Longberry was dragging his paws, leaving long blood stains on the earth with each step, by the time the remains of the patrol reached the SkyClan camp. His thoughts were hazy and he barely noticed the gasps and surprised yowls that sounded when they arrived. The only thing he could think about was the fact that the returning patrol was smaller than it had been when it left.

Longberry didn't resist when a cat led him to a nest. It wasn't a medicine cat nor was the nest in the medicine den but he didn't care. Or maybe it was. He thought he could smell herbs over the scent of blood. He wasn't sure. He was too tired to focus on anything and too many emotions clouded his mind to think clearly. Longberry hated emotions. Well, hate was a strong word. He found them annoying and bothersome. Emotions made a cat act foolishly and get hurt in ways that no medicine cat could heal. Not to mention he had a hard time understanding them, whether they be his own or his clanmates'. It was frustrating.

He wasn't frustrated right now though. All he could feel was the searing pain of claws on his heart, as if the blows that killed his clanmates and allies had hit him instead. His own wounds throbbed but he knew the pain he was feeling wasn't coming from his pelt. It was raw, twisted emotion. It felt like a massive hole had appeared and swallowed him whole, guilt and disappointment lining the edges. He hated feeling this way. It would be so much easier if he was just… emotionless. Unfeeling. Longberry wasn't a very emotional cat but he knew plenty of the cats on his patrol were. How could any of them stand it?

His silent question was answered when a yellow form crashed next to him. Patternheart let out a long sigh and rested his head on Longberry's shoulder. Despite his exhaustion, Longberry's tail lifted itself and rested itself on Patternheart's flank in a comforting gesture. Even if Patternheart was too tired and torn apart to offer his usual cheerful words of support, his presence alone was comforting. Briefly, Longberry wondered why he didn't spend more time with Patternheart. They were friends and Longberry would probably consider Patternheart his closest friend, maybe closer than even Snaketail. He could be a bit much to deal with but Longberry valued his friendship nonetheless. He craned his neck to rest on Patternheart's paw and closed his eyes. This was nice.

Faintly, he could hear Snaketail whispering to Vigilpaw a tail length or two away. Vigilpaw was undoubtedly feeling the worst. Afterall, he had just lost his mentor and his mother. The young tom was already constantly plagued by general negativity and reclusiveness. Today's battles must have done wonders for his anxiety and not in a good way.

Longberry felt the lull of sleep tugging him in when the sound of his name snapped him out of it. He lifted his head and blinked a few times before recognizing the blurry form of Terrainstar standing over him. Why was his vision so blurry? That wasn't right. Either way, he was facing a clan leader. Longberry tried to get to his paws but his paws couldn't find a grip on the flat earth beneath them. Patternheart put a paw over his, wordlessly telling him to stay still.

He couldn't ignore Terrainstar though. It took every morsel of energy he had in his bones to lift his head and look up at the SkyClan leader. Longberry tried his best to make an interested, apologetic or even friendly expression but his face muscles were too tired and he just ended up blinking blankly at the older tom.

"Longberry," Terrainstar said with uncharacteristic gentleness, "what happened?"

"ShadowClan is gone," Longberry rasped. He tried to clear his throat and ended up breaking into a coughing fit. Panic gripped him like icy claws for a few heartbeats before he realized that it was just from lingering dryness in his throat, not injury. Still, it was worrying. He didn't know how injured he was. Patternheart was pretty beat up and Longberry had been fighting far longer than he had. Echopelt, Longberry, and Redpath undoubtedly carried a number of serious injuries each. If-

"What do you mean?" Terrainstar asked, interrupting his thoughts. Longberry had almost forgotten he was there. For StarClan's sake, he must be tired if he let his own thoughts were distracting him so much.

"There was no sign of them in their camp," Longberry explained. "There were these cats there- they called themselves the Others- who had taken it over. They attacked us. They… They killed Frostbark, Larkwhisker, Mintleaf, Newtdusk, and Webtail. We didn't stand a chance against them."

Terrainstar's eyes widened and he was quiet for a few moments. Longberry looked away, allowing the leader a few moments to himself before he regained his composure. "Where…?"

"They didn't let us take their bodies," Longberry responded, assuming that was what Terrainstar was trying to ask. "Their leader, Lizard, said that they would come in ShadowClan's place to the next Gathering."

Terrainstar nodded absently. "That's… I'd say that's good but there's no good in this situation, is there?"

Longberry shook his head. "No. No there isn't."

Terrainstar sighed and he suddenly seemed seasons older than he was. "Get some rest, Longberry. Rainpaw is mostly uninjured. She's treating Longear right now but she'll come by soon."

"What about-" Longberry cut off. He was about to ask about Frostbark. He shook his head and pushed away the thought. "What about Vigilpaw?"

"He's not doing well. He's injured but even if he wasn't, he's too shaken to treat anyone. I think he's in shock," Terrainstar told him. "I've sent some warriors to get the medicine cats from WindClan and RiverClan. They can help. Don't worry, Longberry. We won't lose anymore cats today."

"I trust that you'll make sure of that," Longberry murmured and closed his eyes, sinking into heavy, dreamless sleep.

It was dark when he closed his eyes but somehow it just got darker. He didn't understand how. He could see but the world was darker than it was when his eyes were shut. The earth below his paws was a barren brown and the trees that surrounded him were so dark they looked like silhouettes. He was alone in the forest. The cat was no stranger to loneliness but even the night sky above was starless, making him feel more alone than ever.

"Snaketail."

The cat jumped and whirled around before relaxing at the sight of the other cat. "Oh. It's just you."

The two cats looked remarkably similar, save the fact the faint markings on their pelts were different. One was a dark grey with a few lighter greys mixed in as well as a few yellow markings while the other cat was black and orange but both toms had piercing yellow eyes that met each other with unparalleled defiance. The main trait, however, that distinguished them was their pelts but not the colors of their fur. The darker tom's pelt was so faded that a cat could almost see right through him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this wonderful visit from my warrior ancestors?" Snaketail asked sarcastically, turning around to pace aimlessly around the clearing in the forest of shadowy trees. "You know how much I love dreaming my way to this wonderful corner of StarClan."

"We don't use that word here," Ripplestar said, curling his lip. He ducked his head in, almost aggressively, but Snaketail didn't flinch.

"Oh, I know," Snaketail said carelessly, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He knew he should be more respectful to his ancestors but Ripplestar bore no stars in his pelt and Snaketail always got a kick out of trying to see how far he could push him. "I just wanted to make myself clear. Any chance this dream is the one where you'll tell me you'll leave me alone?"

"Far from it," Ripplestar purred, eyes becoming alight with crude joy. "Quite the opposite really. I'm here to tell you that we're ready to step up your role in our plan."

"What role? What plan? I thought I made it very clear I don't want anything to do with whatever it is you and your friends are up to," Snaketail said, turning so he was facing the old leader once again.

"Oh, I know. You don't get much of a choice. Silverpelt's had a bit of an interest in some clan cats lately so it's only natural that we scoop up the leftovers," Ripplestar said. Snaketail didn't even begin to understand his words so he just kept his mouth shut, hoping the spirit would explain himself without any prompting on his end. "You don't have to do anything just yet, my little snake. Everything is already in motion. You and the other leftover piece of prey just have to fester at the bottom of the fresh-kill pile until it's time to do your part and poison your clanmates."

"What?" Snaketail blinked. "You're visiting another cat?"

"Jealous, are we?"

"Of course not. I just don't like the idea of you getting your claws on another cat."

"Oh, it's not me who's snatching up the other leftover," Ripplestar said. He took a few steps towards the other warrior. "Don't worry about it, Snaketail. Just focus on training your precious little apprentice for now."

"Wolfpaw?" Snaketail reeled back and glared, lip peeling back to flash his fangs. "You keep your paws off him!"

"Too late for that," Ripplestar said, putting his muzzle in his face. "You two may not be enough for StarClan but Silverpelt sees your potential and so do we. Powers or not, you're more than enough for the Dark Forest."

"What? Powers? The Dark Forest? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, nothing," Ripplestar tutted. "You just remember what I told you. Teach young Wolfpaw everything you learned from the Dark Forest and maybe we can put off bringing him here a few more moons."

"I'm not teaching him anything that comes from you!" Snaketail spat, taking a few more steps away from the darker tom. "He's going to be a great warrior! He's nothing like me. He doesn't need to steal moves from dreams and lie to his clanmates to become strong."

"Your his mentor," Ripplestar said, moving forward. "You're supposed to teach him everything you know. Everything you know you learned from me."

"No," Snaketail growled, shuffling further back. "I'm a strong, respected ThunderClan warrior because I worked hard. I don't care what you say. Just because you visited me in my dreams while I was an apprentice doesn't mean that I learned how to fight because of you. I taught myself to fight and I made myself a strong warrior. I did it all on my own. All you did was scare me into staying awake longer than I should have."

"Oh, that's a lie," Ripplestar snorted and kept pressing forward. "I'll admit, you are good in your own right but you learned from us before you learned from yourself. And we can make you better. Snaketail, we can give you what you need to make ThunderClan greater than it ever has before. Even greater than Firestar's reign."

"Those are just nursery stories," Snaketail growled. He took another step back only for his hindpaw to meet open air. He glanced over his shoulder and found that he had backed out of the clearing and was now standing at the edge of a cliff. He didn't let it faze him though. Steeling himself, he turned back to face Ripplestar. "ThunderClan is already great."

Ripplestar's face turned angry and sour. "Fine. Be that way. But I know you'll seize the opportunity when it comes."

Ripplestar turned as if he was going to pad away but he suddenly whirled around and reared up, raking his claws across Snaketail's face. The grey and yellow tom let out a yowl of surprise as he was forced backwards, tumbling into the void below.

Vigilpaw stumbled as he padded through the woodland, hardly aware of the trees around him. If not for Snaketail gently nudging him in the right direction, he knew he would have crashed into a tree right now. His usual hardened senses were not serving him well at the moment. Everything around him seemed… hazy. Like he was trapped underwater, trying to swim upward to the surface, but his tail was trapped under a rock on the bottom, keeping him from the mouthfuls of air he longed for.

"We're almost home," Snaketail murmured in his ear as he shoulder Vigilpaw, bumping him away from a root that his paws were ready to trip on. Vigilpaw hummed acknowledgement and let himself be led after the others.

Both Longberry and Echopelt were limping heavily, barely able to walk. They were the most injured of the bunch and they probably shouldn't have been up let alone walking so soon after the fight in the first place but Vigilpaw hadn't found it in him to protest when Longberry insisted upon leaving first thing after the sun rose. In the back of his mind, a quiet voice told him that he was a terrible medicine cat for bumbling around at the back of the patrol instead of keeping an eye on the wounded but the numb fog in his mind quieted the voice. As much as Vigilpaw hated listening to it tell him how terrible he was, it was that voice always telling him that something was wrong. It made his instincts sharp enough to be a cat respected by warriors like Snaketail and Longberry and it was what drove his paws to the right pile of herbs when he was treating a clanmate. He would give anything for this funk to be lifted enough to listen to it again.

The voice's usual hisses were more like deafened murmurs now. It's words weren't sharp. It was muted but still present. Occasionally, it's usual jabs would slip through but for the most part it was just telling him to put one paw in front of the other. He was almost home. Everything would be fine when he got home.

Vigilpaw suddenly realized it wasn't the voice in the back of his mind telling him that. It was Snaketail whispering to him, or maybe himself. Vigilpaw flattened his ears. Lies. Snaketail could lie better than any cat, lure them into a false sense of security impossible to break out of. Vigilpaw could spot Snaketail's lies from a foxlength away but deceit and denial could be comforting at times. Right now should not be one of those times. His clanmates' well being rested on his shoulders and his alone.

Vigilpaw's heart throbbed when he realized that when he went into his den tonight, he'd be alone. Never again would he hear his mentor's soft snores or wake up to Frostbark telling him they were low on borage or dock. Vigilpaw wasn't afraid of the dark but the idea of being alone in his den with nothing but the spiders and moonlight to comfort him filled him with fear.

"We're almost home," Snaketail murmured again. "Everything's going to be fine. We're almost home."

Vigilpaw wanted to hiss at him. He wanted to snap that everything was just going to get so much worse. Snaketail adored their leader. Would he be able to handle telling him that his beloved medicine cat would never share tongues with him again? Would Vigilpaw be able to tell his littermates and father that his mother died and he was unable to save her? What about Dottail? Vigilpaw knew she was a strong cat but she loved Larkwhisker with all of her heart. Could she bear raising their kits alone?

But Vigilpaw kept his mouth shut. Snaketail found solace in denial and Vigilpaw could understand that. He wasn't going to break the illusion for his friend even though reality would shatter it soon enough. Snaketail wouldn't be hurt. No, the tom was aware each and every time he lied to himself. He'd let him have these last few moments of pretending he didn't have to face Vinestar. Every cat knew the news that would crush him.

When the patrol stepped into camp, they were immediately swarmed by their clanmates, endless questions filling Vigilpaw's ears. His breath hitched as he froze, ducking his head to shy away. Snaketail stepped in front of them and guided him past them, shielding him from the others. Vigilpaw was grateful his friend knew him well enough to know he couldn't handle facing his clanmates right now.

He lifted his head briefly and saw that Longberry looked as overwhelmed as he did. Molebriar and Bramblethorn were on either side of him, assaulting him with questions about his injuries, and more cats looked like they were going to join.

Vigilpaw lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. "Snaketail…"

"Be bold, tiger," Snaketail whispered, the hint of a smile on his voice. Vigilpaw took a few steps forward, leaving Snaketail's side, and cleared his throat loudly.

"Hey!" he barked. Surprisingly, his voice didn't waver. He was privately proud of himself. "Don't crowd him. Don't crowd anyone. Let him breathe."

The pair of warriors turned at the sound of his voice and ducked their heads apologetically. "Right. Sorry, Vigilpaw."

Longberry mouthed a thank you to the younger tom and Vigilpaw offered a half-hearted smile in return. He waved his tail, drawing the patrol closer. Snaketail, Rushstalk, Patternheart, Echopelt, Longberry, and Vigilpaw were soon standing around the base of the highrock, their clanmates just a few taillengths away. Vigilpaw wished they'd give them some space and leave them alone but couldn't be mad at them. Their clanmates had showed up at camp covered in dried blood and injuries. They had every right to be curious. And worried.

Vigilpaw saw his sister Spiderwatcher trying to catch his eye. Vigilpaw just shook his head, letting her know now was not the time. They needed to talk to Vinestar.

Vinestar noticed the commotion and was out of his den by the time the remains of the patrol had reached the high rock. His steps had their usual vigor as he headed towards them but his amber eyes were shining with worry. "What happened?"

"We were attacked," Longberry rasped, voice breaking. Snaketail took a step forward, putting a tail tip on his shoulder, and took over.

"The meetup with SkyClan went as planned. Longberry lead the first patrol with Redpath, Echopelt, Longear, and Frostbark. They made it to the ShadowClan camp but Beanstar wasn't there nor were there any ShadowClan cats," Snaketail explained. His gaze was shaky, like it was hard to keep his eyes on his leader, but he swallowed and kept his head held high. "The cats there called themselves the Others. Their leader, Lizard, wasn't interested in talking and attacked. It was a while before the secondary patrols realized anything was wrong."

"How did you?" Echopelt spoke up. Every cat looked to him and the spotted tom looked a bit embarrassed but he didn't lick his fur or turn away. "I know it's not important but I've just been wondering."

"Vigilpaw was uneasy and Patternheart said he heard yowling. It wasn't much to go off of but we weren't taking any chances," Snaketail informed him before continuing. "Archpelt and my patrols explored the territory a bit then closed in on the camp. When we got there, three cats were fighting Echopelt, Longberry, and Redpath in the middle of the camp while the rest watched from the edges. They… weren't looking the best when we arrived. Mudbush, Patternheart, and I ran in and helped them. The rest of the patrol fought the other cats."

"Where are the others?" Vinestar asked. He glanced around as if he expected Larkwhisker, Mintleaf, and Frostbark to be standing among their clanmates. Vigilpaw felt his heart squeeze painfully. He looked away, not wanting to see the despair that he knew was about to appear on Vinestar's face.

Vigilpaw heard paws scuffle as if Longberry was going to say something. He leaned against the taller tom, letting him know to stay quiet. He may be deputy but it had to be Snaketail who told their leader the news. Vigilpaw didn't know why, it just felt right.

"They… They were killed," Snaketail spoke. The words didn't come out choked. They came out as even and emotionless as Longberry's words often did. Vigilpaw could still tell Snaketail was breaking apart inside. Even if his voice was flat, it carried his pain.

"Frostbark was dead before we got there," Rushstalk spoke up quietly. "I was with Mintleaf when she went down. These cats were brutal. I tried to get to her but there were too many cats. They just kept pushing me away. I didn't see what happened to Larkwhisker but I think he was alone."

A wail broke through the camp and Vigilpaw could do nothing more than lower his head even more. It was Dottail, he was sure it was. Vigilpaw flattened his ears and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the world. He didn't want to see her grieve.

His efforts did little to aid him. In his mind, all he could see was his father Leafwillow trying to comfort his littermates Antpatch and Spiderwatcher despite his own pain. Part of him felt guilty for avoiding them. For standing so far away from them or maybe for not being the one to tell them the news. He didn't know. But guilt was not regret. An even bigger part of him just wanted to hide until the sun went away.

Snaketail was talking again but Vigilpaw wasn't listening. He didn't want to listen. The conversation ended and the clan began dispersing. Vigilpaw finally found it in him to look up. When he did, he just wanted to look down again. Vinestar looked like some cat had just ripped his heart out.

Vigilpaw couldn't help but feel like that cat was him. He knew it wasn't justified but that dark little voice in the back of his mind just kept screaming it.

Vigilpaw staggered as an explosion of pain and shock struck him. He nearly fell over, not expecting the fresh wave of emotion. But he had a job to do. It was his duty to his leader.

"Do you need some thyme?" he asked, watching Vinestar carefully.

The mottled brown tom shook his head slowly. "Don't waste your worry for me. Get some rest, Vigilpaw."

"But if you're in shock…" Vigilpaw stumbled over his words. "I don't have time to rest. Longberry and Echopelt still need a lot of treatment and I think Rushstalk's flank started bleeding again. I need to get some cobwebs and-"

"Vigilpaw."

"- make some dressings. Oh, Dottail probably needs some thyme too. She just lost her mate. And-"

"Vigilpaw."

"- I need to talk to my father. Why didn't I save her? I was right there. I watched those cats tear Mintleaf away from Rushstalk but I froze. I was with Frostbark and I froze. I might've been able to-"

"Vigilpaw." This time it was a different voice but Vigilpaw's were spiraling into a vortex he couldn't escape.

"- save her but I didn't. I just froze and watched her die. And now I can't even put dressings on her body to help her journey to Silverpelt. Frostbark would have-"

"Vigilpaw!"

"- done something. Why did she have to die? It should've been me. She was so much more-"

"Vigilpaw!" Snaketail said loudly, interrupting the stream of words coming out of his mouth. Vigilpaw's eyes widened, his mind finally catching up with his actions. He slapped his tail over his mouth, horrified. Had he really said all of that out loud? And in front of his leader?

"Breathe," Longberry told him. Vigilpaw realized he'd been the second voice trying to get his attention during his ramblings, the first being Vinestar. Longberry, StarClan bless him, took a stiff step forwards him and lowered his gaze, meeting his eyes. "Breathe with me. Inhale and count to four."

Vigilpaw did as he was told, easily falling into the familiar routine. Afterall, these moments weren't exactly uncommon.

"Now hold it for seven heartbeats. There you go, you're doing well, Vigilpaw. Now exhale for eight heartbeats. Good, good. Keep doing that until you calm down."

"You're okay," Snaketail whispered to him and Vigilpaw felt a wave of tranquility wash over him. Snaketail's words carried an honest undertone and Vigilpaw loved that more than anything. He always knew exactly what to say and how to say it. "Remember Longberry's breathing exercise. Calm down, Vigilpaw. We're home. There's nothing to do but look forward."

Vigilpaw's chest was tight but the mass loosened a bit. Vigilpaw realized that his paws were moving. Snaketail was guiding him toward his den.

"I can't go to my nest yet," Vigilpaw protested weakly as they stepped inside. "There's so much I need to do."

"There is. You're ThunderClan's medicine cat now," Snaketail told him and a fresh wave of fear rolled in. Vigilpaw stiffly let Snaketail push him into his nest. Vigilpaw let out a choked breath when his eyes fell on Frostbark's nest, knowing she would never lie in it again, but remembered that Longberry asked him to breathe. He tried his best to follow the order as Snaketail sat beside him and lapped the top of his head. "ThunderClan needs its medicine cat which means that you need to get your strength back. Rest, Vigilpaw. Patternheart, Rushstalk, and I are fine and Echopelt and Longberry's injuries can wait."

"I'm no medicine cat," Vigilpaw responded quietly as he settled into the moss and bracken. "I have no one to give me my name. A medicine needs his name. An apprentice name is as meaningless as a kit name. I'm no one and there's no one to make me someone. I'm nothing."

"You're so much more than your name, Vigilpaw," Snaketail told him gently. "I know you need one but we can worry about that later. Right now you just need to rest. We deserve it."

"Okay," Vigilpaw whispered and let his head fall against the moss of his nest. Snaketail shifted into a slightly more comfortable position and pressed his muzzle against his ear but said nothing. Vigilpaw appreciated the gesture either way. The warmth of another cat's pelt beside him was enough to soothe him enough to give into the lull of the darkness.

Vigilpaw's body suddenly felt light and his wounds stopped stinging. He sat up abruptly, startled to find that Snaketail wasn't at his side anymore. He panicked for a couple heartbeats, looking around frantically, before recognizing the clearing he sat in. Well, recognize wasn't the right word. It held the ring of familiarity and that was all he needed to know where he was. He was visiting StarClan.

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to show up here," a voice said. Vigilpaw jumped. He looked around only to find that thick mist was obstructing his vision. After a few more heartbeats, it began pulling back, revealing a silver tabby sitting on a large grey stone.

The tabby's blue eyes were faded, almost like Vigilpaw's own, but his gaze was sharp. He leaped off the stone gracefully and padded towards him. Vigilpaw couldn't help but take a step back, intimidated by the cat's presence but still awed by the sight of stars in his fur. Vigilpaw had seen plenty of StarClan cats before but this tom was exactly what Vigilpaw thought of when someone said StarClan cat. Lean and supple, stars matching his tabby markings perfectly, his pelt faded ever so slightly yet still bold with color, eyes ominously blue yet piercing. He was beautiful.

"Who are you?" Vigilpaw asked. The tabby ignored him. Or he didn't hear him. Vigilpaw spoke pretty quietly but he suspected the former.

The beautiful tabby circled him, paws barely skimming the smooth earth below. He coiled and weaved with the same grace as Snaketail fought, inspecting the medicine cat apprentice curiously. Any fear that lingered suddenly disappeared, replaced with awe. Vigilpaw turned each time the cat took a step, keeping him in his mystified gaze. What was he doing?

The cat eventually came to a stop and gave him a short nod. "I made a good choice with you. Welcome, Vigilpaw, to the mist."

"The mist?" Vigilpaw echoed. He tilted his head, curious. "What's that?"

"The borders of StarClan's hunting grounds," the tabby told him. "It's here you can best hear Silverpelt. Normal warriors are rarely invited here. It's usually just the cats that were reflected on the lake during the first sunrise that are welcome here. Even then, it's usually just the most faded cats or the ones with the most stars in their fur that make their nests here."

Vigilpaw didn't follow but he nodded numbly, holding onto each one of this StarClan cat's words. "Then what am I doing here?"

The tabby shrugged. "An accident, maybe. I didn't call you here but I've been waiting for you to show up. Now's probably as good a time as any, with you being mentorless and all. You're ThunderClan's medicine cat now, Vigilpaw."

"Yeah," Vigilpaw whispered. He swallowed and let his gaze meet the tabby's, all his insecurities shining in his eyes. "I don't know if I can do it."

"Of course you can," the tabby scoffed. "You're like me. You can't fight your destiny, Vigilpaw. You're going to be a great medicine cat."

"But I'm not even a medicine cat. I'm just an apprentice. And now my mentor's gone."

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting that to happen for awhile," the tabby responded. "I'm not going to let that stop you though and you better not let any of those anxious little thoughts in your head tell you otherwise either. My old apprentice fought those things every day and I think he turned out alright. As much as I love Alderheart, I need you to be better than either of us were, you hear? Pretend I'm your mentor now."

"You're my mentor?" Vigilpaw echoed, eyes still wide and confused.

"That's right," the silver tom said with a short nod. "I'm your mentor now. And as your mentor, I say that ThunderClan needs a medicine cat. It's time for you to get your name, Vigilpaw."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't you think you deserve it?"

"I mean, I guess," Vigilpaw mumbled. That wasn't a lie. Did he want it? Yes. Did he think he deserved it? He didn't know. Vigilpaw desperately hoped this StarClan cat knew what he was doing.

The tom flicked his ear in annoyance. "I suppose that's the best I can hope to get out of you. Are you ready, Vigilpaw, to become a fully fledged medicine cat of ThunderClan?"

"I think so."

"What? Speak up!"

"Yes," Vigilpaw said louder as the tabby tom opposite of him stood up straighter and looked up to whatever lay above Silverpelt. The mist blocked their view but Vigilpaw still felt a rush of humility that there was something even greater than the stars.

"I, the sharp-eyed jay of Silverpelt, use the power of the stars to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat and I will watch over him as he serves his clan for many moons to come," the silver tabby said before dropping his gaze. Vigilpaw drew himself up, planting his paws firmly on the earth under his feet, and let their pale eyes lock. "Vigilpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between clans and protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do." Vigilpaw never felt more sure of anything in his life.

"Then by the powers of the stars, I give you your true name as a medicine cat," the tom said, pride dancing in his blue eyes. "Vigilpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Vigilstorm. The stars honor your instinct and heart. I welcome you as a full medicine cat of ThunderClan."

Vigilstorm sat up a bit taller at the sound of his name, eyes glowing with pride. All the pain and turmoil from the day washed away the heartbeat his name fell on his ears. All the tension and heavy despair was lifted and Vigilstorm felt whole, like he'd gained something he'd never realized he was missing. Vigilstorm. He had a name now, the name he'd carry for the rest of his life and all the way to StarClan. He never realized how much he longed for it. Why did he think he wasn't ready for it? If he'd known he needed to hear his own name so much, Vigilstorm would have asked for it a long time ago.

"Thank you," Vigilstorm whispered as his heart leaped with joy. He was quiet. No amount of noise could express his gratitude. The tom sitting before him tipped his head and smiled.

"Do you like your new name?"

"Yes. I do." Vigilstorm swallowed a purr. "More than anything."

"Good. Because there was no other name I could give you."

Vigilstorm blinked, once again entranced by this strange StarClan cat. "What do you mean?"

"I was once another cat," the tabby told him as if he hadn't heard him. "Thanks to the same power that I shared with you, I was able to remember by past. I haven't seen yours but I hope you'll get the chance to see it. You of all cats deserve it."

"I don't understand." Vigilstorm frowned.

"There's a lot you don't understand, little storm cloud," the silver tabby told him. Vigilstorm opened his mouth to question him but black spots began to fill his vision.

"Wait!"

"It's time for you to wake up. We'll see each other soon, Vigilstorm."

Vigilstorm tried to call out again but a blanket of darkness filled his vision, plunging him back into the realm of unconsciousness.