Author's Note:

Welcome back to the big one-oh chapter. We're a decade through with this story! Heh.

Okay, this fic should be in either the high 20's or low 30's in chapters, so we're possibly about a third through.

I really wish I had the creativeness to think of a plot that would span six books. That'd be great. :b

Sorry guys, but Leaf's death was necessary. :)

So since Sharp disappeared, and Night killed Styx, what happened to the Claws? What about Shade?

One more thing, even with this really long Author's Note. There's some contact with a Clan in this chapter. :D

Chapter Ten:

Night growled to himself. His prey had been stolen, again! He assumed that it was because his size made him look unthreatening. However, if any of those cats wanted to fight, he'd be ready.

It was extremely irritating though. He took one look away and a cat was dragging away a hard-earned rabbit. Sighing, he walked forward, away from the hunting grounds he'd inhabited the past few weeks.

It'd been a moon since he'd left the Claws, and he still felt no regret. Sure, he'd grown a bit thinner, but he could take it.

All of a sudden, Night scented something that made his nose wrinkle. Some sort of weird scent was hanging around the tree line. Shaking his head to rid his senses of the scent, Night moved forward, but the scent stuck in his nose. Whose scent was this, and why was it everywhere?

Suddenly, a voice growled out to him, "If you're looking for prey, you better look elsewhere." Night looked to his side, seeing three cats, one his size, baring fangs towards him.

Night yawned, "No, I think here is a great place." He certainly hadn't come this way to be forced off.

The cat in front grinned, turning to the smaller cat, "Wolfpaw, take him."

The smaller one unsheathed his claws, "I'd be glad to, Ferretclaw." The tom named Wolfpaw pounced towards Night, clearly aiming for his back.

Night rolled to the side, and when Wolfpaw landed on the ground with a thump, he got on top and dug his claws into the apprentice's back, twisting them as the tom screamed in pain.

Gasping, the tom named Ferretclaw lunged forward and ripped Night off. Tossing him to the side, he mewed to the other cat, "Get Littlecloud! Quickly!" As the cat left, he turned to Night. "You're going down, kit," he spat.

Hissing, Night launched himself towards the cat, knocking him to the ground, but wrenching his paw on the ground in the process. Grimacing, Night turned to see Ferretclaw barreling towards him. He tried to dodge, but his paw wouldn't allow it.

Stars filled his vision as he was slammed back, his head slamming into a rock. Groaning, Night opened his eyes. Through his blurry vision, he could see a few cats arriving, with two of them padding towards him. He tried to warn them away, but all that came out was another groan.

The cat in front of him was saying something to him, but it was all garbled, so Night closed his eyes. He quickly went unconscious.

Later...

"...okay?" Mewed a voice, breaking through into Night's conciousness and jolting him awake. He opened his eyes, but winced and squinted immediately. The light hurt. The cat who'd said something to him was a small she-cat who was pressing something on his foreleg. "Are you okay?" The she-cat repeated.

Night softly whispered, "Who are you?" Whatever the she-cat was doing was working, because Night felt better than he had before.

The she-cat put down her herb, mewing, "I'm Mintpaw, apprentice to Littlecloud, medicine cat of ShadowClan. You have a bad head injury, and if you get up, I'll make it worse, so don't move, got it?" When Night only stared back, she mewed, "I thought you would, now let me apply these herbs."

Night's eyes were wide. He was back in a Clan? He never knew there were groups other than ThunderClan and the claws. He grimaced as a herb was placed on a long cut along his side, but stayed silent.

"So," Mintpaw mewed, "How exactly were you provoked into nearly killing Wolfpaw?"

Angry, Night jumped up, ignoring the pain and dizziness, "Ferretclaw sent him to kill me! He deserved it!"

Expecting Mintpaw to back off, he was surprised when she got up and snarled at him, "What did I say? Sit down!" Startled, Night rushed back down. "Never, ever, say my brother deserved to die!" Mintpaw hissed.

Night stared in shock. For some reason, the dumb she-cat held an aura of authority around her, which was pushing Night back. Night looked out the entrance, "May I go now?"

Mintpaw laughed coldly, "No, you'll be staying here until Littlecloud clears you. So stop acting like a kit and stay still."

Night rolled his eyes, mewing, "And what gives you the right to keep me here?"

Mintpaw sighed, "Do I really have to go over this? Typical rogue." Clearing her throat, she continued, "There are four Clans around the lake, ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and the dark, dreary, wonderful ShadowClan. You are sitting in ShadowClan land. We live in a camp, with a leader, and a second-in-command known as a deputy. We have a medicine cat, who sometimes has an apprentice like me. We have queens, who care for the kits that become apprentices, and the apprentices are taught by warriors until they become warriors, and eventually some become queens, deputies, and leaders. Once you grow old, you become a lazy lump of fur known as an elder. Got that?" Mintpaw shook her head, seemingly disgusted, and began picking up her herbs. She turned her head, "Oh, and we can keep you here because you trespassed," she bared her fangs, "and we don't allow trespassers around here."

Night stared after the she-cat, puzzled. Who had slipped ants in her nest? Yawning, he settled down, the thumping pain in his head growing. Somehow, he managed to fall asleep, and the pain faded.

Shade's POV:

Shade paced in the clearing, waiting for the search party to return. Of all times, why did Sharp disappear now? If he had left, Styx would appoint a new second-in-command, and Shade would have to wait even longer to rise to the position of leader.

Thankfully though, his brother had been...taken out of the equation, so he wouldn't be a problem. He was still moping around half-dead in Ember's den.

Shade's head flew up to view the entrance as the patrol came through. Why had Ember gone? Ember padded up to Shade, dipped his head, and mewed, "I'm sorry, Shade, Sharp is gone."

Shade's eyes narrowed, suspicious, "And just why did you leave the traitor alone?" He knew Night hadn't escaped, because he had been standing at the entrance the entire time, watching.

Fear crept into Ember's eyes, "I'm sorry Shade, I wanted to help." Even though Ember was seasons older, he bowed down to a young, not yet grown tom. Though Shade could understand. He had been taught the most ferocious and brutal battle tactics that you could imagine, and could undoubtedly kill the weak healer.

"Get up," Shade snapped, irritated, "Go check the prisoner." Ember quickly nodded and hurried towards his den.

However, Shade yelled in surprise as a dark, lithe shape sprung past the patrol and into the forest. "Wait!" He called, before anyone moved, "Let the prisoner go, by the time we leave, he'll be far away. Now go report to Styx!" He looked outside as the patrol went into Styx's cave, wondering what Night would do.

A yowl broke into his thinking, and the words both horrified and excited him, "Styx has been murdered by the prisoner!" His father was dead? He'd be leader now! But, his father was dead. The cat who taught him all he knew was gone.

Shade sighed and watched as the patrol dragged out his father. His father's throat had been nearly ripped out, its contents still leaking, leaving a trail of dark red as the patrol laid him out in the middle of camp.

Shade jumped up to his father's former meeting place. "Claws!" He yowled, as the crowd grew. As they stared at him, he continued, "Since my father is dead, and Sharp has disappeared, I am appointing myself as leader!"

"You're barely more than a kitten! Why should we listen to you?" A voice called from the crowd. The crowd began murmuring, but when Shade raised his tail, they stopped.

"Who said that?" Shade yelled, "Come forward!" Surprisingly, a cat shambled forward, eyes blank.

Shade blinked. What had just happened? Any normal cat would've stayed in the crowd. "Tell me, why can't a younger cat lead?" He mewed, an edge to his voice.

"They can, but I am insecure. I can't let an extremely young cat rule me, as I am seasons older," the cat responded in a monotone voice. The crowd, was completely silent now, nearly all frightened.

Shade grinned. He didn't know why, but he was having some sort of effect on the cats when he asked them something or ordered them around. Thinking, he mewed, "Go to the Servants. You are now one of them."

The cat nodded, the monotone voice mewing, "Of course, leader." The cat stumbled over to the Servants. Everyone was surprised, and the Servants stared in shock at their new member.

Shade laughed, "We need a new home, Claws. From now on, you follow me, and you shall not desert unless I give you specific permission. Everyone, get ready. We leave at sunset."

A/N:

What's this? Night's entered ShadowClan on the wrong foot, and Shade has found a dangerous power.

What shall become of the two brothers? Will they ever meet again? How do the Clans fit into all of this? Read on!

R&R!