7

The new cat, Rusty, had decided to keep his own name, like Illusion. He was also a drypaw, like Illusion used to be.

Illusion sat next to Ravencreek in Mothwing's den, the she-cats eyes had only gotten worse. She couldn't even see, and Mothwing was doing everything to save them.

"Illusion? Are you still there?" Ravencreek rasped.

"I am, Ravencreek, I am," Illusion murmured softly, resting her tail across the black cats shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I can't finish your assessment with you," Ravencreek replied.

Buzzardpaw, Splashpaw and Goldenpaw, were being assessed for their warrior names, with their mentors, Mintfur, Reedwhisker and Tornfish. Illusion was too, before Ravencreek's sight deserted her completely.

"I won't have even trained an apprentice," Ravencreek mewed, almost silently. "I'm a failure."

"That's not true," Illusion whispered. "You have taught me everything I know." Ravencreek rested her head against Illusion's side.

Splashpaw poked his head into the medicine den. "We're back," he mewed. "We all passed our assesments." He slid over to Illusion's side. "Is she ok?" he whispered.

Illusion shook her head. "She's gone completely blind," Illusion whispered back. "Is your warrior ceremony now?"

Splashpaw nodded, and the two cats left the medicine den and joined the crowd around Buzzardpaw and Goldenpaw. Splashpaw quickly joined them, leaving Illusion to watch.

Mistystar, went on to rename Buzzardpaw as Buzzardsky, Goldenpaw as Goldenthorn, and finally, Splashpaw as Splashskip.

"Buzzardsky! Goldenthorn! Splashskip! Buzzardsky! Goldenthorn! Splashskip!" Riverclan called loudly, Illusion shouting loudest on Splashskip's new name.

The cats dispersed, and Splashskip bounded up to Illusion, his eyes shining happily.

"I'm so happy for you," she purred, brushing her pelt against his.

"Illusion," Mistystar called, sitting at the entrance of her den, her tail folded neatly over her paws.

"Got to go," Illusion meowed, before bounding over to Mistystar. "Yes, Mistystar?" she answered.

"I heard what happened to Ravencreek. And I'm sorry, for you and her," Mistystar mewed. Illusion's heart wrenched. She didn't want a new mentor. Ravencreek was perfect for her.

"I have decided Briarnose should be your new mentor," Mistystar continued. Oh no! Illusion wailed silently in her head. Briarnose was the mother of stuck-up Goldenthorn and Buzzardsky. Mistystar flicked her tail. "I expect you to train as hard as you would with Ravencreek. I think Briarnose is at the fresh-kill pile." And with that Mistystar turned tail and left.

Illusion padded over to Briarnose, who was crouched next to Otterheart, her golden mate.

"Hi, Briarnose," Illusion said.

"Hello, Illusion," Briarnose growled, rising to her paws. "We're about to go on a border patrol. Come on." She loped swiftly out of camp, Illusion on her heels. They patrolled the border next to horseplace with Rusty, his mentor, Amberskip, Shadefang and Firefoot.

Rusty sniffed at the shiny, wire fence, curling up his lip. "Horses smell," he commented. "I can't believe you lived with them, Illusion!" He mrrowed with amusement, flicking her with his tail.

Illusion snorted. "I bet you're not brave enough to sneak into their pen," she growled quietly, nodding at a cat sized hole in the mesh. Rusty looked warily at it.

"Uh, I will if you will," he decided. Illusion glanced at the rest of the warriors. They were continuing without the pair of apprentices.

"Ok, three, two, one, go," both cats shot through the fence, just managing to squeeze into the field.

"Can you see a horse?" Rusty squinted his eyes, glaring at the empty field. Illusion could only make out a few brown shapes near the stables.

"Let's go look for one," Illusion bounded through the field, turning around. Rusty wasn't following her.

"Um, I think we should go back," Rusty said uncomfortably, shifting towards the hole. "I don't want Amberskip to get mad at me."

Illusion snorted. "Come on," Illusion coaxed. "I know cats over here. The horses won't hurt us." She smirked. "Unless you're too scared, of course."

Rusty immediately toughened. "I'm not scared," he growled. "I bet I can get closer to a horse than you."

"Ha!" Illusion laughed. She raced off abruptly at a tiny white horse. She got very close, before the horse shot off, making strange horse sounds. Rusty went for an enormous horse with huge, furry feet.

It lifted its hooves from the ground, flailing them in the air. It neighed anxiously, smashing the ground in front of Rusty.

"Rusty!" Illusion shrieked. "Run!" Rusty shot backwards, turning around and racing towards Illusion. The horse, stamped the ground another few times, before galloping at full speed towards the apprentices.

Illusion ran towards the fence, glancing over her shoulder. Most other horses had followed the big brown one, it must have been the leader of the herd. Rusty was lagging behind her, pure fear in his eyes.

She sped towards him, sinking her teeth into his scruff and dragging him along the ground. She could feeling the ground shaking as the horses approached. She shoved Rusty through the hole before following him. All the rest of the warriors on the patrol waited on the other side, they must have noticed the apprentices had disappeared. She collapsed on the other side, panting. The horses stamped angrily on the other side, neighing anxiously.

"You idiot," Briarnose hissed, dragging Illusion to her paws. "What were you thinking, going in there?" Her voice rose, angrily. "You'll never be a warrior if you keep messing around like a kit!"

"I don't want to be a warrior if it means being a fox-hearted mouse-brain like you!" Illusion shouted back. The cats fell silent.

"Then leave, Half-face," Briarnose snarled. Illusion looked around at the warriors. No cats defended her. "That's what Mistystar was going to call you," she snarled. "Because you're a freak!"

"Fine," she snarled. Thunder struck in the distance, and rain began to fall. A flash burst from the moor, adding to the tense mood around the cats. She swung around to face Rusty. "Tell Splashpaw- I mean Splashskip that I'll miss him," she growled to Rusty, before spinning around and storming back to horseplace past the shiny mesh fence.

Making her way through the wet ground and walking back up to horseplace, Illusion heard footsteps behind her. She spun around, baring her teeth, until she realised it was Rusty.

"Rusty," she sighed. "Go back to the clan. You have a lot waiting for you there. I know cats at horseplace. I can stay there."

"What? Illusion, you can't leave!" Rusty gaped. "You're such a strong cat!"

Illusion sighed again. "Why don't you come to horseplace with me for a while? I'll be happy there," Illusion asked.

"Sure," Rusty answered. The two cats walked through the rain, lightning striking around them in the distance. They reached horseplace, and approached the barn, when lightning struck in front of them.

The flash almost blinded Illusion, the heat searing the cats. Illusion crouched, yowling in pain. The stable burst into flames, despite the pummelling rain. Pained horse screeches erupted from inside.

Coriander! Smoky! Illusion suddenly thought, fear pulsing through her veins. She dashed towards the blazing flames, the fire singing her fur.

"Illusion!" Rusty yowled, but she paid him no attention. Running through the open door, Illusion was almost crushed by terrified horses crushing their stable doors down. Wailing and dodging between the smashing hooves, Illusion ran further into the stables. Some smaller horses didn't manage to escape from their stables, and they were destined to be burned alive.

The stack of hay at the back of the stable was a blazing ball of flames. A burned shape shot out, wailing with pain.

"Coriander!" Illusion yowled. The smoke filled her lungs, and she choked. "We have to go!"

"Smoky!" she wailed. "Where is he? I need to find him! He was at the top of the bale!"

"He's gone," Illusion whispered. The heat was getting unbearable. Her paws felt as though they were on fire, and she had several burns on her body. "We need to go."

She wailed, Illusion leading her out of the stable. The roof creaked, and collapsed, blocking their way. It was blazing, too hot to walk on. "We're going to die!" Coriander screeched.

Suddenly a ball of ginger fur shot through the fire, landing at their paws. "Rusty!" Illusion rasped. "You shouldn't have come. We can't make it out."

"You will," Rusty growled. He sank his teeth into Illusion's scruff, hauling her across the burning piece of ceiling, despite the burns on his paws. He dropped Illusion at the other side, returning to bring Coriander across. Illusion crawled out the door to the open, fresh air and collapsed. Rusty and Coriander soon followed, falling down next to her.

Illusion closed her eyes, and suddenly the pain was no more.