CHAPTER 2

Badgerpaw was dreaming. She knew it before the dream began.

Badgerpaw had dreamed this dream at least twice as a kit. She had hoped that, as an apprentice, she would have grown out of such silly nightmares. But it seemed that luck was not on her side.

She was in the apprentices' den. She could sense the other ThunderClan apprentices sleeping around her. The sky outside was still dark, but growing gray with dawn.

Badgerpaw mustered up her courage, then got to her paws. It felt like shaking rain from her pelt as she rose. She looked down.

Her own body lay at her starry paws.

Badgerpaw stifled a shudder and stepped away from her nest. She didn't bother to tiptoe over her fellow apprentices; she walked right through them as if they didn't exist - or rather, as if she didn't exist.

The first time Badgerpaw had this dream, she had been a kit. And she had panicked. She had yowled louder than ever before, and still no one could hear her. She had begged her mother to wake up, prodded her brothers - she had even run to the warriors' den in hopes that her father would awake. But no one could hear her.

Badgerpaw padded into camp and sniffed the air. Birchfall was at the entrance of camp, on sentry duty. The prey caught the day before had grown stale. The snores from the warriors' den told her that the dawn patrol had not been roused yet.

There was only one voice speaking in the camp. Badgerpaw's ears pricked as she tried to pinpoint the location of the voice. Her whiskers twitched with interest. Firestar's den?

Badgerpaw followed the voice until she stood just outside of the leader's den.

"Listen - this was not an easy decision to make," Firestar meowed. Badgerpaw frowned. She had never heard her leader sound so distraught before. "Just know that my decision is for the best of ThunderClan, and it is not a poor reflection of either of you."

Badgerpaw tilted her head. Who was he talking to?

Firestar sighed. "Right. Well, let's go and wake the Clan, shall we?"

Badgerpaw stood back as pawsteps approached. Amber eyes flashed from within the cave walls, and Badgerpaw was surprised to see her own father pad out from the den. Behind him, Sandstorm followed. Then, side by side, Firestar and Graystripe.

Sandstorm padded down into the hollow, while Firestar, Graystripe, and Brambleclaw padded to the top of Highledge. Firestar's jaws parted in a yowl.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below Highledge!"

With a gasp, Badgerpaw awoke. Her eyes snapped open, and she leaped to her paws. She looked down - sure enough, there were her solid paws. No stars, no strange shimmering form - just tabby fur.

"Ugh…" Poppypaw moaned. "What does Firestar want so early?"

"Clan meeting!" Sunpaw meowed, leaping to his paws. He hurried to be first out of the den, squeezing ahead of his denmates.

"Stop pushing," Berrypaw complained.

"The fastest hunter catches the most mice," Sunpaw mewed cheerfully.

"Alright there, Badgerpaw?" Featherpaw asked, stretching as he got to his paws.

Badgerpaw flicked her tail. "Just…shaking off a dream," she replied. "Let's…let's go see what Firestar wants." Without waiting for an answer, she bounded out into the camp.

The air outside the den hit her like the lash of a birch sapling. Frost glittered on the bushes around the edge of the camp, and the icy ground made Badgerpaw's pads ache. Breath billowing, she trotted into the clearing, where cats were gathering, huddling close for warmth.

Firestar sat on Highledge, flanked by Brambleclaw and Graystripe. Brambleclaw's pelt shone, the muscles beneath it taut. Graystripe's pelt was well-groomed, the knots and tangles smoothed at last, but it was dull and his ribs showed beneath.

Badgerpaw felt unease tingle in her pelt. Her dream…Firestar's voice in his den… It had all just been a dream, hadn't it? She shook away the feeling. It was just a dream. It was just…a dream.

"He must have decided who the deputy should be," Featherpaw mewed.

It had been several days since the Gathering, since the return of Graystripe and the arrival of his mate, Millie. The two had settled in, and no change had been made to the deputyship of ThunderClan. But now, it seemed that Firestar had made his choice.

Firestar's pelt glowed like fire in the cold dawn light as he gazed over the Clan. Millie settled beside Ferncloud, her eyes round with curiosity. Sorreltail, Whitewing, and Cloudtail sat in front of her, Brackenfur and Thornclaw behind. The gray kittypet no longer seemed intimidated by the warriors hemming her in and stared calmly up at Firestar.

"I know you've all been wondering what will happen now that our previous deputy has returned," the Clan leader began.

Graystripe wrapped his bushy tail tighter over his front paws. One of Brambleclaw's ears twitched.

"When we left the forest, I thought I would never see Graystripe again," Firestar confessed. "There were many nights when I stared up at Silverpelt and tried to imagine him among our ancestors."

Badgerpaw glanced at Sunpaw and Featherpaw and wondered what it would be like to lose either of them. She didn't like the feeling that stabbed at her belly.

The ThunderClan leader went on. "Graystripe was my deputy and my friend. I trained with him and fought with him. I trusted him more than any cat. Having him back is like having one of my own lives restored."

"He's going to make Graystripe deputy again!" Sunpaw gasped quietly.

"But Brambleclaw has helped me lead the Clan through some of its most terrifying challenges. I've never seen him waver in his loyalty to his Clanmates. The last thing ThunderClan needs now is more change." He paused and glanced at the two warriors. "So I've decided that Brambleclaw should remain deputy."

"But -" The gasp escaped Brackenfur before he could stop it. Sorreltail echoed it, and mews of surprise rippled around the Clan. Badgerpaw searched Graystripe's face for some sign of regret, but couldn't read the gray warrior's expression.

Squirrelflight raised her voice happily. "Brambleclaw!"

"Brambleclaw! Brambleclaw!" Ashfur quickly joined in.

Squirrelflight whipped her head around and stared at him.

Why does she look surprised? Badgerpaw wondered.

Dustpelt and Thornclaw started calling Brambleclaw's name too. Graystripe got to his paws and joined in, and Brambleclaw dipped his head respectfully to the former ThunderClan deputy.

"Brambleclaw! Brambleclaw!" Badgerpaw joined in.

"All right, Brambleclaw!" Sunpaw purred.

Featherpaw nodded, but didn't join in.

"What, aren't you happy?" Badgerpaw asked him.

"I am!" Featherpaw reassured quickly. "It's just…"

"You don't think Graystripe would be a better choice, do you?" Sunpaw demanded.

"No, I agree with Firestar," Featherpaw sighed. "I just - have a lot to live up to."

"Oh, this again?" Badgerpaw purred, nudging her brother. "Come on, Featherpaw. No cat cares what your parents have done - they care about what you do."

"But Graystripe is a legend, and Firestar still picked Brambleclaw. And I'm his son!"

"So am I," Sunpaw meowed. "And I think it's great!"

"I do too, I guess," Featherpaw sighed. "I just… Never mind."

"Happy, there?"

The meow made all three jump. They glanced up and saw Stormfur padding toward them.

"You must be pleased that your father's still deputy," the warrior purred.

"What about you?" Sunpaw asked. "Graystripe's your father."

Stormfur purred. "Well, he was never my deputy. I lived with RiverClan when he was deputy of ThunderClan." He glanced up at Highledge, eyes gleaming with pride. "Whereas I've been following Brambleclaw since the very first journey to the sun-drown-place. He makes a fine leader, a fine deputy."

Brambleclaw leaped down from Highledge and padded toward them. Berrypaw followed him. "We're going hunting," he meowed as he approached.

"Can we join you?" Stormfur asked.

"Of course. Brightheart and Badgerpaw are coming too. But if you don't mind a crowd -"

"Of course not!" Stormfur dipped his head.

"We'll go in a moment," Brambleclaw meowed. "First I want to ask Dustpelt and Sorreltail to patrol the ShadowClan border. I'll meet you at the entrance."

"I'll go with Sorreltail," Featherpaw meowed to his littermates. "I'll see you guys later." He trotted after Brambleclaw.

Brightheart approached the group. "Brambleclaw just told me we're hunting!" she greeted brightly. "I hope you're ready," she meowed to Badgerpaw.

"Always!" Badgerpaw purred.

The hunting patrol padded up to the entrance of the ThunderClan camp.

"Bet I can catch more prey than you," Sunpaw meowed to Badgerpaw.

"As if!" Badgerpaw purred.

"It doesn't matter, because I'm going to catch more than either of you!" Berrypaw called over his shoulder.

"As if!" Badgerpaw and Sunpaw chorused.

Brambleclaw padded over from halfrock. Graystripe was with him.

"Mind if I join you?" the gray warrior asked. "I want to get familiar with the territory and see how the prey runs here."

"That's fine with me," Brightheart agreed.

They headed deep into the forest, picking up the clearest route along the old Thunderpath. Badgerpaw had been along it before, when Brightheart had shown her around ThunderClan territory. But she had never followed it all the way past the abandoned Twoleg nest.

Badgerpaw's breath came in clouds as the patrol padded quietly over the frozen ground. Graystripe turned back to face them. "There's no scent of fox here," he meowed. "And not too much cover for prey. This looks like a good spot to start the hunt."

"What can you smell?" Stormfur asked his apprentice.

Sunpaw closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "Mouse," he reported.

"Where?"

Sunpaw nodded in the direction of an oak tree several fox-lengths away. Badgerpaw pricked her ears, and, sure enough, she could hear the scrabble of tiny paws against cold earth, though very faintly.

"Badgerpaw," Brightheart hissed quietly. "You have a try."

Badgerpaw crept toward the scuffling noise, dropping into her best stealth crouch. She led each pad sink slowly onto the hard ground, so that her steps made no sound. The scuffling carried on as she drew close enough. She squatted with her muzzle outstretched and let her tail rest on the earth behind her. She could smell the mouse clearly now, and saw a slight movement in the leaves.

"Brambleclaw!"

The mouse scuttled out of the leaves and disappeared among the roots of a tree. Hissing with surprise, Badgerpaw spun around to see who had ruined her catch.

Featherpaw exploded from the undergrowth and skidded to a halt. "ShadowClan have moved the border! They've put a new line of scent marks inside ThunderClan territory!"

"Where?" Brambleclaw demanded.

"I'll show you." Without waiting, Featherpaw headed away through the trees.

"Where's Dustpelt and Sorreltail?" Brambleclaw called after him, breaking into a run. The hunting patrol bounded after them both.

"Sorreltail's at the border! Dustpelt went back to warn Firestar!" came the reply.

Featherpaw led them back along the Thunderpath before veering into the forest and up the slope that led to the ShadowClan border. He skidded to a halt near the top, where Sorreltail was waiting with a sour look. "Here!" Featherpaw gasped, flicking his tail to indicate the line of birches that followed the ridge.

Badgerpaw sniffed the nearest trunk and wrinkled her nose. It was true. ShadowClan had marked ThunderClan trees.

"Isn't this the original border?" Graystripe asked.

"No!" Brambleclaw hissed. "The border is there." He pointed his muzzle to the top of the rise where the trees gave way to the grassy clearing.

"Did they think we wouldn't notice?" Badgerpaw spat.

Brightheart's hackles rose. "ShadowClan warriors nearby!" she warned.

As she spoke, three ShadowClan cats stalked over the rise and stood staring down at the ThunderClan patrol.

"Oakfur!" Brambleclaw hissed, staring at the small brown tom who led the trio. Badgerpaw recognized Owlpaw from the Gathering, and the final cat was his mentor, Smokefoot.

"A one-eyed warrior noticed us before the ThunderClan deputy knew we were here," Oakfur sneered. "How humiliating. ThunderClan isn't what it used to be. Filled with kittypets and cripples and worn-out deputies." He glared at Graystripe.

"You've moved the border," Brambleclaw growled.

"We've taken what should be ours, and we will take more," Smokefoot told him.

"ThunderClan is hardly a real Clan anymore - it's half kittypet," Oakfur put in. "I'm sure StarClan agrees that only true warriors are entitled to hunt on Clan territory."

"ThunderClan has nothing but true warriors!" Brambleclaw yowled. He flattened his ears and stepped over the new marker line until he was only a tail-length away from Oakfur. "If you want our territory, you'll have to fight for every step."

Badgerpaw's fur stood on end. Her first real battle! She sank her claws into the earth, imagining it was ShadowClan fur.

"Are you sure we won't win?" Oakfur's eyes glittered as more ShadowClan warriors began to appear over the rise, lining up like starlings on a branch. Badgerpaw's heart flipped over. It looked as though every ShadowClan warrior had come to fight. Their muscles bulged under their pelts, their claws glinting as they flexed them against the hard ground.

Badgerpaw felt fur brush her flank. Featherpaw and Sunpaw had joined her. Badgerpaw suddenly pictured the three of them - three half-grown apprentices facing what looked like the whole of ShadowClan.

StarClan, help us!

NOTES

Besides Badgerpaw's dream, this is very close the the original work. Sorry! Next chapter there will be more divergence.

galacticskunk . tumblr . com