A/N: I'm going to need names for Stormcloud's kits, since I know you all love naming kits. ;D

"Flowerfrost!"

Featherpaw looked up in pure shock, unsure of what just happened. All of a sudden, the SkyClan patrol was surrounded with hissing, snarling cats with Deep Water's pungent scent. Flowerfrost had leaped over her, most likely in an attempt to decapitate her.

Featherpaw shivered.

"Hello, my dears," Flowerfrost growled coldly. "Long time no see."

"Get off of our territory!" Sagepaw yowled.

Flowerfrost chuckled. "I just came to introduce you to my new friends. That is, their claws."

And with that, the SkyClan cats and rogues burst into a thick battle.

Fear lapped like waves at Featherpaw's heart. All her senses seemed to be fogged with the acrid scent the rogues gave off, and it was hard enough to think. Medicine cats were not supposed to fight! Featherpaw barely knew any techniques.

Come on, Featherpaw, think! Featherpaw looked around in wonder. Warn the rest of the Clan! That's it! They can come and help!

But before she went, she looked around at the rogues. Flowerfrost had brought about five, and the SkyClan cats were horribly outnumbered. Featherpaw recognized Patchfoot among the group.

"Patchfoot!" she yowled as the black-and-white tom advanced on her. "What are you doing here?"

"Fox dung!" Patchfoot snapped. "I'm loyal to Deep Water! He's far greater a leader than Sharpstar."

As Patchfoot leaped at Featherpaw, she dodged swiftly and pelted down toward the gorge wall. She noticed that Deep Water wasn't among the rogues. What if she brought SkyClan to help and Deep Water attacked while the Clan was few?

Shoving all worries aside, Featherpaw picked her way hurriedly down the side of the gorge. She found her bearings and bounded up to where Leafstar was talking to Thorntail and Brackenpelt.

"Leafstar!" she yowled.

"Yes, what is it, Featherpaw?" Leafstar meowed, resting her furry tail on Featherpaw's shoulders.

"It's Flowerfrost!" Featherpaw yelped. "She attacked our patrol with five other rogues!"

Leafstar's eyes widened as she turned to Thorntail. "Thorntail, take Brackenpelt and a few other warriors to help the patrol." She turned to Featherpaw again. "What caused this exactly?"

Featherpaw watched as Thorntail got Ivoryclaw and Dustflower before taking the warriors up to the battle. She let out a faint sigh of relief as he didn't take all the warriors.

"Featherpaw?"

"Sorry," Featherpaw mumbled. "We were simply hunting and gathering herbs when Flowerfrost leaped over me. Last I remember, we were surrounded by rogues."

Leafstar nodded and narrowed her eyes as she listened for the sound of the yowling, fighting cats. "What is that scent?" she spat.

"That's Deep Water's scent," Featherpaw explained. "He smells foul, I know."

"How many rogues were there?" Leafstar confirmed.

"About six, including Flowerfrost. Leafstar, Patchfoot was there?"

Leafstar blinked down at her, eyes wide. "Patchfoot?"

Suddenly, Petalnose emerged from the elders' cave. "Where's Patchfoot?" she called. "I haven't seen him anywhere!"

Leafstar looked from Petalnose to the gorge cliff where Thorntail's patrol had disappeared. Suddenly, Dustflower came charging down the cliff and up to Leafstar.

"Leafstar, there are more rogues! We need more warriors!"

Featherpaw's heart clenched as she heard Dustflower voice her fears. "We can't let all our warriors go!" she mewed. "What if Deep Water attacks the camp while you're all gone?"

"Deep Water's there!"

Featherpaw blinked.

Leafstar leaped on top of the Rockpile and yowled for the Clan to gather. Once every cat was surrounding the mound of rocks, she announced the news, "Cats of SkyClan, Deep Water has officially just attacked SkyClan."

Yowls and mutterings of confusion and shock filled the silence. Featherpaw heard Rainsong call out, "Where?"

"On the MudClan border," Leafstar answered. "We all must go and help our Clanmates!"

As the Clan yowled their agreement and all clustered around their leader as she hopped off of the Rockpile, Leafstar whispered to Featherpaw, "Go with Echosong to announce peace to another Clan's leader and ask for help."

"Which Clan?" Featherpaw asked anxiously.

"I don't care!" Leafstar hissed uncharacteristically. "We need help now more than ever!"

Featherpaw nodded. "What about MudClan?" she asked.

"No," Leafstar snapped. "How will you dodge Deep Water's attack?"

Featherpaw nodded. Right, mouse-brain, she scolded herself. She quickly caught up with Echosong, who was lingering behind hesitantly. "Echosong, Leafstar wants us to go to another Clan and ask for help."

Echosong blinked at her, but eventually nodded and the two set off toward StreamClan's territory.

The two pelted along through the undergrowth until they came across StreamClan's border with SkyClan. Fortunately, Featherpaw smelled a patrol heading toward then to renew the scent marker.

"SkyClan!" Featherpaw heard a voice hiss. Suddenly, Vinetail appeared from a clump of ferns, a scowl on her face. Her apprentice, Mosspaw, appeared behind her, along with Stonestrike and Tumblepaw.

"Vinetail!" Echosong breathed. Featherpaw let out the breath she now realized she had been holding. "SkyClan need StreamClan's help."

Vinetail snorted. "Why would we help you?" she scoffed.

"Wait," Stonestrike interrupted, coming to stand in front of the brown tabby she-cat. "Echosong, what do you need?"

"Deep Water has attacked SkyClan near the MudClan border," Echosong explained.

Stonestrike narrowed his eyes. "Why not go to MudClan for help?" he questioned.

Featherpaw scowled. Mouse-brain.

"Deep Water or Flowerfrost would never allow it," Echosong hurried before Featherpaw could say anything. "Please, Stonestrike. We need your help."

Stonestrike turned to the apprentices. "Mosspaw, Tumblepaw, go to the camp quickly. Tell Batstar of SkyClan's request. Tell him to bring as many warriors necessary."

The apprentices nodded hastily and shot away through the undergrowth.

"Lead the way," Stonestrike mewed to Echosong.

Featherpaw sighed in relief as the two medicine cats led the StreamClan warriors to where the battle had broken out. Vinetail was reluctant, but she followed anyway.

Thank you, StarClan, Featherpaw prayed silently. But her growing thanks evaporated like mist under a hot greenleaf sun. StarClan weren't watching. They didn't care.

Featherpaw's happiness was replaced with anger and rage at both StarClan and Deep Water. What was happening to the gorge Clans?