Amberpool stood there awkwardly, he should head back to the medicine den to check on the progress of Birchclaw, but he didn't want to leave Willowfoot alone. The small smoky she-cat had a small scar on her tail from her time as an apprentice, during battle training one of the other 'paws had forgotten to keep his claws sheathed. This had led Amberpool, at the time Amberpaw, to be tested on minor injuries by his former mentor.

"I can't eat this whole thing, do you want to share?" Willowfoot asked, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

"Yes sure, I don't have anything more important to do right now anyways." He responded calmly.

When Willowfoot and Amberpool finished eating the squirrel. As Amberpool looked around, he remembered about Birchclaw and meowed urgently, "I forgot to check up on Birchclaw!" Amberpool was aware of Willowfoot's gaze following him towards the medicine den. When he stepped in he found no sign of Birchclaw. Amberpool checked frantically, from the small pool of water, to the crevices used to store all herbs, to where the bundling willow leaves grew outside the cave from a powerful and grand willow. There was no sign of the light brown tabby. How could he have let him get away? Then he remembered: the tabby wasn't here at sunup, or at sun-high, not even at sunset when he left to warn the leader of the terrible danger LeafClan may face.

He scanned the clearing, perhaps he was amongst his clanmates, sharing his tongues? There was Goldenstar, Yellowheart, the sandy she-cat was the mate of Goldenstar, and Mousepaw, a grey tabby tom. There was Willowfoot, alone. And there were others, but no sign of Birchclaw. Noticing the moon was rising high into the sky, and the gathered cats were heading off into their dens, Amberpool decided he'd look for him in the morning. He's injured, he won't get far without someone to help him. He thought.

Amberpool woke up to a cat prodding him, "Hey! Wake up!" meowed the cat, "It's me, Willowfoot!"

"What is so important that you need to wake me up in the middle of the night?" He asked, then added, "Have you seen any sign of Birchclaw?"

Willowfoot looked down, "No I haven't. I was hoping you could come into the forest with me… I couldn't sleep well." She meowed.

He paused for a second, evaluating the situation, this would be a good chance to find some trace of Birchclaw's whereabouts. He nodded and followed her out of the den. Then he stopped. The birch tree! It was the only area in the camp without light hitting it! But the moon was almost at its highest! His eyes widened, near the birch tree, there was a claw-shaped slice of light beaming down. It was a sign from LightClan. "Willowfoot… we're going to need some more cats" he meowed, glaring at the birch tree.

Willowfoot looked puzzled, "I thought it was just us two?" she meowed, then added, "What's with the birch tree? Is that why we'll be needing more cats? I'll go get Goldenstar."

Amberpool nodded, the area around the birch tree was perfectly well lit, but the birch tree was as dark as it could be, and there was a claw-shaped slice of moonlight beaming down on the bark. He thought for a moment, somewhere around sun-high, LightClan sent him a sign LeafClan was in danger, and now they'd sent another sign. Could it mean that Birchclaw was a bad cat, that he is the danger LightClan was warning them about? A voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What's going on, Amberpool? What's this Willowfoot tells me about a black bir-" Goldenstar stopped himself, obviously staring at the birch tree. "The danger… is Birchclaw isn't it?" he meowed, realising what the sign meant, he looked at Amberpool to make sure he was reading the sign correctly.

He looked down, how hadn't he seen it earlier, the tom always spoke of battle and control when he was in the medicine den! It was an obvious indicator that he was up to something, now the question was what. "I'm sorry Goldenstar, I'm afraid I don't know what he's up to, but the claw-shape on the birch tree is an obvious sign of the danger we face now."


AN: Constructive criticism is always helpful, if you think something here needs fixing, tell me! Also, I'm always trying to get each chapter around 2x as long as the previous one.