All That Glitters Isn't Gold:

Yellowstorm pushed her way through the throng of warriors, not saying sorry when he bumped into others cats, instead focused on making it to the rock. Warriors and apprentices let out annoyed grumbles as she passed them, but Yellowstorm didn't give them a second thought.

At the front, she spun around to face the crowd of warriors. "You all are fighting today!" she yowled. "You're going to be fighting to defend our clan's honor! You're going to be fighting to secure what is ours so that ShadowClan cannot take it away from us!"

A few yowls of approval rung out at her words, but most cats still looked annoyed. Yellowstorm bristled, sighing.

"I can see some of you are sore and battered and worn and torn, but I ask you to fight anyways! Our clan depends on a battle patrol fighting to save them, and if you're on that patrol I expect you to fight diligently!" Yellowstorm added, raising her head and tail proudly. "I have chosen the strongest cats out of you all-" she waved her tail at the warriors "-and though I am still the best fighter, I'll need you with to distract our enemies while I attack Fogstar."

The cats who had cheered earlier were silent now, ears flattened angrily. There were a few murmurs amongst the warriors as they shot glares in her direction.

"Arrogant furball!"

"Thinks she's so good, huh?"

"Silverkit could beat her in a fight!"

"I can't believe she's our deputy, for StarClan's sake!"

"Do we really have to fight for her? She's the reason behind all our troubles!"

"Let's just let her fight by herself, okay guys?"

"Warriors of ThunderClan! I can see some of you are angry- and you can channel that anger into slaying ShadowClan warriors under my leadership. Follow me into battle today, and one of you shall walk beside me as my deputy when the time comes!" Yellowstorm added.

She was satisfied to see that she had caught the attention of the majority of the warriors.

Raising her voice into a loud yowl, she called out, "Who will join this strong, fierce deputy in this war?"

"I will!"

"I will!"

"I will!"

"Then I think we've a battle patrol, ThunderClan!" Yellowstorm crouched, then bounded towards the camp entrance. "To ShadowClan, for ThunderClan!"

The clan echoed her cries as they raced after her. Glancing behind her, Yellowstorm sighed. That's way too many cats. If I didn't want to be left alone while I fought my way to Fogstar, I wouldn't even need to take one of them...

Maybe I should send them all back? It's not like I need the help.

Pulling to a halt, Yellowstorm weaved through the crowd of warriors, shoving them all as she went by to test their strength and steadiness, and to disgruntle them. They let out annoyed mutters and moved closed together, sheathing and unsheathing their claws.

"Let's just kill her now."

Yellowstorm jerked her head to see the apprentice that had said that. Flicking her tail at him, she stalked up to the brown tabby tom, looming over him. "What was that, Oakpaw?" she snarled. "I just happen to be the greatest deputy and leader our clan has ever known, thank you very much!"

Oakpaw shuffled his paws, looking irritated. "I said nothing, Yellowstorm. It was Palepaw."

She knew he was lying, but it worked as an excuse to get rid of the two apprentices. "Both of you," she snarled, grabbing Palepaw's scruff and heaving her towards camp. "Are going back to camp. Now. I don't need your pitiful skills, anyways. Bluewing, go with them to make sure they obey. I don't need your fighting strengths either. You're all lucky I'm letting you go in the first place when I don't need you to help me."

Bluewing, Oakpaw, and Palepaw slowly made their way back to camp with bushed out pelts. Yellowstorm returned her gaze to the angry crowd. "In fact," she added, sighing dramatically. You can all go, since there's no point injuring more warriors then there's needed to win the battle. See you all later after I kill Fogstar."

"Yellowstorm! Come back here!"

The furiously fighting she-cat paused, a ShadowClan warrior using her distraction to sink his teeth into his shoulder. She yowled and wrenched herself free, turning to see Leafstar. Her older sister looked both furious and worried, her eyes haunted.

"I can't lose you! Not like mom or dad or our littermates!"

She snapped her head back in silent refusal, instead raking her claws down a ginger she-cat's flank. The warrior squealed but kept on fighting, tearing at Yellowstorm's bloodied pelt.

"You can't fight this by yourself! Come back to me!"

Suddenly, Yellowstorm was pinned, her neck in the strong grasp of Fogstar herself.

"No! I won't let you do it, Fogstar!"

Bounding across the clearing, Leafstar took off in a soaring leap, catching Fogstar's own throat in her jaws and killing the leader instantly. Yellowstorm gasped as she realized she could breathe again and struggled to her feet, limping towards the edge of the clearing.

Then there was another crack of bone as someone killed Leafstar.

Yellowstorm broke into a frantic run, racing back home towards her own territory.

"ThunderClan! Our leader is dead, but I am still here to lead you all to victory!" Yellowstorm shouted. "My deputy is Cedarwing. I will receive my nine lives tonight."

What to do, what to do? Yellowstorm- no, Yellowstar, now- contemplated silently in her head, standing on the highledge. Leafstar's death weighed heavily on her.

"What do I do?" she asked herself.

I want to feel my power... I'm the most skilled leader and warrior and deputy in the forest, and I've earned that right to enjoy my new powers many times over, have I not?

But I don't know what to do.

"Here." A cat growled. A mouse plopped down beside her nest.

Bring me something bigger, maybe? She thought scornfully, but didn't protest as the warrior, named Owlstorm, walked away.

"Be a leader and say something already," Appletail called, sounding irritated.

Yellowstar growled and raised her head to stare at the ginger warrior. "Okay. Go..." Go bring me five rabbits from WindClan territory, fresh? And don't get caught?

Go do that? No, I can't risk it. She isn't skilled enough to be sure that she won't be got, and now that I'm leader I don't have to do anything.

Glaring at Appletail briefly, she waved her tail in Cedarwing's direction. "Go... Ask your deputy." Ask your deputy because I don't know what to do.

I'm a leader with no goals.

I'm a leader still with skills.

Yet I'm leader dying.

I'm a leader all alone.

I'm a leader who needs to go do something.

But I'm failing.

Because I don't know what to do.