(A/N: I just realized we were close to the end of the story and I hadn't begun the climax yet. Oops. Now it starts!

Side note: It has come to my attention that there are some fans of The Yellowfang and Nightcloud Show who would like to see it become a real show, like on YouTube. Unfortunately, I cannot draw/animate at all, nor can I singlehandedly voice every cat. I know I have one amazing team member who can help me out, but it's going to take more than two. If you would like to help in anyway (or just support the idea), please let me know as soon as possible.)

Chapter 21

"Sit still, Maplekit!" Streampaw scolded, trying to tug a thorn out of the bouncy kit's paw. The five moon old she-cat ignored the apprentice and darted around her, trying to get to the herb store.

"But I want to see the herbs!" the cream-colored kit whined.

The tabby sighed, moving out of Maplekit's way. "But don't you want me to get that thorn out?"

"It doesn't hurt that bad," Maplekit squeaked. "I'm a big strong warrior! I can handle a wimpy little thorn!"

Streampaw shook her head, padding around the kit to block her from the herbs. "But only until infection sets in and you can't put any wait on that paw because it hurts too bad. Even a big strong warrior needs a little help from the medicine cat once in a while."

The kit narrowed her eyes, giving the tabby a grumpy glare. "But I'm tough!"

"I'm sure you are," Streampaw murmured, bending down to examine the thorn. "You won't even feel it when I yank-"

"Ouch!" Maplekit cried as the medicine cat pulled the thorn out of her paw. "Hey, that hurt!"

"But it's out," the apprentice mewed. "Now you can go back to playing with Brindlekit, Applekit, Ravenkit, and Brackenkit."

The cream kit shook her head. "Lilyheart's kits are so little! They're just kits! Brindlekit and I are nearly apprentices, so we only play with Stormpaw and Dustpaw!"

Streampaw ran her tail along the kit's side. "You are still a kit. Enjoy it while it lasts."

"No thanks!" Maplekit mewed. "I'd rather fight and hunt and patrol!"

The medicine cat apprentice watched in amusement as the boisterous kit bounced out of the den, hurrying to join her sister and the youngest apprentices, who were demonstrating a simple battle move to Brindlekit.

"I remember when you were that age," Jayfeather meowed, pushing his way into the den with a vole in his mouth. "You and Swallowpaw were very loud, charging around the camp squealing like hunted rabbits."

"I was a perfect kit, thank you very much," Streampaw argued. "I would never have made as much noise as Maplekit and Brindlekit do."

The dark gray medicine cat snorted. "Oh, yes you did." He sat down on the sandy den floor to eat his prey. "Speaking of your sister, have you spoke to her lately?"

The tabby she-cat shook her head. "I've been too busy to speak to her. Spending my days gathering herbs, treating the elders for their aching joints, pulling thorns out of unruly kits, and organizing the herb store after the kits mess it up has kept me too busy to think about what the warrior apprentices are doing."

Jayfeather prodded the vole with a front paw. "One of those warrior apprentices is your sister, and you used to be best friends. You can't let that disappear forever."

"She has her life and I have mine," Streampaw meowed. "Our paths don't cross. I have no reason to speak to her unless she is injured or sick."

"Nightcloud has noticed the two of you aren't speaking, and she isn't happy about it," the medicine cat commented. "She asked me if you're still upset that Swallowpaw attacked you."

Streampaw glanced down at her paws, studying the striped brown fur. "Still upset?" she squeaked. "Nope. Can't think of a single reason why I would be."

"Because she- oh whatever," Jayfeather growled. "You aren't going to listen to me, are you? I don't know where you got this mouse-brained idea that you and Swallowpaw don't need to be friends anymore, but you need to mend your relationship. Now."

The apprentice sighed, disagreeing with her mentor. "She was breaking the warrior code and when I tried nicely to tell her to stop seeing Newtpaw she attacked me- her own sister! I'm not mad at her anymore, I just don't want anything to do with-"

"Help! Somebody help!" a voice yowled from outside the medicine den, interrupting Streampaw's sentence. Alarmed by the cry, the tabby and her mentor sprang to their paws, pelting out of the den to see what was wrong. Sunblaze was standing at the entrance to the camp, his eyes wide with fright and his sides shaking as he fought for breath.

Bramblestar raced out of his den, hearing his son's cry for help. "What's wrong, Sunblaze?" the dark tabby leader meowed, his amber eyes glowing with worry. "What is it?"

The dark ginger tom dug his claws into the ground, trying to gain his composure. "I was hunting by the ShadowClan border when I recognized the scent of two of our apprentices. I knew they weren't supposed to be so far from camp, so I went to investigate. When I got closer I heard the sound of angry ShadowClan cats. They attacked the apprentices, and when I went to defend them, the ShadowClan cats blocked me from one of them and Crowfrost told me to give you a message from Rowanstar. ShadowClan has scented ThunderClan on their territory again and they know who it is! They've captured Swallowpaw and taken her prisoner!"

"What?" Bramblestar gasped. "Why would they take her away? She hasn't been seeing Newtpaw anymore!"

Streampaw's eyes widened as she listened to Sunblaze's words. Was her sister really in danger? What would ShadowClan do to her? Oh Swallowpaw, you just couldn't stay away from Newtpaw, could you?

Sunblaze met his father's gaze, still trembling. "Smokepaw's badly injured, as well. I left him by the border because I was afraid dragging him back to the camp would only hurt him further. Jayfeather and Streampaw need to go get him!"

"Where exactly did you leave him?" Jayfeather meowed, eying the tom seriously.

"Under the old maple tree by the border," the ginger tom cried.

"Jayfeather, Streampaw, go find Smokepaw," Bramblestar ordered. "I will leader a patrol to ShadowClan's camp and find out what's going on. Ivypool, Squirrelflight, Nightcloud, Berrynose, and Cherryfall will come with me."

Streampaw felt a wave of horror wash over her. What if she never saw Swallowpaw again? What if ShadowClan did something awful to her? She whipped around to face her mentor. "Jayfeather, I want to go with Bramblestar!" she cried. "Please!"

The dark gray tom narrowed his sightless blue eyes. "Just earlier you wanted nothing to do with her."

"She wasn't in danger then!" the tabby meowed. "Please let me go with the patrol!"

"I might need help with Smokepaw," the medicine cat argued.

"Please!" Streampaw begged. I have to make sure she's okay! She might be hurt just as badly as Smokepaw!

Jayfeather hesitated, narrowing his eyes. Finally after a moment, he nodded. "I suppose it would give your sister some relief to know you're worried about her. Go with Bramblestar."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Streampaw squealed, bouncing on her paws. She turned around and raced to join Bramblestar, ready to save her sister. Oh StarClan, please don't let us be too late!