(I'm sorry for the delay, but I have been unable to upload a chapter properly and I'm not sure why. For those of you who read my last update, the chapter somehow turned into code as it was pointed out to me. I have no idea why, as the chapter was looking perfectly fine before I added it. Sorry for the confusion and fingers crossed that this chapter works out properly.)

"I'll be back soon," Raggedpelt purred to Yellowfang.

It was a moon after the kits' births and also the night of the Gathering. Yellowfang could see the anticipation in Raggedpelt's eyes at attending this particular Gathering.

"Looks like someone wants to brag about his new title!" Yellowfang teased him.

"Well, it's not everyday a cat becomes second-in-command of an entire clan!" Raggedpelt replied,"Or becomes the father of the three most beautiful kits in the clans!"

A meow sounded outside the den and Raggedpelt glanced back. "That'd be Cedarstar," he said, "I'd better go. I'll see you when I get back."

"Wait!" Flowerkit squealed.

"Yeah! Can we come? Please?" Ivykit added. The three kits clustered together and looked up at their father with wide, pleading eyes of green and amber.

"Not until you're apprenticed," Raggedpelt purred, amusement lighting up his amber eyes.

"But you're clan deputy!" Branchkit argued, "You have the power to make it a rule that kits could go to Gatherings!

Raggedpelt became more serious, "No, I don't," he replied, "And being deputy doesn't mean you can abuse your powers and do whatever you want. Being deputy means putting your clan first and serving them with all your heart."

"Oh," Branchkit said. The confusion on his round, kit face was evident and proved that he didn't fully understand what his father had just told him.

"You'll understand when you're older," Raggedpelt purred, "Anyway, I have to go now. You three remember to mind your mother."

"We will!" the kits chorused.

Giving Yellowfang's cheek a final affectionate lick, Raggedpelt turned and padded out of the den. "Time for bed now," Yellowfang said briskly, sweeping her tail around her kits and guiding them over to their moss nest.

"That's not fair, we're not tired,' Branchkit murmured drowsily, his tiny jaws gaping in a yawn and his amber eyes beginning to droop, "And Deerkit, Tanglekit, and Runningkit don't have to go to sleep yet."

"Sure you're not tired" Yellowfang purred gently, "And Lizardstripe's kits are a bit older than you."

Branchkit didn't reply; he and his sisters were already curled up at Yellowfang's side in a warm, purring bundle of fur. Shortly after, Lizardstripe and her three kits returned.

"I don't wanna go to sleep!" Tanglekit whined.

"Yeah!" Deerkit added in an equally whiny and pouty loud voice.

"Guys..." Runningkit murmured.

But it was too late. "Would you three just shut up!" Lizardstripe yowled.

Yellowfang let out an angry hiss. "For Starclan's sake!" she whispered harshly, "I just got my three to bed! Don't you dare wake them up or we'll never get to sleep!"

But, to Yellowfang's relief, her kits had hardly stirred.

Lizardstripe flashed her an annoyed look as she settled her kits down. Soon, silence filled the den. Yellowfang sighed in relief. "Hopefully now I'll be able to get some sleep."

Yellowfang was awoken not too long later by a strange smell. The smell of...Blood! There was also many voices speaking at once outside of the den. Without waking her kits, Yellowfang quickly, but carefully, hurried out of the den, Lizardstripe right behind her. There was quite the crowd gathered in the center of camp.

"What happened?!" Yellowfang demanded, seeing the limp bodies of Toadskip, Foxheart, and Cedarstar and the battered patrol from Fourtrees.

"Rats!" Rowanberry spat, shaking out her bloody pelt.

"They ambushed us and we weren't even near the Carrionplace!" Nutwhisker exclaimed.

"They could be anywhere now," Mousewing growled from where Snowleap was attending to his wounds.

Yellowfang craned her neck to find Raggedpelt. He was standing off to the side, looking pensive and worried. "Are you alright?" she asked once she reached his side.

"I'm clan leader now," Raggedpelt murmured, looking down at his paws, "I shouldn't have to be for many seasons more. I should've saved him"

"But now you will be," Yellowfang answered gently, "Cedarstar knew you'd do a good job and that's why he chose you. You, out of all the other warriors in the clan. All of our clanmates know that you'll do a good job a and so do I. And if it was Cedarstar's time to die, then who are we to question Starclan?"

He glanced at her briefly. "Thanks, Yellowfang," he murmured.

"You're welcome; now, come with me so Snowleap can take a look at your wounds," Yellowfang purred.

Yellowfang wrapped her tail gently around his shoulders and guided him to where the snowy medicine cat was already tending to the other wounded. Snowleap glanced at him briefly, "Once I finish tending all the wounds, we'll go to the Moonstone so you can receive your nine lives."

Raggedpelt was silent, but nodded. He was expressionless, even when Snowleap applied herbs to his wounds which were bound to sting. "There," Snowleap said finally, "Now we'll go."

Only then did doubt begin to show on Raggedpelt's face. "What if Starclan doesn't accept me?" he murmured quietly enough for only Yellowfang and Snowleap to hear.

"They have to," Yellowfang replied, "You were deputy and deputy succeeds the leader when the leader dies. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"Come on," Snowleap said briskly, "The night will be over before we know it."

"Alright. Goodbye, Yellowfang," Raggedpelt said, "Don't let Branchkit get a big head."

Yellowfang purred as she thought of their tom kit who was proud that his father was deputy and let no cat in Shadowclan forget it. "May Starclan light your paths!" she called as Raggedpelt and Snowleap disappeared into the night.

Yellowfang shook out her pelt and turned to watch the somber scene behind her. The bodies of Toadskip, Foxheart, and Cedarstar had been cleaned up by now; herbs and other fragrant leaves, courtesy of Snowleap's stores were on and surrounding the bodies, covering the battle wounds and making the fallen trio look as though they were asleep. But everycat knew they weren't; the cold stench of death hung in the air.

Watching her clanmates pay their respects, Yellowfang recalled Foxheart's fierce courage, Toadskip's loyalty, and Cedarstar's wisdom. "What a waste," Yellowfang thought regretfully, "They could've gone on serving the clan for many seasons more, but the rats won't get away with this."

Yellowfang joined the silent procession and laid her nose briefly on the pelts of each fallen warrior. "Your clanmates in Starclan will honor you," she thought. Yellowfang then slipped away to go back to the nursery and back to her kits.

That night, Yellowfang's dreams were anything but peaceful. Yellowfang started out in a meadow. But then there was an angry yowl and the scene changed. The sky was red and the ground was covered in blood! There were blood-covered cats also, and to Yellowfang's horror, she recognized many. "Amberleaf! Cloudpelt!" she gasped, "And Poolcloud! The elders! Kits? What are kits doing here?!"

Beyond them, with a sinister look on his face, stood a tabby cat, unharmed, watching the cats writhe in agony. "It's Branchkit!" Yellowfang thought in horror, "But what am I doing wrong? I have been raising him as a normal kit!"

A voice sounded behind her. "But we both know that Branchkit is not a normal kit." Yellowfang spun around. It was Ravenfur. The glossy black she-cat had a regretful look on her face as she watched the dream cats writhe.

"You!" Yellowfang gasped.

The dream abruptly changed and Yellowfang found herself back in the clearing. But this time, Ravenfur was with her. "Me," Ravenfur replied calmly.

"Why have you shone me these awful things? Surely they have come to pass by now?!" Yellowfang exclaimed.

Ravenfur shook her head. "No, they have not," she sighed, "Although I wish with all my heart that they would."

"I thought raising Branchkit with love would change the future!" Yellowfamg exclaimed accusingly, narrowing her eyes.

"It helps, yes," Ravenfur agreed, "But ultimately, Branchkit is the only one that can choose his path. You and his father can only influence him so much."

"I know that!" Yellowfang spat.

"I'm not only coming to reiterate that with you, but as another warning," Ravenfur said, unperturbed by Yellowfang's anger, "Your mother taught you that you had to be good and serve your clan with all your heart to make it into Starclan when you died, right?"

Yellowfang twitched her ears in annoyance. "Of course," she grumbled.

"Well, she meant it. Literally," Ravenfur said.

"Wait, what?" Yellowfang said, confused, "Are you saying there's another place besides Starclan?"

"That's exactly what I am saying," Ravenfur replied, "This place is known as The Place of No Stars, or, the Darkforest. It is reserved for only the most vile of cats."

"And?" Yellowfang asked, a sense of foreboding suddenly coming over her.

"These cats have, in the past several seasons, learned how to walk in the dreams of certain warriors," Ravenfur said, "To manipulate them into committing terrible crimes against their clans."

"Are you saying that one of these warriors will come to Branchkit?" Yellowfang asked, her voice shaking.

Ravenfur nodded, "Not yet, as he is just a kit. But when he becomes an apprentice, they, without a doubt, will come and visit him in his dreams."

"But why him? Why my kit?" Yellowfang asked angrily, "What has he done to anyone to deserve such a fate?"

"You remember your dreams when you first came to the Moonstone, when we first met, Hickorynose and I told you that you could've been a medicine cat. Well, had you become a medicine cat, but stopped being one to raise your son, this would've helped him avoid a terrible fate, the same as he could've faced now. It still could've happened, but it became less likely. Same as now. You've begun raising him with love, but the blood-filled future can still happen," Ravenfur explained, "And he hasn't done anything; Starclan can't control which fate comes to which cat."

Then Ravenfur began to fade until she completely disappeared and Yellowfang woke up.