-Chapter 8-

Snowpaw woke up when the moon was highest in the sky. Trying not to wake
the others, she stretched and walked silently out of the den. The air
was cool. She trotted to the fresh-kill pile, hoping to get a midnight
snack. Nothing. Maybe ill try to hunt and get one of those mouse things.

She trotted to the entrance to discover a cat was on guard. His white
pelt reminded her of her own. This must be Brightheart's mate. "Hello,
Snowpaw." Mewed the warrior.

"Hello, errrrrr...." Oh no! What was his name? It was...it was..oh yeah!
"Cloudtail."

"Couldn't sleep?" mewed Cloudtail as he got into a more conferrable
sitting position. Snowpaw walked up to him and sat down.

"Yeah." Snowpaw mewed tiredly.

"Don't worry about the others; I was a kittypet as well."

"Really!?" Snowpaw's eyes grew wide as the full moon.

"Yes. And so was Firestar." Cloudtail said with a smile.
Snowpaw's jaw shot straight down. "Firestar was a kittypet when he
was..."

Cloudtail looked around. Hearing a twig snap, he opened his mouth and
drew in the scent. "Rouges" he whispered to himself.

"Snowpaw, get in camp now!" he yelled at her. The two ran to the middle
of the clearing. "Rouges are attacking, rouges are attacking!"
Cloudtail's call could be heard from everywhere.

Cats instantly ran out to the center awaiting orders. "Brightheart.
Foxpaw. Guard the nursery." Said a tabby warrior with amber eyes.
Snowpaw went into shock. It's him! …The one that attacked Bluestar. Then
she remembered that this was Brumbleclaw, not the other one,
somethingstar? "Snowpaw. Spiderleg. Guard the elders. The rest follow me
to the entrance."

Spiderleg quickly ran to the elders den. "Come on Snowpaw!"

Battle cries and screeches started to sound. Snowpaw turned her head and
saw a big group of cats, friends and foes, battling. She couldn't
identify anyone. It was too dark, and she was too new to know everyone.
I must go to the elder's den. However, her legs wouldn't move. The fear was
pulsing through her heart. What if they came to the elder's den and
attacked me? I could die!

Suddenly, a black blur raced up to her, jumped and landed on top of her
head. Her head went straight into the dirt. She attempted to lift her
head but failed. Slowly darkness surrounded her. This is it! I'm going to
die, I'm going to...

The beautiful forest she had grown to love was before her. A dark gray she-cat
and a dark tortoiseshell she-cat walked up to her and sat down. "Hello,
young one." Mewed the tortoiseshell she-cat.

"Hello. Are you here to welcome me to Starclan?" mewed Snowpaw, with
sadness in her eyes. She wasn't going to fulfill her destiny. The two
she-cats looked at each other and back at her.

"No, we are not here to welcome you. You are very much alive." Mewed the
dark gray she-cat.

"My name is Spottedleaf, and this is Yellowfang. We are here to show you
your destiny." Mewed Spottedleaf with fear but determination in her
eyes.

The two she-cats turned around and started walking off. Yellowfang
turned her head towards the sitting Snowpaw. "Come."

She followed them for quite some time. She passed many green bushes she
had never seen before. Some of them had great red and blue specks on
their branches. Finally, the two she-cats stopped in front of a river.
It was about a cat and a half length wide. She padded up to the she-cats
and examined the river. The currents were very fast. One false move and
a cat could easily drown here.

Without a second thought, Yellowfang and Spottedleaf jumped into the
river. The current dragged them out of her sight.

"Are they crazy!" she screamed after them.

Taking a deep breath, she jumped in. The current took her head under
quickly. It twisted and turned her so much, she had no idea which way was
up.

Her lungs started to hurt. She needed to breathe. She tried her best to
hold out just a little longer but fate was calling. Closing her eyes,
she took a breath.

To her surprise, water did not fill her lungs. She opened her eyes and
noticed she was floating in the sky, quickly falling to the ground.
Great! Now my legs are going to break.
She closed her eyes again when she was about to hit the ground.

"It's okay to open your eyes young one." Mewed Spottedleaf. Snowpaw did
as she was told.

Her mouth dropped. She was in Thunderclan. The battle was raging on. She
spotted Brightheart still guarding the nursery. "Brightheart,
Brightheart! I'm alive, I'm..." Her attention was turned to Jayfeather and
Leafpool. They were carrying a snow-white cat to the medicine den.
"That's me!" she cried.

"Do not worry." Yellowfang was at her side. "You were only knocked out.
You shall wake in a couple of days. Now come!"

She followed Yellowfang to where Spottedleaf was sitting. She was next
to highledge by a black she-cat who was fighting a light brown tabby.
Yellowfang and Snowpaw sat next to her.

"Snowpaw, please help this black cat." Mewed Spottedleaf with fear and
sadness in her eyes.

"Herbs will not help her, only you can." Mewed Yellowfang with the same
look in her eyes.

Yellowfang and Spottedleaf started to fade.

"The power of three must survive." They both said in unison.

"The power of three must survive."

They had both completely vanished before her eyes. Soon the world around
her turned darker and darker until blackness surrounded her. She closed
her eyes and waited to wake up.