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Sunshadow-and-leaffang ; Yeah, that's definitely something I should add. I just went back and edited a couple previous chapters!

Chapter 20

Stormstar waited for the rest of his Clan to gather beneath the Highrock, but most were already there. Even Silverpool's kits were at the edge of the crowd, play-fighting. Maplepaw and Smokepaw got to their paws and joined the Clan, but Silkpaw and Rainstorm were still with Sunpelt's body. She guessed Stormstar would excuse them from this Clan meeting.

"It's nearly moonhigh," Stormstar noted as Maplepaw pressed her body against Smokepaw's side. "A new deputy is to be proclaimed."

The ginger she-cat raised her head and looked around at the cats before her. Who would become the new deputy?

"But before I appoint a deputy, let us give thanks to StarClan for the life of Sunpelt. Tonight he sits with his fellow warriors among the stars."

Silence fell as all the cats looked up into the sky. Maplepaw remembered how Sunpelt had been killed. He didn't deserve to die; he could have lived a long fulfilling life. That is, if it wasn't for Darkfur. I will avenge your death, Sunpelt. I swear by StarClan, Maplepaw thought. One star in particular twinkled.

"And now I shall name ThunderClan's new deputy," continued Stormstar. "I say these words before the body of Sunpelt, so that his spirit may hear and approve of my choice."

Maplepaw followed Stormstar's gaze to one cat in the crowd. But this one cat wasn't loyal, or trustworthy, or any of the things a deputy should be. No, this cat was murderous and bloodthirsty. This cat was a cat that Maplepaw despised with pure hatred. A cat that had absolute hunger in his electric green eyes as he stared up at the Highrock.

The prophecy burned in her mind. There is a greater enemy who will only hide who he really is.

"Darkfur," Stormstar declared, "will be the new deputy."

There was a great howl of approval and applause that rose from the cats. Most everyone looked please with the decision. Maplepaw, however, exchanged a frightened look with Smokepaw. How could this have happened? Could he really be fooling everyone else? She glanced at Birdkit, whose eyes were wide with alarm. Maplepaw suddenly came to an awful understanding – with Stormstar on his last life, Darkfur could become the next leader. His plan had come together so cleverly.

"He never should have chosen him," Maplepaw muttered under her breath.

Smokepaw's eyes were watching Darkfur. The black warrior lifted his chin proudly, his eyes closed as he listened to the cheers that from his fellow Clanmates. Then he walked through the parting crowd, giving a little dip of his head to each cat, and leapt up onto the Highrock beside Stormstar. "It is a great honor to accept the position of Clan deputy," he meowed deeply. "It was never something that crossed my mind; to gain such high rank is a privilege, and I vow to serve ThunderClan to the fullest extent." He bowed, looking down on the crowd and meeting Maplepaw's eyes for just a heartbeat, and then jumped down from the Highrock.

Feeling frustrated, Maplepaw padded over and settled herself beside Silkpaw and Rainstorm, huddling next to Sunpelt's once-warm body. As the moon passed and slowly gave way to morning light, others had joined the vigil. Stormstar arrived last. By then camp was calm and quiet, but it was different than other nights. Each cat seemed to share something with the other. For the first time in a long time, there was peace in ThunderClan.

In the morning Sunpelt's body was taken away to the burial place. Silkpaw followed to help dig the hole where her father would rest.

"Maplepaw! Wake up!"

Maplepaw heard Snowpaw's voice in her ear. She opened her eyes, seeing a blurry image Smokepaw stirring beside her. They were the only two left. Had she slept in the clearing the whole night?

"Stormstar wants you," Snowpaw sneered at her, then quickly turning away.

Maplepaw found Stormstar sitting in the cool shade of the Highrock.

"Yes, Stormstar?"

"Today you'll have a chance to show me how much you have learned. You haven't long to wait before you're a warrior!" Stormstar meowed. A warrior! Maplepaw thought. "In this hunting assessment, I would like you to hunt in the Tallpines. You know, past the Treecut place?"

Maplepaw nodded, feeling her heart begin to beat faster. A hunting assessment! She was good at this!

"Remember, I will be watching."

On his command, she raced out of camp. Snowpaw caught her eye and frowned. She's been an apprentice longer than me, Maplepaw thought, and I will be a warrior before her. A wave of guilt washed over her, but Maplepaw knew now wasn't the time to think of such things. She exited camp, leaving Snowpaw to twine tails with Stonefall.

The ginger apprentice paused once to sniff the air, then began to head for the Tallpines. It was weird, hunting near the Twolegplace she had grown up in. So much had changed since she had last been there.

Then something moved in the edge of her vision. It was a squirrel, nibbling on a nut. Maplepaw immediately dropped into a stalking position, her paws light. The squirrel had no idea Maplepaw was there until she nearly jumped on top of it, snagging it with one claw. It was killed it with a bite to the neck. Then she buried it, and moved on to her next kill.

As Maplepaw traveled deeper into the mouth of the woods, she began to recognize the smells from her old Twoleg nest, and knew instantly where she was. She stayed alert and watchful, but not just for Twolegs – Stormstar might be somewhere nearby. Then she thought she heard a twig snap behind her. The apprentice didn't smell anything unfamiliar. Was she being watched?

There it was. Something moved in the corner of her eye. "Stormstar?" she called out. No reply.

A flash of white on her right. Definitely not Stormstar. But then, who was it? She paused to clear her mind and breathed in the scent of the forest. There was a new smell; it was vaguely familiar, but she knew now that it was not a ThunderClan cat. A memory tugged at the back of her mind. She pushed it away. She was a Clan warrior now. Stormstar would have wanted her to chase out any intruders.

Its outline was clear to her in the undergrowth. Maplepaw was in hunter mode, stalking closer and closer, her belly just above the ground. One more heartbeat . . . and she sprung. The snowy-white cat tumbled backwards, terrified, and raced away with Maplepaw on its tail.

The alarm in her head went off. Kittypet! she thought, closing in on her prey. A small memory tugged desperately at the back of her mind. But there was no mistaking the fact that Maplepaw was all Clan cat now - there wasn't a trace of the kittypet she once was. As the cat began to slow, Maplepaw saw her chance and jumped onto its back in a single bound.

As Maplepaw breathed in its fear-scent, her mind went to how proud Stormstar would be. Yet something told her that this cat wasn't a threat. She just wanted her brain to keep quiet! Maplepaw was so close. She could feel the cat struggling beneath her . . .

Maplepaw backed away, releasing her grip. The silky white cat was trembling and looking up at Maplepaw; it was so different-looking from the lean cats of ThunderClan. But this particular cat was so familiar. The rush of the chase was draining out of her body, and Maplepaw tried to think clearly, drawing in its smell, searching her memory.

Then it came to her.

"Fluffy?" Maplepaw asked, cocking her head.

The she-cat was still trembling. "H-how do you know my n-name?"

"It's me!" Maplepaw exclaimed. On hearing her familiar voice, the kittypet stepped forward, sniffing Maplepaw.

"M-Maple?" she mewed, confused. "Is it really you? It's been almost eleven moons! You look so different!" Fluffy nuzzled her daughter affectionately. "I didn't know if you had died!"

"It's Maplepaw now! Fluffy, I'm a wild cat just like Redfur!" Maplepaw's eyes glowed proudly.

"Really? In ThunderClan?" Fluffy asked.

"Uh-huh!"

Her mother purred. "I'm so proud of you. Say hi to Redfur for me, will you?"

Maplepaw's face fell. "About that. Redfur, uh, hunts with StarClan now. . ." She paused, and added, "He did explain that to you, right?"

"Yes . . . Redfur is really gone?" There was unmistaken pain in her voice.

"I'm sorry. He was gone before I even got to the Clans."

"I thought so," Fluffy mewed, lowering her eyes. "You know, you smell just like him."

Maplepaw felt emotional at these words, but found it hard to miss someone she never knew. Another twig snapped not too far away, and she remembered Stormstar and her hunting assessment. "I should be getting back. I have a hunting assessment I'm in the middle of," Maplepaw meowed, pressing her fur against Fluffy's flank. Then she turned and bounded away, glancing back one last time at her mother.

"Good-bye, Maplepaw! Good luck on your assessment!" Fluffy called. Bouncing inside with content at finally seeing her mother again, Maplepaw felt like she could hunt for prey all day long.

Maplepaw slowly opened her eyes to see Silkpaw settling into her nest.

"What are you doing up?" Maplepaw mumbled, half-asleep.

"Talking to Birdkit," Silkpaw whispered. "About the murderous Darkfur."

Maplepaw's half-closed eyes shot open. She sat bolt upright in her nest. "What?" she hissed.

Silkpaw nodded with sympathetic eyes. "Darkfur's murdered both our fathers."

"I told her not to tell anyone, especially you!" How dare she go against her promise! Maplepaw thought.

"She said she had to. She couldn't bear keeping us apart," Silkpaw meowed quietly, eyes shimmering with tears.

Maplepaw softened. "I care about you, Silkpaw. I wanted you to see the truth, so we could have stopped him from hurting you. But he did."

Silkpaw's eyes narrowed, staring into the shadows. "I can't wait to get my claws on him!"

"What? No! You couldn't do that! He's the deputy now. If we even try to tell our Clan, do you really think they'll believe us?"

Silkpaw shook her head and sheathed her revealed claws. "But you know we have to rescue Moonfur now."

Maplepaw agreed, surprised she knew about that.

"I'm glad we're friends, again, Maplepaw," murmured Silkpaw. "I hated seeing you mad at me."

"That was the worst. You know, we have to stick together if we're going to beat Darkfur. Before he kills someone else's father."

Silkpaw stared at Maplepaw, revenge in her eyes. "Proof is the only way we can defeat him, once and for all," she said. The two shared a look and a silent agreement was decided between them that night.

Only one thing was for sure: Darkfur wouldn't see what was coming to him.

Let's hope old Darkie gets his butt whooped! Like always, review please. (;