"Tigerpaw! Rosepaw!"

Tigerpaw's chest puffed in pride and she looked back to her parents, a bright and giant grin on her face. The grin slowly faded as she spotted them fawning over Rosepaw and paying no attention to her at all. Her tail drooped as she watched them. Her father, a brown tabby with amber eyes named Kestrelcall, looked over at her and she brightened, hope flowing through her as she thought maybe he would call her over. The tom's gaze darkened and Tigerpaw could just see his mouth curl in the beginnings of a snarl. Rosepaw and their mother Flowerwing, a dappled cream with yellow eyes, followed Kestrelcall's gaze to stare at Tigerpaw with contempt in their eyes.

Tigerpaw's heart sank to her paws and her tail drooped. Maybe they'll never love me…

"Come, Tigerpaw! Let's tour the territory." Tigerpaw looked up to see her mentor, Creektalon, giving her a warm smile; but it didn't hide the pity in his blue eye.

Tigerpaw tore her eyes from her parents and sister. "Okay, yeah, let's go."

Creektalon frowned sadly, but didn't say anything, leading her out of camp. "Alright, you can talk here, Tigerpaw. I saw how you looked back there. I'm sorry."

Tigerpaw shrugged. "I don't know why I expected anything different. They've always treated me this way since they realized I was a Blank and not a Light One… I'm not any different from Rosepaw, so why should being a Blank make me so horrible in their eyes?"

Creektalon shrugged. "I'm not sure. Just because us Blanks can't do as much as the Light or Dark Ones, they think that we can just be shoved aside and not be talked about. We care just as much about the Clan as the rest of our clanmates."

"Yeah… I just wish they would love me as much as they obviously love Rosepaw…" Tigerpaw sighed, looking into a nearby frozen puddle as they passed by it.

As she looked, she frowned. She could really only see the leaf-bare sky and not her own reflection. She blinked, wondering what was wrong as she stopped and tried to see herself in the somewhat hazy ice, but not even a shadow appeared; the shadow stopped right at the ice. A different shadow appeared that almost looked like it was inside the ice and got closer until Tigerpaw saw that it was a black dappled silver cat with greenish-blue eyes. Tigerpaw narrowed her eyes, peering at the face and trying to get a closer look.

"Tigerpaw, what are you doing?"

Tigerpaw jumped, turning to her mentor. "There's a face in the ice that isn't mine," she stammered.

Creektalon frowned, padding over. "What do you mean?" He looked into the ice and Tigerpaw saw his face reflected back at him, but not her own. "I can see your face in the ice. You can't?"

She shook her head. "No…"

"Weird. Do you want to talk to Rushwave about it?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just seeing things." Tigerpaw glanced back at the frozen puddle, but didn't see the silver cat in it anymore. "It's probably just me…"


"Tigerpaw!" The she-cat jumped, turning to her sister, who was giving her an angry frown. "I'm talking to you."

"Sorry, Rosepaw," Tigerpaw murmured. "What did you say?"

Rosepaw scoffed. "You know, I'm trying to be nice to you, but you've made it so hard lately! Can't you just listen for once?!"

Tigerpaw blinked, hurt. "I am listening, Rosepaw. What did you say?"

Rosepaw rolled her yellow eyes. "Forget it. I'm done with trying." She turned, whisking her tail behind her and padding to join the other apprentices, cuddling close to a tom.

Tigerpaw's shoulders sagged. She must have been trying to tell me that she found her Dark One… She stood, glancing back at the hollow, then going up the ravine. Since no one wants me here, I guess I'll go for a walk… She walked through the forest, smiling slightly at the sound of birdsong and water dripping. Looks like newleaf is on its way.

Her gaze caught on a puddle and she turned to it, wondering if her reflection would show up in it this time. It had been a couple moons, so maybe she had just imagined the silver and black cat in it. She padded up to it, looking into it and frowning. Only a blue sky could be seen through it, without the familiar trees of HeronClan territory. This didn't make any sense.

A shadow covered the puddle, but didn't leave it, like it was trapped within the water itself. As Tigerpaw watched, the silver cat appeared in the puddle again and stared back at Tigerpaw.

Who are you? Tigerpaw mouthed.

"Whoo! It's finally nice out here! Oh, hello, Tigerpaw!"

Tigerpaw turned her head to look at Rushwave, then looked back to the puddle, but the cat was gone, only the greenish-blue eyes burning into her memory. "Hi, Rushwave…"

"Everything alright? My brother thought you would be out here and said I should talk to you." The dark gray she-cat sat next to Tigerpaw, glancing once at the puddle in front of them.

Tigerpaw chuckled softly. "Of course he would. Creektalon can't talk to me himself, so send the medicine cat after me…"

"So something is wrong. I've noticed you haven't been your normal focussed self recently," Rushwave mewed. "Something's distracting you. What is it? Your family?"

"Well, that's part of it. I'm never good enough for them. To them, I'll always be a Blank, and nothing more… but there's something else… I think I'm going crazy."

"Why would you think that? Are you seeing or hearing things?"

"I'm seeing things. Whenever I look into something that should reflect my own face back at me, I don't see my face, but a silver cat's instead. But it's like they're really there! And if they aren't, then I just see an empty sky; never my own face." Tigerpaw met the medicine cat's eyes. "Am I crazy?" Rushwave frowned, looking away. "I knew it! I am crazy… wonderful. Just another reason for my family to hate me."

"No, you're not crazy," Rushwave interjected. "It sounds to me like you're seeing your other half."

Tigerpaw frowned. "But I don't have an "other half". I'm a Blank. I don't have light powers like Light Ones do, and I'm not a tom, so I can't be a Dark One."

"It's very rare, but there are those who are not Light Ones or Dark Ones…" Rushwave murmured. "There are sometimes those we have come to call Gray Ones." She paused. "I need to speak with Ravenstar. You are coming to the Gathering tonight, and we're going to see if your other half is there…"

"Okay…" Tigerpaw smiled the smallest bit. For the first time in a long time she felt excited for something. I wonder who it'll be…


"Welcome to the Great Hollow," Creektalon mewed. "Do you see your silver cat yet?"

Tigerpaw looked over the hollow filled with strange cats. "I'm… not sure…"

"It's alright. It doesn't seem like VultureClan is here yet. Would you like to stay here and see if you can spot them?" Creektalon offered. "I can save you a spot down there."

"Yes, please. They might not even be here for this Gathering," Tigerpaw realized with a twinge of disappointment.

"Maybe not… but I'd like to think StarClan will let you meet them." Creektalon gave her a smile. "I'll meet you down there."

Tigerpaw nodded, her eyes fixed on the opposite side of the hollow. Maybe they're part of VultureClan? She narrowed her eyes as a powerful brown tom entered with new cats. As the shadows shifted, moonlight landed on a familiar silver pelt and the cat looked up and met Tigerpaw's eyes and both pairs widened. Greenish-blue. It's you.

Her eyes never leaving the others, Tigerpaw made her way over to the strange cat; a she-cat Tigerpaw now realized as she drew closer. The she-cat said something to the cat next to her and met Tigerpaw in the middle.

"Hey," she whispered. "It's you. The dark cream cat in the puddle."

"Yeah…" Tigerpaw shook her head, her ears warming as she felt eyes on her. "I'm Tigerpaw. Of HeronClan."

"Blossompaw of VultureClan. You're a Gray One too?" she asked, just loud enough for Tigerpaw to hear.

Tigerpaw nodded. "I just found out about Gray Ones today from my medicine cat."

"So did I," Blossompaw admitted. She smiled, and Tigerpaw returned it, happier than she ever thought possible. "I thought I was a Blank."

"Yeah, so did I," Tigerpaw agreed. She glanced up as Ravenstar's voice rose above the clamour. "I have to go back to my mentor. Can we meet again sometime?"

"Yeah. Maybe three days from now? On the border by the burnt tree."

"Sounds good." Tigerpaw couldn't get rid of the goofy grin now spreading across her face. "It was nice to finally meet you, Blossompaw."

"You too, Tigerpaw." Blossompaw gave her a friendly flick of her tail as she turned and walked back to her Clan.

Tigerpaw was in a haze as she returned to Creektalon, who gave her a little knowing chuckle.

"You found them?"

Tigerpaw nodded. "Her name is Blossompaw of VultureClan."


Tigerpaw yawned, raising her head from her paws. Creektalon said I could take it easy today because of the Gathering last night… I wonder what I'll do today.

"Tigerpaw?" Rosepaw lifted her head. "Do you want to go hunting with me and Flowerwing and Kestrelcall today?"

Tigerpaw frowned. "You want to go hunting with me? I thought you all hated me…"

Rosepaw sighed. "We've been cruel to you for no reason, we know that now." She gave her sister a warm smile. "Come hunting with us? As a family."

Tigerpaw returned the smile hesitantly. "Okay. That sounds nice." She told Creektalon where she would be going and joined her parents and sister at the camp entrance. "Where are we going?"

Kestrelcall smiled at her in that grim way of his. "I think we'll just walk and see where the forest takes us."

Tigerpaw nodded and followed them out of camp and into the forest. They were talking and laughing about stories on how their parents met and realized they were each other's other halves and Tigerpaw didn't pay attention to where they were going until they stopped. She peered out from behind her parents to see the river.

"What are we doing over here? I wasn't taught to catch fish," she mewed uncertainly.

Flowerwing turned to her, her once warm yellow eyes now cold. "Rosepaw, watch for others."

"Yes, Mother." Rosepaw turned, her eyes beginning to glow as she walked back up the path a little.

Tigerpaw's brow furrowed as she glanced between her parents. The whites of Kestrelcall's eyes darkened to black and he leaped at Tigerpaw. She tried to scramble away from him, but Flowerwing caught her between her claws. Tigerpaw screamed as searing heat scored down her pelt from her mother's claws.

She looked into the river, fear enveloping her heart. Blossompaw! Help!

Tigerpaw thought she saw the familiar green-blue eyes widen in shock in the water before her head was shoved into it. Tigerpaw tried desperately to get away, and not to scream, knowing she had to save what energy she had to fight back, but despite her best efforts, she grew weaker and weaker. With the last of her energy, she opened her eyes to see a watery version of what looked like Blossompaw come swimming out of the depths of the water toward her. A wave surged around her and pushed her back onto land, Tigerpaw coughing up water from her lungs.

Tigerpaw wasn't sure what was happening as she blearily watched what she thought was water in the form of a cat attacking her parents and sister. Once they were up and running, the water returned to Tigerpaw, smiled at her, and splashed back into the river.

Thanks, Blossompaw…

Tigerpaw dragged herself to her paws and stumbled back to camp, her head down her chest still soaking wet. She was met with gasps of shock and horror as she entered camp and quickly collapsed.

"Tigerpaw!" Tigerpaw could barely hear Creektalon's voice as pawsteps rushed over to her. "You're going to be alright…" His voice faded into the background as exhaustion overcame Tigerpaw and she passed out.


Tigerpaw was walking around in a mist-ridden forest of gray. Everything was gray; the trees, the grass, the leaves, even the stream running by her paws. It wasn't sparkling like Tigerpaw assumed StarClan to look like. Was this StarClan? She started walking forward, looking around her. From what she could tell, there wasn't any colour anywhere, apart from her dusty dark brown striped dark cream pelt.

"Tigerpaw?" Tigerpaw turned, brightening when she saw Blossompaw, who rushed over to her. "You're okay! It worked! Or… wait, are we dead? Is this StarClan?"

Tigerpaw shook her head. "I don't think so? I don't feel dead, and this doesn't look like StarClan. Are you asleep too?"

"I think so." Blossompaw looked up and around, taking in the clearing around them. "I passed out after I saved you. I think it was sending my power across such a long distance to save you. Also!" Blossompaw's eyes, now bright with excitement, met Tigerpaw's. "I have powers! I had no idea that I had them!"

Tigerpaw laughed, Blossompaw's excitement catching on. "Yeah! I didn't even think that would work. I wonder if I have powers too…"

"I'm sure you do. Ooh, I wonder what your power is!" Blossompaw mewed.

"Who knows…? Maybe I don't even have any…" Tigerpaw mewed, a pang of disappointment hitting her chest.

"Who are you kidding, of course you do!" Blossompaw looked away. "I think someone's waking me up. I can hear my mentor's voice. We're still meeting in three night's time, right?"

"Yeah," Tigerpaw agreed. "Wait, does that mean on the third night, or the fourth night?"

"Maybe the fourth night? To be safe? Especially after today."

Tigerpaw nodded. "Alright. See you then."

Blossompaw gave her a smile and then disappeared, leaving Tigerpaw alone in the gray forest.

She sighed. Now what? I guess I wait?

"Tigerpaw? I think she's waking up." Creektalon's voice sounded far away.

Tigerpaw groaned as she struggled to open her eyes. "Creektalon? Where am I?" Everything was blurry as she tried to look at it.

"You're in the medicine den," he answered softly. "Rushwave, she's awake."

The dark gray medicine cat made her way over and placed her ear against Tigerpaw's chest. "Breathe deep, please." Tigerpaw complied. "Alright, I think all the water is out of your lungs. What happened?"

"They tried to kill me…" The realization of what had happened suddenly hit Tigerpaw and she burst into tears. "I've done nothing but tried to make them accept me and love me despite who I am, but they only see me for what I'm not…" She sniffled. "All except you… and Blossompaw…"

"Blossompaw is your other half?" Rushwave asked.

Tigerpaw nodded, wiping her tears away. "I'm meeting her in three nights. On the fourth night…"

Creektalon smiled. "That's wonderful." He glanced at his sister. "I need to go speak with Ravenstar. I'll be right back."

Tigerpaw watched her mentor leave the medicine den, then turned to the medicine cat. "Thank you, Rushwave."

She smiled. "No need to thank me, Tigerpaw; it's my job after all." She chuckled. "Now, you need to get your rest if you want to be able to meet Blossompaw in a few days."

Giddy excitement-filled Tigerpaw again and she grinned. "I can't wait."


Tigerpaw padded quickly to hers and Blossompaw's meeting place, excitement putting a little jump in her steps. "Blossompaw?" she whispered.

"Tigerpaw! I'm here!" Blossompaw came out from behind the charred remains of what had been a birch tree. "You came! Are you feeling better?"

Tigerpaw nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks again for your help."

Blossompaw smiled. "I'm glad I was able to spot you at the right time." Her smile faded at the burns that were beginning to scab over on Tigerpaw's back. "You're hurt! Did a Light One burn you?"

Tigerpaw's head hung slightly. "My mother…"

Blossompaw's mouth dropped open as a look of horror came over her face. "Your mother?! Who was my water-cat fighting that day, Tigerpaw?"

Tigerpaw's head hung even more and her tail drooped. "My parents and my sister. They were trying to kill me," she whispered.

"Why?"

Tigerpaw looked up ever so slightly. "You know why…"

"Because you're not a Light One…" Blossompaw put together with a shake of her head. "They don't know you're a Gray One?"

"No… I don't think they would believe me anyway. And besides," Tigerpaw added with a shock of anger, "I don't want to tell them if they will finally love me because I might have powers. I'd want them to love me for me, not because I have powers."

Blossompaw raised Tigerpaw's chin with a paw, giving her a warm smile. "They're sure missing out on a lot… it's their loss."

Tigerpaw blushed, returning Blossompaw's smile.

"Ah, here you are. I was wondering where you had gone."

Tigerpaw whirled to see Rosepaw standing at the edge of the clearing, that haughty expression making Tigerpaw's heart clench in anger. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing, traitor." Rosepaw stalked forward, her smirk infuriating. "Meeting a cat from another Clan? Won't Ravenstar be pleased to hear about this."

"It's legal," Tigerpaw mewed, not caring if the biting anger was in her voice, and raising her chin in defiance. "She's my other half."

Rosepaw burst out laughing. "You?! You don't have an "other half", stupid. You're a Blank, remember?" She stuck her face way too close to Tigerpaw's. "You're going to be alone forever," she hissed.

Energy pulsed through Tigerpaw as the anger inside grew. "No. I'm a Gray One, and so is Blossompaw."

Rosepaw scoffed. "Yeah, sure. And I'm a hedgehog." She walked past Tigerpaw, shoving Blossompaw so harshly the silver she-cat stumbled back. "Get back to your own Clan."

"Don't touch her!" Lightning bolts cascaded around Tigerpaw and Blossompaw, singing Rosepaw's fur. "Get away from here," Tigerpaw growled.

Rosepaw stared at her sister in shock, her head giving the tiniest shake before she turned and fled. Tigerpaw watched her go before she let go of her anger and the energy ceased.

She looked back at Blossompaw with a small smile. "I guess I do have powers."

Blossompaw burst out laughing and Tigerpaw joined. They fell to the ground, their sides aching by the time they had finished. They both sighed in unison, staring up at the stars through the trees, and just enjoying each other's company.

Tigerpaw turned her head to look at Blossompaw. "I want to join your Clan."

Blossompaw met her eyes. "You do?"

Tigerpaw nodded. "I have no reason to stay here… I'll miss my mentor and HeronClan's medicine cat, as they were the only ones who really believed me about you, but other than them, I have no reason to stay. I want to be with you…"

Blossompaw purred, touching her nose to Tigerpaw's. "You might have to start your training all over again, but I would be very happy to have you in VultureClan."

"Can I meet you here half to sunhigh tomorrow? I'll tell Creektalon, Rushwave, and Ravenstar where I'm going, and then I'll come here."

"I like that plan. My mother will be very happy to meet you," Blossompaw giggled. "You're all she's been able to talk about: 'where's my precious baby's other half? Do I get to meet her? She's nice, isn't she? What powers does she have?'"

Tigerpaw laughed with her. "I'm looking forward to meeting her."


"Blossomheart! Tigerpetal!"

Tigerpetal looked over to Blossomheart, who put her head on Tigerpetal's shoulder. "I love you…"

Blossomheart purred. "I love you too…"

Tigerpetal's heart surged with love as she looked over her new Clan. Berrystar smiled down at the pair and Tigerpetal smiled back at her. Here she was finally home, with no one to laugh at her or judge her for being different; she had Creektalon and Rushwave to thank for that. A tiny pang of sadness made her sigh; she missed them. But here, Blossomheart was her everything, and here, she didn't have to be someone different, she could just be herself. And it was all thanks to Blossomheart, Creektalon, and Rushwave who gave her the first taste of hope.