Cats from Nightclan, a nocturnal clan that lives on a thickly forested mountainside.

Jaypaw – white tom with gray/blue eyes and a gray tabby eye patch

Foxpaw – gray tom with fluffy white-tipped tail and brown eyes

Rainshade – speckled dark gray tom with green eyes (Jaypaw's mentor)

Tallwillow – long-legged black she-cat with yellow eyes (Foxpaw's mentor)

Moonstar – long-haired mottled gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

Flamebird – ginger she-cat (Nightclan warrior)

Owlmask – dark brown she-cat with a cream colored face and large eyes (Nightclan warrior)

"There you are, Jaypaw!" Foxpaw called out to his brother. "Rainshade and Tallwillow want us to meet them at the Burnt Ash." The gray tom's head poked out from behind a pile of stones. He bounced from paw to paw impatiently, his white-tipped tail swishing.

Jaypaw lifted his head from its resting place on his white forepaws. He felt a muted sense annoyance that Foxpaw had even found him here. This spot under a rock ledge outside of Nightclan's camp was his place to be alone. Jaypaw sighed and let his head fall back to his paws. It had been his place, anyway.

Foxpaw lashed his tail again. "Hey! I'm talking to you."

"We already went hunting today. What else do they want?" Jaypaw muttered half to himself.

"Does it matter?" Foxpaw rolled his brown eyes. "They call, we come."

Jaypaw wanted to cover his ears and ignore his nagging brother. He just wanted to lay here undisturbed for a while. Was that too much to ask?

"I know you're tired," Foxpaw's voice softened. "But lying here in the dark isn't helping."

Jaypaw begged to differ. Deep down though, he knew that he needed to answer Rainshade's call. If he didn't then he'd never be a warrior. Then how could he ever keep the promise he had made?

Jaypaw heaved a deep breath and got to his feet. Foxpaw's eyes sparkled with triumph. He opened his mouth but Jaypaw raised his tail.

"Shut up." He said flatly.

Foxpaw flashed a toothy grin at his brother.

Jaypaw climbed over the boulders that he had hoped would keep him out of sight. He hopped down onto the forest floor next to Foxpaw. The gray apprentice reached over with his tail and brushed a stray leaf from Jaypaw's flank.

"Let's go!" Foxpaw jumped into a run without waiting another moment.

Jaypaw sighed and forced his paws to move after his brother.

. . .

Foxpaw glanced behind him to make sure his brother was following. The white tom was plodding along through the darkened forest. His gray blue eyes were downcast and his tail barely cleared the leaf-flecked ground.

Foxpaw sighed and turned his gaze back to the path ahead. Jaypaw seemed so far away ever since their mother, Frostlight, had died. The only thing that kept the brother's from drifting apart was the strange emotional connection they had. Whenever one had an intense emotion the other could feel it no matter how far away.

Foxpaw flinched as he remembered that terrible night when Frostlight had died. He had felt Jaypaw's shock and grief as clearly as his own.

Foxpaw shook his head. Don't think about that! He chided himself. The thought of his mother drove an icy claw of grief into his heart.

The brothers ran through Nightclan's territory in silence. The moon glowed brightly overhead in the star-spattered sky. The soft light illuminated the forest ahead. Shadows spilled over the soft, needle-strewn ground. Whispering night breezes raced the apprentices through the undergrowth, nipping at their tails with playful unseen mouths.

Foxpaw relaxed under the watchful eyes of the moon. All was well beneath her soft light. The cats of Nightclan loved best the light of the moon. The sun was too harsh and bright. Besides, why would Starclan have gifted cats eyes that could pierce the darkness if they did not intend for the clans to use them?

It wasn't long before Foxpaw and Jaypaw arrived at the Burnt Ash. The ancient tree was gray, gnarled, and bare of leaves. It had been that way for as long as any cat could remember. The tips of its skeletal branches were stained black by a long extinguished fire.

Two cats stood at the base of the trunk. Foxpaw's mentor, Tallwillow, rose to her paws as the apprentices slipped into view. The other warrior, Rainshade, stayed seated. His speckled dark gray tail was twitching and his green eyes were half-closed with boredom.

Tallwillow nudged her companion with a black paw. Rainshade grunted and opened one eye.

"Took you long enough." He yawned. He stood up and sank into an over-exaggerated stretch.

Tallwillow rolled her yellow eyes. "We haven't been waiting long." She reassured the apprentices.

Foxpaw waved his tail at her in appreciation. Jaypaw just grunted.

"Tonight is a special night." Tallwillow said. She gestured to the apprentices that they should sit. They did.

"We spoke with Moonstar about your training." She black warrior continued.

Foxpaw's ears perked up. Moonstar? That might mean…

"She agrees that it is time for your warrior assessments."

Foxpaw felt a rush of excitement shoot through his body. He couldn't stop a huge grin from splitting his face. Their warrior assessments! He turned to Jaypaw, hoping to share the thrill that he was feeling.

Jaypaw was staring at his paws. His expression hadn't changed a bit. His face was as stony as it always was.

Foxpaw's face fell. He opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted by Rainshade.

"Your task is to catch three pieces of prey and before sunrise." The gray warrior said lazily. His green eyes flicked between the brothers. "You are to work alone."

Foxpaw nodded. The implication was clear. They were going to be watched. Still though, three pieces of prey seemed like an easy task. It was the height of Greenleaf and prey was abundant. He briefly wondered if there was more to the assessment than it seemed.

His paws churned in the dark dirt. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for since he had first learned what a warrior was. It was his time. His heart pounded and his head spun with emotion.

"You may begin." Tallwillow's low mew broke through Foxpaw's thoughts.

He jumped a little. Then with a nod of confirmation from his mentor he turned and faced the forest. Foxpaw took a deep breath and glanced to his side. Jaypaw met his gaze briefly. Foxpaw nodded and took off towards his future.

. . .

Jaypaw watched Foxpaw speed away. A light of determination shone in the gray apprentice's eyes. He was ready to prove himself. Jaypaw felt his brother's excitement radiate in his own chest. It did nothing to lift Jaypaw's spirits, however. He began his assessment more slowly. He turned his back on his mentor and considered his options.

Going south would lead him towards the stream. Voles could be found there. Voles were easy pickings. Going north would take him close to camp. That was no good. West, though, that was uphill towards the peak of the mountain. Bigger, more impressive prey lived there among the rocks.

With a flick of his tail Jaypaw turned and headed south. He didn't need to impress anyone. He just needed to pass. Once he had his warrior name he would be one step closer, one step nearer to the goal that kept him going each day.

He set his jaw and picked up the pace. New motivation drove him forward. This was what he had been waiting for.

. . .

Foxpaw's limbs ached. He ignored the discomfort. He sat crouched, motionless, behind a smooth gray boulder. In front of him a mountain hare was nibbling cautiously at the scrubby grass that grew through the stony ground. He had waited a long time for the hare to come out into the open. Now his patience would be rewarded.

Foxpaw sprang.

The hare's squeal of surprise was cut off as Foxpaw squashed the animal under his paws. Without hesitation he leaned down and gripped the hare's neck in his mouth. With a swift jerk he snapped the creature's neck.

Warm satisfaction filled Foxpaw's mouth like blood. Two down, one to go.

He dragged the lifeless hare to an overhanging lip of rock. He tucked the fresh-kill under some pine needles and leaves and left it there, confident that it was well hidden from scavengers. Foxpaw surveyed his surroundings. He pricked his ears and opened his mouth. Mouse scent on the breeze tickled his tongue. He turned his paws downhill and began to creep away.

Something rustled behind him.

Without thinking, Foxpaw dove behind a scraggly bush for cover. He peeked between the branches, his heart pounding wildly. He took a deep breath to calm himself and focused on searching the shadows for movement.

There! He thought.

A few fox-lengths away was a shadow. It blended almost perfectly against the rock. Foxpaw would have missed it if he hadn't seen the brief flash of reflected light from a pair of feline eyes.

Foxpaw tensed. The cat was near his stash of prey. It must have been watching him for a while now. Foxpaw opened his mouth and tasted the air. He was upwind though, and he cursed his misfortune.

Could this be part of the assessment? Foxpaw couldn't be sure. What he was sure of was that no cat was taking his prey from him. He lowered himself to the ground and watched through narrowed eyes.

He stayed stone-still until the cat moved again. It crept out from under its rocky hiding spot and nearer to the hidden hare. Foxpaw's heart skipped a beat. He had to keep his tail from swishing with excitement.

Wait. He told himself. Wait until their guard is down.

It took a bit longer but eventually the cat relaxed enough to check the crevice. In that moment Foxpaw acted.

The apprentice shot out from under his hiding place and flung himself at the would-be thief. Before the mystery cat could react Foxpaw was on top of them. With a shriek the cat rolled away from Foxpaw's attack. Foxpaw regained his balance quickly and spun to face his foe. He drew his lips back in a snarl and lifted a forepaw aggressively.

"Don't attack!" The cat gasped.

Foxpaw paused. He knew that voice. He took another look.

"Flamebird!" He said, surprised.

The ginger Nightclan warrior's shoulder fur flattened as Foxpaw recognized her. Her yellow eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

"Well done defending your catch." She purred.

Foxpaw cocked his head. Then he understood. It had all been part of the assessment.

"I was ready to tear you to shreds!" Foxpaw purred back. His heart slowed and he re-sheathed his claws.

Flamebird snorted. "I was ready for you."

Foxpaw eyed her. He was pretty convinced that he had caught the warrior completely off guard. He didn't try to argue with the proud she-cat though. He wasn't finished yet.

"I've still got work to do." Foxpaw said. He turned to check on his hare. It was untouched. "I'll see you-" He cut off as the breath was driven from his chest. A sudden intense disgust had shot through his body. Bile rose in his throat.

Jaypaw must have made his first catch.

Foxpaw shook himself and recovered from the sudden emotion.

"My job is done." Flamebird said idly. She seemed not to have noticed Foxpaw's sudden change. She flicked her tail and padded past Foxpaw out of the shadows. "See you back at camp."

Foxpaw nodded and watched her dash down the slope. He let himself be proud and excited at his success for a few heartbeats before refocusing on the task ahead.

. . .

Jaypaw sank his teeth into his catch. Warm blood flooded his jaws. The creature squealed and thrashed against Jaypaw's grip. He clamped down harder. With a sickening crunch the vole fell still. Jaypaw opened his mouth and let the little thing fall to the earth. He swiped his tongue around his bloodied lips and suppressed a shiver.

He hated taking lives.

It didn't matter that the clan needed prey to survive. It didn't matter that all his instincts told him to kill the creatures of the forest. He hated it with every hair on his pelt. He always had.

Frostlight used to say it was because of his soft heart. She hadn't meant it as an insult, in fact her eyes often glowed with pride when she said it. She had always believed that he would make a good medicine cat.

And then she was murdered.

Hot anger boiled up inside of Jaypaw as he thought of that horrible night. It had been three moons ago but he remembered it like it was yesterday.

A terrible rainstorm had forced the clan out of their camp for fear of drowning. As the clan fled Frostlight had doubled back to help an elder. Foxpaw wanted to move on like Frostlight had told them but Jaypaw didn't want to leave his mother behind.

He remembered struggling to climb down a muddy hill. He remembered the rain hitting his face as he peered over the edge of a rock. He remembered seeing Frostlight nudging the struggling elder along.

He remembered seeing that shape in the shadows behind them; a shape with a distinctive pale face and cold eyes.

A passing warrior had scooped Jaypaw up then and taken him further uphill. He had never seen his mother alive again.

Jaypaw gripped the soft ground beneath him with his claws. Frostlight had never made it to the safety of the temporary camp. She had been found a day later with a broken neck. Moonstar had said it was an accident. The elder that Frostlight had been helping was found dead too; drowned by the storm.

Jaypaw knew that his mother had been murdered that night. He knew it every time he looked into that pale face and cold eyes.

A faint rustle in the undergrowth shocked Jaypaw out of his reverie. His head snapped up and he swept the forest around him with discerning blue eyes. He opened his jaws and drew the night air over his tongue. He froze. He knew that scent.

Just ahead of him the undergrowth parted and revealed a slender dark brown she-cat. Her large eyes considered him from within her pale face.

"Hello, Jaypaw." The she-cat said in her silky voice.

Jaypaw stared, open-mouthed, into the face of his mother's killer.

. . .

Foxpaw's chest heaved for breath as he dragged his catch the last few fox-lengths to Nightclan's camp entrance. He had managed to bring down a blackbird for his third catch. He laid the hare alongside the bird and a plump mouse.

"Well done." Tallwillow's deep mew announced her arrival.

Foxpaw turned to greet his mentor. Her yellow eyes glowed with pride.

"Flamebird told me you caught her in the act." She purred.

Foxpaw smirked. He knew he had caught her off guard.

Rainshade appeared from the forest just behind Tallwillow. He looked over Foxpaw's catch and nodded with approval. "Any sign of Jaypaw?" the gray warrior asked nonchalantly.

Foxpaw shook his head. He looked to the sky. Already he could see it beginning to lighten as the sun began to chase away the starlight. His belly wriggled uncomfortably.

"He'll be here." Foxpaw said. His voice shook a little, betraying his nerves.

He'd better.

. . .

Every hair on Jaypaw's pelt stood on end as he faced down his clanmate Owlmask. The she-cat was completely calm as she looked the apprentice up and down. Her dark eyes were shadowed by the fading moonlight.

"I volunteered to watch your assessment." Owlmask said in her smooth voice. "I was supposed to try to steal your prey."

Jaypaw didn't move or respond. His heart was fighting to escape his chest and his mind was racing. He had never been alone with Owlmask. There had never been a reason to be. He knew in his heart that the brown warrior was responsible for Frostlight's death, but he had been biding his time to enact his revenge.

Now that she was here and looking at him like that, however, he began to realize he had miscalculated. She knew that he knew.

Owlmask took a silent step forward. Jaypaw scrambled backward.

Owlmask cocked her head. "What's the matter, Jaypaw?" her voice dripped with cruel amusement. "Afraid?"

Jaypaw gripped the ground with his claws and forced himself to calm down. He would not show fear in the face of this filth. He squared his shoulders and looked Owlmask in the eyes.

A terrible smirk split her face. "Frostlight was afraid too."

Jaypaw felt as if he had been kicked in the stomach. He gasped aloud, causing Owlmask to smile wider with glee.

"Do you want to know why?" Owlmask slid forward, her dark brown paws making no sound on the soft ground. Her eyes caught the light and the glinted with cold malice. "I figured I would give you that much before I silence you."

Jaypaw swallowed so hard it hurt. "Why?" His voice was surprisingly solid.

Owlmask drew even closer. She was a tail-length away now. She fixed him with her cold eyes. "Because she was there."

Jaypaw's belly tightened. "What do you mean?" he demanded.

Owlmask cocked her head. "I wanted to kill." She said simply. "She was there."

Comprehension dawned on Jaypaw like a wave of freezing water. He had spent long hours thinking about what kind of motive Owlmask could have had for killing Frostlight. He imagined grand stories of scorned love or a rivalry gone wrong. He has been sure there had been a reason, but as Owlmask stood here in front of him he realized. Frostlight had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her kindness had gotten her killed.

A new emotion sparked deep within Jaypaw. Rage. Rage as he had never known it. He looked into Owlmask's deadened eyes and unsheathed his claws. One of them would die tonight.

. . .

Foxpaw was worried. The sun was almost up. Jaypaw was going to fail! Foxpaw kneaded the ground with his paws and closed his eyes. He imagined where Jaypaw might be.

A sudden lightning bolt of terror ripped through Foxpaw's chest. His eyes flew open and he looked around wildly for an attack. He was safe. Which meant…

Without a second thought Foxpaw took off through the trees. He ignored Tallwillow's yowl of surprise as he sped away. Only one thought mattered now.

Jaypaw was in danger.

. . .

Jaypaw couldn't breathe. Owlmask had her whole weight planted firmly on his neck and chest. Her pale face loomed over him in his blurred vision. Tears formed at the edges of his eyes as he struggled for air. He had been no match for her.

"Goodbye, Jaypaw." Owlmask whispered. She leaned close to his neck.

Jaypaw could feel her hot breath on his fur. Delirious, Jaypaw thought he could smell Frostlight's scent among Owlmask's. Despair filled him. He couldn't fail now. He had a promise to keep.

His sight dimmed as Owlmask pushed harder. His lungs screamed for air but no matter how he struggled the she-cat wouldn't budge. Her eyes were alight with a horrible exhilaration and her breaths were becoming ragged.

Jaypaw closed his eyes. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing him die.

The crushing weight disappeared.

Jaypaw gasped for air. It flooded his lungs, searing them with what felt like fire. He rolled over and scrabbled at the ground as he coughed and choked. His vison was blurry with wetness and lack of breath. What had happened?

. . .

Foxpaw rammed himself headfirst into Owlmask's side. The she-cat let out a squeal of surprise as she was knocked cleanly away from her prey. Foxpaw tumbled to a halt in the dirt before jumping to his paws.

Owlmask was lying on her side a tail length away. Her dark eyes were stretched wide with genuine shock.

Foxpaw's chest heaved with adrenaline and panic. It began to fade as Jaypaw sucked in jagged breaths behind him. After a few heartbeats only Foxpaw's anger remained.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Foxpaw demanded.

Owlmask recovered from her moment of shock with a sly smile. She rose to her paws and brushed herself off. "Trying to kill Jaypaw." The warrior said flippantly.

Foxpaw stumbled back a pace in shock. That's what it had looked like was happening, but he didn't imagine Owlmask would fully admit it.

"Why?" Was all Foxpaw could manage.

"She killed Frostlight." Jaypaw's broken voice croaked from behind Foxpaw.

Foxpaw glanced back at his brother. The white tom was struggling to his feet. His blue eyes blazed with icy fire. Foxpaw could feel his litter-mate's conviction. What he said was true. Foxpaw turned back to Owlmask.

The she-cat had lost her air of confidence. She was standing with one paw raised defensively and her eyes flicked back and forth. One of her ears twitched.

Foxpaw drew back his lips and showed his fangs. Jaypaw stepped up beside him and did the same.

"We'll tell everyone." Foxpaw snarled. Hatred roiled through him like a searing wind.

"You'll be executed." Jaypaw hissed roughly.

Owlmask managed a sneer. "Oh, I'm aware."

Foxpaw heard the sounds of approaching warriors through the trees.

Tallwillow's mew stood out among the commotion. "He went this way!"

Owlmask seemed to have heard it too. Her ears flattened and she thrashed her tail in frustration.

Foxpaw took a step forward. She couldn't get away. She had to pay.

Jaypaw tried to do the same but he stumbled and fell to the ground. Foxpaw whirled to face help. Jaypaw's leg was seeping blood onto the ground from a wound Foxpaw hadn't noticed. They couldn't stop Owlmask now.

Foxpaw looked up at the murderous she-cat, frustrated.

She gave them one last smirk and turned to leave as the sounds of approaching cats neared.

"I'll be back one day." Owlmask hissed. Then she was gone.

. . .

Jaypaw watched Owlmask flee through a haze of pain and fury. He tried to get his limbs to move but his body stubbornly refused.

Foxpaw yowled after Owlmask, his brown eyes full of fire. Jaypaw felt his brother's frustration and indignation as well as he could his own.

The other Nightclan warriors burst through the trees. They surrounded the apprentices and bombarded them with questions. Foxpaw answered them as best he could. His voice was shaking and he kept demanding that someone follow Owlmask.

Jaypaw just laid there. He stared at the spot where Owlmask had disappeared, silently vowing to see her dead one day.

He would have his revenge.