Yeah! Two updates in one night! How lucky can you get? I think some people noticed the quotes I put up at the beginning of the chapter. Well, those will be there on every chapter. Lol. Hope you enjoy this Chapter!

Disclaimer - I own the Warriors. Yep. In the same world where I own Pluto men and live on Mars with my faeries...

What pity is it that we can die but once to serve our country! Joseph Addison

Chapter 3

Snowpaw padded back into camp carrying a vole and a magpie. She padded over to the fresh kill pile and layed her kill down on top. She picked up a fat blackbird. She looked around and saw Seapaw sitting outside the apprentices den, eyes half closed as she licked her lips with her pink tongue. Snowpaw padded over and sat down.

It had been 2 moons since her apprenticeship, and Snowpaw was working harder than ever to become an apprentice. She was no longer as carefree as she was as a kit. Now, it was as if kithood had only last a moon. Snowpaw bit down into her blackbird.

She said nothing as she finished her meal and layed back against the opening of the den, licking the remains off her face. She looked over at Seapaw. "How did hunting go today?" she mewed.

Seapaw shrugged. "I caught two mice. I guess thats good enough." The famliar sparkle was gone from the once carefree, careless kit. It was replaced by a bit of wisdom and understanding. "What's Gingersky doing with you tomorrow?"

Snowpaw's eyes sparkled a bit. "We're practicing our fighting techniques. I made up a new one that will get her for sure!" Snowpaw purred as she closed her eyes. The sun was setting and the moon was rising. She was about to go into the den when a strange scent reached her scent glands. She had never smelt that before. It was a mixture of kittypets and crowfood. Seapaw obviously smelled it too, for when Snowpaw opened her eyes, Seapaw was flicking her ear.

"What is that?" Snowpaw hissed. The other clan cats were lifting their heads in alarm. The clan deputy, Cinderfang, looked startled as he rushed from the warriors den into Icestar's. Snowpaw watched in alarm as Icestar appeared a moment later, horror and anger written on her face. She quickly pounced on the Highrock and called the clan quickly. Seapaw and Snowpaw looked at each other once before racing over and sitting down with other apprentices. Once the cats were assembled, Icestar spoke.

"Cats of ThunderClan! Danger is approaching, and fast! BloodClan has returned!" she yowled. Shocked and horrorific gasps came from the cats. Queens pushed their kits inside and followed a moment later. Every warrior and apprentice bristled with alarm, even Seapaw and Snowpaw. BloodClan...

"Queens and elders, get into the nursery and stay there. Cinderfang, Oakstripe, Gingersky, and Wolfwind follow me!" Icestar yowled, and rushed to the entrance of camp. Several cats of different colors flew toward her and they disappeared into the gorse tunnel. Snowpaw and Seapaw didn't hesitate. The jumped to their paws and rushed toward the entrance to guard it. Suddenly, a loud yowl echoed through the clearing. Seapaw and Snowpaw bristled.

BloodClan had attacked...

Snowpaw hissed suddenly. A huge black tom broke through the gorse tunnel and into Seapaw. Seapaw yelped in surprise, but fought back. She managed to slice through one of the toms eyes. He yowled in pain and loosen his grip on Seapaw. Seapaw squirmed away and, casting one last look at Snowpaw, disappeared into the heat of battle.

Cats began pouring into the camp, ThunderClan and BloodClan alike. Snowpaw bristled in alarm and yelped in surprise as a gray tabby queen crashed into her. She hissed and spat as she kicked the she-cat fiercely. The she-cat only growled in pain and bit on Snowpaw's hind paw. Snowpaw yelped in pain and kicked with her other hind leg, landing a kick square in the she-cat's side. The queen grunted and flew off. Snowpaw snarled and leapt, landing on the she-cat's back. The queen countered by giving a fierce snarl before collasping to her back. Snowpaw grunted, crushed under the queens weight. She she-cat got back to her paws and quickly jumped on Snowpaw, biting down hard on her neck. Snowpaw let out a gurgled yowl as the she-cat tore her flesh, blood spaying everywhere. But Snowpaw still didn't give in. With a bubbled yowl, she kicked the she-cat with all four paws, sending her flying forward. Snowpaw jumped to her paws, blood dripping the ground, and raced toward the queen before she could get back up. Her paws made almost silent thumps as she ran. She leapt, landing directly on the she-cat's stomach. Ignoring the screaming pain in her throat, she reached down to give the death blow to her neck.

Then, something happened. Snowpaw's eyes dialated as a strange feeling filled her chest. She suddenly couldn't breath, and gave the she-cat the perfect opportunity to push Snowpaw off of her and run into the forest. Snowpaw didn't move. It was like she was frozen. Just then, the cry of retreat rose from the leader. Wait. A she-cat? BloodClan's leader was a male!

That wasn't BloodClan...?

The unnamed cats dashed out of the camp, all of the warriors and apprentices chasing them off their territory. Some remained, either too weak and injuried to move, or just to protect the camp in case they decided to return.

"Seapaw!"

Snowpaw's blood ran cold. Seapaw? It was the wail of her 'mother'. Oh no. Oh no, please no! Snowpaw begged as she raced toward the sound of the wailing. She skidded to a stop as a crowd gathered around in a circle. Ignoring the gasps and wailing, Snowpaw pushed himself through the crowd, only to collaspe as she saw what was in front of her.

0000000000

Snowpaw awoke sometime later to feel something being rubbed on her wounded neck. She groaned and winched as the wound stung, sending brief waves of pain up and down her spine. She didn't open her eyes, but she could hear voices. They didn't make since - all just mutters and sounds - until she drifted almost fully into consciousness.

"How is she, Spiceleaf?"

"Time will tell, Icestar. Her throat is torn badly. It should heal but..."

Silence.

" 'But', what?"

"...Seapaw"

Snowpaw's eyes shot open at the name of her best friend, her 'sister'. She immediatly regretted opening her eyes so quick, for a wave of nausea smacked her in the face. She squinted her eyes shut again, listening to the conversation around her.

"Oh, Snowpaw," Gingersky. It was Gingersky's voice that spoke this time. It was dipped with grief, fear, and pain. "Get better, please. Wake up."

"Yes, Snowpaw," It was Cinderfang who spoke next. "We need you Snowpaw."

Slowly, Snowpaw opened her eyes again, and blinked several times. What happened? All she remembered was freezing in the middle of the battle...Something pulled at her mind, though. Something...something important, but she couldn't put her paw on it. Instead, she turned her snowy head and looked at the cats around her; Gingersky, Spiceleaf, Icestar, Cinderfang, and Crecsentshadow. She suddenly felt dizzy and shut her eyes a moment before reopening them.

"She's awake," muttered Spiceleaf. Snowpaw suddenly felt a wave of pain shot through her neck, and she yowled in pain. Spiceleaf turned and walked toward her supplies, coming back a moment later with poppy seeds in her jaws. "Eat them, Snowpaw." Relunticly, Snowpaw licked up the seeds, and felt herself falling into a deep and powerful sleep.

0000000000

She was in the forest. Fog surrounded her on all sides. She ran forward, but it was as if the fog and trees were endless. Feeling nervous, Snowpaw skidded to a stop. She looked all around her, and saw a faint outline of a cat in front of her. It was a silver tabby cat, her silver and black fur shimmering, as if she were from StarClan itself. She looked down at Snowpaw as she approached.

"Snowpaw. Danger awaits in the forest! Fang will rule with Blood. The ashes of the past will reveal." The she-cat, as soon as these words were spoken, disappeared, and Snowpaw founded herself fading in the darkness...

0000000000

Snowpaw gasped and awoke with a start, startling Spiceleaf who was lying nearby, watching her closely. Snowpaw's eyes were wide with fear, and her claws flexed anxiously.

"You're awake," mewed the medicine cat, getting to her paws and padded toward the apprentice. There was a sparkle in her eyes that surprised the medicine cat. Snowpaw looked up at Spiceleaf, calming down before nodding. Spiceleaf watched the she-cat for a moment before turning away, and sitting with her back toward Snowpaw, looking out at the camp. She was silent for a long time, her eyes unblinking.

"The attackers killed one warrior..." she started, hesitated the next part. "And one apprentice." Snowpaw's blood froze. Suddenly, something in her mind flashed...

"Seapaw!"

Snowpaw pushed herself through the crowd of cats. Seapaw? Oh no, she thought. No please.. When she finally made it to the front, her jaw dropped and dizziness engulfed her as she collasped to the ground in a faint. Seapaw layed in a pool of her own blood, eyes unseeing and neck ripped out.

"No..." Snowpaw whispered to herself, her eyes becoming wide. "No...not..." She looked at Spiceleaf for an answer, an answer that wouldn't destroy her life. But, Spiceleaf's eyes were deep pools of sorrow, and she looked down at her paws. Disbelief and grief clouded Snowpaw's mind. No, it wasn't true... Without a sound, she dashed from the entrance of the medicine cats den and into the clearing. Looks of surprise came her way, and was soon replaced by sympathy and sadness. No. She raced toward the apprentices den. Nothing. Empty. She raced toward the warriors den. No. The nursery. No. Then, she headed toward the High Rock, and froze.

Seapaw's body was lying there, motionless.

"Seapaw," Snowpaw whimpered, nearing her friend. "Seapaw..." She pressed herself against her sister/best friend. "Seapaw, c'mon. Wake up," She wouldn't accept the fact she was dead. "No...Seapaw, please..." When she looked into the dull, clouded, unseeing eyes, realization and fact struck her, and she sobbed into Seapaw's flank.

She didn't notice the other cats that had formed a circle around her. She didn't hear the wail of Crescentshadow as she curled around her adoptive daughter and real daughter. She didn't feel as Gingersky, Cinderfang, Oakstripe, and Icestar surrounded her, pressing their noses into her flank in a sorrowfulled way.

She only felt the soft fur of Seapaw, and the loud sobs coming from her own throat.

---End of Chapter---

Ohhh...my...sad...-cries- But I'm evil! -laughs- Hope you enjoyed!

SoL