Gamer4 in. The only thing I really have to say this time is in response to a review by Juniperleaf, who asked at what point in time this is supposed to take place in. The answer is, really, even I'm not sure. Probably the closest I could say is sometime during Power of Three. Since events are so different, I hadn't really thought about it. Also, there are going to be some supernatural elements in this story. I'm just letting you know ahead of time. Anyways, on with the show.

Disclaimer: (Insert comment about not owning material.)

Chapter IV

Strange Denfellows

Graystripe lay in his den, gazing at a wall. Sandstar sat behind him, gazing solemnly out of the den's entrance. "This shouldn't have happened," she said sadly.

"I know," Graystripe said. Everyone had been consumed by fear lately, and the clans had begun to fall apart. "Where's Fireheart?"

"On patrol."

"Maybe... maybe we should go help him." Graystripe closed his eyes, as if trying to shut the world out. "Silverstream..."

"Silverstream's gone, Graystripe," Sandstar reminded him.

"It used to be so easy... Patrol the territory, chase off intruders... catch some prey... save some cats..."

"We'll catch him," Sandstar said, evidently trying to sound reassuring. "We'll catch Smudge, and bring him to justice."

"And what then?" Graystripe asked, swallowed by despair. "The clans are rotting from the inside. How can the clans be held together after everything he's done?"

Sandstar looked at him sorrowfully, but answered all the same. "One kit. No matter how far the clans sink, we're never past redemption as long as we can hear the laughter of just one kit." She leaned close, and muttered, "Pull yourself together, Graystripe."

XXXX

Graystripe's eyes blinked open, and Sandstar disappeared. He felt battered and bruised, and he could taste blood in his mouth. His eyes fell upon a long-haired, brown tom. His eyes flicked down, and he saw that the cat's tail was crooked, like a snapped branch. The cat spoke. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes," Graystripe muttered, anger clear in his voice. "Brokenstar."

Brokenstar smiled. "Do you know how I found you?"

"I can't say I do."

Brokenstar gave a small laugh. "You should have known the clans would sell you out eventually, if you went to enough cats. Should have been more careful, my friend."

Graystripe turned his head and spat out the blood on his mouth. It spattered on the ground. Brokenstar's smile faded slightly. "This war is coming, Graystripe," he said. "It's not up to you, and it's not up to me. Scourge and Tigerstar are calling for the clans' blood, and Dustpelt and his warriors are too busy choking the clans' liberty to stop them. But... how much blood this thing will consume? That, we can change."

"What's your proposal?" Graystripe asked.

"You go where I can't, and I'll get what you can't," Brokenstar said simply. "The word is, you're looking for Tigerstar. He's a hard cat to come by, especially in a war like this."

"What do you want?"

"There's a cat that I made a deal with, but he's somewhere I can't go myself. He's over in Skyclan, on Hawkstar's old territory. Hiding amongst the elders that got shoved there when the clans fell. I understand that this isn't a small task. With Hawkstar dead, the territory is filled with rogues and insane cats scaring the life out of the cats there. The place isn't safe, it's ready to burst at any time. I want you to find this cat, and show him this." With this, Brokenstar turned, picked something up in his teeth, turned back, and dropped it in front of Graystripe. It was a small stone, but looked like it had once been part of a greater rock. It seemed to be glowing slightly. "It's a piece of the old Moonstone," Brokenstar explained. "Don't use it unless you're absolutely sure that it's him. When you do, I'll know."

"You don't care about the clans," Graystripe growled.

Whatever remained of Brokenstar's smile vanished. For a moment, he seemed to be considering his words, and eventually he said, "Do you remember when the clans were great? Ruled by wisdom, driven by courage, and hungry for power. Cats lived and died by the warrior code, rose or fell through teeth and claws. Yes, the clans were great." Throughout this little speech, a sort of longing seemed to have come over Brokenstar, but it vanished as he proceeded, replaced by anger. "Do you remember how they fell?"

"Smu-" Graystripe started.

"Smudge's Attack!" Brokenstar said, suddenly growling. "The fear of the Cannibal! He taught us the true meaning of fear, and now we've fallen! The great clans, the greatest colonies of cats the world has ever seen, fell, not to rogues, or twolegs, but to one insane kittypet! A fat lump of fur that lurked in the shadows, bringing fear wherever he went! What I failed to do for so many seasons, this one cat managed in two moons. Don't doubt my intent, friend. These clans will know their new ruler, or they'll burn. We'll all burn. And that she-cat of yours, Sandstar? She'll burn very nicely."

Graystripe allowed himself a few more seconds of consideration. Finally, he said, "Who's the cat?"

Brokenstar's anger faded, and he gave a wide smile.

XXXX

This is how Graystripe found himself walking through Skyclan, not through to the main camp, but out near the edges. There had been no place for elders in the clans when they fell, and they had all been shoved into this area on Skyclan territory, along with several other cats that hadn't been allowed in the main camps anymore.

If it came to it, Graystripe thought, he'd save them all: Fireheart, his friend who'd lost his way; Ravenpaw, one of the last, if not the last, pure cat near the clans; Millie, a once-noble cat who'd fallen into shadow; and Sandstar, the last noble leader. But, he thought as he passed a lone cat slumped against a nearby tree, looking incapable of movement, how far down would he have to go? How far would he have to fall before he sold himself to the Devil,* to save the cats of the clans?

He looked ahead, and suddenly, he saw three cats emerge from the darkness, two toms and a she-cat. One tom had a ginger and white pelt, the other was dark-colored. The she-cat was a brown and cream tabby. "Well, what do we have here?" the ginger tom- the leader, Graystripe assumed,- wondered out loud as they began to wander around him. "A Thunderclan cat, way out here?"

"I don't want any trouble," Graystripe said, trying to back away.

"Sad to say, you've got trouble now, my friend," the she-cat said.

"Unless he's here to buy!" put in the dark tom. "These two are Billystorm and Leafdapple. I'm Sharpclaw."

"Want some borage?" the she-cat, Leafdapple, suggested. "It's cheap!"

"Or how about some poppy seeds?" Sharpclaw put in.

"We can even get you some rare herbs that you've probably never heard of before," Billystorm added. "You name it, we've got it."

"I'm not here to buy," Graystripe said, and the three cat stopped in their tracks, watching him. There's a cat here that I need to see."

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" Billystorm said, flicking his tail at him. "He's been waiting for you, we'll take you to him, come on!"

Billystorm, Leafdapple, and Sharpclaw began walking him further into the territory. Following them wouldn't have been Graystripe's first choice, but he didn't really have a choice now. As they continued through the territory, they passed two elders: a black and white tom and a pale gray she-cat. The she-cat was missing an eye. As they passed these two, the tom stood and began shouting at them. "So some cats fall on hard times, and what happens to them, huh? You fox dung! I fought for these clans, and now you treat me like this? I'm talking to you!"

"Here's some advice," Billystorm said calmly. "You'll want to stay away from old Patchpelt and One-eye. They didn't take it well when the clans fell."

"Cats out here have a habit of disappearing," Leafdapple put in. "So many deaths, huh? So many disappearances. Where do they go?"

"It's like the Cannibal's returned," Sharpclaw muttered. "No one finds the bodies, but they don't really want to look, so they just stop caring."

"Maybe you'll disappear, too, if you hang around with them," Billystorm came into the conversation. As he said this, they stopped walking. Billystorm turned to Graystripe. "That's some good advice, my friend. I'd imagine you'd want to repay us?"

Suddenly, Leafdapple and Sharpclaw turned and pinned Graystripe to a nearby tree. Graystripe dropped the Moonstone fragment he'd been carrying. As Billystorm advanced on him, his eyes drifted down to it. He stretched down, looking at it. "You don't want to mess with that," Graystripe warned.

"It's beautiful," Billystorm said, gazing at it. "This'll make fine payment."

"That's not what I mean!"

Suddenly, Sharpclaw's eyes fell on something else. "Shut up!" he growled. The other three turned to look at whatever Sharpclaw had seen.

Padding down through the territory was Talltail and Onewhisker. As they came through, their eyes fell on One-eye and Patchpelt. Onewhisker went up to One-eye, who was gnawing on a mouse she'd found, and stepped on it, pushing it into the dirt. Talltail padded up to Patchpelt and muttered, "Get a home."

Billystorm, Leafdapple, and Sharpclaw quickly withdrew from the tree, dragging Graystripe with them. "Mouse-brains coming in," Billystorm said. Raising his voice so that Talltail and Onewhisker could hear him, he said, "You're a long way from your part of the forest."

Onewhisker stood before them. "There's a new rule, from Dustpelt, the temporary leader of the clans. Maybe you've heard of it. It states that all those not on Dustpelt's force will be brought in if they're seen out of a camp after sunset."

"No exceptions," Talltail added.

"You're pretending to be brave on the wrong territory," Billystorm said, still calm. "Go back home, mouse-brains."

Both Windclan warriors unsheathed their claws. Graystripe smelt a battle coming. Trying to avert it, he said, "Look, Talltail, Onewhisker. These three were just showing me the way home."

"Silence," Talltail growled at him.

"Maybe you should take a lesson from that pathetic kittypet friend of yours," Onewhisker sneered, "and let the real warriors do their job."

Graystripe felt fury rise up in him. Maybe Billystorm and his friends had attempted to take the Moonstone fragment, but they hadn't insulted Fireheart. "Say that again," he growled.

"The rules made by Dustpelt and his force aren't up for debate with scum like you," Talltail sneered.

"Fancy words for mouse-brains like you," Billystorm growled, unsheathing his own claws.

"Silence, kitty-warrior," Talltail growled.

Fury suddenly arose in Billystorm's eyes. He lunged forward, claws out, but Talltail quickly sidestepped and pinned him to the ground.

Leafdapple and Sharpclaw quickly let go of Graystripe, unsheathing their own claws. As he stumbled forward, Graystripe's foot brushed against something on the ground. Looking down, he saw a stick with several scratches on it, looking like they'd been left by cats. He ran a claw down it, and felt emotion running through him with each scratch. There was a fine point at the end...

Looking up, he said, "There's still no need for anyone to get hurt!"

"Tell that to these mouse-brains," Billystorm growled from the ground. "Leafdapple, over there... she's very twitchy."

Graystripe glanced over at Leafdapple, who had her claws out and was obviously itching to pounce. "Do you know what will happen if you kill one of Dustpelt's warriors?" he asked, desperately trying to keep the battle from coming.

"Oh, they'll start an all-out melee on our territory," Leafdapple answered. "I'd love to see that."

"Stay still," Talltail growled. "Unless you want this kitty-warrior hurt."

Graystripe prepared for his move. The fight was coming, he could see it. "You kill one of these warriors," he said, "there will be claws." With this, he grabbed the stick in his teeth, and the fight began.

Sharpclaw jumped at Onewhisker, and the two of them began to wrestle on the ground. Finally, Sharpclaw came out on top, forcing Onewhisker onto the ground, pinning him there.

"Let him go!" Talltail growled, digging his claws into Billystorm's back. "Let him go, or your friend dies!"

"Don't do it!" Graystripe said, speaking to both Talltail and Sharpclaw. "You'll doom us all!"

"I think I have some fresh-kill here," Sharpclaw growled, preparing to end Onewhisker. However, just before he could, two things happened: Patchpelt, who had snuck over before, jumped up behind Talltail, pressing his claws into Talltail's pelt. Sharpclaw turned to look at this, just as One-eye, following up with Patchpelt, lunged into him, knocking him down over Onewhisker. Onewhisker jumped up, attempting to escape, but Sharpclaw reached up and raked his claws down his sides. As he did, Billystorm spun around, raking his claws down Talltail's stomach, leaving some scratches there. Talltail withdrew.

Back on the other side of the clearing, Graystripe spun around with the stick in his jaws. He turned on Leafdapple, who was nearest, and scratched her face with it. She withdrew, and Graystripe turned to see the other battle raging. Sharpclaw was racing past. As he did, Graystripe plunged the sharp end of the stick into his side, leaving a long, deep scratch there. Sharpclaw howled, but the stick was wrenched out of Graystripe's jaws, and he abandoned it, resorting to his own claws. Leafdapple furiously jumped at him as he turned his back, but Talltail reached out and pulled Graystripe out of the way. Graystripe and Talltail looked at each other for a second before Talltail allowed Graystripe to run. He did, only to trip over a fallen cat as he fled.

Talltail turned on Patchpelt, who had fallen as Billystorm attacked Talltail. Advancing on him, Talltail growled, "You'll get no sympathy from me."

Graystripe quickly stood again, and saw Billystorm with the Moonstone fragment. He lunged forward, knocking him to the ground and taking the fragment. For a moment, Billystorm looked like he was considering pursuing Graystripe, but instead, he turned back to the main battle.

Talltail was about to finish Patchpelt, when One-eye snuck up behind him and sank her teeth into his leg. Talltail let out a screech of pain, reeling backwards. Patchpelt quickly took the opportunity, standing and lunging at Talltail, sinking his teeth into his neck, again and again.

Graystripe turned and saw it happening. He lunged forward. If one of Dustpelt's warriors died...

But Onewhisker had noticed too. He started forward, only to hear someone behind him. Turning, he saw Sharpclaw staggering forward, struggling against the wound in his side. Furious, Onewhisker jumped forward and bit through Sharpclaw's throat. Sharpclaw staggered back, collapsing on the ground.

Onewhisker quicky bounded over to Talltail, and picked him up the best he could, supporting him. Graystripe looked at them. "He's still alive!" Graystripe said urgently. "Get him to the medicine cats, and he still might survive!"

Onewhisker looked furious. He spat at Graystripe and continued on, away from the battle zone, with Talltail still leaning on him, struggling to walk.

Graystripe turned. Billystorm and Leafdapple were over by Sharpclaw, who was struggling to breath through his torn throat. As he died, he looked up, and his face suddenly filled with fear. "End... of... days..." he choked out, and then his eyes closed, never to open again.

Billystorm and Leafdapple looked behind them, as Graystripe quickly turned to look at what Sharpclaw had seen. End of Days? That was the name Brokenstar had given him! The cat that he, as well as Patchpelt, One-eye, Billystorm, and Leafdapple saw was a sleek black and gray tabby. He was standing off to the side, having apparently watched everything with a quiet interest. Upon seeing him, Billystorm and Leafdapple bounded away, hiding in the shadows of a nearby tree, while Patchpelt and One-eye retreated to where they'd been before.

Graystripe gazed at the End of Days, the cat that had scared them all off. That was definitely the cat that Brokenstar had sent him after: he matched the description perfectly. But something held him back.

He glanced at the Moonstone fragment beside him. He could give that to the cat, and Brokenstar would help him talk to Tigerstar. But for what? Were these the cats he was supposed to save, and trust the clans to? Cats that hid in the shadows from this one cat, or brutally attacked those that were weaker than themselves? There was nothing here worth saving.

However, as he thought this, he heard a sound he hadn't heard for a long time: laughter. He turned and saw two cats, far away from where the battle had taken place. They were distant, but there was no mistaking it: those were kits, jumping around each other and jumping, lunging, and laughing. They were a gray tabby, whose eyes looked forward unseeingly, though he was playing and laughing just as much as the other, a golden-furred tabby. As he watched them, Sandstar's words rang in his ears: No matter how far the clans sink, we're never past redemption as long as we can hear the laughter of just one kit. They weren't kits, more apprentice-age, but seeing them playing gave Graystripe strength. This was what he was fighting for.

He turned and saw the End of Days again. He picked up the Moonstone fragment and moved forward with it. Speaking, he said, "I've been sent to meet the End of Days by Brokenstar of Shadowclan." With this, he dropped the fragment in front of him.

The End of Days looked from the fragment to Graystripe's face, and his smile chilled Graystripe to the bone.

XXXX

*I assume the clans have a Devil of some sort, or at least some sort of equivalent.

Okay, and that's all for now. Thanks to those who've reviewed so far. Please R&R, constructive criticism is awesome, flames aren't, bottom line, Gamer4 out.