With the battle of MoonClan in a few days, Skycloud couldn't sleep. She was worried about herself, her family. What if her family died in battle? She would never forgive herself.

And then the worst thoughts came to mind. What if Blacktail was killed? Skycloud shook her head. She had to push these pessimistic thoughts away.

A sudden yowl rang from the nursery-Petalnose. Her kits must've been coming.

Skycloud rushed into the nursery, as did Nightwhisker, followed by Cloudfur and Oceanpaw. Petalnose sat, her stomach swollen as she yowled in pain.

"Your kits are coming," Nightwhisker explained, as if Petalnose already didn't know.

Petalnose yowled in pain as Skycloud stood next to her, waiting for her sister to give birth. She tried to calm her sister, though the effort didn't really work.

Minutes passed, when suddenly, a white and gray she-cat was born.

Petalnose sighed in relief, tears flooding her eyes.

"IS that all?" she asked.

Nightwhisker nodded.

Petalnose turned, looking down at her one precious kit.

"She's a beautiful kit," Skycloud assured her. Perhaps she was, or perhaps it was because she reminded her of Rosefur with the white and gray pelt. Skycloud almost expected her to name the she-cat after her mother.

"I'll call her Mintkit," Petalnose decided.

Skycloud smiled at her sister and newborn kit. Together, she let the mother and daughter rest while she headed back to sleep.

"TIME FOR BATTLE!" came a call from Icestar.

Skycloud nervously got out of her nest. Petalnose would not be participating in battle, but Smokepaw, Oceanpaw, and Cloudfur would. She knew Cloudfur could handle herself, but she did not want the apprentices going through such a bloody battle.

Skycloud poked her head in the nursery. Petalnose's eyes were red and swollen from crying.

"What if you don't come back?" she whimpered.

Skycloud sighed. "Petalnose, I will come back tonight. I promise. We'll all come back. Each and every one."

Skycloud only wished she could believe herself, but she knew not all of the cats could survive. Petalnose nodded slowly as Mintkit turned to her mother.

"Why so sad, Mama?" she asked.

Skycloud couldn't take it. She raced out of the den, heading towards the meadow.

Skycloud stood by Blacktail's side the entire time, letting out a friendly smile.

The cats soon arrived at the meadow where FoxClan and MoonClan were already waiting. Moonstar padded forward.

Skycloud found it amazing for a cat so small to be so commanding and powerful.

"TODAY, WE WIN FOR MOONCLAN!" Moonstar declared. "LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!"

Cats suddenly rushed towards each other rapidly, yowling at the top of their lungs. Skycloud didn't even have time to breathe before she was knocked down by a golden tom. Quickly, she pushed him off and clawed at his tail, running off to avoid getting killed.

She glanced around, noticing Blacktail viciously fighting a white she-cat. Smokepaw and Oceanpaw fought together while Cloudfur fought alongside Dovewing.

Suddenly, she was knocked over by a white she-cat.

Skycloud gulped and struggled, but the she-cat had her pinned. Suddenly, a yowl came, and the she-cat was thrown off by Blacktail, Was she mistaken, or had Blacktail just saved her pelt?

The she-cat rushed off and a black she-cat who looked no more than six moons bit into Blacktail's tail.

Suddenly, a gray tom ran over.

"I'll get this kit!" he declared.

The brown she-cat next to him smiled. "Good job, Rockclaw!"

Skycloud suddenly felt anger burst inside her. This was the cat who had ruined Petalnose's life. The kit bit at Rockclaw's neck, but it was dead in a matter of seconds as Rockclaw struck it.

Skycloud stood, looking over the dead kit as they ran off. A warrior never killed.

Skycloud looked up as she heard Rockclaw cry out. She only watched as he collapsed, dead.

"Rockclaw!" the she-cat burst into tears, suddenly pulled into battle.

Skycloud ran off, leaving Petalnose's dead ex-mate to the side. At that moment, she noticed Oceanpaw.

"YOU! YOU KILLED MY KIT!" The same white she-cat who attacked Skycloud stood before Oceanpaw.

"No, I never-"

Skycloud knew something was wrong. She took a step forward, gasping as the she-cat bit into Oceanpaw's neck. Just like that, it was over.

"NO!" Skycloud screeched, clawing at the she-cat until she ran off. Skycloud quickly grabbed her dead sister's body, running towards some bushes.

She frantically tried to wake her sister, but the she-cat was dead.

"I'm so sorry, Oceanpaw," she whispered. "This should've never happened!"

The battle went on as Skycloud dug a grave for her sister. As she placed her small body into the hole, Skycloud let one last tear drop on the grave. She covered the hole back up, only to hear the fighting freeze.

"STOP!" Lilypaw yowled from a tall rock. "STOP!"

Moonstar growled at the apprentice. "WHAT NOW?!" she exclaimed.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING?!" Lilypaw gasped. "THERE IS NO NEED TO FIGHT! PLEASE, WE CAN SOLVE THIS!"

Moonstar padded up the top of the rock, Blacktail and Thorndapple approaching the she-cat, trying to protect their daughter.

"There is no way to solve this without death!" she yowled. "Right, MoonClan?"

A yowl of agreement came from the vicious members.

Skycloud watched as Moonstar turned, facing the golden-brown she-cat.

She's dead, Skycloud thought, watching as Moonstar slashed at the she-cat's face. Lilypaw stood, refusing to move. She accepted the cut like a true warrior.

Thorndapple and Blacktail leapt up, attempting to knock Moonstar away. Moonstar quickly pushed them away, laughing.

"You can't defeat me!" she laughed, raising her claw to kill both Blacktail and Thorndapple.

"No," Skycloud whispered in unison as Lilypaw shouted, "NO!"

Lilypaw shoved Moonstar with a great amount of force. Then, it all ended. Moonstar's head cracked against the rock, and her limp body fell to the ground. Dead.

The other MoonClan cats quickly retreated and escaped from their dead leader, leaving SnowClan and FoxClan to rejoice.

Skycloud returned to the nursery. Her leg was badly cut, but other than that, she was fine. Everyone seemed to be okay, except Oceanpaw.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" Petalnose gasped, nuzzling her sister.

"Everyone's alive," Skycloud explained. "Except..."

"Blacktail?" Petalnose asked.

Skycloud shook her head and let the tears spill out.

"Oceanpaw," she got out.

The sisters cried together, Mintkit straying towards the side of her mother, looking down sadly.

"She'll be with her parents and sister," Petalnose pointed out, though the situation didn't seem any happier.

Skycloud nodded, and together, her family gathered and stayed by each other, mourning, until the early hours of morning.