It was the day before Badgerstar had announced a war was coming. Or rather, a battle. Silvermoon sighed. She spent all day rebuilding the dens and helping to train apprentices AND hunting twice as hard. It would be like this every day until the battle over the Meadow. A pity it was, or so she thought. She couldn't fight. At least she didn't think she could, not over something so trivial. "Silvermoon,"

The silver she-cat turned her head to meet her favorite warrior. Well the one she teased the most. "Hello, Bloodstone." She smiled, hoping it would bother him, and of course it did. The gray and crimson tom growled, his brown eyes narrowed. "Foxfur wants us on the hunting patrol."

"Again?" Silvermoon questioned as she got to her paws. Bloodstone nodded and padded slowly to the gorse tunnel, Silvermoon on his heels. The deputy turned to face the warriors. She nodded at the silver she-cat. "Sorry, Badgerstar's orders." She frowned and left the camp, looking around the forest.

"Maybe we should be a border patrol instead?" Silvermoon suggested. Bloodstone glared at her.

She knew he hated patrolling the borders. Why? She had no idea, probably because he rarely got to use his claws if he did. She couldn't remember the last time there was a border skirmish, the clans had been peaceful since Greystar's death.

Bloodstone always wanted a chance to prove his skills; and she had to admit, they were pretty good. He was one of the best fighters and hunters in the clan. Silvermoon was just Silvermoon. The deputy nodded. "Good idea," She purred. "Lead the way." Silvermoon stared in shock, her mouth agape. But she headed to the front of the group of cats and led the way to the most important border. The Meadow border. She didn't think, being so young, that she would ever lead a border so soon. The silver she-cat pricked her ears listening to the sound of voices on the other side. Beside her she heard Bloodstone growling. "Those apprentices! They never learn."

Foxfur sighed. "Solarclan'll be Solarclan." Silvermoon nodded and padding closer to the border. It was that golden apprentice that Nightsong had pulled out of the river, and she was back playing right next to it! She was with a grey apprentice, no other cat in sight.

"I bet you can't climb higher than me!" The she-cat boasted as she jumped up the tree, digging her claws into the bark.

"Summerpaw!" The grey tom hissed. "You're going to get hurt! Just like Poppypaw."

The golden she-cat sighed and looked like she gave a little thought about it for a while before sliding back down the tree, mumbling.

"Such valuable information." Silvermoon nearly jumped out of her fur at the sound of Bloodstone's voice. She thought he had been marking the border with Foxfur.

"What do you mean?" She asked tilting her head to the side.

The grey warrior rolled his eyes. "One of their apprentices are hurt. They seem to be having a chain of bad luck don't they?"

Silvermoon stared at him for a second, processing the information. "I suppose…Why does it matter though?"

Bloodstone sighed. "Forget I said anything." He hissed in annoyance, stalking off. The she-cat looked around for her deputy, but she had not returned.

She heard a yowl somewhere in the distance and without a second thought, she ran toward it.

"Badgerstar!" She recognized her leader's body lying limp on the ground, a puddle of blood forming around her. She ran toward her and looked around. She shrieked as she saw two badgers stomping towards her deputy. Silvermoon leapt to Foxfur's side hissing as she fluffed out her fur trying to make herself look larger, but they kept coming.

"Move!" She heard a voice behind her yowl and obeyed. Bloodstone lept forward his claws unsheathed as he lunged at the first badger. Swallowing her fear, Silvermoon dashed toward the other Badger, only to be swatted away by its massive paw. She fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Beside her the grey cat was still on top of the badger, holding on to its fur with his front paws and kicking it with his back. The she-cat sighed getting to her paws slowly. By now the badger was in front of her, snarling with rage. She lashed out a paw and got it in its hideous berry-like eye. The badger yowled stumbling back, as it tried to rub away the blood gushing from its eye. Foxfur let out a furious yowl as she stood beside Silvermoon and Badgerstar's limp body. She lashed forward with both claws, raking them down the badger's face. Silvermoon smirked and leapt forward, landing on its shoulders. Her unsheathed claws snagged in its black and white pelt and she dug her claws into its back. The badger suddenly stood up, throwing her off its back and running into the forest, the other badger at its side. Her sides heaving she turned to thank the tom, but he had disappeared as well. Tilting her head to the side she padded back to her leader. She could see the slow rise and fall of her chest. How many lives did Badgerstar have left? Not many now…