Chapter 20

"Is everyone here?" a white she-cat asked. Her fur was long and silky. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean. She was surrounded by a black and white tom, a black tom, a golden she-cat, and a fluffy white tom.

"I think this is everyone," the black tom mewed. "Orcafin?" he called his son's name. The black and white tom stood up for his father to see him. "Songpaw?" The golden she-cat stood up. "Icestar?" The white tom nodded. "And Softsnow," the black tom turned to the white she-cat.

"Thank you Blackice," Softsnow mewed to the black tom. "Now I bet your wondering why I've called you here," she mewed. They nodded. "It's about Frostclan. I've been studying the future and I've found something," she mewed.

"What is it?" Icestar asked. They other cats leaned forward. Their ears were pricked with anticipation.

"It's Duskpaw. Her destiny seems to have had a drastic change. I'm afraid of what is to came," Softsnow mewed.

"What will happen?" Orcafin demanded.

Softsnow leaned forward and whispered it in his ear. Orcafin gasped. His eyes were wide.

"Are you sure?" he checked. Softsnow nodded. "When?" he demanded.

"Towards the end of," Softsnow trailed off. Orcafin looked down.

"Poor Snowyowl," he muttered. Blackice laid his tail over his shoulder. "I know it's his fault I'm here but he's still my brother," Orcafin mewed quietly. His eyes were sad and he looked miserable.

"It's not his fault you're here. If it wasn't for you-know-who none of us would be here," Icestar pointed out.

"Has it really come to that? We can't speak his name out loud anymore?" Songpaw asked. The older cats didn't respond. "Well I refuse. I will speak his name," she growled. They looked at her. She remained silent.

"Well," Softsnow urged. Songpaw looked down.

"I can't. Every time I think of his name I remember his claws tearing through my throat. I'll never forget the cold fury in his eyes as he watched my life slip away. All because I knew. I knew what Snowyowl knew. I knew that and more. I watched him kill you," she turned to Icestar. The former leader looked at his paws.

"And I watched him kill you," his gaze turned to Softsnow. Her blue eyes were cold.

"I was his first victim. The first to feel his cold claws cut through the heart. The first to hear his cold laugh as he ripped you apart. The first to bleed to death because of his thirst. His thirst for power," she mewed. Her voice was flat and lifeless, her eyes cold and hard.

I was the last he killed," Orcafin mewed. "He killed me slowly. Letting the pain settle from each blow that I felt the next with renewed force. He destroyed me. So badly they almost didn't know it was me," Orcafin growled.

"You won't be the last," Softsnow mewed. "He has chosen the path of death and blood. Every decision he makes leads to death." The other cats exchanged looks.

"Is there nothing we can do to stop him?" Blackice asked.

"There is only one who can stop him. Even now her paws are walking the path of his destruction," Softsnow mewed. She looked up at the starry sky above them. "I have faith in her. After all, she has no real ties to him."

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Duskpaw woke from her sleep. The sun was pouring through the entrance, bathing her in golden light. She smiled lazily. Stretching she got to her feet and walked outside. Shardclaw was sitting by Maplestar's den. The clan was gathered beneath him. Duskpaw walked over to hear what he was saying.

"Snowyowl you can lead a hunting patrol by the Moonclan border. Take Foamfur and Silverpaw," he ordered. The white tom nodded and headed towards the entrance. Silverpaw and Foamfur followed. Duskpaw watched him through narrowed eyes.

"Wait," Maplestar called out. The ginger leader was walking out of her den. "I'm coming with you," she mewed. The clan looked mildly surprised. Even though they had one of the youngest leaders she didn't usually join patrols. Duskpaw couldn't help but wonder if Starclan had told her something about Snowyowl. The leader gave no sign as to why she had chosen the patrol. She just followed them into the woods.

"Um, Tundrafoot why don't you take a border patrol to the Oceanclan border. They might want to make trouble sense we took back Silverpaw so take Stormstep, Creamfoot, and," he gazed across the clan. "I'll go with you," he mewed. Jumping from where he was sitting he walked into the woods with them. Duskpaw was left alone in the clearing.

"Look out," Heronkit squealed. The brown tom was sliding across the clearing. His eyes wee wide with fear. Duskpaw jumped out of the way of the skating tom.

"What are you doing?" she demanded. Before he could answer the kit crashed into a tree at the edge of camp. He rubbed his head and back away.

"Stupid tree," he growled. Duskpaw flicked his ear with her tail.

"Seal-brain. What were you doing?" she asked. He looked down sheepishly.

"I was running out of the nursery and I tripped and ended up sliding across the ground," he muttered. Duskpaw rolled her eyes.

"Maplestar needs to make you an apprentice already. Your almost old enough now," she mewed. Heronkit brightened up.

"That's what Lichenheart said. She keeps talking about how she can't wait to actually be able to sleep for once," he mewed. Duskpaw smiled at his total obliviousness. She remembered when she and Silverpaw were that young. Even then their lives weren't carefree. They had been stolen by Oceanclan. She sighed. Was her life always so stressful?

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Silverpaw trotted next to Foamfur as they walked through the forest. Even though Maplestar was her aunt she felt nervous going on a patrol with her. She wanted to impress her. The ginger she-cat was at the back of the patrol. Her green eyes stared straight ahead. Foamfur was in the same posture. Snowyowl however was not looking straight ahead.

He flinched at every sound. His ears kept swiveling around and his darted nervously from side to side. Silverpaw shrugged at their odd behavior. She wanted to enjoy the patrol. She hadn't been on many since her return and she loved walking through her territory. Suddenly Snowyowl brought them to a halt.

"We should probably split up," he mewed. Maplestar nodded and headed into the woods. Foamfur walked away too. Snowyowl winked at her before walking away. Silverpaw watched him disappear into the woods.

When she could no longer see him she turned to the Moonclan border. She still found the rolling hills and flatness beautiful. The sun shone over the land, making it look warm and inviting. Silverpaw yearned to run over the land, free and light. Nothing to hold her down but gravity. Sighing she turned back to the woods and set off to find food.

Taking a deep breath she detected the scent of rabbit. It must have ran over the border, she thought. Oh well. Moonclan's lost. Following the scent under a bush she dropped into the hunter's crouch. The scent was over whelming and made her mouth water. It must be right outside this bush, she realized. Smiling she leapt out.

There was a rabbit there. Unfortunately it was unavailable to be caught. It was dangling from the jaws of a fox. It glared at her. Dropping the rabbit it stepped forwards. Silverpaw gulped. Turning around she darted out of the bush.

"Help," she cried as the fox thundered after her. "Help." She ran blindly through the woods, praying she was running to one of the warriors. Crashing through the trees she saw Maplestar. The ginger she-cat had a mouse in her jaws. She looked up in surprise as Silverpaw ran at her. "Fox," Silverpaw screamed. Maplestar dropped the mouse. Turning to the fox she unsheathed her claws.

With a yowl she leapt on the creature. Silverpaw skidded to a halt and turned to help. Maplestar was crouched on the fox's back. Her claws were dug into its scruff and she was biting its ear. Silverpaw ran behind it and bit down on its tail. It let out a painful yowl and whipped around, throwing Silverpaw backwards.

Maplestar lost her balance and fell to the ground. The fox pounced on her before she could recover. Silverpaw let out a screech then jumped back on the beast. It snapped at her but she moved out of the way. She continued to jab at the fox then dart away before it could touch her until it let out a frustrated whine. Dropping its tail it turned around and ran towards the Moonclan border.

Silverpaw ran to Maplestar's side. The ginger leader had lost a lot of blood. She wasn't moving and stared straight ahead. Silverpaw stared at her. Surly she wasn't dead.

"Maplestar," she mewed. Her leader didn't move. "Maplestar," Silverpaw continued. Her voice was higher this time and filled with worry. Once again Maplestar didn't react. Silverpaw felt tears well in her eyes. Maplestar had lost a life.

A/N:

Well that chapter was longer. Sorry it took so long for me to get it up here. I hope you liked it. Please tell me what you think. Make sure you review and please keep reading. Oh yeah if you have any questions feel free to ask. I'll answer them as long as they won't give too much away. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

P.S. I've been reading some reviews and I noticed that some of you are comparing my story to other ones. If you don't mind that then okay but if you do I'm very sorry. I'd like to say that any similarities with this story and any others were not planned to happen. It was pure coincidence. If you meant that as a compliment then I'm sorry for making you read all this. Now thank you for your time and cooperation and don't forget to review.