Onestar laid still in his den, having the biggest headache of his life. His thoughts where full of worry. He knew something was wrong. Something big was going to happen and WindClan was going to be in the middle of it.

He sighed heavily.

Curse Firestar and Blackstar! he thought bitterly. If they didn't let those rogues in their camps, this wouldn't be happening! What were they thinking?

What were they thinking indeed.

Onestar opened his amber eyes and saw his deputy, Ashfoot walking slowly towards him. "Onestar, Firestar wants to talk to you," she announced her voice uneasy.

Onestar stood up, his tail twitching a little. What could Firestar want? Unless…

"Are the Jedi with him?" Onestar asked.

Ashfoot stared at him for a moment.

Finally, she said, "There are two toms I don't recognize, but do have ThunderClan scent on them. I believe that they are the Jedi Firestar mention at the Gathering."

Ashfoot paused for a second. "Do you still want to see them?"

Onestar stayed silent. He didn't want to be brought into this Jedi and Separatists insanity. They have already seemed to have taken over ThunderClan and ShadowClan. He didn't want WindClan to suffer the same fate.

Onestar walked pass Ashfoot. "Where are they?"

"At the ThunderClan border."

"Take me to them," Onestar ordered. "I want to get this over with."

Onestar followed Ashfoot to the ThunderClan border, where the Jedi were waiting. Onestar felt his pelt bristle. Where the Jedi as heroic as Firestar had said or as wicked as Blackstar warned? What did they want with him? Onestar forced himself to stay calm. He couldn't show any weakness. No matter what.

When they got to the boarder, Onestar saw Nightcloud, Breezepelt, and Boulderpaw glaring at Firestar. An orange tom and a brown tom stood beside Firestar, their eyes not showing any emotion.

They must be the Jedi. The moment of truth arises.

"Greetings, Firestar," Onestar said coolly. "I hear you wish to speak with me."

"Hello, Onestar," Firestar replied. "I'm glad you are willing to listen. I know these are difficult times, but ThunderClan seeks WindClans help with fighting ShadowClan."

Onestar stared at Firestar. Was he serious?

"What! How dare you ask that!" Nightcloud screamed her black fur rising. "What makes you think we would help you?"

The enraged she-cat put herself in front of Firestar, her claws unsheathed. But before she could do anything, Onestar put his tail in front of her. "Easy, Nightcloud," he ordered. "I want to hear what Firestar has to say, along with the Jedi."

Onestar turned his gaze to the two Jedi. The brown tom was glaring at Nightcloud while the orange one was looking right back at him. Nightcloud gave Onestar a puzzled and angry look, but did what he asked. She sat next to Breezepelt, her green eyes never leaving the ThunderClan cats.

"Firestar, if ShadowClan is endangering your clan as you say, I may be able to help you. However, the if Separatists are involved." Onestar approached the Jedi. "I want to hear the Jedi's side of the story. From their own words. So tell me, Jedi of the Republic, who exactly are you?"

The brown Jedi's fur rose in anger while the orange Jedi nodded at Onestar calmly. "I do apologize if we are disturbing your clan, Onestar. But we do need your assistance to save your clan, and the other clans, from destruction."

Onestar's right ear twitched, clearly unimpressed. "Then explain yourself, as I've asked."

The orange tom, Obi-Wan, then explained everything about the Jedi order, and the Separatists. Everything he said was exactly what Firestar told him at the Gathering. Onestar put each word Obi-Wan said into deep thought. The Jedi sounded sincere, but he could be lying as easily. But there is no way to know for sure. He knew very little of the Jedi and the Separatists themselves. Both where a threat, if you thought about it.

But Onestar had to make a decision.

Even if Obi-Wan is telling the truth, and ThunderClan was really endanger from ShadowClan...Onestar would be putting his own clan at risk.

But not doing anything could make things worse. I can't risk failing my clan.

Onestar turned to Ashfoot. "Ashfoot, I would like to speak with you for a moment in private," he ordered.

Ashfoot nodded solemnly and she followed Onestar. When they were out of earshot from the others, Onestar asked, "What do you think of this? Do you believe what Obi-Wan said?"

Ashfoot was silent for a long moment. "I don't think we have a choice. We will have to do something about them sooner or later. Firestar and Blackstar are acting, we should as well. The sooner their gone, the better." She looked into Onestar's eyes. "What you do is your choice, Onestar. All I can tell you is that WindClan will support whatever your decision is."

Onestar looked away from his deputy and sighed heavily. He knew what to do, but he didn't like it. Onestar signaled Ashfoot to return to the rest of the patrol. When they got back, Onestar approached Firestar.

"If you really need WindClan's support, I will give you a few warriors. I'm only doing this because I trust your judgment more than Blackstar's. But I swear by StarClan, if WindClan come into any danger, I will crush you so hard, Firestar, that ThunderClan will be nothing more than a piece of crow-food!"

The other Jedi, Anakin's fur rose in anger while Firestar remained calm. "I won't let anything happen to WindClan," Firestar promised.

Onestar remained silent.

"We thank you, Onestar," Obi-Wan added. "We will make sure your clan is safe."

Onestar narrowed his eyes at the Jedi. "You better, for your sake."

"So we're really going to help them?" Nightcloud questioned.

Onestar nodded. "We have little choice, Nightcloud. I don't like this as much as you do. But we need to deal with this unknown enemy."

Nightcloud hissed in reply. Breezepelt and Boulderpaw looked just as displeased. Onestar avoided their gaze.

I hope I am doing the right thing.

"Now all we need to do is recruit RiverClan," Obi-Wan went on. "With you and their support, the Separatists won't have a chance."

Obi-Wan crossed the border along with Anakin. Breezepelt and Nightcloud rose but Ashfoot said, "Let them pass. Their our allies now."

Breezepelt muttered something under his breath but did as he was told, along with Nightcloud.

Firestar turned to Onestar. "Come with us to RiverClan. Mistystar will most likely join us if she sees WindClan is fighting against the Separatists."

"Just because I've allied myself with you that doesn't mean you have the authority to give me orders," Onestar growled. "But I will come."

Firestar nodded. "I see. The sooner the Separtists are gone; the sooner things will go back to normal."

Onestar's tail twitch. They better be...

Mistystar felt her fur stand on all ends as she saw Blackstar and the Separatists standing on RiverClan territory. When her deputy, Reedwhisker, requested her presents near the ShadowClan border, she thought her clan was under attack. But now only seeing only Blackstar and the Separatists alone, she felt her heart beat grow faster.

What could they possibly want?

"Blackstar, what is the meaning of this?" Mistystar accused before he had a chance to speak.

"I apologize for this, Mistystar," Blackstar replied tiredness in his voice. "But desperate times call for desperate measures. And unfortunately, the threat of the Jedi needs to be dealt with. And the Separatists need all the help they can get."

Mistystar's eyes widen. "Blackstar, I can't just order my warriors to invade ThunderClan with little knowledge of the Jedi themselves. I mean, Firestar wouldn't ally himself with cats that would kill others to satisfy their own ambition."

"The Jedi can be very persuasive, my dear," the gray cat interrupted. "They can seem like a friend to any cat they wish to convenes."

Mistystar flicked her tail. "And who are you?"

"I am Dooku, the leader of the Separatists."

Mistystar froze. This must be the cat Firestar warned us about!

Dooku smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry, if things go according to my plan, you won't need to sacrifice any of your warriors."

"What plan?" Mistystar questioned.

"To defeat the Jedi without any bloodshed, we need to combine our strengths. With warriors from ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan, ThunderClan will be so intimidated that they will surrender the Jedi to us."

"And what do you plan to do with the Jedi?"

Dooku's eyes darkened.

"That is what me and the rest of the Separatists will deal with. But I promise you that it won't affect your clan in the slightest."

Mistystar turned her gaze to Blackstar. The ShadowClan leader showed no emotion, or if he did, he kept it to himself.

Was ThunderClan being misled?

"Tell me more about the Jedi first," Mistystar finally said. "I want to know what they are really like."

Dooku nodded as he told everything he knew about the Jedi and the Clone Wars. As he talked, Mistystar was completely shocked by what she heard. The Jedi sounded so controlling power-hungry. Forcing people to be in their alliance or die. They sounded like ShadowClan when Tigerstar was their leader. Bad memories went through her head as Mistystar recalled the events that happened so long ago.

She could let that happened again.

And when we get rid of the Jedi; the Separatists will go as well. It is a win either way.

"When do you plan to invade ThunderClan?" Mistystar finally asked.

"That we will discuss when we have WindClan's support," Dooku answered.

Mistystar stayed silent for a long moment, deep in thought. She then let out a long sigh.

"I'll give as much support as I can. But I will consider RiverClan's safety before anything else, understand?"

Dooku smiled. "Good to see that you'll listen to reason. Now, come with us as we get Onestar's support."

"Don't order me around," Mistystar said coldly. "I'll come with you as soon as I tell my clan what is going on."

"If you wish. We will move out when you are ready."

Dooku then walked towards the lake and sat down, looking at the water. While he was out of ear shot, Mistystar whispered to Blackstar, "Are you sure about this?"

Blackstar avoided her gaze. "I don't know, Mistystar. All I know is that the Jedi cannot be trusted and need to get rid of as soon as possible. If I have to work with the Separatists to get rid of them, then I will."

Obi-Wan followed Firestar and Onestar towards the RiverClan boarder. He felt great confidence as everything was going so perfectly. They recruited WindClan, even if Onestar was weary of them. If they could get Mistystar with them, ShadowClan will have to surrender the Separatists to avoid war.

Obi-Wan noticed that Anakin was tensed right beside him. His fur was on its' end, and his eyes clouded in his thoughts as he walked.

"You alright, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked concerned.

Anakin blinked at Obi-Wan, as if he just now realized he was there.

"I'm okay. Just thinking about Ahsoka…" He lost his voice.

Obi-Wan nodded sympathetically. "I know how you feel, but we have to stay focus. The Separatists need to be taken care of as soon as possible."

"But it doesn't feel right!" Anakin exclaimed. "She was in good health the night before! She couldn't have just died over night like that! There's no way!"

Obi-Wan frowned. "Do you think Jayfeather murdered her?"

Anakin sighed heavily. "It is a possibility. He's not that fond of us, as you know. But I know for sure something happened to Ahsoka that night. Intentional or not."

His blue eyes darkened with hatred.

"But if Ahsoka was murdered. I will hunt down her murder and make them suffer to no end!"

Obi-Wan gasped silently. "Anakin, you know that isn't the Jedi way!"

"Doesn't matter, Obi-Wan. Ahsoka needs to be avenged," he responded coldly.

"Anakin-"

Obi-Wan stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Blackstar and the RiverClan leader walking towards them. With Dooku at their side.

No! Are we too late?

"What are you doing here?" Anakin cried as he charged at Dooku.

The Sith Lord glared at him. "I could ask you the same question, Skywalker."

"Blackstar, Mistystar, what is the meaning of this?" Firestar asked.

"What is it to you?" Blackstar spat. "We're trying to get rid of the Jedi and bring peace back to the clans!"

"But that's what we're doing, only to get rid of the Separatists," Onestar said.

Blackstar glared at Onestar. "You're joining them, Onestar? I really would have expected better from you."

"And your any better, Blackstar, Mistystar?"

"What do you expect me to do?" Mistystar exclaimed. "I need to protect my clan!"

"But are you willing to go to war?" Firestar questioned.

Mistystar stayed silent avoiding eye contact.

Obi-Wan stiffened. This was not going to end well!

And Anakin and Dooku weren't handling the situation any better.

"If you think we're going to let you get away with this, you can think again Dooku!" Anakin cried.

Dooku smirked. "Are you? As Asajj said at our last encounter, how are you any different? But...as if that matters." Dooku looked away, his eyes seeming distant. "You do realize that if you help the clans, we will never go home. They are the cause to all of this. Us winding up here, in this savage and alien place..."

Dooku looked up. The madding look in his eyes made both Anakin and Obi-Wan flinch. "The only way to leave, is to destroy the source. The clans must die!"

"You bastard!"

Anakin screamed as he leaped onto Dooku. Dooku kicked Anakin in the stomach and got to his feet. Obi-Wan quickly go in between them. He saw the other leaders haven't noticed yet, as they were too busy bickering among themselves.

If they see us fighting, they might turn against both of us!

"Dooku, listen to me," Obi-Wan said calmly. "Destroying the clans won't solve anything. Remember what Rock said? He said we were brought here to help the clans. If we help them, then we will return home. Violence isn't necessary at all."

Dooku flicked his tail. "Rock didn't bring us here fully! One wants us to defend the clans, one wants us to destroy. We don't know if Rock would brings us back to Kamino! But Mapleshade will! She promised me... The clans must die so I can live!"

"Dooku, you're not making sense!" Obi-Wan exclaimed unsheathing his claws. "Who is Mapleshade? We need to work together to survive!"

Dooku ignored him and walked up to the clan leaders. Once he got their attention, he glared at Firestar and Onestar. "You're making a big mistake siding with the Jedi. Nothing good will come out of it, as I know from first hand experience. If you want your clans to be safe, join me."

"I would never let evil cats like you take control of my clan," Firestar said coldly.

Onestar said nothing in reply.

Dooku growled. "Very well. I can see there is no hope for ThunderClan or WindClan. But there is hope for ShadowClan and RiverClan." Dooku turned to every cat, including Obi-Wan and Anakin. Obi-Wan couldn't believe the next few words he heard from Dooku's mouth.

"The next time all of us meet, we'll be talking with claws instead of words. I give you two days to turn over the Jedi, since I don't wish to destroy your clans. But if you don't, you give me little choice."

Dooku turned his back on them, heading back into RiverClan territory. "Remember, two days." And then he left, not even waiting for Mistystar or Blackstar.

The ShadowClan and RiverClan leaders both turned to Firestar and Onestar. Blackstar's eyes showed frustration and anger while Mistystar's where emotionless. They then left, not even making a comment of what Dooku spoke of.

Obi-Wan stared into the distant RiverClan territory. He didn't know what to think. He turn to Anakin, who was just as confused.

First Ahsoka turns up dead and now Dooku rambles about a cat named 'Mapleshade.' Could this Mapleshade cat be behind Ahsoka's death? It was a possibility, though Obi-Wan couldn't be sure if this cat existed.

But he had a feeling she did and that she wasn't a cat to be messed with.

"What do you advice us to do?" Firestar suddenly asked, breaking Obi-Wan out of his thoughts.

Obi-Wan let out a long sigh. "The only thing we can do is prepare for the worse."

Because the true battle has just begun. The reason why we've been brought here will now truly reveal itself. For the better or worse.