Nightclaw was on his way back to Shadowclan territory with Silvertail, Brightleaf, and Softpetal making sure he didn't try to steal prey or do anything else.
"Hurry up." Silvertail complained. Nightclaw grunted and stumbled as Silvertail shoved him.
"Was that really necessary?" Softpetal asked in annoyance.
"Shut up." Silvertail replied. Nightclaw hissed and stopped walking.
"What is it?" Brightleaf meowed in concern. She was one of the cats that actually seemed to care about Nightclaw.
"Leave her alone." Nightclaw growled through gritted teeth. Silvertail clawed him across the nose, but Nightclaw didn't say anything.
"Are you in love with her?" The Thunderclan tom taunted. Nightclaw bared his teeth angrily and attacked Silvertail. As soon as they broke the skin Softpetal and Brightleaf pulled them away from one another.
"Go back to camp." Brightleaf ordered Silvertail. The silver tom took a step threateningly towards Nightclaw, his side oozing blood.
"Go!" Brightleaf ordered again, sounding even angrier than before. She hissed and hit him with her paw, claws sheathed. He blinked, dazed, and padded slowly back to camp.
"I think we can trust you." The Thunderclan deputy meowed kindly. "Softpetal and I will go back to camp and you can continue back to your territory. Thunderclan thank you for your help on rebuilding our camp and we trust you to not give away too many details about our clan."
Nightclaw dipped his head and continued on to his territory, waving goodbye with his tail. He crossed over the Thunderpath and opened his mouth to check for recent patrols. He tasted the grit of the Thunderpath and the stinking scent of monsters, but no patrols. It smelled as though there had been no patrols for two sunrises. He padded along silently until he reached his camp, where the air was tainted with then smell of death and sickness. He walked through the entrance and was horrified at the condition of his home. Warriors lay everywhere; the fresh-kill pile was nearly gone; queens and kits were circulating the warriors with the medicine cat, trying to get herbs to the warriors; and the cats that weren't injured had a haunted look in their eyes. He made his way through the camp and to the leader's den, unnoticed. He bumped into Pinetail and the tom blinked in surprise. "Nightclaw?" He meowed. "You're back already?"
"Yes. I just got here." Nightclaw replied. "I can see our clan needed my help more than Thunderclan did. How is everybody?"
Pinetail looked down in despair. "Brownfur died and Froghop is doing really badly. I don't know what we would do without him." Nightclaw jolted with surprise. "Froghop was fine when I last saw him. Where is he?"
Pinetail nodded towards the warriors den and Nightclaw padded hurriedly towards it. He saw Froghop laying still, his breath sounding garbled.
"Is that you Nightclaw?" He rasped weakly. Nightclaw nodded sadly and licked his best friend's shoulder. Applestar came up behind the toms and tapped Nightclaw on the shoulder. "Welcome home. I am sorry to say that Brownfur died, but I would like to make Honeypaw your apprentice. You are a great warrior and I know you will teach her wisely."
Nightclaw dipped his head in thanks and they padded out to the camp.
"Cats of Shadowclan." Applestar announced. "I have something to say. Brownfur has died an honorable death, but he has an apprentice that he left behind. Nightclaw has learned enough as a warrior to take over Honeypaw's apprenticeship. All of you continue getting better and our clan will be thriving in no time."
The clan cheered their approval, and even though it was weak, Nightclaw enjoyed it nonetheless. He touched noses with Honeypaw and a little bit of happiness crept back into her eyes. Nightclaw returned to where Froghop lay and the black tom looked up at him, excitement glittering in his eyes.
"Congratulations." He whispered hoarsely. "You deserve an apprentice."
They shared tongues for a while longer and Froghop finally fell asleep.
"Goodnight." Nightclaw mewed. He padded out of the warriors den into a group of tall grass and settled down and fell asleep. He woke to a loud wailing noise coming from the center of camp and raced to the source of the sound.
"What's wrong?" He asked, out of breath.
"It's Froghop." Pinetail replied sorrowfully. "He didn't make it."
Nightclaw's heart sank and he fell to the ground. "My best friend died and I wasn't there to say goodbye."
"His dying words were that you should be the next deputy." Applestar meowed gently from beside Nightclaw. "And I am determined to stand by his decision." The Shadowclan leader stood and yowled for the clan to come together for a clan meeting. "I have some bad news. Froghop died from the wounds inflicted on his from our most recent battle, and I believe that Nightclaw will be a wonderful deputy. May Starclan approve my decision and agree with it."