A/N: I think the advantage to having short chapters is that they are easier to write and they give me more time to do other things. Hope no one minds if I do the occasional short chapter more often.

Willowstorm of SkyClan: Foxshadow is not based off me, no. She's way more motherly and feisty than I am, lol.

Maple Dapple: I'm kinda glad you love one of the background characters so much. I'm sure a lot of my readers have forgotten about her because it's been so long since I posted those initial chapters, so it's good to see some new readers remember her kit-craziness.

Cardgames on Pokemon: Frostfur was depressed after the loss of Snowkit, so her solution was to go and get pregnant again. More kits always made her happy before so why not? It never occurred to her that this might be a bad thing, and how could she consult a medicine cat when the current one was a cat she really didn't like?

AnonChan1: Well, I think the fact that the joke fell flat speaks volumes for what these cats care about and it certainly isn't that. Iceclaw's "you could have been my mate" mentality is a reflection of the rogue's disregard of respecting she-cats and he would have thought that joke was mocking him. (1) WindClan may not want to start anything, but when the cats responsible for their exile are just next door and their Clan isn't as big as yours, you can bet there's going to be trouble and WindClan is going to start it. (2) Yeah, Sunningrocks is one of those things that cats won't be able to let go. I was really surprised when the first arc went over how special that land was to both Clans but then they easily abandoned it in the second arc. Actually, that's wrong because RiverClan wanted to stay behind and ThunderClan was forced out of their territory when they began tearing down the trees. It just never got specifically brought up in the books, which is a shame. (3) Oooh, I like that you're thinking about this. In fact, you're pretty much thinking along the same lines that I did. DarkClan owes Foxy one and Blackfoot isn't about to forget it either. (4) Dustshadow is going to be one of those healthy relationship stories. There are too many unhealthy romances out there and I just hate them. I hate them with a passion. It's like everyone loves a bad romance. Dustshadow, for the most part, is my answer to that. This is how you can have a good relationship. NOT that I'm saying I'm 100% good at writing them and the relationship could still turn bad despite the good in it, but there should be more good relationships and I prefer to write them. (5) Clan rivalries and pride are on the line. Some Clans just love rubbing it in other Clan's faces. RiverClan happens to be that Clan for ThunderClan.


Foxshadow hoped that Frostfur was alright but the morning had become quiet and there was too much blood on the air. It did not look like Frostfur had survived the night. Foxshadow had had no sleep the previous night. She hadn't even noticed when Dustpelt had settled down beside her to keep her company and fallen asleep.

At sunhigh, Dustpelt woke up and stretched beside her. He was quiet as he studied her thoughtfully and finally rose up on his paws. "Foxscar?" he asked, using the pet name he had for her. "Do you want me to take Brackenpaw out fighting?"

Foxshadow struggled to gather her thoughts as she blinked blearily at him. Thornpaw was already a pretty good fighter and Brackenpaw hadn't had any experience. Foxshadow had wanted to focus on his hunting skills while their was plenty of prey for him to practice on, so she had neglected his fighting skills. In her mind, fighting training could be done during the colder leaf-fall moons when prey was scarcer.

"We can train Brackenpaw and Thornpaw together," she meowed finally, rising up on her paws and suddenly realizing how tired she was. She was not looking forward to training anyone today. "Brackenpaw hasn't had any fighting practice. He's going to need to be taught the basics before he and Thornpaw can fight."

Dustpelt frowned and nodded. "Then I'll let them hunt instead. Thornpaw could use the practice." His gaze flickered over her pelt. "You should stay here and try to get some rest."

Foxshadow wasn't going to argue that she shouldn't be training the apprentices right now, but she did not want to leave that spot. "I'll stay here until I know for sure that Frostfur is alright."

Dustpelt glanced at the nursery and Foxshadow could tell from his expression that he did not think it was a possibility. With a reluctant nod, he stepped forward to press his nose comfortingly into her fur and then padded away to gather the apprentices.

Foxshadow turned back to the nursery and realized that Goldenflower had fallen asleep beside her. The golden she-cat was probably unable to stay awake as long as Foxshadow could. Foxshadow was not unfamiliar with going a full night without sleep, since she had to take constant flights between her parent's separate houses. It was exhausting, but she had long ago gotten used to it. She was bit more tired now than she would have been then and she couldn't help but blame her cat body for it.

Foxshadow put those thoughts out of her mind as she turned back to the nursery, wondering briefly if Yellowfang had already left while she had been distracted with Dustpelt. She heard the old queen's mew and realized that would not be the case. A few minutes passed before the dark gray she-cat emerged, looking tired. Her eyes were filled with sorrow.

Foxshadow stood up and stepped forward to her ask her how Frostfur was but the question died in her throat. Yellowfang padded away towards the leader's den and Foxshadow felt dread fill her. She padded into the nursery and heard the squeals of kits crying out for milk. She took one look at Brindleface, the grieving queen wrapped around a still large white body, and Foxshadow knew Frostfur was dead. She stared for a long moment at the scene before her as it burned into her brain, her gaze falling to the two white kits at her belly and the two gray kits. The dark gray tabby tom blinked owlishly up at her, unnatural yellow eyes sparkling before he shut his eyes. Foxshadow stared, her thoughts having come to a halt.

It felt like an instant later that Goldenflower appeared, pushing passed her and wailed at the sight of the dead white queen. Foxshadow felt detached from it all. She had known all along that Frostfur was going to die, and there she was. Without Frostfur's milk, the kits would probably die as well. Foxshadow couldn't bare to stand there and stare at them any longer, so she turned quickly and padded out of the den.

The world seemed too bright. Her tired brain struggled to comprehend how such a world could be so cruel. She looked around at the cats and saw recognition in their faces. They seemed to know someone had died. Unable to look at them any longer and see her sadness reflected in their eyes, she turned away and padded into the warriors den and curled up in her den. She found herself falling asleep almost instantly.

Long sharp claws poked her awake and Foxshadow jerked, uncurling from her nest. Tigerclaw glared down at her.

"Now's not the time for laziness, Foxshadow," he meowed. "Bluestar has an announcement to make and it concerns everyone."

It was dawn the following day. Foxshadow padded into the clearing and saw Patchpelt and Brindleface return through the bramble tunnel and wondered if they were just returning from burying Frostfur. Foxshadow had missed the vigil, but she honestly didn't mind. She and Frostfur hadn't been close and Foxshadow was more concerned with Frostfur's kits. Without twelve kittens and only two queens producing milk, it was obvious that not all of them were going to survive.

Foxshadow slowly turned her gaze up at Highrock where Bluestar was perched. Bluestar blinked at her and looked away, scanning the cats. Foxshadow wondered if Bluestar couldn't stand the sight of her grief. She smelled Dustpelt before the tom sat down beside her and pressed into her side. Foxshadow pressed back, relaxing into him and silently grateful for the support.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" she yowled. "It is unfortunate that Frostfur's death should come at a time when ThunderClan is on the brink of war. Fortunately, her kits have survived and are all very healthy." A subdued and surprised murmur filled the camp but they quickly became silent. "Frostfur joins with StarClan as we speak," Bluestar continued, bowing her head in grief.

The rest of the Clan copied the motion. Foxshadow closed her eyes, silently promising Frostfur that she'd do everything she could to help her kits. She made a mental note to ask Brindleface what their names would be.

"I am sure most of you have heard rumors about what happened at the Gathering two days ago," she continued. "Crookedstar has accused Graystripe of murdering both his former mentors."

"What?" meowed Fireheart.

"That isn't true!" yowled Willowpelt. "It can't be true."

At Willowpelt's words, Foxshadow could feel sudden anger flow under pelt, an irrational anger that made her claws unsheathe and her fur bristle all over. How dare the world be this cruel? How dare Crookedstar say this about Graystripe? Hasn't ThunderClan suffered enough?

"What evidence do they have of this?" Foxshadow practically spat. "Baseless rumors? Assumptions? Do those RiverClan cats have any brains or are their head full of fish?" Foxshadow's lips pulled back in a snarl as her Clanmates meowed agreement around her. Her voice grew louder and more angry. "Are they trying to start a war!?"

Bluestar's tail-tip twitched thoughtfully. "Crookedstar has been keeping Graystripe prisoner for this reason."

Yowls of outrage filled the Clan.

"The fools!" Foxshadow snarled. "They have a perfectly willing warrior and they are just going to keep him locked up? Because of rumors!?"

"Graystripe would never kill a fellow Clanmate," meowed Willowpelt, her voice almost shrill.

"Graystripe is noble and honorable," meowed Fireheart.

"He betrayed us to RiverClan!" yowled Longtail, turning on the kittypet. "He's been meeting with them in secret for moons!"

"If that was true," snapped Foxshadow. "Crookedstar would never have accused him of being a spy for us!"

The silence and agreement that greeted this remark only seemed to fuel the anger in ThunderClan.

"Perhaps we should demonstrate to RiverClan," meowed Tigerclaw, his strong voice causing the Clan to quiet, "that we do not require the aid of a spy to take back what is ours."

Bluestar leaned forward to look down at her deputy. "What do you mean, Tigerclaw?"

"I mean," meowed the deputy patiently, "that ThunderClan should not take this insult lying down. We should prove our strength to them by taking back Sunningrocks."

Foxshadow, for all her irrational anger towards RiverClan, felt her anger die as fear filled her. "That could mean starting a war!" she meowed.

Tigerclaw was silent, his dark amber eyes staring at her calculatingly.

"Is the great Foxshadow afraid of a fight?" snarled Swiftpaw, before Runningwind cuffed him over the head.

The massive she-cat ignored the apprentice and stood up so she could look over the heads of her Clanmates and look each of them in the eye. "I know that we have fought for generations over Sunningrocks, but under these circumstances fighting for that territory could lead to triggering many more fights we cannot cope with. We must be tactful about how we regain that territory if we want to avoid future conflict."

The other Clan cats nodded around her in silent agreement with her words. Foxshadow suddenly realized that she hadn't said anything that would dissuade them from battling for Sunningrocks, but now she couldn't say anything against the idea or else she'd risk losing the favor of the Clan. She was still looking to become the next deputy, once Tigerclaw was exiled or dead, and she had to win them over if she wanted to do that.

But still, now is not the time to fight RiverClan over Sunningrocks. We have to prove that we are honorable fighters first and foremost, and taking Sunningrocks would only make them even more upset with us.

"I agree," meowed Tigerclaw instantly, "which is why I was thinking you should be the one to lead the battle patrol against them."

Foxshadow lifted her head in surprise and stared at Tigerclaw, her mind suddenly racing. Was Tigerclaw setting this all up to kill her or was he testing her abilities? "I will do what Bluestar believes is best," she meowed, looking up at Bluestar, who slightly dipped her head in thanks for the trust.

"If no one has any reason to protest this," Bluestar meowed, pausing so that someone could have an opportunity to protest before continuing, "then it is agreed. Foxshadow will lead a patrol to take back Sunningrocks."

Foxshadow flattened her ears in resignation. "When do you think I should have the patrol ready?" she meowed.

Bluestar grew thoughtful. "Before the halfmoon," she decided. "We need to gather our strength and prepare for the fight."

Foxshadow bowed her head. "I will inform everyone who I think should go in just a few days," she decided, before looking at the deputy. "If that is alright with you, Tigerclaw."

The dark warrior bowed his head. "I have faith you will choose wisely."

Foxshadow wasn't sure she wanted his faith and simply dipped her head.

"Our meeting is concluded," Bluestar yowled as she leaped off the top of Highrock and made for her den.

Foxshadow prayed that, whatever the outcome at Sunningrocks, it didn't result in a war. She was going to have to think carefully about who to pick and what strategy she was going to use to do this, and she only have seven days to do this.


A/N: I didn't mention this before but I made a small mistake in the alliegances that I had to fix before I update the last chapter. You know how Skyheart is asexual? Well, I accidentally listed her as a pregnant queen in the RIverClan allegiances. Yup. I had to fix that and fast.

See you guys next weekend! Don't forget to leave a review!