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Blueheart---I couldn't reply to your reviews cuz they were annonymous but I'm flattered! Thank u for liking my story so much!

In the next chappie: Plan to save Gingerpaw and her friends come together: will Smokecloud have to face his brother again? Will Doveheart find proper names for her kits? Will Irispaw blab to the while world about 'The Plan'? Find out next time in-Guardian of the Moon Tree! -da-dum-

Light shone through Gingerpaw's eyelids as the sun began to shine weakly over the gorge.

Though the air was crisp and cold, all the beauty of the forest seemed to have been sapped away.

It had rained.

It had rained all day morning and all night and Gingerpaw and her friends had been left out, soaked, drenched, and worn-out to the bone. Guards were still around the, some half-awake, others asleep, but the apprentice knew full well that if she even considered escaping they'd have her beaten in a heartbeat.

She groaned as she opened her eyes. Her fur was still matted and clung to her, dripping wet. Wildpaw was wheezing and coughing every time he breathed, and Sunkit was lying on the ground in such a state that Gingerpaw instantly grew alarmed and hopped quietly to her paws.

A guard or two cautiously eyed her but she ignored them, too focused on the light brown tomkit.

"Sunkit?" she whispered. He looked almost…dead. "Sunkit?"

"It's okay, he's breathing," Gingerpaw turned to see Firpaw staring at her through misty green eyes. "I checked on him. He's just sleeping in an odd angle."

"Oh," Gingerpaw let out a breath, relieved. Lichenkit and Spottedkit were sleeping curled together in such a close bundle that Gingerpaw couldn't tell who was who. Flowerpaw was half-awake, eyes distant and uncertain. She seemed dazed.

"It's almost time for him to become an apprentice," Firpaw announced. "Isn't it?"

"Yea," Gingerpaw nodded. "Nearly six moons old."

Silence followed the little chat, threatening to drown any talk whatsoever.

"Well," Gingerpaw began, feeling awkward. "Our first morning in BloodClan. Do you think they'll let us escape peacefully?"

Firpaw giggled. "I highly doubt that," she laughed. "We'd have to fight first. But cats would die, either way."

'"I know," Gingerpaw's eyes suddenly darkened and she bowed her head. "I almost envy Stripedkit now. I don't know who died in my Clan. I don't even know where Lilypaw is."

"Don't doubt her yet," Firpaw insisted firmly. "Your sister's tougher than she looks. As for your Clan, Gingerpaw, worrying will only make it seem worse. I lost my brother," Suddenly, Firpaw's gaze softened with sadness, "Tumblekit, to the rogues. I was there. But I kept on fighting," she lifted her chin defiantly. "ShadowClan cats rarely show their feeling, Gingerpaw. Me and Littlepine are probably the only ones that do…"

"Tumblekit's with Stripedkit now," said Gingerpaw gently. "Playing in the stars."

"If only I was certain," Firpaw sighed. Then her eyes clouded again. "I can't believe Falconclaw sent a kit to his death."

"I'm worried about Rosepaw. What if she was too sick to fight?" Even though the orange apprentice knew full well that Rosepaw was no kit mewling in the nursery, the rosy-colored she-cat was like a sister to her. If she died…well, then, Gingerpaw wouldn't hesitate in risking her own life to kill Falconclaw for sentencing her to StarClan.

"Gingerpaw?" Firpaw poked her on her flank, snapping her back to reality. "I forgot to tell you. At night when you were still asleep, that pile of fox-dung Falconclaw allowed Gorsepaw to have a look at our group. You seemed fine, so I didn't want to wake you. Wildpaw got sick overnight, and Gorsepaw gave him Lavender Petals...and Lichenkit had torn her claw at some point, but everyone's fine considering the situation we're in. I asked him how his group was and he said that Rosepaw's alive; she put up a good fight, but there were three littermates that died and one apprentice from another group that was too weak."

"But Rosepaw's alive…" murmured Gingerpaw suddenly, relief washing over her. Somehow, this calmed her. If the sickly she-cat could cope, so could she.

"Is Thrushpaw okay?" Flowerpaw's voice called weakly from behind her. She whipped around to see the brown and white she cat gazing at Firpaw. "He was kind to me. I don't want him dead."

"He won't be," assured Firpaw. "I know him; he's in my Clan. His sister died in the first rogue attack, so he'll want revenge more than anything else."

"But he's such a gentle tom," Flowerpaw murmured before burying her head in her paws again, huge eyes closing. Firpaw shot Gingerpaw a questioning look but the bewildered she-cat just shrugged.

She still couldn't shake off the fact that Greenkit had brought her sister back from StarClan. So she was okay up there.

"I miss you, Greenkit. You'll stand with me when-not if-when I receive my warrior name!"

Sighing, Gingerpaw curled up next to the ShadowClan apprentice and put her head down. "You and I will be great friends when we return to the Clans," she said, half to herself. "I know we'll be enemies again…but I won't fight you if we battle, Firpaw. How could I?"

Firpaw suddenly pressed her muzzle into Gingerpaw's fur. "Gingerpaw, our Clans must come first," she mumbled. "You're my friend-we could even be best friends. But where do our loyalties lie?"

"I would never kill you if our Clans battled."

"Gingerpaw, you may have to," said Firpaw gently. Gingerpaw noticed that in the morning light, Firpaw's light gray fur seemed frosty and her velar light green eyes made her look like a StarClan cat.

"What if I'm attacking a Clanmate? What if it's Smokecloud? Or Nimblefoot? Or Doveheart? I met them at a Gathering," she nodded as Gingerpaw cast her a questioning look.

"Gingerpaw, nothing will change the fact that I'm from ShadowClan, and proud of it, and that you're in ThunderClan, and proud of it to."

"Gingerpaw…if we get out of here alive, we will be enemies."

&&&

"Wildpaw?" Flowerpaw inquired, prodding him on his side. "Get up, you lazy furball!"

Gingerpaw was standing stock-still as a soft wind blew across the clearing, ruffling her whiskers and fur. Beside her, Sunkit was rigidly staring at nothing, fur bristled to such an extent that it was hard to tell that he wasn't a mouse of some kind.

They were told that Falconclaw was coming to 'check' on them to see how they were coping.

"Falconclaw needs to see that you're battle-fit!" snapped a big she-cat named Scree.

"If it's a battle with him, sure I'll do it!" spat Flowerpaw. "I'll give him the death-blow and it'll be over. Pity, I would have wanted to see him suffer, but oh, well." Firpaw gave a murmur to show that she agreed.

"No," said a big tomcat coldly. Gingerpaw recognized him as Claw. "Falconclaw could kill you with a swipe of his claws!"

"Last time I checked, it took more than that to kill me. I even made him bleed!"

"Falconclaw wants to train you tomorrow to see if you can actually fight. If you can't, well, you'll end up where that little kit ended up yesterday," Claw hissed.

"Don't you dare talk about Stripedkit that way!" Sunkit hissed, seething. He seemed furious.

By now Flowerpaw was on an her ever-so-important insult-streak. When she was angry, Gingerpaw knew, and she couldn't fight, Flowerpaw would annoy a cat so much that they couldn't think right. Cats made mistakes when they were angry.

"What are those spots on your head?!" Flowerpaw suddenly exclaimed, eyes wide. Claw frowned as some guards cast him inquiring looks. All eyes turned towards Claw's head.

"What spots? I'm pure white, you mouse-brain!"

"Those…markings," the wiry she-cat muttered. "They're all blotchy and black- oh my Great StarClan! They're mouse-dung!" She tried to look puzzled as Claw let out an angry yell and Spottedkit began to laugh. "There's mouse-dung on your head? I thought I was fox-dung you bathed in! Maybe it's both…no wonder you stink so much!"

By now, Gingerpaw was laughing, and so were about every other cat. Even some guards were smirking. Sweeping on, Flowerpaw looked pleased with herself.

"But dear Kitty-is it okay, then, if I call you Kitty?" Claw was shaking with rage. "Because, you know, you look like a little kittypet! Here, Kitty! C'mere, Kitty! Cute name, Kitty Kitty Kitty!"

Firpaw let out a laugh that was so happy that Gingerpaw's eyes widened. "We're in a life-death situation…and we're all laughing?"

"But, then, Kitty, I'll bet you don't just roll over in dung," Flowerpaw pointed out. "I'll bet you eat it, too! What's the matter? If you can't hunt, Kitty, I won't be surprised! Poor little Kitty…do you want to go in the river, then? You can wash those awful markings off. But then, if you drown, no cat here would be disappointed. Don't be sad, Kitty, no cat here likes you, anyways! No cat alive does, actually…"

An uproar of glee arose from the huge clearing. Flowerpaw had raised her voice; nearly every group could hear her. Claw looked embarrassed and in a rage at the same time.

"I would snap your throat open," he said in soft, dangerous tones, "if you make fun of me."

Gingerpaw missed Flowerpaw's retort, but it must have been amusing, for the two twins and Sunkit giggled.

Falconclaw was carefully stalking up from behind him. He and she looked at each other; Gingerpaw thought she saw a flicker of fear in his eyes…but then it was replaced by calm indifference.

"Well, well," he purred. "It seems like the little Flowerpaw is giving you a hard time, Claw."

Flowerpaw instantly whipped around and glared at the BloodClan leader. Wildpaw unsheathed his claws and gave his tail a lash.

"Falconclaw," she muttered.

"What? No insult for me?" The creamy-colored tom looked innocent. "After I killed kits and apprentices and nearly sent you to StarClan?"

"I'm working on one so bad that you'll be dizzy when I finish," she purred. "Don't worry. You're so scared and kit-like that I'm sure you'll go running to your mother! What was her name? Uglyface? I wouldn't be surprised, seeing the way you turned out."

At this, Falconclaw eyed her with cold hatred in his eyes. "If you think you're so smart, why don't you make fun of this kit here?" With a swipe, he suddenly had Spottedkit clamped under his claw. He held him down with sharp claws, and Spottedkit let out a wail as blood was drawn from his scruff.

Sunkit let out a whimper and bunched up his muscles. "Leave Spottedkit alone!"

"Come now, Flowerpaw! This kit's weak! Insult him, eh?"

For the first time, true fear was dancing in the brown and white apprentice's eyes. "Let him go!"

Gingerpaw saw Spottedkit squeeze his eyes shut. "Let him go!" she repeated with such fury in her voice that Falconclaw seemed to obey. With a start, Spottedkit raced over to Sunkit. Lichenkit scampered over to her brother and covered him in licks.

"Do not underestimate the power of BloodClan," Falconclaw warned quietly. "I would have killed that kit in a heartbeat. Now," he turned to Gingerpaw. "I've come to take you, Gingerpaw, away to my den for awhile. There are things we must…discuss for a while."

Wow. That was…direct.

"She'll go with you when dogs nest in trees!" spat Firpaw, glaring. For a moment, Falconclaw looked angry. But then, with a purr, he turned to Gingerpaw.

"You see, little apprentice, your sister has no choice! If she does not obey my wishes-" he looked at her with a gleam in his eye. "I shall kill her friend."

Gingerpaw's blood ran cold. "Wh-what?" she squeaked.

"Touch any one of them here and I'll scatter your entrails from here till the HighStones!" screeched Flowerpaw angrily.

Wildpaw let out a snort, as if to agree, and bared his teeth.

"Wait," murmured Gingerpaw. For the first time in what seem like forever, she felt absolutely calm in the presence of Falconclaw. "You have Rosepaw, don't you?"

Ignoring the gasps of shock from her friends, she turned without a word and began to walk away.

"You're no leader!" she heard Flowerpaw scream. "You're just a cowardly elder, Falconclaw! You don't even have a proper name!"

Flowerpaw's words were drowned out by yowls of cats from other groups and screeches as more kits and apprentices were dragged to their deaths.

In the midst of it all, no cat heard Gingerpaw give a strangled sob.

&&&

"Now, Gingerpaw," Falconclaw sounded brisk as Gingerpaw trailed behind him to his den. "I am under the impression that you do not enjoy it here."

"Enjoy it? Oh, you mean having my friends killed, getting captured by a group of mouse-brained guards, seeing helpless kits being sent off to their deaths, spending the night under the rain, being led to a den by an insane piece of fox-dung who murdered my sister in front of my eyes? No, I'm fine with it all!"

Falconclaw ignored her. "Be that as it may, Gingerpaw, I would like to ask you a few questions in my den. You knew a kit called Greenkit, did you not?"

"And I will tell you this…why?" Gingerpaw spat, tail curling. "How'd he know…?"

""Because if you don't give me the information I need, you're precious little Rosepaw will travel to 'StarClan'," he hissed back. This sobered her up at once.

"I'm warning you," Gingerpaw threatened. "I know cats that could rip your fur off!"

"Angelwing's dead, Gingerpaw. I am far too powerful for her to lay a claw on me."

"How do you know about Ange-"

"She and I used to know each other," he purred. "I am related to her from a long line of cats. But I keep visiting her every time I go to the Moon Tree. What does she tell you about me?"

In truth, the bewildered apprentice had no idea what he was talking about.

"What Angelwing says to me is for me to know and for you to find out once you go to the Forest of Darkness forever!"

"I know what it's like there," Falconclaw cast her a glance. "Part of my soul is still trapped in it. But before we go on any further, Gingerpaw, I want to ask you- oh, wait, here we are!"

Gingerpaw followed his gaze and had to quiet the gasp that rose in her throat. She stepped slowly into his den.

It was humongous—vines were crawling up the smooth walls, and there were rocks covered in moss everywhere. A pile of fresh-kill nearby made Gingerpaw's mouth water.

"Oh…right," she reminded herself. "We haven't eaten in a while…"

The sound of ragged breathing distracted her, and Gingerpaw caught sight a black shape in the corner.

Without any further thought, she raced towards it and pressed her muzzle comfortingly into her fur.

"Rosepaw!"

"Hi, Gingerpaw," said the cat drowsily, and Rosepaw looked up, eyes swollen. She blinked up at her. "You're okay!"

"I thought you were dead!"

"I'm battered and torn up to the bone but otherwise okay," Rosepaw managed a weak giggle. "How is every other cat?"

"Stripedkit was killed by this tyrant," hissed Gingerpaw under her breath, glaring at Falconclaw. Rosepaw's eyes clouded. "Maplepaw, too. When Wheatpaw tried to stop Jag-that's his name, Jag-he got killed as well."

"Are you two sisters?"

Gingerpaw was surprised to hear a note of actual interest in the tom's voice as she faced him. He merely looked curious, not aggressive.

Before she could protest on what right he had to ask them that, Rosepaw interrupted. "No, we're not. We're just friends; I have a brother."

"Ah," Falconclaw nodded. "Yes. Snowpaw, is it not?"

For a moment Gingerpaw stared at him. Rosepaw frowned. "Y-yes," she stammered. "How did you know?"

"Well, we've been spying on you since the first attack," he purred. "All of you-we now know the borders by heart, know your scent markings, know who is your leader and medicine cat, at what time you gather…almost as if I was your father," he licked his tail slowly. "I've watched you grow up from being Rosekit and Gingerkit to the dashing apprentices you are now-and hopefully you may live to be warriors if you cooperate."

"You're no father," said Gingerpaw darkly. Her neck fur was rising on end. "A father would never kill kits."

"You killed Badgerkit and Greenkit!" hissed Rosepaw suddenly, claws unsheathing. "And Cinderclaw and Tawnyheart and about a hundred others!"

"I did it because I had to!" he snapped back. "And hopefully you won't end up where they are!"

"It's better than being here," spat Gingerpaw, tail lashing.

"You-" he whirled to face her. "Where is your sister?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "And even if I did, you'd have to kill me and I still wouldn't tell you."

"Look here," he said softly, suddenly bunching up his muscles. "I need to know things, Gingerpaw, or Rosepaw here," he nodded towards her, "will die."

"She can run, you know!"

"I have given her maple seeds," Falconclaw purred again. "They make you weak. Rosepaw cannot fight. She can barely stand! Now-I will question you: you have until tomorrow to make your decision whether or not you shall answer them! You forget that I killed your sister once--and that I could easily kill y-"

"No, you couldn't," Gingerpaw suddenly advanced upon him so far that her nose was only a mouse-tail from his. "You never could, could you, Falconclaw?" she hissed. "I've seen the look in your eyes. You haven't laid a claw on me or Flowerpaw since I fought you and she came back from the dead! Tyrant," she spat as he opened his mouth furiously.

"You can't touch me. You're afraid of me!"