FINALLY, I'VE FINISHED CHAPTER 22. Honestly, I was too lazy to be working on this and worked on other stories. But...here you are! This will have 24-25 chapters before I start the next book in the series, just a little info.

Reviews:

Pudgyfluff: 1) Twyla is Twyla indeed. 2) I'm very swamped with characters, so I created a Google Doc for OCs. I'll try to add in your OC, of course. 3) I send you a PM about it.

DappledleafTheBootiful: 1) I'll have to add more Twyla in Firegaze's chapters, then. 2) Yes, your OC can join the Ten Flames (or SkyClan, as they're called now.)

Dove looked around camp. All of her Clanmates were either injured or cranky. I can't believe that RiverClan attacked us! What'd we do to them? Jayson, Holly and Blaze were busy tending to the warriors at the moment. Where's Stargaze? Is he okay? She soon spotted Stargaze nursing Violetstar, who was struggling to stand. Violetstar looked almost dead, like she was barely clinging onto life. Is she okay? Please let her be okay! She's my friend! Dove pricked her ears forward to hear the discussion they were having.

"Violetstar, don't try to walk. You need to rest." Stargaze softly growled, his meow becoming more impatient. Violetstar was barely listening to him. "Violetstar."

"N-No, I must make sure my Clan is safe…" Violetstar gasped before collapsing onto the ground. Almost all the cats in camp rushed towards her. No! Violetstar, you can't die! Dove rushed towards Violetstar, hoping that her leader was alright. Everyone was extremely worried, trying to see if Violetstar was okay. Of course everyone's worried…we're all like family. She noticed Silverfire standing closest to her.

"Violetstar! Don't go!" He wailed. Silverfire constantly kept nudging her shoulder with his muzzle. Violetstar barely stirred. River pushed through the crowd to growl at his father.

"She has nine lives from StarClan, idiot! She'll come back!" River hissed aloud. Jayson cuffed River on his ear, anger glinting in his eyes.

Jayson narrowed his blue eyes. "Shut up, apprentice." He muttered. River shot a glare at him, but said nothing further. He smoothed his tail over Violetstar's pelt. "He's right, though. Violetstar's okay. She'll be back." Silverfire nodded at him, but kept nudging Violetstar's shoulder. Like Jayson had said, Violetstar began to stir. Her amber eyes began to slowly blink open.

Silverfire looked overjoyed. He licked Violetstar's cheek. "Yay! You're back, Violetstar!" He purred. Violetstar looked a little overwhelmed, but smiled at him. Violetstar wearily got up, acknowledging how worried everyone was.

"I-I'm fine." Violetstar panted. She looked over to her den, which was underneath the Perched Rock. "But right now I need to rest." She sighed. Violetstar padded over to her de, her tail trailing behind her. Silverfire ran over to her to catch up with her. I'm guessing that they're sleeping together…

"Dove." Someone's mew broke into her thoughts. She turned to see Spiritmask padding towards her. "We should train River some more, don't you think? He's barely gotten any training from you recently." I don't remember who that is…should I tell him that…?

"Um…yes…?" Dove asked him, bewildered. Spiritmask muttered something to himself.

Spiritmask sighed. "You forgot, didn't you?" Dove let out a tiny whimper, nodding her head. "River is your apprentice. Violetstar's kit. Need I go on?" Dove shook her head, looking for the young apprentice. Should I also tell him that I don't remember what River looks like? "I'll go fetch him." He grumbled. Spiritmask walked away from her, looking for River. Why am I such a feather-brain? Dove padded over to her littermate, Ivy, who was eating a carp.

"Oh. Hey, Dove." Ivy greeted her. Dove sat down next to her, trying not to catch anyone's attention. "What's wrong?"

Dove sighed. "I'm really stupid, aren't I?" Her gaze moved to the fish that Ivy was eating on. I'm probably stupider than this fish. "Whitney was right. I am too dumb to be alive."

Ivy narrowed her eyes. "That's a load of fox-dung!" She hissed. "If you weren't here with me, then who would be there to support me? And who'd I be able to support back?" Ivy murmured, her dark blue eyes shimmering with sorrow.

"Stone." Dove spat. Ivy winced. "All you seem to be doing is padding after him these days." It's not like I haven't noticed that, Ivy. The way you're acting proves my point.

Ivy's fur bristled. "I'm not padding after him!" Her muzzle was tinged with pink. You are so easy to annoy. "Anyways, please don't say that, Dove. You aren't too dumb to live." That's easy for you to say. Whitney preferred you to me, anyways. "Come on, why don't you go over to Stargaze and ask him? He's very honest and blunt with anyone." He's probably going to say I'm stupid as well… Dove followed Ivy, begrudgingly padding over to Stargaze, who was teaching Ravenpaw the basics of being a medicine cat.

"Oh? What's up, Dove?" Stargaze asked, purposefully ignoring Ivy. Why can't those two get along? He's really nice, but Ivy's just really mean to him…

Dove looked down at her paws. "Do you think I'm a giant mouse-brain too, Stargaze?" Stargaze sighed, licking her cheek. Why'd he do that? Dove could see Ivy's pelt bristling with anger from the corner of her eye.

"No, Dove. I think you're very smart, in your own way." Stargaze purred. Are you lying? Dove searched his gaze for any trace of doubt, but there was none. Y-You're telling me the truth… "After all, you suggested that we could try fishing for our prey as well. And look at how that turned out." He's right…Ivy's favorite prey is any kind of fish. "You just came in with a fish one day in a harsh leaf-bare, and now it's one of our main sources of prey."

"I kinda just fell in the freezing water, really…" Dove mumbled, embarrassed at his praise. Stargaze purred.

"You're a smart she-cat, Dove. No one can say otherwise." Stargaze whispered. He must really think of me a lot… "A-And I-"

"Enough with the praise, Stargaze. I think we get the point." Ivy meowed, a small hint of amusement in her voice. "Come on, Dove. You should get back to the mediator's den. I think River and Spiritmask are waiting for you." Oh yeah, that also slipped my mind!

"Okay. Thank you, Stargaze!" Dove purred before rushing off to the mediator's den. I think this is it…I think. She charged into the den to find Spiritmask having an argument with River. Yep, I was right!

"River, not everything is solved with claws! Getting revenge on RiverClan is not how we'll deal with this!" Spiritmask scolded the young apprentice. To be fair, it was ShadowClan that instigated it.

River hissed at him. "But Spiritmask, they attacked us without any reason at all! Can't you understand that we can't sit by?!" It'd be more beneficial if we attacked ShadowClan… "RiverClan needs to understand that we also own the river!"

"More bloodshed is unnecessary!" Spiritmask growled. "What's gotten into you, River?!"

"The fact that claws and teeth are the only way for RiverClan to realize that we're not a bunch of soft kittypets! Obviously, you'd rather cower in fear like a scaredy-mouse!" River snarled. "I think we should take Sunningrocks so they'll understand our anger!"

"Sunningrocks belongs to RiverClan and ThunderClan is already fighting over it with them! Us fighting over it too would be unorthodox!" Spiritmask snapped back. River's pelt was bristling wildly, as was Spiritmask's.

River yowled at Spiritmask, his teeth baring. "You're just a coward! If we took Sunningrocks, then we'd be even stronger than those mangy flea-pelts!"

"You know what? Get out. I'm not dealing with this nonsense anymore." Spiritmask hissed. "Go take your complaints to Violetstar." River shot Spiritmask one last glare before stomping off in the direction of Violetstar's den. I've never seen or heard River so bloodthirsty before… "Dove, I think we need to talk about him."

"Do you really think he's suited to the role of a mediator? He's absolutely vicious around us." Dove whispered hollowly. Spiritmask let his shoulder fur lay flat.

Spiritmask closed his eyes, shaking his head. "No. But imagine if he was a warrior. The way he acts, he'd probably kill without thinking twice. He's too bloodthirsty for his own good."

"Oh StarClan, this all my fault!" Dove wailed. "If only I'd been a better mentor!" Spiritmask licked her shoulder fur.

"You did your best, Dove. But it seems that he just doesn't care about his training anyways." Spiritmask sighed. "At any rate, we should at least tell Violetstar."

"Erm, s-sorry for butting in…" A small voice meowed. Dove and Spiritmask turned to see Dylan, who was shaking a little. What's up with him? "But I-I needed to talk to one of you about something…"

"You can talk to Dove. I've got to deal with that piece of fox-dung out there." Spiritmask briskly growled before speeding out of the den. M-Me? A-Alright then…

"I'm not sure how to say this, because I haven't told any other cat this, not even my mother, father or my best friend…" Dylan murmured. Aw. He looks really nervous about it, too. Is it that bad?

Dove placed her forepaw on his forehead. "I'm sure it's not that bad, if it bugs you so much." Dylan sighed.

"It's not bad, really. But it's just…weird and strange to me." Dylan muttered. Dove pulled her paw away, realizing that it wasn't really helpful. I hope he didn't notice my slip-up.

"Well, you can talk to me about it, Dylan." Dove reminded him. "I am a mediator, after all." Dylan's green eyes flashed with relief for a brief second, but then returned back glittering nervousness. "So what's up?"

"I-I…I love Firegaze. But I'm too scared to tell her or anyone else. River's always been angry whenever me and her are hanging out, and w-well…a few days ago he threatened to push me into the river if me and Firegaze got any closer." Dylan confessed, his words spilling out of his mouth. "And I know how to swim, but…he's just so angry about me and her. And then I keep thinking that Firegaze doesn't like me that way, because she probably thinks I'm just a nice guy. I just…don't know how to deal with it right now…"

"Wow. You are an emotional wreck." Dove bluntly remarked. Maybe I shouldn't've said that. Dylan nodded.

"I know." He sighed. "Sorry for wasting your time, Dove. I just needed to vent…"

"It's alright. I know how you're feeling." Dove murmured. "I like a cat too, but I'm always worrying about it. You know what I think you should do, Dylan? I think you should just tell her. There's only so much time we have before our death."

Dylan's eyes widened in shock. "W-Wow. I wasn't expecting that. You're much wiser than you look, Dove." Wait, I didn't mean for that to sound so deep. "Thanks. I'm going to go look for Firegaze and tell her. She deserves to know." Dylan padded out of the mediator's den, leaving Dove behind.

"Thank you too, Dylan. You helped me realize that I should just tell Stargaze instead of worrying about it." Dove whispered to herself. She closed her eyes, sighing. "I hope that Firegaze feels the same way about you."

QotD: What are your thoughts on Dylan, a warrior apprentice in SkyClan?

I love writing Dylan. He's a very sweet cat with a lot going on in the inside. Plus, I ship Firegaze and Dylan like crazy.