The sun hide behind the clouds. A chilling breeze swept through the open moor. The Windclan cats were hidden in their dens. All of the warriors, including the leader, huddled together in the warriors den. Sandstar sat in the middle. He talked with Yellowtail and Grassfur, the three had their heads together.

Moorwind's fur brushed against his brother's, Hardface. The two layed close enough to overhear the leader's words.

"Riverclan won't stand a chance. All of the mist from the river and lake must be making their pelts turn to ice." Sandstar growled.

Yellowtail shook his head, his blue eyes glowing with worry. "We aren't ready, Sandstar. I'm sorry but we just can't. Two attacks in one moon? That's insane?"

The leader and deputy began arguing. Grassfur finally stepped in. "I'm sorry, Sandstar, but I have to agree with Yellowtail. I'm not sure I have enough herbs for the injured cats. And leafbare is coming. We can't afford to waste herbs."

Sandstar lashed his tail angrily. He paced around Grassfur. "Quiet! What do you know of battle strategy?" he challenged.

"I don't know much. But I do know that rushing into battle when you know that we can't win is terrible! You must think of your warriors as well." grassfur's eyes were pleading. He stared up at the larger tom with wide eyes. "Please, Sandstar. Don't do this."

Sandstar raised a paw a raked it across Grassfur's face, his claws sheathed. "I will do as I please! The leader's word is the warrior code."

By now, all of the warriors were gathering to watch. Grassfur backed away and bowed his head. The disappeared out of the warrior's den and padded back to his own. Sandstar turned to address the warriors. "Mentors, retrieve your apprentices. Whiterose, go get Coalfur and Moonglow. Yellowtail, get Ashtail. All who are able to fight will fight!"

Gasps filled the den. Whiterose stepped forward. "We can't send queens and elders into battle!"

Sandstar growled and snapped his fangs at the white she-cat. "Do as I say!"

Whiterose and Yellowtail left the den, closely followed by the mentors. "This is insane." Carrottooth leaned towards Moorwind.

Moorwind didn't respond. He hated the idea as much as the others, but Sandstar was the leader. It was cruel but fair. The apprentice's den was filled with murmuring. Moorwind pushed his way in, silencing the young cats.

"We are launching an attack on Riverclan. Come on." He said to them before disappearing back outside. The entire clan was gathered in the clearing of the camp. Obsidianeye sat at the entrance of the nursery, her tail wrapped around Ashtail's kits.

Moonglow growled. "Why are we fighting, Sandstar? We are elders. I will risk my life for my clan but we are just too old. We will die."

Sandstar didn't respond. Without another word he led the large group of cats out of the camp. They began to follow the same path they had taken not even a moon ago. Obsidianeye, Grassfur and Cloudrise sat at the entrance to the camp, watching them go.

Blazepaw looked around. "Why is Ashtail and the elders coming with us?" She questioned Moorwind. Her mentor didn't answer. He didn't even look down at her. They would get to the border soon. For once in his life Moorwind found that he didn't want to fight. This was wrong.

The cats hide in the grass, pressing themselves to the ground. A Riverclan patrol was remarking the border. Moorwind recognized Mousetail, Shrewfur, Stonetail and Pearlpaw. There were also two apprentices that he thought might be new. Sandstar waved his tail at Stonefoot, Carrottooth and Hardface. Then at the patrol. He wanted them to attack.

Stonefoot immidiantly launched himself at the patrol. The other two followed reluctantly.

Moorwind felt Blazepaw shiver beside him. he touched her tail with his. Blazepaw looked up and noticed the concern in Moorwind's eyes. Something she had never seen before. She looked away and her eyes locked on the battle.

Stonefoot had attacked one of the new apprentices first. It was a she-cat with gray fur. The apprentice was laying on her side, a large claw mark down her flank. Stonefoot was now hissing and biting at Stonetail. Carrottooth was battling Moustail, Shrewfur and pearlpaw.

The other new apprentice was trying to swerve around Hardface and run back to camp for help. Sandstar waved his tail again and Whiterose joined the fray. She slashed at Pearlpaw, leading her away to take a little pressure off Carrotooth.

Blazepaw looked at Sandstar. The leader was growing irritated. Blazepaw guessed the leader had hoped that this wouldn't take so long.

Moustail raked his claws across Carrottooth's face. The Windclan warrior screeched in pain. Blazepaw gasped. Mousetail had ripped out the warrior's eye. Moorwind growled at Blazepaw. "Look away."

Blazepaw obeyed and closed her eyes, her ears laid flat. She could still hear the warring cats. After what seemed like forever, Moorwind jumped up beside her. She opened her eyes and her fur began to bristle.

Hardface stood over Carrottooth, Pearlpaw and the gray apprentice. he looked up. "Dead."

Stonefoot and Whiterose were chasing after the other Riverclan cats. Stonefoot grabbed at Shrewfur's tail and dragged him back. Whiterose continued after Mousetail and and a calico apprentice.

"Whiterose! Leave them!" Sandstar called. Whiterose skidded to a halt and went back to the Windclan cats, panting. Sandstar padded over to Stonefoot and Shrewfur. Stonefoot had Shrewfur pinned to the ground. Without a word, Sandstar slashed Shrewfur's throat open, spraying himself and Stonefoot with blood. Shrewfur cried out before going limp. The life faded from his amber eyes.

Sandstar tunred back to his cats and waved his tail for them to follow. Her grabbed Carrottooth by the scruff and walked off toward the lake. The warriors huddled together and followed. Blazepaw and Bushpaw looked over Moorwind's shoulder just in time to see Sandstar push Carrottooth's body into the lake.

Pawsteps sounded from down the lake. Lakestar appeared, a group of warriors behind him. Sandstar stepped forward and growled. "Come to surrender?"

Lakestar meowed, amused. "I have come to talk."

"Coward!"

The Riverclan leader's tail twitched. "I will not allow you to march into my clan's territory and kill our warriors. I will ask you to leave peacefully."

Sandstar hissed. "Maybe If you give me what I want!"

Lakestar's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

"Your herbs."

Gasps came from the group of Riverclan cats. Lakestar raised his tail to silence them. "Surely you have enough herbs of your own?"

Sandstar didn't answer. Moorwind understood now. Sandstar didn't want to attack just to do it. He understood just as well as Grassfur that they were low on herbs. Thunderclan was too big to attack. But Riverclan was smaller. After a moment of silence, Sandstar finally spoke. "Windclan, attack!" He yelled.

The Windclan cats jumped forward like an explosion. Blazepaw was about to reluctantly join then Sandstar's tail appeared in front of her. Sadnstar stood in front of all of the apprentices. "Listen, I want you four to take Ashtail, moonglow and Coalfur to the camp. Attack the cats there. Most of the warriors are fighting us. Go!" He said, before throwing himself into battle.

The apprentices stood, stunned for a few heartbeats. "You heard him! Let's go!" Ashtail yelled and raced off. The group of apprentices and elders slowly made their way around the battle. Bushpaw shivered beside Blazepaw. The Riverclan camp came into view.

Moonglow sighed. "let's get this over with..."

The group of cats pressed themselves to the ground. Moonglow beckoned for Bushpaw and Blazepaw to come forward. The littermates crawled forward and Moonglow told them to look into the Riverclan camp and report how many warriors were still in camp. Blazepaw pushed her head through the barriers of the camp.

Pacing in the middle of the camp was the medicine cat, Brightshine. Her apprentice, Hollypaw sat close by. Blazepaw could just make out their words.

"Hollypaw, what did you examine?" Brightshine questioned.

"Otterpaw has minor injuries. Some of his fur is missing and one of his ears is chipped. That is all I found. Mousetail's stomach was bleeding so I gave him a poppy seed and put cobwebs on it." Hollypaw answered. Unlike Brightshine, concern was sewn into her voice. Brightshine nodded and disappeared into her den. Hollypaw stayed in the clearly.

At the entrance to the camp stood two warriors and an apprentice. Coralshine, Jadeclaw and a yellow apprentice. The apprentice looked new just like the grey apprentice and otterpaw. Blazepaw assumed they were littermates.

Coralshine lifted a hind leg to scratch at her ear. She was distracted.

Blazepaw and Bushpaw crept back to the others. "The queens, elders, medicine cats, one apprentice and two warriors. There are probably more that we couldn't see." Bushpaw reported. Blazepaw stared at her brother. He was so good at this compared to her.

Moonglow shook her head. "They are probably the only ones. Remember, Shrewfur is Stonetail are dead. That lowers lakestar's options for leaving cats behind. Let's go." She flicked Coalfur's ear then headed forward. The Windclan cats lined up.

After a few heartbeats, Moonglow yowled and they broke into the camp. The cats at the entrance whirled around to face them. The apprentice yowled in alarm. The warning alarm. Suddenly, the camp was alive. The Windclan cats through themselves at the three guards. Seven against three.

But more like six against three. Blazepaw knew what she had to do. She broke away and made a run for the medicine cat den only to be tackled by a blur of black and ginger fur. Hollypaw's voice met Blazepaw's ears. "Why are you doing this?" Her voice was filled with grief. "Why do you want to hurt us so badly?"

Hollypaw never received an answer. Blazepaw pushed her off and made for the medicine den again. "I don't want to fight! Just let me do this!" She yowled behind her, easily outrunning the larger apprentice.

behind her, Hollypaw yowled in pain. Blazepaw looked behind her to see Nightpaw raking his claws down her back. But Blazepaw didn't have time to feel bad. She pushed her way into the medicine den, running straight into Brightshine.

"What is-oh!" Brightshine jumped back in surprise at seeing the Windclan apprentice. "No! Not again!" She launched herself at blazepaw.

Blazepaw ducked under her and closed her eyes, then put her paw up and grazed brightshine's stomach. Brightshine gasped and rolled on the ground. Blazepaw didn't even look back at her. She ran straight to the back to the herb storage. Brightshine yelled again. Blazepaw noticed that Bushpaw had followed her into the den and was now fighting Brightshine and Otterpaw.

"Why have you come back! You lost last time!" Brightshine growled, her gaze locked on Bushpaw. The large apprentice's calico fur bristled. Blazepaw's eyes widened. Her brother looked so big with his fur standing up like that. She forced herself to continue with the herbs. After gathering as much as she could carry, Blazepaw ran out of the den, her tail brushing bushpaw's shoulder as a signal to leave. The two ran together into the clearing.

"We have the herbs! Let's go!" Bushpaw yowled. Immidiantly, the Windclan cats retreated. Blazepaw heard a hiss of pain from Coalfur. She didn't dare look back. The elder's fate had been decided. He was dead.

Blazepaw ran and ran and ran. She didn't stop until the battle of cats came into view. Riverclan seemed to be winning. Glowpaw stopped beside her and screeched. "We have what we wanted! Windclan retreat!"

Every head in the battling cats turned to stare at the herb-gathering group. Sandstar yowled. "You heard her! Retreat!" The Windclan cats immidiantly separated themselves from the Riverclan cat and joined their leader, who was now dashing to the border.

Moorwind stepped back from were he had Redfur pinned to the ground. He stepped off the dark colored tom and ran to catch up with his clanmates. Redfur's voice followed him onto his own territory. "You'll pay for this you Windclan scum! Hear me! You'll pay!"

That night, yowls or joy filled the Windclan camp. They had won and had collected plenty of herbs. Moonglow and Cloudrise were no where to be seen. No doubt that they were mourning their lost den mate, Coalfur. Moorwind found it cruel that barely any of the other Windclan cat's seemed to notice the elder's absence.

A low growl silenced the Windclan cats. Sandstar stood on a rock over looking the camp. His hazel gaze darted from one cat to another. "before we continue the celebrations, their are a few things that must be addressed. First off, Coalfur and Carrottooth." Sandstar dipped his head. "They both served this clan well." Sandstar's head sprang back up as if Coalfur had suddenly been erased from his memory. "Secondly, I believe we have a few warrior ceremonies that may be due."

He looked down at the group of apprentices, who were now standing with their heads high, eyes wide. Sandstar beckoned them forward. "All of you, yes."

Blazepaw stepped forward, her paws shaking excitedly. She looked at Moorwind. The Brown and gold tom watched with his usual narrowed eyes. He nodded.

The apprentices quickly made their way to Sandstar then stood in a line. Sandstar gestured for Bushpaw first. Bushpaw stepped forward, the end of his tail twitched. He was trying to contain his excitement. But not professionally.

"Bushpaw, from this moment forward, do you swear to serve this clan to the end of your days? To care for them as if they were you're kits?"

"I do."

"Then from this moment forward you will be know as Bushfur. May starclan guide you." Sandstar stepped forward and touched noses with Bushfur. The new warrior's eyes shone bright. He padded away to stand beside the group of cats gathered in the clearing. Next was Blazepaw.

She stepped forward slowly. Do I really deserve this? She thought, thinking a how she always messed up. How hard it was for her to hunt and fight. Sandstar repeated the same dialogue he had with Bushfur.

"From this moment forward you will be know as Blazesky. may Starclan light your path."

Sandstar repeated this again for the other apprentices. He named Glowpaw Glowmorning. Nightpaw was named Nightfang.

The clan began calling out the new cats names, but Sandstar hushed them with a wave of his tail. Sandstar opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a yowl of protest from Ashtail. "But Glowpaw and Nightpaw had only been apprentices for three moons. They don't have enough training!" Ashtail's green eyes were pleading as she stared up and Sandstar.

Sandstar sighed and walked up to Ashtail, who stepped protectively infront of her kits. Sandstar looked down at the wide-eyed kits. "Thunderkit, come here."

A small grey and yellow tom kit stalked forward. He stared up at Sandstar. Blazesky caught a glimpse of his face. he thinks Sandstar is going to make his an apprentice. That would be nice. If their are new apprentices then that means we won't have to still clean the elder's den and stuff. Blazesky purred contently, expecting what the rest of the cats were expecting.

Sandstar stepped back onto his rock with Thunderkit at his side. he looked to nightfang. "As a few of you may know, Nightfang has brought back a different prize."

Nightfang stepped away from the rest of the cats and disappeared into the nursery. He came back out carrying a tiny orange colored kit. The kit squealed and struggled against the larger cats grip. Nightfang growled and the kit fell slient. Nightfang set the kit down next to Thunderkit and but his paw on it's back, keeping it from moving.

Sandstar swept his tail over the orange kit. "This is a kit our herb-gathering patrol found in Riverclan. All cats out enough to leave camp, follow me. Obsidianeye, you stay here and keep watch over the kits."

A dark calico she-cat nodded and disappeared into the nursery, reluctantly followed by the other kits.

Sandstar led the large group of cats all the way out to the lake. Nightfang stood beside him, the small orange kit in his jaws. The kit was shaking with fear. Blazesky felt pity for it. There was no telling what Sandstar planned to do with it.

Thunderkit's eyes shone brightly in the dark night. He shook excitedly, his lean body swaying.

"First, the Riverclan kit." Sandstar said just above a whisper. He took the kit from Nightfang and stepped a little ways into the lake. He tucked his mouth under the water, pushing the kit's nose under with his paw. Gasps filled the group of cats. After a few heartbeats, Sandstar stood back up, the kit swinging limply in his jaws. he swung his mighty head and threw the kit as far out into the lake as possible.

Blazesky stood paralyzed to the spot with horror as Sandstar continued. "That is what happens to cats who refuse to help Windclan. Thunderkit, come here and step into the lake."

Thunderkit, a puzzled look on his face, stepped into the lake. Sandstar pounced on the unexpecting kit, forcing his muzzle into the water. "And this is what happens to cats who don't respect my decisions!" He growled, glaring at Ashtail.

Ashtail screeched and lurched forward, but was cut off by two warriors. "My kit! My kit! What are you doing? Please, stop!" Ashtail yowled.

Moorwind's ears flattened against his head, trying to block out the queen's frantic cries. he didn't know how much longer he could allow Sandstar to things like this. Something had to be done.

But what could a weak warrior like me do against a cat like him? Moorwind thought, as Sandstar stepped off Thunderkit's limp body.

Well this was an eventful chapter.