A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I reposted chapter 5, because, somehow, chapter 3 was posted in place of it. Anyway, please read and review!

Smokepaw lay in her comfortable nest of moss, unable to fall asleep. Cats wreathed and moaned in their fretful dreams, and hopefully StarClan greeted them with warm wishes, telling them that the pain would all be over soon. They would question why their medicine cats couldn't help them, and their ancestors would bring them down gently by telling them that there was no cure.

Smokepaw was certain that that was what the sick cats were dreaming of, so certain that she could almost see the starry figure of Bluestar and Whitestorm whispering in their ears.

The figure of Bluestar turned her eyes upon Smokepaw, and it chilled the medicine cat apprentice to the bone. "Smokepaw," it whispered, edging nearer to Smokepaw, and leaving the frail body of Firestar. "I know that it is only one night after StarClan as a whole spoke to you, but I must tell you something private."

"Am I dreaming, Bluestar?" Smokepaw asked the former ThunderClan leader. She glanced around the den, but Jayfeather was outside, the sick cats still slept, and Whitestorm disappeared like smoke in the faint moonlight.

"No, you are most definitely not dreaming. Listen closely, Smokepaw," Bluestar paused to emphasize her words in the apprentice's mind. "I have to take Firestar, Leafpool, and Whitewing with me tonight, because Thunderstar himself wishes to give his condolences. Many more will die over the course of the next quarter moon, but I can assure that Bramblestar will take care of your Clan well."

"Why ThunderClan, Bluestar?" Smokepaw asked her voice on the brink of breaking in sadness.

Bluestar sighed. "Firestar and Cloudtail were good additions to ThunderClan, but afterwards, Firestar went a bit crazy. The warrior code is about cats all working together to make their Clan work. Daisy does none of that. Even Ferncloud, who is always in the nursery, can hunt and defend ThunderClan if needed. The ancients decided to return ThunderClan to its true paws, because they are getting made fun of because of their roots."

"You're speaking perfect truth," Smokepaw whispered, ashamed to admit it. Her father told her how Onestar had insulted ThunderClan by calling them 'the kittypet Clan.' "But, Bluestar, the kittypets can beat true-born Clan cats. Firestar beat Onestar easily, Goldenpool said."

"That is now. You have not seen into the rippling waters of the future, Smokepaw," Bluestar meowed. "Smoky and Floss would join if this disease was not sent. Smoky, or Smokefur, as he wants to be called, would be an asset to the Clan, but Floss would remain Floss and stay in the nursery."

Smokepaw was quiet for an agonizing minute, contemplating the bad things and the good. Many cats were dying, including her leader and that brought ThunderClan down as weak, but there would be many good things, also. Although her Clan would be missing most of her clan mates, ThunderClan wouldn't be labeled as the 'kittypet Clan' anymore. Also, Smoky was Floss's mate, which would mean that she would always be nursing kits, and not begging a cat that hated her to mate.

"Take them, Bluestar," Smokepaw whispered,feeling sad as she watched the blue gray she-cat nod and went to the sleeping forms. She touched her nose to each of their ears, and muttered some unintelligible words. Their form, now all shrouded with stars, sprang up from their bodies.

"Thank you," Firestar began. "I know that you and Jayfeather tried, but going to StarClan is so much better than being in pain in ThunderClan. Brambleclaw will be a great leader, and will lead you all to glory once more."

Whitewing looked at her new fur, and put two and two together. "I'm going to StarClan," she whispered to herself. "I know you are great, Smokepaw. Don't let our deaths get to you, it was meant to be," she said louder, for Smokepaw to hear.

Leafpool purred, and rubbed her cheek against Smokepaw's head. "I didn't know anything about this. You did great with my son to try to cure it, but some things can't be cured with herbs."

Smokepaw was taken aback by the good words spoken to her by the new StarClan members. She glanced in agony at the writhing figures on the floor, deep in a pain filled sleep. Soon they would be joining Bluestar and the rest of the warrior ancestors.

A bright light filled the den, although none of the sleeping cats seemed to notice. Once the bright light died down, a large ginger tom stood in the center, touching Briarfur's head with his tail tip.

"Thunderstar!" Firestar exclaimed, his green eyes bright with this new addition.

Bluestar dipped her head in reprisal. "I'm sorry that this was taking so long, Thunderstar. I was explaining things to Smokepaw, and I got a vibe of something bad to happen soon for the queens."

The tom nodded. "It is fine. Smokepaw needs to know what will happen to our Clan soon." He turned his warm gaze to Smokepaw. "I'm sorry for your losses, but it must be done," he mewed, and then turned to Bluestar. "I will take these cats with me, and I expect you in StarClan soon, do you understand?"

"Yes, Thunderstar, but why do you have to leave so soon? Smokepaw barely met you," Bluestar asked the ginger tom.

"Riverstar has a bone to pick with me. He claims that I gave the disease that is slowly killing his full medicine cat. I will bring these cats with me to show him that ThunderClan cats are dropping like flies, and he shouldn't complain over a half-blooded kittypet medicine cat," Thunderstar explained.

"That makes sense, Thunderstar. I also assure you that I will join you and my companions in StarClan soon." After Bluestar said her piece, another flash of bright light filled the medicine den. Firestar, Leafpool, and Whitewing left with the first leader of ThunderClan.

"Good bye, Smokepaw," Bluestar mewed in her departing. "Go to sleep. Although we shall have taken more cats by morning, it will be better then."

"Bluestar," Smokepaw interrupted. "I-I-I can't go to sleep."

The blue gray she-cat paused mid-step. "And why I this?"

Smokepaw hung her head. "I keep feeling that I am a bad medicine cat, and the pain filled moans given off by the sick cats keep me up," she explained, shuffling her feet in embarrassment.

Bluestar moved closer to the dark gray she-cat, and touched her nose to Smokepaw's ear. The surprising coldness made Smokepaw shudder, but once Bluestar muttered 'sleep,' Smokepaw was out cold in her nest, not even noticing the light Bluestar gave off as she returned to StarClan.

Smokepaw dreamed a surprisingly normal dream of collecting herbs with Whitepaw that night. He kept running back to her with new herbs she didn't already have. He purred often, and once even rubbed against her, but the only feeling Smokepaw felt were those of disgust and anger.

"Smokepaw," his voice called anxiously, searching for her. He called multiple times, and even jabbed a paw into her side once.

She opened her eyes, and they revealed not an eager Whitepaw, but an annoyed Jayfeather.

"It's nice to see that you got a good night's sleep," he hissed. "Five cats died last night, we can't afford to sleep anymore. Do you know one of the cats that died?"

"Firestar?" Smokepaw said with caution, in fear that the crazy dream last night was hard truth.

Jayfeather hissed again, angered to be reminded of the death. "Yes," he growled, "Whitewing, Mousewhisker, Hazeltail and Leafpool, too. How do we tell the Clan of Firestar's death?"

"I would just come out with it, honestly. I mean, I would tell Brambleclaw first, but then announce it to the whole Clan," Smokepaw confessed to her livid mentor.

"Fine, we'll do that," he agreed, stepping outside the medicine den, and scenting for a trusted cat. "Lionblaze?" he finally called.

The golden tom padded over, and wrinkled his nose as the smell hit him. "What do you need, Jayfeather?" he questioned. "Hopefully whatever it is will get me away from that stench of crowfood."

Smokepaw bared her teeth at her mentor's brother. She still didn't forgive him for being so callous when Goldenpool was still alive but getting sicker. "We need Brambleclaw," she growled.

Lionblaze stepped back at her hostility. "Alright, alright," he muttered. "I'll go get him; he's organizing patrols by the skimpy fresh-kill pile."

Lionblaze padded off, and sat next to the cat that he thought was his father for so long. They conversed in tones to low to be heard, but finally Lionblaze got the point across. The dark brown tabby tom hurried over, a concerned look upon his face.

"What is it?" he asked, his ears flattened, waiting for the bad news.

Jayfeather sighed. "Brambleclaw, Firestar is… he went to join StarClan," Jayfeather poured out in a quick stream.

Brambleclaw mulled over Jayfeather's words. "Really? My mentor, dead?" he asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Yes, Brambleclaw," Jayfeather told the former deputy. "You'll have to announce it to the Clan, and you will receive your name and nine lives tonight, with Smokepaw joining you.

Brambleclaw nodded slowly, and his ears lifted a bit. Although the aspect of being leader of ThunderClan required great responsibility and care, Brambleclaw was kind of glad to be taking over after so long.

He left Jayfeather and Smokepaw with a dip of his head, and went to Highrock, where he promptly jumped up. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting!" he yowled, rolling the unfamiliar words around on his tongue.

The cats of ThunderClan gathered at his words, some confused at why he was calling the meeting and not Firestar, others knowing that Firestar's time to join StarClan had finally come.

"Firestar has died, and is currently in StarClan with Whitewing and Leafpool," Brambleclaw told his clan. "I will go with Smokepaw to get my name and nine lives tonight, and afterwards, we will show the other Clans that even though our leader has died, we are still a force to be reckoned with!"

The ThunderClan cats yowled in agreement at his statement, and Smokepaw decided that Brambleclaw would be a great leader. Many cats liked him, and he had a way of making cats do what he wanted with his powerful speaking voice.

"Before the cats of StarClan, I announce that Cinderheart will be the new deputy of ThunderClan. She is young, and knows how to serve her Clan well," Brambleclaw yowled.

"Cinderheart! Cinderheart!" the Clan chanted; Sorreltail, who was in front of the nursery, yowled the loudest.

The gray tabby she-cat stood up modestly, and lifted her head high. "I thank you, Brambleclaw, and I am sure that you will make a great leader." Brambleclaw dipped his head to her, and then glanced with meaning at the fresh-kill pile.

Cinderheart, taking the hint, organized her first patrols. "Squirrelflight, Graystripe, Foxleap, and I will go on a hunting patrol, while Dustpelt, Lionblaze, and Ferncloud will go patrol the WindClan border," she decided.

Squirrelflight gave a pained look at the bodies of her sister and father, and then sighed painfully. She didn't join her mother with her nose in Firestar's fur, but went with Foxleap to the thorn tunnel. Once Graystripe and Cinderheart came, they left for the lush, green forest, where nothing in the ThunderCLan camp could bother them.

"You did great," Squirrelflight told Cinderheart as they padded away from Graystripe. Foxleap nodded eagerly at the she-cat.

Cinderheart shuffled her feet in embarrassment. "I really didn't expect it. Brambleclaw is so nice," she muttered.

Squirrelflight purred at the thought of her former mate. She still loved him, but couldn't be with him because of her lie. "I know," she whispered. "Come, let's go hunting, or Graystripe will bring home more prey then the new deputy," Squirrelflight joked.

Cinderheart batted Squirrelflight's ears playfully, and then rushed off to get as much prey as possible.

Brambleclaw sat atop Highrock with mixed feelings. He felt joy and euphoria finally becoming leader, but there was also some pain and sadness mixed in. He had grown close to the former leader, who was once his mentor, and now that influential tom was gone, in StarClan somewhere.

The only way to make this better was if Squirrelflight would love him again. He still felt strongly about her, but as the days passed, they grew farther and farther apart. He wanted kits of his own, to carry on his line, but the only she-cat that he liked avoided him.

He sighed heavily. Another thing that should be fixed was the disease killing multiple cats. Firestar should have been leader for longer, but the disease stole his life. Brambleclaw would be marked as a bad leader for letting so many cats die. One thing was for sure, though. If he was going to be labeled a bad leader for letting cats die, then he would be a great leader in keeping and regaining territory.

The minutes passed quickly as Brambleclaw mulled over his thoughts, not noticing anything. A horrid mew calling his name brought his attention back to the present.

"Brambleclaw, Brambleclaw!" Foxleap called. "It's Squirrelflight, she just collapsed on our patrol," he panted to the tabby tom.

Brambleclaw jumped up onto his feet, and scrambled down from Highrock. "Is he alright?" he asked quickly, his heart skipping a few beats.

"No," Foxleap mewed as he shook his head. "She was gasping for breath when chasing a rabbit that I accidently scared away, and then she just collapsed. I'm so sorry!" Foxleap wailed.

"It's not your fault," Brambleclaw hushed. He met Smokepaw's eyes, and called her over with his tail. "I need you to come with me and Foxleap to go see Squirrelflight. We must hurry, I am worried for her."

The tom rushed out of the thorn tunnel, Smokepaw and Foxleap close on his heels. They raced through the thick undergrowth of newleaf, jumping over fallen trees and dodging bramble bushes. Finally, in the light green light filtering from the trees above, Squirrelflight's dark ginger pelt was able to be seen.

"Squirrelflight," Brambleclaw gasped, rushing up to his mate. "I'm so sorry, I should have forgiven you. Please don't die, Squirrelflight, I forgive you."

She lifted her head, and glanced at Brambleclaw with her green eyes that were slowly losing life. "I know. However, StarClan is calling me, I must go, Brambleclaw. I love you," Squirrelflight coughed as her eyes closed.

"Check her for life," Brambleclaw demanded, pushing his nose into her flank, detecting a slow beating heart. Smokepaw did the same, but while she was there, the heart slowed even more, and stopped. Not wanting to let Brambleclaw down too hard, Smokepaw sat up and contemplated her next move.

"Brambleclaw," she finally sighed. "Squirrelflight is with her father and sister. She will be happy in StarClan with them." Brambleclaw growled and sat by himself.

"This would have never happened if I had forgiven her. We could have had our own kits together. This would have never happened!" Brambleclaw shouted to the sky, frustrated with himself.

"It's alright, Brambleclaw. We need to get back to camp now," Smokepaw soothed. She nudged Foxleap, who had been frozen in place.

"I just watched a cat die," he whispered, horrified. The reddish tom picked up Squirrelflight's scruff, and brought up the back of the procession. Brambleclaw hobbled into camp, with Smokepaw supporting him. Without speaking to anyone, he went to Firestar's old den, and curled up, mourning the loss of his mate.

Jayfeather came out of the densely crowded medicine den. "What just happened?" he asked.

"Squirrelflight just died," Smokepaw mewed, watching the gray tabby tom closely. He gasped, and tried to cover his emotions from Smokepaw. "You care about her, don't you?" Smokepaw accused.

"Fine," Jayfeather admitted. "I do. I thought she was my mother for the longest time, and I grew a close bond. Leafpool is my mother and… I really don't want to talk about it."

Smokepaw cocked her head. "Why not?"

Jayfeather whipped around, and focused his sightless blue eyes on Smokepaw's. She could easily see the fire burning within them, and stepped back with caution. "I don't feel good," he hissed, and stomped away to a secluded corner in the den.

Alone, Smokepaw decided to wander around the camp, checking everyone. StarClan knows that it would be better than inhaling the death scent and listen to Jayfeather's grumpiness.

Slowly, she padded out, and headed to the nursery. "Things will be better soon," Smokepaw whispered under her breath. "Things will be much better under Brambleclaw, hopefully," she added.

A/N: I felt really sad killing off Squirrelflight and Firestar. Hopefully Brambleclaw will be a better leader to his sick cats. There is a poll on my profile on Dovepaw's and Ivypaw's names. Please choose wisely, as I don't want Bramblestar becoming another Firestar with names. If you feel you have a name that isn't on there and is good, just PM me, I'm free to any suggestions. Please review!