Here you go, chapter 27. Sadly this story is almost done, im figuring it will end either at chapter 29 or at chapter 30 depending on how long it takes to get to that end point. But dont be sad everyone im planning on writing a sequel to this story. Now if you didnt notice i created a trilogy called The Love of The Clan trilogy. This is book #2 in that trilogy. The sequel to this story, currently titled Every Sunset at the Border, will be book #3. If you didnt read the first book in the trilogy, A Paw in Three Worlds, please do so, i would love to see your amazing review on that story as well. So enjoy this chapter and keep an eye out for the enxt book when this one is finished.

All right ill shut up now, here is chapter 27, enjoy and RRR.


Shimmerlight watched as Amberstar slowly padded over to Minkstripe's body, the half-moon casting a silver glow of the former deputy's pelt. The grieving leader's shoulders slumped forward and the she-cat suddenly looked older than ever as she lay down beside her fallen mate to share tongues for the last time.

Shimmerlight cast a glance up at silverpelt, curiously, the stars in the sky glowing clear and bright, the moon glowing bright white and silver. Looking back at Minkstripe she saw her clanmates pressing their noses to his fur before heading to their dens.

A wave of exhaustion crashed through her limbs and Shimmerlight suddenly realized how tired she was, yawning she headed toward the warriors den, almost crashing into Icedapple and Topazpaw.

"Sorry" Shimmerlight apologized, yawning loudly, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"That's okay" Icedapple meowed "Off to bed are you? It was a big day for you."

Shimmerlight nodded, yawning once again "Where are you going?"

"We are going to the moonstone. I'm going to be a full medicine cat" Topazpaw meowed bouncing from paw to paw, barely able to contain her excitement.

Icedapple snorted "Not acting like this you're not" she scolded "How do you expect starclan to accept you if you're acting likea kit let out of the nursery for the first time"

"Aw lighten up Icedapple" Shimmerlight teased "She has every right to be excited"

Icedapple smirked "I suppose your right" waving her tail to Topazpaw as a sign to leave "Now remember my medicine cat ceremony…"

"Aww Icedapple!" Topazpaw exclaimed "Are you going to tell stories the whole way there?"

Shimmerlight shook her head in amusement before slowly padding into the warriors den, she slowly climbed into her nest, unable to hold back the sigh of contentment as her bones settled and her muscles relaxed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, ready for a dreamless sleep.

"Congratulations Shimmerlight!"

Shimmerlight spun around to find herself nose to nose with Shimmersky, the ginger and white she-cat smiled at her, her eyes dancing with stars.

"T-thank you" Shimmerlight stammered, trying to hide her uneasiness from the starclan warrior.

"Do not worry Shimmerlight" Shimmersky encouraged "You are on the right path; you were always destined to protect your clan"

"I still don't understand what the clan eneds to be protected from" Shimmerlight admitted, scuffing the ground with her paw, "How can I protect anyone if I don't know what the danger is?"

"You do know the danger, you have always known" Shimmersky meowed "You are the only one not blind to his faults, not easily convinced by a few strong words."

Suddenly Shimmerlight dug her claws into the ground "Sunvine" she growled.

Shimmersky nodded sadly "He had so much promise as an apprentice" she murmured before continuing "But his path was laid out for him many moons ago. He did not have the faith or the strength to change his course."

"Be careful Shimmerlight" she cautioned "He knows not what he does; he knows not what he says. His mind if far gone and what if left of it is shattered and fragile."

Shimmerlight stepped forward as Shimmersky began to fade away "Wait! What am I supposed to do?"

"Protect your clanmates, protect you friends" Shimmersky murmured "Remember I am always beside you, guiding your paws."

Blackness.

Shimmerlight was pulled from the star filled dream, feeling something prodding her side. She rolled over, away from the pressure before being pushed out of her nest.

"Hey" she growled "What was that for?"

She met the blue orb-like eyes of Bluecloud, he looked at her amusedly his whiskers twitching.

"It's nearly dawn" he stated.

Shimmerlight yawned loudly "And? I'm not on the dawn patrol" she meowed, laying her head back on her paws.

"Who is?" Bluecloud questioned, his voice teasing. Shimmerlight felt her fur grow hot with embarrassment. I'm deputy now she thought I'm such a mousebrain!

"Oh um" she struggled to pull some names out of thin air "Stoneshine, Silverstreak, Rowanflight and Duskheart for border patrol. Whitefog and Gorsefur can go hunting"

Bluecloud nodded before disappearing out of the den. Shimmerlight sighed standing up and stretching her muscles before padding out into the camp.

As she emerged from the den she could see Bluecloud sending out the hunting and border patrols, heat crept through her pelt as she watched him she quickly shook it off as she trotted over to the blue gray tom. Her pelt prickled as she got closer to him, she knew he would agree to go hunting with her but her stomach fluttered nervously at what she was about to do.

Before she could reach him she was intercepted by Amberstar, the pale tabby looked exhausted like her dreams had been plagued by night terrors as she approached Shimmerlight. Shimmerlight kneaded the ground impatiently as she waited, her stomach fluttering nervously.

"Shimmerlight" Amberstar began, she sat down curling her tail over her paws as she reached her "Who would you like to be the mentors or Lionkit and Petalkit" she asked.

Shimmerlight watched Bluecloud head over to the nursery and begin talking to the queens, she thought for a moment before answering "I think Stoneshine would be a good mentor to Petalkit"

"Really?" Amberstar asked "You don't think he would be too hard on her because she is his father's daughter with another she-cat?"

Shimmerlight shook her head "No he would never be so cruel, he is a great mentor and he is going to be a good father to Squirreltail's kits when they are born"

Amberstar nodded thoughtfully "You say this with such ceritanty, very well I trust you judgement. And who will mentor Lionkit?"

"If you don't mind, I would like to mentor Lionkit" Shimmerlight meowed carefully "Shadowsplash entrusted him to me before she died and I would like to oversee his training"

Amberstar nodded standing up "Of course, the ceremonies will be at mid-day when the patrols return" she turned, leaving without another word and as she left Shimmerlight felt her nervousness return. She took a deep breath and charged straight toward Bluecloud.

"Bluecloud will you come hunting with me?" she quickly covered her mouth with her tail realizing she had just blurted the question out rather loudly and in front of Brightwing and Squirreltail.

She felt her fur grow hot with embarrassment, Bluecloud smiled at her and nodded. As they padded away Shimmerlight could hear the queens whispering about them, this only made her more nervous.

As they worked their way towards the Shadowclan border they accumulated a large pile of prey including two fat squirrels and a few mice. After managing to jump high enough to snag a blackbird, Shimmerlight sat down to catch her breath. The hunting was exactly what she needed to keep her mind from wavering.

"Alright" Bluecloud exclaimed "What's going on?"

"What? Nothing" Shimmerlight meowed nervously "I just thought we should hunt, the clan needs all the fresh kill it can get right now"

Bluecloud smirked knowingly "Shimmerlight, I know you. And I know that there is something on your mind"

Shimmerlight sighed defeated "Well maybe there is, and maybe there isn't" she snorted "Who says it's any of your business?"

"It's my business because you want to talk to me about it, why else would you want to go hunting and send the other patrol in the complete opposite direction."

Shimmerlight felt her stomach flip flop as she considered what he was saying and what she had been thinking and feeling lately. She looked down at the ground for a moment taking a deep breath before speaking quietly "I want you to know that I'm ready"

"You're ready for what?" Bluecloud asked, stepping closer to her, his warm breath tickling her pelt causing Shimmerlight to tremble.

"I'm ready to be your mate" she blushed and looked down at the ground "That is if you still want to be mine"

Bluecloud blinked repeatedly, his soft blue eyes bright "Of course I still want to be with you Shimmerlight, I love you"

Shimmerlight trembled as he slowly rasped his tongue across her cheek, twining his tail with her.

"I love you too" she whispered.


AN: Don't forget to check out book #1 A Paw in Three Worlds and keep and eye out for the next installment in this trilogy once this story is completed.

Ta Ta for now. See you guys soon.