Just wanted to put a little note...

There's something going on with Dustpaw. Like he's wrong in the brain. It is revealed in chapter 10, which is the final chapter.

But seriously he's waaaayyyyy wrong in the brain ok? Keep that in mind.

Also I'm gonna post another story soon! It's called Snowfur's Prophecy *Sniffle* It's basically Bluestar's Prophecy from her sister's point of view. Except it doesn't go up just until she dies, it goes past that- her life in StarClan, seeing her mother again. So yeah.

~There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.~

-Maya Angelou

Firestar stood, regal and grand, on the cloud above RainClan camp. The cold breeze caught his pelt and made it dance in the wind.

"You've been there for a while now," Sandstorm yawned. "Aren't you tired?"

"I am," he chuffed. "I just need to watch over a cat very closely."

"Why?" his mate inquired.

"This kit is part of a prophecy. It's a dangerous one. I would be down there helping her but I am satisfied with my decision to die for ThunderClan." Firestar curled up into a ball and kept looking down at the tiny cat. "In a quarter moon she will become an apprentice."

"Oh," the she-cat meowed.

"I hope she got the message I sent her," Firestar mrrowwed.

"What message?"

"I sent her two dreams." Firestar kept peering down. "They were dreams of when Scourge killed Tigerstar. I hope she understands the meaning of them. They could save her life- and others'- someday."

"Oh," she laughed, "I should've known!"

"Even StarClan's fate rests on her shoulders."

"Oh," Sandstorm meowed worriedly. "It would be hard to carry a prophecy by yourself."

"I know," Firestar responded, "but I've had a good feeling about this cat ever since she first opened her eyes. Her part in the prophecy is… how do I say this? Neutral. She's good and evil. But the kindness inside of her is stronger than darkness will ever be."

"How, um, nice," Sandstorm gulped. "Are you sure about this, Firestar? She can't defeat darkness if she is the darkness."

"You'll see." Firestar smiled, meowing, "Her spirit is powerful."

"Come eat some fresh-kill!" Cheetahpelt meowed loudly to her kits. "I caught it myself!"

Shark came trotting up but froze and crouched a few fox-lengths away. His eyes were locked on to the half- eaten rabbit on the edge of the pile. He stalked slowly until he did the final pounce and began ripping and tearing at the prey.

"Wow!" his mother purred. "You're a little warrior already!"

Orca came padding up next, just running up and grabbing a mouse. He chewed it at a slow pace.

Destiny was next. She carefully stalked up to the pile and grabbed a vole. She then ran toward the nursery and chowed there.

"Now I can talk to myself peacefully," she thought out loud. "StarClan? Are you there?"

A firefly lit up for a split second, not showing much light at sunhigh, but it was light enough for Destiny. "StarClan!" she meowed joyfully.

"Now, I think the dreams I had are from you, right?" Destiny asked. The tiny insect's light flickered again three times.

"Yes!" Destiny was finally figuring this out. "I have another question. Was what Tigerfang said true?"

No response came this time. The kit sighed. "Why can't I know my true fate?"

Again, no response. The young she-cat began to get frustrated. "Am I really part of this prophecy?" she yowled as she gritted her teeth in anger, looking up at the sky. "Come on! Answer me!"

Finally, a tiny piece of ash drifted in the Breeze. The ash landed on a tree, causing a tiny spark which was fended off by the water dripping out of the giant Oak.

"What does that mean?" Destiny meowed, confused. "What are you trying to tell me? It's true?"

Just as the firefly began to flicker, Destiny heard some cat shouting her name. She turned away just as the light turned on a third time.

Yes? That's not possible! This can't be happening! Why?

"Destiny!" The voice shouted for her again. "Are you okay?"

The kit had to make a decision quickly. Should she tell her mother about the prophecy? Should she keep it secret?

"Destiny? You there, honey?"

"Yes, mom." She had made her decision thanks to a quick vision from StarClan about the cons of telling her. "I'm fine."

"You were yowling, sweetie. Why?"

"Um…" Destiny's conflicting mind struggled to decide what to say. "I was just asking StarClan for advice."

"Oh," Cheetahpelt meowed. "About the prophecy?"

Fox dung! Did I say too much?

"Well, I asked them if I was really part of it. They said no."

"Thank goodness." Cheetahpelt sighed in relief. "Because your job isn't to carry a prophecy; it's to grow up well into a full-fledged warrior!"

"Yeah!" Destiny shouted in half from ease of mind and half from agreement.

The kit was asleep in the nursery when she woke up in a dark, dreary, gray forest. Another dream?

A rust-colored cat with dark stripes approached her. "Welcome to the Dark Forest," he meowed. "I am Tigerstar, the cat Tigerfang was named after."

Destiny began to shiver. Dark Forest? Tigerstar?

"I will help you through this prophecy. You are evil, and eventually other cats will find out. Only cats from here, the Dark Forest, will understand you. Come, I will offer you an agreement."

The kit gulped. "I- I'm okay, thanks."

"Don't be scared," the massive tom meowed, "I only kill my enemies."

The she-cat sighed. "Fine. Show me this offer of yours."

"Well, I don't know if you know this, but when some cats die, StarClan doesn't accept them. Then they go to the Dark Forest."

"Why doesn't StarClan accept them?" Destiny thought all cats went to the sky when they died.

"When StarClan thinks they were mean or evil in their lives." Tigerstar sighed. "We cats here in the Dark Forest hate StarClan with a passion. They think we're bad. So we want revenge on them."

The she-cat wasn't liking where this was going. Not one bit.

"So listen. You're evil too. You will go to the Dark Forest eventually. But if we teach StarClan a lesson or two before that, they will accept you. Break the Warrior Code. Tell every single cat, every single cat, to break it with you. If everyone does it, StarClan won't like it one bit. That's when you say, 'If you want us to behave, let all cats from the Dark Forest and all cats who will die after this into the ranks."

"No!" Destiny growled without thinking. "I won't do it! Not ever! StarClan is on my side! They sent me dreams and banished nightmares!

Tigerstar was infuriated. He crouched into a position to pounce, tail lashing side to side, and yowled, "Traitor!"

Destiny backed up, hissing. She suddenly remembered something: the dream.

"Remember what happened last time you pounced like that, mouse-brain?"

Tigerstar froze. The kit could tell that his eyes were seeing flashbacks, memories.

"Fox dung!" Tigerstar leaped at the she-cat. "I don't care!"

Destiny whipped to one side and knocked him over with a blow to the shoulder. He landed on his back, exposing his belly. "I'll do it," she hissed, unsheathing her sharp claws while pinning him down with her other front paw.

"Stop! Stop!" Tigerstar yowled! "Stop! I'll leave you alone!" Hesitantly, the kit lifted her paw off of him.

"Stay," she scolded. "See you next nap. Or not."

"I needed all of you to gather today because I need to make an announcement," the RainClan leader meowed.

All of the Clan had gathered in the heart of the territory. It was the only place where the ground was even slightly dry. Dead leaves covered the floor here.

"First off," Titanstar announced, "a loner has joined our Clan as an apprentice. Meet Dustpaw."

With a look of great pride on his face, the gray cat padded up next to the leader. "Th- thanks," he stammered. "I hope to train to become a loyal and powerful warrior and defend RainClan with my life."

"Dustpaw!" The whole Clan shouted. "Welcome!"

The new RainClanner was smiling, but he turned to Destiny, who was at the back of the crowd, and frowned. His eyes glared directly at her for a heartbeat (well, the kit's heart skipped one.)

"Also," Titanstar continued as he motioned at Dustpaw to sit back down, "I have decided to send this evening's patrol to SnowClan territory. Only two cats will go, though: Blackflower, your kits will be nursed by Cheetahpelt while you're gone tonight. Dustpaw, your new mentor is Blackflower, and you will travel with her. Please come back safely. May StarClan light your path."

Again the apprentice peered over at Destiny and frowned. Does he know about…? No, I shouldn't be so quick to jump to a conclusion.

Dustpaw struggled to keep up with his mentor.

"Gee, you walk fast," he chuckled.

"Thanks, it's one of the things I'll teach you." Blackflower stopped walking. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Around fifteen moons," he meowed. "I'm just now fully grown."

"Apprentices-" she stopped herself because she knew Dustpaw would be confused.

"Apprentices what?"

"Apprentices are normally six moons old. Because you're new in the Clan, though, you must learn the ways of the Warrior Code." Blackflower kept on walking, her apprentice padding up beside her.

"Oh, I see." Dustpaw smiled, realized he was lagging behind his mentor, and quickened his pace.

"We're here." The queen stopped abruptly at the edge of the border. "You can stay behind, if you want."

"Are you kidding me?" Dustpaw meowed. "I wouldn't stay if you made me eat crow-food!"

"Okay, then. Let's go," Blackflower mrrowed.

A sudden chilly wind caught the pairs' fur. Hesitantly, the mentor took a slow paw step forward. Her eyes closed and opened again in fear of what could possibly lay beyond.

"Are you okay?" Dustpaw's comforting words soothed her a little.

"I'm fine. I just worry about my kits."

"They're fine in the paws of Cheetahpelt." The tom turned away for a moment, mumbled something to himself, and looked back at the she-cat. "I know they are."

The queen sighed. "I sure hope so. Cricketkit and Beetlekit aren't the most self-sufficient."

"They're fine! Stop worrying!" the apprentice meowed.

"I guess they're okay." The she-cat put the other paw in front and crossed into SnowClan territory.

Suddenly a white cat with gray paws and snout jumped at Blackflower and began to fight her. "Stop!" the queen growled. "What are you doing?"

The attacker said nothing and sank his vicious claws into her back as she struggled to free herself. "Help!" she yowled.

Acting quickly, Dustpaw pounced on the back of the cat and tried to pull him off of her. The tom fell back but rolled right back up like a pullbug and leapt on Dustpaw. But the stranger froze for a second and jumped off of the apprentice. He then proceeded to flip the already badly bleeding Blackflower.

"Stop," the tom growled through gritted teeth, "she's my mentor! She's important!"

The tom, on top of the bleeding she-cat who was belly-up, paused and looked at Dustpaw. He slowly and hesitantly lifted off of Blackflower and bolted deeper inside of his territory.

"Are you okay?" The worried voice of the apprentice didn't help the mentor's confidence.

"I- I… am not." The Tuxedo cat was lying on her side on the snowy ground, covered in blood. The huge injury on her back was a menace; if left untreated, Blackflower was going to slip away any minute.