It wasn't the strike that made Crowpaw's head spin, it was how he landed against the stone. His vision flashed a painful white as his head bumped against the floor. Momentarily, he was sure he could hear blood pulsing in his skull, then he heard the furious hisses of his friends.

"You want to try that with me?!" Squirrelpaw's voice yowled.

"I don't want to do anything like that to any of you." A voice responded, calm and smooth. "But if you try to force your way past us, we will do what we must."

"We will not let you disturb the prophecy!" Another voice growled.

Crowpaw heard Tawnypelt snarl. "And we won't allow you to keep our friend captive!"

The Windclan apprentice clenched his teeth, sluggishly raising himself back to his paws. The side of his head throbbed with blunt pain and Crowpaw had to stiffen himself on his paws to keep steady. He caught Feathertail's scent as she rubbed her head under his chin.

"Careful." She whispered tenderly.

Crowpaw felt a flush of affection for her act, but it was overshadowed by the rage coursing along every hair on his pelt.

His eyes opened into a blue glare; blinking away the dazed vision, he stared out to the two Tribe guards who stood tall before his snarling friends. Crowpaw couldn't find the patience to remember the stupidly long names they'd given themselves. He vaguely remembered that the huge tom that had struck him was called Scree, but couldn't think or care about what the equally large tom beside him was called.

It wasn't like their names mattered when they were going to be dead soon.

Scree stared stonily at Tawnypelt. "I'm afraid it's nothing you can change. He has been prophesised to defeat Sharptooth! The Tribe of Endless Hunting has decided on it!" The guard didn't move to threaten them, but he made his size known to the Clan cats.

This whole thing was utter madness to the clan cats. They had been found by this Tribe-of-Endless-Hunting a few days ago, a group of cats that lived inside a cave hidden behind a great waterfall on the mountain.

At first, everything had slowly become relaxing, even Crowpaw was taken in by the cat's hospitality. They had been allowed to hunt and rest with the Tribe while they figured out their next move on their journey.

But when they had tried to leave the Tribe. It all became clear why they were really there.

They were prisoners.

The Tribe claimed that Stormfur was meant to be some 'silver cat' prophecised, by what Crowpaw assumed was their image of Starclan, to kill this vicious lion creature named Sharptooth that had been slowly hunting and picking off the Tribe moon by moon. It sounded like fox-dung to Crowpaw, but the Tribe were determined. They weren't going to allow Stormfur to leave.

And now they'd taken him away from the group, away from his screaming sister, and had herded the rest of them into some cavern at the back of the cave.

Crowpaw grunted, taking a step towards the guards. They didn't look worried. "We already have our own journey to make! We don't have time to waste helping you scum!" Crowpaw flashed his fangs furiously. It didn't matter how many times these brutes knocked him down, he wasn't going to give up that easily.

"You will be able to continue your own path in the morning." The other guard stated, blinking steadily. "We will even point you in the right direction."

"You don't understand!" Crowpaw looked beside him to see Brambleclaw. The Warrior was clearly trying to keep control, holding a strong tail between Squirrelpaw and the nearest guard. "Our journey includes us all! We can't just leave Stormfur behind!"

"And we can't just let our saviour leave us." The guard meowed levelly. For a split second, the cat's eyes cast away from the group, grimacing with a splitting look of pain. "If you could only see what Sharptooth has done before, you would understand."

Brambleclaw's tail swung around in frustrated panic.

"Please." A soft voice mewed. Crowpaw peered down to where Feathertail tearfully faced the two guards, her ears and tail low. The grey apprentice felt his heart ache at the sight of his friend's misery. "Please, you can't do this. This has to be some kind of mistake."

The two guards looked at each other, then held their heads low. "The Tribe of Endless Hunting makes no mistakes." Scree said softly. "A silver cat is what will save us from generations of suffering."

"But it can't be Stormfur!" Feathertail pleaded. "He has to come home with us! I can't leave him here with you!" The torment in the cat's voice was unbearable to hear. Her friends all cooled in their threats to look on pitifully at the grieving molly. Her blue eyes glistened with tears, "Please. He's my brother!"

Even in the darkness of the cave, the pity in Scree's face was undeniable. The large cat took a step forward, making the nearest cat, Tawnypelt, let out a warning hiss. "I'm sorry. But it cannot be changed." Scree lowered his ears as he looked gently out towards Feathertail. "We have to keep him here. He needs to save us. You see," As if anticipating his partners next words, the other guard lowered his gaze to the stone floor. "I don't want to lose anymore of my brothers. I have seen too many brothers, sisters and friends lost to that creature, and I am not going to let our hope of freedom just slip away. Surely, you can understand that." There was a small flash of hope in the guard's eyes.

Feathertail's only reply was a soft wail.

Tawnypelt lashed her tail in a fury, "And if we leave him with you cretins, then we risk our own prophecy, our entire home could be lost!"

Scree exhaled and straightened himself up again, his gaze hardened. "Your own Tribe will protect you, as ours have done us."

Tawnypelt grunted in response but Brambleclaw pressed his paw on her tail before she could jump forward to pounce.

"There is nothing else to say about it." The other guard dictated, turning on his haunches. "There is prey left for you in these quarters, as well as enough room to get some rest. We will escort you away in the morning."

"While you keep our friend prisoner!" Squirrelpaw hissed through clenched fangs.

The guard looked back with a blank stare. "Please just get some rest. You won't help yourselves by fighting us."

We'll see about that.

Crowpaw pulled himself away from his crying friend, crouching down quickly and preparing himself to spring. He wasn't going to let these mange-pelts get away with keeping him prisoner! Scree saw the battle reignite in the apprentice's eyes and he too tensed for the approaching fight. But as soon as Crowpaw's back legs left the ground, he was pulled back down with a swift clamp on his scruff.

Crowpaw roared in anger as he was pressed down on his belly. He tried to lift himself up, but the strong paws on his back and the teeth on his scruff held him securely in place. He looked up and saw Brambleclaw's large head overshadowing him, his amber eyes still fixed hatefully on the pair of guards.

"Let me go, you bee-brain!" Crowpaw demanded. Was the Warrior really going to let the Tribe have their way? After how they had betrayed the groups trust and taken their friend from them! He didn't think much of Brambleclaw at all, but at the very least he expected him to stick up for the safety of the rest of them. They needed to teach these flea-bitten strays a lesson! Especially when it threatened Starclan's prophecy! Crowpaw swatted his tail against the Warriors pelt, but the Thunderclan cat kept still, which left Crowpaw motionless.

Relief crept into the guard cats' faces, though there had never been a hint of fear. "For everyone's sakes, do not try anything like that." Scree warned, a spark of fire in his eyes as he stared at the struggling apprentice. "As long as you all respect our Tribe, nobody has to be harmed."

"Go fall off the mountain!" Squirrelpaw snapped. Her voice sounded closer but Crowpaw couldn't see her. He did hear a tight whisper though, presumably to Brambleclaw. "If you hurt him, I swear I'll rip your ear."

Crowpaw's struggles began to loosen.

The two guards didn't respond, only the steps of their paws leaving the cats pounded around the chamber.

"We'll be keeping guard by the entrance to your chamber." Scree's low voice rumbled. "So, please don't try anything difficult."

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Tawnypelt snarled behind her clenched teeth. The Tribe cats ignored her, stalking away to the narrow cylinder of stone that shaped the entrance.

Once they were out of sight and their voices became a low hum compared to the slashing rush of the cave waterfall, Crowpaw felt the pressure on his back ease. The apprentice kicked his back legs and scrambled away from Brambleclaw, turning on him with eyes full of rage.

"What are you doing? You're just going to give in?" Crowpaw exclaimed, his neck fur rising.

Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes on the apprentice, sighing as he turned to glance at the prey that the guards had left them. "You're not going to help Stormfur by getting yourself mauled."

"And doing nothing is?"

"There's nothing we can do for now." Brambleclaw began to pad away to the pile, his head lowered and his tail slack. "Even if we could take on those two, we still have an entire Tribe to get by. And you can bet your life that they'll have more guards around Stormfur, probably their best as well."

A cold silence loomed over the cats.

"So, what are we going to do?" Squirrelpaw meowed, her green eyes burning with frustration. She turned to the still shivering Feathertail and anger twisted across her muzzle. "We have to get Stormfur back! We're not leaving without him!"

Tawnypelt nodded, "We have to find a way to him somehow."

"We will." Brambleclaw declared, his eyes hard as he stared back at his companions. "But not tonight. These cats are ready for trouble now they've revealed what they're really up to. There is no way we'll be able to reach him right now."

Crowpaw's tail spiked. Waiting? They couldn't waste anymore time! "So you'd rather just sit here and eat their rot like a good little kit!" He growled. Brambleclaw was meant to be a warrior, not some soft-hearted coward. These cats were holding their friend hostage, they couldn't just leave him alone!

Brambleclaw took a swift bite out of a hawk left for him and swallowed gravely. "I'd rather that no cats got hurt."

Bad answer. "Oh, like that was something you cared about before." Crowpaw muttered, using his tail to point out the scars on his pelt. He didn't care anymore that he'd forgiven the tom for that, if he was going to just let them sit here, Crowpaw was going to make him look like a fool!

Brambleclaw just turned away heavily, rubbing his face with a forepaw.

"Crowpaw!" Tawnypelt meowed sternly. "That isn't going to help any of us."

"I want to get Stormfur back, not laze around like your mange-clumped-!"

"Guys!"

The cats turned to Squirrelpaw's shout. The apprentice was curled beside Feathertail, rubbing her head comfortingly against the molly. Crowpaw felt his stomach twist. The Riverclan cat was weeping softly into her forepaw, sniffling and whimpering as she desperately tried to hold herself together after the loss of her brother.

"It's alright." Squirrelpaw mewed, licking Feathertail's shoulder tenderly. "We'll get him back, I promise."

Feathertail let out another sob as the apprentice's tail curled around her. "Why? Why has this happened?" Watching her cry like this was almost excruciating to Crowpaw. His anger boiled as he saw the cat that had smiled and laughed beside him for the longest time, now reduced to tears before him.

"We should never have come here!" Tawnypelt groaned, her paw stamping on the stone ground. "We should have taken the Twoleg-place again! Why did Midnight send us this way? Was it a trick?"

Crowpaw's eyes widened at that thought and his pelt prickled heatedly. "I knew we should never have trusted her!" Badgers were evil, every cat knew that, they were fools for thinking one wanted to help them!

"But Starclan sent us to her." Brambleclaw said, quietly as if it was just meant to be his own thoughts. "Why would she trick us if we were meant to find her?" He let out a cold breath. "This doesn't make any sense."

Crowpaw twitched an ear in thought as another silence filled the caves. That was true. Had there been some kind of mistake? Had they gone wrong? Or had Midnight tricked them herself against Starclan's orders. Every thought had no answer and it only made Crowpaw angrier and angrier. What did it matter? Something had led them to this terrible place and away from their destination.

"What if…" Tawnypelt's voice wavered with a small terror. "What if we were meant to come here and Stormfur really is this chosen cat?"

The thought that Starclan would intentionally want them to leave one of their own behind to fight some unknown battle was enough to make Crowpaw shiver. But it was Feathertail's eyes, the eyes that were usually so happy and tender, now cracking with a tormenting horror and panic, that made Crowpaw snap.

"No!" He yelled at the Shadowclan molly. "There is no way we were meant to abandon Stormfur like this! This is all just a made up prophecy by these cave-dwelling vermin!" He whipped his head over to where he heard the soft voices of Scrag and that other guard, and his muscles tensed with fierce adrenaline. He was going to make those fox-pelts pay! "You all may want to sit and do nothing, but not me!"

Crowpaw prepared himself to sprint, ready to surprise those cave-mongrels with his Windclan speed! He would show them what a real Warrior was capable of! He broke off into a run.

Only to be snatched away by a force that had speed that even surprised Crowpaw.

Crowpaw thrashed his paws as he was dragged away from the entrance, his rear sliding across the ground. "Let me go!" He snarled, not caring who it was towards. Before he could turn to look he felt the bite on his scruff depart, replaced by two paws that pushed him against the cave wall, holding him there as his hind paws kicked wildly. He opened his eyes and found Brambleclaw's yellow stare, as if holding him against the wall with just the hardness in his eyes.

"Brambleclaw!" Squirrelpaw protested, pouncing up to her feet. "Put him down now!"

"Squirrelpaw, wait!" Tawnypelt rushed in front of the cat, using her larger figure to hold her back.

"Tawnypelt, get out of my way! If he claws him again, I'll-"

"If he does that, I'll be the first to rip him off! But just wait a second."

Crowpaw watched as Squirrelpaw gave up in her attempts, but still watched over the toms carefully, emerald eyes wide with concern. The Windclan cat struck his gaze back at the tom, full of savage intent, and began batting his paws at Brambleclaw's forelegs. "Get your paws off me, you coward!"

Brambleclaw remained stoic, not reacting a little as Crowpaw mercilessly tried to claw at his legs. The apprentice didn't do much damage apart from tiny scratches in the Warrior's fur, not enough to leave a major scar. That made Crowpaw hiss with wrath, trying to force more power into his strikes. He couldn't reach far beyond Brambleclaw's forelegs though, so the damage didn't increase. All throughout Crowpaw's attempts though, Brambleclaw kept as stiff as the cave walls themselves, his face emotionless as he held Crowpaw still.

After a minute of screaming and fruitless attacks, Crowpaw felt the exhaustion build in his limbs. He collapsed his head against the cold wall, still glaring coldly at the Warrior as he panted in his grasp. Crowpaw gripped onto one of Brambleclaw's forelegs, trying to squeeze his claws into the flesh in one last display of defiance.

"So that's it." Crowpaw hissed, "You're just going to accept this, eh?" The apprentice stared hatefully at the still emotionless Warrior, letting out a disgusted growl.

Brambleclaw didn't say anything for a moment, perhaps waiting to see if the fight had truly left Crowpaw. "No." The Warrior said, his voice in a low drawl. "I'm not. But I'm not letting you get yourself killed for nothing."

"They have our friend." Crowpaw snarled. He felt comfortable saying that now. Even if it looked like Stormfur didn't consider him a good one, the Riverclan tom was still Crowpaw's friend, and he was the brother of one of his best friends. He was one of them, and Crowpaw couldn't just let the Tribe have him.

"I know. But we're not going to save him by taking on an entire Tribe." Brambleclaw let out a hiss of annoyance as Crowpaw turned away with a scoff. "Think about this Crowpaw! Do you think it will end well if you just take on an entire cave of cats? Even if we could get to Stormfur, what's to stop the Tribe from making sure he doesn't leave in one piece?"

Crowpaw panted as his expression twisted. "They wouldn't do that."

"Cats will do anything when they're desperate Crowpaw."

The Windclan tom let out a string of tight breaths. He felt Brambleclaw's words crawling over him like a snake, poisoning him with the truth. They didn't know what these cats were capable of. If they wanted to, they could make sure that the cats never saw their friend alive again.

Feeling Crowpaw's limbs limpen in his grasp, Brambleclaw let out a soft sigh, but he still held the tom in place. "I know that you're angry Crowpaw. Believe me, if we could, there is nothing I'd want to do more than take revenge on these dirt-clods right beside you!" It was then that Crowpaw did see the burning battle in the Warrior's eyes, hidden behind a cool exterior. The tightness in the apprentice's chest began to uncurl. "But we can't do that right now and guarantee that everyone makes it out safe."

The Warrior used his eyes to indicate the three mollies to Crowpaw. He looked out to the cats, to his two best friends who were looking back with incredible worry for his safety. If they got hurt because Crowpaw started a battle they couldn't win…

The tension faded from Crowpaw's muscles and he went slack, his head bent down in defeated acceptance. Now, he felt Brambleclaw's hold on him soften. "So, what do we do?" Crowpaw asked softly, noticing fatigue creep into his tone.

"I know you don't like it. But we have to play along for now." Brambleclaw took his paws off of the cat, gently letting him slide to the ground again. The Warrior nudged Crowpaw softly. The apprentice took a moment to regain his breath, feeling hollowed by the night's events, but he found his feet again. "We'll eat and rest tonight. We all need our strength for tomorrow."

Crowpaw looked up at him questioningly.

"Because once we make them think we've left without a problem. We're coming back." Brambleclaw used his tail to pat Crowpaw's pelt. It felt alarmingly friendly. "And when we do, we'll be ready. I don't care if Stormfur is this 'chosen cat' or not, this Tribe's destiny has nothing to do with us, and we won't let them get in the way of our clan's future."

Crowpaw stared up slack-jawed at the intense declaration in the Warrior's voice. However much he hated to think of it, he almost felt like he was watching a leader speak to his clan. Crowpaw cringed at the thought, but he couldn't deny that Brambleclaw's words made him realise that there was no cat that would give up on Stormfur.

"What's going on in there?" The two toms turned and saw Scree peering at the two a few tail-lengths away. His face was crisp with suspicion and distrust.

For a moment, Crowpaw pulsed with dread at the thought that the guard had heard their plan. But the Tribe cat only looked on and Crowpaw knew they were okay for now.

Brambleclaw let out a savage growl. "Mind your own business!"

Scree narrowed his eyes, meeting the tom's stare a moment more before he stalked away with a grunt. A while later, a hulking brown guard entered the chamber and sat where Scree had stood before, his ears high and his mouth thin with impatience.

They're listening for us. Crowpaw realised. His brow curled as he felt Brambleclaw whisper into his ear. "Come on. We'll go over to the kill pile where they won't hear us."

Crowpaw nodded, sending one last spit at the guard before following Brambleclaw. They nodded over to their waiting friends, all sharing a sigh of relief as they saw that no cat had gotten hurt. They gathered around the kill pile, now a good tree-length away from the guard.

Brambleclaw explained his idea to the cats, Feathertail's tears quelling a little as she saw the clarity in her friends that none of them would leave her brother behind.

"So how do we get to the chamber then?" Tawnypelt asked, now speaking in a hushed voice. "We'll still have to get past the guards?"

The cats all thought for a second. "What if we come back when it's dark?" Squirrelpaw queried. "We've all seen how dark it gets here and we'll have the sound of the waterfall to cover us if we're quiet."

There was a collective mrrow of agreement at the idea. Crowpaw grinned at his friend. She was right, even when it was light the shadows in the cave were as thick as mud. If they came during the night, there was a good chance they wouldn't be spotted. But something else did make Crowpaw's whiskers twitch with worry.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that waterfall. These cats have had time to know when to focus away from it." He wouldn't be shocked if the cats had been able to hear a kit's paw two tree-lengths away. Which didn't fair well if that guard was any better. He peered back and sighed when he saw the cat scratching his ear with a forepaw.

"It's the best chance we have." The cats all turned to Feathertail. The molly had straightened herself, sniffing back sobs and wiping away her tears. She let out a long exhale. "I'll do it. I'm not leaving Stormfur with these cats."

Squirrelpaw curled herself up against her friend, her dark ginger fur soothingly mixing with her silver pelt. "And neither are we. We'll be with you until we get him back!"

"Squirrelpaw's right." Brambleclaw meowed. "We all started this journey together and we're not ending it unless we're all there as one."

Feathertail sniffed but her muzzle slowly transformed into a smile. She gazed gratefully at each of her friends, and when she found Crowpaw, the tom nodded at her, gentle determination glinting in his eyes. He would do everything for his friend. And he knew that he had to keep calm for now, the battle could wait. But when the time was right, he was going to make these cats sorry that they ever met the Warriors.

"We should eat." Tawnypelt mewed, picking at a rabbit in front of her. "We're going to need our strength." Her eyes found Feathertail's. "For Stormfur."

Whether or not the tears that came out of Feathertail's eyes were of comfort or heartache was difficult to tell. But she was smiling, and that was enough for Crowpaw. He would make sure that she kept like that, they were not ending this without Stormfur.

But Tawnypelt was right. He needed his strength. Reluctantly, he took a bite out of his own prey, telling himself that he would not enjoy one bit of it. He owed no thanks to these carrion chasers, he made his gut hollow and imagined the taste to be bland, it was all just a matter of sustenance.

Brambleclaw finished first, he stretched his forepaws out, and Crowpaw couldn't stop a small uneasiness from affecting him as he saw the scratches along the brown fur. The cold trepidation that he had been wrong to act how he did made him wince and look away.

"Everyone get a good rest." Brambleclaw meowed gently, though his fur still spiked with choked back animosity. "We've got a long day tomorrow." He gave a smooth nod to each of the group, stopping on Crowpaw for a moment that made the grey cat bristle.

There was no anger in the tom's eyes. He just gave a similar nod to Crowpaw. As if a silent promise that justice would be delivered. Unconsciously, Crowpaw nodded back. Then the Thunderclan Warrior padded away, curling up by the wall of the cave.

Crowpaw was eased away from the Warrior as he felt a soft touch on his shoulder. He turned and saw Squirrelpaw beside him, he was about to smile, then he saw her brow furrowed and his mouth sat thin.

Suddenly, Squirrelpaw wavered, raising her paw to brush over the side of Crowpaw's muzzle. A sudden sting let Crowpaw know it was the spot where Scree had struck him. He let out a silent groan. Great, now I've worried her.

"Is it bad?" Squirrelpaw mewed, Crowpaw blushed when he felt her paw accidentally stroke his whiskers. His stomach curled in a strange, warm way that made his head feel lighter.

The Windclan cat straightened up, sneering. "As if? I've been hurt more by playing with kits in the nursery!" He lied. He didn't want her worrying over him. Though, he couldn't help but feel an uncertain satisfaction, a happiness, that she did stop to care about him, even in all this.

He wouldn't admit to Ashfoot that she had been right when scolding her sulking kit. But chances were she already knew she was. It was really good to have a friend.

Squirrelpaw snorted, clear disbelief in her orbs. "I'd hate to see what damage Thunderclan kits could do to you, then?"

"Well, you're about as big as one."

She laughed for a gleaming moment, then widened her eyes and pulled her paw away from his muzzle. Instantly, the sting seemed to return, as well as a harsh coldness. Crowpaw twitched his tail as Squirrelpaw clicked her tongue, her head turning away in a random, aimless direction. Crowpaw saw her fur flatten on her back and thought he found the reason when he saw that Brambleclaw was in her line of sight.

Crowpaw rested his tail on her flank, snickering. "Don't worry about him. It didn't hurt when he had me up against the wall."

Squirrelpaw made a small murmur. "Okay." She didn't sound too invested.

A silver shape moved in the corner of Crowpaw's sight. Feathertail had begun to stroll to the wall, her tail still hanging low, as an obvious plague still shrouded her face. She flicked her tail in a small gesture of goodnight, but she made no sound, still she managed a last sad smile at her friends before finding her resting space.

Crowpaw groaned through his teeth, hopelessness and enervation making him lose any appetite he had left.

But before his own weakness could make him any more miserable, he was taken out by a familiar pain swiping him across the ear.

"Would you stop doing that?" Crowpaw snapped, turning to the scowling apprentice beside him. "What have I done now?"

Squirrelpaw's tail lashed from side to side, knocking rocks at the walls. "What are you waiting for?" She demanded, "Aren't you going to apologise?"

"What did I do to you?"

"Not to me, mouse-brain!" She scoffed. She gestured to over his shoulder, Crowpaw turned and saw Feathertail curled up into a tight ball, hiding her face from the others. Crowpaw stiffened. Was she still crying? He cursed himself, what was he thinking? Who knew what those cats were doing to her brother? She was suffering more than any of them.

Why had that become so clear just now? Stupid. His mind scolded him.

"Well, you're her friend, aren't you?" Squirrelpaw whipped his pelt with her tail. "Get over there!"

Crowpaw faced Squirrelpaw hopelessly, his whiskers curling. "What good will it do?" Crowpaw huffed, "It's not going to bring Stormfur back."

"That isn't the point. She shouldn't be going through this alone, feather-head." Squirrelpaw rose a brow, "She needs someone to remind her that we're not going to give up. I don't want her to lose hope."

"Well why don't you go to her?" Crowpaw said dryly.

Squirrelpaw frowned, "Because I've already tried to comfort her, unlike some-tom who got into another fight." She shook her head at him, "I wish Brambleclaw hadn't had to do that, but do you really think that was what Feathertail needed?"

Crowpaw felt his fur jolt, his tail twitching as a guilty humiliation pressed against him. "I was just trying to get to Stormfur." He muttered, though he didn't sound so confident now.

"I know." Squirrelpaw's voice smoothened, but there was still a bite in her tone. "I wish we could tear those cats into crow food this second, but right now we should be thinking about someone else."

Starclan, if Squirrelpaw was on the same thinking side as Brambleclaw, Crowpaw must have done something wrong. And he had. Seeing Feathertail like that had made Crowpaw furious at the Tribe, but thinking about it now, Crowpaw had done nothing to comfort her. He'd just let his anger get the best of him.

That didn't help her. That didn't help any of them.

"Okay, fine, you're right." Crowpaw conceded sulkily, he was struggling to keep his head up, feeling weighed down by the events of the night.

Squirrelpaw chuckled humourlessly, "Aren't I always."

Crowpaw snorted, but he couldn't hide his grin. He realised recently how Squirrelpaw just had that ability of lighting up the darkest moments. He needed somecat like her sometimes, she really was a good help. Thankfully, he pressed his head against her side, rubbing gingerly into her fluffy fur. It still shocked Crowpaw a little how close he and Squirrelpaw had become. He could still remember when the only contact between them would have been her claws across his face.

Now, she just had to brush against him and he felt just the smallest bit better.

But he stiffened when he felt her flinch and pull away from him, standing up in a bolt, all of her fur on edge. Crowpaw saw her staring down at him, a look of panic on her face. The two friends stared at each other, equally astounded. Had he done something wrong? He was only trying to be friendly.

Crowpaw wilted slightly, frowning, and there was a brief weakness in Squirrelpaw's face. "S-Sorry." She mumbled swiftly, smoothing down her frazzled fur. "Um, look, you should r-really talk to Feathertail though." She meowed, contorting her muzzle into a tight smile. "Let her know it's going to be fine; she'll want to hear that from you."

Before Crowpaw could think of a response, Squirrelpaw had turned away, mumbling something Crowpaw couldn't hear.

In the small time he had before the cat would spring away, Crowpaw thought of the first thing he could from his list of questions. "Why would she want to hear it from me?"

He didn't know if that was the right thing to ask. More likely a 'what's wrong?' would have worked, but Squirrelpaw still stopped in her tracks. Crowpaw felt a small hint of relief.

It didn't remain for long. Squirrelpaw kept still for a while, not turning back to him. But Crowpaw noticed her ears press back, and he saw her tail flare and deflate in a quick successive pattern. His unease only grew as he tried to imagine what expressions she was making.

It didn't look like anything he'd like.

Finally, she looked back. A stiff frown on her muzzle, and bemused exhaustion in her green eyes. "Because you're her friend and she likes you." She attested, snappy, but still tightly composed. "Now get your tail over there!"

Crowpaw craned his head, unsure how to exactly take her response. Was she angry at him or not? "Well, why don't you come?" Surely Feathertail would appreciate both of their company rather than just his. Plus, Crowpaw shifted uncomfortably, it felt better when it was the three of them. More natural.

Squirrelpaw's mouth opened slightly, gaping, as her brow creased. She made a small grunt of disbelief, followed by a breathy pulse of a laugh. For a moment, her jaw seemed to roll back and forth, then sat into an almost mocking smile again. "You're such a rabbit-brain." She said quietly, turning away as she did so. This time, she didn't look back. She just began to walk away like their brief conversation had never happened.

Crowpaw sat there, his jaw hanging, still beyond confused. He knew that they had their cheeky back and forth constantly, and he enjoyed it more every day. But that was just bizarre. Usually he had to have done something to warrant her kittish nicknames and insults.

The apprentice looked aside with a small growl. He wasn't so much angry by how she reacted, just bewildered, and admittedly a little hurt. Sure, she didn't seem overly angry at him, but something had to be up! They'd had closer contact then that small head touch before, it didn't make sense why she would react like he had scratched her. Had she been hurt by one of the guards when they'd pushed them all into this cavern?

Whatever it was, it seemed like Squirrelpaw just wanted him to go speak to Feathertail.

Crowpaw sighed. He supposed that was understandable. Maybe Squirrelpaw was just looking out for another on of her friends. Still didn't answer why she wouldn't come along though.

Crowpaw might have become angrier at that thought if he hadn't rested his eyes on Feathertail again.

Curled up. Alone. The brother so closely kept beside her now nowhere to be found.

Something stabbed inside of Crowpaw, and he rose. No matter what was up with Squirrelpaw, the ginger molly had been right. Some cat did need someone to talk to.

Crowpaw gently strolled up to the silver cat, hesitantly holding up a paw and questioning whether she was asleep or not. "Feathertail." He mewed, so softly that no sleeping cat would have heard it.

But the silver cat shifted out of her ball, raising her head up and smiling lightly at the apprentice. "Oh, h-hey Crowpaw." She rubbed her eyes of the fresh tear stains, making Crowpaw bite his lip. She tried to look like nothing happened. "What is it?"

The grey cat gazed at her a moment longer. You don't need to act strong. He sat down beside her, his tail resting next to hers. He could feel her tail jolt slightly, but she didn't pull it away so Crowpaw relaxed. "Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, but Crowpaw couldn't think of anything else that would show he was thinking about her.

Feathertail let out a toneless laugh, gazing away at her paws, her smile was proven false as shadow came back over her face. "Not really."

Crowpaw nodded, inwardly glowering at himself, ashamed that he had even asked. "Sorry."

"No, you don't need to be sorry." Feathertail curled her tail so that it was linked with his. Crowpaw felt his face heat up. "I know you just want to help, and I really appreciate it. But…" She looked away again, her blue pupils trembling.

Crowpaw gave her ear a quick lick, wanting to do anything to show that she wasn't alone in her grief. "It's going to be fine. We're not going home without him."

"I know we're not. I'm just," She sniffed again. "I'm just thinking about Stormfur. He's all alone with them; what if he thinks we've left him behind?"

"He'd never believe that! He knows we wouldn't leave without him!"

"But he wasn't chosen by Starclan, Crowpaw." Feathertail squeaked, tears pricking the corner of her eyes. "Even if he doesn't act like it, I know that he's bothered by that. He might feel like we don't need him."

That sent a shiver down Crowpaw's spine, because he could see Stormfur thinking that. The Windclan cat cringed as he remembered that it was something that he had consistently said to the Riverclan tom when they'd first set off on their journey.

Now he wished he could take it all back.

"Chosen or not," Crowpaw mused slowly, "He's one of us, and you're his sister. I don't believe he could ever forget that."

The Warrior glanced up, still despaired, but now mellowing with thought.

"Consider this. Do you believe Stormfur would think we'd ever abandon Squirrelpaw? Even though she wasn't chosen either?"

Feathertail's eyes dotted down then up. "…No." She muttered.

"Do you think Stormfur would ever abandon Squirrelpaw?" Crowpaw rose a brow, smirking a little. "Even putting aside the obvious."

Feathertail actually made a sound resembling a laugh at that. "No."

"Right!" Crowpaw meowed briskly, "He's no hare-brain, he knows we're coming for him. And I bet you he's not gone down without a fight!" The apprentice curled his tail in declaration, "He won't just let these scum-pelts drag him into their pathetic prophecy! He's only loyal to his own clan! And to us!" Crowpaw added the last part on quickly.

Slowly, something began to shine more and more in Feathertail's eyes as the apprentice continued. Her smile began to look much more suiting. "You think so?"

"I know it!" Crowpaw scoffed indignantly. "It doesn't matter anyway, because we're going to get him out of there and prove it to him! All of us have already said that we are."

Feathertail nodded slowly, looking happy and uneasy at the same time. She looked up again at Crowpaw, moonlight and something else reflecting in her stare. "Stormfur's lucky to have friends as loyal as all of you."

Crowpaw shrugged, smiling at the gleaming shift in Feathertail's expression. "Yes he is." Suddenly realising why he was there in the first place, Crowpaw lowered his eyes. "I still didn't help though, did I?"

"Crowpaw?" Feathertail mewed incredulously.

The Windclan tom sighed, letting himself give in to the familiar shame of being wrong, "Going after the Tribe like that?" Crowpaw said bitterly, "I could have made everything even worse."

"What?" Feathertail straightened up, flickering with a small fire. "What are you talking about? You were just trying to help!"

Crowpaw scoffed, she really was too kind for her own good. "Some help." He said with self-slaughtering scorn. "All I did was get batted down like a mouse and ignore who really needed my help." He didn't need to look up to show who he meant. It had been his lack of judgement had caused him to abandon his friend's needs. He deserved whatever anger or disappointment she was keeping hidden from him.

"Oh Starclan!" Feathertail piped suddenly, "I'm sorry, how could I forget?!" Crowpaw glanced up again, troubled by strange concern in her tone, and found his chin being gently moved to the side as Feathertail examined the wound on his cheek.

"Those pieces of fox-dung!" Feathertail snarled, not afraid to shoot a glare in the direction of the lone guard. With a flick of her tail, she was back to her gentle worry as she pressed her tail against Crowpaw's flank. "Are you alright?"

Unbelievable. This cat, who was clearly struggling with her own heartache, was asking if he was okay? Crowpaw almost felt wrong in how strange this was. "I-I'm fine." Crowpaw gaped, "Why are you worrying about me? I'm the one who tried to fight them!"

"Because you were hurt." Feathertail gawked.

"But I didn't even land a mark on them." Crowpaw's pupils wavered down, "I didn't help anyone."

"But you tried." Feathertail purred at him, rubbing her cheek against his carefully. "It might not have been the smartest move you've ever made." She giggled lightly, but her eyes were shimmering with appreciation. "But you were still trying to help, in your own way. That's enough for me."

It didn't feel like enough for Crowpaw. He still felt useless. But he could tell that Feathertail meant what she said. His actions had meant something to her.

That made him feel a little better.

He groaned, immediately feeling selfish again.

"It still wasn't the right call to make." Crowpaw accepted, going slack as the cat continued to rub against him. "I'm sorry about that."

Feathertail let out a sweet purr. "You already made up for it."

He hadn't, but he allowed himself to smile at her forgiveness. Soon he would earn it for real. The right way. He would do everything he could to get Stormfur out of there. Not just because the tom was his friend, but to make Feathertail smile again.

"I'm lucky too." Crowpaw went stiff as he felt a soft weight against his shoulder. His eyes darted to the side where Feathertail rested her head, a melancholy smile on her face. "I'm so happy I met you all." Her breathing became a little shallower, and Crowpaw felt fresh tears touch his shoulder. "Sorry." She mumbled.

"Don't be." Crowpaw said, using his tail to rub her back. "Let it out." He couldn't save Stormfur, but right now, he could be there when she needed it. He would stay all night if he needed to.

He didn't need to. Thankfully, Feathertail's tears didn't last long and she pulled her face out of Crowpaw's shoulder. She still didn't take her head away though; not that Crowpaw minded. The Warrior let out a shaky breath, easing against the smaller cat.

"It's funny." Feathertail mewed in a way that showed no humour. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you guys when this is all over." She sighed, closing her eyes. "You're all the best friends I've ever had."

Crowpaw's eyes shot open as the fact he'd tried to ignore surged up again into his throat. "You make it sound like we'll never see each other again."

Feathertail peered up, but she didn't move her face. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'll do everything I can to see you whenever I can." Her eyes grew heavy again, "But it won't be the same."

Crowpaw couldn't argue with that, despite how much he wanted to. Could he even want to? His loyalty was meant to be drawn to one clan. But after all this time, could he just abandon the friends he'd made and act like he wouldn't wish for more nights under the stars with them.

Then he remembered.

"Actually, me and Squirrelpaw were talking about that."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and," He met her eyes with a rare vulnerability. Would she be as open to the idea as he was? "Squirrelpaw actually suggested… I mean, I want to be loyal to my clan, but… How would you like it, if the three of us met in secret?"

She reacted much sooner than Crowpaw had, and much happier as well. Her eyes lit up like the hidden stars. "Really? That would be amazing! That's a fantastic idea!"

A mixture of amazement and joy overwhelmed Crowpaw! How could a Warrior be so willing to these kind of ideas? Oh well, it was good news for him. "Okay then!" He meowed, "Then I guess we don't have anything to worry about. If we're clever enough, we could meet up every night!"

Feathertail laughed, "Hmm?" She purred playfully, Crowpaw felt it on his cheek and he chuckled at the ticklish feeling. "You and Squirrelpaw are pretty sly; maybe it could work!"

Crowpaw shrugged, "Hey, we won't know until we try. I want to do it though."

"I do to." Feathertail purred again, the feeling was now softer. Crowpaw glanced down and paused when he saw the look in Feathertail's eyes. She still had her cheek buried into his shoulder, and deep in the blue ripples of her eyes, there was an overwhelming glow of happiness. And, Crowpaw thought, there was something else in there. Something gentle and serene ran inside Feathertail's voice.

"I want to see you again."

A frightening and forbidden thought made its way into Crowpaw's head. His muzzle parted open into a small look of astonishment. That look… It looked familiar, yet unknown. He saw how happy Feathertail was, and he could feel her warm breath as she sighed against him.

Crowpaw managed to fathom the thought.

Did she…

Within a breath, Feathertail whipped her head away, her ears twitching as she craned her head, eyes furrowed in deep consideration. Crowpaw, maybe out of desperation, shook away the previous thoughts and stretched his head out with a rising brow.

"What is it?"

"Shh." Feathertail ushered with a soft urgency. "Can't you hear that?"

Crowpaw looked over to where her head was arched to. But all he could hear was the sound of the waterfall, rushing a soft current across the cave, as delicate as a moth's wing.

"Hear what?"

"Voices?"

"Voices?" Crowpaw listened again but heard nothing else. He looked Feathertail up and down with a small twinge of worry. "It's probably just the cave guards."

Feathertail shook her whiskers. "No. It sounded like…" She stopped to listen again, her eyes suddenly widening a little. She mouthed a small word. No.

"Feathertail?" Crowpaw extended a paw onto his friend's shoulder. The cat lowered her ears, straightening again, but her face was still twisted with thought.

"I…Nevermind." Feathertail mewed briskly, "You're right, it was probably just the cave guards." She didn't sound like she believed that.

"What did they say?" Crowpaw's neck fur bristled.

Feathertail blinked, biting her lip for a split second, then settling down again, licking Crowpaw's ear tenderly. Crowpaw now stiffened a little. "It doesn't matter. I probably just need to get some sleep." Feathertail purred as she rubbed against him again. "Go on, you should get to your own sleeping hollow."

Crowpaw let out a small noise of confusion. This didn't seem right. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"I'm sure, it was nothing." Feathertail said, tail still twitching a little. Crowpaw frowned. "Crowpaw, believe me, you've already helped me enough. Thanks for coming over." She smiled with a finality that proved that she wouldn't, or didn't want to, discuss it further.

Crowpaw just wanted to keep her smiling.

Plus, he couldn't help that small thought from pricking him. The look that had been in her eyes.

He grunted, forcing it away from him. He was being ridiculous, there was no way she…

He didn't want to end that.

"Okay then." Crowpaw got to his paws, smiling down at her, fire in his eyes. "You get some sleep, tomorrow we're going to make these cats sorry they were ever born!"

Feathertail chuckled, still twitching with an unknown trouble. "I know. So you get some as well. Goodnight."

"Night." Crowpaw mewed, padding away, hiding those stupid, terrible thoughts down in his gut. There was no way. No way it was like that. He was just being stupid. Overcome by the realisation of his exhaustion, Crowpaw yawned. Feathertail was right, he would need his energy for tomorrow.

I'm going to make fox-chow of these cats!

As he made his way back to his own hollow, he felt a shiver in his pelt that convinced him to turn to where a ginger apprentice was. She was curled up, face towards him, heavy with sleep. Crowpaw smiled softly. You were right, she did need someone to talk to. He'd tell her about how Feathertail was on board with meeting in secret tomorrow, already smirking at how happy that would make the apprentice. Then Crowpaw began to wonder about what Feathertail had said; how nothing would be the same when they got back.

How he didn't want to imagine life without his new best friends.

He shook his head again. That was a while away, and they had all agreed that none of them wanted it to end. They were all going to make an effort to keep their bond alive.

Crowpaw now wasn't afraid to admit how much he wanted that.

He mouthed a goodnight to Squirrelpaw, still beaming, before he retired to his own sleeping hollow.

What he didn't know was that the ginger cat's eyes had not been entirely closed. And he hadn't noticed her ears high on alert, listening to the whole conversation, noticing the feelings that Feathertail had portrayed.

He certainly didn't see the lack of joy in her eyes.

…

Am I out of the firing line now, Brambleclaw fans? We good? *hesitantly puts down the shield and sword* I'll take that as a yes.

This chapter became much longer than I originally anticipated. I need some serious help.

Would you all believe me if I said I originally planned for this story to be a microchapter style one shot... Yeah...I had alot to say about this fic, so we're gonna be here for a while. I hope you're enjoying the journey.

Please leave a review or a fave if you liked this chapter.

And as always, I'll talk to you in a while.