Hello sorry I've been dead for so long. I've been busy with another story and I didn't really know how to finish this chapter. Any way on with the story.

"Redfern? Redfern?"

The medicine cat turned around, she had been cleaning out her medicine stock of old herbs. The familiar voice was a good freedom from the chore.

"Hello Duskpaw." She said, and turned to the apprentice. His sleek gray fur was covered with black tabby stripes. His startling golden eyes glowed in the dim light.

She remembered bringing him in to the Clan there had been questions, suspicions. After she had told the story to Thymestar, the leader had allowed the kit to stay. Duskkit was then given too the queen Sunstrike. She had accepted the kit but never as her own. It was easy to see that she cared for her two kits Dawnkit and Eaglekit more. Duskkit had spent most of his time with Redfern, helping out however he could. Although the idea thrilled Redfern she could see that Duskkit would not become a medicine cat. She had seen him stare at the warriors as they practiced battle moves, when they came back with the fresh-kill. He was to be a warrior not a medicine cat.

Now he was an apprentice to the warrior Lionfang, and he was the best. He had learned battle moves quickly, he was a fine hunter, and was always trying to improve. Redfern couldn't be more proud. The only shadow against this was that she still hadn't told Duskpaw about his mother, she was sure he was going to ask soon.

He wasn't deaf to the cats who called him rouge behind his back or blind to the fact that he often ate alone and that even though he had lived in a Clan most of his life he still wasn't trusted by most of his Clanmates.

"You wouldn't believe it; Willowpaw found a mouse nest. There's enough fresh-kill to feed the entire clan." He said, flicking his tail. His voice brought Redfern out of her thoughts.

Redfern smiled, and meowed, "That should be good we have a lot of hungry kits who need to strengthen up for leaf bare."

Duskpaw walked deeper into her den. "Aww come on, Redfern, don't think about leaf bare yet. It's the middle of green leaf, the kits are growing well, the entire clan is full and healthy, and the sun is shinning. StarClan has graced us with a fine green leaf."

Redfern sighed, "I'm sorry I can't help but worry."

"I guess that comes with being a medicine cat." A new voice said. Redfern spotted the young she-cat Willowpaw. Splashes of orange and black covered her white pelt. "You wouldn't believe how great it was that Duskpaw was there, if it wasn't for him we would've never found the mouse nest."

Duskpaw looked at Willowpaw and shrugged "You helped out too. Not just me."

Willowpaw snorted "Oh please, it was all you."

Duskpaw rolled his eyes then looked back at Redfern "Would you like me to get you one? You probably haven't eaten since yesterday, am I right?" his words lightly teasing.

Redfern looked down, feeling a little bit guilty because what the apprentice said was true.

Duskpaw smiled, "I'll go get you one." He turned around and ran out of the den.

Redfern sighed. Duskpaw was always worried she didn't eat enough and was always nagging her about it and she was supposed to be taking care of him.

Redfern thought back on the pact she had made with the leader, she had agreed to accept the rouge kit as long as Redfern promised to keep an eye on him and as long as he didn't cause any trouble, he could stay.

Willowpaw looked fondly towards where Duskpaw had disappeared.

Redfern felt a silent glee Willowpaw had been spending more and more time with the apprentice and was even starting to share meals with him. Redfern hoped that everything would turn out well between them. Redfern felt for a moment that Duskpaw's life would have no problems. But, living in a Clan, that was hardly possible.

"What are you doing, you little rat?" A harsh voice rang through Redfern's thoughts. She and Willowpaw ran out of the medicine cat den to see Duskpaw being confronted by a large warrior that was looking down at him furiously.

It was the deputy Warscar the large cat was looking down at the apprentice who was holding a plump wood mouse in his mouth. He was looking up at the furious warrior he was crouching down but it wasn't fear in his eyes it was confusion.

"That mouse should be for the elders; are you taking it to them?" he asked harshly. His white pelt had black tabby stripes and he was covered in scars from past battles.

Warscar had been against letting the rogue kit join the Clan, and even now, he hated Duskpaw for his origins.

"No I'm not I'm…" But the deputy didn't let him finish that sentence for he swiped at the apprentice who expertly dogged out of the way.

"You're rouge through and through, caring about no one other then yourself." He spat his words filled with venom.

Redfern screeched defiantly and ran over her fur bristled angrily. But Duskpaw had already picked himself up and looked coldly at the deputy tensing ready to spring. Redfern stepped in between them her words cold. "Leave him alone Warscar, or else I'll be lining my nest with your pelt."

Warscar's red eyes widened at the threat "But this little piece of fox dung was practically stealing just as all rogues do." He looked at Duskpaw and spat "And you insist on protecting him?"

Redfern looked at him forcing herself not to launch at him she said "Duskpaw was getting the mouse for me. He wasn't going to eat it himself."

Willowpaw came up beside them "You should listen to what your Clanmate has to say before trying to attack him, mouse-brain." She snapped. It was brave of her to stand up against him when she was just an apprentice, but her words rang true.

Warscar looked bewildered as he looked around this entire exchange had drawn in a crowd. He glared at Duskpaw one last time and walked off.

Redfern sighed with relief. The deputy would not forget this, she knew that, but she had other problems now.

She looked back at Duskpaw who was staring at the ground he looked up at Redfern "Why did he call me a rogue, Redfern?" he looked up, confusion was whirling in his eyes. It was time to tell him.

She whirled her tail around him "Come with me Duskpaw." She looked back at Willowpaw "Could you give us a minute?" The apprentice nodded and walked away.

Redfern led Duskpaw out of the camp. Silence hung over them like a storm cloud it was broken when they reached a large golden oak tree known as Sun Toucher.

Duskpaw looked up at the medicine cat "Why am I called rogue by everyone? Why does everyone expect me to betray them? Why don't I know my true mother? I know it isn't Sunstrike. Who are my parents Redfern? Who am I?" Desperation showed in the young cat's golden eyes to know the answers to these questions. He looked down "Who am I, Redfern? I know you know." he said in a low voice.

Redfern looked down at him and began to speak "You're right; I do know." He looked up, curiosity flooding his eyes, and Redfern took a deep breath. "One day a long time ago I was searching for herbs and I heard a cry. I discovered a rogue she-cat being chased by two toms. She was covered with wounds a normal cat would've been dead, but she was holding on to life for she was protecting something very dear to her." She looked into Duskpaw's large golden eyes "She was protecting you."

Duskpaw breathed in sharply his eyes widened in shock. She described to him how she had looked and how she had the fire in her eyes.

"One of the toms attacked her and she killed him. But her wounds caught up with her and she fell. I chased the other cat away and then walked back to her. With her dying breath she told me to protect you and to bring you up to be a noble cat unlike the ones that had been chasing her. And so I took you back to camp. Later I came back to bury her." She finished.

Duskpaw was looking at the ground emotions were crossing his face like clouds went across the sky.

"Your mother fought like all of Tigerclan to protect you to make sure you made it here. She was an amazing cat, and I just wish I could've learned more about her, I didn't even learn her name before she…"

Duskpaw blinked his eyes were misty. "Died." he finished with a deep breath. "Ca… can y…you take me to where you buried her?"

Redfern nodded and led him near the border near a trickling steam. "There." She pointed with her tail at a patch of ground where the grass seemed greener and a few red flowers grew. Duskpaw walked to it setting himself down. Redfern knew he needed privacy, so she walked back toward the bushes and watched silently.

"He…Hello mother, I am Duskpaw your son." The wind blew silently as Duskpaw spoke to his dead mother he told her about his life in the Clan, about the battle moves he was learning, about hunting, about his friends and how he had been able to scent out a fox before anyone else. Then he grew silent. He listened to the stream as it trickled by, the calls of birds hung through the air as dusk set in.

"Redfern told me that you were a brave cat one who had fought like TigerClan to protect me and I believe her. But it's so sad that you have no name." he looked down at her grave "I will call you Firesoul." He said. "Redfern said that you had fire in your eyes, and I think it's because of that that you were able to save me."

He turned around and began to walk away then he stopped and looked back at the patch of grass.

"Redfern is doing a good job…you know of raising me." he sighed "I wish I could remember you, Firesoul… but I will work hard to make you proud and become that noble cat you wanted me to be." He looked forward again "Goodbye Firesoul, mother… I'll come back when I can."

With that Duskpaw trotted back to Redfern and the two cats made there way back to camp in silence.

When they entered camp they passed Warscar who was eating a chaffinch with some other warriors Duskpaw suddenly turned toward him.

"Warscar!"

The deputy looked up his red eyes cold.

"I may have been born a rogue, but I'll make this clear. I'll be ten times the cat you ever were."

The deputy eyes widened and then he scowled. But before he could even say anything back, the apprentice had left and was heading towards the apprentice den, with his head held high.

Redfern watched him go. Now he knew, but it hadn't discouraged him at all. In fact the medicine cat saw more determination then before to prove himself to his Clanmates in the apprentice's large golden eyes.