AtlierSky- No, I assure you it's all in his head and he only sees the two because they were his closest friends. He barely knew the other deceased cats that much.

And everything will be fine for both forest Clans. As for Yellowfang and Thunder...well read on to find out.

Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Pebble Heart stared out across the Thunderpath into the forest. There was smoke and dying down flames everywhere caused by the sprinkle of dawn rain.

"Do you think they escaped?" Tall Shadow murmured.

"I'm sure they did," the gray tabby assured. "Now come on. The Clan needs us."

"You mean ShadowClan needs us," the black she-cat meowed. Pebble Heart realized he'd made it sound like ShadowClan was their Clan.

"You know what? After all goes well, I'm staying," he declared, shaking out his striped pelt from the droplets.

Tall Shadow stared at him with wide eyes, but slowly nodded. "Yeah…me too. SkyClan will be fine without us."

The sun rose much too soon. A cool breeze made Fire Heart blink his eyes open. The rain had stopped. Jagged Peak was already gone from where he had curled up by his side. He could see the gray tabby now, he and Holly fussing over their kits.

Shattered Ice had pulled big plants from the wall of the camp, so that she and Wind Runner could shelter there with their kits. Gray Wing had been forced to sleep there too so that he could have clear air to breathe again.

The deputy still lay there now on his side as if dead, but Fire Heart could see his sides rising and falling.

He looked around and spotted Lightning Tail, Cloud Tail, Ash Blaze, Ivy Breeze and Sparrow Fur talking. Acorn Fur was helping Cloud Spots while Dappled Pelt talked with Mudfur.

Thunder and Yellowfang were still missing.

Fire Heart shivered.

He was about to go to Skystar and ask what they should do when he was approached by Graystripe.

"Hey," the gray warrior meowed.

"Hi," Fire Heart sighed. Then a sudden thought struck him. "How did you guys know how to get out on time?"

Graystripe gave him a curious look and meowed, "Spottedleaf had a dream. What about you?"

"Uh, I woke up and smelled it. I also saw it," he replied. It's not like he could say his ghost friend also warned him.

"Wow," Graystripe muttered. "So if you hadn't woken up at that exact time-"

"Let's not talk about it," he muttered, even if he'd started it.

"Fire Heart!" The ginger tom turned to see Skystar beckoning him over. When he arrived, dipping his head, Skystar meowed, "I want you and Jagged Peak to go back into the forest. Try and find Yellowfang and Thunder…okay?"

Fire Heart guessed he wanted to say dead or alive but couldn't bring himself too. He, himself, didn't want to believe it either.

"Yes sir." he dipped his head and left, grabbing Jagged Peak on the way.

"Fire Heart! Can I come too?" He turned to see Cloud Tail with Sparrow Fur trailing after him. Thankfully, Owl Eyes was trying to join a patrol or else he'd definitely want to come.

"Sorry, no. This is serious guys," he meowed. He ignored their crestfallen looks as he and Jagged Peak raced side-by-side towards the bank of the river.

It made him feel better to have his…best friend (had Jagged Peak taken over the role of Jackdaw's Cry? He'd only ever been his other best friend) by his side.

Cinder Flower woke up to voices near River Ripple's camp. She stretched and hopped to her paws. She had missed the absence of Ivy Breeze's fur by her side.

Raven Hope and Night were still asleep. Dew was also there. She had spent the night talking with the black and white she-cat and keeping them company.

She poked her head out to see Darkstripe leading a group of ThunderClan cats. Swiftclaw was among them and she felt resentment burn inside her.

When the monster had hit her, he had treated her like she was a mouse-brain when all she wanted was to help.

Her breath caught when she saw her mother Frostfur as well as her two littermates. She'd heard how Thornpaw had died at the battle. He had been her favorite brother, both daring and reckless.

But now all I want is to spend time with my remaining family because…what if one of them dies next? Or myself?

Just as she made a move to step into the open, she heard a hiss behind and squeaked, jumping backwards.

"What're you doing?" Raven Hope hissed.

"I wanna say hi," she meowed calmly.

"You know they may be your family, but they didn't do enough to stand up for us when we got kicked out for stupid reasons, stupid lies!"

Cinder Flower ducked her head. Her uncle was right. Sure her mother protested and cried a lot and her siblings had looked horrified, but they hadn't done anything else.

Only Thunder helped me…

"Okay, listen up, all of you!" Darkstripe snaped bossily. "You'll all split up into pairs and hunt."

"Um, did Crookedstar give us permission to hunt on his land?" Brackenfur asked.

"No," Darkstripe drawled sarcastically. "I'm just acting like I own this territory!"

"I hate him," Cinder Flower heard the quiet, yet defensive voice of Mousefur, who had mentored her deceased brother. She was like Bluefur, but not as outspoken against Thistlestar. Cinder Flower deemed her okay.

"Why are you bossing us around?" Bluefur hissed. "Acting like the deputy!"

"Tigerclaw ordered me and the leaders' words are law, since he's second in command!" Darkstripe meowed. "Now scat!"

"Okay, Brindleface and I will hunt over there!" Cinder Flower exchanged a wide-eyed, nervous look with Raven Hope when Graystripe said this, pointing in their direction.

"Want me to stop them?" Dew asked calmly. Cinder Flower hadn't noticed that she and Night had been eavesdropping on the ThunderClan cats too.

"No," Raven Hope meowed, surprising Cinder Flower. "Let's see what's up."

After a bit of wandering around inconspicuously, the two gray cats finally arrived at the entrance of River Ripple's camp.

"Hey, Ravenpaw, Cinderpaw," Brindleface whispered from the other side. "If you act like you're not there, I'll barge in anyway."

"Come in," Raven Hope said after a bit of hesitation. When Brindleface and Graystripe pushed through, the former took one look at Raven Hope and bonked her head against his. "Ahh! Okay, nice to see you again too!"

"Hey, Cinderpaw," Graystripe meowed, smiling kindly and she found herself smiling back at him.

He helped Thunder when no one else would. How could she forget? Aside from herself, Graystripe had been there for the ginger tom.

"Cinder Flower now. And Raven Hope is well, Raven Hope."

"Wow, you've got tribe names now I assume, huh?"

"You mean with a space?" Raven Hope asked. "Yep."

They laughed for a bit before Brindleface meowed, "I'm glad you're both alive." She turned to Raven Hope. "I've been thinking of you ever since you supposedly died." Raven Hope smiled and she turned back to her niece. "Do you want me to get Frostfur?"

Cinder Flower felt a yearning in her heart as she peeked out again and saw her mother walking with her ginger and white sister. But then, what her uncle had said came back to her.

She could have done more! He told me Bluefur, Brindleface and Graystripe had stuck up for him more than anyone else had, and Thunder was the one who saved me!

"...no."

Jagged Peak and Fire Heart couldn't believe their eyes when they found Thunder stumbling around, dragging Patchpelt with him. The ginger tom was covered in soot and looked exhausted.

"Where have you been?!" Jagged Peak jumped at his nephew and started swatting him over the ears. "Do you know how worried we all were? How worried your father was? And Gray Wing had another coughing attack from the smoke and stress because of you!"

Fire Heart cleared his throat and calmly pushed between the two. "Is Yellowfang with you?" He asked.

Thunder ducked his head and Fire Heart swallowed. He should have known how risky it was. He should have noticed they had left, so he could have gone and protected them.

"She told me to take Patchpelt and come back for her and Halftail…if she sheltered in Spottedleaf's cave she should be fine though. It's made of rock after all."

"I'm going," Fire Heart meowed. "You should get to the river, Thunder. Someone will get you both across."

The ginger warrior nodded and stumbled away with the black and white elder still clamped in his jaws.

Did he really save a Thundercat over his own clanmate? And how come Yellowfang agreed to help? She only has loyalty to her own Clan!

Fire Heart shook his head. He shouldn't get angry at Thunder. He was only doing what he believed was right. It seemed many of his clanmates were like that, himself included.

It's why I'm proud to be a SkyClan warrior.

"Atta boy, Fire! Now go to Yellowfang. She needs to see you."

Fire Heart wondered how Jackdaw's Cry knew that. Maybe he's seen her.

Or maybe I'm expecting it myself…

When Thunder got to the river he was surprised but not really to see Tall Shadow and Pebble Heart talking with Skystar on the other side. Of course, they'd come to check up on their clanmates.

But Skystar looked a bit down at whatever they were saying before he spotted Thunder. "You are in big trouble," he managed to growl calmly.

Just then, Thistlestar appeared from RiverClan's camp and watched Thunder struggle across the river with Patchpelt. After a bit, he jumped in and took the elder from him, allowing him less struggle.

Skystar reached down and dragged him onto the bank, covering his head with licks. "I'm glad you're safe though."

"Thunder!" Lightning Tail barrelled into him as his usual greeting.

After Star Flower's betrayal, things had returned to normal between the two. And Thunder had apologized for being a mouse-brain while Lightning Tail had assured him it wasn't his fault.

"And where's Yellowfang?" The black tom asked.

"Fire Heart and Jagged Peak are getting her," he meowed hesitantly, but he didn't want to ruin his friend's happiness and hopefulness.

"Great! Come on. You should eat!" His green eyes shone as he bounded back into the RiverClan camp.

Thunder followed, noticing Brindleface and Graystripe returning with prey. Had they just come from the direction of River Ripple's camp? Maybe they'd just hunted near there on coincidence. And he trusted those two to not do anything.

When he entered the camp, he noticed some of the ThunderClan cats watching him.

"He saved Patchpelt? But he wasn't even a clanmate. And now Yellowfang may have risked her life for them too," he heard Dappletail murmur to Smallear.

Brackenfur met his gaze and waved his tail with a small smile. Thunder smiled back.

Thunder flopped down beside Cloud Tail, who to his surprise was conversing with Brightpelt. What was she doing on their side? He was pretty sure both Clans had kept their distance since arriving.

Sparrow Fur was looking between the two with narrowed eyes and Thunder wondered if she would be like Lightning Tail every time he saw him hanging out with Star Flower.

Fortunately, before any drama could be stirred, Swiftclaw marched over and demanded Brightpelt stick with her own clanmates before the two walked away.

"Here you go," Lightning Tail mewed, dropping a vole at his paws.

"Where are my sisters?" He suddenly asked. They must have been anxious about him too. He knew Ash Blaze would kill him once she found out he was okay. That was just how his older sister was like.

"They're hunting with some RiverClan cats," Lightning Tail replied, settling down on his other side.

After Thunder ate, he lay his head on the ground too tired to groom himself, but then it started raining, cleaning the soot off his pelt for him.

Is this how our ancestors show feelings? He thought bitterly.

They nearly walked right past the ravine when Fire Heart suddenly doubled back, making Jagged Peak scramble to a halt.

The ginger tom rushed down the slope, sending grit and ash tumbling while Jagged slid haphazardly behind him. There was a tree that had fallen in front of the entrance, which was now a heap of charred sticks. Had this prevented Yellowfang from escaping? He tried not to think about it.

He stared around.

"Look." Jagged Peak nudged him, pointing with his muzzle across the clearing to a scorched body. Feeling sick, Fire Heart approached.

It was the ThunderClan elder, Halftail. The old tom was laying on his side, facing what seemed to be the medicine den. Like someone had dragged him maybe before giving up. What a terrible way to die.

"I'll bury him," Jagged Peak offered. "You need to find Yellowfang." He bent down to grab Halftail.

"We shouldn't," Fire Heart warned. "His Clan should bury him. We can't cause trouble just for being nice."

Jagged Peak snorted. "Honestly. But…do you really think his family will want to see him like this?"

Fire Heart thought of Halftail's mate and daughter. One-eye and Mousefur. He heard from Tall Shadow a day after One Eye had been kicked out, that they had just lost Runningwind to the rogues. This would come as a terrible heartbreak. He nodded in agreement. "Okay."

He was surprised he cared about their feelings. But he supposed Mousefur and One-eye had never hurt him or his clanmates directly.

Fireheart watched Jagged Peak drag the elder away, feeling frozen with dread. If Halftail had been so terribly injured, what had happened to Yellowfang? He forced himself to squeeze through the ash covered rock that was Spottedleaf's den.

"Yellowfang!" he yowled.

It was quiet.

"Yellowfang!" he called again.

A low, rasping voice called from inside the cave. She was alive! Shaking with relief, Fire Heart ducked into the cave.

"Yellowfang!" he called. She was laying on the ground, covered in soot and terrible burns, wheezing.

"Fire Heart," she croaked. "I'm happy to see you."

"I'm so sorry," Fire Heart blurted out. "I should have noticed you and Thunder had gone."

"No, you shouldn't have. You always act like you're responsible for the whole Clan. But just remember that even leaders sometimes lose cats they try so hard to protect." She paused before talking again. "Did Thunder save Patchpelt?"

Fire Heart shook his head. "He was dead, but Thunder got him back to his Clan anyway. And…Petal also died from a burning branch."

"I'm sorry to hear her go. And good cat, Thunder. I couldn't save Halftail," Yellowfang rasped. "I was too weak to carry him in here."

After a moment of silence, Yellowfang meowed, "I have always seen you as my own son. And StarClan knows I wished you really were."

Fire Heart lowered himself to be eye level with her. He ignored the dread in his chest. The last time he'd been in this position…Jackdaw's Cry was where Yellowfang was.

"Save your strength," Fire Heart urged. "I'll get you some water."

Yellowfang shook her head. "Don't bother," she croaked. "I need to tell you everything before I–"

"You're not going to die!" Fire Heart gasped. "I can heal you if you tell me how."

"It'll be a waste of herbs and time," Yellowfang coughed. "I'm going to die, Fire Heart. I don't need you to heal me. I need you to listen."

Fire Heart's throat felt painfully tight, his eyes stinging with emotion.

"I wish my son could have been like you, but I know it couldn't have been. Brokenstar was a curse–a way for me to learn a lesson."

"But why?" Fire Heart asked.

"I disobeyed the warrior code when I stayed with Raggedstar," Yellowfang rasped. "StarClan gave me wonderful healing powers, and I wasted them in my younger moons. I'm glad I started using them more nowadays though."

Unable to respond, Fire Heart pressed his forehead against hers. He could hear her rasping breath.

"Fire Heart?" Yellowfang murmured.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for bringing me to SkyClan. You're the reason I am alive and well till this day…you gave me another chance at life. Tell Skystar I have always been grateful for my new home. I'm happy I get to die for a clanmate, who deserves saving. I will always watch you from StarClan."

"Even if SkyClan doesn't have a connection with StarClan still, they taught me how to be loyal and compassionate and brave and understanding without StarClan's help…"

Her voice trailed off.

"Yellowfang," Fire Heart pleaded. "Stay with me! You can't die. Please!"

Yellowfang smiled weakly. "I am not afraid to die, Fire Heart. It's about time I gave StarClan a real piece of my mind. Especially about letting your deceased tribe friends into their grounds." Then, she made a strange, rasping sound. At first, Fire Heart thought she was coughing, then realized it was scorched laughter.

He listened as her laughter slowly died into silence. Her body suddenly became heavy. It wasn't until he realized she was completely frozen that the tears began to tumble.

"Go–goodbye friend. Don't be afraid of them. You're a great warrior and medicine cat…" He sobbed.

He looked up and gasped when he saw Frost! Yellowfang stood beside him, both his other friend trio smiling.

"Don't worry, Fire Heart. She'll be okay," Frost whispered. He turned to Yellowfang. "Now how about we go and start protesting to StarClan about letting the rest of us SkyClan cats in, hm?"

"I'm looking forward to it."

Then they both disappeared.

StarClan isn't letting them in? So…are the ghosts just in my head…or real?

When Fire Heart sees them, they're in his head because he isn't a medicine cat...but if Pebble Heart or someone like him saw them it would be real.

I know it's kind of confusing, but Fire Heart is just suffering and needs to let go.

Anyway, Thunder is okay, of course. Can't kill him off when he's important for TC's future. And Pebble Heart and Tall Shadow are staying in ShC.

But that isn't the only twist for them being in ShadowClan...