Here comes chapter 15! Brightpaw's origins will be revealed and there will be a new hint about our mysterious cat!

Oops... too much spoiler... Anyway before we get on with the story:

1. I don't claim or own Warriors. Erin Hunter does.

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3. PLEASE REVIEW! I'll write even faster!

Chapter 15

Brightpaw stretched in front of the medicine cat's den. She winced as she still felt some pain where the fox had bitten her, even though a moon had passed. A whole moon… she thought, looking at the apprentice den. She should already had been an apprentice like Berrypaw and Ivypaw.

So many things had happened since that night. Greentail had retired to the elder's den. Nutblaze and Grasswhisker had moved in the warriors' den a quarter moon after the gathering. To everyone's surprise, Raindrop was now expecting kits, they were due any days now. (A/N: to everyone surprise because there is no tom (without a mate) of her age!).

Fortunately the tension between ThunderClan and WindClan had lowered, but on the other hands WindClan and RiverClan where at each other's neck, for reports of trespassing during the night on both sides. That cat really can't do nothing else but steer trouble! she thought, shivering. While I am busy recovering, he is busy making the other Clans weaken. Oh StarClan please put a stop to this. She prayed silently.

Brightpaw heard a cat approach from behind. "How are you feeling?" asked Moonpaw. "Do you feel ready to start again your training?"

"I'll be fine, don't worry!" answered Brightpaw. Her sister didn't seem to believe her but she said nothing as she entered the medicine cat's den.

Brightpaw swallowed. Please don't let her find out… she begged silently. Or she'll also die like Fernkit. She pictured Fernkit's last moments. All because I wasn't careful enough. she repeated again, feeling her heart slowly shattering.

Brightpaw felt exhausted. Her first day back as an apprentice had drained every strength she had. She was now back in her old nest, but she felt strange having to sleep in the same den as Berrypaw and Ivypaw. Your sister died because of me! she wanted to yowl. As far as the others were concerned, Brightpaw had been night hunting when she had stumbled "accidentally" across the fox and Fernkit. She was considered as a hero for killing the fox, even if it had been too late for Fernkit.

It's time! every muscles was begging her not to go, but her mind forced her body to slip out into the forest. I don't want any more trouble! she told herself If I don't go then… Fernkit would be soon joined by others. She hid her scent and padded reluctantly toward the abandoned Twoleg nest.

"How long do you think I have to wait for you!" mewed the cat, annoyed, as she arrived. "We don't have all night!"

"Sorry." she apologized, dipping her head.

"You'd better be. Follow me!" he ordered. "Tonight you are meeting them."

Brightpaw raced after the cat. Them? Who are they? she asked herself. Surely no good. After they exited the Clan's territory, they slowed down in the unknown forest.

The cat turned toward her, menacingly lifting one of his paw, claws out. "Listen carefully… Don't you dare humiliate me. If you do… well, you'd better wish you don't do anything foolish."

Brightpaw nodded. Oh StarClan, what is he up to now? (A/N Hint revealed! Yes! "the cat" is a tom!)

The cat lashed his tail. "So they are late…" He sat down, frustrated.

"So… I guess you have something to do with those so-called "trespassing" in RiverClan and WindClan." she commented, waiting anxiously for something to happen.

The tom snorted. "Good guess again. You are cleverer than you look, and right now, you look messed up because of that fox."

And whose fault is that? she wanted to ask, but she held her tongue. Suddenly three cats appeared at the edge of the clearing. The bigger cat padded over to them. It was a white tortoiseshell she-cat. Brightpaw almost winced when she saw how many scars the rogue had.

"It would be lovely if I could say how pleased I am to see you again, Flash" greeted the tom. (A/N: prologue… remember?)

Flash grinned. "The feeling is mutual." The rogue narrowed her eyes when she saw Brightpaw, studying her with her piercing amber eyes. "It's been a long time, she certainly has grown." commented Flash.

Wait… what? thought Brightpaw as the she-cat continued: "But where is the tom?"

"Too weak… He didn't even survive the night." answered the tom. Turning toward Brightpaw, he added: "Maybe a little explanation is needed… You see Brightpaw, Flash is a cat a met last leaf-fall. She gave me two of her four kits to fulfill a deal. A tom and a she-cat not even one month old."

"And you mean… that the she-cat is me?" Oh StarClan… she prayed.

It was Flash who answered her. "Indeed. You are my daughter and I guess the tom didn't survive, a pity, I don't even remember his name."

Brightpaw would have shivered if she hadn't remembered the tom's warning about humiliating him. A cat who shivers is weak and afraid. he had told her when she had been younger.

"So you are my mother." she said, trying to realize what that meant. I finally found my mother! she wanted to squeal like a kit, but somehow she knew that this would not be a happy reunion. The scars on Flash's pelt, the hunger for power in both cats eyes, all signs of trouble to come.

"I am." confirmed again Flash. "I hope you've trained her." she glared at the tom.

"At night. Be proud of your daughter, she killed a fox." he answered scornfully. Was almost killed by a fox corrected Brightpaw silently.

"Then I guess I should be grateful she didn't die… Well you were lucky, because if she had, the deal would be cancelled."

"May I ask what is this deal you are talking about?" asked Brightpaw.

"I'll explain it to you on our way back. We shouldn't lose any more time chatting like birds." mewed the tom.

"Indeed the night is short in late New-Leaf." Flash turned toward the two cats that were sitting at the edge of the clearing. "Come!" she called.

Brightpaw studied them as they approached. A pure white she-cat was walking in the front, followed by a white skinny tom with pale gray speckles. Both were young cats, about her age.

Flash pointed toward the she-cat "This is Ice, and behind her is Ghost. Bright, they are your littermates."

She almost winced when she was called Bright. I'm a rogue. My family has a deal with that cat, always hungry for more power. And my littermates? Ice ignored Brightpaw completely, while Ghost looked at her curiously. Moonpaw… she pictured her gentle sister in her mind. No… She always was my foster sister. Even if Brightpaw had already known she wasn't a Clan cat, it pained her even more to discover her real family.

"We'll meet again in two nights." announced Flash. "Be sure to be battle ready, for more training."

"Alright." Turning towards Brightpaw, he mewed: "Time to leave."

She followed him, feeling the gazes of her family before entering the forest again.

"So what is this deal?" she asked again, afraid of the answer.

"Getting their help in order to overtake all the territories by the lake." answered calmly the tom.

StarClan please no… She prayed, closing her eyes. Please put an end to this.

So our mysterious cat is the same tom as in the prologue! I hope you don't already know who he is...

Anyway I NEED your help! I'm searching for:

ROGUES NAME (please review or PM me)

And what do warrior name could go to Emberpaw (she-cat), Smokepaw (she-cat, medicine cat) and Ashpaw (tom)? (they may not appear in this story but i REALLY need to find their name)

~BrightSun~