Chapter 5

When Moonflower woke up, Hawkclaw was asleep next to her.

Why isn't he in the Apprentice's den? She thought. Then she remember Hawkclaw was a warrior! Oh yeah! Hawkclaw is a warrior now!

She yawned and walked out into the clearing. Her eyes widened at the sight that awaited her.

The ground was covered in snow! She put her paw down on the soft, white stuff. It sunk almost up to her shoulders. Moonflower growled and shook it off her paw. She noticed Squirrelflight arranging hunting and border patrols.

"Hey, Squirrelflight! I'll lead a hunting patrol if you'd like." Moonflower called as she walked towards Squirrelflight. Her steps were small and clumsy thanks to the snow.

"Sure, Moonflower! Take four cats with you and go near the WindClan border. Just be careful with WindClan, they may still be mad." Squirrelflight told her. Moonflower nodded and walked towards Stormheart.

"Stormheart, would you like to go hunting?" She asked him.

Stormheart looked up from where he was sharing a mouse with Silvermoon.

"Sure, but can Silvermoon come, too?" He asked.

"Sure. I need two more cats to come. Wait by the entrance for us." Moonflower told Stormheart.

She walked towards the warrior's den to get Leafpool and Crowfeather.

"Leafpool! Crowfeather! Would you like to go hunting with us?" She asked them.

Crowfeather looked up from where he was washing himself. "Sure thing. I need to stretch my old paws." He purred.

He sure is good-humored and settling in fine.

"You aren't that old." She assured him.

He prodded Leafpool with his paw. "Get up, lazymouse. It's time to go hunting." He purred.

Leafpool groaned. "Fine. When?" She meowed half asleep.

Crowfeather rolled his eyes. "Now, mousebrain!"

Leafpool opened her eyes and hopped up, ready to go.

Moonflower let out a mrrow of laughter. These two sure got along well after being apart for so long.

The three cats met up with Stormheart and Silvermoon.

"Ready to go?" Moonflower asked.

"Yep, we've been waiting for ages on you three!" Stormheart grumpled. Silvermoon purred and flicked her tail over his ear.

Moonflower signaled her tail for the others to follow her. They walked out of camp and turned towards WindClan.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring Crowfeather, Moonflower thought.

She was about to say something when a scent drifted over her nose.

Rabbit!

She got down in a hunters crouch and started stalking towards the rabbit. The rabbit was surprisingly fat. She licked her lips.

Almost there...

She was only tail-lengths away from it now. She bunched her muscles and pounced. The rabbit noticed her, but it was too late! Moonflower dragged it down and bit into it's neck.

Thank StarClan for this prey, She prayed.

When she got back to the group, Crowfeather also had a rabbit and a mouse. Leafpool had a squirrel and a thrush, Silvermoon had two voles. Stormheart, though, had nothing.

"Stormheart? Why don't you have anything." Moonflower asked.

"I... I couldn't find anything." Stormheart said. He was acting strange ever since Bumblestripe died. Moonflower's heart ached with grief she tried not to think of him ever since her warrior ceremony, but now her heart was broken all over again.

Bumblestripe? Why did you have to die!

She shook her head and beckoned for the cats to follow her. They walked back to camp, Stormheart taking the lead slowly.

When the cats got back to the camp, Stormheart noticed a huge hole where the freshkill pile was supposed to be. He growled as his paw sunk down into a deeper part in the snow.

Mousedung! I hate snow!

"Stormheart, we have to talk." Silvermoon turned and looked at him.

"Oh.. okay." Stormheart was nervous, his mate could be very fierce sometimes.

She beckoned him towards the nursery.

Why there?

"Stormheart..." Silvermoon began, "I'm expecting kits."

"Really? That's great, Silvermoon!" Stormheart couldn't believe it. He was going to be a father! But, Silvermoon just became a warrior she was young.

"I'm scared. I'm so young..." Silvermoon fretted.

"I know, but I'll take care of you and our kits."

Should his kits grow up with having a murderous father?

Stormheart shook his head. This had to be done, just like with Bumblestripe.

He licked Silvermoon's head.

"Rest. Go rest in the nursery." He told her.

Silvermoon nodded and walked into the nursery. Stormheart walked towards the warrior's den.

Hawkclaw was sitting outside sharing a thrush with Moonflower. He nodded to them and went inside.

"Dovewing?" He called for his mother.

"Yes, Stormheart?" Dovewing's voice was full of grief.

After today, you'll be with your precious, weak, coward of a mate.

"Let's go hunting together. You need to get out." He tried to sound as calm as possible.

"Sure. Let's go." His mother slowly got up. They walked out into the woods.

"Let's go hunt by the WindClan border." He suggested.

"Good idea."

As they neared the border, the two cats split up. But instead of going the opposite direction, Stormheart waited until Dovewing was out of eye shot and started tracking her. He found her stalking a mouse.

This will be your last catch.

Dovewing pounced and killed the mouse. She closed her eyes for a few moments. But before she opened her eyes again, Stormheart pounced on top on her.

"Stormheart? What are you doing? Quit playing around!" His mother ordered him. He bit into her neck.

"Now you can be with your preciousmate." He growled. Dovewing's eyes grew wide in shock.

"You... you killed... Bumblestripe!" She gasped out. She coughed up blood, took one last gasping breath and grew still. Her green eyes now dull and staring sightlessly into the sky. Stormheart knew exactly what to do with her body. He dumped it into the stream by the WindClan side, making sure it wouldn't drift off, and ran back home.

Stormheart busted into the clearing. Moonflower looked up from where she was sharing tongues with Hawkclaw.

"Something's wrong." She mewed. They got up and walked over to Stormheart.

Bramblestar pushed through the crowd.

"What happened? Speak, Stormheart!" He demanded.

"Bramblestar, you better come with me. So should Hollyheart, Moonflower, and Ashfur." Stormheart stammered.

Oh, no! What happened?

Hawkclaw had demanded on going with them.

Stormheart led them to the WindClan border, and sitting there in the stream, was Dovewing.

Ashfur gasped and ran over and dragged her out.

"Oh, No! Mother!" He yowled, grief overtook Moonflower.

She walked up and stuck her nose into her mother's fur. It still smelled like her, but there was something else... not WindClan...

What! I know that scent!

She sniffed again.

Stormheart?

Hawkclaw laid down next to her and started licking her.

"I'm so sorry..." He said. Moonflower sensed grief in his voice.

Ashfur and Bramblestar brought Dovewing's body back to camp. Instead of laying down again, Moonflower went straight for the warrior's den. All she wanted to do is sleep, never wake up again. She heard Hawkclaw follow her.

Hawkclaw just wants me to stay with him, I need to be strong for him.

He laid down next to Moonflower and licked her ears. She soon fell asleep to it, but soon woke up again, but this time, she was in a clearing. She looked up and saw Bumblestripe and Dovewing!

"Mother! Father!" She exclaimed and ran to them. But, their scents were different, like stars, and their eyes were pure white with stars reflected in them.

"Moonflower we miss you so much. Please tell Ashfur and Hollyheart we love them, too." Bumblestripe meowed, his voice like stars.

"What about Stormheart?" Moonflower asked, confused. Her parents looked at eachother.

"Stormheart did this to us. He killed us, and he will kill you and your littermates if you don't stop him. He is no son of our!" Dovewing warned. Moonflower was speechless. Her owned brother was a murderer! And not just to any cat, but to their parents! She had to warn Hollyheart and Ashfur and stop Stormheart!