Sandra padded behind Sandstorm, Cloudtail and Thornclaw. Sandstorm had offered for her to join the patrol and how could she say no? The headed along the RiverClan border making sure there was no enemy scent on their territory. Sandra kept glancing to the RiverClan side of the river. She knew ShadowClan was over there as well. And Sandra knew what was going to happen when they reached the stepping stones. The whole patrol halted when they heard snarls and yowls coming from the stepping stones.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Cloudtail growled leading the patrol to where they could see Mistyfoot, Stormpaw and Featherpaw just reaching the ThunderClan side of the river. ShadowClan warriors were spread in a menacing line across the opposite bank while Blackfoot fought with Graystripe and Ravenpaw, a loner who used to be a ThunderClan apprentice until Tigerstar tried to kill him. Cloudtail yowled and leaped at Mistyfoot. Before he reached her Firestar ran over and barreled him over.

"Mouse-brain!" Firestar snapped. "The enemy is back there!" He jerked his head to where Graystripe and Ravenpaw were fighting Blackfoot. Sandstorm and Thornclaw launched themselves at the ShadowClan warriors on the other bank and Sandra followed close behind. Cloudtail soon followed. Before Firestar could follow his warriors Blackfoot slipped off the stepping stone to be swept away by the current. Sandra ran back to Firestar, knowing they had won.

"You'll come no farther if you want to stay alive," Sandstorm snarled.

"Get back!" Blackfoot yowled as he clambered onto the bank. "Let them escape, they're only half-Clan crowfood." The ShadowClan warriors then vanished into the reeds and all the ThunderClan warriors headed back to their side of the river.

"Well done, all of you," Firestar meowed once he had checked them all for wounds. "I was never so glad to see any cats as when you four came out of the forest. What brought you here?"

"You did," Cloudtail panted. "You ordered extra patrols to watch the border. Lucky for you that we came along when we did."

"Okay, we'd better get back to camp," Firestar meowed. "These three cats need to rest. Ravenpaw, you'd better come too and let Cinderpelt look at that ear." The cats headed back to camp with Firestar at the rear. Sandstorm dropped back beside him after a few moments and they talked quietly.

When they reached camp Whitestorm and Brackenfur came over in an instant. "Thank StarClan you're back, Firestar!" the young warrior exclaimed. "It's Tawnypaw-she's disappeared!"

"Disappeared?" Firestar echoed. "What happened?"

"We're not sure," Whitestorm replied, his voice calmer than Brackenfur's, but his eyes gave away his concern. "It was Bramblepaw who first said he couldn't find her. I thought he was making a fuss about nothing but we searched the camp. She isn't here, and no cat saw her leave."

"It's my fault!" Brackenfur broke in. "I'm her mentor."

"It's not your fault," Whitestorm assured him. "I sent you on hunting patrol. No cat expects you to be in two places at once." Brackenfur just shook his head.

Sandra, knowing exactly what was happening went over to her friends. They seemed oblivious to what was happening. "Hey! Did you hear Tawnypaw's missing?"

"No," Gingka answered. "She's missing?"

"Yes, and nobody can find her," Sandra answered.

"Let me guess; you know where she is?" Masemune guessed.

"Yep," Sandra confirmed.

"Then why don't you tell them?" Yu asked.

"Because that's not what happened in the story. You can't mess with another world's chain of events. Tawnypaw's destiny lied elsewhere," Sandra explained.

"Bramblepaw will miss her," Alex meowed.

"Yes, but he must stay with ThunderClan. His destiny lies with ThunderClan," Sandra replied. Sandra looked in the direction of RiverClan's territory. Take care, Tawnypaw.