Disclaimer: Warriors by Erin Hunter

Thanks to my reviewers: Oo-Rainpath-oO, VioletteRose, Icethroat21, Warriors-Skywing, and Madame J. Pontmercy

Now I have some things to say. Today I finally read and finished Sunrise. Took me long enough. I must admit that if I'd read it before, I would have never written Hollyleaf's Challenge. I'm so glad I never got it from the library before this.

Second thing I have to say is I just got a book from a thrift store. It's called Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams and its about a society of cats living in the wild. It was written before Warriors and I wonder if one of the writers read this. It seems very interesting so far.

Third thing: most of you all wonder what Firestar was going to name Fallingsnow. Fallingfeather, Fallingfrost, Fallingfoot, Fallingfish, Fallingforest, Fallingfall, Fallingfog, Fallingflash, Fallingfire, Fallingfur, Fallingfin, Fallingface, Fallingfang, Fallingfreeze, Fallingflame, Fallingfern, Fallingfrog, Fallingfox? So many possibilities for her name. Or perhaps, it wasn't going to be a 'F' name at all. Perhaps she just startled him. *Grins at your displeasure of not knowing* It shall remain a mystery...


Chapter 27

It only took a quarter moon for Needlefur to recover. He wasn't sore any more, and his wounds were just scabs. The Clan cats were recovering as well. Only Pricklethorn had to stay in the medicine cat den still. He was still deeply injured.

Darkfire felt it was a good time to go to ShadowClan. It was time for Needlefur to face his past.

For the last quarter moon, Darkfire did observe Fallingsnow. They went on patrols together and he tried not to be so obvious about his interest, but it was easy to stay with his niece. The rest of the Clan still eyed him warily. They didn't spend time with him. It was just like when he'd been here last leaf-fall before he'd become a ShadowClan warrior. The only cats that would spend time with Darkfire now was Hickorypaw (who enjoyed telling everyone about Summerheat Camp), Dewstep, Ivyflight, Graystripe, Brackenfur, and Fallingsnow. So Darkfire could easily keep an eye on her.

Darkfire discovered some things. He discovered she didn't have many friends in the Clan and that she was teased on occasion. Of course she was a bit clumsy. He could see that. He could hear some teasing about that and he could see that it made her mad. She usually stalked off then, not speaking to her tormentors.

Darkfire also knew that she had avoided him for a day after her warrior ceremony. She'd avoided many cats that day, but afterwards she hadn't. Something had been on her mind that day. Darkfire wondered what.

She was a bit moody, but she wasn't a bad cat. Darkfire really had to wonder if she knew about the prophesy. He was beginning to believe she didn't. There was only one last thing to do. Take her to ShadowClan.

"Firestar?"

Darkfire approached the ThunderClan leader. The ginger tom looked at him.

It was early morning and Darkfire thought this would be a good time to leave. He and Needlefur had been sharing the warriors' den with everyone else, but he could tell it was making many cats uneasy. They weren't part of the Clan. Only Darkfire's relatives would even sleep next to them. Darkfire felt the faster they were out of camp, the better.

"Yes, Darkfire?" Firestar asked.

"We're going to ShadowClan today," Darkfire told him. "Needlefur is well enough now. I was wondering if I could take Fallingsnow with me."

Firestar was surprised.

"Why take her?" he asked.

"We might need a ThunderClan warrior with us," Darkfire meowed. He really wasn't sure if Firestar knew about the prophesy or not and if taking Fallingsnow with him would make the leader suspicious. "She could also bring back news if she had to. She also won't seem threatening to ShadowClan."

Firestar reluctantly nodded.

"You can take her."

"Thank you," Darkfire meowed. "Would you also make sure Hickorypaw stays?"

Firestar nodded again.

Darkfire left him to get his companions. He knew Hickorypaw would be mad at him for leaving her. She had wanted to see ShadowClan as well as ThunderClan. But Darkfire didn't want to take his daughter into a possibly dangerous situation. She had to stay with ThunderClan.

Needlefur was finishing off a vole and Fallingsnow had just woken up. Darkfire went to her after nodding to the dark brown warrior.

"Fallingsnow," he called. She turned around to face him. Darkfire thought she looked tired. He'd thought she'd woken up sometime during last night, which had made him wake up, but he'd gone right back to sleep, thinking she'd only been using the dirt-place. Maybe she'd been doing other things to be this tired.

"You're coming with Needlefur and me to ShadowClan," he meowed.

He saw her eyes widen. He wondered if he was imagining the shine in them.

"Okay," she meowed. "Are we going now?"

Darkfire nodded. "You can catch something on the way."

She smiled and hurried after him. Then her front paws got tangled in themselves and she stumbled. She quickly corrected her self and looked around. She licked her chest fur. Darkfire knew she was berating herself for doing that. Darkfire just ignored it. He knew she mostly tripped while she was distracted. She did seem to be distracted a lot. He wondered why. Perhaps it really was the prophesy. Or what ever she did at night.

Needlefur stood up and joined them as they went to the tunnel.

"Let's get out of here before the apprentices get up," Darkfire meowed quietly to them.

They hurried out, but not before Dewstep came out of the warriors' den and nodded to his brother. Dewstep was aware of what Darkfire was doing and even if he was still worried over his daughter, he trusted Darkfire to bring her back safely. Darkfire would make sure she was kept safe.

Once in the forest the cold air blew around them, rocking the bare branches. They rattled when they hit each other. It was a sharp sound, keeping Darkfire wary.

The three cats wandered through the trees to ShadowClan territory. The snow was thick on the ground. They pushed through it and the thick undergrowth. This was hard work, Darkfire thought. No wonder it was getting hard to catch prey. He hoped newleaf came soon. They only managed to find a bird. Darkfire let Fallingsnow eat it. He might get something on the way back, and the little warrior looked like she could use a few meals.

"Should we wait for a patrol?" Needlefur asked.

They'd made it to the border. The scentmarkers were fresh, as a ThunderClan patrol had just been by. Darkfire could still hear their voices as they drifted off to the lake. He knew a ShadowClan one would be by soon enough.

He nodded in reply.

"When we get there," he meowed to Fallingsnow. "It might be hostile. We might have to fight our way out. Do as I tell you, okay?"

Fallingsnow reluctantly nodded. "Why would they want to fight?"

"I'm Kinkstar's son," Needlefur meowed. "She was ashamed when I broke the code by seeing Redstrike. She wanted me dead. I still don't know if she wants it or not."

-Line-

Fallingsnow shivered. She couldn't imagine Dewstep or Ivyflight wanting to kill her. Her thoughts went back to the conversation she'd had one night with Brownfeather. Would you kill your kit? She still didn't like the outcome of that talk. She frowned and thrust it out of her mind. When she went into the camp, she couldn't act like she recognized Brownfeather. She couldn't act like she was happy to see him. She also couldn't look around at the camp he so lovingly described just like she spoke of hers.

"And if she does," Darkfire was meowing. "It will be time for us to leave."

Fallingsnow looked up. "As in back to Summerheat Camp?"

Darkfire nodded.

"But you can't go," she meowed.

She was shocked. She would have thought he'd stayed longer. They'd just gotten there. Of course she knew the arguments for them to leave. She'd seen how they were unwelcome in the Clan and how the other cats reluctantly let them stay. There didn't seem to be enough prey to go around and she knew many cats resented giving it to the outsiders. But Fallingsnow enjoyed their company.

Darkfire actually went places with her and would listen to her and would talk with her. He was one of her real friends. She didn't want him leaving. She'd have to face another day with the cats that only liked her as an asset to the Clan.

"ThunderClan shouldn't have to provide for us," Darkfire shook his head. It was as if he'd read her thoughts. "Leaf-bare wasn't a good time to come. We'll leave if ShadowClan would rather not have us in their Clan."

"Wait," she meowed. "In their Clan?"

"I'd like to stay awhile," Needlefur meowed quietly. "To see all my old friends. We were Clanmates at one time. I'd like to be with them like Darkfire was with Dewstep and Frostshine and Nightshade."

Fallingsnow looked down. She hadn't thought of that. He really must have been missing his Clan. Then a thought crept into her mind. Could she stay too? She really wanted to stay in ShadowClan with her uncle and with Brownfeather. It would be fun. But she doubted it would be possible. Why would ShadowClan accept her, a ThunderClan cat? At least Darkfire and Needlefur had been part of the Clan before. She was nothing to these cats.

She nodded, showing them she understood.

Just then, the ShadowClan patrol arrived.