CottonTail knew there was a battle coming. But why so soon? His friends, his den-mates, even his enemies, in which he believed didn't even deserve it, would all die. If CopperStar didn't agree to fight against MoonClan and CloudClan, they would be hopelessly outnumbered, not to mention they already were.

Suddenly, a loud battle cry echoed through the forest. All CottonTail could see was MoonClan and CloudClan cats. Where was his team? A deafening shriek rang in the forest and more SunClan cats burst into the battle, closely followed by SkyClan. CheerHeart, ShinePaw, DappleFur, GlistenFur, and YellowTail, who looked better, came into sight.

CottonTail looked around; YellowTail was fighting a small apprentice who's fighting skills matched her own. CheerHeart was battling AlfaStar, the MoonClan leader, who was about one third bigger than her. ShinePaw was pinned down by a warrior over twice her size as DappleFur launched himself on the attacker of ShinePaw. GlistenFur was fighting alongside GreyPelt, the SkyClan warrior and StormPaw was fighting a CloudClan warrior who was about to launch onto GreyPelt. SunTail and LightHeart were wrestling with FrostStar, the CloudClan leader. SilverClaw was returning from the direction of the abandoned two-leg home with more loners; DarkClaw, LionTail, BlackStripe, and LeopardPelt.

More cats were fighting but CottonTail was then knocked over by a CloudClan cat. The cat hissed and spat and clawed at CottonTail's belly, causing him to freeze. More CloudClan cats surrounded him, hissing and coming closer. SnowPaw, SmallEar's apprentice, came barreling into one, scratching ferociously at his belly. The CloudClan cat raced into the bushes, SnowPaw not far behind to chase him.

CottonTail tried to stand up but a MoonClan cat bit on his hind leg and started dragging him across the ground. With the CloudClan cats running towards him, he saw

TigerPaw, LeopardPelt, RedFur, and BrightPelt fighting the three CloudClan cats and HotFoot coming towards him. The SunClan cat flung himself onto the MoonClan cat, bit his shoulder blade, and scratched his face. The enemy let go of CottonTail to let out a yowl of pain. CottonTail turned around and head-butted the side of the attacker causing him to fall back and scurry into the bushes.

CottonTail noticed the number of SkyClan and SunClan cats had grew and were winning. He let out a cry of victory as did some others. There were only five MoonClan cats and seven CloudClan cats. The leaders of those clans heard the victory cry and retreated into the bushes followed by the members. This time, the whole two clans let out a victory cry all together.

The ground was stained in blood and there were a couple of motionless bodies of other clans. CottonTail looked around and found RaggedStar lying on the ground. He limped towards the lifeless body to see his stomach slightly rising and falling. "RaggedStar!" CottonTail gasped. His belly had a long scratch that was gushing out blood and his throat had teeth marks in it. "GET GINGERTAIL!" He called as ShinePaw ran towards camp.

CheerHeart padded over to sit beside CottonTail. Her eyes were full of tears and she was staring into his eyes. CottonTail had joined the clan less than four moons ago and had known RaggedStar for only a short while. He let him join the clan beside the fact he was from SkyClan. "Oh RaggedStar, this is your last life... Isn't it?" CheerHeart moaned.

"Yes CheerStar, it is." RaggedStar stuttered, "you will make a great leader." CheerHeart gasped.

"No RaggedStar, I'm not ready. I don't know what to do!" She mewed starting to wail. "Who should I appoint deputy? What do I do when I get to Glow Stones? How do I get my nine lives?" RaggedStar just blinked.

"You will know," He simply meowed, turning to CottonTail. "Thank you, for everything. I knew you were the right one." CottonTail stared blankly at his leader.

"What do you mean?" CottonTail asked, "I would have done the same thing in SkyClan..." RaggedStar blinked again, slower this time. He was becoming weaker and weaker.

Just then, GingerTail was sprinting into the clearing with ShimmerPaw at her paws. The medicine cat examined the leader and whispered something to ShimmerPaw. The apprentice nodded and shouted above the cats. "Cats of both clans," she meowed, "RaggedStar is on his last life." A ripple of shock went through the cats. ShimmerPaw waited for silence before continuing, "His wounds... Will not heal." The tiny she-cat looked at her paws, "CheerHeart will become the new leader. After her visit to Glow Stones, she will hence be known as CheerStar. That is all." A murmur of approval went through the cats as they gathered around RaggedStar.

In the leader's last, dying breathe he said, "thank you SkyClan and thank you SunClan. I will hunt with StarClan but will watch over you." The cats moaned and shared tongues with their leader but CottonTail felt weird sharing tongues with his non birth clan leader. Instead he whispered;

"Thank you for letting me join your clan. Why did you? What did you mean when you said 'I was the one?' MoonClan and CloudClan will pay. I will avenge you." He closed his eyes and grieved for his leader. He opened his eyes again to see SmallEar standing next to him.

"You never really knew him, did you?" She mewed with a sympathetic look in her yellow eyes. "He was a great cat, always about peace, never war." She too closed her eyes and whispered something CottonTail could not hear.

"Thank you SmallEar, you saved my life." He suddenly said.

"No problem, it's what friends do." She smiled and walked away.

"Wait-" CottonTail stopped her. She turned around and looked right into his eyes.

"Yes CottonTail?"

"I just- really really appreciate what you did back there. It's not a 'thank you', it's a 'thank you x100.'"

"Oh," she looked at her paws, "was that all?" CottonTail paused, looking for an answer.

"No," he said and touched his nose to hers, "I love you SmallEar." Happiness gleamed in her eyes and she let out a loud purr.

She replied, "I love you too." CottonTail purred too, happy to let the truth spill out. She then looked at him, sadness cutting off her purr. "But, you live in SunClan. I live in SkyClan, it will never work."

"I'll figure something out." CottonTail promised, "I'll make it work out."

. . .

The next day CottonTail found himself on a hunting patrol with LightHeart and her apprentice StormPaw. SunTail was on the border patrol and the other warriors were busy doing whatever. "It'll be fun!" LightHeart had said, "plus, StormPaw wants to train with you, I'm not quite sure why."

"So, what do I do?" The apprentice asked her mentor. "I need to catch up on training."

"Right. So for mice, you go into your stalking crouch." LightHeart began, "be silent on your paws too, they will feel you before they hear you." StormPaw obeyed and got into her hunting crouch. "Now, come towards me." The white she-cat was crawling to her mentor.

"How was that?" She asked with pride.

"I could only get the front view. CottonTail, why don't you answer the question?" LightHeart asked.

"Very good, StormPaw!" He exclaimed and the she-cat started bouncing up and down. "You do need find more balance though, you were putting the weight on your right side." StormPaw was still happy and jumping up and down.

"Okay! Thanks for the advice CottonTail!" She was so happy and eager to learn. CottonTail hoped he would have an apprentice just as good. Then he thought about SmallEar. How could he have an apprentice if he had to figure out how to be with her? She could join his clan- but her father was SkyClan's leader... Perhaps there was some way he could join both clans, or they could be loners?