A/N - HAPPY (BELATED) INTERNATIONAL CATS DAAAAAAY! I know it was August 8th, but I'm only a week late. That's fine right? Let's say that I was almost on time with this fic...? Ok then...

Disclaimer: Warriors is owned by Erin Hunter/HarperCollins Publishers LLC

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Prologue

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Starlight had shone down onto the forest below, giving light to the beautiful landscape that lay beneath a purplish-blue night sky.

A thick, fog-like mist appeared to cover the entire land for as far as the eye could see. Trees, streams, rocks, and everything in between glistened as the light from the stars shone down on them. A soft breeze rustled the leaves and pebbles that had otherwise lay still in the peaceful environment.

Not a creature had roamed here, not in the trees nor under the stones. Any animal would surely thrive here, yet the streams flowed peacefully without any disturbance, and the soft dirt lay still as nothing bounded across it.

Nothing was allowed to disturb the tranquility of this place.

Bluestar awoke with a sudden jolt. Her head and throat were teeming with pain, but her mind was too clouded to even focus on it. She groaned as she lifted her head, her eyes clenched as she endured a pounding headache.

What had happened? She thought.

Her mind was still fresh with the voices of the ThunderClan cats she heard before drifting off to sleep. It sounded like the cry of a warrior charging into battle, though unlike most battle cries she's heard, the voice had sounded afraid. Bluestar soon realized what the voices of her memories were saying. Something about an attack, or rather, an ambush. Bluestar was aware she'd gone to rest in her den some time ago, but surely her clan wouldn't have allowed themselves to be ambushed in their own camp.

Bluestar was the leader of ThunderClan. If anyone were to attack them, she would have been well aware of it.

Is this RiverClan's doing? Bluestar wondered as her head kept throbbing. Was RiverClan the one that suddenly decided to attack the ThunderClan camp with no warning?

Bluestar lashed her tail in anger. This is unacceptable! Crookedstar has gone mad! Bluestar thought as she sat up on her haunches, still clutching her head.

"I must put a stop to this… " she mumbled as she slowly opened her eyes, expecting to see the lichen-covered entrance to her den she had been so accustomed to waking up to. Upon viewing the fields of grass surrounding her, Bluestar gasped. Her attention was quickly drawn to the sites around her as her head jolted from side to side as she took in her surroundings.

She sat in the middle of a large, grassy field. Forest surrounded her every which way, with a thick fog covering the area allowing for only a discrete view into the forest itself. She glanced around in total confusion, wondering how she had gotten here. However, her biggest surprise lay right in front of the blue-gray she-cat.

Just across the clearing stood four tall, strong oak trees. The large trees stood unnaturally close together, and what looked to be a jagged, four-pointed rock could barely be seen sitting in the hollow between the great oaks. Bluestar widened her eyes as she noticed the structure before her. It was a place she was much too familiar with.

"Fourtrees?" Bluestar whispered to herself. The last thing she remembered was being inside her den located back in ThunderClan's camp. How could she be at Fourtrees now?

"Is this… a dream?" Bluestar continued as she kept her gaze transfixed at the great oaks. The she-cat quickly broke it to look around, only then noticing how foggy it was as her eyes scanned the forest behind her.

This certainly looks like a dream. She thought as she lifted off of her haunches and took a step forward. Bluestar padded slowly across the field, heading towards Fourtrees as she continued looking around at the scenery. She could feel the air growing tenser the closer she got to the great oaks in front of her.

Is StarClan trying to show me something? She wondered, coming to a stop. She sat there unmoving for a while, never looking away from the large trees. The she-cat grumbled as she lashed her tail, looking away from the oaks.

Something isn't right. She thought. If this is a dream, then they would have appeared already.

Bluestar stood still, returning her gaze towards the trees after looking around the field again. This time during her scan, she noticed the subtle lack of wildlife the forest seemingly possessed. The she-cat wouldn't have concerned herself from the absence of smaller rodents or birds, for she was an apex predator of a forest after all. One thing she couldn't dismiss, however, was the shortage of a vexatious buzzing noise.

Insects were, by far, the most abundant creatures the forest had to offer. Since her kithood, she had always associated the forest with the sounds of the wild, but insects especially. You could not escape them, no matter how hard you tried. Yet here she sat, listening to nothing but the sounds of the wind. She figured this was because of her being in a dream that there were no other creatures around. Though she had a hard time believing it, for there was always another being with her in some form during her visions.

She had many dreams like this before. However, every one of them involved a cat from StarClan appearing before her in some sort of void. Sometimes there would simply be a voice that would talk to her - no muzzle to pair it with. Sometimes it would take a while for anything to appear, but this never happened when her dreams had sent her to Fourtrees. She hesitated to call these specific cases "dreams" however, since the only time she had visited Fourtrees in her dreams was to spend one of the nine lives she was given.

She was here of course, but no other creature was, much less feline. If she was here to spend her final life, then Snowfur would have been there waiting; seeming calm and prepared like all the other cats who've bestowed her a life whenever she had to spend them. Snowfur's absence possibly inclined that a cat from StarClan wanted to personally contact her and reveal themselves, as they would be able to attain a physical form here, being the realm that connected StarClan's hunting grounds to the living world and all. A personal meeting such as that is incalculably rare, but Bluestar was there right this moment and determined in her mind that this was the case.

A cat must have wanted to meet with her. What kept StarClan waiting?

Bluestar grew concerned as she trudged even closer to the great oaks. Though, her worry was suddenly replaced with fear, as she would immediately be stopped in her tracks by a blinding light above her. Her fur bristled sharply at the sudden flash, and her body recoiled away from the light. It lasted for a second longer, before dissipating almost as quickly as it had appeared. She opened her eyes in wonder; her thoughts quickly centering around the phenomenon that just happened. She was as curious as she was cautious, thus making her unease grow even more. Something like this has never happened in her dreams before - not even during the ones that took place at Fourtrees.

The light had dwindled, allowing Bluestar to peer towards the source. To her surprise, a cat was seen in place of the flash.

Bluestar could have sighed with relief upon seeing them now knowing she wasn't alone, but instead, her reaction was a loud gasp. She stared in awe as she got a good look at the feline who had just appeared. It wasn't that she had been surprised to see a StarClan cat in place of the flash. After all, she heard stories from medicine cats in the past of how sometimes the cats of StarClan would appear in brilliant flashes.

It was not that, but instead, it was the identity of the cat in front of her that had kept her mouth agape.

A dark, reddish-brown tom was now standing before her, with their amber eyes staring intently at Bluestar. A soft smile appeared on his muzzle, not showing any trace of hostility whatsoever. They knew Bluestar would act the same.

Bluestar stood shocked as her gaze fell onto every part of his body. She quickly realized who the cat before her was, much to their pleasure.

"Oakheart?" Bluestar mewed with suspicion, her eyes locked on the figure in front of her. Staring for a few seconds longer, as well as taking in a bit of their scent, had quickly erased all doubts in her mind. This tom was surely Oakheart; she could remember her deceased mate anywhere.

"Bluestar," the reddish-brown tom responded with a slight nod. Bluestar seemed to flinch at his voice, almost like she wasn't expecting a response. Her stupor was quickly replaced by a thrillful cry.

"Oakheart!" Bluestar exclaimed as she quickly padded over to him. Oakheart's smile grew wider seeing his mate's enthusiasm. He had been worried she wouldn't care to see him after all this time.

"Oakheart, it is so good to see you!" Bluestar said coming to stop in front of him before nuzzling him affectionately. The StarClan warrior purred happily as he accepted his mate's loving gesture.

"Yes, it is good to see you as well, Bluestar," he told the she-cat as she pulled away from him. Bluestar smiled as she took in the tom's scent again, not having done so in a long time.

"I've missed you, Oakheart. Ever since we were forced to go our separate ways," Bluestar lamented. Oakheart nodded in agreement, for he also desired to be with her again perhaps even more than she did.

"It was something I've never regretted. You made a fine deputy and leader," Oakheart stated, clearly admiring her. Bluestar felt her body grow a little warm at his compilement. After being a leader for so long, receiving compliments for her actions was almost normal, but for some reason the praise from this RiverClan deputy made her heart flutter. Bluestar couldn't help but smile knowing Oakheart truly thought she was a good leader, knowing he must have gained seasons-worth of knowledge about her after joining StarClan, but she soon turned her thoughts down as her expression soon softened to a more blank stare.

"Thank you, Oakheart," she said with a respectful nod. "Although, I wish I could say the same about you."

"Oh?" Oakheart replied. There was an awkward pause between the two. "Bluestar, what is that supposed to mean?"

During his lifetime, all ties with Bluestar were cut to keep their kits a secret, so as far as he was concerned, Bluestar shouldn't know how Oakheart's leadership fared just as he didn't know how Bluestar's was when he was still alive.

"You know as well as I do, Oakheart," Bluestar continued, earning a worried look from the reddish-brown tom. "You killed my deputy, Redtail."

Bluestar turned her soft expression into a frown as she awaited her mate's reaction. Oakheart's eyes grew large at what Bluestar just told him.

"Excuse me?" he said worriedly.

"You don't remember?" Bluestar retorted, her anger suddenly flaring up. "The battle at Sunningrocks a few moons ago! Many battles have been fought there, but you must remember that one! You died in it after all!" she exclaimed. Oakheart winced at her outburst before looking at her in pure disbelief.

"Of course I remember that Bluestar-" Oakheart sighed, looking away from her. "-although I believe you don't know it as well as you think."

His tone surprised Bluestar; it seemed as if he was disappointed about how their meeting started. However, that only caused Bluestar to become more frustrated with him. Her ears flattened against her head as she growled at him. Oakheart quickly returned his gaze towards her and looked concerned as if wondering whether or not she would attack him. His reaction caught Bluestar's attention, and it was then that she realized Oakheart never actually showed fear towards anyone when he was alive.

Bluestar quickly softened her gaze, noticing Oakheart do the same afterward. She didn't like seeing him afraid, much less of her, so she backed away from him before resting on her haunches. However, her glare was still very much present, and she watched him for a second before assuming he was too wary to try and speak to her.

"I couldn't believe it when I heard the news. Deputies aren't allowed to kill other deputies. But, seeing you now means you must have been forgiven by StarClan," Bluestar figured. She hadn't forgiven him for killing Redtail still, but seeing that he was in StarClan had eased her mind. "If by their will you are forgiven, then I-"

"No, no! Bluestar..." Oakheart suddenly interrupted. She closed her mouth in annoyance, before realizing her mistake. Oakheart must be here only to share a message from StarClan, and not to talk about the past. Doing so would be selfish of her since she would likely have many opportunities to speak with Oakheart once she joined StarClan herself. Right now, her clan could very well be in danger and needed their leader as soon as possible.

"Yes, right, forgive me... There's no use dwelling on the past," Bluestar quickly stated, mentally cursing herself. "You are here to bring me a message from StarClan, are you not?"

Oakheart remained still after Bluestar questioned him. The fearful glint in his eyes remained present as he listened. Bluestar noticed this but said nothing as she didn't want their meeting to drag on any longer.

"Hm, this seems to be a problem. I did not realize you were unaware," Oakheart murmured, once again looking away from Bluestar and towards her paws. She perked her ears at him.

"What?" she asked, growing concerned. "What is it that I'm unaware of?"

Oakheart didn't look back at her and instead kept his gaze focused towards the ground as if watching the grass rustle in the wind. Bluestar stood calmly as she waited for him to respond, though his silence made her concern evolve more into worry. After waiting a little longer with still no response, the worry started getting the best of her.

"Oakheart?" she mewed, hoping he wouldn't ignore her any longer.

Her voice seemed to snap the tom out of his daydream, and he looked up from the ground at her. Her blue eyes gave him the impression she was calm, but her voice and her body leaning slightly more towards him told Oakheart she was crying for him to indulge her.

"Come. Walk with me," he said. He stood up from his haunches and turned away from her. He began padding towards Fourtrees without the slightest bit of hesitation. Bluestar was perplexed by his order but decided not to question his intentions. She stood up and quickly trudged after him, eventually catching up so she could walk beside him.

Oakheart did not acknowledge her as they walked towards the great oaks. Bluestar eyed him as she plodded alongside his reddish-brown pelt. She noticed how he had no scars or damages of any kind on his body, despite loosely remembering the fact she had seen a few scratches on him when he was alive.

Of course, his pelt looks like that. Your body in StarClan has no flaws, and you're much younger as well. Bluestar thought to herself, noticing how Oakheart looked much more… colorful… than he'd been the last few Gatherings she'd seen him in.

Not to mention he looked just as attractive as he did around the time their kits had been born… though as soon as she thought that, Bluestar gave herself a mental cuff on the ear. That was the last thing she needed to be thinking about in her own dream.

Oakheart then suddenly turned his head, meeting her gaze as Bluestar turned her attention away from his pelt to look into his amber eyes. She was taken aback by them, before noticing the confusion displayed on the tom's face. Bluestar quickly glanced away from him, trying to hide her embarrassment from being caught staring at him.

Oakheart huffed before looking back towards the great oaks. They were now only a few fox-lengths away from the hollow. The two continued walking in silence next to each other, their eyes only focused on what was ahead. When the two eventually met with the small clearing that surrounded Fourtrees, Oakheart continued to lead Bluestar by circling the left side of the field.

Bluestar wondered just how long Oakheart would keep her waiting in her dream. She was becoming impatient, especially when he kept walking around the great oaks when she thought they would stop in front of them. It was then that Oakheart suddenly spoke for the first time since they started their small trek.

"I'm sure you know, but these great oaks have been here at the entrance of StarClan for as long as they've existed in the forest. They will continue to exist here even after those oaks in the forest are gone too," Oakheart explained. The sudden sound of his voice quickly drew Bluestar's attention towards him, though she was disappointed as it seemed like he was evading what Bluestar wanted to talk about.

"They're truly special aren't they," Bluestar commented, looking towards the trees past his right flank. However, she did not admire them long before returning her gaze to the tom walking next to her.

"I don't understand, Oakheart. There is something you want to tell me. That's why you've appeared to me, yes?" Bluestar questioned. She knew Oakheart was trying to avoid the duty he was given by appearing in her dream, but she did not know why. Was he afraid of how she would react after listening to what he came to say?

"Bluestar..." he said, prying his gaze away from Fourtrees. Bluestar huffed, before bounding in front of him, an annoyed look present on her face. Oakheart stopped in his tracks with a startled look as his attention shifted towards Bluestar.

"Just tell me, Oakheart," she pleaded with him. It was then Oakheart suddenly realized how worried she was. Before, Oakheart could tell there was something concerning her, but he figured she was just being stoic as usual. Now the she-cat was making no attempts to hide her distress, and something like that had concerned Oakheart. He watched as her tail began lashing behind her.

She's more upset than I'd expected. He thought, watching her tail lashing with anticipation. I better get this over with...

Oakheart kept his eyes on her as he sat down. Her whiskers twitched while she kept her stance. She wouldn't budge; not until Oakheart had told her what she wanted to know.

"What was the last thing you remember before waking up here?" he suddenly asked. Bluestar gave him a questioning look. That wasn't what she had expected him to say, but at least she was getting somewhere.

"Well," she began, thinking back to her recent memories. "I had gone to get some rest after Tigerclaw sent most of the clan out hunting or with their apprentices. He seemed determined to put them to work today," Bluestar said. It was true seeing as she remembered how stubborn her deputy had been trying to put the clan on their paws.

Tigerclaw had sent a patrol to renew the scent markings on the RiverClan border, and another patrol to hunt around Sunningrocks. The rest of the warriors were ordered to hunt elsewhere or train with their apprentices. Bluestar figured she could get some rest seeing as her deputy was working so hard, and deciding on how she would handle the problems concerning Graystripe and his half-RiverClan kits was surprisingly exhausting on her mentally.

"Yes, and is that all you can remember?" Oakheart inquired. Bluestar shot him an annoyed look before returning to her thoughts. She was getting the impression that Oakheart wanted her to remember something specific, but she couldn't tell what.

"Alright, what's the very last thing you can remember?" she heard him ask. Bluestar listened to his words and pondered a little longer this time before speaking to Oakheart again.

"I heard what sounded like shouting as I was starting to drift off. I was quite drowsy and hoped Tigerclaw would deal with it. Soon I realized that the shouting I heard was my clanmates announcing an attack…" Bluestar said. Her worry grew as her mind thought back to the sounds she had heard right before her memory went blank. "I can't remember much after that," she finished as she looked up at him.

"I see," Oakheart simply replied. "Did your body ache upon your arrival here?"

"Well, yes. How does that relate to anything?" Bluestar asked, genuinely confused.

"Was it your head?"

"Yes, Oakheart," Bluestar rolled her eyes. "My head was aching when I first woke up in this place! And it seems to me like you already knew that, and you're just prodding me with it!" she snapped at him. Oakheart didn't respond even as Bluestar glared at him frustratedly.

"Now then, if you don't mind, how about you tell me why I'm even here in the first place!" she snapped, lashing her tail once more. Oakheart watched her for a moment before sighing.

"Bluestar, I am sorry," Oakheart said, looking away from her. He didn't even acknowledge her small outburst which made Bluestar visibly hesitate a bit. She noticed his tone of voice had grown more disheartened, which confused her since she was expecting Oakheart to get mad at her for yelling at him.

"If you have something to say, then tell me. I don't need yo-"

"You are dead, Bluestar." Oakheart cut her off. She shut up immediately, staring at him for a moment as she comprehended what he just said. Oakheart looked at her solemnly.

"Dead?" she whispered.

"Yes. Your nine lives have been spent," he said, though his reads didn't seem to reach her.

"What, no…" Bluestar stuttered. She felt a sick feeling quickly growing in her stomach.

"NO!" she howled in a mix of anger and remorse. Oakheart winced at her outrage. He hated that he had to tell Bluestar that, but he was given clear instructions from StarClan. The reddish-brown tom stood up as Bluestar kept her eyes on the ground, her mind reeling with different emotions. He breathed heavily and took a step away from her, much to her surprise.

"No! Oakheart, wait!" she called to him, a desperate look in her eyes. "T-that can't be true! StarClan would have-" Bluestar stuttered as she followed after him. Oakheart quickly silenced her.

"StarClan has sent me to retrieve your soul. Snowfur should have come since she gave your final life to you, but she made it clear how much better it would be for me to bring you instead-" Oakheart explained. "-and how could I argue with that? She looked desperate, so we agreed, and now, here we are. That is why I have appeared to you, Bluestar. That is why you are here," he stated. The words pained him to say out loud. Bluestar, after everything that was said, hardly seemed to listen, only sitting there in shock. She flattened her ears before looking at him again.

"No, Oakheart! This… this just can't be happening!" she cried, but Oakheart simply shook his head.

"I'm afraid it's true, Bluestar. You don't remember it seems, but you gave your life in a battle against Tigerclaw," Oakheart told her. Bluestar's eyes widened as he went on.

"He must have struck your head well enough to cloud your recent memories, perhaps that also may have even been what killed you," he said. "Not that I would know, since after all, I had been preparing to meet you then."

Bluestar sat there stunned. Her own deputy was the one that ended her life? She couldn't even believe she was dead, much less killed by her second-in-command.

"O-Oakheart! That's absolutely insane! Tigerclaw would never-"

"I was not the one that killed Redtail during that battle," Oakheart interrupted.

"You… excuse me?" Bluestar sputtered.

"You say I was the one that killed your deputy at Sunningrocks?" Oakheart curtly asked. Bluestar stood unmoving for a moment, before giving a slight nod. "I'm telling you that I haven't slain any clan's deputy ever in my life, Bluestar. It would be a dishonor to the clans to do so."

Oakheart watched Bluestar's face contort. In the back of his mind, he realized she must have never discovered the truth when she was alive.

"You seem surprised, so he's covered up his tracks well," he muttered with a sigh. "Tigerclaw was the one who had informed you of my defeat after that battle as you know. Well, he was lying through his teeth when he gave you that news."

Bluestar just listened as the truth was revealed to her by her mate. Before now, she would have argued all day if that's what it took to defend Tigerclaw's integrity, but this had been a whole other thing entirely.

This was the RiverClan deputy himself revealing how he perished; the only cat besides Tigerclaw who had personally experienced his true fate, not to mention Redtail.

Oakheart had no doubt in his mind now that this was the first time the ThunderClan leader had heard of this. Although it could just be that a StarClan cat had to tell her for her to believe it, he figured to himself.

Bluestar continued staring at him, not showing any sign of her listening. Oakheart thought she must have been at a loss for words as she processed the truth, and decided he may as well pour out everything he needed to get this over for the both of them.

"That day, at Sunningrocks, it had been a rockfall that killed me. Not Tigerclaw," he began. "Redtail survived, but Tigerclaw had caught up with him. Redtail was alone and weak after the battle. He could do nothing as Tigerclaw took it upon himself to end his life."

He paused for a moment, not wanting to say everything in one breath. Bluestar said nothing as he spoke, and stayed quiet after he paused. She didn't appear to react at all to what Oakheart was telling her, something he was not expecting. He thought she would at least mourn, but Bluestar hadn't shown any emotion at all. Oakheart figured that if anything she was simply more bewildered than upset, so much so that her body couldn't even find a way to react, and resorted to complete silence. He decided to continue, not wanting to dwell on it any further.

"Me and Redtail both found each other in StarClan, and the first thing we did was tell every cat what happened. All of StarClan had learned quickly of Tigerclaw's treachery. We figured that he must have been planning Redtail's murder for a while, having done it hoping to fulfill his lust for power by earning the title of deputy for himself. It seemed like his goal would finally be achieved after Redtail's death, but then you chose Lionheart instead as clan deputy. At that point, his anger and desire for power only multiplied."

Oakheart gave another pause to look at Bluestar. She seemed cold and distant, even more so than she was a few moments ago. Oakheart hoped she was listening to him and wasn't too far gone. He hated this meeting more than he would admit, but that just made him want to get it over with more.

"After Lionheart died was when you appointed him to be deputy," he began again. "By then, he was no longer willing to stay just second-in-command. His first attempt at your life ended in failure when one of your apprentices was injured near the Thunderpath. He grew more determined after that, and decided to take a more reckless approach…" he said, trailing off.

"And this time he was successful," he finished. Oakheart waited a few moments for her reaction but got none. He believed now he should confirm whether or not she had even been listening.

"This story should sound somewhat familiar to you, yes?"

Hearing a question directed at her, Bluestar shuffled uncomfortably. This had relieved Oakheart since Bluestar remained frozen in place after receiving the news of her death. Her cold stare seemed to waver a bit, much to Oakheart's relief since he could barely keep a straight face looking at her.

"Oakheart, that's… what Fireheart has told me," she whimpered.

So that's the apprentice's name, Oakheart thought to himself before Bluestar quickly snapped towards him.

"You are saying that…" her voice cracked. "That all this time, Tigerclaw had been against me?" she said, looking in anguish.

"That is exactly what I'm telling you. Though, it would appear it's too late to do anything about it. A shame considering your apprentice tried his best to tell you," Oakheart commented, trying his best not to show his remorse.

"I'm… dead? And Tigerclaw is to blame?" Bluestar repeated what Oakheart told her. "My clan… Tigerclaw… " she whispered to herself, before slumping over.

"Why? Where did I go wrong?" Bluestar lowered her head in front of Oakheart, much to his dismay. Everything he had just told her must have now been registering for her.

She would never see any of her clanmates alive again. She would never train her own apprentice again. She would never be able to lead her clan again.

On its own, the reality of being dead would be hard enough for any cat to cope with, but it didn't end there. A merciless killer with a seemingly endless lust for power now had complete control over the clan. The clan she had spent her entire life guiding and caring for was now in the clutches of perhaps the most treacherous in the forest.

Soon in her maelstrom of thoughts, she realized everything that was happening to her could have been prevented if she had just listened to her apprentice. Fireheart tried sharing his concerns with her at one point, but she refused to listen. Bluestar never believed him, as much as she hated to admit it now. She also then realized that her apprentice was now without a mentor and a leader.

He was alone in his clan with nobody to care for him. Fireheart did have friends in the clan, but would they even believe his stories about Tigerclaw? If Bluestar didn't believe him, then surely everyone else in the clan wouldn't either.

Fireheart… I'm so sorry… Bluestar thought. She finally allowed tears to break from her eyes as the reality of her situation set in. Though Oakheart was sitting right there, she felt that she was all alone in her sadness and that nobody could comfort her.

"I… understand that you must find this difficult to learn. No cat should ever have to receive this sort of news," Oakheart said quietly as he watched his mate weep into the field of grass surrounding them.

He wanted so badly to spring right over to her to comfort her, to lick her tears away, to groom her pelt for her, but he had to fight back the urge. As much as he hated it, he knew nothing he could do would help her.

"We in StarClan have not been looking forward to this, you know. As I said, we were expecting Tigerclaw to try and take your position by force. Despite our efforts, we could not foresee any possibility of you surviving no matter what we did… and… " he trailed off.

"We agreed I should be the one to meet you once Tigerclaw finally succeeded," he finished, not wanting to look his mate in the eyes.

"Bluestar, I am really, truly sorry," he said, putting all of his sincerity into his apology. He wanted to make his feelings clear to her.

Soon after he finished, Bluestar quickly lifted her head from the ground. Oakheart snapped towards her, finding her glaring at him with fresh streams of tears sitting under her eyes.

"You… All of you!" Bluestar shouted at him. "Could you not have at least sent me a warning? A sign? Did Spottedleaf or Yellowfang even know about this?" she snapped. Her anger surprised Oakheart, but he kept his composure.

"Tigerclaw was never meant to be defeated by you," Oakheart quickly said. "Trust in StarClan, Bluestar. They may not have warned you about Tigerclaw, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway seeing as how you did not believe the one who did try to warn you."

Bluestar opened her mouth to argue but closed it as she wore a look of defeat. Her anger seemed to disappear as quickly as it had appeared.

"Fireheart, he... " she sniffled. "He tried to tell me, but I didn't want to hear it. Nobody in the clan took him seriously either. He had no support… except for Graystripe," she said. Oakheart perked his ears at the newly mentioned warrior.

"Those two share a similar bond that you and Tigerclaw once had. They are good cats - especially your apprentice. StarClan chose well," he said.

"Chose?" Bluestar's ears perked towards him. Her voice sounded tired and weak.

"Indeed," Oakheart replied. "As I was saying, you had been unaware of the evil making its way into your clan, but StarClan wasn't. We've sensed it growing in the forest ever since Raggedstar died, and we knew it would eventually find its way to the clans. In light of Tigerclaw's recent actions, we've confirmed he must be the center of the evil growing within ThunderClan all this time. We decided a long time ago that another leader should bear the burden of defeating him; Thistleclaw had been enough for you," Oakheart explained.

"You and Tigerclaw had been so close as well. We knew defeating him would be difficult, even for a strong cat like you," he said, nodding towards Bluestar. "So instead, they chose a different cat. A ThunderClan warrior unlike anything seen before. StarClan believed it best not to warn you about Tigerclaw, but instead warn you of him."

"Him?" Bluestar matched his tone. "You mean StarClan warned me about Fireheart?" she questioned. Oakheart nodded. He watched as Bluestar looked towards the ground as if trying to remember something.

"The prophecy I received, that fire will save the clans..." she said, continuing to stare at the grass. Bluestar's eyes quickly widened as her head shot up.

"Fireheart must be the one to save the clans!" she exclaimed. Oakheart couldn't help but grin at his mate's discovery.

"And by the will of StarClan, he shall," he added confidently. "That's the prophecy I believe Spottedleaf mentioned to me shortly after she joined StarClan. She said she had given it to you a few seasons ago."

"So she did know," Bluestar sighed. Oakheart twitched his whiskers.

"Spottedleaf only received that prophecy from StarClan and nothing else. As for Yellowfang, I'm not sure whether or not she ever had this knowledge," he told her. "I will say though, after joining StarClan and learning its true meaning, Spottedleaf insists on seeing Fireheart whenever he is to be visited by us."

"Fireheart even had dreams from StarClan? Has StarClan been warning him of Tigerclaw this entire time?" she asked frustratedly.

"You could say that," Oakheart shrugged, much to Bluestar's dismay.

"I see… " she muttered with a frown.

"Do you trust him?" Oakheart suddenly asked. Bluestar looked back at him confused, not expecting to be asked such a vague question. Oakheart noticed her look.

"Do you trust Fireheart?"

Bluestar slowly looked away from him and back towards the ground, before she began thinking.

The memories of her apprentice seemed to flood her mind all at once. Bluestar remembered when she had discovered the ginger kitten one day while she was on patrol. The way he stared eagerly into the forest as he sat on upon the fence of his Twoleg-nest had somewhat amused her at the time. She dismissed it as the ignorance of a young, ignorant kittypet who was just awestruck by the large and imposing forest next to their home. She thought nothing of it - until she had found him wrestling with one of the apprentices of her clan.

Bluestar remembered seeing the orange kitten attack Lionheart's apprentice as if he was protecting his own kits. She saw the spark in his eyes when she asked him if he wanted to join the clan. She knew from that moment on that this young tom would try his best to prove to the clan he was just as fierce as any of them.

Bluestar smiled as she remembered the brief moments they spent together before and after he was apprenticed to her. She wished now more than ever that she could have spent more time with him.

"He was… a good apprentice. He took pride in me being his mentor it seemed… always eager to listen to my words, yet he still got into trouble with other clans often," Bluestar said to Oakheart. "And after all this time, StarClan had been putting their trust in him as well as guiding him. Whenever he went against the code, it was for the benefit of those he cared for. If I say I don't trust him, then it means I don't trust StarClan either," she stated as she lifted her head towards Oakheart.

"Seeing how devoted he was trying to warn me… to warn the clan… that my own deputy was not to be trusted, I-" she hesitated. "I had thought of him a fool. It seemed like he was just a kit that couldn't get what he wanted." Bluestar said, pausing for a moment.

"Now, I see he was telling the truth. That much is obvious to me now. The reason he seemed so determined to convince me Tigerclaw couldn't be trusted was because he knew it was true. He had seen it for himself and knew he couldn't give up until everyone in the clan found out," Bluestar said.

"But they wouldn't believe them," Oakheart finished.

"I didn't even consider it," Bluestar sighed. "I just couldn't believe my deputy was capable of that. Tigerclaw… he's always been loyal. He is the most loyal!" she exclaimed.

Oakheart snickered. "So loyal that he believed the only one fit to run ThunderClan was himself," he said. "You know your deputy well enough, but if there is one thing Tigerclaw is more loyal to than his clan, it would be his beliefs."

"He… he knew he could use that to his benefit," Bluestar pondered. "Oh, stars… the clan never believed Tigerclaw was capable of betraying them."

"And neither will the clan after today," Oakheart added, twitching his tail. "You know Fireheart is fighting Tigerclaw in your den right now?"

"What?" Bluestar whipped her head towards him. She was brought up from her haunches as she glanced alarmedly at her mate.

"I saw them just before I came to meet you. I fear Tigerclaw might pin your death on him," he said.

"Oh… oh no," Bluestar whispered to herself as she realized what Oakheart had said made perfect sense.

"The entire clan will no doubt be convinced. You said it yourself - nobody believes Fireheart, and nobody would think Tigerclaw to be the real murderer. It happened with Redtail, and it will happen again," he said with gloom. "If he does blame Fireheart, then I suspect the few cats that trust him now will also be questioning him before long. If Tigerclaw successfully convinces ThunderClan that Fireheart killed their leader, then it would become impossible for him and his friends to live in the clan."

"You are probably right," Bluestar admitted as she thought about it more. Her mind eventually gave up as she couldn't stand to think about it.

"I can't believe this is happening to my clan. This is going to tear them apart," she quivered as she sat back down into the grassy field. Bluestar quickly perked her head towards Oakheart as if she had remembered something important. "And what will happen to Fireheart? Will he even survive?"

"I am not even sure of that myself... " Oakheart replied. "But have no fear. StarClan has chosen him, and we will do everything we can to ensure the prophecy is fulfilled. That means we must support Fireheart even in his darkest days. Considering these events, I fear that time is quickly approaching us," he said, looking away from her.

"But this is no place to discuss something like that. You have only just joined us, so you will not have the time to worry about your clan. You must obtain the wisdom of the forest before you can watch over it," Oakheart declared as he stood up.

"I see…" Bluestar simply replied with a dim look on her face.

"It is past the time you should have joined us. Come now. You must follow me closely... and don't look back," Oakheart told her. He was eager to leave now since it appeared Bluestar was beginning to accept her fate.

"Let us be off," he said. The large tom began to walk further past Fourtrees, before stopping, as he realized his mate was not following. He turned to find Bluestar still sitting where she was, staring off into the clearing that surrounded Fourtrees.

Perhaps she isn't ready after all. Oakheart thought before turning back towards her.

"Bluestar… it will be alright. Tigerclaw isn't so quick to act you know. Your clan will do just fine without you for a little while. Hope is not lost yet…" he tried reassuring her.

He watched in defeat as the she-cat remained still, not making any attempt to move. He turned so that now he was fully turned to face her.

"If you want, you could be the one to visit Fireheart during his dreams. StarClan would have to approve first-"

"I'm not worried about my clan anymore, Oakheart," Bluestar said suddenly.

"Oh?" he responded. Bluestar slowly turned her head to stare at him.

"I trust StarClan. They have been there for me when I needed it," she explained. "I may not have understood their actions before, but now it is clear to me. My apprentice will be the one to save the clans. It is written in the stars, after all. Seeing how he stood alone against so much opposition for so long, there's no doubt he has the fire in his heart to do it," she stated, before surprising her mate with a chuckle. "Seems the warrior name I gave him fits him better than I thought."

"I'm happy to hear that, Bluestar," Oakheart smiled. "And so is StarClan, but…" he paused for a moment. "If you aren't worried, then what's with that glare you gave me?"

Bluestar smiled at him before finally standing up to pad towards him. Oakheart watched as she strode over to him before suddenly feeling her muzzle brush against him. Oakheart's tail twitched as he felt her pelt against his.

"You're much more handsome than I remember, is all," she said, lifting her head to meet his gaze.

"You haven't changed at all either," he smiled.

"Oh, and I would like to visit him every so often," Bluestar suddenly spoke, breaking her gaze with him to look at the stars. "I want to make sure he succeeds, no matter what."

Oakheart nodded as he turned away from her. His tail waved, beckoning her to his side. Bluestar strode over next to him.

"Let's not keep StarClan any longer, shall we?" he said. "Thrushpelt, in particular, has been anxious lately," he added, brushing his tail against her side as he walked forward.

Bluestar perked her ears towards him. The adoptive father of her kits had joined StarClan a while ago, so meeting him again was definitely something to look forward to. She had always wondered how their reunion would go when they saw each other again. Before pondering any further, Bluestar quickly snapped out of her thoughts, noticing Oakheart was moving further away from her.

Bluestar made sure to keep pace with him. She kept her mind blank as she walked, afraid that she would only try to convince herself to avoid her destiny. Bluestar knew she wanted to join StarClan since the wisdom she would gain would allow her to help Fireheart and her clan better than if she was just revived again.

"Follow me, and we will ascend. You have much to look forward to in StarClan, Bluestar."

She watched in amazement as Oakheart suddenly began climbing higher into the sky as he walked. It was as if he was climbing an invisible hill, with each step glowing with a silver light under it. Each passing second brought him closer to the stars lining Silverpelt. Bluestar remembered how StarClan was said to have resided amongst the stars, though she never knew what to make of that myth up until now.

Bluestar hesitated for a moment, before moving onward. As she followed Oakheart, she noticed that he was still climbing higher towards the stars, but he also never appeared to be climbing further away from her.

Bluestar soon realized as she looked below her that her paws weren't in the soft grass anymore. She had been walking on what seemed like thin air, just like Oakheart. She shuddered at the feeling she got looking down towards the ground but was still determined to keep up with her mate. Bluestar clenched her eyes shut, and gave a deep sigh as she trudged onward towards Silverpelt.

"Fireheart, we will see each other again soon. I will make sure of it," Bluestar thought to herself. The stars above Silverpelt grew larger and brighter the more she advanced.

"But please… just make sure StarClan finds a living cat when we come for you."

As they continued onwards, a flash of light had soon engulfed the area around them. The blinding phenomenon quickly subsided, revealing both cats had disappeared from the peaceful skies above the dreamscape.

The great oaks of Fourtrees stood tall in the wake of their departure, the wind softly rustling their leaves as if nothing had occurred. The streams kept flowing, and the fields of grass swayed in the breeze. Everything seemed to appear as it was before, with no evidence that any creature had ever been there.

It was then, with a soft flicker of light, that a new star appeared in the sky above the forest, shining brighter than most others within Silverpelt. The other stars twinkled with glee as if accepting the newcomer amongst them, before dwindling their light, allowing the newborn star to shine the brightest out of all of them. Its glow was proud and intense as if promising to light the way even on the darkest of nights.

...

A/N - So there's the prologue for you! I haven't read Bluestar's Prophecy, so hopefully, I haven't screwed up any of her relationships ALREADY. Next chapter should be coming soon...