A/N: I got a bunch of reviews last time I updated, thank you guys! I'm sorry I couldn't get this one out faster; had to go and visit my grandma for a couple days. :( I'm almost at fifty reviews! I am very happy :D Conflicting emoticons in this line, I know... Last, I'm going to be kind of busy the next few weeks, so I am sorry in advance for any updating delays. I am also sorry this chapter is a bit short :/


Russetfur stared blankly into the fiery pelt of her sister. Somehow, her Clanmates had managed to calm her enough to make her let them take Foxheart to the camp. Now Russetfur's nose was buried in her fur, lost in grief. Dirtpaw, and Frogclaw were also killed in the battle, and their bodies lay a little bit away from Foxheart's. Ratpaw, Stumpytail, Shadestorm, and Duskfeather were all in pretty bad shape, too, but the medicine cats were fixing them up. Brokentail had miraculously escaped almost all injury, and was stalking about, telling Ratpaw what he should have done better. Of the four cats most injured, Ratpaw was the best off, but even he couldn't take Brokentail's jibes for long.

But before Ratpaw injured himself more in fighting with the arrogant tom, Brokentail's father called a meeting. "Cats of ShadowClan, please gather beneath HighBranch for a Clan meeting!" Raggedstar said, his voice low and hollow. Most of the cats were already present, mourning the fallen warriors, but the last of them trickled out of the dens in response to their leader's call.

"Today, ShadowClan has suffered. We have lost three cats, and more of us may die. It is not a happy thing to say, but that is the truth. First I must address the three Clanmates who have given their lives for ours in this battle. Frogclaw. He was a new warrior, but he was as strong and brave as any warrior twice his age. If I am not mistaken, if Shadestorm lives through her injuries, she will mother his kits, and they will never know him as their father.

"Dirtpaw's death, too, affects the Clan terribly. She nursed alongside Brokentail, and was not too far away from becoming a warrior. Because of this, I would like to give her a warrior name so that she may live as a warrior in StarClan." He looked down at the brown-furred she-cat sadly, her still form being groomed by her brother, Ratpaw, despite his wounds. "I as my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. Dirtpaw has learned the warrior code, and she has given up her life in the service of her Clan. Let StarClan receive her as a warrior. She will be known as Dirtmask."

A few cats frowned at the name, but however unfortunate, she was a warrior now. "And last, we have lost our deputy, Foxheart." Russetfur flinched at the words, her breathing growing more erratic. "She was an honorable, brave, fierce warrior, and she would have made a fine leader. However, it is my duty to name the new deputy, though they shall have big pawprints to fill as the successor of Foxheart."

"I say these words before the spirit of Foxheart and all of StarClan, may they hear and approve my choice. Cloudpelt will be the new deputy of ShadowClan." The white tom was crouched beside Russetfur, mourning his mate, but at his name being said he stood. His legs were quivering, but he dipped his head to Raggedstar.

"I'll do my best." Gingerpaw and Sleetpaw, kits of Foxheart and Cloudpelt, were across from Russetfur, and while Sleetpaw's eyes flickered slightly with happiness for her father, they soon returned to the overwhelming grief that comes from losing your mother.

Raggedstar continued to speak, though by now Russetfur wished he would just shut up. "In light of the losses we have taken, we defeated the rats! I doubt sincerely that they will ever kill another of our warriors. And because today is a day of ceremonies, I would like to now apprentice Dawncloud's kits, for they have reached their sixth moon. Lilykit, Maplekit, and Greenkit, will you please come forward?"

The trio had been sitting with Dawncloud at the back of the crowd, so they had to fight their way through. "You have reached your sixth moon, so from this day forward until your receive your warrior names, you shall be known as Lilypaw, Maplepaw, and Greenpaw. Brokentail!" Raggedstar called, and Russetfur felt as though she should roll her eyes. Of course he would be getting an apprentice. He shouldn't even really be a warrior, but sure, go ahead, let's give him some poor kit to train... "You have proved yourself worthy, so Lilypaw will be your apprentice." The ambitious, scarred tom touched noses with the small, silent apprentice.

"Maplepaw! Snaketail will mentor you. Rowanclaw, a fine warrior, trained him, so I am sure he will be a good mentor to you. And Greenpaw. Russetfur-" the named warrior froze. Raggedstar was giving her Greenpaw as an apprentice? The tiniest sliver of a smile threatened to appear- this was a tiny bit of light in a dark world. "you trained Nightpelt well, and made him into a fantastic fighter and an excellent hunter. So I trust him to mentor Greenpaw." Oh. The dark ginger she-cat tried to feel happy for her former apprentice, but it was hard when she thought Greenpaw was going to be her own.

Raggedstar held his tail for silence. "There is one last ceremony for me to hold tonight. Cinderpaw and Ashpaw worked together beautifully in the battle today, and I would like to make them warriors. I hope that Icepaw and Tanglepaw will not be far behind. " The identical toms stepped forward proudly.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Cinderpaw, Ashpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Cinderfur and Ashfur. StarClan honors your courage and ability. Both of them, though no cat really knew which was which, licked Raggedstar's shoulder.

Russetfur closed her eyes and licked Foxheart's fur one last time before running out of camp. Her injuries, while not incredibly serious, slowed her down, and she forced herself to stop at the Burnt Sycamore. The run had her panting and tired, but her physical exhaustion was miniscule in comparison to her emotional tiredness.

Her father was dead, her sister was dead, her former mentor no longer trusted her, her best friend had rejected her, her best friend was a kittypet, her living sister's kit was mute, her second apprentice hated her for most of her training, her sister and a tom two moons younger than her had been chosen as deputies, the tom she loved had raped her, she was pregnant with a ThunderClan tom's kits, she was in love with said tom, her leader was a nepotist, and she herself was very self-pitying. That might have been the worst of all.

Russetfur was so tired of seeing the cats she loved dropping like mice in ThunderClan around her. She was tired of death and dying and fighting and having love torn away. She was tired of nothing going the way it should, and she was tired of feeling this way when she wasn't even that bad off. She had food to eat, a den to sleep in, and a Clan to fight for, several of which loved her. She had no need to complain, so why did she feel so awful?

A small voice gave her a reprieve from her thoughts. "Hi Russetfur." The warrior turned to see Gingerpaw, looking miserable and defeated with her thin shoulders shrugged and her head hung low.

"Hi, Gingerpaw..." she mumbled to the dejected apprentice. "Did you follow me here?"

The she-cat, who looked so much like Foxheart, though she had Cloudpelt's eyes, shrugged. "Yeah. Sorry."

"No, it's okay..." Russetfur replied. An awkward silence followed. "I heard you're coming along with your training." she tried to distract from the obvious topic they refused to say.

Again the she-cat shrugged. "I guess."

"O-Oakfur's a good mentor. He's my brother, you know." She said.

Gingerpaw gave her a look. "Yeah, I know. Foxheart told me."Russetfur's face reddened slightly. Of course she had. If Gingerpaw was her own kit, why wouldn't she have said something about her kit's mentor being her own brother?

"Look, Gingerpaw, I don't want to talk about Foxheart. I miss her, and I know you miss her too. But I don't want to talk about her." the warrior said apologetically, her green eyes meeting Gingerpaw's.

The apprentice dipped her head. "I get that. But I do want to talk about it. You're expecting kits, right? You're going to be a mom, and now that Foxheart's gone, you are the closest thing Sleetpaw and I have to a mother. We could go to Tallpoppy, but she isn't as much like our real mother. She's agood cat, I know that, but she's a queen. She spends her days lokking after kits that aren't even her own. But you and Foxheart are the ambitious ones. The fighters and the ones who want to be leader of ShadowClan. Wanted, for Foxheart. Sleetpaw wouldn't ask you for this, but I guess I'm not as good a cat as her. Will you be our sort-of mom? Someone we can go to for help and to complain about or tiny problems?"

"You are so much like your mother, Gingerpaw." Russetfur said, smiling a little. "Yes, you can talk to me about anything. And you are definitely as good a cat as Sleetpaw is."

Gingerpaw returned the smile for a moment, before tears formed in her eyes. "You're like her, too. I miss her."

"I know." Russetfur closed her eyes, curling her tail around the apprentice. "I miss her as well. But things will get better. And we'll see her again, don't you fret."

Gingerpaw leaned her head into her aunt, flattened her ears against her head, and cried.