Woah, lots of reviews since the last update. I decided to make this chapter from a 2-parter into a 3-parter so expect more Lionblaze going into the next chapter.

Runereader of the Nightwings Blackstar is one of my favorite cats in the books. I try to do him justice since he got shortchanged in the cannon.

Kitty-Guardian Hootryd Rowanclaw is one of my least favorite characters and Tawnypelt has always been cool.

Mossyheart Finally what? You really need to catch up on your reading, that's only chapter 25...

Old and Useless Account Shhhhh, all will be explained in due time. Also, welcome back.

MistLion I do love me a catastrophe, and indeed much mettle shall be tested very soon.

HamClad Of course Jayfeather running away makes for an amazing story! I've said it before, Erin Hunter missed a LOT of opportunities with a blind protagonist.

Guest I'm glad you enjoy my storyline.

Goldenheart 6262 First question, maybe, second question, probably. I'm having a fantastic summer, thanks!

Guest I'm glad you enjoy my story. (is this the same person as the last guest?)

P D Val de Fleur Your creative spam is always appreciated. I'm happy you like Storm and Crash as well as my dream sequence. And don't worry, once I have described what's going on in the Clans to my satisfaction, we're bouncing right back to Jaybae.

The Apocryphal One That poor fox indeed. And those poor Clan cats, too. I'm making this calamity an actual threat, rather than a super-easy-barely-an-inconvenience "worst thing the Clans have ever face" blah blah blah Erin Hunter macguffin.

Guest I am a very Very VERY slow writer. I have a lot going on in my head all the time and only part of that is devoted to fanfiction. I'm happy you like the ship.

Guest The skirmish between Willowshine and Jayfeather was fun to write.

"I don't miss Jayfeather's attitude but I do miss his healing skills. If the Clan didn't desperately need more medicine cats right now, I'd be glad he was gone."

Lionblaze was sitting by the edge of the herb garden, close enough so he would be able to hear when Bramblestar announced it was time to go, but far enough away that he wouldn't be tempted to smack Berrynose who was chatting away with Poppyfrost a few fox lengths away.

It was almost sunhigh, the day after he had run into Blackstar by the river, and he had told his Clan about the ShadowClan leader's proposal. A ThunderClan and WindClan patrol of warriors was now preparing to leave for the daylight Gathering.

Berrynose continued loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Just today, Molepaw came to the medicine den coughing up orange liquid after saying he ate some strange-tasting fresh-kill, but there was no medicine cat to take care of him because Kestrelflight was out picking herbs. If Jayfeather were here instead of being a traitor, Molepaw might not have passed out from the pain of his stomach."

Poppyfrost pressed herself into her mate's fur and covered his muzzle with her tail. She looked around in embarrassment at the curious WindClan warriors who were staring. "That may be true, but why do you have to talk so loudly? Maybe he really was sent on a quest by StarClan- nobody knows for sure."

Berrynose let out a sound that could have been either a snort of laughter or a sneeze as Poppyfrost's fur tickled his muzzle. "And what about Briarlight and Ivypool? Did StarClan send them, too? Bramblestar even announced that Jayfeather had no interest in ever coming back. No; they are all rogues now, traitors to the warrior code!"

"Shhh!" Poppyfrost whined but the tom kept talking.

"Why are you so upset? Who cares if WindClan finds out about just some more rogues? Bramblestar is probably going to make an announcement about it at the Gathering today anyway."

Lionblaze growled inwardly. It took all of his willpower to not leap at his Clanmate and claw the stupid look off his face. Of course He wished his brother was still with them but there was nothing he could do about it now except respect Jayfeather's decision. At the time, the Clans had been healthy and happy. How could they have possibly known that just a few moons later everything would change for the worst?

"I don't think I could welcome that traitor back even if he did return. I hope he stays gone forever."

With a cold sigh, Lionblaze decided to remove the temptation of shredding his Clanmate. He padded around the abandoned twoleg den until many fox-lengths of stone separated him from Berrynose. Every cat is on edge. He's not doing anyone any favors by spouting hateful things like that.

Lionblaze tried to quell the hot emotions bubbling in his heart. Jayfeather had explained to him exactly what had been bothering him before he disappeared in the middle of the night so he had a grasp on his brother's motives. Briarlight had probably followed him since Jayfeather claimed she had feelings for him -which in itself was crazy to think about- but he could only guess why Ivypool had gone.

He stopped once Berrynose's voice had all but disappeared and let his gaze flicker over the vines that tangled across the rocks in front of him. Plants had breached a gap in the protective outer wall and overrun the area. It even looked like even a young maple tree had been pushing boulders aside as it pushed itself towards the sunlight. Lionblaze was surprised when he heard voices coming from among the sapling's leaves.

"-if Briarlight did follow Jayfeather to the mountains, I wonder if she's run into Stormfur already," came Graystripe's voice. "She is his half-sister after all. I don't think I ever told her."

Lionblaze tilted his head to the side in curiosity. A small group of cats was gathered in the shadows cast by the stone den. He detected the scents of Graystripe, Millie, Spiderleg and the WindClan warrior named Whitetail. He pushed his way through the leaves.

"Welcome, Lionblaze," Whitetail meowed, noticing him first and turning her narrow face to look at him.

"How-" Lionblaze began, startled that a WindClan cat had recognized him so quickly and easily in the shadows, but she interrupted him.

"Every cat knows what you have done for the Clans," she meowed coolly, flicking her tail for him to join them. "Even if our Clan leaders can be stubborn and choose not to admit it. I speak for Onestar when I say that the time for Clan boundaries is not now. Each of the Clans must look out for one-another in harsh times like these."

"Well spoken," meowed Millie, flashing the senior WindClan warrior a look of respect.

A tiny nod was exchanged between the two she-cats.

Graystripe flicked his tail for Lionblaze to take a seat. Many seasons of wisdom glistened in his calm golden eyes. "We thought we'd keep Spiderleg company. The flood has been hard on us all, but Spiderleg's really worried about Birchfall and is mourning Daisy. They may not have been mates for very long but grief has a funny way of showing it's face."

Lionblaze stepped into the leafy cove and glanced at Spiderleg who was curled up in a makeshift nest. The black-furred tom was completely still apart from his gently rising and falling chest and he made no move to acknowledge the existence of the cats around him. Even though Lionblaze hadn't always seen eye-to-eye with the other warrior, Spiderleg was known for his deep loyalty to his family. But as he grew older, he was being forced to watch all of the closest cats die around him.

"I've seen more than my own fair share of death," Whitetail murmured, blinking slowly as if thinking about something from her past. "I can still picture the day Brokenstar's cats invaded our old forest territory and chased us out. I was only a fresh apprentice then but I'll carry those memories with me until the day I die. If I've learned anything from then, it's that life always sorts itself- out one way or another. Clan cats never stay down for long."

Graystripe let out a warm purr. "It was so many moons ago, I can't even remember most of it. But I do remember traveling with Fireheart until we found your Clan huddled in some twoleg-thunderpath-tunnel-place-thing. Tallstar hadn't been ashamed to accept help from cats from another Clan, then. Has so much changed?"

"The deputy at the time, Deadfoot, told me that before you and Fireheart came to bring us back our two Clans hadn't been very friendly with each other." Whitetail gently laid her tail on Graystripe's side. "And now, all these moons later, we are still looking after one another thanks to that sincere act of kindness."

Graystripe laughed, flicking an ear in the WindClan cat's direction. "It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows since then. Only two seasons ago your Clan was trying to commit a Brokenstar on us. Do you remember when that rogue named Sol led a raiding party of WindClan warriors through the tunnels beneath the Clan to attack us?"

"I try not to," Whitetail murmured, dipping her head as if ashamed. "I don't know what happened between our Clans."

"Onestar decided he was no longer in debt to ThunderClan."

Lionblaze hadn't even realized the words were coming out of his mouth. His fur grew hot with embarrassment as the other cats turned to stare at him.

Whitetail purred in amusement and gave him a gentle tap on the side with her tail. "You aren't wrong, but that's not the whole truth. Onestar was also in debt to Firestar and Brambleclaw because they were there when Tallstar, on his deathbed, made him deputy. The then deputy at the time, Mudclaw, accused Onestar of collaborating with ThunderClan into making him the new leader. Tallstar's spirit in StarClan has since affirmed that Brambleclaw wasn't lying, but at the time it seemed awfully suspicious. Firestar then helped Onestar defeat Mudclaw when he tried to mount a rebellion. If Firestar hadn't intervened, Onestar would probably be dead right now and Mudstar would be leader."

Lionblaze mulled the story over in his head. As a kit in the nursery he had heard the tales of the great warriors who came before him. At the time he had believed his Clanmates to be righteous warriors but now he realized the stories weren't always faithful to the truth. Mudclaw had only done what any cat in his position would have done if he thought another Clan was working with a Clanmate to replace him as leader unfairly. "Mudstar doesn't sound as good."

A murmur of laughter was shared between the other cats at his comment.

"I agree with you on that," Whitetail purred. "And that's not only because Onestar is my mate." Her tone suddenly became more serious. "While we're on the topic of family, I also know you've met my daughter, Heathertail, a couple of times."

Lionblaze's pelt grew even hotter under his fur. Many moons ago he and Heathertail had been meeting in secret on the border. That relationship had crumbled to dust and they hardly even spoke to each other anymore, but did Whitetail find out somehow? He was saved from having to reply by his leader's commanding cry as it echoed through the camp.

"Let all warriors old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a Clan meeting!"

Graystripe's ears pricked and angled towards the voice. "I assume Bramblestar selected you to be one of the cats going to the daylight Gathering, Lionblaze?"

Lionblaze nodded and began to pad backwards out of the small cove. "Squirrelflight told me earlier today. Thanks for the little chat. To be honest, I was only trying to get away from Berrynose because he's been talking harshly about Jayfeather a lot today."

"About that," Millie meowed with a hushed tone. "He's also grieving for Daisy. If it sounds like he's being mean it's because he's troubled and he wants to blame someone for his mother's loss."

"Jayfeather had nothing to do with that!" Lionblaze exclaimed, his ears folding backwards.

"I know, I know," Millie meowed calmingly. "But cats aren't themselves when they are mourning the loss of someone close to them. Just put up with him until he gets over it and know he doesn't actually mean most of what he's saying."

Lionblaze gave the she-cat an incredulous look. Every cat in every Clan had reason to grieve over someone, but if they all were to suddenly become nasty furballs because of it, the four Clans would be disbanded within a moon. He let out a tired growl. He didn't want to argue so he just lowered his head and let his fur lie flat again. "I'll see you all again after the Gathering," he meowed and turned to leave.

"Enjoy it and tell us all what happened when you get back," Graystripe purred, trying to sound cheery.

Lionblaze dipped his head respectfully to the senior warriors. Even though Spiderleg was still lying unmoving on the ground, Lionblaze noticed one of his ears was pricked in his direction as if he had been listening to their conversation.

Whitetail eyed Lionblaze coolly as he pushed his way through the leaves but her twitching whiskers suggested she knew more about him than he wanted her to know. With a nervous shiver, he stumbled out of the leaves to join his Clanmates on the far side of the twoleg den. There's no way she knows. I'm just imagining things.

He padded around to the other side of the twoleg den to join his Clanmates. Bramblestar was standing on a large boulder that looked like it had once been a part of crumbling outer wall while most of the ThunderClan warriors were forming a semi-circle around him in the middle of the clearing. The WindClan cats kept their distance and Onestar watched from the edge of the outer wall, his eyes narrowed and calculating but he didn't speak.

Lionblaze found a place to sit between Brackenfur and Cloudtail. He spotted Berrynose standing a couple fox-lengths away. There was still a sour taste in Lionblaze's mouth from before, but he tried to stay focused on his leader.

"Thank you all for joining me here before my patrol heads out for the daylight Gathering." Bramblestar's words carried over the heads of the warriors as they found places to sit. "I just wanted to quickly appoint a new medicine cat since our Clan direly needs one."

Murmuring immediately broke out between the warriors. Everyone knew that a Clan leader never appointed medicine cats; only a medicine cat could choose the cat that would come after them.

Bramblestar seemed to be aware of his cats' concerns. "I know it is not traditional for a leader to do this, but we have no other options. Leafpool is going in and out of consciousness and is incapable of picking a successor. So I say these words in the eyes of StarClan and pray they understand our desperation in this time of hardship and recognize my choice as the true medicine cat." He paused to take a breath and closed his eyes as if begging his ancestors. "Brightheart will be the new medicine cat of ThunderClan!"

More murmuring broke out as all eyes fell on the scarred ginger and white she-cat who stood up from the crowd and padded forward to stand beside her leader. Her one good eye was focused and bright as she turned to face her Clanmates.

"I will proudly take on this new responsibility even though I was never formally trained to be a medicine cat," she meowed confidently, her gaze flickering between the confused warriors. "I have spent more time working with herbs than any other ThunderClan cat here and I agree with Bramblestar that out Clan needs someone who can take care of the sick and injured until Leafpool recovers. I only pray StarClan will accept me when I visit the Moonpool this upcoming half moon."

Silence met her words at first until Cloudtail suddenly stood up and began chanting his mate's name. Lionblaze opened his mouth to join the chant and more cats quickly did the same.

"Brightheart! Brightheart! Brightheart!"

The she-cat's eye glittered with gratitude and she bowed her head deeply in appreciation. She touched noses with Bramblestar before padding back to take a seat among her Clanmates. Even though her pelt was ruffled and matted and her spine drooped from exhaustion, her good eye was bright with confidence. She was a wise choice for medicine cat.

As the cheering died down, Bramblestar lifted his tail to signal he was about to speak again, but another cat spoke first.

"Brightheart has three kits that still haven't been made apprentices. That means the warrior code says she isn't allowed to be a medicine cat."

Lionblaze turned his head to face the speaker. It was Onestar. The WindClan leader stood among his own warriors and cast the ThunderClan cats a disapproving look.

"How many times do your cats plan on dragging the warrior code through the mud, Bramblestar?" Onestar jeered callously. "Does your Clan have no honor?"

Bramblestar's thick tabby tail lashed through the air and he narrowed his eyes into amber slits. "ThunderClan's business is none of yours, Onestar."

"It is my business if we are living in the same place," Onestar growled coldly, not taking his eyes off Bramblestar. "How do you expect me to stand idly by and watch you blatantly break the warrior code right in front of me? You have had medicine cats fall in forbidden love, simply abandoned the Clan, and now this."

Bramblestar growled, a deep warning wringing in his words. "You are on ThunderClan territory because I offered your Clan shelter here. If you don't agree with the way I run my Clan, I'm going to ask you to leave."

"Then I'll take my medicine cat and go," Onestar hissed. "Don't pretend that isn't the real reason you want WindClan with you. Without Kestrelflight, your cats will die."

The corners of Bramblestar's lips quivered slightly. "Thank you for explaining exactly why I made Brightheart medicine cat- without one my cats will die. You answered your own question. Only one cat in my Clan right now has any medicine knowledge other than Leafpool and that's Brightheart. Don't pretend like you wouldn't do the same in my position."

Onestar didn't seem to have a response to Bramblestar's statement so just growled sourly and flicked his tail for his patrol to follow him. "It's time to go, WindClan." He stepped in front of his Clanmates and lead the way out into the forest without sparing the ThunderClan leader another word.

Many of Lionblaze's Clanmates watched as the WindClan patrol's pawsteps disappeared into the distance. Cloudtail was glaring in the direction Onestar had left with venomous fire burning in his eyes, while Brightheart was just shaking her head in disappointment. And we all thought Onetsar had changed for the better when he offered to host the daylight Gathering a few moons ago. Perhaps it's just stress doing the talking.

Bramblestar raised his tail again and signaled for his cats to listen. "As I was about to say, all the Clans are on edge right now. Brackenfur, Lionblaze, Foxleap, Icecloud, Blossomfall, and Dovewing, you will be accompanying me to the greenleaf twolegplace that's on our border with ShadowClan. Our Clan has always been strong and united in times of hardship and I expect that to remain true today. Every warrior will be on their best behavior."

Lionblaze nodded his head in agreement. In the past, whenever something horrible came up, it was always ThunderClan who took charge of the situation and guided the other Clans to safety. Of course the other Clans never want to admit, but they all know it's true.

As Bramblestar lead the way out of the temporary camp, Dovewing padded over to Lionblaze so they could walk together. She didn't say anything, but the green in her eyes seemed to swirl with thought as she stared on. Lionblaze knew that if any cat could see the full extend of the disaster, it would be her. Perhaps she even knew where Jayfeather was...

Finished off this chapter listening to "Die Anywhere Else" from Night in the Woods while Zozobra was going on outside my apartment. I will admit, I have a lot of gloom I carry with me that I wish could be so easily burned away...