A/N: I've finally risen from my three week hiatus (more like "I was occupied by Geometry, a crazy Biology teacher, and Life Skills"). One reason other than "C'mon, I had school!" excuse, I couldn't update because the computer caught a virus, we got it completely wiped out, and now all my saved documents and preferences are gone. Darn it. Hopefully I'll get back to my normal pace. Argh, even with my font as Times New Roman 12, it doesn't look the same as my old computer. Crappy Asian computer guy; now my eyes hurt from typing.

Chapter 17 – Front Line

"What?" Ravenwing gasped. "I don't care how great a warrior you would have been, Duskshadow, but you are not going to charge into a war with three legs."

"You heard him," Duskshadow threw back, not moving his gaze from Rowanheart. "Rowanheart here thinks I'm too cowardly to be at the front lines. I'm going to prove him wrong."

Rowanheart laughed uneasily, but when he glanced at Duskshadow's determined eyes, his confidence faltered. "I'm not sure, Duskshadow. A cripple like you, leading our forces? Won't that encourage the rogues, seeing us led by such?"

"Say that one more time." To Duskshadow's surprise, Ravenwing and Sootpaw spoke at the same exact time. The two cats didn't even know each other well; they didn't spare a glance at the other despite the fact that they spoke together. Ravenwing continued, "It's true Duskshadow's been one big piece of foxdung as an apprentice, Rowanheart, all of us remember. But your words betray your own loyalty to ThunderClan, Rowanheart. We have to trust each other to survive as warriors within a Clan—but your lack of belief in who may have been one of our best warriors in the Clan tells me that you would be an even worse candidate for leader than Duskshadow."

Sootpaw added in her young voice, "He's been a lot more help to me than you ever were, Rowanheart."

The dark brown warrior whirled with wide blue eyes. "What do you mean, Sootpaw?"

"You're my mentor, Rowanheart, and if you ever paid more attention to my goals than my size, then you would have noticed what was going on." Sootpaw seemed to grow in stature as she gazed at the mass of gathered cats. "You all would have noticed what Duskshadow was doing, but ThunderClan has grown to look down upon apprentices. I know we're less experienced, but as ThunderClan cats, don't we have thoughts and voices as well?" Sootpaw glared at the cats as she declared, "Rowanheart, you taught me nothing more than the most basic of hunting techniques, and fed me tales of how Duskshadow deserved his injury to his leg. If you had half the wits of a mouse, you would have known that all of ThunderClan's apprentices have changed within the few days Ravenwing was gone!"

All the warriors' and elders' faces turned as one to Duskshadow, still on the Highledge.

"What does she mean?"

"Tell us what you were doing, Duskshadow!"

Duskshadow shrugged. The ploy couldn't last forever. "I knew we had to clash tooth and claw with the rogues," he replied. "I secretly trained our apprentices in new fighting moves to get ourselves ready."

Rowanheart snorted, "So a few days' training gives my apprentice the kind of foolishness to challenge me?" He turned mockingly to his apprentice, Sootpaw. "I was right to underestimate you, if you fell in with that pitiful—"

Sootpaw flew at her mentor with claws outstretched. Rowanheart was unprepared and staggered as Sootpaw's tiny body collided with his. Before the warrior could retaliate with his superior strength and size, Sootpaw darted away, as quickly as a frightened mouse—except that there was no fear in Sootpaw's face, only anger. "We all want to be warriors," she cried. "Why couldn't you warriors stop being so scared of Dawnstar's rogues? Any true warrior like Duskshadow would have known that the best thing to do was to train us! Instead, all our mentors accepted their fate to be trampled by lawless flea-bags!"

Duskshadow was slightly impressed; where was the timid gray apprentice who shied away whenever a senior warrior looked at her? It must be a sign that my training was not wasted. "Do you have anything more to say?" The only sound in the clearing were the occasional rustles of trees as the wind passed through them. "All right, we move out at once!"

He leaped down from the Highledge. With four legs he could have made it without a problem, but with his handicap, the force of the drop took his breath away. He tried to not let it show. Ravenwing was at his side, and whispered, "If you're at the front lines, then I'll have to be there too."

Duskshadow laughed. "I meant every word I said, silly medicine cat. Having both of us at top would doubtless scare those rogues away whimpering." He turned to the direction of WindClan's territory. "Right then, I'll lead the way!"