They descended inside. Squirrelpaw immediately made to flop onto the bare floor, but a rank scent overwhelmed them.

"Badger!" Crowpaw hissed, unsheathing his claws. Dread stirred in Squirrelpaw. A badger would make easy work of them, weak and travel-worn as they were.

"No matter whether we win, we will not go to StarClan without a fight." Brambleclaw instructed, to small nods from the others. He unsheathed his claws and the group arranged into a battle formation.

The black-and-white creature lumbered into view, and Brambleclaw felt sorrow pierce his heart. There would not be any visions. There would not be a return. All that awaited them here was a brutal death, with no escape. The teeth of the cave seemed that much more ominous as they hissed at the badger.

Mom, I'm sorry...

"W-We won't d-die alone." Squirrelpaw told them, from the formation. Feathertail gave a slight nod even as she hissed defiance at the badger.

The badger had paused, surveying the mass of cats that had intruded on its den. Brambleclaw knew it was searching for the weakest of them to pick off first.

Then it did something that no cat expected.

The badger spoke.

"Midnight has come." It said at last, sinking onto its haunches.

"What?" Crowpaw murmured.

Brambleclaw felt certain that he was joining StarClan, and this was just some pre-death dream, a trick. Then the badger spoke again.

"I am Midnight." It rasped. The accent was strange; it was obvious that cat was not its first tongue. "With you I must speak."

"Make any moves and I'll blind you!" Crowpaw hissed, until Feathertail pulled him to her side.

Midnight laughed. "Fierce, isn't he? StarClan chose well. But now is not time to blind. Here we talk, not fight."

They all glanced at one another, wordlessly communicating.

"Can we trust it?" Tawnypelt's glance asked.

"We have no choice but to." Primrosepaw replied.

"It's smaller than those I've seen. Female, I'd guess." He added in.

"What can we do against it in our state?" Squirrelpaw asked. Brambleclaw could see no malice in its eyes, even perhaps that gleam of humour that Echofur possessed.

"It spoke of StarClan." Feathertail pointed out.

"Come." It rasped. "All night we cannot wait."

"You are Midnight?" He asked, pieces falling into place. "You have a message from StarClan?"

"Midnight I am called. And it was shown I would meet you... though I expected five, not six."

"Then we'll listen." Feathertail said.

"You're right." Tawnypelt added. "Originally, five were meant to come. But all six of us have shown our bravery, and all of us deserve to be here."

"But make one wrong... oomph!" Feathertail had slapped her tail over Crowpaw's mouth, shooting him a faux-apologetic look.

"Follow." Midnight called. They did, emerging into an earth dugout after following the upward-sloping tunnel. It had a large hole like the Moonstone bore, the silver moon shining onto a pool of rainwater that had collected.

"You have injury?" Midnight asked, turning to Tawnypelt.

"Rat bite." She grunted.

"Look bad. Wait here." She disappeared, re-emerging with the same root that Squirrelpaw had applied to her shoulder, which seemed ages ago. Midnight chewed it up, pressing it onto the wound. Tawnypelt relaxed, laying on the ground.

"Is burdock root. Useful."

"You use it too?" Squirrelpaw asked, shock colouring her speech.

"Herb not exclusively heal cat. Can heal all creature."

Feathertail and Primrosepaw had helped Tawnypelt into a nest they'd made of bracken, allowing the she-cat to get comfortable.

"Now." Midnight fixed beady eyes on each cat. "Is time for talk."

"How can you speak to us?" Crowpaw asked, aggression tempered a bit.

"I travelled very far. Speak many different tongue. Cat by far most interesting other-tongue. Fox only speak in kill. Rabbit have brain of thistledown. "

Squirrelpaw mrrowed in laughter. "So what is it you want to tell us?" She finally asked.

"Much. But first, we talk of journey. You come from Tribes?"

"Tribes?" They echoed, confused.

"My brain thistledown too. You come from Clans, not?"

"Yes." Primrosepaw confirmed, and all of them pushed away their lingering doubt about the other cats Midnight had mentioned to describe their journey, each taking turns and butting in at their finest (or to defend themselves during their less fine) moments. Finally they stopped.

"So we are ready." Brambleclaw surmised.

"But I don't understand." Primrosepaw mewed. "Why not spare the journey and tell us in the forest?"

"Think." Midnight told her. "You were six before. Now, you are one."

It was true, Squirrelpaw reflected. Before they had been Squirrelpaw and Feathertail, enduring the other four cats to bring a message to their Clan... but now, all of them were close knit. Feathertail and Crowpaw's blooming relationship was sure to be the subject of amiable teasing. Tawnypelt, Crowpaw and Primrosepaw had become dependable friends that she would want to rely on in any fight. And Brambleclaw... She stopped herself there. Midnight's tone became more foreboding.

"In coming days, all Clans need to be one. If not, all clans destroyed."

"What is the trouble?" Crowpaw whispered, becoming kit-like in his fear.

"You must leave forest. All cats must leave."

"What?" Primrosepaw snarled. "There have always been cats in the forest!"

Midnight sighed. "No longer. Twolegs come with machines... monsters in your tongue, not? They uproot trees, rocks they break, earth itself will tear. No place for cats. You stay, monsters tear you, too, or you starve with no prey."

There was a stunned silence. Brambleclaw imagined SkyClan's territory; the Tall Birch, the Fern Hollow where apprentices trained on the cushioned ground, the canopy of trees, all torn apart. He could see mud adorning the ground, choking the lush grass and startling the birds, now left without a roosting place.

"And ThunderClan?" Squirrelpaw asked, with bated breath.

"Powerful enemy come to gorge. Want revenge. Will kill all cat there to get. If you run when they come, they follow. They destroy other Clans, too."

"But won't StarClan stop it?" Crowpaw mewed.

"Small warrior, some things StarClan cannot stop."

"Then why bring us here? Do we go home and watch as our Clans die?" Feathertail asked, fur bristling.

"No. You lead Clans to new home."

"A new home?" Primrosepaw snorted. "Where can we find that? Even so, how will we convince our leaders?"

"You will find in time. As for home, I fear your Clan leaders will listen when you return."

"It's already begun?" Tawnypelt asked in horror.

"We must go." Brambleclaw made to get up.

"No. Rest in moon. Hunt. Drink. Tomorrow you travel."

"That makes sense." He conceded.

"How will we know where to go?"

"A dying warrior will lead the way on large rock."

"One of us dies?" Squirrelpaw's fur bristled with anxiety.

"Did not say that. Go, and you see." Midnight watched as they sprung apart, sending Crowpaw, Feathertail and Primrosepaw to hunt (depsite the other three's vehement protests) while they rested.

"You are right." Brambleclaw mewed to Midnight between . "We have become one."

"Indeed." Midnight nodded. "But I fear your journey only just begun."

Journeyers: *Battle-ready panic*

Midnight: I'll just make some tea while you get over it.