Okay, so it took me a long time to start this chapter, and I finally finished it. At least it's not as long a time between updates, right? or maybe it is... I don't remember.

anyway, please review! Whitethroat and Smokepaw are also added to the list.

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"Rainfur! Petalnose! Rainfur! Petalnose!"

The gray-furred tom drew himself up to his full height, eyes glinting in the light of the setting sun. He waved his tail back and forth, challenging any rat to come attack him. A fox-length away Petalnose raised her head, proudly drinking in the warmth of her Clanmates as they yowled her warrior name.

Slowly the meows died, fading along with the sun. Night spread over SkyClan territory like a thick blanket of snow, and the moon's light bathed the dark gorge in silver tones. Rainfur closed his eyes and pressed against Petalnose as they padded away with the rest of their new Clan.

Firestar leaped from the Rockpile, fur bristling at the growing doubts that flickered in all the cats' minds. "All warriors go to the top of the cliff," he mewed. "Wait there while Echosong and Petalnose go to the nursery with the kits."

Rainfur touched his mate's flank with his nose. "Be careful," Petalnose murmured, eyes wide with fear. "The rats… they destroyed the old Clan…" Her meow quavered and Rainfur remembered how the rats had swarmed the camp the night before.

"I'll be fine," the tomcat promised. "Look after the kits. I'll be back after we drive those rats out."

Petalnose said nothing, just gazed at him for a long moment with sadness in her eyes. Then she turned and followed Firestar and Echosong to the nursery. Rainfur stood and starred after her, then shook his head and bounded up to the cliff to meet with the other warriors.

Firestar appeared after a few minutes, his ginger fur glowing in the moonlight. "Ready?" he asked. "Let's go." The ThunderClan leader turned and vanished into the undergrowth.

Sandstorm followed him, Sharpclaw and Leafdapple trailing behind her. Rainfur padded after them, hearing the rest of the patrol come as well.

Firestar waited for the others to catch up, staring into the darkness of the forest. Cherrypaw hissed into his ear, her meow barely more than a whisper. "This way." She crept forward softly, and Firestar followed her. Tension filled the air, prickling along the pelts of the SkyClan cats.

Rainfur stiffened as the patrol broke through the undergrowth and entered the scrubland around the abandoned Twoleg barn. It seemed quiet, but there was a malignant presence around the place, like a dark storm cloud hovering above. The rats could strike as quick as lightning at any time, and be just as deadly.

No! Rainfur shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed to be strong, to drive the rats away from the Clan's territory. He needed to protect Petalnose.

Silently Leafdapple rose to her paws and padded along the bushes until she faced Firestar. "You fear for us," she stated simply.

Firestar nodded, his green eyes flickering with unspoken words.

"We fear for ourselves," Leafdapple admitted. "But this is our battle, not yours. We owe it to the SkyClan cats who walked here before to try once more to defeat these rats." The she-cat paused. "You do not have to come. Should ThunderClan risk losing their leader for another Clan's sake?"

Firestar stared at her, a mixture of disbelief and amazement spreading across his face. Rainfur snorted, surprised. Why wouldn't we want all the help we can get? he wondered. Firestar knows more about this than any of us do!

Slowly Firestar dipped his head. "I have brought you this far," he meowed. "I will see you to the end of your journey." Relief flowed through the SkyClan cats as they realized that they would not have to fight alone. The ginger tom stood, flicking his tail as he looked back to the rest of the cats. "It's time."

Rainfur unsheathed his claws, and he heard Sharpclaw growl with satisfaction. Firestar crouched low, his ears flat against his head, and he darted out from the forested area and across the scrubby clearing to the Twoleg barn. Leafdapple streaked after him, her tail fluffed with in excitement. Instantly the rest of the cats followed, finally stopping to rest behind a gorse bush just outside the fence around the building.

Painted pale by the silver moon the barn looked deserted, though every cat knew what lurked behind those crumbling walls. Firestar hissed. "I wish I knew where the rats had their nest."

"Inside, I'd guess," muttered Sharpclaw, creeping forward to crouch beside the ThunderClan leader. "They're always well hidden during the day. Our patrols have never spotted them."

Firestar spat. "I'd hoped we wouldn't have to fight them inside there."

"It's not like a cave," Sparrowpaw piped up. "It's huge. There's plenty of room to get away."

The fiery ginger tomcat nodded, but he seemed uncomfortable with the idea of fighting inside. Sharpclaw noticed his hesitation and spoke up. "I'll lead half the patrol inside," he offered. "The rest of you can stay out here, and with any luck we'll be able to lure the rats outside and fight in the open."

"Good idea," meowed Firestar. "I'll come in with you."

"We want to come to," murmured Cherrypaw, her tail resting on her brother's shoulder.

"Okay. And Shortwhisker. The rest of you stay outside. Sandstorm, you're in charge."

Rainfur padded to stand beside the pale-furred she-cat with Leafdapple, Patchfoot and Clovertail as Firestar and Sharpclaw led their group towards the Twoleg barn. "When do we get to go fight?" the gray tom hissed.

Sandstorm glanced at him. "Wait for them to bring the rats outside, or go at my signal." Her gripped the ground with unsheathed claws, clearly ready to claw the life out of any rat that came too near.

Rainfur flicked his tail and sat down as Firestar's half of the patrol disappeared into the barn. Leafdapple stood on his other side, her eyes glinting. For a long minute, nothing happened. "Are they okay?" whispered Patchfoot, staring at the Twoleg building.

Then a yowl came from the barn. "Stop!" Rainfur leaped to his paws and saw a wave of rats fill the gap in the wall that the patrol had entered through.

Clovertail gasped. "We have to help them!"

"You can't, not yet!" yelled Sandstorm, but Rainfur ignored her as he charge for the opening. "Attack, SkyClan!" he screeched. The tom heard the rest of the patrol bounding after him as he ran towards the Twoleg building. Clovertail yowled just behind him as they neared the gap and sprang inside.

"No! Get back!" Firestar glanced up in dismay as Rainfur dove into the Twoleg barn, but the tom ignored him and raced into the first wave of rats. Leafdapple and Clovertail burst through behind him and almost instantly screeching knots of cats and rats tumbled on the ground.

Firestar's patrol sprang apart to help them, and Rainfur hissed in satisfaction. Now they would defeat the rats!

But for every one that fell, there were more to take its place. A jolt of fear coursed through him as he leaped for a rat only to be bowled over by another two. The gray tom panicked, writhing wildly under the snarling bodies as pain tore through his flank. Then they were torn away, squealing, and Rainfur stared up to see Leafdapple standing over him.

"Thanks," the warrior panted. Leafdapple nodded, and leaped off into the battle. Rainfur spun around, ignoring the gash on his side where the rat had scratched him, and clawed at the next wave of rodents that tried to swarm him.

Sharpclaw and Cherrypaw were ahead of him, yowling as they broke through row after row of rats. Rainfur ran to help them when Firestar's screeched stopped him in his tracks.

"Out! Every cat get out!" The fiery ginger tomcat started towards the gap in the Twoleg barn, Sandstorm right behind him. Rainfur growled in consternation; had they come all this way only to retreat, to be driven off yet again? No! He had to fight to protect Petalnose, and nothing – not even the StarClan that Firestar claimed existed – would stop him from protecting her!

Leafdapple and Sparrowpaw were both forcing their way towards the entrance now. Rainfur snapped at them as they passed. "We need to be fighting?" he hissed. "Don't you see?" But Leafdapple only blinked at him and kept herding her apprentice forward.

Rainfur narrowed his eyes, but stopped trying to convince the others to fight. Well, if this Clan thing was going to work, he would have to listen to the leader. The gray tom turned and began to push towards the gap.

The only problem was that all the other cats had gotten through, so he had the rats' undivided attention.

The first circle closed in on him, the rodents' black beady eyes glittering. Rainfur snarled at them and swiped, but his paws missed their target. Terror finally grasped him with icy claws, and the tom looked up to see where the gap was.

Firestar and Sandstorm were waiting there, staring at him with fear in their green eyes. An unspoken shout licker in their gaze, and Rainfur turned just as a gigantic rat leaped for his throat.

Rainfur gasped as he was thrown back onto the floor of the Twoleg barn. The rat twisted, trying to get a grip on his fur, and a sharp pain shot through his body as fang met in his throat. The tom squirmed helplessly as more rats poured forward to bite his unprotected flanks.

Suddenly a yowl cut through the mass, and the rats scattered, leaving Rainfur choking on the ground. He struggled up, but the tide of rats pulled him back down again as they surged around his paws once more. He looked up through the blanket of dark furry bodies and saw Firestar fighting more creatures, forcing his way back through the sea of rats.

"Help me," gasped Rainfur, but Firestar did not hear. Instead a single rat leaped onto the ThunderClan leader's back and sank its claws into the fiery tom's throat.

Sandstorm caterwauled. "No!" She raced forward, flinging away rats with every step as she bounded across the floor of the barn.

Something warm and sticky trickled down Rainfur's sides as the pricks of a dozen rats' claws drove their way into his flesh. Scarlet matted his ash-colored fur. His limbs felt too heavy to be fine. Darkness pressed down on his vision as he realized this was one battle he could not win.

Petalnose!

Rainfur struggled to move, but his legs would not respond. The rats closed in tighter, suffocating, biting, snarling. And still the huge rat would not release his throat. The sting of that bite was more agonizing than anything he had ever known.

Blood gurgled in his mouth as he panted. Rainfur cast a final glance up at Sandstorm, who was now only fox-length away form him and Firestar. His eyes looked at her, pleading, asking for what he knew she could not give him.

Help me.

Her green eyes widened in apology, and she ducked her head to not see his dimming gaze. Rainfur closed his eyes. Sandstorm had to help Firestar. That was what mattered to her. His life was less important.

A thought struck him, somehow piercing his mind even through the layer of tearing rats above his slowing body. Was I even important at all? He wondered, though he knew it was too late.

The pain was dulling now. The dull brown-gray of rat fur faded into black. He had failed Petalnose, left her and her kits to fend for themselves against the rats.

I'm sorry.

He remember what Firestar had said, about their warrior ancestors watching over them. He wondered if there really was a StarClan.

He hoped so.