Hey everyone. Sorry for not updating yesterday. I just found out that my dog is going to be put down. Apparently she has two tumors in her throat, which means she can hardly breath, eat, or swallow. It's been the hardest weekend I've had since my grandfather died...I don't know. Sometimes it's best to let things slide. But thanks xXThunderspiritXx and Cyri's Jedwardloving Alter Ego for reviewing...

[ Chapter 11 ]

Blazeclaw felt nothing but fury sweep through him when he saw what had happened to Midnightpaw. Amberfire had returned with Poppyfrost and Mousewhisker, both parents unbelievably tired. Midnightpaw's body had been full of wounds that were the works of a warrior. Wounds that should have never met their mark. He wished he could have fought the warrior. But instead, he had been in camp, mooning over Dovefall like a lost kit. He hated himself for his weakness.

"Will she live?" Poppyfrost demanded as Rainshower looked over Midnightpaw's wounds. Her gaze was full of worry as she watched the medicine cat work. He had placed several different herbs on each wound. They were bitter, but Blazeclaw knew they would help Midnightpaw's wounds heal.

"She will," Rainshower replied solemnly. "But she may not want to live after she sees herself."

Poppyfrost gasped as though a stone had been thrown at her. Leopardblaze had padded towards her. His eyes were dark with grief as he stared at his apprentice.

"This is all my fault," he growled. "I should have kept an eye on her, in case something like this happened."

"Even if you were able to help her, I'm sure ShadowClan would have seen fit to harm her," Birchfall growled. "They're nothing but a bunch of fox-hearted cowards for treating an apprentice like this."

There was a tense silence. Blazeclaw couldn't help but agree with Birchfall. And yet, he thought back at the affection shown between Dawnstar and Scorchfur. The two were almost inseparable. Dawnstar was fiercely loyal to her Clan, while Scorchfur was powerfully strong.

But then he thought of Sapfur, and the malicious lies that were spreading through the dark Clan. Sapfur had to be stopped, one way or another, just like Stripefur had said.

His claws slid out eagerly at the thought of taking down any of those cowards. Blazeclaw wanted to hear them cry out in pain. He wanted them to know what it felt like to lose a Clanmate, or to see a Clanmate severely injured.

"Are you all right?" Blazeclaw flinched when Goldenleaf approached. He followed her concerned look and saw that clawmarks now dug into the ground. He looked at his pad, where the cut still showed. It was now covered in dirt and grime. But it no longer throbbed like it used to.

"I'm fine," he replied.

He ignored Goldenleaf's gasp as he padded towards the warriors' den, where Dovefall and Brownfur were seated. They were still watching Midnightpaw. Fear had clouded Brownfur's eyes, but Dovefall seemed to put on a good, strong-hearted look.

He couldn't help but wonder if Dovefall was the stronger of the two. Brownfur reminded him of a queen who would rather stay in the nursery. She didn't have the fine back legs like Dovefall, and she didn't have the sharp claws like her sister. She was already attracting one tom in the Clan. Blazeclaw couldn't help but stare as Branchfoot looked at the pale gray she-cat. It was obvious that the brown tabby had a crush on her.

"We'll have to watch the ShadowClan border from now on," Whitewing meowed as she pressed against her mate. Birchfall hadn't died during the battle against the Twolegs. He just had a terrible scar near his chest, where a Twoleg had kicked him.

"It's those young warriors causing all of the trouble," Squirrelflight grumbled. Her dark ginger fur was fluffed up with rage, and her green eyes gleamed hungrily. Brightheart, who sat beside her, nodded grimly in agreement.

"They've been causing trouble even as apprentices," added the white she-cat.

Cinderstar stood nearby. Her amber eyes gleamed. Blazeclaw knew that she was growing desperate. Dawnstar was still her friend, despite what had happened within the ranks of ShadowClan. Even if the other Clans didn't like it, Cinderstar could easily order them to stop these rumors.

She only has seven lives left, Blazeclaw thought to himself. He narrowed his eyes and stared across the green-covered clearing.

With leafbare fast approaching, the trees would soon loose their shiny coloring. It was already getting colder out. Blazeclaw felt the chilly winds run off of the mountains, through Twolegplace, and into the forest.

But ThunderClan had managed to survive last leafbare. He knew they would survive again, even if Sapfur and the rest of his goons were on the loose.

xXx

Darkness had surrounded the forest, shrouding it in shadows. Pine trees shivered and danced along the cold breeze, their needles making a rustling noise. A dark ginger cat padded silently through the sparse undergrowth, his movements making quick work of the ground beneath his paws.

His eyes were slanted with disgust, and his fur stood on end.

He was not used to this sort of territory. And yet, he should have been, considering where he originally came from. But he just couldn't stand the stench of ShadowClan, or the fact that he was doing this just to please his greatest hero.

Suddenly the dark ginger cat skidded to a halt. Another cat was waiting for him, near a holly bush. This cat was ferocious looking, with thick fur and dark eyes. The tom was terrified of this cat. Mostly because he knew this cat could easily kill him. With one swipe of his claw, the stranger could kill him.

The cat gulped and stepped forward.

"The plan is in motion," snarled a grizzly voice that belonged to the stranger.

"They know?" the tom asked.

"Oh, they are more then ready to destroy what was once theirs," the stranger answered.

The tom felt a strange sense of satisfaction sweep through him. The Clans were slowly destroying themselves, without even realizing it. He had convinced many to turn on each other. And now, his plans, along with his companions, would finally succeed.

Uh-oh, sounds like trouble's looming for ThunderClan. What could this strange cat possibly want? Well, read on to find out!