Guest- Thanks for the reviews. I appreciate them. I felt like Yellowfang's death just added to her character of loyalty because even if she doesn't care for ThunderClan it shows she followed Thunder to keep him safe because he's her clanmate and that's the only reason she went along.

As for Sparrow Fur, yeah, I had to give her a character because I already gave all her brothers their own personalities. Cloud Tail is the daring rule-breaker, Owl Eyes is brave and generous and Pebble Heart is kind and wise. And when you have a lot of siblings you have to make each stand out somehow.

"And this is the apprentices den where you'll be staying," Pebble Heart meowed. Cloud Tail had went to sleep almost immediately the other day. By the time they talked with ShadowClan about the dream and how it was StarClan's will, it had been midnight.

He had chosen a random den and settled down with Mouse Ear and Mud Paws in what was apparently the elder's den. Jagged Peak had slept with the warriors and Holly was settled into the nursery with her kits. Snowbird, a ShadowClan queen, had been happy to have a denmate.

Cloud Tail returned the grin his brother gave him, but he felt a pang in his chest like he didn't belong.

He looked around the dark, marshy pine camp. It wasn't anything like the birch-y and oak filled trees in SkyClan. It was dark and cold…how could ShadowClan stand it? How could Jagged Peak and Pebble Heart and all the others who had joined like it?

The apprentice's den rustled and out slipped a mottled white she-cat. She gave Cloud Tail a look. "Is this our new denmate?" She sniffed. Cloud Tail shifted his paws and gave her an awkward smile, trying to appear innocent.

She dropped her sneer.

"Yes, this is my brother, Cloud Tail. Be nice," Pebble Heart chided. "Because I know you like to bully for no reason."

The she-cat rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm Turtlepaw."

"I'm Cloud Tail," the white tom replied.

"Hey, Turtlepaw, why don't you take Cloud Tail hunting so he can learn how to hunt in the marshes?" Pebble Heart meowed brightly.

They both shot him a look. "No." They meowed in unison.

"Sheesh, okay, fine." He stuck his head in the den. "Lavenderpaw, do you wanna be nice and show Cloud Tail the territory?"

A silver she-cat poked her head out and glanced at Cloud Tail. She shrugged. "Sure. Do you wanna come, Rowanpaw?"

"Yeah!" A ginger tabby she-cat meowed, pushing her way out. "Do you wanna come, Rubblepaw?"

A light gray tabby appeared and shrugged, mumbling, "sorry. Jaggedtooth wants me for training right away." He left.

"Well, have fun," Pebble Heart meowed and walked away.

"Come on!" Rowanpaw meowed, racing to the entrance.

"Shouldn't we tell someone?" Cloud Tail asked as he raced after them.

The two sisters chuckled as if he had made a joke. "Please, I've rebelled against my mentor many times," Lavenderpaw said.

"Yeah, they won't mind."

Cloud Tail felt the pang hit his heart harder as he thought about how Fire Heart would reprimand him if he left without letting him know.

He looked out in the direction where the forest of SkyClan lay.

I wonder what Owl Eyes and Sparrow Fur are doing now…

"Shattered Ice, you're on my patrol."

The gray and white tom looked up from where he sat by some of the other warriors to see Blackclaw. Days had passed since Dappled Pelt, River Ripple, Dew, and Night had moved in.

Blackclaw had been even more grumpy than usual if that was possible.

"Mind if I join?" Night asked, walking over.

"Yes. Go away!"

"Great, thanks."

Blackclaw stared after the black and white she-cat, incredulous. Shattered Ice snickered before he got to his paws and followed. Mallowtail, Voleclaw and Robinpaw made up the rest of the patrol.

The tortoiseshell she-cat gave him a somewhat shy smile and he blinked. She barely talked to him or looked at him. Probably because she spent too much time with Blackclaw, Skyheart, and Leopardfur.

Well, they were raised together, so of course they picked up each other's horrible attitudes.

As they walked along the shore, Shattered Ice blinked. A cat was heading towards them. He squinted. Is that…Tigerclaw! What's he doing here?

"What're you doing here?" Blackclaw spat.

"At ease," Tigerclaw rumbled. "I only want a word with…Crookedstar. And before you ask, It's leader business."

"What? Thistlestar couldn't come himself?"

Tigerclaw rolled his eyes as if annoyed. "Is it really that hard to just let me through to pass on a message?"

After a moment of hesitation in which Blackclaw grit his teeth, huffed, and thought about it some more, he conceded. "Night, take him to Crookedstar."

"Way to get rid of me," the she-cat muttered. Shattered Ice flicked her shoulder empathetically.

Shattered Ice watched Tigerclaw go…for some reason, he felt the ThunderClan deputy wasn't being as truthful. He seemed almost hesitant.

When the patrol finished and they got back to camp, Tigerclaw was gone.

Shattered Ice padded over to Loudbelly. He wouldn't act suspicious if he asked him this question.

"Did you see Tigerclaw?" He asked.

"Yeah," the dark brown tom meowed, "I don't know what his business was about."

"Wait, did he talk to Crookedstar?"

"No." Loudbelly shook his head, looking confused. "He talked to Leopardfur about deputy stuff I guess. Why?"

"No reason."

Except that Tigerclaw's up to something.

Thistlestar watched the lead dog poke its head out of the cave. His patrols had reported sightings of them. And now he would need to find a way to get them off his territory or else his Clan would be wiped out.

"A whole pack of dogs, hm?" Mapleshade hissed in his ear. "All you would need to get them to listen is prey and then…" she grinned and jerked her chin towards another forest. "You can take out a Clan that doesn't belong."

Thistlestar stiffened. "No! They'll find out it was me and if I die! Well, I don't want to go down with you!"

"I helped you rise to leadership, so you would do well to listen!" The tortoiseshell hissed. "Or I could make your trip to death and the dark forest earlier."

Thistlestar felt a feeling he'd never experienced before. His heart clenched and he realized he was scared…and sad.

"But I'll never see my family! My mother sacrificed herself to save an apprentice and…Snowfur…"

"Oh, boohoo! Did you think I got to see my kits?! You agreed to this promise and it's too late to turn back! Besides, StarClan already knows all the other things you did. Do you really think they'll forgive you?"

Thistlestar winced. He looked out into the forest and pushed the gross feeling that made his heart hurt, away.

"No. I'm done. They've learned their lesson. You're crazy!" He turned to leave when Mapleshade leaped at him. He tensed, ready to fight her but suddenly he felt the weirdest feeling in the world.

An icy cold spread through him and his body twitched. He blacked out and when he came around…

He wasn't quite himself anymore.