Chapter 5

A Prophecy

Dawnpaw scratched her claws down the ShadowClan warrior. That was a mark he would not forget. Then she stopped. She wanted to be a warrior more than anything, but what if she got her warrior name and it was Dawnheart? She couldn't afford to get her warrior name. A fierce battle raged on inside her. She wanted to be a warrior so much! But how could she if it meant the night with no StarClan and the day with no sun! Dawnpaw sighed. She wanted it with all her heart. But in the end, it would be up to LeafStar if she was made a warrior. She turned to see if any other cat needed help, but Hazepaw and Poppypaw were driving a huge ShadowClan shecat into the bracken and the rest of the ShadowClan warriors had fled.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highrock!" LeafStar was perched on top of the Highrock. Dawnpaw felt feeling stir inside her. What was it? Excitement? Fear? She couldn't tell. She wanted desperately with all her heard to be made a warrior. But what if her name was Dawnheart?

"Dawnpaw, come forward. I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Dawnpaw, from this moment forward, you shall be known as Dawnheart."

No, StarClan, no! Dawnheart wanted to scream. Why? StarClan, no! It can't be! Why? I haven't done anything wrong!

"StarClan honors your enthusiasm and honesty."

Dawnheart couldn't help feeling a burst of energy - she was a warrior! LeafStar glanced over. "Hazepaw, Frostpaw, and Poppypaw, come forward."

Hazepaw, the only tom of the litter, looked up with surprise. He had fought bravely against the ShadowClan warriors, and Dawnpaw felt a surge of excitement. He deserved it as much as any cat.

"Frostpaw, Hazepaw, and Poppypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Frostpaw's voice rang out strong and clear, with only a tiny tremble in it.

"I do!" Poppypaw's voice squeaked with excitement.

"I do," Hazepaw mewed in his deep voice.

"Frostpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Frostdance. StarClan honors your independence and bravery. Poppypaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Poppycloud. StarClan honors your energy and enthusiasm. Hazepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Hazefur. StarClan honors your courage and kindness."

"Hazefur! Frostdance! Poppycloud!" The Clan called out to the new warriors. The newly named Dawnheart yowled out Hazefur's name espescially loudly.

Purring, Dawnheart ran over and touched noses with him.

LeafStar looked out over her Clan. So much had changed in eight moons. Dawnheart was in the nursery with Hazefur's kits, and Rainfur and Hollyclaw's kits were almost ready to be apprenticed. She heard the squealing of Ivykit and Mistkit coming from the nursery, and she reminded herself to pick mentors for them. Poppycloud and Frostdance would have been who she would have picked, but they would be too soft on them.

She decided Mosshadow and Mintleaf would mentor them. She purred. Life was good. Sunfire had retired to the elders, being quite old by now, and Pinepool was a wonderful medicine cat.

Sevenclaws raced up the highrock to where LeafStar was sitting. He had something to ask her. "LeafStar!" he panted, "What do you know of ShadowClan prey?"

LeafStar looked startled by the question and he didn't blame her. "It...it is mostly frogs and lizards, combined with whatever else they can find, including rats from the carrion place. Why do you ask?"

Ignoring her question, Sevenclaws meowed, "Are they plentiful at this time of year?"

"Yes, all prey is plentiful in Greenleaf. Why?"

"Because I just found ThunderClan squirrels dead in a heap with frogs in our territory. They had ShadowClan scent all over them. ShadowClan have been trespassing on our territory, and I think they have stolen prey."

LeafStar leapt to her paws, fur bristling. But she was cut off from whatever she was going to say by yowling from the center of the camp.

"Get away from our camp, mangy fleabags!"

"You steal our prey and waste it, and now you come to our camp!" It was Eagleheart. He had been with Sevenclaws on the patrol, and had also seen the ThunderClan prey.

The ShadowClan warrior looked puzzled. LeafStar recognized him mainly by scent. It was Tangleshadow, the ShadowClan deputy. He said frantically, "What? No! A group of rogues have taken to living on our territory. They smelled like us and they snuck into our camp. Please! You have to help us! They have moved onto YOUR territory now! Please, LeafStar!"

LeafStar considered the situation carefully. Tangleshadow might be telling the truth, and ShadowClan was in danger. Or he wasn't, and was leading her into a trap. Sevenclaws snarled. "LeafStar, what if it's a trap?"

"Then I will not go. I do not risk lives lightly, Sevenclaws."

Sevenclaws looked taken aback. LeafStar realized she had been too harsh. Laying her tail on his back, she stepped forward to Tangleshadow. She said, "We will come and give these rogues a fight they will not forget." To her own warriors she said, "Mudclaw, Hazefur, Doveflight, Mintleaf, Sevenclaws, and Rainfur. Come with me."

Feeling his paws fly over the mossy forest floor, Rainfur felt the desire for a fight almost sweep him off his paws. He tingled with energy and he knew that he would do anything to protect Hollyclaw, Mistkit, and Ivykit. If the rogues strayed onto ThunderClan territory then they would all be in danger. Rainfur remembered when he had once been a rogue. But he was a member of ThunderClan now, and he would drive out any rogues he had to.

The fighting was fierce. He saw Sevenclaws vanish underneath a pile of cats, and Mintleaf and Mudclaw battling for their lives against two toms and a shecat. Rainfur winced. They were outnumbered, despite the vast number of cats that were there. Tangleshadow had brought some warriors but the rogues were like a small clan!

Is that what they are? Is this the beginning of a new Clan? Were the Clans just a bunch of rogues all together at the beginning? Rainfur didn't have time to ponder it.

Sevenclaws glanced around. He had to find LeafStar! Then a mass of cats landed on top of him. He flung them off with the razor-sharp claws that gave him his name. He heard LeafStar calling out to him, and as his eyes caught a tiny glimpse of her, he struggled even harder because he could see LeafStar going limp. She was losing a life! He called out to Rainfur to help her. Rainfur, who was just making for Sevenclaws, turned towards LeafStar at once. Sevenclaws felt a rush of pride. Rainfur had been his brother's apprentice, and Eagleheart had trained him well. The rush of pride, however, was cut off by a claw searing into his neck. In that moment, everything went cold and black for Sevenclaws. His last glimpse was of Hollyclaw, his daughter, fighting her way towards Mistpaw.

LeafStar sat up to see the medicine cat den. Pinepool was sitting near the spring in the wall, gazing anxiously at LeafStar with her tail wrapped around her paws. As soon as LeafStar had opened her eyes, Pinepool leapt to her paws and padded over. "LeafStar! It is almost moonhigh! You must appoint the new deputy!"

LeafStar blinked. What new deputy? But Sevenclaws was deputy! Was he hurt? Was he going to become an elder because he was so injured? Pinepool's gaze softened, and she said, "LeafStar...Sevenclaws is dead. I'm sorry."

Every breath hurt as LeafStar looked away. But she had a duty to perform. She heaved herself up onto the highrock. She had no time to think about the decision, so she chose the cat that had tried his best. "I say these words before the body of Sevenclaws, so that his spirit may hear and approve of my choice. Rainfur will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Yes, Rainfur, who tried to save me. Even if I did lose a life, he was loyal to me.

Rainfur's eyes blazed with surprise; but he dipped his head. His two daughters and Hollyclaw started the cheering.

"Rainfur! Rainfur! Rainfur! Rainfur!"

Only one voice did not cheer. And the cat it belonged to was Dawnheart, sitting at the edge of the nursery. Sharpening her claws, she slid out of the nursery and around the medicine cat's den. She slid into LeafStar's den, where LeafStar was sleeping, and prepared to slide her claws into her throat.