A/N: Thanks to everyone for their wondrous reviews! It now have 108 reviews (and counting!), and is on the favorites list of 27 fanfictioners! Also, twelve of you have me on alert! Thanks so much!

For the request of Kelsey Goode, I'm adding in a bit of confrontation between Crowfeather and the Three. Muahahahaha! Leafpool and Squirrelflight can't mess anything up!

Well, as they say, 'All good things must come to an end'. But, the last chapter of Cruel Season is not the end!!

Yes, there are two more series and a Super Edition on their way after this!

The next series coming up is called Voice of the Stars. It will have six books. The first book will be called Warning. I will be posting a preview of Warning at the end of the Epilogue in this story.

The Super Edition chronicles Ravenflight and the kits' journey from the old territory to the new territory. It will be title 'Flight of the Raven', and will have 31 chapters, split into three parts.

The second series is called 'Crash of Thunder'. It will have six books.

Well, I hope you enjoy the story!

~Skyst

Lionblaze dug his claws into the TreeBridge. Each of the other Clans had already arrived, and ThunderClan was the last. Bramblestar motioned for the Clan to follow him, and Lionblaze looked at the sky. Thunderclouds had formed, but the moon was clearly visible, almost burning. Hollyleaf walked next to Mousewhisker, and Lionblaze nudged Jayfeather. Jayfeather looked in the direction of his sister and turned away.

"Come on, Lionblaze," Brackenfur called, pushing the warrior across the bridge. Lionblaze spotted Crowfeather, and padded over to Jayfeather.

"Come on Jayfeather. Now's our chance. Get Hollyleaf."

"What are you talking about?" Jayfeather hissed. Lionblaze sighed.

"We can talk with Crowfeather without being interrupted by Leafpool or Squirrelflight. Get Hollyleaf, I'm sure she wants to talk with our father."

"Alright," Jayfeather answered submissively, padding over to Hollyleaf and Mousewhisker. After a bit of what looked like negotiating, Jayfeather and Hollyleaf returned to Lionblaze.

"So, what are we going to say?" Hollyleaf asked indifferently, licking her paw.

"I don't know yet, but come on." The three cats padded over towards the dark gray WindClan warrior.

"Hello Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf," Crowfeather greeted.

"Hello Crowfeather," Jayfeather replied. "Congratulations on becoming deputy. It must be a big responsibility."

"It is," Crowfeather answered, turning to Jayfeather. "So must being a medicine cat apprentice. However, I think there is something other than congratulating me on becoming deputy that you wanted to say."

"Yes," Lionblaze said. "Did you and Leafpool have any sort of relationship?"

"Well, we were mates for a time, but then we both returned to our Clans. There was no harm done. Why?"

"Actually, there was a bit of harm done, Crowfeather. And we believe you should be informed of it," Hollyleaf said as she suppressed a growl.

"What?" Crowfeather asked, his tone taking on a worried edge.

"Us. Bramblestar is not our father, Crowfeather," Jayfeather said.

"You are," finished Lionblaze. Crowfeather's eyes widened.

"I-I-I-I'm your father?" he stammered.

"Yes, Crowfeather. Leafpool is our mother," Hollyleaf replied.

"But, how?" Crowfeather asked.

"Well, I don't know, maybe the fact that you mated with Leafpool," Jayfeather spat.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Crowfeather replied. He opened his mouth to continue his sentence, but was interrupted by Leafstar's yowl.

"Let the Gathering begin!" she called. The five leaders stood, each glaring at one another.

"I will speak first," Bramblestar growled, and Lionblaze noticed that Crowfeather had disappeared.

"My mate, Squirrelflight, is expecting kits tonight." Murmurs of congratulations echoed. "Although, a patrol found scents from each Clan on our territory!" Enraged shouts blasted Lionblaze's ears.

"Impossible!" Breezepelt shouted. Hollyleaf hissed.

"They were fresh, too!" she snarled.

"Silence!" Onestar yelled. "I don't know what you are suggesting, Bramblestar, but none of my warriors have set a whisker over the border! Most of them have been busy around the camp. Heathertail is expecting kits tonight as well, and Swallowtalon has moved to the nursery as well. Yet, we have also scented each Clan's scent on our territory."

"SkyClan as well! We held a Clan meeting today for our four new apprentices, Lotuspaw, Birdpaw, Mousepaw, and Thrushpaw," Leafstar replied. "We only sent out a few patrols, and they came back with information on rival scent!"

"Riverclan has experienced the same," Mistystar growled.

"As has ShadowClan," Russetstar spat. "We are proud to announce a new warrior, Oliveleaf, who was one of the cats to scent rival scent."

"This is insanity!" yowled Nightcloud. "WindClan has done nothing wrong!"

"Well, if no cat will admit to their mistakes, then there is only one solution," Russetstar growled. "A battle. Here, now."

"I accept your challenge, Russetstar," Bramblestar growled.

"But StarClan! The moon! They'll be angry!" hissed Hollyleaf.

"SkyClan! Attack!" Leafstar yowled. Onestar snarled.

"WindClan! Fight!" he called.

"RiverClan! Defend your territory!" Mistystar yelled as she leaped into the fray. Lionblaze turned around. Every cat was in the fight, apart from his littermates.

"We have to find a way to stop this!" hissed Jayfeather.

"But the other Clans have trespassed on our territory!" retorted Hollyleaf.

"Have we intruded on theirs?" snarled Lionblaze. "Jayfeather's right, we have to stop this."

"But how?" Hollyleaf asked, nearly getting clawed by a ShadowClan warrior.

"Let's move towards the bushes," Jayfeather suggested.

"Trying to escape?" Breezepelt growled at Lionblaze.

"Mouse-dung," Lionblaze mumbled under his breath.

"Afraid to fight, ThunderClanner?" Breezepelt taunted.

"Never, Breezepelt," Lionblaze snarled, unsheathing his claws. Breezepelt growled in pleasure and leaped at Lionblaze. The ThunderClan warrior clawed his half-brother's shoulder, and Breezepelt closed his jaws around one of Lionblaze's front paws. Lionblaze kicked Breezepelt in the belly, and his paw was released. Hollyleaf clawed Breezepelt's flank, and he ran off to find a different opponent.

"That mangy excuse for a warrior," Lionblaze growled.

"He's our half-brother, Lionblaze, and our father wasn't exactly like a father to him," Jayfeather reminded him. Lionblaze glanced around; the fighting had gotten even worse.

"Well, this is just as I expected," a sickeningly familiar voice sneered.

A/N: Dun Dun Duuun! Who could it be? Well, you'll find out in Jayfeather's chapter, which is next!