Chapter 2

Windypaw stumbled, wincing as his mentor leaped off and sat with her tail wrapped around her paws.

"Come on, Windypaw. One more time, and then we can learn to hunt with your sisters." Icewing urged, and with a steady breath to calm his growing frustration, Windypaw leapt, bowling Icewing onto her back. She tried to roll away from the constant bat of his sheathed paws, but Windypaw held her firm, not even letting her wiggle.

She finally broke away, but Windypaw was on top of her again in a flash, scoring her black tipped ears with his paws. He danced around her a moment, looking for a way in, when suddenly Icewing's ear pricked up and she let out a hiss. Windypaw smelled something too, something foul and unfamiliar.

"What, Icewing?" he whispered, yellow eyes scanning the bushes. Suddenly, Icewing began to glow with an eerie blue light, and her amber eyes turned blue and thoughtless. She unsheathed her claws and sprung on a surprised Windypaw, who ducked out of the way just in time. He hissed in fear and anger, and unsheathed his sharp claws as well.

"Icewing! What's the matter with you? It's me, Windypaw!" Windypaw pleaded, but she growled and leapt at him again. He dodged, but then stopped as she began to speak.

"The Great One lives!" she exclaimed, and Windypaw cringed; her voice sounded like cracking ice, with a rasp that made his pelt crawl.

"W-What Great One? Icewing, come back!"

Suddenly, the blue glow on her pelt and eyes faded, leaving Icewing staggering to a halt, her claws sheathed once more.

"What—happened? Did you—" Icewing stuttered faintly, and Windypaw shook his head, relieved that his mentor was free from the awful spell.

"Y-You attacked me, and not just training." Windypaw mewed in a sobbing voice. "I—I didn't know what to do. I just—" he broke off, a shuddering sigh escaping his chest. Icewing padded over to try and comfort him, but he tore away, leaving Icewing hanging.

After a long pause, Icewing mewed, "Come on. Let's go home for today." Windypaw nodded curtly.

"Will you promise to get looked at by Bluebird before you go?" Windypaw mewed, and Icewing nodded.

"I will."

"Thank you."

Then, they padded back toward the camp, an anxious silence between them.

Windypaw didn't think he'd be bragging about this story to the others.

As Windypaw entered the camp, he saw Echopaw emerging from the dirtplace tunnel, looking worried and shocked about something. She had set a brisk pace, but then ran into Foxwhisker and Smokeshadow, who were talking together nearby.

"Echopaw? You look like you've seen Bloodstar in person! Are you all right?"

Foxwhisker mewed, and Windypaw saw Echopaw stutter an answer too quietly to hear.

"Are you sure? You don't have to be afraid to talk to us." Smokeshadow replied to the hidden answer.

"—some bad prey." Echopaw mewed, and Windypaw was able to catch the strain in her voice. Behind her, Hawkeyes entered the clearing from the dirtplace tunnel, looking satisfied and with a slight longing in her eyes.

What? Does Hawkeyes love the dirtplace tunnel? Windypaw thought, and he chuckled at the idea. Maybe there's something more that I'm not seeing. He started padding toward the dirtplace tunnel, but Bluebird stopped him in his tracks.

"Good afternoon, Bluebird," Windypaw mewed impatiently. "What's up?"

"Come with me." Bluebird mewed tersely, and Windypaw shrugged and followed her to the medicine cat's den.

Windypaw entered the herb-smelling den, feeling refreshed in their strong scent. Icewing lie in a nest not too far away, sound asleep with her tail over her nose.

"Tell me what happened." Bluebird mewed, and Windypaw gulped before answering, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat at the sight of Icewing.

"She started to hiss when she heard something in the bushes, then she started attacking me with unsheathed claws." Bluebird listened carefully. Windypaw continued, "She also mewed something. 'The Great One lives!' her voice was raspy and cold. Do you have any idea what that might mean?"

Bluebird's kind gaze turned serious. "Did she change her appearance in any way you could see?"

Windypaw thought a moment. "She had a strange blue aura around her, and her eyes turned from amber, to blue." Bluebird's eyes widened.

She shook her head, almost in denial of her own thoughts. "It can't be true! He disappeared six moons ago! No one's heard him since the prophecy." Windypaw's ears pricked at the mention of a past prophecy. What is she talking about? Who's 'he'???

Bluebird paced the small den, stopped, then sighed and decided to tell the apprentice what she was talking about. "A rogue cat, an exile from GhostClan, was the right hand cat to Bloodstar. He had a—power, that is easily described as mind control." Windypaw shivered, and Bluebird lowered her voice to a whisper. "No one, not one cat has seen him since the battle and Bloodstar's death. Some say he still lurks the forest, hungry for revenge." Windypaw gulped.

One thought still puzzled him. "But, why would he control Icewing—to attack me?" Bluebird shook her head.

"I don't know. But you shouldn't be frightened; I just think he wanted to pass the message…which is another troubling subject." She stood and paced once more, but before she could answer Icewing stirred in the corner, a huge yawn erupting on her lips.

"Good afternoon, sleepy-head," Bluebird mewed with false cheer, "Feeling better? Less dizzy?"

"Yep," Icewing nodded, "Refreshed. I think I'll bring Windypaw hunting." Windypaw winced, no longer happy to spend time with Icewing.

Bluebird noticed this, and insisted, "No. You should stay in camp. You are still very weak from that—that fall." Windypaw was informed by Bluebird ahead of time that she had told Icewing she hit her head on a rock during training, which was why she was acting so funny and attacking him.

Icewing nodded slowly. "Alright. I guess you know best. Can I go outside to get some air?"

"Of course." Bluebird mewed, and scooted her out.

Windypaw stayed a bit longer, watching Bluebird once more start to pace the den. "So, come to any conclusions?" Windypaw meowed carefully.

Bluebird stopped. "The Great One could mean either Jangor or Bloodstar. But how could Bloodstar be alive again? Jangor would be more likely, but he was never referred to as 'the Great One' before. Unless…"Bluebird trailed off, and Windypaw left silently as she sat in the corner to think.

Windypaw returned to the apprentice's den late, after going on a hunting patrol with Maplepaw, Batscreech, and Crystalberry. He had caught two voles and a mouse, and Batscreech remarked that he was learning fast.

But Windypaw felt far from the feeling of pride. He was scared and confused about what happened to Icewing and Bluebird's chilling words on the encounter didn't make him feel any better. He curled in to sleep next to Echopaw, who was shifting uncomfortably in her nest; Windypaw had seen her walk into the apprentice's den awhile after sunhigh, but it seemed as if she had never fallen asleep.

Windypaw shrugged. Perhaps it had something to do with what she saw this afternoon. He shifted in his nest, trying to forget his own worries.

I wish I could be like Maplepaw. She's always carefree, like she never has any problems! Windypaw fell asleep with these thoughts in his head.

Windypaw opened his eyes to find himself in a forest much like his own, but darker and with a sinister purpose. As he padded on carefully, distant screeches broke the dead silence, sending chills down Windypaw's spine. But still his paws pulled him forward, somehow searching for something. A clearing ahead caught his attention, and he sped up as the clearing came nearer. When he reached it, a lone cat sat in the center, his blood red eyes open and dangerous. He flicked his dark tabby tail across the brown and dry ground, staring at Windypaw with false sympathy.

"Why, what a pleasant surprise. If it isn't the infamous Windypaw." His voice was sharp and cold, and Windypaw took a step back into the forest. But somehow the forest around him had disappeared, and only the never-ending clearing was in front and back of him.

"Who are you? What do you want?"Windypaw demanded, shielding his fear with anger. " Where are we?"

The cat chuckled, a hollow sound that echoed around the empty space. He began to circle Windypaw. "We are in the dark forest; a place where all of the bad kitties go to be punished for eternity. They wander the forest, never to eat, drink, or meet another cat again." Windypaw held in a shiver.

"What about the other questions?"Windypaw mewed. He stepped forward, out of the cat's circle. He glanced around, unsure where he should run if the cat decided to strike.

"Not important. What is important is the matter of what you saw today, yes?" The tabby mewed, and Windypaw was chilled by the certainty in his icy voice.

"That's right. It was me who took your precious mentor, me who made you sob. I am the very image of your fears, forever living, even in the stars." Bloodstar leaped at Windypaw, and Windypaw was thrown into darkness.

Windypaw started, the darkness giving way to the light that seeped into the half-empty apprentice's den. He caught his breath; it seemed as if the crimson eyes were still watching in the waking world.

"What a dream," Windypaw muttered to himself, and Barkpaw stirred beside him, dark green eyes half-open.

Barkpaw yawned and greeted him. "Morning, Windypaw. Have good dreams?" Windypaw nodded absently, and he walked outside, leaving Barkpaw alone.

He scanned the clearing for one of his sister's mentors; either Featherfoot or Hawkeyes; then remembered his interrupted expedition to the dirtplace tunnel.

Windypaw waited until it was empty, and made sure no cats were around. He carefully entered, looking excitedly for anything out of the ordinary. He wrinkled his nose, smelling the foulness of the dirtplace, but it was soon forgotten when a small passageway in the corner came to his attention.

He crawled into it, wincing as thorns scraped his pelt on either side. White clumps of fur stuck to the thorns, but Windypaw made it through. He was standing in the forest, the scent of GhostClan in the air. Surprise flashed across his face.

Why would Hawkeyes want to end up so close to here? Windypaw thought. He followed a recent scent trail left by Hawkeyes, and was surprised to find Echopaw's scent mingled with her mentor's as well. Maybe private training?

The trail ended at the old Thunderpath, and Windypaw could see that a GhostClan cat had come to the center—exactly where Hawkeyes's trail ended.

He went back to camp, muttering. "Hawkeyes. Why would you wander away? Who was that GhostClan cat?"

"Talking to yourself, Windypaw? Got something on your mind?" Windypaw whirled around to see Tornear padding toward him, a recent patrol behind him.

"Oh. Yeah, I guess so." Windypaw mewed absently. Tornear tilted his head.

"Well, if you're restless, would you like to go hunting with Yellowpaw?" Tornear mewed, and Windypaw nodded. He followed him over to the entrance, where Yellowpaw was waiting with her mentor, Batscreech. Featherfoot and Hornbelly joined them as well, and together the patrol headed out.

Windypaw padded next to Yellowpaw, feeling the fresh air and the cool grass under his paws. He opened his jaws to taste the air, and tasted the tang of squirrel on the roof of his mouth. He followed the scent across to an old oak tree, where he saw a squirrel nibbling on an acorn. He lashed his tail and slit his eyes in concentration; he dropped into the hunter's crouch, preparing to jump on his prey. Once the squirrel's back was turned, he pounced; the squirrel struggled under him, but Windypaw dispatched it with a swift bit to its neck.

"Gotcha." Windypaw growled triumphantly, and he buried it under a holly bush. A hollow chuckle from the shadows made him jump, and suddenly he was staring into the crimson eyes from his dream.

"You again," Windypaw hissed, "What do you want?"

The voice chuckled again, but his body remained in the shadows. "I'm here to make you great; powerful, with enough strength to power ahead in the ranks of your Clan."

Windypaw's voice shook. "What makes you think I can't do that on my own? Besides, why would I accept help from a dead murderer?"

the dark tabby hissed, and Windypaw took a step backward; but the cat remained in the shadows, his eyes slit. "Fine, do not accept my help. But know this; danger lurks in every shadow, and any ambition can take you far." Windypaw's yellow eyes widened, and the tabby's crimson eyes closed. Windypaw breathed a sigh of relief.

Windypaw shuddered. This is getting serious. Should I tell someone?

He stretched his tense muscles, and then continued his hunt as if nothing had happened. A mouse practically scurried across his paws, and he caught it quickly along with a vole he discovered inside a bush.

Windypaw cautiously crept back into the clearing where his squirrel was buried, and padded back into the forest toward the gathering patrol before he could think of his encounter with Bloodstar.

Yellowpaw padded next to him on the way back to camp, two mice dangling from her mouth. She mewed quietly around her prey, " Are you alright, Windypaw? You seem…distant."

Windypaw shook his head absently. " I'm fine. Just thinking about stuff, lately. I still can't believe I'm an apprentice now!"Windypaw mewed with false cheer, and Yellowpaw smiled and shrugged.

Windypaw entered the camp; to his right, Sparrowkit was complaining to Suncloud that Minnowkit bit his tail near the nursery, while Bluebird was carrying herbs to the elder's hollow at the edge of the clearing. Foxwhisker was yawning as he came out of the warrior's den at the left of the Moonrock, and Barkpaw was exiting the dirtplace tunnel next to the elder's den. Echopaw and Maplepaw were having a heated argument at the front of the apprentice's den on the other side of the medicine den; the lichen above the leader's nest was lush and green at this time of the season, and the air was crisp and fresh.

As Windypaw approached the apprentice's den, the sound of their argument reached his ears.

" No, being better at defense is more important; how good your defense is depends on whether you survive in battle or not!" Maplepaw snarled, and Echopaw bristled.

"But your fighting moves determine how GOOD a warrior you are! Only a mouse-brain would think to only learn how to defend, Maplepaw!" Echopaw retorted, and Windypaw sighed. The sisters would often fight whenever the other was stressed or scared; it looked like Echopaw was the one to start the fight. Windypaw noticed that she was shaking, and her eyes looked fearful.

"All right, you two. What's the matter?" Tornear's voice sounded sharp behind Windypaw, and he stepped out of the way so Tornear could see the apprentices.

"Echopaw called me a mouse-brain just because I didn't say that offensive moves were best!" Maplepaw whined, and Echopaw rolled her eyes.

"But defense moves aren't the best, either. YOU yelled at ME for not saying that they were!" Echopaw hissed; Maplepaw bristled, and the two she-cats snarled and spat at each other.

"Hey, hey, hey! Are you two kits? You're apprentices for StarClan's sake; and BOTH skills you need to be a loyal warrior." Tornear growled, and the she-cats forced their fur to lie flat again. "Now, you two apologize."

Echopaw hung her head. Shuffling her paws, she mumbled, "Sorry for calling you a mouse-brain, Maplepaw. I've just been—stressed, you know?"

Maplepaw's brown eyes softened. "It's okay. And I'm sorry for shouting at you." The she-cats forgiveness seemed to satisfy Tornear, and he nodded and left.

Windypaw approached Echopaw once Maplepaw was out of earshot. "What's the matter, Echopaw?" Windypaw's yellow gaze made his sister turn away.

Echopaw sighed, opened her mouth, but then closed it again. "It's just…"

A yowl from Willowstar interrupted her sentence, and the Clan gathered below the Moonrock for a Clan meeting.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath Moonrock for a Clan meeting." Willowstar mewed, and the Clan quieted around her.

A feeling of dread crept into the center of Windypaw's belly. Was she going to talk about his encounter with Icewing?

"I have received some grave news," mewed Willowstar; she slit her eyes. "A lone group of rogues has entered the Clans' territories, and a report from Waterstar informed me that they were stealing prey and injuring cats that dare stand up to them." A gasp rippled through the Clan, and silent murmurs whispered in Windypaw's ears.

"What does she mean?"

"Why is this happening?"

"Not again!"

Willowstar yowled to silence her Clan. "They have not been identified as Bloodstar's rogues, or just simply a loner group passing through."

"If they're killing cats, doesn't that mean that they are DEFINITLY Bloodstar's rogues?" Foxwhisker interrupted, and Willowstar gave the group a stern look as the talk went around the Clan.

"Now," Willowstar mewed, shushing the crowd, "Injuring cats doesn't mean they're his rogues; besides, Waterstar just heard that rumor from GhostClan, a completely different matter altogether."

Windypaw and Echopaw sneaked at glance to Hawkeyes, who had a guilty and uncomfortable expression on her face.

"In other news, Onestar and Whiteclaw have warned me that if we do not share our territory, there will only be three Clans; and they're not the ones that would go." Windypaw gulped. "Any warrior who has information on either matter should report to me or Bluebird immediately." Willowstar gracefully hopped off of the Moonrock, and started talking to Tornear about the patrols.

A harsh cough from Kinkpelt alerted Bluebird from across the clearing. Windypaw glanced at the elder's den and saw that Dragonblaze and Talonscar had to hold Kinkpelt up in her fits of coughing.

"Kinkpelt's not doing so well," Maplepaw whispered next to Windypaw, "She's been around a long time; eight seasons! I hope she's alright."

Windypaw nodded, not trusting his voice to say anything. He padded over to the fresh-kill pile, and selected a plump blackbird. He gulped it down hungrily, feeling his suppressed hunger return with a pang. Yellowpaw came to join him, and Sparrowkit sneaked over to watch them eat in awe.

When Windypaw was finished, Sparrowkit squealed, "Wow! I hope I can catch prey that big; then I can feed ALL of the warriors!" Sparrowkit's brown pelt fluffed up proudly, and Windypaw gave a small smile. Despite the day's worry, this kit could still find time to boast.

" Sparrowkit! Come on, this time you're the GhostClan raider and I'm Willowstar." Minnowkit squeaked, and she bowled over her brother. Sparrowkit bit her tail softly, and the two left giggling to their game.

Windypaw remembered when he was a mischievous kit, playing games with his sisters but two sunrises ago. He remembered a time when he had bitten Maplepaw on the ear, and he had gotten in trouble from his mother Dewfrost.

It seemed so long ago, when he had only just become an apprentice.

" Windypaw," Yellowpaw mewed, and Windypaw looked up. " W-Would you like to…" she trailed off.

"To…what?" Windypaw mewed slowly.

"I was wondering if you would like to—"

"Hey Windypaw! Battle training with Echopaw." Icewing called across the clearing. Windypaw shuddered, but followed his mentor out before Yellowpaw could finish. Dissapointed, Yellowpaw padded toward the waiting hunting patrol.

Echopaw was already in the training hollow with Hawkeyes, her paws dancing across the sandy floor as if she were a bird. Hawkeyes was moving in and out, swiping a paw at Echopaw tauntingly; Echopaw yowled and struck Hawkeyes's front paws, sending her mentor off-balance. Echopaw sprung onto her back while Hawkeyes was unstable, and Hawkeyes slumped to the ground, breathless and defeated.

Windypaw meowed a greeting to Echopaw, and Icewing went to stand beside Hawkeyes. "All right, you two. Now stand back and try this move." Icewing and Hawkeyes began to circle each other; Icewing leapt into the air, and as Hawkeyes turned around, Icewing pummeled her in the stomach. Her claws were sheathed, so Hawkeyes didn't get hurt.

Windypaw and Echopaw took their places when the move was finished, and Windypaw took Hawkeyes's stance for the first time.

Windypaw crouched down, preparing for Echopaw to leap, when the sound of yowling cats filled the clearing.

Icewing's ears pricked, and her nose crinkled into a snarl. "GhostClan are invading!" immediately, the four cats ran back to the camp, where havoc struck in a wave of a battle patrol.

Windypaw hissed as a GhostClan apprentice raked his pelt with sharp claws, and he whirled around to his attacker.

A jet-black tom with yellow eyes stood before him, an angry snarl on his lips.

Windypaw crouched and leapt as Icewing had shown him, and the second the GhostClan cat looked around Windypaw scrabbled at his belly. The black cat shrieked and flailed his paws, wildly fighting the MoonClan apprentice.

Windypaw noticed this and took aim for another blow, when a yowl from across the clearing alerted his attention; the black cat slunk away, back to his group.

"What is the meaning of this, Onestar?" Willowstar screamed with rage. Onestar only curled her tail around her paws.

"This is what you get for not giving us what we rightly deserve; respect, and territory." Onestar retorted, and the GhostClan cats around her meowed their agreement. Windypaw realized that Owlfeather wasn't among them.

"Couldn't you have at least waited for a response until the Gathering?" an exasperated Willowstar meowed, her tail lashing. "There was no need for this unnecessary bloodshed!"

Windypaw looked around at the cats in the clearing, and noticed that mostly all of the warriors had fought and were bloodstained and tired.

"Silence! I sense something more underneath this raid." The sound of Bluebird's voice rang clear across the clearing, and Windypaw saw her emerge from the nursery.

"Onestar, you were tricked into this, weren't you?"

Gasps echoed around the clearing, the cats from both Clans murmuring in surprise. Windypaw couldn't believe what he had just heard.

Suddenly, a ginger tom came to stand beside the GhostClan leader. " Nonsense! Our leader made her own choice in raiding here!" the tom's deep voice boomed around the hollow.

"You are correct, Whiteclaw. But it seems as if Jangor's coming here might be for reasons such as this." Onestar murmured. At the sound of the exiled warrior's name, all cats bristled, and Hawkeyes let out a snarl.

"You let that fox-heart enter your Clan?" Smokeshadow exclaimed at the nursery entrance. "He was the main follower of—of—Bloodstar!"

Windypaw couldn't believe his ears. Come to think of it, Jangor would hold many grudges against MoonClan.

Onestar swallowed. "Whiteclaw, I order you to lead the Clan back over to our territory; I must take a walk." She mewed softly, and Whiteclaw lead the patrol grudgingly out of his enemy's camp.

The black apprentice spat at Windypaw. "This isn't over."

"I guess not." Windypaw replied sourly. Echopaw and Maplepaw raced across the clearing toward him, and the GhostClan cat hissed and left.

Maplepaw sat down next to him, breathless from the run. "Wow. A real GhostClan raid! But, what was Bluebird talking about?"

Windypaw shook his head. "I don't know," he lied, "But it's probably something in the past."

Echopaw just stared into the distance.

Please review! Chapter 3 up.