-sniff- No reviews? I do like reviews people, so feel free to do so! I need help here - what am I doing right? Wrong? It is very much appreciated! Anyways, here's the next chapter!

Believe Rosepaw, and Rosepaw's prophetic announcement - Rosepaw's first one, in fact.

"How do you know it was from StarClan, Rosepaw? Leaves fall all the time."

"StarClan often send messages in common things like that…" Rosepaw murmured softly, unable to meet her leader's piercing gaze. "I don't think it could be any clearer."

"You sure it was glory?" Streamstar mewed, giving her chest a few licks. "Spottedlight has yet to do anything but bring us shame." Rosepaw didn't have an answer to that. Streamstar went on: "And the sign you described…" she was silent for a moment. "Its awful clear, isn't it? I've never known StarClan to be so straightforward."

In other words, Streamstar was determined to believe that Spottedlight was carrion. Useful in hunting, and patrols – nothing else. Spottedlight, though once popular, was shunned like she had some kind of disease. Whenever Robinwing ordered cats to go with Spottedlight to hunt or patrol, distaste clearly shown on the other cats' faces. Rosepaw remembered, curling her tail with amusement, when Thorntail came to the Clan. His first chosen mate had been Spottedlight, as she was pretty, and easy. No conversation needed for her. But he had dumped her, and her one friend was lost.

"I know it has to be a sign," Rosepaw purred.

"And you're sure it means glory?" Streamstar asked her again. Rosepaw blinked. Why was Streamstar questioning her like this? Glory was one of the easiest signs to figure out.

"It was the rising sun." Rosepaw explained. "That always means glory – it's a basic sign, but it is a sign. If it was the setting sun…"

"It would mean shame," Streamstar finished for her, letting out a small sigh of annoyance. "I believe you, Rosepaw." She murmured. "But glory for whom? For ThunderClan? WindClan? Just Spottedlight?"

"It happened in the ThunderClan camp…" Rosepaw pointed out – like that had anything to do with anything.

"I am going to keep an eye on Spottedlight. I think I'll go on a patrol with her." Rosepaw sustained a gasp. Streamstar was very picky about who she'd patrol with – apparently, when she was a warrior she got into endless arguments with the deputy at the time when she was placed with cats she disliked. How a cat like that got picked for deputy, and then leader, was not for Rosepaw to think about. "Spottedlight," Streamstar continued. "You know, I don't believe I've spoken to her since she betrayed us, and I passed sentence…" Streamstar chuckled to herself, and got to her paws. "Funny. She's my niece, and I haven't spoken to her for…" Streamstar trailed off. "Rosepaw, you may take your leave." She purred diplomatically. "Try to keep this quiet, okay? All we know is Spottedlight, and Glory. That can be good, or bad."

Rosepaw had to agree. She hadn't thought about it like that. "Are you going to have her watched?"

"She's already watched," Streamstar pointed out. Apparently there were some sneaky cats in ThunderClan who constantly had an eye on Spottedlight. "But," Streamstar went on. "I will have Applefur stay close to her. Applefur's a good strong warrior…" Rosepaw blinked, thinking that Applefur w as truly just as traitorous as Spottedlight – just better at hiding it. Rosepaw was about to tell Streamstar about the incident with her, but remembered Applefur's warning. She'd keep quiet. "I have to go on that patrol," Streamstar purred, stepping towards the hole in the HighRock that would lead her out of the den. "So…"

Streamstar was implying that Rosepaw should leave, so the ginger apprentice got to her paws. "Remember," Streamstar growled as she left. "Avoid Thorntail."

She brought that up again. Rosepaw sighed. They were just friends! And this friendship was causing her lots of trouble! If Applefur and Streamstar thought that something was going on, what did the rest of the Clan think?

…

When Rosepaw padded from Streamstar's den, she stretched her gaze across the camp. Streamstar, Spottedlight, and Howlingheart were just disappearing into the gorse tunnel, for the patrol Streamstar had mentioned.

Rosepaw sighed. It was Sun high already. Cobwebs would be hard to find now.

She starting bounding back to her den, to check herb stocks maybe, when a yowl behind her stopped her.

Thorntail…?

She turned around hopefully, but didn't see Thorntail anywhere in the clearing. Suddenly she recalled Robinwing setting the patrols – Thorntail had been sent on a SunHigh patrol of the ShadowClan border. Of course her friend wouldn't be here.

Instead, Thorntail's best and most loyal friend, the dark tom Blackshadow was bounding towards her, his amber eyes brimming with joy. "Howdy," he purred.

"Hello." Rosepaw mewed curtly. "Is something wrong?"

Blackshadow looked at her for a moment, confused. Suddenly he remembered she was the medicine cat, apparently, and chuckled. "No, no no." he purred. "I'm free from any hunting or border patrols," he purred. "And truthfully, I have nothing useful to do. And you're the medicine cat…so…um…"

Rosepaw nodded. "You want to help me." Rosepaw regarded the sturdy black tom for a moment. Usually only apprentices helped her out. And usually they were ordered. She couldn't remember the last time, besides Thorntail, that a cat had offered to help her out.

"Thank you." She mewed curtly. "I was going to check my herb stocks to see what I need."

"Fine."

She started padding towards her den, and she was acutely aware of Blackshadow beside her, until he spoke:

"I was shocked," he purred. "To see a cat like you so friendly with Thorntail."

Rosepaw stopped dead in her tracks. "We are friends. Of course I'd be friendly."

Blackshadow got the message in her words, and shook his head. "No, no, no." he growled, stiffening. "I know you are. I wasn't making implications…" he thought for a moment. "He just seems like the type you'd be repulsed by."

"He was friendly to me." Rosepaw mewed simply, as she started into her den. Blackshadow squeezed inside, and settled himself down in a bed of moss that some apprentices had collected for sick cats. "Streamstar doesn't want me to talk to him anymore," Rosepaw mumbled, examining the herb stocks.

"Can you figure out why?" Blackshadow rolled his eyes as he asked the sarcastic question. "I mean, Thorntail doesn't exactly have high morals. He's with a new she-cat every moon. I'm surprised we don't have more queens."

Rosepaw sighed. "Well, I'm a medicine cat." She growled briskly, as she noticed that she was running low on Coltsfoot.

"Like Thorntail would care," Blackshadow chuckled.

"Thorntail acted funny when Streamstar confronted him," Rosepaw murmured, gently poking at some nettleseed with her tail. "He said something odd, about a mother's nurturing."

"Well, that makes sense." Blackshadow purred, giving his chest a few licks. "Thorntail told me that his mother died when he was real small. He hardly recalls her."

Rosepaw suddenly felt cold. "I know that feeling…" she murmured softly, lowering her gaze to her paws.

"Flamesoul?" Blackshadow asked, naming Rosepaw's mentor.

"My father," Rosepaw growled.

Blackshadow blinked at her, as if he couldn't imagine Streamstar taking a mate, and opened his mouth to say something when a yowl outside interrupted them.

"You mouse-brain! That was a huge rabbit!" it was Robinwing's voice, from the far edge of camp. She had to have been returning from a patrol.

"Why me?" Thorntail was yowling now. Rosepaw blinked at Blackshadow, and Blackshadow just looked embarrassed for his friend as the argument went on. "You always blame me!" Thorntail growled. "It was Shrewtail who snapped the twig!"

Evidently, Robinwing had been hunting a rabbit and somebody scared it off before she could make the kill. Rosepaw sighed. ThunderClan clearly didn't have that many problems, if they were having a heated argument over something so frivolous.

"You were the one who was too busy looking at Featherfrost to even notice that there WAS a rabbit!" Robinwing snarled.

The argument went on, and Blackshadow and Rosepaw quickly began to ignore it. "I think Thorntail's…insane need for she-cats," Blackshadow chuckled, referring to Robinwing's announcement that Thorntail had been hunting Featherfrost instead of prey, "is because he couldn't be his mother's little kitten when he was young."

Rosepaw purred, imagining the incident of the patrol in her mind. Robinwing and Thorntail were always going at it.

"You know," Blackshadow continued. "Robinwing and Thorntail? They may argue and tease each other a lot, but deep down they really hate each other." Rosepaw purred at Blackshadow's joke. "Anyways, I'm low on Coltsfoot, Poppyseeds, and Cobwebs."

Blackshadow nodded, and got to his paws. "We better go get them then."

The two cats left the den, and Rosepaw soon found herself walking through the forest with Blackshadow.

Blackshadow bent down, and was sniffing the earth curiously. "I smell Catmint," he purred. "Do you need any of that?"

Rosepaw shook her head. "Thorntail brought me plenty the other day."

Blackshadow sighed, and sat up. "Rosepaw, are you in love with Thorntail?"

Why did everyone think that? Rosepaw narrowed her eyes and let Blackshadow go on.

"You see…your eyes light up whenever you talk about him."

Rosepaw took his word for it. That was probably true "I have a crush on him," Rosepaw murmured. "But I'm a medicine cat. I know how to keep my emotions in check. Thorntail is my friend. Nothing more."

Blackshadow nodded, and Rosepaw noticed that he looked slightly put out. "I love his outlook on life." Rosepaw continued. "And his strength…"

Blackshadow nodded blankly, and curled his tail around his paws. "I know what you mean." He purred. "Thorntail is like that. He just makes everyone around him love him, somehow. Did you hear those RiverClan cats at the Gathering?"

Rosepaw nodded blankly, recalling the yowls of RiverClan cats begging for Thorntail's return. Rosepaw would've thought that they would have hated Thorntail for leaving them – not begging for him to come back.

"Even after betraying RiverClan, they still love him. He's still popular there!" Blackshadow sighed. "I bet, if he wanted to, he could just walk into their camp, straight up to the deputy, and tell her to mate with him…"

"And she would."

"Probably." Blackshadow sighed. "The Warrior Code is really out of whack these days, huh? Everyone seems to be holding love in higher regard then the Warrior Code. It's ridiculous." Rosepaw nodded blankly. It was true, she realized as she remembered Applefur.

"I wonder why,"

"Who knows why." Blackshadow sighed. "But it's true."

Rosepaw opened her mouth to answer, when a sharp yowl behind her interrupted.

"Rosepaw! Rosepaw!"

She sharply turned her head, to see the brown she-cat Dawnshimmer bounding towards her.

Dawnshimmer. Dawnshimmer was one of the cats Applefur had had with her when they attacked Rosepaw.

"Wh-what Dawnshimmer?" Rosepaw inched closer to Blackshadow, hoping maybe he would protect her.

"There's a cat! Hurt! You need to help her, Rosepaw!"

Rosepaw stared at Dawnshimmer doubtfully.

"Come on!" Dawnshimmer pushed Blackshadow, the Ever Strong Warrior out of the way, and flicked her tail into the distance. "Follow me."

"Bl-Blackshadow…" Rosepaw murmured.

"Don't worry. You go help that cat," Blackshadow purred. "I'll look for the coltsfoot…unless I should tell Streamstar?"

"It's nothing so serious." Dawnshimmer chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Rosepaw's a good medicine cat. She just needs to help the cat out. No need to tell anyone."

Blackshadow nodded. "Okay Dawnshimmer. But if you…"

Rosepaw didn't hear the rest. Blackshadow had started to follow the scent of Coltsfoot – trying to be helpful. How would he know that there was probably no injured cat?

She opened her mouth to call for him, but Dawnshimmer swept her tail over her mouth in a quick gesture. "We need to hurry, Rosepaw!" she gasped. "Follow me!"

Rosepaw stood still for a moment. Maybe there was an injured cat after all. She bounded after Dawnshimmer on winged paws. She was a medicine cat. Even if it was Applefur, Rosepaw would heal her. Rosepaw purred to herself. If it was Applefur, maybe the cat would be so grateful to Rosepaw, she'd forget about her jealousy over Thorntail.

But Rosepaw had no such luck.

Rosepaw found herself in Sunningrocks. The River Flowed In front of her. Dawnshimmer had moved behind her.

In other words, she was trapped.

"Didn't Streamstar tell you," Rosepaw heard Applefur's voice above her, and she raised her eyes to see the ginger cat's icy eyes flashing down at her. Applefur had settled herself on one of the SunningRocks. Featherfrost, who must have came to SunningRocks shortly after Thorntail was looking her over (How did Applefur feel about that? Would Featherfrost tell her?) was right next to her. "Didn't Streamstar ever tell you," Applefur repeated her voice as cold as leaf-bare. "That if you don't do as you told, you won't be able to go out and play with your friends?" she leaped from the rock, and Featherfrost followed suit. Rosepaw felt a jolt of fear rise up in her, and she felt like she had just eaten a bad piece of prey. There was no escape.

Rosepaw backed up, away from Applefur, but had forgotten about Dawnshimmer, who she ran into. Rosepaw squeaked, and padded forward a few paw-steps.

She was too busy contemplating whether she should jump in the river to escape, or not, when she felt a sharp pain in her cheek, and was knocked to the ground. She stared up at her, to see Applefur looming over her, licking some of Rosepaw's blood from her claws. Rosepaw blinked. Applefur, in his light, with her coat burning with a flame, looked exactly like Rosepaw herself. She shivered, suddenly thanking StarClan that she walked the path of a medicine cat, and savored the realization that she would never look as Applefur did now. Silver claws, glinting in the sunlight, pelt burning aflame, eyes maniacal, clearly enjoying the taste of blood.

"You're a traitor! All three of you…" Rosepaw murmured softly.

"All well." Applefur growled. "Nobody's ever going to know, are they? At least, they better not. Anyways," Applefur started pacing back and forth in front of Rosepaw. Occasionally Applefur's tail would brush Rosepaw's cheek. "I saw you with Thorntail. You are even more mouse-brained then I thought. Didn't you listen to me before?"

The shrill laughter of Dawnshimmer and Featherfrost rang in Rosepaw's ears.

"Why are you so…angry?" Rosepaw burst out. "You said it yourself!" Applefur stopped her pacing. "I'm slow, and…not exactly that bright." Rosepaw growled. "I'm not pretty, and even if I was, I'm a medicine cat. Thorntail would never give me a second glance! Ever! Leave me alone!" As se came to the last sentence, Rosepaw's voice was in a shrill scream louder then a rabbit's final cry before death.

Hopefully this wasn't Rosepaw's final cry!

"Your existence," Applefur growled staring straight into Rosepaw's eyes. "Annoys me." Applefur lifted up an unsheathed claw, and it glistened in the sunlight. "Promise me that you'll never speak to Thorntail again," she growled. "And I'll promise you, that you'll be able to keep your eyes."

"My eyes…" Rosepaw murmured. The words suddenly tumbled from her mouth before she could think about what she was saying: "If I give you my eyes, will you give me Thorntail?" Applefur stared blankly at her, her eyes glowing with confusion. "If I never see again, if I never SEE Thorntail again, but I get to hear his voice… speaking to me… in my ear…will you let me have him? I mean…" Rosepaw gulped. "if I am in love with Thorntail?" Rosepaw suddenly recalled Thorntail, in her den, telling her that he'd protect her. Where are you now, Thorntail?

"Featherfrost, Dawnshimmer," Applefur growled. "Do me a favor." The two she-cats looked at their friend curiously. "Could you move Rosepaw a little closer to the river?"

"A rabbit length away good?" Dawnshimmer asked stepping towards Rosepaw, and gently pushing her towards the flowing waters. Rosepaw didn't bother fighting, and was gently pushed towards RiverClan's prized source of prey.

"That's fine." Applefur growled. "I mean, come on. I'm just going to push her in."

Rosepaw's eyes stared blankly at the river. Its current was strong. If she fell in today… She imagined herself flowing away, never to be seen or heard from again.

"StarClan help me." Rosepaw murmured.