No more Gatherings? Onyxshade thought in disbelief. Gatherings were a usual ritual among the Clans… it was the only time there was actually peace.

Foxstar's lazy gaze swept his fellow FoxClan warriors. "We are going to take WindClan today," he meowed slowly. "Foxstar Formation two."

There was a rumble as all the warriors stood up and formed the bristling wall of fur and claws. Onyxshade wove through the tangle of cats and found his position between Kinkwhisker and Ashwhisker. Together, the FoxClan warriors locked their shoulders together and marched towards WindClan territory.

A new smell washed over Onyxshade; the light stench of the wind and rabbits. Onyxshade wrinkled his nose.

"Attack," came Foxstar's voice from the front of the patrol.

The Foxstar Formation warriors pushed forward; they formed a large wall, with six warriors in each row, making up eight rows, so forty-eight cats. The first two rows split and headed up front to block the warriors; the next row ran to the far side, and Onyxshade's row took the rear (again). The last two rows blocked the main entrance.

Adderstar surrendered almost immediately.

"Okay, okay," panted the mottled tom, "WindClan will become part of FoxClan. I can't take any more bloodshed… just make sure…my warriors don't die unresonably."

Foxstar stepped forward. "Step down from your position, Adderface?"

Adderface nodded. "I do."

They took ThunderClan just as easily. Four days after the invasion of WindClan, they ambushed ThunderClan at night, and Beetlestar had already been waiting in the clearing.

Now the territory was completely under Foxstar's control. All the Clans had merged as one, and it seemed hopeless that anyone who would rebel would win; the Darkness was growing rapidly, and unless you wanted a quick death, joining the Darkness was the best option.

One Clan meant no more borders; there were no longer border tussles or Clan arguments. The Clans usually kept to themselves, but ShadowClan warriors were free to wander. Occasionally, Aspenheart, Raggedlion, or Wolftail would come over to Foxstar to report. Foxstar had replaced the previous leaders with his highest ranking Darkness warriors. Onyxshade knew that Aspenheart secretly let Swiftfoot do everything; ThunderClan and WindClan, though, were completely under Raggedlion and Wolftail's rule, respectively.

Onyxshade still acted as an undercover for ShadowClan medicine cat, along with Jumpingtail. ShadowClan cats had seemed to toughen it out, as they rarely got sick. And with no more borders to patrol, all they had were warrior duties. There were no prophecies.

"Have you abandoned us, StarClan?" murmured Onyxshade.

"You must find your own path," another voice whispered behind him. Onyxshade turned. It was Jumpingtail.

"This is StarClan's way of telling us that?" muttered Onyxshade angrily.

Jumpingtail looked sad and shook his head. "Being a medicine cat isn't just about healing. We are just as important as the leader and deputy. We are the core that binds the Clan together. We interpret prophecies that could save or destroy the Clan. In a way, the responsibility of everyone's lives weighs down on us. By healing, prophecizing, and just being here for advice is just as important as the leader leading the Clan and making decisions on behalf of all the cats."

Onyxshade slowly nodded, because Jumpingtail was right. He turned to face the FoxClan warriors. "The Clans are forever destroyed."

Jumpingtail shook his head again. "You can't believe that."

"You don't?"

"We must hope," he insisted. "Hope is what keeps us strong. As long as we hope, there's always a solution. I think it was um… Twigstar of WindClan that once meowed, 'when there's a will, there's a way.'"

"Well, no one has any will but you," Onyxshade meowed miserably. Thunderstar, Windstar, Riverstar, and Shadowstar had worked so hard to establish Clan rules, the code, the Clans, the roles of everyone. And now all that was wrecked.

Jumpingtail gazed at him sadly. "You just have to believe."

Accepting OC's for my next story. Include name, gender, discription, personality, otherwise I will chose for you. If you want to give one, please PM me. Thank you for your consideration! Thank you for all the reviews! Keep them going! ^^

~Silentecho