I did alot of updating and almost completely morphed this chapter.

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Tigerpaw sat over. His broad shoulders hunched.

"Tigerpaw!! You look scary!" Lionpaw yowled; Only half joking. Tigerpaw glared at the ball of optimism as he stalked over to the mountain of fresh kill.

"I'm fine. Just go!" Tigerpaw grunted. He couldn't take this. Lionpaw could be happy, he couldn't. The one he loved was in RiverClan. Snowkit. Lionpaw always had his friend Bluefur to talk to.

Snowkit.

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Maplepelt ran through the trees her heart racing. That poor young cat! Going through what I can barely take! She thought pitifully. It was hard enough for her to have a forbidden love. She slowly opened her mouth and could smell a slight tint of fresh water vole. She quickly crouched ready to pounce on anything. As she flew into the bushes her eyes widened.

"Oh Maplepelt! I was just collecting some herbs. Would you care to join me?" Yellowfoot asked. He was a white tom with golden paws. The medicine cat.

"Er-sure." Maplepelt answered. Her calico fur bristling she mumbled, "You startled me." Yellowfoot looked at her with a sad, regretful gaze. He rubbed his head againest her flank and collected the herbs. She "secretly" snuck off toward the Twoleg Bridge.

"Let's see Deathberries...I think this is it!" She spoke to herself.

"Hmm and what would you need with Deathberries?" Yellowfoot asked sternly. He had a depressed glaze over his eyes as he asked but kept his head held high. Maplepelt slipped back.

"I can't take it anymore! I can't!"She yowled. Almost diving for the Deathberries. "Please!" She shrieked as Yellowfoot blocked her way. She stared right into the tom's eyes. Hers built up with sorrow and regret. The leaf she wore on her ear blowing in the wind.

"And what can't you take?! Other than your life!" He growled. His tail lashed furiously.

"The secrets I hold are to much! And the one I love I can never have...What do I have!?" She exploded.

"You have Snowpaw, and Sunningstar! What would they do without you!? And what about me!?" He snarled. Ice clawed at his heart like a fox as he argued.

Maplepelt swallowed as she resped out the rest, "You...I could never love the one. He is a medicine cat."

"And I love a cat, that is bad enough. But I love an assassin." He finished firmly. He held his breath waiting for her to speak again.

"H-how...how did y-y-you know...?" She stammered.

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"Once long ago there was a cat. They called her The Shadow Assassin." Blackeye rasped. The apprentices looked up as he told the story. "They called her that because she always hid in the shadows...picking her next target.The only way they knew it was always the same cat is because she was missing part of her ear. She killed off two clans in Twoleg place. Before she moved to the forest...Some say she came here to kill all clan leaders and rule the forest. Some say she came to kill all the clans off and create her own. But Me, I say she came just to kill."

"A she-cat couldn't do that!" A small brown tom, Bristlepaw objected.

Stormpaw swiped at his ear and pounced on him. "Schwure seh couf." She growled holding on to his scruff. As they tussled on the ground Oakpaw stared up at Blackeye with wide eyes, "Is she still in the forest?" He asked anxiously

"Nobody knows." Blackeye answered the young red cat. All the apprentices grouped together in a tight ball as if they would attack at any moment. Yellowfoot padded in the door.

"I have some Mouse Bile for you Blackeye." The medicine cat mumbled.

"Thank you Yellowfoot. I can have one these youngin's do it you seem busy." The old cat rasped, flicking his tail toward the huddle of cats.

"What tale did you fright them with this time?" Yellowfoot asked trying to be polite. His pelt britsling.

"He told us about the Shadow Assassin!" Oakpaw meowed. His fur was prickling like he was ready for her at any moment. Yellowfoot grew angry.

"NEVER tell apprentices of that! Nobody even knows if it's true!" He snarled and stalked out.

"Who got his tail tied in a knot?!" Stormpaw giggled. "I bet he is just scared of her!"

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Blood spilled everywhere. All by one mysterious cat. The black shadow burst passed Stormpaw and she shrunk back. She reconized the odd shape in the ear and knew right away-

"It's the Shadow Assassin!!" Cats yowled desperetly around her. She searched everywhere trying to get a glimpse of this strange cat.

"Show your face!" She yowled.
A movement came from the bush and a cat pushed itself out-

"Wake up!" Bristlepaw complained. Pawing her impatiently."Quit your dreaming!"

"Oh sorry..." Stormpaw mewed. "Who was that!? And why did I get that dream? Ugh! This is too confusing!" She thought impatiently. Her mind was buzzing.

"Stormpaw! It's time for training." Maplepelt meowed. She padded out the tunnel door, not even looking back to see if Stormpaw was following. She veered off quickly and entered the Medicine Cats den.

Stormpaw dahsed forward to catch up with her. "What are you doing Maplepelt?"

Maplepelt didn't answer but flicked her tail in acknowledgement.

Yellowfoot was sorting through herbs and berries when they walked in and Stormpaw wrinkled her nose at the smell. It was a small cave with a pint sized entrance trapping all the scents in. Stormpaw nearly gagged. "Why are we in here?"

Maplepelt closed her eyes and gave a mrrow of laughter, "I'm not invincible you know. I had trouble with a badger last night." She turned revealing a large scar from side of her head all the way down her body. Stormpaw gasped, it was still bleeding. Didn't she say Last Night. "It isn't a big deal." Maplepelt assured.

Yellowfoot looked at Maplepelt his gaze long and hard and for a moment he looked as though he wouldn't help her. "That's for me to decide." The medicine cat told her sternly. He never acted like this.

"Who got your tail tied in a knot?!" Stormpaw blurted out. "Why are you treating Maplepelt like an angry badger?!" Maplepelt flung her tail over Stormpaw's mouth. "Respect the medicine cat!" She growled, "Maybe I haven't earned his respect yet."

Yellowfoot seemed unshaken by the situation and was examining Maplepelt's fur. "Your ear is bleeding. We will have to remove that leaf."

Maplepelt hissed, "Not even Starclan could get me to do that!"

"Maplepelt you just told me to-" Stormpaw started. But stopped as soon as she looked a Maplepelt. She didn't seem to have gotten any sleep, and looked terrified. Why would she be scared? It couldn't be about the leaf, could it?

Maplepelt took a deep breath and looked at Stormpaw. She could feel her gaze burning into her. Strompaw wished strongly that she could read her thoughts. But that wasn't going to happen.

Yellowfoot gently pulled the leaf off her ear. Stormpaw stared the ragged shape that was left of Maplepelts ear. Why did it look so familiar? Blood gushed from a cut on her ear and Maplepelt crashed to the stone floor.

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I like the change...tell me if you do...PLEASEEEEEE. Still kinda angsty...but it's soo much fun to write.