Danny walked beside Brownpaw, looking side to side. He had begun to wonder about his destiny with the cats, but he couldn't think of what he was supposed to do.
As they came to the clearing, Smalltail stopped, causing the apprentices to trip over themselves. She turned to them and pushed them back inside the thicket.
Looking out through the branches, Brownpaw could see all of the EarthClan cats had attacked the camp. Most of the FireClan cats were lying on the ground, either injured or dead. The rest had been taken hostage by EarthClan, Oakstar was nowhere to be seen.
"That's Rustclaw." she hissed to Danny. "He must have killed Oakstar to gain control of EarthClan!"
The large group of cats ran from the clearing and towards their own camp. Brownpaw leaped from the thicket and began to search for Goldpelt. He was hidden in the roots of the tree with Longheart, the older she-cat who was expecting kits soon.
"Are you alright?" Brownpaw asked, helping Longheart out.
"Goldpelt there are are on a few cats alive." Smalltail said, walking up.
"I'll see to them." Goldpelt said, jumping onto the wooden cliff, "Brownpaw watch Longheart for me!"
The three younger apprentices huddled around Brownpaw's paws. Brownpaw beckoned them to go back under the roots with Longheart and keep quiet.
Brownpaw, Mosspaw and Danny began to search for anymore cats that were still alive. Brownpaw caught sight of Greenstar's ginger and white pelt. She ran to her leader and found he was still alive.
"Mosspaw!" Brownpaw yeowled, "Get Goldpelt!"
"Brownpaw..." Greenstar coughed, "How have you escaped injury?"
"StarClan told me to take the apprentices and run." Brownpaw explained, "Please don't be angry with me. And don't talk, you'll use up more energy."
"There is no point." Goldpelt mewed as he walked up. "This is his last life."
"But you told me you had three left!" Brownpaw exclaimed.
"You think that just because we're kin, I'd tell you the truth?" Greenstar laughed, "No, Brownpaw. Goldpelt who survied the attack?"
"All the apprentices, Smalltail, Willowtail, Orangetail," Goldpelt named out the cats, "Longheart, Dapplefur, Bluepelt and Swiftfoot."
"What about Tallfoot and Raintail?" Greenstar asked.
Tallfoot was Greenstar's brother and deputy. Raintail was Greenstar's mate, which in turn meant that Greenstar was the father of Poppypaw, Windpaw and Kalepaw.
"Tallfoot was killed and Raintail is nowhere to be found." Goldpelt responded, "I think she, Rustheart, Rosetail and Nightheart were taken captive."
Greenstar was silent for a moment then he looked around the clearing.
"Where is Smalltail?" he asked.
"Right here, Greenstar." Smalltail mewed, walking up.
"In the name of StarClan, I name you my deputy." he coughed. "Do you accept to take my place as leader?"
"Yes, Greenstar." Smalltail mewed in sadness.
"And for your first duty as leader." Greenstar meowed, "I suggest, you name Mosspaw and Brownpaw warriors."
"Yes, Greenstar."
"Brownpaw, from now on, you'll have to look after my kits."
"Greenstar, I can't watch them as if I were their mother." Brownpaw protested.
"Then as a friend."
Brownpaw looked back to the roots of the tree and found the three apprentices standing there in horor. She beckoned to them and they ran over.
"Greenstar!" Kalepaw mewed, "What's happening to you?"
"I am dying, son." Greenstar replied. "I shall soon hunt with StarClan."
"No!" Poppypaw yeowled.
"Don't leave us!" Windpaw cried.
"I must." Greenstar mewed, "You three know that I'll always love you and so does Raintail."
"We don't want you to go!" Poppypaw mewed.
"I know." Greenstar coughed. "But Brownpaw will watch out for you three. And I'll always be watching you grow up as I live in StarClan."
"But what if Brownpaw can't protect us?" Kalepaw asked, "Who'll save us then?"
"I'll always be there to save you." Brownpaw mewed, giving the young tom's ear a quick lick. "So long as I'm here, nothing will hurt any of you."
"Good-bye, my kits." Greenstar mewed softly, "I know you'll miss me...and...I'll miss you...too..."
Greenstar closed his eyes and his last breath escaped him. The three apprentices jumped onto their father and mewed in sorrow.
Danny walked over and sat beside Brownpaw. The young tom was black-and-white and his green eyes were full of grief.
"Smalltail, what do we do now?" Goldpelt asked.
"First, I must be given my nine lives, then I shall decide what to do next." Smalltail said. "How fit are the others?"
"Other then Longheart about to start kitting and Willowtail is going to have Rustheart's kits in a moon, every other cat is alright." Goldpetl replied.
"Then, Mosspaw shall help Longheart walk." Smalltail said, "Brownpaw will keep the other apprentices out of trouble and the warriors can carry the kits if they are born on the way to the MoonPool."
"Are you crazy?" Goldpelt asked. "Longheart can't walk for very long!"
"Then we'll carry her as well."
"No, they can't go."
"You expect me to leave them all here to be attacked again!"
"No but-"
"Then we'll all go."
Goldpelt and Smalltail argued for a short time, then Goldpelt gave in, saying that he'd have Smalltail's fur if Longheart began kitting along the way.
And so they left, heading towards the mountains. Smalltail and Goldpelt were in the lead, followed by Mosspaw and Longheart. Next came the other warriors, Danny and Brownpaw were in the back with the other five apprentices.
"Brownpaw," Windpaw asked, "Do you think that Greenstar has gone to hunt with StarClan?"
"He didn't go to DeathClan, that's for sure." Danny whispered into Brownpaw's ear.
"Yeah, he has." Brownpaw replied.
The three young apprentices smiled to each other, but they remained silent. Smokepaw kept glaring at Brownpaw and Danny so Brownpaw asked them: "Why are you glaring at us?"
"Because Rustheart, said that this tom was no good!" Smokepaw snarled, "And he said that you're nothing but a lying mouse-brained idiot!"
"Would you lay off it, Smokepaw?" Jadepaw asked, "Just because you've been told something doesn't mean that it's true!"
Smokepaw hissed at his younger sister and ran to the front of the line to help Mosspaw. Brownpaw looked down at her little sister. Jadepaw's ear you flat and her tail dragged along behind her.
"Don't worry." Brownpaw said, trying to comfort the young she-cat. "It has always been easy to get on his bad side. He'll see some sense, you've just got to give him time."
Jadepaw smiled a little but her tail still dragged behind her. Brownpaw couldn't tell if her sister was happy to have someone to talk to, or if she was just trying to get Brownpaw of her back.