Disclaimer: Warriors by Erin Hunter

Thanks to the reviewers who have taken the time to read and review to the end: VioletRose52, Allygirl56, Brackenfurlover, Dovekit, and Icethroat21.

And thanks to those who read at a slower pace or are just starting: Fluffy Lady, KrspaceT, and Dorsi's Quill.

To Brackenfurlover: Doing a sequel about Darkfire might be fun. I'd have to come up with an idea about it while I was on vacation. I am placing Darkfire in the epilogue, that's what I meant to say in the last chapter, so you will see him again. So do you think I should start his story while he's in ShadowClan, or after he leaves ThunderClan?

To Dovekit: I don't have a lot of time to make an allegiance, so if you'd PM me one, I'd make corrections and post it in the front. You don't have to though, and making you do the work would be mean of me, but I can't get to it at this time.

I'm finally back. Here it is, the rest of the story:

Hey, one more thing, since Dewstep has to stay in the medicine cat den, another cat will take over the story on occasion.

Chapter 36

A day after speaking with Firestar, Jayfeather met with Lionblaze, Dewstep, Ivyflight, and Dovetooth. They spoke about Sol.

"We need to find him and get rid of him," Jayfeather meowed. "Before he can convince other cats to follow him."

"None of the Clans trust him," Dovetooth argued. "They won't listen to him."

"There are individuals that might," Jayfeather told her. "Like Hollyleaf did. They might like his advice."

Lionblaze nodded.

Dewstep just looked down. Did they have to talk about Hollyleaf? He gave a quick glance at Ivyflight. She hadn't spoken to him since learning what Hollyleaf had planned to do. What he'd been taught to do. She didn't look at him now. Instead she remained silent, looking at the pool in the medicine cat's den.

"So we need to stop him," Jayfeather meowed. "Any suggestions?"

"We have to find him first," Lionblaze meowed. "It would also be helpful to know who the Third is."

He rested his gaze on the two sisters. Dewstep wondered how they didn't even believe he could be the Third. Apparently, ever since he overheard them talking about it, they must have thought he couldn't be their Third. Not after the accident. He was still too weak to get up and walk, so he couldn't be of any use to them had he been.

"It can't be me," Dovetooth meowed, looking at Dewstep as if wondering if he knew what they were talking about. "I don't have any powers."

"It can't be me," Ivyflight protested as the brothers looked at her. "It just can't be."

"Too bad StarClan just won't tell us," Dovetooth meowed.

"They don't know either," Jayfeather told them. "We have to find out."

"We don't know what the powers are anyway," Lionblaze meowed. "One of you could have anything."

"Both?" Dewstep suggested, drawing their attention. "Couldn't both be?"

Lionblaze and Jayfeather thought about it.

"No," Lionblaze shook his head. "They both couldn't share a power. The prophesy wouldn't be about three cats then."

"He's right," Jayfeather meowed.

"Do we even need to know?" Dovetooth asked. "I mean, we should just look for Sol. It shouldn't matter who the Third is."

"But it will," Jayfeather meowed. "Eventually we have to know. Perhaps Sol is the danger we are meant to protect the Clans from, or something bigger. This could just be the test that helps us figure it out."

"When should we go?" Lionblaze asked.

"We could go tonight," Jayfeather meowed. "Toadheart can look after Dewstep."

The apprentice was currently searching for herbs. It was the only way to make sure this meeting was private.

While the four other cats planned what they'd do, Dewstep wondered what made them think they had to do it. They were planning behind their leader's back. They thought they were the only cats that could do this. He didn't agree, but he wouldn't protest. What sort of thing could he do that would make them realize it wasn't their place? And what if it was their place? They were the Three. This might have been their purpose. He couldn't tell them otherwise. Even if they were betraying the code. He winced at the thought. Hollyleaf's words were ingrained in him even if he didn't force other cats to follow.

Ivyflight remained silent. She didn't add much to the discussion. Dewstep had a feeling she didn't want to go on the quest. He didn't want her to either. He wanted her to stay with him and keep him warm.

"Ivyflight?" he asked quietly. She was standing as far away as she could from him, but she heard him over the other three. She looked up at him and then quickly turned away.

"Ivyflight," Dewstep meowed. He knew his voice was filled with agony. She was purposefully ignoring him. His love didn't want him anymore.

By now the other cats were paying attention to the other two. They glanced between Dewstep and Ivyflight. Dovetooth started to walk to her sister, but the tabby saw her and quickly left the cave.

Dewstep felt miserable. Ivyflight had been so nice to him while he was in the Clan and he slowly got to liking her, but now that he felt free to have a mate, she wanted nothing to do with him. None of it was his fault, why was she avoiding him?

"We'll go tonight then," Jayfeather meowed. He then went to the front of the cave to sort through herbs.

Lionblaze shared a glance with Dovetooth and then he left the cave. Dovetooth got to guard Dewstep now. He knew it wasn't because Firestar didn't trust him. He was too wounded to get up and run or cause trouble, but Firestar didn't trust all of his cats, no matter what he'd once told Dewstep. Cats with hearts too dark for Firestar to comprehend might want to hurt Dewstep or get him out of the camp. Many didn't trust him after what they'd heard yesterday.

"She'll get over it," Dovetooth meowed.

Dewstep glanced up at her and then stared back at his paws.

"She loves you," Dovetooth continued. "She was so scared when she thought you would die."

"Now she hates . . . me," Dewstep meowed quietly.

Dovetooth was silent for a while. "She doesn't hate you. If she did, she wouldn't ever come near you or check on you. She loves you deep down. She's just uncertain. She's mad that you were going to do what Hollyleaf had planned, and she isn't sure she should trust you. But she still loves you."

"I want her . . . to trust me," Dewstep felt his throat tighten. It wasn't because of his wound, but because he was sad.

"That will take time," Dovetooth soothed. She laid next to him like she used to when she had wanted him for a mate. Now she didn't feel that way about him. It was odd, but true. Whatever love she had for him was gone. She was concerned about him and her sister. Why didn't Ivyflight realize how sweet Dewstep really was?

-Line-

Ivyflight went hunting to forget her feelings. She didn't like these feelings. She loved Dewstep, but he had betrayed her Clan. He'd wanted to help Hollyleaf take over and cast out all the half-Clan cats. Cloudtail, her grandfather, wasn't even a full Clan cat. Ivyflight's best friend Bumblethroat was half-Clan. If Dewstep had succeeded, the Clan she knew wouldn't be there. It probably wouldn't be there tomorrow.

The Clan was still divided, and now that the missing cats hadn't come back, things were worse. Many cats thought they'd left of their own free will, but other believed those cats, since they'd gone with Hollyleaf, were planning to come back and attack. The Clan was still big, but their numbers had lessened with the disappearance. WindClan might get bold. The half-Clan cats were still against those few in the Clan that wanted it to become pure again. WindClan and any other Clan would be able to tear ThunderClan apart if they struck now.

Why does everything have to happen at once? Ivyflight asked as she stared up into the leaves that fell around her. Dewstep had been hurt by Darkfire, Hollyleaf comes back and it's discovered she was a killer, the Clan is against itself, and Sol was coming back. It would almost seem StarClan was against ThunderClan.

Ivyflight spotted a squirrel among the leaves. She started to stalk it. She was close when a dark tabby appeared and startled it away as he tried to kill it.

"Foxdung," Brambleclaw spat, tail lashing.

"Oh," Ivyflight squeaked. She hadn't expected him.

He heard her and turned to face her.

"Ivyflight," Brambleclaw meowed pleasantly. "I almost had it."

She simply nodded. She was starting to turn away, to continue to think and to hunt, but he caught up to her and walked next to her.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked. "Is Dovetooth with you?"

"No," Ivyflight shook her head. "She's back at camp. Are you on a hunting patrol?"

"Not really," the deputy meowed. "I decided to come on my own. I needed to get away from camp."

Ivyflight nodded in understanding. It was stressful to be there. Tensions were high. Firestar and the senior warriors were trying to calm it down, but too many cats were refusing to be forgiving or understanding.

"Have you caught anything yet?" she asked.

"No. You?"

She shook her head. She hadn't been hunting much, just thinking even if she hadn't wanted to encourage the thoughts.

"How did-" Ivyflight stopped. She really didn't want to offend him, but she really wanted to ask something.

"What?" Brambleclaw asked when she didn't continue after a while.

Ivyflight didn't want to say 'nothing' and let him forget, but she was too embarrassed to go on. Why did she have to go to another cat and explain her problem?

"How did Squirrelflight get over you being Tigerstar's son?"

The deputy's eyes hardened and Ivyflight felt chilled.