Thank you to Arthur Weasley Fan Club, who was my only reviewer at the time of my writing this AND the first to favorite the story!

Onto the next chapter! This chapter starts a little bit before the first, from Ashstar's P.O.V.

Disclaimer: See previous chapter.

For moons, the SnakeClan leader had taken a disliking towards two particular HallowClan cats. No one, least of all Ashstar, could fathom what this meant, although he did not let it go unnoticed. Both Deerleap and Lilystream were forbidden from leaving the camp before sunrise or after sunset. Neither ever left the camp alone anymore, if they left at all. But still, Deathstar let it be known that the two warriors were now his enemies.

StarClan visited the already troubled dreams of Ashstar, warning him to 'beware the dying star.' The meaning was obvious—Ashstar thought it rather futile to give him this cryptic message rather than a straight statement—but there was nothing he could do but keep the two young warriors as safe as possible.

But he had failed. The pain of losing Deerleap and Lilystream wracked his body in waves heavy with sadness at every paw step, threatening to leave him splayed pitifully on the forest floor, but still the leader walked on. Specklefang stayed beside him, silently worrying about the state of the elderly cat. Though she had yet to see Ashstar lose a life—he was a careful, calculating leader who rarely lead himself or the clan into danger—there was no denying that old age had weakened Ashstar.

The oak tree marking the edge of twolegplace loomed suddenly into view. Specklefang allowed her leader to rest momentarily against the age-old wood, his eyes blank and staring, as if searching for a savior that was not coming. "Specklefang," he said wearily, "how could this happen?"

The tabby she-cat refrained from answering, as she knew that Ashstar blamed himself for Deerleaps' and Lilystreams' deaths, but she was not without suffering. "Blackkit…we are not saying goodbye to him," she said instead, pointing her nose onward to their destination. "Ashstar, do not give up…"

With a heavy groan, Ashstar heaved himself away from the oak tree and resumed his padding towards the twoleg nests. Specklefang paused a moment, thinking, StarClan help us, then bounded after the rapidly disappearing shape of Ashstar.

Raggedstar met the two cats at the front of a modest-sized twoleg nest. Even from the outside, it was clear that the twolegs inside were doing quite a bit of shouting. "Are you sure this is the right place, Ashstar?" Specklefang mewed uncertainly.

"Yes," the leader whispered. "It is the only solution. Raggedfur, how was the journey?"

"Uneventful," he said gruffly, speaking around Blackkit, who was still hanging from his jaws. "No trouble at all, little one slept the whole time."

He bent down to drop the tiny kit before the nest, and it was then that all three glimpsed the spot where Deathstar had struck him. Specklefang shuddered involuntarily at the tangled mess of dried blood and clumped fur just above the kit's eyes. "Ashstar…Ashstar, will he be okay?"

"He will have a scar," the leader murmured. "But he will live."

Raggedfur suddenly gave a howl as if wounded, and Ashstar knew that he was feeling the same pain of HallowClan's loss. "There, there, Raggedfur," he said soothingly. "This is not goodbye…we will see our Blackkit again."

"But…Lilystream…and Deerleap…they're dead. They're not coming back…" His voice faded into an unbearable silence, broken as Ashstar stepped away from the nest, saying, "Good luck, Blackkit…HallowClan has not abandoned you."

Specklefang gave several mewling cries, scratching on the nest, until she was sure that the twolegs had heard. Then she, too, turned away, praying that Blackkit would be protected.

The scene that greeted their arrival at camp was something Ashstar had hoped he would never witness. The retreating SnakeClan warriors, including the vicious deputy, Blackheart, who hissed loudly as she tramped through a bush, had left a clearing of despair. Ivystep and Brackenleaf, who were two of HallowClan's kindest cats, were now barely recognizable. The hunched shape of Poppyheart treating their wounds confirmed that they still lived, but the missing fur and twisted limbs were enough to make Ashstar consider the possibility that neither would ever leave the medicine den permanently. All around, other cats were carefully treating minor scratches and injuries, yet none seemed to be more than slightly shaken.

"Why?" yowled Specklefang. "They have already killed two of us, why must they target two more?"

There was a collective intake of breath; none of the cats had yet heard of the tragic demises of Lilystream and Deerleap. Murmuring arose, broken as Ashstar clambered up the rock at central camp and meowed, "All cats join at center camp for a clan meeting!"

Immediately a sea of frightened HallowClan cats surrounded Ashstar, and he began,

"Tonight, we have lost three of our most beloved clanmates. Let us give a moment of silence to Lilystream and Deerleap, who were brutally murdered by Deathstar, leader of SnakeClan: may you be at peace in StarClan."

He paused, bowing his head respectively. Then he pursued in the speech:

"Blackkit is safe. He has gone to live in twolegplace until we can be sure that the forest is free of his parents' murderer. He will return to HallowClan when it is safe once more.

"It should also be noted that these were not our only victims tonight. Ivystep and Brackenleaf were attacked by a band of SnakeClan cats, primarily by Blackheart, the deputy. Both cats have sustained serious injury, and it is uncertain whether or not either will return to warrior duties. May StarClan hear our prayers to them: Ivystep and Brackenleaf, we wish you a full and fast recovery.

"The meeting has ended, but do not stop praying for the six cats whose lives were changed dramatically on this night.

"Thank you."

HallowClan disbanded, returning to the safety of the dens surrounding the clearing. No cat did not have StarClan lingering in their dreams that night.