Tallwhisker's ears perked as Forestgaze came out of the nursery. "How are they?" he asked.

The medicine cat purred. "Birdsong is tired, but doing well; Willowkit and Mousekit are strong. They will turn into fine cats."

The black and white tom tilted his head. "What about Littlekit?"

This time, Forestgaze hesitated. Shaking her head, as if to dismiss a thought, she smiled. "Littlekit is doing fine."

"Good. I'm glad. Thank you Forestgaze."

Echostar padded up to the she-cat once Tallwhisker and walked away to go out on the sunhigh patrol. "WillowClan's first litter is good, I presume?"

She nodded. "Yes. They're fine."

The leader sat down. "Now tell me how you really feel."

Forestgaze looked surprised for a moment, but soon closed her eyes and sighed. "The two larger kits are fine, along with their mother but…It's Littlekit. He's just so small! I-I…" She opened her green eyes before continuing. "I don't think he'll survive the season. To be a kit this size and be born at the beginning of leaf-bare; it's nearly impossible! Even if he does, he'll always be smaller than the other cats. If he were to go into battle as a newly named apprentice-

Echostar interrupted her by placing his tail on her shoulder. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Even if he does get sick, he couldn't have a better cat to be taking care of him. Besides, maybe he won't become a warrior apprentice. Maybe he'll be your successor."

"I don't know," she mewed. "I don't think I'll be taking an apprentice anytime soon."

"Trust me, you should."

"Maybe you're right- Wait. Are you calling me old?"

Echostar purred and walked away as Forestgaze gave him a half-hearted glare. Although he had irked his medicine cat, he had also succeeded in taking her mind off of Birdsong's smallest kit.

"Echostar!" he whirled around to see Blacktail's apprentice, Sunpaw, bouncing towards him. "Echostar, I need to ask you something!"

"What is it?"

"Can I go to the Gathering tonight? Please? I want to tell Rainpaw about that really big pigeon I caught!"

The black-pawed cat twitched his whiskers in amusement. Every moon, the ginger tom would ask to go to the Gathering to tell his sister about something. And when he wasn't allowed to go, he would always mope around the camp, looking dejected, until the chosen cats came back.

"Alright," Echostar finally said. "I suppose. But remember, when I say it's time to go, it's time to go."

"Alright! Thank you!" Sunpaw ran off again, crashing into Speckledpelt, which caused the spotted warrior to trip Sunpaw's mother, Firestorm.

Echostar shook his head. Always wants to get his way, that cat. He mused. Just like Amberstorm used to be.

The thought of the tabby caused him to be hit with a wave of sadness. It had been three long seasons since she and Mistpelt met their deaths. Echostar still pictured the two she-cats plummeting to their deaths in his dreams. What caused him more grief was when he would recall telling his Clan.

"What?" Gingerfur yowled. "How do you know?"

"I watched them fall into the river. There's no way they could survive that." Echostar's voice was strong, but his body was shaking. To the whole Clan, he said, "We can safely assume that it was Amberstorm's attempt at murdering Mistpelt."

"Lies!" He turned to see Blacktail with his lips drawn back. "Amberstorm isn't a killer. She would never do such a thing! How would you know, anyway? Did you see the fight?"

"No, but Mistpelt landed in the water before Amberstorm. It had to be Amberstorm who dealt the final blow."

"That doesn't mean she wanted to kill Mistpelt!"

That's when Echostar's patience ran out. "Then what do you call it?" he snapped. "Amberstorm had to have known that they were near the gorge! And I highly doubt it was provoked."

The black warrior snarled. "Are you saying that you think Amberstorm caused all of this?"

"It's more likely than Mistpelt."

Blacktail shook his head. "I don't believe this. A leader quick to blame one of his own warriors?" He stood up and starting heading for the warriors den. Before he went in, he turned around and meowed loud enough for the whole Clan to hear: "She loved you, do you realize that? Do you know how much esteem she held you in? That warrior would die for you, Echostar."

"Amberstorm would die for me?" Echostar whispered. After a few seconds, he shook his head. "No. Amberstorm's not that kind of cat."

"Echostar," he turned his head around to see his deputy, Crookedtail, padding towards him. "It's time to leave for the Gathering."

How long have I been standing here? He thought. Aloud, Echostar said, "Alright. I'll tell everyone."

"No need to; I've already rounded them up."

"Oh," he felt his fur grow hot. That's your job, mouse-brain. He told himself as he walked to the front of the group of warriors. "Well, we'd best be off."

The fast blur of a tabby could be seen dashing through the forest as fast as their paws would carry them. "Almost there," the cat breathed.

But, to his displeasure, he heard a sharp yowl and was soon surrounded by warriors. Letting out a hiss, he faced a tabby similar to him, except a white underbelly.

"Hawkfrost!" Bramblestar snapped. "Let me past."

Hawkfrost took a step closer. "Why should I?" he sneered. "You're a traitor, after all. And traitors must be dealt with."

"I don't want to fight."

"You just know that you're outnumbered," Darkstripe snarled and unsheathed his claws.

Fox-dung, Bramblestar thought. He's right. His amber eyes locked on to Hawkfrost. He's blocking the exit. If I can get past him, I'm safe.

"Let me take care of him, Hawkfrost," Bramblestar's hackles raised when he recognized the voice. "After all, we have a score to settle."

Hawkfrost looked from the tabby to the gray tom. After a while, he said, "Very well, Ashstar. Just make it quick."

Bramblestar let out a growl as he turned and faced his rival. Amber locked onto blue as the trees rustled soundlessly while a wind that never was blew through the forest.

"You'll pay for what you did," Bramblestar spat.

Ashstar bared his teeth. "Funny; I was going to say the same thing!"

Soon, the two toms were locked into a ferocious battle, the sound of ripped fur evident and blood staining the grass around them. Bramblestar felt his frustration rise when he realized that they were equal in skill. For every blow he made, his former Clan mate would match it.

Suddenly, he found himself pinned to the ground. He wriggled, desperate to get free as Ashstar's gaze chilled his body. I can't lose, he thought. No matter what, I will not lose against him.

"This is just how I imagined our battle would end," Ashstar meowed triumphantly. "Pity we're not alive so I could kill you again." He raised a paw, claws unsheathed and savagely brought it down, raking across Bramblestar's left eye.

Bramblestar let out a shriek of pure pain as his eye throbbed and his vision faltered. He once more tried to break free, and was relieved to find that the gray cat let him go. Get out of here! His conscience screamed. Run!

And run he did. He didn't bother to look back to hear the taunting yowls his brother was throwing at him. He didn't look back to see the triumphant gleam in Ashstar's eyes.

He didn't even look back to see a dark ginger she-cat in the bushes, watching him sadly.