AN: Wow another update. Here's chapter eleven, and I think this one is rather bland...not much has happened, but the action will start soon, I promise! Anyways, thanks Poison Apple and Rain's Song for your reviews, they always make me feel better knowing that readers are enjoying the story :) The summary to the sequel has been posted, for those who are interested in what the title will be. I'd recommend not reading it though, as it gives spoilers to the main charrie's name.

Chapter 11

She could sense that things weren't right around her. The forest had grown too quiet - Twolegs were still asleep in their nests despite the sun brightening the skies. Tension filled the air as the cats crept through the undergrowth. Their kits mewled for milk and protection, but they knew they wouldn't be safe until they were out of Twolegplace. Their pelts clung to their bones as they tried to search for a way out of the place that had taken so many lives. In front of them was the elderly tabby, who was flanked by the silver tabby and the brown tom that had been perched on the branch before. This all seemed…familiar to them. It felt as though someone had seen them come through here before, but at an earlier time.

They stopped when they reached a stream that trickled through clumps of grass. It fed into a river that coursed towards Twolegplace. The elderly tabby glanced over her shoulder, checking to make sure there were no signs of danger around. Water like this was rare to come by - the water that ran through their own territory had been poisoned by the Twolegs over time. Many cats had fallen ill because of the water. And the water itself had killed the prey that they hunted, which was why there was nothing around for them to eat. The elderly tabby shook her header as she remembered those bitter days watching her Clanmates die. Those days were past her now; she had other needs to worry about now.

"We will rest here for the night," she announced as the small group crowded around her. The tortoiseshell queen that had spoken up before looked relieved to rest. Her surviving kit was one of the few that had survived the terrible times in the gorge. Now that there was water to drink, she would produce enough milk for him. The three queens and warrior took turns drinking from the stream. After they were finished replenishing themselves, they began to groom their unkempt fur.

"Ugh, I smell like those monsters," the young warrior grumbled as he pulled at a tuft of fur that had become sticky from the Thunderpaths.

"At least you weren't run over by any," a gray tabby queen known as Willowfur snapped.

The elderly tabby winced as she recalled what had happened to their last apprentice. He'd been foolish enough to go on ahead when the others were waiting for the Thunderpath to clear. A monster had roared to life and crushed him while he was halfway across. The Clan had been too horrified to move after what happened. But the mother of the apprentice had rushed forward to stay by his side, only to get hit as well. By now there were only seven cats in the Clan, not including the kits that were tumbling around now.

She could already hear the voices whispering around her, asking why they'd left the gorge in the first place. But had they stayed, they would have starved to death like the last apprentice died. She knew that in the end, leaving was the only option. It was the only way they could stay safe, even if it meant losing more lives than they could afford.

...

Sunpaw was jolted awake from her dreams when she heard a yowl coming from outside the apprentice's den. She was surprised to see that Dewpaw and Emberpaw were already awake. The two apprentices had spent less time with her since she moved in, but she preferred it that way. The den itself felt empty since Snowstorm and Mothdapple had left. Sunpaw was used to sleeping beside Snowstorm, who was still sitting vigil outside the den.

She peered through the den's entrance to see that the Clan was crowded around the medicine cat's den. Her heart began to race when she realized that something must be wrong with the strangers that were taken in. She bounded out of the den to find out what was happening. Spiderleg and Millie stood side-by-side, with Graystripe lingering behind them. Ferncloud, Birchfall and Thornclaw were just returning from the dawn patrol when they noticed the commotion. She spotted Dewpaw and Emberpaw sitting together as they watched Jayfeather explain to Bramblestar what had happened. "She was too weak for the journey," he was meowing. "She had greencough when she arrived, and refused to tell her friend."

Sorrow clenched at Sunpaw's heart as she pictured how strong Brooksong had been before they reached that tree. The light colored tabby had been determined to find the Clans. Brownwhisker had been determined to follow her no matter where she went. Sunpaw looked down at her paws. She knew her Clanmates would question why she felt such sorrow for a cat they barely knew. The Clan didn't know who these cats were or where they came from.

"I wonder how that other cat took it." Emberpaw asked when Sunpaw joined the two brothers.

"They seemed pretty close," Dewpaw replied in a low whisper. He seemed more concerned about alerting Sunpaw than he did about whether or not the others heard him.

"Hush, Bramblestar is about to speak." Whitewing leaned down to cuff Emberpaw over the ears.

Hard to believe she's their mother, Sunpaw thought with a roll of her eyes. Whitewing was a nice cat, but she had an attitude that reminded Sunpaw of Brightheart. Ironically it was Brightheart who mentored one of her sons.

"We will hold vigil for the life that has been taken by greencough," Bramblestar announced when the crowd parted to reveal him sitting beside Jayfeather and Brownwhisker. The dark tabby looked as though he'd lost everything. Sunpaw almost wished that she could have gone over to comfort him, but she knew that it would make her look like she was aware of who they were. "They hold Clan names, like ourselves, and are from a Clan known as SkyClan. For that much we will hold vigil for her, and the Clan that seems to have been lost forever."

Brownwhisker's face seemed to fall as Bramblestar mentioned his Clan. Sunpaw glanced around the clearing to see the shocked expressions of her Clanmates. She could tell that they didn't know what Bramblestar was talking about. Most of them weren't aware of the stories that Sandstorm had told the kits in the nursery.

Together most of the Clan sat in a semi-circle around Brooksong's body. It had been cleaned by Brownwhisker and Jayfeather. The fresh scent of herbs told Sunpaw that Jayfeather had put them there to make her look more appealing. She recalled that he didn't do that with Sandstorm, but then again Sandstorm hadn't been in the same depleting condition as Brooksong. Brownwhisker was the first to share tongues with her. He looked as though he would refuse to leave, until he turned away to let others take his place.

Once it was Sunpaw's turn to share tongues with a cat she barely knew, she felt as though something bad was about to happen. Her pelt brushed against Brooksong's, and instantly she felt an icy cold chill grip her bones. She staggered backwards with an intake of breath. When she looked around, she realized that the Clan was staring at her in alarm.

W-what just happened? she wondered as she felt her mind begin to blur. Shadows flickered around her as she felt her paws feel heavy like stones.

Images whirled past her - images of Brooksong's life. She could see the image of a young kit playing beside a dark tabby kit; Brownwhisker. Another passed by as they became stronger. This one was of cats hunting together, trying to figure out where the prey had gone. But they couldn't find any prey. The prey they did find only made them sick and die. She could feel the sorrow that Brooksong had felt after watching her mother die from the sickness. It was from that moment that she decided to leave her Clan, to find a home that would better suit them. Brownwhisker had insisted on going with her. He didn't want her to try anything that would get her killed.

The images stopped when Sunpaw felt a tail brush against her pelt. She looked up to see that Brownwhisker had joined her. By now most of the Clan had stopped sharing tongues and were discussing what had happened to the traveling cats. They seemed to forget about what had happened to her, and for once, she was thankful.

"You…you saw her past, didn't you?" Brownwhisker whispered when she met his gaze.

"She was your sister," Sunpaw replied through shaky breaths.

Brownwhisker's head dropped as she mentioned that. She could already tell that he wouldn't forget this day. He looked so crestfallen. She knew what it was like - she'd lost Flamepaw, and she knew that she would never see him again.

"She said that someone told her to follow the sun," Brownwhisker murmured. "I'm not sure what she meant by that, but I had to follow her. I couldn't let her go out without…some help."

She stared at him in confusion as he looked towards where the Clan was gathered. Cinderheart was staring at her in concern, and she knew her mother would have a few sharp words to say. Lionblaze was busy organizing patrols for the following day. Mothdapple and Snowstorm had returned to the warriors' den where they would sleep for the next few heartbeats. Life was busy as usual, despite what had happened to Brooksong and her brother.

A yowl from the apprentice's den told Sunpaw that Poppyfrost was looking for her. She glanced at Brownwhisker one more time before padding over to where the tortoiseshell waited. Poppyfrost's tail was lashing from side to side as she waited impatiently for Sunpaw's arrival.

"I was told that I haven't been training you hard enough," Poppyfrost hissed once she spotted Sunpaw approaching. "So from now on, we will be doing battle training practices with Birchfall." She nodded towards the light brown tabby, who was sharing tongues with Whitewing. "And this will be done every day, while you are still patrolling the borders and cleaning out the elders' den."

Sunpaw's tail drooped in dismay, but she was a little flattered that Poppyfrost had realized how much time she was taking away. She knew that Poppyfrost wouldn't just take her time with her anymore. The tortoiseshell had taken action instead of waiting for the right moment. For the first time in moons, Sunpaw was thankful that Lionblaze had intervened. Maybe now she could actually become a stronger cat, just like her father was.

AN: Sooo...yeah. Pretty boring chapter, but you get more information about SkyClan and what has happened to them. I thought it would be interesting to add in bits and pieces of information about them with every chapter. Anyways, please remember to review, I love hearing about what you guys think about this story :)