Hi guys! I know its been more than I year since I've updated, and I'm really sorry about that. I'm applying to colleges now so I haven't really had much time to get on here. I'm only updating because a review popped up in my email today and I remembered I had a couple of chapters I had written but never posted.

So if anyone is still reading, I'm impressed and you're awesome.

I've got about 3 more chapters that I'll be putting up, so here goes!

Chapter 5

A warm breeze ruffled Echopaw's fur and she rolled over, letting the sweet air rush past her. She stiffened in surprise as she felt something hard beneath her, unlike her soft moss bed.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, jumping to her paws in shock as she took in the sights around her. She no longer lay in the apprentice den, now she stood in between what looked like large twoleg dens, their walls grey and unwelcoming. She shifted from paw to paw, curious of the strange stones which paved the ground below her.

Echopaw looked up and saw that the towering dens seemed to stretch into the sky, penetrating the soft white clouds. She gave her light grey fur a lick, hoping to calm her mind which was running amok with confusion and surprise.

"Hello?" she mewed softly, hoping that perhaps there might be someone nearby who could answer her questions. "Is someone there?"

She turned around suddenly at a muffled padding sound, her heart quickening. A small she-cat stood a couple of foxlengths away, a look of excitement and mystery about her. She had a pure white pelt, her fur free of any blemishes, and large cobalt eyes. She was beautiful, even Echopaw could see that, and she had a powerful aura about her that seemed to defy her tiny figure.

"He-hello," Echopaw stammered, taken aback by this strange cat. "Can you tell me where I am? I was in my den a moment ago, and now I'm just- here."

The she-cat stepped forward closer, her mouth open slightly as she looked the apprentice up and down. "How did you get here?" she mewed suspiciously, a strange happiness along with it. "Your den- where's that?"

Echopaw shook her head in confusion, nothing she was hearing making sense. "The apprentice den!" she mewed with a snort, staring at the cat as if she had gone mad. "In the Thunderclan camp of course."

The she-cat continued to step closer, now gazing at the pair of bright golden eyes. "So Batwing had kits, did she," she whispered, her words awestruck.

Echopaw took a sudden step back, her breath quickening in fear. "How do you know my mother?"

"Whats your name?" the she-cat asked, ignoring her question.

"My name? Its Echopaw."

The she-cat froze, her blue eyes flicking back and forth. "You used to be white, didn't you? When you were a kit. Thats why Batwing named you. She named you from Nightclaw's memories."

"Will you just tell me who you are?" hissed Echopaw, her voice frustrated, glancing down at her pale grey pelt. This she-cat was making no sense, simply chattering on about strange cats and her pelt. "And where am I?"

"My name-" she paused and looked at the ground, a thoughtful look on her face. "My name is Embers. And to answer the question of where you are, you aren't."

"What kind of answer is that?" Echopaw cried. "I'm not? Not what?"

"Not here," Embers mewed simply. "You're dreaming. Of me, to be exact."

Echopaw took a deep breath, hoping to sort her rattled thoughts. "Like when the leaders dream of Starclan?"

Embers nodded. "Except I'm not in Starclan. And you're not a leader. You're in the city, my city. Unlike your ancestors, when I died, I came here. It was my home and I never wanted to leave it, even after death."

"You're dead," Echopaw said slowly swallowing hard. "How did you- I mean, how did it-" She cleared her throat, clearing embarrassed.

"Its alright," Embers mewed, laughing softly. "I was killed by twolegs, but it was a peaceful death. Very quick, completely painless. I don't regret it, I died saving two friends of mine. Well-" she paused and glanced back at the apprentice. "Three."

Echopaw grinned, impressed. "So you're a hero. But why am I here?"

"Perhaps," the white she-cat began thoughtfully. "Its fate. You're here so I can teach all of the marvelous things about the city. I'm sure everything here is so strange and new to you, the forest may have some pretty leaves and delicious birds, but it has nothing compared to what you can find here."

Echopaw glanced suspiciously at her, wondering what she meant. "It looks a bit grey and not quite interesting. I'm not sure I'll like it."

"Well you look sort of grey and not quite interesting," retorted Ember's narrowing her blue eyes. "But you don't sound very boring to me."

Echopaw stifled a laugh, grinning in response. "I guess it can't hurt, I'll wake up from this eventually, won't I? Might as well enjoy this new strange world you've brought me to."

"Thats the spirit," purred Embers, flicking her tail down the long narrow walkway. "Come with me and I'll show you things you couldn't believe even existed." She bounded away, looking back and motioning.

Echopaw took a deep breath, her golden eyes gleaming. "Well, here goes nothing," she whispered, before racing after her new friend out into the unknown.


Nightpaw padded through the forest, glancing up every so often at the dark night sky. He made sure to make not a sound as he slunk through the underbrush, his black pelt blending in perfectly with the shadows. He had always loved coming out to fourtrees at night, the clearing was so peaceful and relaxing, it filled him with a sense of beauty.

He leapt over the small stream and bounded down the hill into the meeting place, smiling as he gazed around it, so empty and quiet. The moon shone down on the leaves scattered along the dirt, turning a haunting silver hue, and Nightpaw dabbed his paw in the light, watching at it transformed his ebony pelt into a gleaming white. He laughed softly, the childish game soothing him after a hard day's work.

Nightpaw stiffened in surprise as he heard the snap of twigs in the underbrush. "Hello?" he whispered, dropping his body low to the ground in fear. "Is someone there?"

More rustling came from the bushes and then a form appeared in the shadows, crouched and shy. Nightpaw leaned forward, his golden eyes wide as tried to get a better glimpse of the hidden cat. Then a face leaned out of the darkness, surprised and sweet.

"Nightpaw?" the she-cat whispered, one paw stepping forward.

The black tom gazed at her, his mind washing back to the gathering night, a strange pleasantness running through him as he stood before her once again. "Blossompaw," he mewed, his eyes glowing at the sight of her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly, shuffling in the dirt yet not wavering her gaze.

Nightpaw simply stared back at her, unsure of how to answer, knowing she wouldn't understand. "I noticed there wasn't a lot of prey yesterday," he said, smiling slightly. "Decided I'd go hunting or something."

"Yeah, me too," Blossompaw mewed nodding. "Theres nothing better then getting up in the middle of the night to go hunting in fourtrees where theres no prey whatsoever."

Nightpaw snorted in amusement at her sarcasm and she ducked her head at his laugh. "That may have not been the best lie I could come up with," he said, trying to keep his face straight as he watched her.

"So what are you really doing here?" she whispered, sitting down slowly on a patch of padded grass and wrapping her tail around her body.

Nightpaw looked away, feeling awkward and embarrassed in her presence, as if all of his secrets and flaws were there in the open for her too see, and he stood vulnerable in front of her. "I come out here a lot," he admitted, his voice soft. "Its comforting just to be here alone, with nothing to distract, no one to judge me, no one to tell me what to do. Its my relief."

Blossompaw cringed slightly at the word 'alone' yet didn't mention it, neither did she ask if he'd like her to leave. "You like being alone a lot, don't you?" Her words were blunt, and they were like someone had knocked the wind out of him.

"Not always," he began, for the first time puzzling over his emotions. "Not when I'm with my sisters, they understand me, and I understand them. But sometimes I feel like I'm just pretending, like I don't really want to be with them at all, I just want to leave, don't want to see anyone." He looked up to find Blossompaw gazing at him, her deep brown eyes stretched wide. "Oh, I'm so sorry," he said quickly, shaking his head, his whiskers twitching fearfully. "I don't know why I said that, I must sound crazy."

She opened her mouth and then closed it, an overwhelming look of not sympathy but relief filling it. "Why are you scared of me?" she asked quietly, bringing herself closer to him, so that their pelts nearly touched.

Nightpaw feigned a look of surprise, wrinkling his brow and leaning backwards. "Why would I be afraid of you?"

Blossompaw smiled and scooted forward again as he inched away. "Because being alone is easier," she murmured, her dark brown eyes meeting his golden ones.

"How do you know all of this," Nightpaw whispered, his heart pounding in fear, yet this time he didn't move away from her. "Its like you've known me your whole life."

Blossompaw didn't answer for a moment, her tail swishing along the ground as she thought of a reply, the two of them remaining in silence. "You never asked me why I was here."

"What?" Nightpaw glanced at her puzzled. "What does that have to do with it?"

"You want to know how I understand your loneliness, your fear of friendship." She shuddered, and shook her head slowly, a sad smile on her lips. "You never asked me why I was here. I asked you, but you didn't ask me."

The idea slowly formed in Nightpaw's mind and he gazed at her, stunned by her simple words. "You're here for the same reason I am, aren't you?" Tears of shock filled his golden eyes quickly, wondering how he hadn't noticed this before. "You like to be alone too."

Blossompaw stared down at the ground, the fur along her spine prickling slightly. "I told you," she whispered. "Being alone is easier." With a soft sigh, she rested her head down on his paws, closing her eyes slowly.

Nightpaw froze, and released his muscles, slowly nestling his head down to rest on top of hers. The two of the said nothing, simply fitting together in harmony in the quiet night. Simply being alone; together.


Batwing's eyes flew open, sweat caking her shivering body. She struggled to her paw, gasping for breath and managed to make her way out of the warrior den without waking anyone. She burst out into the cool night, letting the soft breeze cool her hot body.

The dream had haunted her mind once more, this time it had lasted longer though. She had felt the fatal wound as her opponent attacked her stomach, ripping gleaming claws through her flesh. She had felt her blood drain out onto the ground, and then her head had come to woozily rest against the dirt as her life slowly whisked away before her eyes.

She moaned softly and gazed up at the moon, wishing she could forget the nightmare. Yet she couldn't. It frightened her now every time she thought of it, she feared for her life, for the dream was much to vivid to simply be something her mind had drawn up.

She knew she should stop worrying, if the dream came true, then so be it. However it was unlike her to not fret about this sort of thing and so panic she did.

"Why me, Starclan," she whispered, watching the stars twinkle in the ebony sky. "Why must you torture me with this, why not someone else. Can I not be left in peace to die when it is my time?"

However she knew the answer to that, she was no ordinary cat, so she would not have an ordinary death.

So if anyone actually read that, you should review :) I still have a 3 more books planned out and I just finished my newest novel so I'm sort of free for another writing project. If anyone cares enough I might consider continuing these.