Sorry it took so long. Anyway, here is the next chapter. Two new characters are introduced in this, as well as Sunclan getting a new warrior.

Hope you like it.

Please comment (I like feedback)

-

Starpaw scuffed some dirt over the freshly killed mouse. She shook herself slightly, the air getting cold enough that snow has begun to lightly fall, though by sunhigh, it would all be melted. It was only a matter of time before the whole ground was covered though. A few snow flakes were still falling lightly, and Starpaw had to shake them off at various times. She couldn't wait to be back in the warm apprentice's den, Shadepaw and Bluepaw sleeping next to her.

Starpaw sniffed around, hoping to catch something else. She was near the river separating Riverclan and Sunclan, and she already had caught two mice and a bird, but she hoped to get something more. Prey was even more scarce, now that it was closer into Leaf Bare, and she worried about the kits. The next gathering was only a half-moon away, as well. Starpaw had been an apprentice for almost three moons now. She wondered when she'd have her assessment to be a warrior, but didn't ask Blazestar.

Some of the kits had recently gotten sick, and now the clan was worried greencough may spread in the clan.

Starpaw worried for the kits, and tried to hunt as much for them as she could. So far, Bramblekit, Palekit, Wolfkit, Flamekit, and Sunkit had all fallen ill, though so far, it hasn't become greencough. Ravenfur had said that so long as they don't strain themselves to much, they would recover fully in a few days.

Starpaw sniffed the ground, hopeful for a vole. She heard from Smokekit that Palekit really wanted to at least taste a vole, and Starpaw really wanted to catch one for her.

Her ears went erect when she heard a shuffling beside her, making her look up. As far as she knew, the patrol scheduled for this time of day would be near the Mistclan boarder, and Blazestar was in the opposite direction of the noise. Curious, she cautiously, and quietly climbed up a near by tree, and jumped from branch to branch, to get a look from above.

She saw the white tom she had seen at the Gathering. Whitemist. Only, he wasn't on Riverclan territory. He was on Sunclan territory! Starpaw's fur bristled, but she remained silent, to see what he was doing. He was sniffing around in a bush, when suddenly he drew back, a vole in his jaws.

He was stealing prey! Starpaw hissed, leaping onto him suddenly, making him cry out in shock. He thrashed, trying to get her off, but she held firm. She heard the sounds of another cat, and saw a flash of Blazestar's fur.

"Starpaw, off of him, now!" She heard, and Starpaw instantly released him, but continued to hiss at Whitemist.

Whitemist was bleeding slightly, from where Starpaw's claws had pierced him slightly when she was holding onto him. He licked his wounds, and glared at Starpaw for a moment, before looking to Blazestar.

"Whitemist, you are not a Sunclan cat, why are you stealing from Sunclan?" Blazestar asked. Starpaw sniffed at the dead vole. She hadn't killed it, but it wasn't necessarily crow-food, since she saw Whitemist kill it. So long as she carried it back to camp, she was sure Palekit could have some.

Whitemist didn't seem to have a retort. Since the clans were separated by rivers, it was hard to say he chased the vole over the clan boarder by accident.

"Prey is scarce. I wanted to take the vole with me back to the clan." He said. Starpaw sniffed the vole again as she looked at Whitemist. He certainly didn't look underfed. Blazestar didn't seem to buy it either.

"Go back to Riverclan, now." He said, hissing when Whitemist made a move to get the vole. Whitemist crossed the river with ease, looking back only once. Blazestar nodded to Starpaw.

"Well done. Take that vole and the rest you caught back to camp." He said. Starpaw looked at him questioningly. "I need to take care of something." He said. Starpaw nodded and grabbed the vole, heading back, she made sure to get the other prey she got. She knew he was going to wait for a Riverclan patrol, so he could speak to Mistystar about Whitemist.

It was hard, to take all her prey back in one trip, but she managed it. The clan had been more quiet recently, the sick kits moved to Ravenfur's den for treatment, and the queens keeping their kits close to them. Starpaw took all the pray to the fresh kill pile, but took the vole to give to Palekit. She hesitated at the entrance to the medicine cat's den, before slipping in. Most of the kits were asleep, their sides lifting a falling with their breathing. Sunkit and Palekit were awake, though, and both stared at her as she entered.

Ravenfur nodded to Starpaw as she entered, and Starpaw motioned to Palekit with the vole, asking silently if it was ok to give it to the kit. Ravenfur nodded, and watched as Starpaw laid the vole in front of Palekit.

"Go on, eat!" Starpaw said, scooting it closer to the smaller she-cat. Ravenfur brushed up against Starpaw, bringing Sunkit over as well, and laying him next to Palekit. The two kits looked at them for a moment, before both sharing the vole.

"Thank you Starpaw, they really needed to eat." Ravenfur said, going to her nest of moss on the other end of the rather spacious den. The den was filled with the scent of fresh herbs, and Starpaw recalled seeing her talking to some warriors earlier today, so she figured she had asked them to get her some herbs to restore her stocks.

"I hope they get better soon." Starpaw murmured. Ravenfur nodded, and with her tail, motioned for Starpaw to lay next to her. Starpaw complied, feeling at ease. She always had, around Ravenfur. When she was a kit, and Ravenfur an apprentice, they got along really well. Now that Ravenfur was the medicine cat, and Starpaw an apprentice, they didn't have as much time to spend time together.

"How is training?" Ravenfur asked. Starpaw gave a happy mewl.

"Great! Blazestar said I may have my assessment in less than three moons!" She said. Ravenfur gave a pleased noise.

"That is great! It will be good for you to become a warrior, you really work hard!"

"So do Bluepaw and Shadepaw!" Starpaw said, trying to bring praise to her siblings as well. Ravenfur nodded in agreement. Starpaw wasn't sure why, but she really wanted to tell Ravenfur about her dream of Moonflower.

"Something bugging you?" Ravenfur asked suddenly, catching Starpaw off guard. Starpaw hesitated, before giving in and telling Ravenfur about her dream.

"Starclan does not speak to just leaders and medicine cats, they sometimes speak to other cats as well. Though it is strange why you would see Moonflower, as you two really didn't know each other well." she said. She shook her head, and looked directly into Starpaw's eyes "I'm really more worried about this 'Misty white that hides the evil heart' , though." Starpaw nodded in agreement. She had kept the part about the two clans, Sunclan, and the clan she didn't know, to herself.

"I don't know what it means." Starpaw admitted. Ravenfur nodded in agreement.

"Do not let it worry you. Starclan's words aren't always clear, the answers will come with time." She said. Starpaw nodded, and got up. She needed to go make sure the elders had moss and food.

"Want me to get you anything to eat?" She asked Ravenfur. The black she-cat shook her head.

"No, I will ask Shadepaw later, you need to eat yourself." she replied. Starpaw nodded, and headed out,. She nodded to Duststorm, as he walked passed her when she exited. He must have gone in to check on the kits. If she remembered correctly, Wolfkit was his, after all.

She trotted over to the Elder's den, to find they already had moss, Shadepaw had gotten it for them. He had to leave for training though, so she went on got them food, and then cleaned their fur of ticks. After words, she went and got a mouse for herself, and settled down to eat. The clan was quieter, since quite a few kits were sick. This worried Starpaw. As the next Gathering was soon, and if a greencough epidemic bloomed, the other clans may see it as a moment to strike. She couldn't really see Oakstar, Mistystar, or Shadowstar taking advantage over a moment of weakness in Sunclan, but something about Tornstar, and Longstar made her worry. She shook her head, and bit into her mouse, enjoying the flavor, even if the mouse was a bit on the scrawny side. She couldn't wait for new leaf. She looked up from her mouse as Bluepaw settled next to her, also with a mouse. Bluepaw made a light annoyed sound.

"Could things get any worse? First whitecough in kits, then a Riverclan cat stealing prey! What next!" Bluepaw growled. Starpaw swallowed her bite of her mouse.

"A Riverclan cat? Was it Whitemist?" she asked. Bluepaw looked at her, her irritation showing in her fluffed fur and her angry gaze.

"How would I know his name? It was a white tom with gray paws and tail tip."

"Then it was Whitemist. I caught him stealing prey earlier, I figured Blazestar had talked to a Riverclan patrol by now!" Starpaw murmured. Bluepaw gave a hiss, but otherwise seemed to settle down.

"At least it is being taken care of. I heard there have been rogues sighted near our boarders as well." Bluepaw said, she sniffed at her mouse, "We scented some as well, but the scent was stale, so they must be gone by now." Starpaw nodded, though she was a bit worried.

She couldn't block the feeling of dread.

-

It was a full quarter moon before the kits recovered, and Starpaw was happy for them, as the cats were more energetic then. Whitemist wasn't spotted stealing prey from Sunclan anymore, but she heard that there was fresher scents of rogues and loners coming deeper in their territory.

Starpaw was a bit cautious, now, as she didn't want to repeat what happened with Addertalon, but she wasn't a weak kit anymore. She sniffed the air experimentally. She was on a hunting patrol with Blazestar, Whitestorm, and Tigerstripe, and had gone a little ways away to hunt. They were near Twolegplace, by the boarder between Mistclan and Sunclan. She sniffed the air again. She swore she could smell an unfamiliar scent.

She jumped up into a tree, going to a branch where she could look down, but hide from fro many who happen to look up. She watched intently, hoping to catch sight of the owner of this unfamiliar scent.

A rustling of leaves came from near the boarder, and a cat stepped out. She had seen this particular cat before, though only once. She believed his name to be Jasper, a kittypet. Her fur bristled. A kittypet in Sunclan territory! Well, she'd chase him out. She waited for only a few more seconds, before leaping down on him. He gave a startled cry, and went lax underneath her. He was used to dealing with warriors, she supposed as she got off him, wary though, of what he might attempt. He got up, and shook his head slightly, getting his barrings back. He looked at her, and mewled happily.

"Oh beauteous one! Perhaps you would help me? I am looking for a mate you see." He said suddenly. Starpaw stared at him. That was the dumbest thing she had ever heard. He looked like he was about to continue speaking, but she started hissing, her fur bristling, and her claws unsheathed. He may have seemed like an idiot, but he must have had something of a brain, as he got the hint and darted back for Twoleg Place almost instantly. Starpaw was a little disappointed, as she had hoped he would stay and fight.

Kittypets were cowards, she guessed, and sniffed the air again. The kittypet wasn't the unfamiliar scent she had smelled, however. She didn't go up in the tree this time. If the owner of the original scent was still this close, they would have heard, or seen her. She lightly stepped into the bushes, being as quiet as she could, to find the owner of the strange scent.

She heard a rustling, and she went a bit slower, but more urgent. She peered out from the bushes, to the river separating the Mistclan and Sunclan boarder. A tom was taking a drink, a freshly killed mouse next to him. He was a gray tom with black paws and tail tip and ears with white rings on the area where the gray and black fur meet on his legs and tail. He was turned away from her, so she couldn't see his eyes. Her fur bristled. She didn't know who this tom was, but he certainly wasn't of Sunclan or Mistclan, and he was stealing prey that Sunclan needed.

She darted forward, and was surprised when she came into contact with water, instead of fur, suddenly she was thrown to her side, and she gave a yowl of anger when she was pinned. She looked up into the pale blue eyes of the tom she was intent on attack. He seemed shocked, probably due to the fact she was an apprentice. She hissed at him.

"An apprentice? Where is your mentor?" the tom asked. Starpaw didn't answer, and instead tried to claw at anything she could get to, which was nothing. He had her pinned to the ground pretty well, so she went with the next best option, and started yowling as loud as she could. Blazestar, Whitestorm, and Tigerstripe weren't far off, so she knew they'd hear her and come to her aide. The tom wasn't deterred much by her yowling, but when he heard the sound of other cats rapidly approaching, they calls joining Starpaw's yowls, the tom let go of her, grabbed the mouse, and darted away as fast as he could, but Starpaw was a little quicker, latching onto his hind leg just before he could make a dash for it, the momentum causing both to spiral into the water. The tom yelped and tried to shake Starpaw off, but she held firm, using her claws and teeth to grip to anything she could. She let Whitemist get away unscathed, if this tom was getting away, she was bent on making sure he had at least one wound to remind him never to come back.

She heard Blazestar, Tigerstripe, and Whitestorm now, possibly trying to help her, or get her to stop, but it wasn't that clear of the toms yelps of pain, and the rushing of the water. The tom slammed to the ground, knocking the wind out of her, her grip lax enough from the shock to let him get away from her, but she saw Tigerstripe and Whitestorm pounce on him only a moment later, making sure he couldn't get away. Blazestar nudged her, helping her back to her paws. She limped lightly, having scratched her hind leg, she supposed on a rock or something when they were in the river. She shivered from the cold, and scooted closer to Blazestar.

"Why are you on Sunclan territory?" Blazestar asked the pinned tom. The tom looked up at Starpaw for a moment, before looking to Blazestar.

"I wasn't aware this was part of a clan's territory. I am simply a loner, looking for a place to call home." He said. Starpaw noticed his eyes had a hint of sadness in them, when he said he was a loner. She guessed he was from a clan, but he didn't smell like any clan she knew, be it one of the six clans, or that seventh clan she learned of in her dream. Blazestar motioned to Tigerstripe and Whitestorm, and the two released the unfamiliar tom, but stood near him, keeping their guard up. The tom shook his head slightly, but bowed his head respectfully to Blazestar. He bowed his head to Starpaw as well.

"I apologize, for injuring the apprentice. She had every right to attack me, if I had hunted on your territory." He said. Blazestar nodded in understanding. "She fights well for an apprentice."

"She is a Sunclan apprentice, why wouldn't she fight well?" Tigerstripe hissed at him. Blazestar gave a warring hiss, and Tigerstripe quieted instantly.

"What is your name?" Blazestar asked the tom. The tom bowed his head again, but looked back up when he spoke, meeting Blazestar's gaze.

"I am called Mistfrost." He said. Blazestar nodded. Starpaw looked up at him, she could guess what Blazestar was thinking.

"You say you are looking for a place to call home, Mistfrost. Currently, my clan could use more warriors," Blazestar began, but Tigerstripe cut him off.

"You really aren't going to offer him a place in our clan?!? Blazestar! We can't possibly-"

"It is my decision as leader, Tigerstripe, if you have problems with it, we will discuss it later." Blazestar hissed. Tigerstripe flattened his ears, his fur bristled with anger, but he didn't say anything. Blazestar nodded to Mistfrost.

"If you are in search of a home, we need warriors. You could come to our clan." He offered. Starpaw waited in anticipation of Mistfrost's answer. The tom's gaze didn't waver, as he held direct eye contact with her leader and mentor. He nodded his head.

"I suppose that would be best. It would feel nice, to be part of a clan." He said, though Starpaw felt like he had wanted to say more. Blazestar nodded.

"We are on a hunting patrol now. That mouse will go to the clan. Starpaw, go find whatever you caught, and let us head back." He said. Starpaw nodded and dashed off, to fetch a mouse and finch she had caught. She returned to the hunting patrol, Whitestorm had caught some mice, and she saw that Tigerstripe had two birds. Blazestar had caught a rabbit. When she came back, Blazestar gave her an approval, before leading the group back to camp, Mistfrost in tow. The group got curious looks, since Mistfrost was with them, but Starpaw did her best to ignore it, taking her catch directly to the elders.

"Who is the tom?" One-ear asked when she placed the finch and mouse before him and Mousefang.

"That is Mistfrost. A loner, but Blazestar offered him a place in Sunclan." Starpaw said. One-ear made a displeased sound, but other than that, continued eating. Mousefang nodded.

"We could use more warriors." He muttered, eating the mouse Starpaw had brought. Starpaw was called to attention when Blazestar called a clan meeting, and joined Shadepaw and Bluepaw under the highrock.

"Cats of Sunclan, I call this meeting to welcome a new member to the clan. Mistfrost, a loner, has agreed to join us." He said. There were wails of protest, but Blazestar silenced them with a flick of his tail. "This is not arguable. Mistfrost is to be welcomed as part of Sunclan." He said, before leaping down, effectively ending the meeting. Starpaw looked over at Mistfrost, who was sitting by himself. The queens rounded up the kits, and kept them by the nursery, away from Mistfrost, and the warriors kept avoiding him, so he just sat there, looking fairly out of place. Bluepaw and Shadepaw went to the fresh kill pile, to get something toe at, but Starpaw started limping over to Mistfrost, her hind leg still hurting, but Ravenfur intercepted her before she reached him.

"Don't walk on that leg! Come on, let's get that checked." Ravenfur said, herding Starpaw to her den. Starpaw glanced to Mistfrost, and saw that Fernwill had walked over to talk to him, so she figured it was all right.

-

Starpaw pawed her ear lightly, a leaf falling from her head. She yawned, the afternoon sun making her feel sleepy. Spiderwebs had been applied to the injury on her hind leg, and Ravenfur insisted that for the three days she stay off her leg, so her training, was put on hold. She felt frustrated that her two siblings, Bluepaw and Shadepaw, where out training, and she was stuck having a kit on her back, trying to get her to play, when she couldn't get up to play, because she had to stay off her hind leg.

Mistfrost had been adjusting, she noticed, thanks to Fernwill. With Fernwill's help, it took him only a day to be acquainted on friendly terms with most of the clan, and the kits even enjoyed his company. She saw three of them climbing all over him, nipping at him at times, but he didn't once hiss or reprimand them. She admitted, she respected him for his patience.

Starpaw hissed at the insistant Bramblekit, who still insisted on trying to get her to play, but Starpaw wasn't in the mood, or shape to do so.

Bramblekit got the hint, and took off finally, leaving Starpaw to herself. She licked her paw, and used it to groom her head. She was so BORED.

She looked up when she heard something approaching, and saw Venomheart. It had been a short time since they had talked, when he had joined the clan. He bowed his head to her, and Starpaw mewed a greating. He sat down next to her, and started grooming her.

"I'm bored!" Starpaw said. She heard Venomheart chuckle.

"You are an energetic apprentice being told you cant train, of course you are bored." He said. Starpaw gave an agitated growl.

"I wish my leg was already healed." She muttered.

"It will heal soon enough." was the reply she got. Starpaw let out an angry sigh, but allowed Venomheart's grooming to dull her anger, and lull her into sleep.

-

Starpaw opened her eyes, and sat up. She wasn't that surprised to see she was at Small Land again, rather than camp. Her hind leg didn't hurt, though she guessed it was becouse she was dreaming. She faced the bushes ahead of her, when she heard it rustling. She expected Moonflower, but got a shock when a cat she didn't recognize stepped forward. From her left, she could smell the scents of Sunclan cats, and from the right, the unfamiliar, yet familiar scents of a clan she didn't know.

The cat that sat in front of her was a tom, a rather large tom. He looked similar to Blazestar, with his golden orange pelt and blue eyes. A horrible scar marred his face, from the corner of his eye, all the way down to his shoulder.

Starpaw nodded in respect. He smelled of Sunclan.

"Who are you?" She asked. The tom dipped his head.

"I was once a leader of Sunclan. I was known as Flamestar. I know you to be the current leader's apprentice, Starpaw." He said. Starpaw nodded her head.

"Why are you speaking to me? Where is Moonflower?" She asked. Flamestar got up, and walked around her studying her. Starpaw began to feel nervous, and almost scared under his intense gaze.

"A battle will come, be ready for it. What for the enemy that hides in the rivers." He said. Starpaw turned to ask him what he meant, but a white mist obscured her vision. She turned to face the front, hearing a cat's call, one that sounded painfully familiar to her. She tried to think, when she could lightly make out an outline of a cat.

"Soon you have to find a cat of earth." She heard Flamestar say from behind her.

She let out a loud yowl.

-

Starpaw sat up abruptly, her head colliding painfully with another cat's muzzle.

"O-ow." Starpaw muttered, rubbing the top of her head with her paw. She looked over to see who she had hit, and saw Mistfrost. He looked at her, his eyes watering from the pain.

"Are you alright, Starpaw? You were moving around so much in your sleep, I figured something was wrong." He said, pawing at his muzzle slightly. Starpaw looked around camp, seeing that it was already dark out. There were two other cats, Tigerstripe and Whitestorm from what she could tell in the darkness, that stood guard.

"I'm fine." Starpaw said, trying to keep her voice even. Mistfrost nodded.

"Then you should go to the apprentice's den to sleep, don't you think?" His tone was playful, though Starpaw didn't really care. Her fur bristled slightly, and she got up, limping slightly to the apprentice's den to sleep.