace.

"Whatever you do, Mosstail", she said "Never lose hope."

Mosstail turned to look at her, but she was gone.

At the same time that Mosstail was having her dream, Ashwhisker was finally settling down for the night. That day, saltwater had found its way into his cave (empty except for him, thanks to the large amount of caves along the cliff), making it unsuitable for sleep, so he was forced to spend the night elsewhere. Sandstar had offered to let him spend the night in her cave, and that was where he was headed. Although he was touched by this act of kindness, he was confused as well. Did that mean Sandstar felt the same way about him as her did her? But being the decisive tom he was, he took it for a sign and stopped thinking about it.

Instead, he focused on her beautiful face, her shimmering layers of fur. Of course, he had never admitted it to anyone, but ever since he was an apprentice, he had been completely smitten with her. He was sure his clanmates had guessed. It was probably his air of indifference around her that gave it away. Luckily, Sandstar appeared not to have noticed his fascination.

Ashwhisker made his way across the clearing, the moon throwing shadows everywhere that made caves yawning holes of darkness waiting to swallow him up. Finally he came to the willow that marked the entrance to the leader's cave. Climbing past knotted roots and small rocks and pebbles, he made his way into the cave. Although the cave was comfortable, it wasn't big; so he really didn't expect to see Sandstar in there. He was sure she would go spend the night somewhere else.

Imagine his surprise when he saw Sandstar's sleeping form already in the cave. His fur tingled, whether in apprehension or excitement he didn't know, to think he would be this close to Sandstar the entire night.

Walking in, Ashwhisker accidentally woke Sandstar up. She stared at him incomprehensibly for a second.

"Sandstar, you invited me to spend the night here, since my cave is flooded."

"Ohhh… yes, I remember now. Come! Sit! Make yourself comfortable!"

Subconsciously, Ashwhisker was making his every move controlled and concise. Even his grooming was full of precision. He wanted to look his best in front of her even if she couldn't see him in the dim light of the moon. By the time he was finished, Sandstar was already asleep.

Finally, Ashwhisker's racing heart settled as he slowly became used to the idea of being so close to Sandstar. Just as he was very close to being asleep ("accidentally" scooting closer to Sandstar all the while) a small white apprentice with green eyes burst into the cave and immediately woke Sandstar up. Sandstar was a very light sleeper, apparently.

"Sandstar!!! Puff…puff The medicine cats… They're here!!!! They want to speak to you!!!"

Sandstar was already on her feet. Ashwhisker, deciding to stay close, followed the two cats out of the cave. He struggled to keep up with the bouncing white tom and the fast-walking Sandstar. He cursed under his breath; it was the only time he had to be near her- she was so busy all the time!

The small, suddenly talkative, apprentice kept up a steady stream of chatter as he led them on a path towards the edge of the territory. At one point he was so enthusiastic that he tripped head over heels and started rolling until Ashwhisker caught him by the scruff of his neck and set him down again.

On the way, the tom told them of everything they would ever need to know about him, including a lot of things they already knew because they told him. They were told about his apprentice ceremony, who his parents were, what his name was (Littlepaw) the first prey he caught, his sweetheart, ect. until Ashwhisker stopped trying to add his own comments and let his mind go blank.

Soon Littlepaw led them to the center point of the four clans, GatherTrees, where the other cats were waiting. Mosstail was already there, along with the other medicine cats. The Oceanclan cat was a large shecat with soft blue-grey fur and large round eyes. Her name was Sparrowlight.

The Treeclan cat was a shecat named Moonclaw, a long furred off-white cat with oversized claws.

Only the Shadeclan medicine tom was missing. His name was Smoldertail.

Ashwhisker, realizing he was the only tom in the clearing (Littlepaw having run back to Cliffclan as soon as the other cats were in sight) felt his face burning. He tried to concentrate on what the cats were talking about, but his mind kept wandering back to Sandstar. A few words drifted through his mind.

"We need to act…"

"Shadeclan…"

"Border…"

"Where is leader?..."

"Strange smells… cats scented…"

Ashwhisker sat in a daze, trying to soak in all he was hearing. Burrstar was missing from his clan and cats were scented on the borders? Maybe they were plotting their takeover methods… The clans needed to act! Shadeclan must be stopped! Luckily, the next Gathering was in only a week- it would be the perfect time to rally the clans! But he would leave that to Sandstar. In the meantime he would spread the news.

Ashwhisker was brought down from his thoughts when the meeting was over and the cats started wandering back to their clans. He felt a nudge on his shoulder and looked up to see Sandstar watching him, head cocked.

"What were you thinking of?" she asked.

"Nothing really. Just thinking, isn't it all rather odd? What motive would Shadeclan have?"

"A crazy leader and clan members willing to follow him."

Ashwhisker nodded and they started on the long walk back to the camp. Not being able to bear the uncomfortable silence between him and Sandstar, he struck up a conversation. It didn't go well, though. Soon after they started back it fizzled out.

Then Ashwhisker had a sudden thought.

"Will we have a clan meeting? Shouldn't the clan know what is happening?"

"No. Not until the Gathering" she replied. "But it is our duty to remain vigilant in the face of possible danger."

He knew she was right. The queens shouldn't have to worry about their newborns and the apprentices might get the wrong idea and march off to help.

Just before they got back to camp, Ashwhisker knew his heart could not bear to walk away without telling her how he felt. He had been waiting for a chance like this for many moons. He braced himself, and turned to face her just when the moonlight lit up her face and the leaves around them.

"I need to talk to you, Sandstar. I really can't take this anymore! Ever since we were apprentices… when you made me deputy… after her… my heart has been steadily taken by you. Please, please, listen to what I have to say without interrupting."

Her face registered amazement as she realized what he was talking about. He almost lost heart, but he knew he couldn't give up then.

He told her of all that he felt and explained why he always seemed so cold around her. Finally, after rambling for a while, she stopped him. The look in Sandstar's eyes were unfathomable.

"You could have told me before now. You kept this hidden you entire life? I don't know why… I really thought you hated me."

Ashwhisker winced as he realized that it was his hard, careless attitude around her that had convinced her that he hated her.

"Do you realize how sudden this is? I'm glad, no, honored that you like me this much…but I really don't know how to respond."

She shook her head as she make up her mind.

"We need to forget this happened. No… I said that wrong. We need to let time take its course. Lets leave the matter alone for awhile, Starclan knows we have enough to do, and see how it goes. Right now, I will go talk to Mosstail privately. Go back to my cave, and please be asleep by the time I get back." she pleaded.

She walked off, Ashwhisker staring at her.

How could he reject her like that? Especially after Skywhisper had died of blackcough! Now his heart had been broken twice. Well, at least he still had a chance, though. She hadn't exactly told him, NO!

He sat forlornly in the clearing until a chilly breeze picked up and he made his way back to the cave, his mind in a turmoil.

Please tell all about how I did!!!

By the way, my next chapter will explain all the characters. Oh, and now a word from our sponsor, Shadow:

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