A/N: Sorry for the long update, I've been having a rough week! I'm graduating this Thursday and everything has been so stressful for me! But anyway, it's summer (In the South) Yay! Everyone's out of school, the sun is blazing, and now it's time for updates whenever possible! I hope you all are ready! Here's the answers to the SEVERAL reviews I received over the short hiatus I took!

Mallowfeather if EarthClan: Thanks! Here's more!

SmokyStorm: Absolutely!

Pumpkinfur: DEAL! Here's your new chapter!

Born Of True Destiny: You've always been good at guessing when it comes to my stories! Either I make it too easy or you're just really good! Haha

DarknessAnglesWithDevils88: Yeah, but things may change! You never know!

Moonbeam88: Aww! Thanks! :)

Talon of Soaring Eagle: Hmm, good question! Maybe it'll be revealed!

Moonbeam88: Thanks! I'm continuing, it just took me a good minute!

Hawkfire: Lol! Here's your update!

Please enjoy chapter nine!

Chapter Nine

The grass in a some-what familiar place swayed back and forth with the wind. Small lightning bug flew and flashed past Badgerstrike's muzzle as she waited patiently for a certain spirit to greet her.

Time slowly passed as the stars twinkled above, soon, the familiar black and white-speckled she-cat appeared with glowing amber eyes. The she-cats black pelt was very transparent, Badgerstrike almost had to strain to see the she-cat. "Nightspirit, with each time we meet, you seem to fade more and more," Badgerstrike meowed with concern filling her voice.

The black she-cat dipped her head, "I'm afraid, that even those who are dead eventually fade over time."

"So you die again?" Badgerstrike gasped.

Nightspirit simply nodded, "By the end of this task, I will fade forever."

"Task? What do you mean?" Badgerstrike asked with a cock of her scarred head.

"I am here to guide you to fulfill your destiny," Nightspirit echoed as she began to disappear.

"Wait, what's my destiny?" Badgerstrike called as she leaped to her paws.

She received no response, but her surroundings began to fade and smear past her. She jolted awake in her nest in the corner of the warriors den. After Coralbreeze took over Ottershine's den. Badgerstrike decided to stay away from the medicine-den. Vinepaw was extremely hostile toward her and his new mentor. Everyday, his anger was boiling up.

Badgerstrike stood and made her way out from under the large willow tree. She squirmed through the roots that allowed light into the large warriors den. Once sunlight hit her black pelt, she felt warm and happy. She caught the happy, blue gaze of Timberpaw. "Badgerstrike, I get to join you in the warriors den today," he purred happily as he flicked his tail from side to side.

"That's wonderful! Whose taking you for your final assessment?" Badgerstrike asked the large white tom.

"Well, Reedwater, obviously. And Branchstar said I could pick another warrior to come along. And well... I choose you, Badgerstrike," Timberpaw meowed happily as he rose to his large paws.

Badgerstrike felt flattered. Then she remembered Branchstar. The once large, strong tom was now frail and weak, and he was getting worse. Sooner or later, the tom would lose his final life, leaving the Clan in Quietwind's paws. Infection had struck her leader's wounds, making his life end faster. Grief suddenly struck her heart, but she looked at Timberpaw and smiled, "Then I will do what Branchstar desires."

"Thanks, I'll go get Reedwater," Timberpaw meowed happily as he bounded away.

Badgerstrike felt the burning gaze of a cat on her fur. She began to look around the clearing and spotted two ice-cold, blue eyes glowing from the Medicine-Den. Vinepaw was clearly glaring at her. His eyes turned to slits as he backed away from the small entrance. A shiver ran down Badgerstrike's spine, but that ended as Timberpaw padded up with Reedwater at his tail. "Come on, Badgerstrike," Timberpaw purred.

Badgerstrike followed closely as she padded after Reedwater and Timberpaw. Uneasiness prickled her pelt as she padded cautiously behind them. "Come on, Badgerstrike, you'll get left behind," Reedwater warned as he padded on.

Something wasn't right. Badgerstrike could sense it. Soon, Nightspirit appeared in her vision, with her amber gaze full of warning. Her fur suddenly bristled when she saw her guardian in every direction, soon, she panicked and barged into Reedwater without thinking or watched.

"Watch it, Badgerstrike! What's gotten into you?" He snapped as he yanked his tail from under her paws.

"Something's not right!" She whispered toward Reedwater who looked at her like he'd seen a StarClan warrior.

Reedwater opened his jaws to scent the air. He shook his head, "Nothing is wrong. This is where you were attacked."

Her fur bristled with sudden anger she was about to snap until Timberpaw laid her paw on hers. "It's okay, Badgerstrike," he meowed in her ear.

Her fur laid flat as she nodded to continue on. "I think here is fine. Timberpaw, I want you to work with Badgerstrike to catch prey," Reedwater ordered.

Timberpaw nodded. Badgerstrike waited nervously for his instruction, she wanted him to succeed in his final assessment. "Okay, I think there's a squirrel in the willow over there," he whispered as he flicked his tail toward the tall willow that stretched high above the ground.

Badgerstrike listened hard and soon heard the scraping of teeth against a nut. Badgerstrike nodded briefly. "How about you wait at the bottom of the tree and I'll chase it down, right into your claws," he suggested.

Badgerstrike nodded and crept up to the tree, silently. She watched as the tom latched his claws onto the soft bark and climbed silently. Suddenly, the feeling came again. A white cat flashed in her mind and Nightspirit's voice sounded, "Protect him."

Badgerstrike sat right up. The squirrel fled right past her. "Badgerstrike, are you serious?" Timberpaw snapped as he leaped from the top of the tree and landed beside her with anger flaring in his blue eyes.

"You cost him his final assessment," Reedwater growled.

Badgerstrike blocked out the scolding she was receiving and detected rustling in the bushes behind Timberpaw. She leaped over the bushes and landed just in front of a white tom with blue eyes and grey toes, Vinepaw. "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"None of your business!" He snapped as his icy gaze flicked to the floor.

She shoved her muzzle closer to his and growled, "That's not how things work around here."

"I'm going to make sure-" Vinepaw started.

Badgerstrike decided to ignore the toms ranting and directed her attention to another source of a quiet noise. A low growl sounded from tall grass just behind Vinepaw, the anger tom still ranted as the growl grew louder. Suddenly, she shoved Vinepaw out of the way.

A large burly animal crashed out of the tall grass. Vinepaw gasped in shock as she threw herself in front of him. The animal snapped its large jaws on her shoulder and she yowled in pain. Her paws were lifted off the ground as the animal lifted her off the forest floor.

"Badgerstrike!" Timberpaw's voice yowled.

A/N: UH OH! What's going to happen to Badgerstrike? What was Vinepaw trying to say? Did Timberpaw ever pass his assessment? Only one way to find out! REVIEW REVIEW REVEW!

Also! Go chest out my new story, The Last Burning Ember!

Lets get me to 70-73 reviews before I post the next chapter! Thanks!

-Nightspirit