"Shadowstar." the white she-cat mewed.
"Bluesky. You've come back." I smiled.
"Yes. I've come back to tell you that you must meet with the three other leaders at the full moon, and speak of how you are to move your clans to the far end of the forest. You must lead them away." Bluesky insisted.
"What is happening? Why must we lead our clans away?" I asked.
"I can not say why. Only that Stormclan, and the other three clans will suffer terribly if you don't." Bluesky sighed.
"Can I see her? Can I see him? I have things I need to say the both of them." I asked hopefully.
"No. You can't. You'll get your chance soon enough though." Bluesky purred, she began to fade as it had done before.
"Fuzzynose am I doing this right?" the fluffy white tom asked.
"Yes. You're doing it right." I laughed. He looked funny mixing the poultrice with the stick.
"Do you miss them? Tawnykit and Ravenkit?" he asked.
"Yes. Of course I do. I'm not allowed to mourn for them but I do." I sighed.
"I know how you feel. I miss Snakekit terribly. He wanted to be a medicine cat too you know. We both looked up to you." Frostpaw mewed.
"I miss Snakekit as well. I'm glad to know you both looked up to me. I thought you wanted to be warriors like Foxtail." I mewed.
"What was he like?" Frostpaw asked.
"Who?" I asked.
"My father. Our father. You must have known him. What was he like? Why did he leave us?" Frostpaw asked.
"What did Snowberry tell you?" I asked him.
"She said that we couldn't know who he was. Snowberry told us that we had to stop asking about him because she wouldn't tell us anymore about him." Frostpaw said.
"Well, he had a good reason to stay hidden. For not stepping up when you were born." I said carefully.
"You knew him?" Frostpaw's eyes widened.
"Better than anyone." I laughed.
"Then where is he? Why did he leave us? Did he not want us?" Frostpaw asked, his voice full of anger and sadness. Anger for his father leaving him and his brother. Sadness for not knowing who his father was.
"He never wanted to leave you, but he had no choice. He couldn't step up when you were born because it was against the warrior code. He wanted to you to know, but you couldn't. He watched you and Snakekit grow stronger every day and he was proud of you. He always will be proud of you." I purred.
"Against the warrior code? Does that mean he is in another clan? Who is he? Can I speak with him?" Frostpaw asked.
"No. He isn't in another clan. I'm your father Frostpaw."
"Shadowstar?" I repeated.
"Yes. My father is Shadowstar and my mother is Bluesky." Mistycloud mewed.
"Fuzzynose used to talk about you. He said he wished you weren't Unwanted, that you were still in Stormclan." I mewed.
"Still in Stormclan? That's that last place I would want to be. He's there. He's the leader. I wouldn't follow under Shadowstar. I'm glad I got out when I did. I just wish Fuzzykit had come with me. His name is Fuzzynose now?" Mistycloud asked.
"Yes. He's the medicine cat." I smiled.
"He always wanted to be a medicine cat. I'm glad he got what he wanted." Mistycloud purred.
"That's where your wrong. Fuzzynose hasn't got what he wants. He wants his sister." I mewed.
"Well than he needs to move on. As far as my father and the rest of the clans know, I'm dead. I've been dead for a long time. And you know what? They don't care." Mistycloud said harshly.
"You're probably right, they think we're dead. But they still care. I saw it in their eyes. They still care. I know Ashpaw must miss Ravenpaw and me, Fuzzynose misses you and the rest of the clans must miss their kin in Unwantedclan. They just refuse to admit it, not only to each other but to themselves as well. They think it's weak to mourn for Unwanteds. But they still miss us, whether they like it or not." I mewed, stalking away from my mentor without another word.
"Ashpaw come on!" My mentor growled over her shoulder. Why couldn't I have gotten another mentor! I thought bitterly as I followed her back to camp. She had scolded me for not doing the hunters crouch right and then laughed at me when I had tripped while chasing a squirrel.
"Wolffang, I think you're working your apprentice too hard. Ashpaw's been on his paws all morning." Foxtail mewed.
"Don't tell me how to train my apprentice." Wolffang snapped at the deputy.
"You're forgetting who you're talking to. You haven't even been a warrior for three moons and you're already acting like Shadowstar had made you leader!" Foxtail retorted.
"Whatever." Wolffang spat, stalking away. I tried to follow her but Foxtail raised his bushy tail.
"No Ashpaw. You've been on your paws all morning. Get something from the fresh-kill pile and get some rest." Foxtail ordered.
"But she's my mentor! I have to do what she says." I protested. I may not like it, but she's still my mentor.
"And I'm the deputy. Do as I said Ashpaw, relax." Foxtail ordered once more, his tone more threatening. I nodded and padded towards the fresh-kill pile. I felt a whoosh of wind as the clouds covered the sun.
"Do not forget those closest to your heart. You have not seen the last of them."
I heard a she-cat purr sweetly. I recognised the voice but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before. Confused, I glanced around to find the cat but I could only see Foxtail ordering warriors and apprentices around.
"What's wrong Ashpaw?" Rainpaw padded over.
"Didn't you hear it?" I asked, bewildered.
"Hear what?" she asked.
"The voice." I scoffed. Did she really not hear it?
"Ashpaw, I think you need some rest. You've been on your paws all day and now you're hearing things!" Shrewpaw, Rainpaw's brother retorted.
"Don't be mean!" Rainpaw shoved Shrewpaw playfully. I padded to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a vole. I carried it behind the apprentice den so I could eat it in peace. I'm all alone without them.