Hollythorn growled as she padded into the BreezeClan camp, her patrol consisted of Rushingwind, Grayspots, Embersong, Yewpelt, Jaypaw, and Mothpaw. She had a well sized patrol and they had walked right in their enemy's camp. The BreezeClan warriors looked like they had just come out of battle. Brightlight was putting cobwebs on wounds and many other cats were still waiting for the medince cat to attend to them.

"You've been prey-stealing!" the small brown and gray tabby snarled.

A light gray queen yowled in outrage. "How dare you walk into our camp and accuse us of prey-stealing!"

"How dare you cross our borders and stuff your muzzles with our fresh-kill?" Embersong retorted, equally enraged.

Rushingwind and Grayspots snarled at a group of apprentices. The young cats dashed for their den under a clump of ferns, except for a white she-cat.

"Whitepaw go to your den. The warriors will handle this." A silver and white tabby, her mother called.

The soft-furred tabby walked up to Hollythorn's patrol with a sharp glare.

"Riverheart," Hollythorn greeted curtly.

"Hollythorn," Riverheart nodded coolly.

Yewpelt snarled at the BreezeClan she-cat who blinked calmly.

"Quiet Yewpelt!" Embersong muttered.

"What do you mean 'prey-stealing'?" Riverheart inquired.

Hollythorn stared into the blue eyes of the BreezeClan warrior who gazed calmly into Hollythorn's own bright green eyes.

"There have been several reports of prey remains covered in BreezeClan scent within the past few days. Some near the border, some well within our border and we have also found scent marks within our border near the old ash tree. Ironically BreezeClan had asked to move the border there a few gatherings ago. I don't find this an odd occurance. I'm here to warn this entire Clan that we will defend our borders and our prey." Hollythorn saw Riverheart's eyes grow nervous.

"You're not the deputy. Why isn't Bushfur here to handle this?" a deep voice inquired scathingly.

Hollythorn scowled as Darktail padded to Riverheart's side.

"Bushfur is tending to the camp. I'm a senior warrior and I'm going to handle the matter. Stop stealing our prey or we will fight."

Without another word, the MistClan she-cat led her Clanmates out of the camp, her tail held high with dignity.

"We should've shredded them!" Mothpaw hissed, her small light brown tail lashing.

"That would be unwise." Hollythorn replied softly.

"Bushfur said give them a warning." Yewpelt retorted.

Embersong cuffed the younger warrior over the ears.

"Show respect of the older warriors!" she snapped.

Yewpelt looked like his pride had been bruised as he crossed back over the border.

"A warning doesn't mean claws must be unsheathed." Rushingwind pointed out.

The lithe tom had twined his tail with Embersong and the ginger warrior purred.

Jaypaw had been silent the entire time he'd been on the patrol.

"Jaypaw?" Hollythorn inquired.

The black-furred apprentice blinked at her slowly.

"Yes Hollythorn?"

"You were quiet." Hollythorn mused as she continued to press through their territory of oak trees.

"He's always quiet." Mothpaw snorted and raced away to the camp.

"Do you think they have the message?" Grayspots inquired.

"They can hope they do." Embersong growled.

Hollythorn paused before she went back into camp and glanced over her shoulder at BreezeClan border.

You'll never be my Clan. Even if I was born there BreezeClan will never be my home. I'm a MistClan warrior.


Silverpaw didn't want to go on border patrol, LeafClan was in frenzy after their deputy died. Now that Dapplefern was deputy anything could happen. Harepaw was at her side and Spottedfrost, Blackpatch, and Gingerpelt were in the lead. Hazelpaw was looking around nervously as they neared the border. Dapplefern was sitting calmly at the border.

"Dapplefern what are you doing here?" Spottedfrost growled, rippling her tortoiseshell tail in warning.

Blackpatch was silent and he placed himself in front of the three apprentices.

"Spottedfrost this battle was a long time coming," Dapplefern chuckled as her patrol slinked from the shadows.

"Silverpaw get help!" Gingerpelt ordered.

Silverpaw nodded and raced away. She didn't care as the willows whipped her face or that she was tripping over gnarled and kinked roots. She had to get to camp. She was running so much that crashed into a cat who happened to be Applepaw.

"Applepaw tell your patrol that the border patrol is outnumbered near the burnt out ash tree," Silverpaw meowed before continuing her race to camp.

Morningfrost was guarding camp, Silverpaw pushed past the warrior she-cat and burst into the clearing. Specklepelt and Fireclaw were sitting in the clearing, eating fresh-kill.

"LeafClan is attacking!" Silverpaw yowled, using the last bit of breath she had.

Specklepelt and Fireclaw raced away with Morningfrost behind them. Silverpaw stopped to catch her breath.

"Go!" Reedpaw snapped as he burst out of the apprentice den.

Silverpaw nodded and raced out of camp. Snowypaw was ahead of them.

Silverpaw was astonished to see Pebblestar herself race into battle with Flowerpetal right behind as well as five other warriors.

"Dapplefern!" Flowerpetal yowled.

The two deputies were locked on each other in an instant. Foxbark was clawing at Pebblestar who was perched in a tree. Foxbark was climbing the tree when Pebblestar launched herself from the tree onto Lilyfur's shoulders. Silverpaw turned around to be face-to-face with Blackpaw. The black tom snarled at her and she slashed at his face and raced away. She crashed into Hazelcloud, Wildstar's daughter. The pale ginger cat gently pawed at Silverpaw's face before she darted away.

She doesn't want to fight. Silverpaw thought on wonder

"Pebblestar no!" Flowerpetal yowled.

Silverpaw heard a blood-curdling yowl as LeafClan warriors surrounded the RainClan leader. Dapplefern lashed her claws and struck a hard blow on Pebblestar's muzzle. In frenzy, a few selected warriors mutilated the light brown tabby while the others kept the enemy Clan at bay. Yowling, the LeafClan warriors carried individual body parts of Pebblestar back to their camp, Dapplefern carrying the head. Looking pained Flowerpetal reared back her headed and caterwauled.

"Retreat! RainClan retreat!"

Silverpaw darted through the trees and returned to camp, horrified at the savageness of the LeafClan warriors. Snowypaw was shaking and Reedpaw's fur was bristling.

"Did you win?" Larktail called from the elders' den.

"We lost," Flowerpetal meowed, her tail dragging in the dust.

"They killed Pebblestar," Specklepelt added, his tail lashing.

"She was on her last life?" Heatherpelt inquired, shocked.

"She had three," Flowerpetal shook her head, trembling in fear.

The RainClan warriors had never guessed that LeafClan could be so ruthless.

"Then how-" Larktail began.

"They all ganged up on her and tore her apart!" Fireclaw snarled.

Willowtail looked horrified. Even her three kits were silent. Hailstorm wailed in grief and Molewhisker nudged his littermate back to the nursery.

"Morningfrost, Applepaw, Duskwind, and Cherryleaf are gathering her remains," Flowerpetal informed the two elders before returning to the deputy's den.

Shadowflight shook her head.

"Dapplefern will be swallowed by her own evil in time," she meowed.

"Shadowflight, it's time you joined us, what if you had been in that battle?" Larktail meowed.

Shadowflight growled.

"If I had been in that battle I would have been serving my Clan. Unlike you soft kits, I prefer to serve my Clan rather than lay about eating fresh-kill and telling stories to kits," she spat.

"Mother please listen to me," Larktail pleaded.

"Larktail I won't join the elders," Shadowflight meowed firmly.

"Is this about your promise to Ratclaw?" Larkpelt growled.

"No this is about the Clan. The Clan goes first. When cats put themselves before the Clan bad things happen," Shadowflight meowed quietly.

"No this about Ratclaw! When he died you promised him you'd never stop fighting! Mother you have to let him go! Let him rest in StarClan! He was my father and yes I miss him but I've moved on. You can't be a warrior forever." Larktail meowed.

"No Larktail I will not join the elders. I will one day but that time is a long way off," Shadowflight meowed firmly

Heathpelt put her tail on Laktail's shoulder.

"You can't force her Larktail."

The two she-cats soon returned to their den under the hollowed out oak tree.

"How many seasons have you served the Clan?" Silverpaw asked.

"Silverpaw, your great-great-great grandmother was my third apprentice," Shadowflight meowed before returning to the warriors' den.