"Everyone please gather around the large log, we have important things to talk about," Driftstar yowled.

"I wonder if he actually has nine lives, because it seems to me that Bass-star didn't," Palmtail grumbled as the cats made their way to the long log.

Thistleburr stared up at her new leader, feeling both hope and fear. She hoped that he would be the one to get WaterClan out of their rut, but she also feared that whatever curse WaterClan seemed to have, would only continue to get worse.

"As you know, I recently went to the Moonpond and received my name and my nine lives," Driftstar began.

"Are you sure? I mean, are you really sure?" Palmtail asked.

"I understand your doubts, I mean, after what happened with Bass-star and all, but I am sure," he paused, and his eyes filled with happiness, but with a twinge of sadness and longing, "I saw Cloudstream, she spoke to me, she-"

Ripplestorm shook her head and whispered something in his ear, that Thistleburr couldn't hear.

Driftstar nodded and licked his chest fur a few times, before continuing.

"Right, I think our first order of business should be to send fish to FlowerClan."

"What?" Blackfur exploded, "Are you completely mouse-brained? Leaf-bare will be here before you know it, and you want to give some of our food away to them? For what?"

"We attacked them for no reason, we invaded their camp, and we probably scared their kits half to death. The least we can do for them is give them some fish," Driftstar meowed calmly.

Blackfur continued to mutter stuff under his breath, but Thistleburr paid no attention to him, instead, she focused her attention solely on Driftstar.

"Now, the next thing I want to do, is go and find cats outside the clan to join WaterClan."

The silence that followed Driftstar's words was nearly deafening. For a moment, Thistleburr feared that she had actually lost her hearing, until Blackfur jumped up and yowled.

"Are you completely mouse-brained? We can't let outsiders into the camp!"

"What do you expect us to do then huh? It's not like it's not like we can magically make clan born cats of WaterClan appear out of thin air!" Driftdust spat.

"In case you're forgetting, I have a mate, we can easily have more kits," Blackfur pointed out.

You'll probably just neglect them like you do Splashpaw, Thistleburr thought to herself, glancing over at the she-cat, who was looking down at her paws, seeming to be completely embarrassed by her family.

"Speaking of kits, it's such a shame what happened to Cloudstream, you two would have made such lovely kits," Morningmist meowed in a sickly sweet voice.

Thistleburr fought the urge to claw her pelt off right then and there, she knew exactly what happened to Cloudstream!

"Oh and Frogeyes, your poor sister, she succumbed to greencough before she could even have her second litter of kits, but maybe that was a good thing, after all, we all know how Snakepaw turned out," she continued.

"That is enough! That is no way to talk to your leader!" Darksun meowed in a calm, yet firm tone. Though as calm as she sounded, the fire in her eyes betrayed how angry she really was.

"He's no leader of mine! From this day forth, I am no longer part of this pathetic excuse of a clan!" Blackfur huffed.

"Nor am I," Morningmist meowed, "Bramblepaw, Splashpaw, come along now."

"No Mother, my home is here, I'm a loyal WaterClan member and I'm not leaving," Splashpaw meowed firmly.

"Fine, then you are no daughter of mine," Morningmist hissed.

Splashpaw drew back, as though her mother had slapped her, and once again, Thistleburr fought the urge to claw her fur off.

"Blackfur, Morningmist, you have made your decision, now please leave, your kits may stay if they wish to, but if any of us catch you two step one paw over WaterClan territory, we'll have to take drastic measures," Driftstar meowed.

"Oh really? What are you without us? A novice warrior, a warrior whose on his way to the elder's den, a queen, and some kits? Face it Driftdust, even with Darksun as your deputy, and even if you do somehow manage to convince Bramblepaw to stay, WaterClan is still doomed, and they were doomed from the moment Bass-star made you deputy instead of me!"

"Without you, we're a strong and noble clan, a clan who won't beat the other clans into submission, a clan who will accept cats from all walks of life, a clan-"

"Who doesn't follow the warrior code," Blackfur meowed, cutting him off.

"What do you know about following the warrior code?" Thistleburr meowed, feeling her heart pound hard against her chest. She couldn't believe she had just spoken to him like that. She knew it was time though, she knew it was time that she revealed his dark secret before he left the clan forever and got away with it.

"More than your precious leader does, I bet it won't be long before he's doling out parts of the territory to the other clans!"

"Well, at least he's never killed one of his clanmates," Thistleburr growled, surprised that her voice didn't shake.

"What are you talking about?" Darksun asked, narrowing her eyes.

"He killed Cloudstream!" Thistleburr exclaimed, getting the words out before she could lose her courage.

"What?" Splashpaw looked in horror at her father, "You killed my mentor? Why?"

"She was my best friend!" Darksun yowled, bristling, looking angrier than Thistleburr had ever seen her before.

"She knew too much, though it seems like there was another cat I should have killed that night too," Blackfur growled, glaring at Thistleburr.

"If you lay one paw on her, I won't hestitate to kill you," Darksun growled, starting for the tom. Though to Thistleburr's surprise, Driftstar blocked her way with his tail.

She couldn't believe it, was Driftstar on Blackfur's side this whole time? Did they plant the adder in Bass-star's den?

No, it didn't make sense, if that were the case, then why didn't Driftstar make Blackfur his deputy? Also, Driftstar wouldn't take part in killing Cloudstream, he loved her.

"What are you doing?" Darksun demanded.

"Just wait," Driftstar meowed, looking up at the sky.

"For what? For Blackfur to get away with what he did to Cloudstream?"

"He won't get away, trust me, Cloudstream told me all about it, she said that StarClan is angry, Blackfur isn't going to get away with this."

He looked at the sky again, and a bright light suddenly appeared in the sky, followed by a loud boom that made Thistleburr's fur stand on end. She had heard that noise before, and seen that light, it was always during a storm, but she had never witnessed them without rain, or them coming seemingly out of nowhere.

"No! Blackfur!" Morningmist wailed.

Thistleburr turned her attention to where the she-cat was wailing, and she couldn't believe what she saw.

Laying stiff in the middle of the clearing, was the charred smoking body of Blackfur.

WaterClan

Leader: Driftstar - small light brown tom with golden eyes

Deputy: Darksun - slender, pitch-black she-cat with long legs, tufted ears, and golden eyes

(Apprentice: Splashpaw)

Medicine Cat: Ripplestorm - small pretty white she-cat with gray spots and blue eyes

(Apprentice: Thornpaw)

Warriors:

Palmtail - cream tom with white leopard spots all over, and hazel eyes

Blackfur - black tom with blue eyes

Thistleburr - slightly light- grey she-cat, with white dapples and a light peach/brown coloring, and clear blue-green eyes

(Apprentice: Bramblepaw)

Morningmist - black and white she-cat with green eyes

Apprentices:

Thornpaw - thick-furred blue tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Bramblepaw - brown tom with amber eyes

Splashpaw - blue she-cat with green eyes

Queens:

Icerunner - silver she cat with white swirls and pastel blue eyes (mother of Flashkit, Bubblekit, and Bluekit, foster mother of Snowkit)

Kits:

Flashkit - white tom with a vibrant ginger patch on his back and green eyes

Bubblekit - bluish grey tabby with green eyes and paler socks

Bluekit - identical to Bubblekit exept with a longer left back sock and a pale eye spot

Snowkit - white furred, strong she-cat with black eyes, and one blind eye; scarred all over (originally a rogue)