Firestar collapsed into his nest. After speaking with Miranda he joined a hunting patrol, assisted with den clean up, spoke with the rest of Miranda's group (and Barker who padded over when he heard all the commotion) about Clan life and spent the rest of the evening answering their many, many questions. He closed his eyes and begin plotting out tomorrow's schedule. The hunting patrols needs to go our more frequently and we should probably start digging a run off into one of the unused caves for when it rains and also... He quietly drifted off. His ear twitched, there was loud chattering outside.

"Quiet down." Firestar groaned but the chatter didn't stop. He sighed and opened his eyes only to find he was not in his den anymore. In fact, he didn't seem to be in the volcano at instead he seemed to be in total darkness. Firestar leapt to his feet taken back by the change in scenery. He squinted and realized he wasn't in darkness there were tiny stars dappling barely visible foliage. The chatter was drifting away now however, Firestar was beginning to recognize some of the voices. He tore off in the direction of the voices squeezing through rough brambles struggling in the sucking mud. Yet his struggle was rewarded, the brush abruptly split open and Firestar could see a path below him and on that path he saw them. StarClan.

Bluestar! His heart swelled with joy their ancestors were near all along! "Bluestar" he called to her. If the she-cat heard him she didn't give any indication instead she kept following the stream of starry cats who were hastily making their way through the brush. Firestar frowned. Why wasn't she looking at him? He leapt forward and slid down the ridge towards them.

"Bluestar," he called again running up towards the she-cat. He reached out to tap her shoulder but felt only air. He took a step back in horror. "What?" he whispered. Why couldn't he touch them? Suddenly the ground disappeared and Firestar found himself falling into nothing.

Firestar flinched awake. Sandstorm let out a hiss of surprise. Firestar struggled onto his paws and turned to face his mates. "I found them!" he shouted.

Sandstorm's face scrunched up in confusion as she blinked sleep from her eyes. "Wh-what?"

"StarClan," Firestar whispered. "I saw them they're here."

Sandstorm was fully awake. "Really? Did you speak with them do they know why we're here?"

Firestar shook his head. "No, I-I couldn't even speak with them they were running away or maybe towards something but," he hung his head. "I couldn't touch them."

Sandstorm reached forward and brushed her muzzle to his. "I'm sorry," She pulled back and smiled at him. "But them being here, that's a victory, right?"

Firestar sighed, his shoulder sagged. "I suppose." He turned regain his composure. "I'll speak with Jaypaw and you can start on the patrols."

Sandstorm brushed her muzzle to his once more than exited to the clearing

Firestar closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had never felt so helpless, not even when the forest had been falling apart around him long ago before the clan traveled to the lake. He clenched his jaw. Come on he encouraged himself. He opened his let the breath out. The old forest, Tigerstar, the big move, he had survived much. He turned and padded out to the clearing. And I'll survive this. He thought We all will, ThunderClan will die under my watch. Jaypaw would have to wait.

He surveyed the clearing. Spiderleg, Berrynose, and Miranda were leaving the camp, likely on the morning hunt patrol. Brightheart was showing Arrow and Shallow how to prepare nest for the elders den while Mousefur critiqued. Sandstorm noticed Firestar and beckoned him over.

"The morning patrol have been sent out and Squirrelflight volunteered to lead the noon patrol" she said.

"Good," Firestar purred. "We need to set borders."

Sandstorm whiskers twitched. "Borders? Are you really up to this?"

Firestar nodded. "You were right we have to take our victories where we can find them."

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Sandstorm purred. "After the hunting patrol gets back we'll head out"

Lionpaw sniffed the air, he could smell nothing else but the patrol but there was no telling what dangers hid themselves in the grass. Feara was keeping pace beside him watching quietly.

"So, there are other clans, right?" asked Feara

Lionpaw nodded. "ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan."

"And they live near us?"

Lionpaw paused. He hadn't thought about the other clans since they separated. "Maybe, I'm not sure however, usually yes."

"So how do we go about it?" asked Barker slowing his pace to join in on the conversation.

"We're going to leave scent markers around the edges of our territory so that other clans will know not to past them" Firestar said turning to face the patrol.

Feara expression shifted to one of her concern. "What happens if they cross?"

Shred them Lionpaw though bitterly feeling an untraceable surge of rage towards WindClan. He pushed the thought from his head.

"First we issue a warning by resetting the markers," He explained "But if it happens more than once we attack."

"If they try and move the borders we reset them" Firestar added turning back around and continuing the patrol.

Barker nodded and sped up to Firestar's pace. Lionpaw went back to sniffing the air. It was beginning to take on a different scent.

"We're coming up on some trees, wait I can smell something else." Barker said taking a deep sniff. He froze. "There's someone over there."

Lionpaw lifted a brow. His nose might be as good as Jaypaw's he thought. Lionpaw frowned. He hadn't talked to either Jaypaw or Hollypaw much since they had arrived. He and Hollypaw spent some time together when they were cleaning the camp but Jaypaw was usually arranging things in his den or tending to minor cuts and scrapes. Squirrelfight usually popped in to check on him at some point during the day but beside that his family's schedules were wildly different with none of them being awake or free when the others were. He let out a small sigh. I'll make some time for them soon He thought.

Lionpaw turned his attention back to the patrol, they were indeed coming up to the large stretch of trees. He remembered making his way around the small path that hugged the edge of the forest. He was pretty sure he knew who was hiding in the trees.

As if signaled ShadowClan's patrol appeared from amid the brush. Russetfur stood at the head at her left stood Snaketail and at her right stood a wolf. He was taller than either with a pale coat, a large scar ran diagonally across his face. Lion felt a prick of discomfort as he looked at the wolf's claws, they were unnaturally long unlike Feara or Barker's.

Snaketail eyed the ThunderClan patrol suspiciously. "Of course, we'd share a border" he sneered.

Lionpaw felt his lip curl. "And of course, you'd still be bitter and cold." He hissed under his breath. The wolf turned his gaze to Lionpaw. His gaze was sharp but unreadable. Lionpaw froze, surly he didn't want to fight! Bring it on I've got the power of the… Lionpaw forced himself to relax, there was no reason for him to go and do something dumb.

"We're only here trying to set borders" Firestar stated unfazed by Snaketail's poisonous tone.

"How convenient," Russetfur's tail flicked. "We're here patrolling our border."

Lionpaw had noticed the heavy scent hanging in the air though he mistook it as coming from the patrol. He now realized the scent ran up and down the treeline.

"This works out fine than" Firestar began marking the border heading up towards the plateau. Feara quickly followed begin him being careful not to step or mark over the border. Lionpaw turned and saw Barker was doing the same headed towards the river and followed him.

"They seem nice," Barker whispered sarcastically.

"Oh yea" Lionpaw replied in a similar tone. "Always handing out fresh-kill and taking in lost kits."

The patrol returned to where they had left ShadowClan.

Snaketail scrunched his face up in disgust. "New territory, same stench."

"Now that the border has been set remember not to cross it" Russetfur's glanced at Barker and Feara. She turned and headed back to the trees. She gave the ThunderClan patrol one last warning glance than disappeared alongside her patrol.

"Well that was something" Feara frowned. "We hadn't even crossed the border."

"They're just posturing" Barker shook his head. "Every pack, troop, and tribute does."

"As long as they stay on their side of the border it doesn't matter what they do." Lionpaw.

"Do you know who they were?" Feara turned to Firestar.

"The ginger she-cat leading the patrol was the deputy, Russetfur. The cat with long tail beside her was Snaketail. I've never seen the wolf before."

"So, that's the deputy." Barker cocked his head. "When you were explaining things yesterday you didn't mention our deputy."

Lionpaw felt his heart sink. "His name was Brambleclaw. He- he got left in the forest. He was my Father."

Feara's eyes widened and Barker's ear turned red with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry" he started quickly.

Lionpaw shook his head. "It's fine."

Firestar brushed his tail across Lionpaw's shoulder. "Let's keep going." Firestar started towards the large plateau wall.

Barker shot one more guilty glance at Lionpaw before quickly following Firestar.

Lionpaw started after him while Feara fell into step with him. Lionpaw acknowledged her presence with a tail flick. He tried to focus on the path ahead instead of his lost family. Soon they were moving along the edge of the wall placing light scent markers along the natural border.

"There's cats up there" Barker pointed up towards the top.

"Wolves too." Feara added.

"Probably WindClan" Firestar concluded continuing forward.

Lionpaw tried to catch the scent but the wind was blowing back towards the wall. He still felt a tiny rush of rage towards WindClan. He grit his teeth. Why did he feel like this!

"What's WindClan like?" Feara asked.

"Wiry" Lionpaw murmured. "They're fast."

"What" Feara leaned closer.

Lionpaw let out a heavy sigh and fell back. He didn't feel like talking now. He felt a pang of guilt as he saw a flash of hurt on Feara's face. Feara sped up and repeated her questions to Firestar. He thought about Heatherpaw again. He wondered if she was safe in the new land.

"Hold" Firestar waved his tail. Lionpaw looked up there was a jagged path cut through the plateau wall. It curved to left and trailed upwards. Lionpaw slowly nodded. WindClan scent did indeed pour down the path.

"I'm guessing this is WindClan's border" Barker said.

"Correct." Firestar padded forward and began marking the border alongside Feara.

"That's two finished." Feara said wagging her tail. "Now we only have two more."

Lionpaw smiled. It was sort of nice, seeing someone new so excited about something he had always taken for granted.

"Should we head down towards the tree" Barker indicated towards the sparse crop of trees where Hollypaw found Miranda.

"Later." Firestar started padding towards the river. "Let's go this way first."

Barker and Feara's ears perked in surprise but they didn't argue.

Lionpaw silently thanked StarClan. He wanted to be by the river, the foliage reminded him of the forest. When he and Barker were marking the border, they had stopped before they actually saw the river as the ShadowClan border ended right at the brush. He looked to trees, they seemed so close but so far away. Just like home. Lionpaw's heart beat faster with every paw step. He could smell the water and trees were rapidly growing in height. The came to pause blood was roaring in his ears. They were almost there, they just had to push through the heavy floral blocking their path.

Firestar step forward first and tested the brush. It was thick with little give however, Firestar was undeterred. He pushed with one shoulder and managed to break through leaving a narrow path. Barker followed him while Feara paused at the path. She looked hopefully at Lionpaw. He nodded towards her and pushed through the path.

Lionpaw felt a wave of nostalgia so powerful he wanted to yell. The grass and bushes and trees reminded him of the forest! They clung together tightly blocking the view from both sides, isolating the patrol outside world. Lionpaw could smell prey hiding within tree stumps and under rocks. He unsheathed his claws and flexed them in the dirt. The soft soil felt good against his paw pads. He padded forward towards the river. It ran slowly but still made steady sound. Tall rocks pierced the surface and made white foam glitter across the waves. Lionpaw noticed Firestar had stopped by the edge. He was relaxing on one of the smooth stones. Barker was on the river's edge taking a drink while Feara sniffed at the bush they had just exited.

"Home" Lionpaw whispered padding towards Firestar. He sat down beside him closed his eyes and got lost in the sound of the forest.

Jaypaw settled into his nest and closed his eyes. He had spent the day helping dig runoff trenches and treating the various paw injuries that came with it. More interestingly however, was when Lionpaw burst into the camp and informed his siblings of the river. Jaypaw had smelt it when they first arrived but hadn't realized how much like the forest it was. Or perhaps Lionpaw was projecting out of desperation either way Jaypaw had to admit he was grateful to soon get some alone time with his brother and sister.

He opened his eyes and saw he was in back in Aimana's den. He rose to his paws

. "Aimana" he called out. Aimana sat on the edge of the waterfalls her gaze locked into the mystic pools. He slowly padded over to the she-wolf. "Aimana" he repeated. She twitched her ear and said nothing.

What's wrong with her…?

Suddenly Aimana's eyes went to Jaypaw. "I can see something beyond the falls" she whispered. Jaypaw's ears perked. "Stones unrolled, scars untold, seeing beyond what you are…" Her eyes grew wide. "Revival."

Jaypaw felt his fur raise on his shoulders.

Aimana closed her eyes and paused for a moment. She took a deep breath than continued. "You, you are… I think they need you?"

"Who? Who needs me for what?" Jaypaw asked heart racing. He dug his claws into the ground. "What is it about?"

Aimana looked back into the pools. "They have many names but none matter. All that matters is they believe you have a reason and that reason is slowly becoming clear."

Jaypaw's heartbeat quickened. He wasn't sure he liked what he was hearing. "Do you know more?"

Aimana looked away her face flush with embarrassment. "I-I'm I can't see anything else." She glanced back at Jaypaw. "Your ancestors, at least I think they're yours… they fear the future. They chatter like frightened birds…"

Jaypaw's heart almost stopped. StarClan was here! Why haven't they spoken to me yet!

"Why haven't they talked to us yet and why didn't you tell me" Jaypaw demanded.

Aimana looked taken back. "I cannot see what the water doesn't allow. As for your ancestors they like you are lost and the afterlife can be perilous if you are not careful." Her became grave. "I believe they could be in danger. I will try to help them before someone else does"

Jaypaw narrowed his eyes. "Someone else?"

She nodded. "I am not the only thing that walks through dreams." She glanced over to the waterfalls which were beginning to run slowly. she pressed her cold hard nose to Jaypaw's forehead. "Return to the world young one, I will protect you here."

Jaypaw's body became heavy and his vision slowly faded. No! I can't leave without knowing what danger StarClan is in!

It was no use though it became darker and darker. Jaypaw awoke in his nest. He rose to his feet and spat in annoyance. Someone else? Danger? He had to get to the bottom of this he needed to find StarClan. He unsheathed his claws and flexed them in the dirt. He had never felt so helpless before. Even when the fox had chased back when he was still a kit, at least he knew he had StarClan on his side. He sat back down in his nest. He would find out where StarClan was.