AN: Do you remember those kits that Leafpelt had before she died? Because for some reason I totally forgot about them in the last book. I'm such a derp! I've posted what they look like in the allegiance on my website so hopefully that will help clear things up.

Chapter 1

Slowly she opened her eyes, unsure of the surroundings around her. It didn't seem like days had passed. Yet cat after cat had come to visit her after Stormstar made her announcement. Several cats had been shocked to find wings growing out of her back. Most had questioned Cedarpaw for keeping her in his den. Others were worried that she would haunt them in their dreams.

Riverspirit almost laughed at that last thought.

Of course the Clan was worried of what she would do to them. It wasn't like they had ever treated her like a normal Clanmate. Leafpaw had been her only friend.

Ever since their last meeting, Leafpaw had refused to see her. Riverspirit couldn't blame her friend for not wanting to visit. Leafpaw had tried to comfort her when all she did was push the apprentice away. Now Leafpaw was angry with her.

"You will need to leave sooner or later," Cedarpaw muttered when he returned from gathering herbs. "Cats are beginning to wonder why I'm taking more prey than usual from the fresh-kill pile."

Riverspirit shook her head irritably. The last thing she wanted was to see a shocked Clan. Although it would be humorous to see the look on Stormstar's face. Her own mother thought that she was dead. Stormstar didn't know that she knew her leader's dark secret.

Stormstar is my mother and Hawkfrost is my father, Riverspirit thought bitterly. And my sister is Ravenpaw...

As she thought of her sister anxiety churned in her stomach. Ravenpaw had been a spitfire of fur and claws. What would Ravenpaw do when she found out the truth?

"I'm getting my full medicine cat name tonight," Cedarpaw added after Riverspirit looked away.

"How?" Riverspirit looked at him curiously.

His mentor had died giving birth to her kits. Skykit and Stonekit were the only survivors of Leafpelt's tragedy. Now they were almost four moons old with their eyes open. Whiteleaf had refused to let them outside the nursery since the day she received them.

"I'm not sure," Cedarpaw admitted. "But Leafpelt's mentor died too before she received her medicine cat name. I'm sure StarClan will think of a way."

She wished that she had that much faith in StarClan. It seemed that her ancestors had abandoned her the moment her wings arrived. She still wasn't even sure how the wings had gotten there in the first place. Clearly StarClan had nothing to do with them.

"Good luck," she murmured after realizing how important this was to him.

Cedarpaw mewed his thanks before backing out of the den. Riverspirit sighed in defeat as she watched him leave. It was going to be a lonely night.

. . .

Annoyance flared within Leafpaw's chest as she landed on her face once more. Stormstar had moved to the side, narrowly avoiding her latest attempt at tackling her mentor down. Leafpaw was frustrated in more ways than one.

Leafpaw's tail twitched as she stood up. She shook dust from her pelt and glared at the ground.

"You're not trying hard enough," Stormstar snapped when she joined her. "You've been distracted lately."

"Maybe that's because I'm the only one who believes in my friend!" Leafpaw nearly yowled. She was angry with Riverspirit for not listening to her. She was angry with the Clan for acting like her friend was dead. She was angry with Stormstar for acting so strange lately.

Stormstar suddenly sighed and sat down beside Leafpaw. Leafpaw glared at her mentor suspiciously.

"I'm glad that you are her friend, Leafpaw," she murmured.

Leafpaw was about to mutter under her breath that Stormstar could care less, than thought better of it. Her mentor really was trying. Leafpaw knew that it was better to just ignore it and move on in her life. Maybe her training would go more smoothly if she forgot about what had happened.

"We should go back," Stormstar suddenly meowed.

Confusion swept over Leafpaw as Stormstar led the way back towards camp. By now the camp had been renovated since the fire that had swept through the forest a moon ago. Ferns were beginning to grow back while remains of the fire could still be seen.

In the camp itself a huge opening had been made by the trees that normally surrounded it. Any leaves that covered the top had been burned away. When it rained the camp would get soaked, and kits were forced to stay in the nursery during those times.

"Brackenfur, has anything been seen near the edge of the border?" Stormstar had reached the deputy, Brackenfur.

Her ears swiveled with curiosity as Leafpaw tried to find out what was wrong.

"One of the patrols found a strange scent near sunningrocks," Brackenfur replied. The golden brown tabby eyed Leafpaw coolly before looking back at Stormstar. Leafpaw ducked her head in embarrassment and skirted further away. "...think it might be someone we know..." That was all she heard before getting pulled aside by her brother.

Shalepaw's eyes were glowing with annoyance when he pushed her into the apprentice's den. It wasn't much of a den at all - after the fire it had been destroyed. Now it was nothing more than branches twined together by warriors and apprentices. Echopaw and Frozenpaw had been working on it earlier by patching the roof and walls with leaves and moss.

"Why haven't we gotten our warrior names?" Shalepaw demanded when Leafpaw glared at him.

"Maybe because we're not ready," Leafpaw muttered.

She hated her mousebrain for a brother. Shalepaw was a bully who liked to show off. Squirreltail thought the world of him because he was just like Brambleclaw. Leafpaw rolled her eyes as she thought of their father. Shalepaw was nothing like their brave father.

"I'm tired of being cooped up in the apprentice's den," Shalepaw hissed in an irritated voice. "Riverspirit was made a warrior, so why can't we become warriors?"

"Riverspirit died, in case you haven't forgotten," Leafpaw nearly spat.

Her claws unsheathed as she glared at her brother coldly. How could Shalepaw think so cruelly? Riverspirit had suffered more than any of them! She deserved to have a warrior name even if she was making a mousebrained choice.

"Just find out how we can become warriors," Shalepaw muttered before disappearing into their makeshift den.

Leafpaw rolled her eyes once more as she watched him leave. If this was Shalepaw's way of becoming a warrior, than he would remain an apprentice for moons to come.

Knowing him he'll still be an apprentice while I'm an elder, she thought with a smirk.

She decided not to think about it as she began grooming herself. Shalepaw was a mousebrained jerk. One of these days he would learn his lesson the hard way. And no one would be around to help him.

AN: Ahaha, who else hates Shalepaw now? And I'm sure you'll find out who the strangers are in the next chapter ;)