I was awakened by Sparklepaw, shaking my shoulder roughly and hissing in my ear. I managed to push her off and shake sleep from my eyes, when I noticed that Birchclaw and Frostpelt were with her, both looking very concerned. I could smell Sparklepaws' fear-scent, but couldn't see any signs of attacks or other cats anywhere.

"What is it?" I finally meowed, licking my paw and whipping it across my ear slowly. Sparklepaw nodded and took a step back. Birchclaw replaced her, his amber eyes buried in confusion and worry.

"Flightpaw, we can't find Sinewpaw. He was gone when we woke up, and you were the only one in the den with him." He meowed finally. I blinked. Sinewpaw was missing? I thought back, at about Moonhigh he woke me up from my dream, and then I fell asleep again. He would have left at about midnight then if he ran away or a little later if he had been taken.

"He was with me last night." I murmured finally, "At about midnight I saw him before I fell asleep again…" Sparklepaws eyes flashed in annoyance at me for a second before she jerked her head away and pouted furiously. I snickered inwardly, Sparklepaw was jealous of her brother.

Birchclaw nodded to Frostpelt, "Take Flightpaw and Sparklepaw and fallow Sinewpaws' scent." He meowed, "Whether he ran away or was taken, we have to get him back." Frostpelt nodded slowly and Sparklepaw and I got to our paws and fallowed him. Frostpelt pushed out of the den before us, and Sparklepaw suddenly took a quick step forward and blocked my path out.

"You and Sinewpaw?" she hissed bitterly, "I can't believe my brother, falling in love with my attacker. Just who do you think you are, rouge?" I narrowed my eyes. Rouge indeed!

"Flightpaw, apprentice of WindClan." I growled proudly back, Sparklepaw flattened her ears onto her head, "And I intend to find my friend." And with that I shoved Sparklepaw aside and padded out into the clearing.

Sinewpaw

I fallowed Shark and Flash until we got to the lake, where we turned towards the island. But instead of going to the island, we slipped into the marsh next to it and continued in a ways, until we came to a small reed clearing with relatively dry ground.

In the clearing, curled nose to tail, was an old-looking dark brown tom, grumbling in his sleep. He lifted his head when we entered and sat up abruptly. He had a thick body, but not nearly as thick as Shark, and long legs, but not nearly as long as Flashes. His eyes were an amber-green, and drooped slightly, but he held himself with an air of pride, like a barrier against power that would bring him down.

"Shark, I see you have succeeded in your mission from Our Father." Meowed the old tom in a raspy way. Shark nodded and sat down, as did Flash, and I slowly lowered myself onto the ground as well. "Very well, I will tell him why he has come.

"You cat, many years ago, or approximately 20 generations ago, your ancestors lived in a different place far from here, over the mountains and nestled into a little forest unlike ours, and only a few rivers to separate boundaries. One season, a group of cats came from the Twolegplace, as you call it, and decided to take over the forest. Their leader was a cat named Scourge."

I felt a shiver run up my spine, I had heard of Scourge from the elders, they described him as a hulking brute, about as large as a badger, with teeth like Twoleg knives, and claws that could tear through wood. He had single-handedly killed the great Firestar once before he failed and his reign ended. I nodded for more information slowly.

"Scourge had one daughter, Scorn, who ran away before the battle to here. Here she met with a rouge cat, Smokey, and had and kit with him, Flicker. A few generations later, your ancestors came here and settled, and with them came rouge cats, who kept Scourges bloodline alive. A few generations after Flicker, one rouge was taken into the Clan, Heron, and became Heronwing. One night he went through an amazing transformation, and became known as the Chosen One."

He paused and I gulped, I had herd of Heronwing as well, he was said to be the shadow of Scourge, just as large and as powerful. It would be hard to beat him in battle. The brown cat took a breath and continued.

"A moon later, Scourge was reborn for a night, and he stalked the land to find and kill the kin of the cat who killed him, Firestar. However, he never got the chance, because Heronwings mate, Lakefrost, stopped him and vanquished the plot to wipe out Firestars' blood from the Clans. This was ten generations after the fall of Scourge."

I blinked, I had heard Heronwing died after that part, but I never heard he was Scourge reborn. Shortly after it was said Lakefrost died from a broken heart. They lived together in StarClan now, and watched over the lake during winter.

"And now we have three cats who could be the Chosen One." Meowed the dark brown tom slowly. I pricked my ears, three? "Shark, Flash, and Flightpaw." Meowed the brown tom slowly, "through me the nineteenth generation was able to make two of the three, Shark and Flightpaw, while my brother and Flightpaws mothers sister had Flash. We were all surprised when Shark wasn't chosen; he is by far the most powerful cat ever lived. But it was all made clear when we saw Flightpaw after she joined your Clan."

I tilted my head to one side. Why would Flightpaw be chosen? She was the smallest cat in the clan next to the kits! And her claws weren't long and could slash through trees, and her teeth were just right for her mouth. "But…" I meowed slowly, "From what I've heard, Scourge was the most powerful cat that lived."

The brown tom nodded, "He was. Despite many legends and thoughts, Scourge was actually the smallest cat in his clan next to the kits. He had short claws, and reinforced them with dog teeth, and his teeth were just normal for his mouth. He was pitch-black, and had ice-blue eyes. In other words, Flightpaw is his shadow, just like how Heronwing was."

I blinked, "So… what'll happen if Scourge is reborn again?" I meowed quietly. Now Shark got up and talked.

"He will be twice as powerful." Meowed the huge tom, "The Black Mark is set to release him on the night of the full moon, where he knows Firestars' descendants will be. Flightpaw is a very skilled apprentice; he will harness her power along with his own and create a powerful new body. Then he will capture Flightpaws mind and take control. And all of his power will be tripled because of the lunar eclipse."

"And how do we save her?" I meowed slowly again.

Shark narrowed his eyes, "One a mind has been chained, there is almost no turning back. Meaning, once Scourge is forced out, Flightpaw, if she can't get free soon enough or help in the fight, will die."