Hi everyone! I'm sorry I took so long to update, and with that cliffhanger in the last chapter, too. I was taking a break, you know? I knew what was going to happen but when I sat down to write I just didn't want to. Now, if anyone's still reading, here's the loooooooong awaited next chapter!

Chapter 15

Faithpaw was burning in rage and fear. He started to climb up on the cave walls to avoid the goo, but he knew it was only temporary refuge.

He'd screamed himself hoarse for the last hour, and was sure he'd heard the guards outside laughing wildly. It made him to mad he wanted to pop.

Boulders lined the edges of the cave walls, and he paced back on forth on these. Just like Akando had said, the goo had begun to seek him out, and the whole floor was covered in a couple inches of it. If he touched one drop of it, he'd be dead.

The sick cats, lying grotesquely at the back of the cave, were still muttering and whispering. Nice company, Faithpaw thought, a couple of chewed-up goo-fests whispering in another language. Pleasant.

The hours passed, Faithpaw slowly giving up hope. And then, just as the weird, goo stuff really started to get close to the boulder he perched on, the boulder was rolled aside.

Faithpaw shot to his paws as a black and silver she-cat shoved her way into the cave. She waded into the goo easily, not caring.

"Moonfeather?"

Her face was grim, determined. "I know it all. Akando's already told me. Come on, we've got to get out of here."

"Get out of the goo!" He hissed, suddenly realizing what danger she was in.

"I'm already infected," She said sadly, her eyes flickering. "Akando mated with me, remember?"

"Yeah," he whispered, "I guess."

"Can you jump to the boulder?" She asked.

"I think." He said. He bunched his muscles and pushed off hard, flying for a moment before hitting the boulder hard. He began to slide down, closer to the goo junk. His heart leapt in terror, but instantly Moonfeather pushed him back up, onto the rock.

"Let's get out of here, fast," She said. He leaped off the boulder, out into the hall, narrowly avoiding the sticky goo, which was creeping along the floor. He and Moonfeather raced down the stone hallway, out into the big cave with the water.

"Stop."

They both looked up. A bunch of cats form the Ambush were blocking the way out of the main tunnel.

"You cannot leave," One of the cats said, "You have to give birth and he has to mate."

"Listen," Moonfeather hissed, sticking her face into the cat's, "We know your stupid rules, your stupid ways. We aren't falling for them. Got it?"

The cat made no answer. He just pulled away. "You can't leave," He spluttered.

"Looks like a fight," Moonfeather said to Faithpaw, grimly.

"Alright…" He whispered. Together, as if on an unheard command, they leapt hard. Faithpaw remembered the fighting skills Moonfeather had taught him, determined to use them.

He ripped open the skin of the first cat he attacked, and instantly it collapsed to the ground with a scream. He attacked another, and it turned and tried to flee as he ripped his claws through its back. The other he killed mercilessly.

"This is so easy!" Moonfeather cried as she chucked a tom over her shoulder easily.

"They must not have been trained in fighting," Faithpaw said as he flung a few aside, making a pathway out of the cave. Together, they sprinted down it, jumping into the water and swimming to the edge of the path that led, criss-crossing, up the mountain. Then they stopped.

"Too easy," Faithpaw said, flopping down, panting. "That was too easy."

"Agreed," She said, licking a paw casually. Then she let out a groan. "Kits are kicking."

She was heavily pregnant. They had to get her somewhere safe, because her kits were coming soon. But where? Surely not back to the Clans, where they both were hated and unwanted.

Faithpaw slowly got to his feet. "Why don't we go farther up the path a bit, you rest up, and I get some prey?"

"Sure," She said, relief etched into her voice. "That sounds like StarClan on a stick."

Faithpaw led the way, climbing up the winding path. He had already chased all thoughts of Siftpaw from his mind, forgotten about her, everything. She was dead. She was gone. He didn't care anymore. She couldn't come back.

He would never believe that.

Faithpaw shook his head sharply. He found a good spot at the top of the path for Moonfeather to lie down on, a comfy clearing between a small ring of trees. She sighed loudly, resting her head on her paws.

"I'll get some prey," He decided.

She nodded distractedly. "Yeah…"

"Moonfeather?" he said, suddenly wanting to voice something he had been thinking of for a while. "I wanted to say…I…I…I want to thank you…you know…for everything. Like training me…and just…helping me." He smiled awkwardly, embarrassed about the situation.

She looked up a sad small smile on her face. Her eyes were glittering. He couldn't believe Moonfeather might be crying. It just wasn't possible.

"Uh…" She looked down at her paws, then back into his face, as if seeing him for the last time. "Yeah. Um…I'm glad I could you know…know you. And not as a mate. And for that…thank you."

He stared at her strangely, she was acting a little weird.

"I can't believe I have that horrible disease," She said, looking away, eyes glossing up again. She swallowed, pressing her lips together. "And my kits. They'll have it too. They're kits will. They're mates will. It'll just spread. I wish…I wish there was an herb to cure it."

"Maybe there is," He said hopelessly, "Maybe we can fix it."

"Yeah…" She agreed. "There're a lot of diseases, don't you think? The male-killing one, this one…I remember the male-killing one. It was scary. All of a sudden, everyone just started to die. I had a mate once. He died, of course. I think I even had kits once too. They were males though. Neither survived."

"Oh." Faithpaw was at a loss for words. Moonfeather had had a mate. She'd lived a normal life like a normal cat. Before he came along. Who was she then?

"Now that I think of it, I've lived a good life," She said, then smiled. "Nice knowing you, Faithpaw. Really nice." She closed her eyes for a moment, still smiling, then opened them again. "Why don't you go get some prey?" She looked at him hard.

"Sure." He turned and rushed off.

As soon as he was hidden in the trees, he glanced back at her. It almost sounded like she was going to leave…maybe run away? It couldn't be. No, she wouldn't. Moonfeather liked him. Trusted him. She was a loyal friend.

He quickly cuahgt a couple of mice, then hurried back to the spot where he'd left her. She was curled up neatly

Faithpaw hurried foreword, dropping the mice by her nose. She didn't move.

"Moonfeather?" He whispered, crouching down to her level.

He recognized the little, bright red berries resting beside her.

"Moonfeather?" Fear pattered his heart.

She was smiling. Her eyes were closed.

Faithpaw looked at the closed lids. "I understand," he whispered. And he did.

Moonfeather was gone. She'd killed herself, not wanting to plague any more cats with the deadly disease she was holding.

Faithpaw searched his heart, realizing he wasn't that grief-stricken. For some reason, he had known she was going to do it, going to kill herself. And yet…she was gone, dead. The only friend he had left, now ticked off his list like Siftpaw had been. Both gone. Both dead. All alone.

All alone.

"Oh, Moonfeather!" he wailed, breaking into anguished tears. He collapsed down, resting his muzzle on her back. And all of a sudden he felt like a tiny kit, nestling beside his mother, wailing for milk.

But this was different. This was more…real, somehow.

"Stop your grieving, Faithpaw. There isn't time. Get up, now. I need your help."

Faithpaw jumped up, fur on end, as Siftpaw stepped out of the trees, her blue eyes dark and serious.

Cliffhanger! (Sort of) I'm really, really, really, really sorry it waited so long before updating. I kind of liked this chapter, even though it was kind of rushed. Anyway, bye-bye Moonfeather, hello Siftpaw! Predictions, anyone? Thanks to all who've reviewed! It really warms my heart, as I have mentioned many times before.