A/n: Hurdurflur only 19 reviews until 200! Thanks a million for all the nice reviews, everyone! I really love getting them from y'all c: Also, we're leaving Minnowsplash for a while, so you won't know if she's alive or dead (muahahaha!) So, enjoy chapter 24 and let's see if we can hit 200 reviews by the end of the story ;3

"Ow! Don't do that, it hurts!" Lilyheart complained.

"Sorry," Clearwater muttered, "but this thing has to come off, and unless you want more poppy seeds, it's going to hurt!" The RiverClan she-cat, along with Rainbreeze, was taking Lilyheart's ridiculous bandage off. Where the stuff had dried to her fur, she was experiencing extreme pain as hundreds of hairs were pulled out of her neck.

"We're almost done," Rainbreeze told her soothingly. "Don't worry."

Lilyheart sighed and tried not to fidget as her scruff began to itch. "Are you almost done?" She asked for the fifth time.

"Almost," Clearwater told her. "Just hang in there. This one's going to hurt." The pale gray she-cat yanked at a chunk of hardened salve, pulling it from Lilyheart's fur with a ripping sound. The young warrior shrieked in pain, digging her claws into the moss of her nest. It was like it had set off some kind of trigger, sending talons of flame screeching down her throat, over the nearly fatal wounds. They felt fresh again, hot and burning with pain. A few heartbeats later, it started to die down, leaving Lilyheart shivering, eyes closed.

"Lilyheart? Are you okay?" Sparktail came skidding into the den and ran over.

"I'm fine," she managed. "It just hurt when Clearwater pulled some stuff out of my fur."

Sparktail gave the pale gray she-cat the stinkeye and then nudged Lilyheart gently. "I'm glad that you've got that thing off," he purred.

"There's still dried stuff stuck in your fur," Rainbreeze mewed, parting what was left of Lilyheart's neck fur with gentle paws. "You'll need to take a swim to dissolve the last of this."

"A swim?" Lilyheart gaped. "I don't know how to swim!"

"Just find a creek and try to sit neck-deep in it until that washes away," the ThunderClan medicine cat instructed. "It won't take long."

"C'mon, I'll take you," Sparktail mewed.

Lilyheart nodded a little shakily and rose to her feet, allowing the brown tabby tom to lead her from the den. Once they had left camp, he turned to look at her with concern in his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"Y-yeah. Why?"

"You're shaking like a leaf." He leaned over and licked her ear. "Tell me what's wrong, Lilyheart."

"I… I don't know. When she pulled it out of my fur, it hurt, but it was like it triggered something and it made my wounds hurt all over again, like they were fresh." Protectively, the young she-cat curled her chin down to cover the marks. "It felt like fire."

Sparktail walked in silence for a few heartbeats, then asked, "could it have something to do with the fact that that wound would have been fatal?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you told me about that dream you had, you said that you were supposed to die from that wound, but you were able to come back because of Moonkit's destiny." Sparktail watched her carefully. "Maybe, since it was supposed to be a killing blow, it won't heal like normal wounds."

Lilyheart shivered at the thought of ever having to endure such pain again, but it made sense. A killing wound wouldn't have healed, would it? For the first time, she was thankful for Moonkit's destiny. At least I'm still alive.

Sparktail nudged her with his shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Look," he mewed, pointing with a gesture of his head, "there's the stream." They paused on the mossy bank, before Lilyheart cautiously lowered herself into the icy water and settled on the pebbly bottom.

"I hate this," she muttered, shivering. "It's too cold."

"Hopefully, the stuff will wash away soon," Sparktail added. "Oh, Lilyheart, watch out for that—"

A stick came from upstream and hit Lilyheart square in the back of her head. Claws of pain arced down her head and into her throat, causing her to convulse and crumple into the water with a splash. She felt like her whole body was on fire, yet she was in the water. As it started to die down she felt a splash, and then Sparktail was under her, supporting her with his shoulders and pushing her onto the bank. "Are you okay?" He asked.

She nodded, trembling. "It happened again," she whispered. "But it was worse."

"We should get you back to camp." Sparktail said worriedly. "Come on."

Back in camp, he led her to one of the makeshift nests outside of the warrior's den and she fell asleep immediately, with no dreams.

*LINEBREAK*

"Whee!" Lilyheart woke up to something sliding down her back.

"What…" She raised her head sleepily and turned her head to find her face-to-face with Splashkit.

"Oops!" The little kit chirped, jumping off and dashing away. She was followed by Sagekit, Ripplekit and Dawnkit, who had evidently been waiting for their turns as well. Since they didn't have a mother to rein them in, the four kits pretty much ran the camp, getting in everyone's way. They were sort of everyone's kits—Everyone helped to take care of them and in return, they got in everyone's way. Watching the kits play made Lilyheart think of Minnowsplash, and she sighed, leaning against the cliff face. Minnowsplash hadn't been seen by anyone since she and Sorrelheart snuck out to rescue the kits. Sorrelheart had told everyone what had happened, but still no one knew what Minnowsplash had overheard before Russetstar threatened her. Now that no one could find Minnowsplash to ask her, they were at a disadvantage. ShadowClan was probably plotting something, with WindClan as their allies.

Attacks were becoming brutal and more frequent. Apprentices were no longer allowed to leave the camp alone, after Eggpaw had been ambushed near the border and nearly died. Kits could only leave the nursery under supervision (though Splashkit and her siblings seemed to enjoy breaking that rule), and warriors were recommended to go in patrols of 5 or more. The situation was becoming dire. In the last attack, WindClan and ShadowClan had brought rogues with them, enough to nearly double the forces. The numbers of RiverClan and ThunderClan were dangerously low, leaving only a few apprentices and a pawful of warriors in each Clan. Ravenstar and Talonstar were trying their best to hold the Clans together, but some cats were even talking about leaving. Truthfully, Lilyheart was half with them. She didn't want to die as young as she was.

Guiltily, Lilyheart crouched back in her nest. Maybe I should give up the life I want so I can stop this war…

A/n: You like? Eh? Neh? Please review c: