Bloodfrost knew that Blackclaw wouldn't be ok after his talk with Stormstar. His leader had said that one day he would tell Blackclaw about his dark heritage. He kept looking at Blackclaw on their way down to the gathering.

"I'm fine," Blackclaw snapped at him for the third time.

Bloodfrost sighed, "Are you sure you're ok?"

Blackclaw turned around anger blazing in his eyes, "I'm fine," his eyes softened and he licked his friend's ear, "Really, I'm fine."

"I know your fine, I'm just nervous,"

"About what?"

"Your father, its just I thought you would be shocked, but you seemed ok with it,"

Blackclaw bristled "Why should I be ashamed because Shadoweye's my father? Just because I look like him doesn't mean I am him." He stalked off leaving Bloodfrost as they entered the gathering underneath four branches. Where a great oak with four huge branches loomed over a small ditch.

Blackclaw scrambled through cats, looking for Goldenfrost. He looked over his shoulder and saw Bloodfrost watching him. He sat down near the WaterClan deputy and his clan deputy Reedclaw, who were talking to two black cats who some how seemed to resembled him. He shook off the thought and listened to them talk. "I hope the snow melts soon" a black cat with ginger thunderbolts at the end of his eyes was saying.

"I agree," Blackclaw put in, "Prey's running scarce already."

Reedclaw's head whipped around, "Oh hello Blackclaw, this is Thundereye of FireClan," the cat with ginger thunderbolts dipped his head, "and Shadowfrost of FrostClan," the black cat with blue eyes blinked respectively.

Blackclaw dipped his head to the two black cats, "It's a pleasure to meet you." Reedclaw walked away with the WaterClan deputy behind him. "It was nice meeting you both," Blackclaw said, "But I must go," he dipped his head to Shadowfrost and Thundereye, then walked away. Blackclaw looked around trying to find Goldenfrost's radiant pelt in the hallow of cats.

"And who are you looking for," a teasing voice whispered in his ear. He turned around coming nose to nose with Goldenfrost, "Goldenfrost," he murmured as he breathed in her sweet scent.

She brushed her tail across his muzzle to quiet him, "Not here, follow me."

Blackclaw followed her, looking around and saw Bloodfrost talking to Redhawk. He hurried up to catch Goldenfrost who had turned behind the great oak that the leaders stood on to address the clan. "Goldenfrost wait up!"

She turned around at his call and gestured with her tail, "Come on, it's not that far," she stopped beside a boulder and looked at him, "What's wrong?" she meowed.

"Nothing."

"Come on Blackclaw, I know you too well. What's going on?" she rubbed her muzzle against his. He breathed in her sweet scent, a hiss of surprise made Blackclaw stop dead in his tracks.

"Blackclaw, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Blackclaw turned around to face Bloodfrost.

"I'm not doing anything," he insisted.

"Well than what's that FireClan cat doing?" he growled.

Blackclaw stepped forward ready to pounce on his friend when Goldenfrost cut in front of him, blocking his way, "Bloodfrost please go away. Blackclaw knows what he's doing."

"Don't tell me lies Goldenfrost, I'm not a kit, and you shouldn't be with him!" He hissed as he crouched back ready to spring on her.

"Bloodfrost, we can make our own decisions."

"No! Blackclaw's just confused, he doesn't know what he getting himself into!" at that, he sprang at Goldenfrost but Blackclaw was ready. He leaped to meet Bloodfrost in the air, they crashed down Bloodfrost bit Blackclaw on the paw but as they landed, Blackclaw was on top clawing his friends' ears. Bloodfrost gasped for air under the larger warriors size, Blackclaw was about two times bigger than him.

Suddenly, he felt his friend get off him. He heaved himself to his paws and looked at Blackclaw, who was being nudged by Goldenfrost to sit down, "Let me see your paw." she murmured.

"I'm fine really," but all the same, he lifted his paw. She sat down and started licking the wound to clean it out. Bloodfrost growled.

"Leave Bloodfrost, you caused enough pain as it were," Goldenfrost voice was like ice. Bloodfrost opened his mouth to say something but a yowled across the clearing stopped him, the gathering had begun.

Blackclaw began to walk away but Goldenfrost called him back, "Blackclaw, will you see me again? Even after what Bloodfrost said?"

Blackclaw looked at her a glint of amusement in his eyes, "Goldenfrost, I would fight the whole StarClan for you. Meet me by the stepping stones tomorrow at sunrise."

"Ok, I'll be there," she purred and brushed passed him, her sent calming him, and helping him think straight. Blackclaw walked off and sat down in the back of the group of cats listening to the leaders.

Stormstar walked up and looked down at the cats from the branch he sat on, "Cats of all clans," he yowled, "You all remember Shadoweye and his mate Crystal," there were murmurs among the cats why was this leader bringing up the past?

"He's dead!" Deadtail yowled.

"Yes he might be dead but his kits live on."

"What kits?" an outraged meow burst through the crowd.

"No, I only know of one, and he is a warrior now. His name is Blackclaw," all eyes turned to Blackclaw who shuffled his paws. He didn't dare look up, afraid to meet Goldenfrost's eyes.

Leafstar the leader of FrostClan and Thornstar the leader of FireClan came to stand by Stormstar "There is also a son of Shadoweye in my clan," Thornstar said, "Thundereye." Blackclaw looked at Thundereye.

"As in my clan, Shadowfrost," Leafstar meowed. Shadowfrost and Thundereye were only two cats away from Blackclaw on either side, they all looked at each other in shock. Blackclaw had finally found a family, but he felt no kinship to his two brothers. Blackclaw was so confused; he could barely listen to leaders as they continued to tell the events of what had happened in their clan. Blackclaw kept looking at his brothers; they would all glance at each other, nervous and scared.

Back in SnowClan territory Blackclaw relaxed. He went straight to the warrior's den and curled up in the back of the cave ignoring Bloodfrost and falling straight into a deep sleep.

Blackclaw was running up the mountainside, he heard voices in a cave a few fox lengths away. He poked his head into the cave and saw Shadoweye. He was just how he pictured him: a large black cat with blue eyes, orange thunder bolts on each, a scar going through his left eye, and long black claws. He walked in; his father didn't notice, he seemed to be staring at something near the back. Blackclaw looked over his shoulder and saw his mother, Crystal. He had herd of her before, about her silvery pelt, her warm amber eyes, but now he saw her it was true all of it. But that wasn't what Shadoweye was looking at. He was looking at kits. This was a dream, but it was true it happened many, many, moons ago. Blackclaw crept forward and froze when he heard a deep meow from his father.

"They're wonderful," Shadoweye stepped forward and sat down next to Crystal. With his long black claws he delicately pointed to each of them, "Blackkit, Thunderkit, and Shadowkit." Blackclaw looked in shock; this was his whole family. He had an urge to go up to them, to let his father know that he was a warrior, for him to be proud.

But Crystal was talking, "How will we keep them safe from the clans? If they find us they'll kill the kits," sorrow clouded Crystal's amber eyes.

"We will have to give them to the clans," Blackclaw looked in his father's eyes. He could see the pain of his decision to give away his only kits.

"You thought of this before?"

"Yes, Blackkit will go to SnowClan, Thunderkit to FireClan, and Shadowkit to FrostClan."

Crystal sighed and stood up "Come on my dears, it's time to see your new home."

A tiny protest came from Blackkit, "But this is our home. Will you come with us?" the tiny kit looked pleadingly into his father's eyes.

"No, but if you remember me, I always will." All three kits walked pass their father brushing against his legs he licked each in turn when they got to the entrance of the cave, Shadoweye nuzzled Crystal.

"Good bye my sons, be strong for your clans." When they left, Shadoweye turned around, "Blackclaw, you must go now. We will meet another time, but now you must go." There was a flash of white light and a scream from his mother, "Be strong my son" was the last thing he herd.

Blackclaw woke up savoring his father's voice. He suddenly remembered he had to go see Goldenfrost. He rose to his paws a stepped over Bloodfrost and walked out of the warriors' den and looked around, the cave was empty. He ran out of the entrance keeping a lookout for the night patrol. On his way down to the stepping-stones a thought crossed his mind dose Goldenfrost still want to see me?

As the sun started to raise Blackclaw reached the stepping-stones he hid in the grass in case a FireClan cat came along. After waiting for what seemed like moons he got up and started back to the camp when he heard the familiar sound of Goldenfrost, "Blackclaw!" he turned around and cautiously walked back to her. She rubbed her muzzle against his. Blackclaw stiffened, "How are you?"

"What do you mean, how am I?" he growled, "How can you say that after what happened at the gathering?" he looked around, "Follow me, we can't talk hear," he went to the edge of the gorge and jumped to each ledge until he reached the bottom. Goldenfrost took her last step down, "Did you not hear what the leaders said? I am Shadoweye's kit."

"I don't care if your father was evil or if you mother was a rogue," she licked his ear gently, "I care about you," Blackclaw purred in appreciation.

"Follow me." They walked along the bottom of the gorge tails twined together until they reached a cave in the side of the steep jagged wall. Blackclaw walked in Goldenfrost came in nervously behind him.

"How did you find this place?" Goldenfrost meowed.

"I don't know, but I need to tell you something," Blackclaw sat down and Goldenfrost sat next to him so close he could smell the mouse she had caught before she had come to see him.

"Last night I had a dream, I was up far in the mountains when I saw a cave and in it was my family, my mother and father and their kits," He closed his eyes in pain remembering the scream from his mother.

Goldenfrost's fur stood on end but she tried to keep her meow calm, "But he abandoned you three."

"No, he didn't leave us, he sent us to the clans," Blackclaw sighed. Goldenfrost didn't care who his father was but she did care that he had a dream about him.

"I've got to go, Thornstar will be looking for me," she got to her feet, "are you coming?" "Of course." They stepped out of the cave together and walked a few fox lengths and stopped near the bottom of the stepping-stones.

"I'll meet you hear tomorrow at sundown," Blackclaw looked at her shocked, "you still want to see me?" She was so close her scent flooded his mind as she wrapped her agile body around his.

"Of course you stupid fur ball," she whispered in his ear.

"Goldenfrost," he murmured. She sat down and licked his ear.

A hiss of anger came from behind them, "Blackclaw! I told you not to see this FireClan cat any more!"

Blackclaw turned around slowly, "Bloodfrost, what in StarClan's sake are you doing here?"

"To stop you from destroying your life," he retorted.

"I don't need you to lead my life," Blackclaw spat.

"Well then I guess I'll have to bring down your friend," Bloodfrost growled.

"Bloodfrost let me explain," Goldenfrost said stepping between the two angry toms, "I love Blackclaw and I think he loves me to." Bloodfrost gawked at her and Blackclaw purred with pleasure.