Hello my lovelies! hope you're ready for this chapter!

Chapter 28

Echoripple looked up at the moon, it was the first quarter and she was waiting for the other cats to arrive. Briarberry and Blackear had already arrived, now they were waiting for the other Clan cats so she could try to convince them to help her.

Echoripple's heart fluttered in her chest with nervousness at the thought of what could happen. It could go well, or it could go badly, she thought the latter was more likely. Briarberry and Blackear were pressed against each other, their eyes half-closed as they waited in the snow.

Echoripple paced around the hollow, glancing at the tall four oaks that guarded the meeting place. She pricked her ears as she heard a rustling sound on the ShadowClan border. She looked up and she narrowed her eyes as Featherfall stepped out of the snow covered bushes.

Featherfall looked at the three cats disdainfully, her especially. "What did you want?" Featherfall asked Blackear curtly. She looked as unfriendly as ever and Echoripple returned the look icily.

"Just for you to listen, Featherfall," Blackear mewed gently, padding forward to touch Featherfall's ear softly. Echoripple looked at the two cats in shock. They looked like they knew each other, like they really knew each other.

Echoripple was about to say something but Briarberry slipped in front of her, her green eyes looked annoyed as she looked at Blackear. "He and Featherfall have been meeting for a few moons now, just don't say anything," Briarberry mewed with a sigh.

Echoripple nodded, feeling uneasy with her brother's relationship with the ShadowClan she-cat. Echoripple looked up as she heard the crunch of snow on the WindClan border and she saw two she-cats padding down.

She padded over to meet them as Featherfall pulled away from Blackear abruptly. "Sunglow, Firewillow," Echoripple mewed, giving Sunglow a friendly look. "Thank you for coming, " Echoripple mewed formerly.

Firewillow nodded, her eyes wary and Sunglow looked uneasy as she looked at all the other cats in the clearing. Echoripple led them down to the bottom of the hollow where all the other cats waited. Echoripple drew in a deep breath and climbed onto one of the branches of a Great Oak.

"Cats, thank you for coming at only my request. I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here, the truth is, I have taken it upon myself to take down the offering of kits from the warrior-code," Echoripple announced, ready to hear protests.

But only silence greeted her, the two WindClan cats looked at each other in shock. Featherfall looked interested, which surprised Echoripple.

"Echoripple," Sunglow got to her paws and looked at her. "I'm sure you have your reasons for trying this, but the sacrifice is part of our tradition, it keeps us safe," Sunglow mewed, her green eyes looking at her accusingly.

Echoripple had expected something like that, but she was a little saddened that it was Sunglow who challenged her first. "I do not believe that the Clans need to murder kits to follow the warrior-code," Echoripple growled, anger, hotter then fire, flared within her.

"But the sacrifice doesn't just remind cats of the warrior-code, it gives StarClan the power to give us easy lives so there is no need for battle," Sunglow continued.

Echoripple flicked her tail impatiently. "Are the seasons really any different then they used to be? It still is cold in leaf-bare, there is still green-cough. It still floods every new-leaf, it is still hot in green-leaf, and the prey disappears in the cold season," Echoripple pointed out.

Sunglow frowned and sat down, shaking her head. Firewillow was looking at her with wide eyes. "If the sacrifice is for nothing, then did my kit die for nothing?" Firewillow asked bitterly, she looked miserable.

Echoripple closed her eyes and tried to remember back to that fateful day. A fuzzy image of Firewillow and a tiny red tom kit was brought to mind. "Your son did not die for nothing," Echoripple mewed softly.

"But you just said the sacrifice is for nothing," Firewillow growled.

Echoripple flicked her ear, "Yes, there is no physical change because of the sacrifice. But it does renew cats commitment to the warrior-code," Echoripple mewed. "But I believe cats can be committed to the warrior-code without kits dying," Echoripple continued strongly.

She looked back at Sunglow, the medicine-cat was frowning. "How did you know Firewillow's kit was a tom?" Sunglow asked, her green eyes were confused.

Echoripple drew in a sharp breath, I hadn't meant for that to slip! But now Featherfall, Firewillow, and Sunglow were all looking at her in confusion.

Echoripple looked at her littermates. Blackear looked at her questioningly, obviously wondering if she was going to tell them the truth. Briarberry looked distressed, she obviously thought it wasn't a good idea to tell the cats she had been a sacrificed kit.

But maybe it'll help them understand my position on this issue. Echoripple took a deep breath, "Its because I was there," she mewed, standing squarely as she looked at the shocked looks on the cat's faces.

"How? You're a rogue!" Featherfall mewed, she looked completely shocked.

Echoripple swallowed nervously. "Back then I was known as Ripplekit," she mewed quietly.

Understanding slowly replaced the looks of shock on the cat's faces. "You were a sacrificed," Firewillow murmured, her eyes fixed on her desperately. She obviously wanted to know if her son had survived as well.

Echoripple sighed and nodded, trying to push down bad memories of swirling water. "As you can guess, that's why Blackear and Briarberry are helping me," she looked at them with renewed happiness. "They're my littermates."

Every cat turned to look at the two ThunderClan siblings then back at her, she was sure they could see the resemblance between her and Blackear. "That's why you don't want the sacrifice…" Sunglow murmured, her green eyes softening.

Echoripple nodded, "I'm proof that the sacrifice doesn't change the Clans. ThunderClan didn't suffer any unusual consequences because I didn't die," Echoripple mewed. All the cats were looking at her seriously now.

"I for one, agree that the sacrifice needs to end," Featherfall mewed, standing up. "And I'll help you in every way possible," she added to Echoripple.

Echoripple nodded in thanks and met Featherfall's blazing green eyes. Even if they didn't like each other much, they had been united in an instant because of their hatred for the sacrifice.

Echoripple turned to the WindClan cats. They were murmuring quietly with each other, then looked at her. Firewillow stood up and faced her, "We'll help as well. I lost my kit to the sacrifice, I wouldn't wish that pain on anymore mothers," Firewillow murmured, her blue eyes sad.

"And I can talk with the other medicine-cat's about it, I'm sure at least a few of them will agree and we can try to ask StarClan," Sunglow mewed, dipping her head to Echoripple respectfully.

Echoripple felt confidence surge through her. I might just pull this off. She dipped her head thankfully to all the cats. "Thank you for joining me, what I need you to do is to find your clan-mates that might help us as well," Echoripple mewed.

The cats nodded, looking filled with strength and determination. Echoripple couldn't help but feel proud and optimistic about what they were doing. "We should meet back here every quarter moon with every cat we can get to come with us to grow stronger so we can destroy the sacrifice once and for all!" Echoripple mewed loudly.

The cats mewed their support though their shining eyes was enough for Echoripple. After that, they disbanded and Briarberry and Blackear offered to escort her back to her territory, since she had to go through ThunderClan territory to get to SkyClan's territory.

They padded along the shadow, their paws leaving clean tracks in the white snow that was turned silver by the moonlight. Echoripple's mind wandered to Slash, she had told him she was busy this night, but she couldn't wait to see him again tomorrow night and started dreaming about how good it would be.

"I hope you're not getting too confident," Blackear's grumble brought her back to the present.

"What?" she asked, looking at him questioningly.

"Just because you've got a few cats agreeing with you, its still a long way from close enough to get the leader's to take the sacrifice off the warrior-code," Blackear warned.

"I know," Echoripple mewed, "But this is a start, and a good start," she mewed, turning her gaze on the snow-covered trail in front of her.

Blackear shrugged, "Don't be disappointed if it doesn't all work out, you don't even have the courage to tell your own parents that you're alive," Blackear added.

Echoripple's pelt bristled. "I do have the courage! It just isn't the right time yet," Echoripple mewed, flattening her fur.

"Then when will it be the right time?" Briarberry asked softly. Echoripple was quiet, as much as she hated it, she was afraid to tell her parents that she was alive, and she wasn't sure why.

"Its because of rejection." A tiny voice murmured, she pricked her ears, she could have sworn it was Silverpool.

But if I'm going to do this, I need to be honest and not be afraid of rejection. Because when I stand up for this, there will be rejection. She sighed. "On the half-moon, bring them to the SkyClan-ThunderClan and I'll tell them," Echoripple murmured.

Briarberry and Blackear glanced at each other and nodded, they looked like they had wanted her to say yes. Echoripple sighed and closed her eyes. I just hope I have the strength to face them.

...

I was just thinking there aren't a lot of fights in this story, just moral conflict... Anyway, Please Review!