Pebbles showered down into the gorge as the patrol raced down the slope, their claws unsheathed in a desperate attempt to keep from plummeting to the base of the rock while still keeping their urgent pace. Harryclaw bounded easily down the path, Eggwhisker and Heatherpaw hard on his paws as Sharpclaw and Leafstar led the patrol into the gorge.

Heartbeats after Harryclaw's paws hit the gritty stone at the base of the gorge, Leafstar's voice called out from the top of the Rockpile, Sharpclaw leaping up onto the stone to stand by his leader's side.

"Cats of SkyClan, gather to hear my words!"

Harryclaw hared away from the path and slipped between the gathering cats to sit near the base of the Rockpile. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his sister, Firecloud, emerging from the shade of the nursery with Honeywing by her side and Birdscar just behind, gently herding her kits to sit near Slywhisker and Shrewtooth under a slight overhang. Firecloud shot him a questioning look, but Harryclaw simply flicked his tail toward the place where Leafstar stood.

Wait two heartbeats and maybe you'll know what Leafstar wants. He snapped silently as he turned away from his sister's searching gaze.

"What's up?" Harryclaw flicked his tail as Sandypelt and Heatherpaw sat down beside him.

"Just got back from a hunting patrol." Sandypelt replied, wrapping his dark tail around his paws. "Do you know what Leafstar wants?"

"Probably." Harryclaw meowed simply as Leafstar raised her tail for silence above the gathered Clan.

"Today, the dawn patrol discovered a new threat to our Clan." Leafstar began slowly, as if carefully choosing her words. "Some rogues were scented along the Twolegplace border. It seems there were many of them, not just a couple of strays."

The Clan began to murmur slightly as Leafstar paused, uncertainty flickering in her amber gaze.

"Could it be Dodge?" Sagefur asked loudly, and from the look on Leafstar's face, Harryclaw could see that the grey tabby tom had echoed her own fears.

"What if we have to fight again?" Creekfeather meowed.

"Leafstar lost a life last time!" Clovertail added softly from just behind the place Harryclaw sat. Her words sent shivers down the young grey tom's spine. Although that battle had been moons before his birth, Harryclaw had heard much talk of that deadly battle against Dodge's rogues. The thought of his mother loosing a life seemed nearly impossible to him.

Leafstar can take care of herself. She will be leader for many moons more. He told himself silently. Right?

Leafstar once again silenced the murmurings with a wave of her tail. "We have no proof that it is Dodge. It may be just a couple of loners passing by, or-"

"What about Sol?" Harryclaw blinked in surprise at the sound of Sandypelt's voice echoing clearly through the gorge. "How do we know he won't come back?"

Harryclaw felt fear grip his chest. Sol. The power-hungry cat who had stolen Harryclaw and his littermates when they were still kits in an attempt to gain more power within SkyClan. As soon as Leafstar and the rest of SkyClan had discovered his troublesome plot, Sol had been driven from SkyClan. Although SkyClan had never seen him again, who was to say that he wouldn't be back to try something else?

It was quite obvious to Harryclaw that this was the first time any thought of Sol had crossed her mind. Her claws slid out, gouging tiny marks into the Rockpile. Beside her, Sharpclaw bristled, the fur on the back of his neck rising and making him look much more menacing. Alarm and fear rippled through the Clan at Sandypelt's suggestion, and Harryclaw could see Honeywing pulling her kits close to her side, as if to protect them from the unknown danger.

Finally, Leafstar began to speak again. "We can not be sure who the threat is, but I want SkyClan to be stronger. We need to be ready for whatever is to come. For this reason, it is time to make three new apprentices."

Three delighted squeals sounded from near the nursery as Chivekit, Ashkit, and Furzekit raced forward to stand before the Rockpile. Birdscar shot after them in a vain attempt to groom their mussed fur.

"Chivekit, Ashkit, Furzekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is now time for you to be apprenticed." The three kits seemed to glow with pride as Leafstar announced their names.

"Chivekit, from this day forward, until you receive your Warrior name, you shall be known as Chivepaw. Rabbitleap, you are ready for an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Billystorm, an I expect you to pass on everything you know to your apprentice." As Leafstar spoke, Rabbitleap left his place from beside Eggwhisker to stand before Chivepaw. The two touched noses, and Harryclaw watched as Rabbitleap led the young tom to sit before the Clan.

"Furzekit," Leafstar continued. The young tortoiseshell she-cat looked up at her leader, excitement and gratitude glowing in her amber eyes. "From this moment forward, until you take your place as a warrior of SkyClan, you shall be called Furzepaw. Sparrowpelt has recieved training from Sandstorm and myself, and I believe he is ready to take on a second apprentice"

Harryclaw watched as Sparrowpelt padded forward, the senior warrior's eyes glowing as he touched noses to his new apprentice and led the young she-cat to sit beside her brother and Rabbitleap.

"And finally Ashkit." Leafstar smiled down at the young tom as she spoke. "From this day until you are named a warrior, you will be known as Ashpaw. Shrewtooth, you have proved to be a wonderful warrior, and SkyClan honors you for your loyalty and integrity. I know you will do well in training Ashpaw."

The thin black tom stepped forward nervously as Leafstar summoned him. He gently touched noses with the newly-named Ashpaw, then took the young grey-black tom to stand by his littermates.

"SkyClan, I present unto you Ashpaw, Chivepaw, and Furzepaw!" Leafstar announced. Almost at once the Clan took up the cry of congratulations for the three new apprentices.

"Furzepaw! Ashpaw! Chivepaw!" Harryclaw yowled as the three apprentices excitedly leapt to their paws and raced to meet Birdscar and Slywhisker, who showered their kits with joyful licks and congratulations.

She sure knows how to push the troubling thoughts of the Clan aside. Harryclaw thought as he watched Leafstar slowly descend from the Rockpile. Although the Clan's spirits were lifted, Harryclaw could see the worry in his mother's eyes.

There's something she didn't say. And I intend to know what.