Foxshade was chosen to go to the Gathering, and he was ecstatic. He had been made a warrior a half moon ago, and he couldn't wait for the cats to call out his name.

Please don't let Slatestar ignore me again.

Cinderfall padded up to him, her blue eyes shining. "Spiderpaw's getting his medicine cat name! Come on!"

Foxshade purred and followed his denmate. Slatestar was sitting atop the huge tree trunk in the center of camp, with Spiderpaw sitting below her.

"Let all cats gather beneath the Fallen Tree!"

The rest of the warriors got up from whatever they were doing and sat on the ground, looking at Slatestar expectantly.

The leader's voice was warm when she spoke. "This medicine cat apprentice has trained hard, and healed many of his Clanmates. His mentor, Amberbush, tells me he is more than ready, so this ceremony is for him. I, Slatestar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to watch over this medicine cat. He has trained hard and understands the duties and responsibilities of a medicine cat. Do you, Spiderpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code and the medicine cat code, and work to your fullest ability to heal and protect all your Clanmates?"

The black tom eagerly nodded. "I do."

"From this moment on, you will be known as Spiderblaze. StarClan honors your kind and courageous nature, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat."

The cats gathered below called, "Spiderblaze! Spiderblaze!"

That's when Foxshade noticed something. "Why are there so little cats? Where's Frostfang? And Branchclaw? Hollycreek, Pinepelt, and Roseshadow are missing too. Where are they?"

Cinderfall reassuringly stroked the dark ginger warrior's pelt with her tail. "I'm sure they're fine," she meowed soothingly.

Foxshade relaxed. "I hope so."

Cinderfall bounded over to the prey pile and picked up a thrush. "Let's share this with Spiderblaze."

As she went to get her brother, Foxshade kept an eye on the entrance of camp.

As Spiderblaze and Cinderfall came back, the brambles rustled. Foxshade stood up.

The missing cats padded in, and the ginger tom couldn't help but gasp. They were drenched in blood, and reeked of RiverClan.

Slatestar padded up to them and sniffed Frostfang's pelt. "RiverClan blood?"

The deputy nodded. "Of course it is. We were hiding in the ferns and saw a patrol of two cats coming over. A ginger and white she-cat and a tortoiseshell and white she-cat. We attacked too quickly for them. I think the tortoiseshell and white one fell unconscious after Pinepelt knocked her head and slashed her belly. She was bleeding pretty badly. After that she-cat got hurt, the other one dragged her away and ran for camp."

He scoffed. "Mouse-hearts."

Foxshade listened to the white tom's report, his mind suddenly blank. In the moon since he had met with Spotpaw on the border, he was always imagining her scent and the feel of her muzzle against his. Her tortoiseshell and white pelt glowing in the moonlight.

Foxshade went through each RiverClan she-cat's pelt in his mind, trying to remember if one of them was a tortoiseshell and white one.

Frostfang can't be talking about Spotpaw.

Yet a vision showed in his mind: Pinepelt was slashing at Spotpaw, a deep wound opening in her belly. Blood was staining her pelt. Her eyes slowly closing.

Foxshade took a step back, and hee went through the RiverClan she-cats again. There must be another she-cat with the same color pelt as Spotpaw.

Slatestar spoke. "Very good."

There was a purr in her voice. "They'll learn not to mess with ShadowClan again. A death is just the right message."

Foxshade was suddenly acutely aware of his breathing. Slatestar was saying it might be good if another cat died.

He took another step back.

Cinderfall looked his way. "Where are you going? Our Clanmates are safe, you don't need to worry. Let's share the thrush."

Foxshade didn't know how to explain that it wasn't his Clanmates he was worried for. StarClan, what's happened?

He turned and bolted out of camp, his paws leading him to the RiverClan border. He stared at the river.

A little further and he would be able to see the RiverClan camp. Hear if there were wails of grief, or meows of relief.

A.N.: (－‸ლ) God I was such a sappy writer when I was younger- I went over this before publishing and literally had a cringe attack. Cleaned it up a bit so y'all don't have to go through that as well.

Have I been sticking to my schedule? School's been crazy, and all this panic regarding the pandemic isn't really helping.

Thanks for reading my story. Have a good rest of your day/night. ❤️️

~Paige