A/N: Taking a moment to say...wow. Twenty chapters. It amazes me to see how much Sunfire has done...and how much she has to do. I hope it doesn't take another twenty chapters to complete this. Anywho...

Chapter Twenty

"Sunfire?"

Blinking awake, Sunfire raised her head to see Mudspeckle standing over her. Forcing herself up, she swallowed a yawn. "Yes?"

The deputy stepped back to give her space. "I want you to go to the lake today. Smells like the Tribe have been hanging around; just renew the scent markings, let them know we're watching."

"Won't do any good. They'll come regardless."

He flicked an ear, irritated. "Renew the scent markings," he repeated shortly. "Take Softpaw and some warriors." Stifling another yawn, Sunfire bowed her head and waited for him to leave before stretching slowly. She and Icestorm had gone out again last night, alternating between talking and grooming, staying up long past moonhigh.

It was worth it, though, Sunfire reflected, licking a forepaw. By moonhigh her misgivings towards him had faded a little. Maybe we should do that more often. Soon I'll convince myself the prophecy's wrong and it isn't him.

Good luck in that, she added as a dry afterthought.

"Sunfire!" Raintail trotted forward, her gray tail held aloft. "Nightwhisker had her kit last night!"

"Only one?" Raintail nodded. "Has she named it yet?"

Raintail nodded. "Granitekit. He looks a lot like Badgerclaw."

Sunfire nodded, showing she had heard. "Maybe I'll see him later." She stretched her hind legs, feeling tendons pop. "You up for a jaunt? I've been assigned to lead a futile patrol."

"Sure. Want me to get anyone else?"

"One more warrior should be plenty."Raintail nodded and headed for the den. Sunfire shivered as a chilly wind blew through the camp; leaf-fall had abruptly kicked greenleaf out of the forest. Raintail came back over, Morningcloud beside her. Sunfire called to Softpaw, who was curled up outside the apprentice's den like a tawny ball of moss. Softpaw sprang up and trotted over, her fluffy tail sticking straight up. "Where are we going?"

"The lake. Mudspeckle wants us to renew the scent markings." Softpaw, amber eyes dancing, sped up the slope, sending small stones clattering down behind her.

Raintail looked after her. "You know, Sunfire, she reminds me of you." Sunfire said nothing, only flicked her tail and headed up the slope. Softpaw, upon seeing them, waited for them to catch up before bounding ahead of them.

"Softpaw!" called Sunfire. She stopped, turned, and hurried back. "Stay behind me," she told her apprentice. "Our scent's blowing ahead of us. It's impossible to tell if there's anything around that shouldn't be."

Softpaw lowered her head and tail and slunk behind Sunfire. Bending low, Sunfire gave Softpaw a quick lick on the head. "Come on," she said, starting towards the lake.

No one said anything along the way, giving Sunfire time to take in the surroundings. The younger trees' leaves were already turning from their rich emerald to burnished gold and rusty brown. Small piles of dead leaves lay in patches under their trees. Some flowers were withered, while others were still in full bloom. The dirt was dry and crumbly underpaw, the rain from a few days ago having dried completely up. Ahead of them, Sunfire saw a faint flicker of red.

"Beware the fang. It strikes without warning."

She almost stopped dead. It had been a while since Firestar had told her anything, and his sudden appearance surprised her. Firestar? she asked silently.

"It comes." He fully materialized for a few heartbeats, his green eyes wide. When he faded, a bitter chill swept over Sunfire. This time she did stop, shivering violently; it wasn't the wind. Every hair on her pelt prickled with unease, yet she felt super-charged, full of flame.

"Why'd you stop?" asked Raintail.

Sunfire craned her neck, peering into the undergrowth. "Something's wrong," she said slowly. "Someone's here who shouldn't be."

A harsh, grating voice spoke up. "Rather the contrary. I've said it for moons: it's ThunderClan that shouldn't be here." The owner of the voice stepped out of the undergrowth.

Sunfire swore. Instinctively, she and Raintail stepped up to shield Softpaw; Morningcloud followed suit. Standing before them, like a solid, living shadow, was Nero. Her pale eyes glittered, and she curled back her lips to reveal her fangs.

Half-growling, Sunfire said in a low voice, "Leave. You're grossly unwanted." She remembered when Nero and Shadowfur had come into camp, and how talking had prevented the fox from attacking. Sunfire would've preferred to strike, to make the vixen recoil, but talk was useful. It gave information.

Nero gave one of her piercing laugh-barks. "Any more of your loyal warriors care to join my line of fighters?" She gave loyal a nasty twist. Sunfire fully extended her claws, bared her teeth, growled a warning. Nero repeated the laugh-bark. "You fail to frighten me, cat. It's all bluffing. A whole line of loyal Clan warriors can stand and bare their teeth, raise their hackles, but they will never–" In one fluid movement, Sunfire crouched, bunching her powerful leg muscles, then sprang, exhilaration and fury flooding her veins. She heard the strangled yelp Nero emitted when she collided, felt her claws sink into the thick, midnight-black pelt.

Nero had the advantage of size, but Sunfire had the advantages of being battle-trained by one of the best fighters in the forest, agility, and precision of aim. Her lunge had been altogether unexpected by the fox, who had let down her guard, relaxed her muscles. Surprise is the warrior's greatest weapon. Hadn't she heard Lightningstar repeat that so many time when she was his apprentice?

Recovering from her initial shock, Nero rolled, pinning Sunfire beneath her. Sunfire, unable to move or breathe with the weight on her chest, attacked the only part of the fox she could reach: one of the huge forepaws. Twisting her neck, she sank her teeth into the thick-furred paw, tasting blood before Nero ripped it out of her grasp. Getting to her feet, Sunfire saw the others standing in stunned silence, unsure of what to do. Nero jumped for her; Sunfire dropped to the ground, turned, and rushed the fox. Tactics racing through her mind, Sunfire swerved at the last second, effectively confusing Nero. Turning on a dime, Sunfire reared slightly and scored her claws down Nero's face, over a frosty eye. Nero recoiled with a shriek.

With her tail, Sunfire beckoned the others over. Without a moment's hesitation, they came, and surrounded the fox, who had her injured eye squeezed shut as blood dripped from it. Triumphantly, panting a little, Sunfire placed both forepaws on the vixen's throat, claws just pricking the skin.

"You're atrocious in battle," hissed Sunfire. "You confuse strength and size for skill. If it weren't for the already-trained cats you've got following and protecting you, you'd be dead in a full battle." She leaned close, muzzle-to-muzzle. "I've made my mark on you, and you have not marked me. Consider that." Growling, satisfied at the glimmer of fear in the single blue eye, Sunfire stepped off. "Right, let her up," she told the others. "I'd venture a guess she knows she's hopeless against all of us together."

With a filthy look from her good eye, blood still oozing from the damaged one, Nero stood, snarled, and turned to leave. She was soon swallowed up by the forest.

"Are we to be chasing her?" asked Morningcloud, looking a little shaken.

Sunfire shook her head. "No need. She's scared well." Sunfire flexed her muscles; she could feel bruises forming where she'd been pinned down.

"When will you teach me to fight like that?" Softpaw asked, amber eyes gleaming.

Sunfire managed a small smile. "When you're older." Scanning the forest, scenting the air in case any Tribe cats were lurking, Sunfire added, "We should get back to camp, let Lightningstar know Nero's showed her vile muzzle again. We need to send patrols to scan the whole territory; she doesn't usually come alone." Beckoning with her tail, she started back to camp. Raintail stepped up to her side.

"Do you know how much you sound like Mudspeckle sometimes?" she asked.

"No. How's that?"

Raintail licked her lips. "Well, you sound... authoritative. Like a deputy who's held herposition for seasons."

Sunfire snorted. "I'll never be made deputy. I'm too impulsive. I'm snide to cats I don't like; I don't even try to be civil."

"You're a natural leader, though. That counts for something."

Sunfire didn't respond, but she did like the idea of being deputy.

;-;-;-;

"You fought her by yourself?" Lightningstar's eyes widened.

Sunfire quirked her whiskers. "Is that meant to be a compliment or an insult?" she asked drily. Not waiting for an answer, she added, "Yeah, I did. Not that hard. She doesn't know how to fight; she puts all her trust in her size and strength. And now she's probably blind in one eye." Sunfire couldn't keep a tinge of self-pride in her voice.

Lightningstar nodded absently, his gaze fixed on something well beyond the branches of his den. At length, he spoke slowly. "Sunfire, I value your opinion as much as Mudspeckle's, Sorrelflower's, or Treeshadow's." He turned to meet her gaze, looking as though he was having trouble focusing. "What do you think we should do with this whole mess?"

Proud and honored that her leader considered her thoughts well worth considering, Sunfire took her time answering. Running a forepaw over her whiskers absently, she said, "We're at risk, whatever we do. We're decidedly unsafe in alliance with the Tribe, we're submitting ourselves to injuries and death in defying them, it's dangerous to post Alexander as a spy...Pinefur thinks she's putting us in danger staying here, actually. Right now, I think the only thing we can do is know what to do with the right moment when it comes."

Lightningstar nodded, suddenly looking his old age. With a twinge, Sunfire remembered he was on his last life. StarClan, we need him. Don't let him die. This is no time for us to be leaderless.

;-;-;-;

There's no safety in alliance

And much peril in defiance –Heather Alexander, Nightblades