Chapter III

Icepaw gawked. The circle of crimson enveloped the sky until it completely hid the stars peeking out in the evening. She felt Cherrypaw shuffle behind her, stepping back. Stonepaw had an odd look on her face... she expected adventure.

She seemed right. The red sky leaked out until all the normal sky was visible again. But this time it was night. In the short time that it had covered the sky it had passed several hours in a snap.

Bluetail rushed into the clearing, with a frightening grim look on her face. She tilted her head up to stare at the stars for a moment then finally looked at the deputy and Falconstar, who had come out while the sky had mesmerized all the other cats, and addressed her leader: "StarClan has spoken to me."

Falconstar returned her gaze. Icepaw shuffled backwards. "Come to my den." he said.

Bluetail weaved through the growing mass of cats and the two made their way into the mossy Leader's den. Most of the Clan watched them disappear. Then panic erupted.

Honeyflower, one of the newest warriors, froze. "The sun is bleeding! How else can we explain the sky... and the disappearance of the sun!"

Quite a few cats believed she was right. Icepaw, Cherrypaw and the rest of the apprentices settled themselves into their den. Cherrypaw rolled over. "I don't think the sun's bleeding. It never has all these years. What could puncture it?"

Icepaw snored.

"I really do think StarClan sent it," replied Stonepaw. "They've done stuff like this before."

No cat argued. Especially Icepaw, who was already asleep. And snoring quite loudly. Cherrypaw sighed. "Now we'll never get to sleep."

A shuffling at the entrance to their den drew their attention. Comet-tail, a very strikingly colored warrior, came through with a couple of mice.

"You guys share these. There's a senior warrior's meeting in the medicine cat's hollow."

Cherrypaw looked up. "Do you get to go yet?"

Comet-tail heaved a big sigh. "No. In a couple of moons, maybe." She left.

Stonepaw brightened. "Watch this!" They had been prodding Icepaw quite violently and hoping she'd wake up (she never did unless it was on her own accord) and finally Stonepaw grabbed a mouse and swung it in front of Icepaw's face. She snapped awake. "food."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the ClanStream for a Clan meeting!" Falconstar's voice rang out across the clearing. The apprentices rushed out in anticipation of the leader's announcement. The brown tom sat on a rock in the center of the still water with a grave look on his face. He curled his tail around his paws and drew in a slow breath.

"I regret that I have to bring this news to the Clan. StarClan have sent Bluetail a sign," he said, flicking his tail at the blue she-cat, who was looking down with her eyes closed. "Our ancestors are warning us of the great peril to come. Our Clan will die unless select warriors go on a journey to save it. We are waiting for further signs on the cats for use." he looked up at the stars. "All we can do is assume that it will bring great darkness. The sign brought the night early." He swept his gaze across his bewildered warriors for a few moments, the turned and swiftly leaped across the pool and slowly walked to his den. When he disappeared the cats began to talk again. The apprentices didn't even bother listening; they had been distracted by a cat slinking into camp. A reddish brown tom performed a very large yawn and slunk over to them, curling his tail up around his paws. "Clovepaw!" Stonepaw exclaimed. "Where have you been?! You're going to be in so much trouble... Frost-tail..." she trailed off as the white warrior slunk through the entrance. She looked extremely angry. Slouching off to the warriors' den, she gazed over the crowd, double taking on Clovepaw, her eyes wide. But instead of chasing him, she gritted her teeth and continued into the den. They could only imagine what she would do come morning.

They looked over to see how Clovepaw had reacted. He was slumped over with his rump in the air, his muzzle resting with his front legs splayed out and his hind legs standing. He snored loudly. Stonepaw sighed.

Cherrypaw went over to pinch him. "Don't do that," Stonepaw advised, "He's worse than Icepaw. He's immune to pain." She sighed as she stared at her best friend. His legs suddenly fell and he landed on his side, still deeply asleep. Icepaw grabbed his front paws with her teeth and dragged him to the Apprentices' den, leaving a deep trench in the ground. All the cats returned to their dens, all pondering StarClan's champions.