Heavy rain pummeled the windswept moorland. Dark clouds coated the sky, making it appear as dark as night even though it was barely sunset. Nearly all of WindClan streaked across their open territory, ignoring the less-than-favorable weather conditions. Excitement and anxiety crackled between them like the lightning overhead and rumbling thunder drowned out their battle-ready yowls.

Silvershine struggled to keep up in the back of the hoard of cats. Normally, she was one of the fastest cats in WindClan and would have no trouble keeping up, or even ahead, of them all. This time, though, the battering rains buffeting them on the wind slowed the entire Clan down. Most of the Clan was splattered with mud and their paws were like mud-covered stones dragging along.

Although Silvershine's soggy paws did weigh her down, she felt more like there were at least two heavy warriors on top of her, attempting to pin her down. She felt as though her heart were being ripped to shreds and when she called out inside of her for mother's comforting voice, only thunder outside responded.

Stormstar stopped abruptly and most of the Clan wondered why he had stopped. Silvershine pushed towards the front as the Clan gathered around to hear their leader over the wind and rain. When Silvershine got closer, she could faintly make out the scent of the ThunderClan border markers. They were fading and the rain was washing them away even more.

"You all know the plan," Stormstar said, "spread out into your patrols and ambush any hunting patrols that are out. Don't let them get back to the camp. If you find no patrols, come to the camp to back us up."

The Clan split up into various patrols of about 6 each. Stormstar led the main patrol of somewhere around 15 cats, Silvershine didn't feel like counting. This patrol was the one she was in; the one that would attack the camp. She had chosen to be on this patrol because she thought she would be more likely to find Brownpaw, Vinepaw, and Raccoonpaw at camp. But what do I do when I find them? she thought, desperately. How do I fix this? I can't go on ahead and warn ThunderClan, I'd be betraying my Clan and putting them at a disadvantage, not stopping the fight. If I warn my friends ahead of time, they might tell Mudstar. I gotta help them escape. But will they go? Would I go if ThunderClan was attacking my Clan?

"Silvershine, keep up!" Amberpelt's yowl shattered her thoughts and she looked up to see the cats that she had been among gone and only her former mentor across the border calling back to her.

"Coming!" Silvershine leapt over the stream that marked the border.

"What's wrong with you?" Amberpelt asked, "are you sure you want to do this? Maybe you should go back to camp."

I have to do this, Silvershine thought, this is my fault. How mousebrained would it be for me to stay in camp for this? I have to come up with a way to stop this.

"Silvershine?" Amberpelt asked, tilting her head. "Seriously, what's wrong?"

Silvershine shook her head and allowed the shake to follow through her whole body, splattering droplets in all directions, as if it was noticeable in the downpour. "Yea, I'm fine. It's just this rain."

"Silvershine, it's O.K. to feel nervous about battles," Amberpelt said, "maybe even feel guilty."

"Yea, but wimping out and going back to camp is no way to get over it!" Silvershine said, fluffing up and digging her claws into the ground.

"My thoughts exactly," Amberpelt said, "now let's go!"

Silvershine exhaled and her fur laid flat. "If only it was that simple," she muttered. Still, she splashed through the puddles on the sodden earth in pursuit of her former mentor.

They caught up to the patrol and the Clan leader. They stood before a massive chasm in the ground. Most of the cats were looking down into it, while Stormstar looked back at Amberpelt and Silvershine, obviously waiting for them to catch up.

"Alright," Stormstar announced, not caring to keep his voice down since the thunder drowned most of it out, "ThunderClan's camp is well-protected by these walls, but if done right, these walls will work against them as well. Blackpaw, Blackfur."

The father and daughter pair made their way to the front of the patrol.

"Your dark pelts will hide you against the shadows of the surrounding trees and the shadows the clouds are making," Stormstar explained. "You will each go in one direction, circling the camp. Find anything that can be used as an entrance or exit."

The two black cats nodded affirmatively and darted off in opposite directions.

Silvershine shivered. She wanted to think it was only because of the cold rain and that the day was coming to an end, but she couldn't. The chill came from her heart as icy claws ripped through it. This is my fault, she thought, this is really my fault. Any problems that come from this are totally my fault. It's because of me that this started. Me, I should have known! Why did I not realize that this would happen? Why did I think that anyone would help ThunderClan after what's been happening?

Wrong, the meow was harsh and made Silvershine jump. She looked around, but after thinking a moment, she recognized the voice and knew where it had to have come from.

Moonsong help! Silvershine cried. I've created another mess! It's so horrible! Why?! Why did this happen?!

Silvershine, I can't answer all your questions, Moonsong replied. You need to learn to think for yourself.

But I don't know! Silvershine wailed. I don't know the answers!

You can figure out what you need to, Moonsong replied. All I'm telling you is you're asking the wrong questions.

What questions should I be asking? Silvershine asked.

Also the wrong question, Moonsong said.

You're not being fair! Silvershine cried.

Who says I have to be? Moonsong asked.

Silvershine yowled in frustration as another crack of thunder split the night air.

"Silvershine!" Amberpelt hissed.

Silvershine suddenly remembered that they were in enemy territory and her yowl may have endangered them.

"I don't think they heard," Stormstar said, "we were lucky the thunder came when it did. Any particular reason you almost gave us away?"

"I…I'm sorry," Silvershine cowered like a kit under her leader's angry glare. "I….I don't know what came over me."

"Do you need to be sent back to camp?" Stormstar asked.

"No, I'm fine!" Silvershine said.

Stormstar starred at her for a few more heartbeats. In the gloom, Silvershine thought she saw concern in his blue eyes, but he closed them and turned his attention back to the ThunderClan camp.

Blackpaw came bounding back, but her father was nowhere in sight.

"Blackpaw?" Stormstar asked.

"I found something," Blackpaw huffed, "besides the main entrance. Blackfur's there. But up around that way," she pointed with her tail, that was almost invisible in the dim light and the pouring rain that made seeing even harder, "there's a place where the slope isn't as steep. The edge too, is more gradual. Normally, it wouldn't be hard to get out from there, maybe even in. But of course the rain makes everything harder."

"We can use that," Stormstar said. "Featherdance, Whiptail, Sparrowheart, and Ashcloud, follow Blackpaw. Blackpaw show them where you found the entrance. You all are to sneak into ThunderClan camp and cause a disturbance. Hopefully that will draw the guard from the entrance. If not, we'll take him down and come in to back you up."

"Got it," Blackpaw nodded as the patrol formed behind her.

"Featherdance, you guard that exit," Stormstar said, "we don't want any cats escaping to get help."

"Of course," Featherdance nodded.

"Stay out of the nursery!" Stormstar demanded. "we're not hurting queens and kits. It'd be nice to let the elders be too."

The patrol nodded in agreement and Blackpaw led them back the way she had come.

"C'mon," Stormstar began padding around the perimeter of ThunderClan's camp. "We have to be at the entrance when panic breaks out."

The whole clan went around ThunderClan's camp, staying hidden in the trees, until they reached the thorn-covered opening that was the entrance. A white she-cat with blue-gray splotches stood guard at the entrance. She looked young, probably fresh out of the apprentice den. Silvershine saw a movement in the undergrowth across from them and, after focusing for several heartbeats, could make out the form of a black cat and knew it must be Blackfur.

"Should be easy," Stormstar muttered.

"Can I take her?" Icepaw hissed.

Silvershine shuddered and nearly jumped back when she saw the blue-gray apprentice beside her.

"It would be easier for Blackfur to attack her, that way it won't give away our position," Stormstar replied. "Don't worry, you'll get your chance to tear some ThunderClan pelts."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Icepaw's voice was low, but Silvershine could hear what she had said, although she doubted Stormstar had heard.

"Attack! We're under Attack!!!" The alarm call echoed off the walls of the ThunderClan camp.

The warrior on guard gasped, and turned and ran through the thorn tunnel to help her Clan, unaware that the attack was actually behind her.

"That was a stroke of luck," Canyonleaf said.

"Mousebrain," Adderfang spat. "Never leave your post!"

"Let's go!" Stormstar signaled the clan with both his tail and his voice and they raced out of the brush and flooded through the entrance to ThunderClan's camp.

The confusion inside was worse than anything Silvershine had ever seen, and was even worse than the confusion in her mind. Cats leapt at one another, digging tooth and claw into enemy pelts amidst the torrential downpour of rain. Some cats ran around frantically, trying to escape the madness, but there were not many of those.

"Hey, you got rocks for paws?!" Adderfang's harsh meow was the loudest of all, since he was fighting the cat who was on guard nearest her.

"Um, yea, sorry," Silvershine replied and bounded into the mass of chaos. Even in the gloom created by the clouds in the sky and the thick sheets of rain, the two Clans were easily distinguished. All the ThunderClan cats were distinctly thinner to the point where they were little more than pelts stretched thinly over bone. Silvershine shuddered to look at them. She couldn't bring herself to attack them in this state, this on top of the fact that this was all her fault.

A yowling battle cry behind her made Silvershine jump. Before she could turn to look, the weight of a full-grown cat landed on her shoulders. Her legs gave out from the impact and she landed with a thud. She immediately rolled over then leapt to her feet, away from her attacker. She panted heavily as the fighting instinct pulsed through her veins with blood scorched by the heat of battle. They took over and blinded her eyes. She saw past the dull tortoiseshell-and-white pelt that clung to the warrior's heaving sides. All she saw was a foe and not the condition. In her conscious mind, she forgot ThunderClan's problems and even why the issue had been brought up; all melted away like the rain dripping from her pelt.

Silvershine threw herself at the ThunderClan deputy, barely even realizing what cat she was up against. Tigonheart dodged to the side, but Silvershine had anticipated it. She reached out and hooked his back leg as she landed, setting him off balance just long enough to prevent a counter attack. As the tom steadied himself, Silvershine clamped down on his spotted tail. Tigonheart yowled in pain and whirled around to claw her sides. Silvershine, however was hoping for a reaction like that. As the tortoiseshell lunged, she stretched out her hind leg, landing a blow on his chin and causing Tigonheart to stagger back.

"I've heard the deputy is the best fighter in the Clan," Silvershine taunted, turning to face her foe. "If you truly are the best ThunderClan has, they'll be nothing but crowfood by moonhigh!"

Rage burned in Tigonheart's eyes, cutting through the rain and the dark. With a defiant yowl, the deputy lunged; his head-on charge was purely out of rage and his furious snarl proved that most of his wits had failed in all his desperation and fury.

Silvershine leapt up and landed her forepaws on his shoulders as he ran in. She brought her hind legs up and with all four paws, pushed off of him. The deputy collapsed from the force and Silvershine landed with a twist to admire her work.

Tigonheart pushed himself up out of the mud, glaring over his shoulder with pure hatred. Silvershine's confident smirk didn't seem to make matters any better. He rose to his paws and slowly turned, obviously prepping for another attack.

A furious yowl laced with pain rang out over the whole of camp and every cat turned to look. It had come from a hole in the stone walls where a ledge hung out over the whole clearing.

"Mudstar!" Tigonheart gasped. Despite his shortness of breath, he tore through the crowd of cats to reach the base of the ledge. Before he could make an attempt to climb the tumble of rocks that led up to it, a cat emerged from the darkness. At first, Silvershine couldn't make out who it was through the rain at her distance, but it obviously wasn't Mudstar, this cat definitely had a light-colored pelt.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" the yowl was definite, commanding, and brimming with confidence. Silvershine realized that it was Stormstar addressing them all, "most of you have guessed, but I have taken a life from Mudstar. It wasn't her last, but believe me, I will have no problem with ripping the rest of them from her, and perhaps from your deputy too." He looked down at where Tigonheart stood. Silvershine couldn't see his face, but she pictured it horror-stricken. "Let this be a lesson to you, remember your place in this forest! There have always been 4 Clans living here, and I would hate to be the one to change that," he hung his head at the suggestion of ThunderClan being completely wiped out, "but I will not hesitate to do so if need be." He looked up, still in a hunched position. Silvershine could hear the sureness in his voice, it was not only a threat, but a challenge to test his word.

"Cats of my Clan," Stormstar went on, raising his head to be heard, "we are returning to Camp; ThunderClan has suffered enough damage. The punishment has been administered." With that, he leapt down the tumble of rocks and proceeded to lead his Clan across the clearing and out of the camp.

The rain began to let up as they crossed the border into their own territory. Silvershine trudged on, her eyes wide and focused on nothing. Since they had left the camp, reality slowly had been creeping back up on her. Mudstar had lost a life, StarClan only knew how many more she had. She suddenly began to remember how weak the whole Clan had been, and remembered how she had tormented Tigonheart when he was obviously struggling to watch his Clanmates go through what they had when Mudstar refused to do what was right.

That's twice now I've caused something terrible to happen, Silvershine thought. Is this part of Clan life? Is it supposed to be like this? If not, then how long will this last?