The sunlight shown in from the entrance, shining down on Aurorastar. It called her awake and to her paws, but her eyes had been open for a while. She was thinking of the troubling news she had heard last night.

How many cats in my Clan follow Nightglow and not me?

"You're awake." Birchpaw came over to her leader, a few catmint leaves in her mouth. She sat beside Aurorastar as she chewed them up. After a moment, she placed the poultice on a leaf. "Eat that."

Aurorastar lapped at the catmint, tasting its strong juices. She let out a cough as it slid down her sore throat.

"I have something for that." Birchpaw disappeared behind a stone wall where the herbs were kept. She returned carrying another leaf, which she dropped at Aurorastar's paws. She recognized what was on the leaf as a few drops of honey.

"Oh no, don't use that on me. Give it to the other sick cats."

Birchpaw shook her head and pushed the leaf closer with one paw. "I insist. I won't leave you until you take it."

Aurorastar sighed, but licked up the few drops of honey. The warm, thick liquid ran down her throat soothingly.

Birchpaw mewed in satisfaction before turning to leave.

"Wait, Birchpaw," meowed Aurorastar in a ragged voice.

"What is it?" The apprentice stopped, her green eyes fixed on Aurorastar quizzically.

"I have a question for you," the leader started. "Do you think that I am a good leader, or do you believe I was never destined to be?"

Birchpaw looked shocked. "I think you're an amazing leader. Yes, you have faced many troubles, but it takes a great cat to lead a Clan out of them." She tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"

Aurorastar starred at the apprentice, wondering if she should really tell her why.

Birchpaw may have an apprentice name, but she is a fully grown cat and knows how to take care of herself and her Clan. I should tell her.

"I heard some cats talking about it," she said. She didn't want to tell Birchpaw who it was exactly. "I was wondering if you felt the same."

"Definitely not! Whoever those cats are, they're mousebrains! Don't listen to any of it."

Aurorastar was warmed by Birchpaw's words, but she knew her troubles wouldn't disappear with the support of just one cat.

You are supported by more than just one cat, a voice inside her head told her.

She watched as Birchpaw disappeared behind the stone wall again. Then she looked at the other sick cats.

Waterfall was sleeping in her nest, while Searose and Tigerstreak chatted with soft, rasping voices. Thunderpaw sat in his nest, looking bored and probably wishing he could train with the other apprentices.

Aurorastar let out a hiss as a wave of pain suddenly rolled through her. Her belly tightened with pain, and she tried to restrain a wail. Instead she made a strange screeching noise.

"Aurorastar!" Black spots began to cloud her vision. "Aurorastar, look at me!"

Starwhisper? Aurorastar thought she saw the medicine cat standing in front of her. She dug her claws into the ground as more pain rolled over her.

"What's happening?" That sounded like Nightsun.

Aurorastar let out a gasp, and suddenly her vision went black.

Aurorastar's eyes flashed open. She was no longer in Starwhisper's den, but a warm, green forest. The leader recognized the territory as StarClan's forest.

Did I really just lose a life?

"Aurorastar." A voice sounded behind her, and the leader turned to see Viperfire walking towards her.

"Did I just lose a life?" Aurorastar asked.

"No," Viperfire replied. "You just went unconscious. Though I did not expect you to arrive on StarClan's grounds." Her black pelt shimmered, though her green eyes glowed with bewilderment. She shook her head. "I guess Froststar wants me to show you now."

"What do you mean?"

Viperfire ignored her question. "Follow me."

Aurorastar, though confused, followed the StarClan cat.

"How is Ravenfire doing?"

Aurorastar was taken aback by Viperfire's question. "Don't you know? You're in StarClan now." The leader ignored the pang of grief within her.

Viperfire rested her piercing green eyes on Aurorastar. "SunClan has been clouded by a strange essence. StarClan can no longer look down upon you. We are just as confused as you are."

She turned around and continued leading Aurorastar through the forest. She stopped when they reached a hollow. Sparkling mist clouded around it so that Aurorastar could not see the bottom.

"Look inside," Viperfire told her.

Aurorastar sat down, bending her head to look down into the hollow, and a vision danced before her.

Nightglow stood on top of Brightledge in the spot where Aurorastar usually stood. She looked bigger and stronger, and her white paws were wet with fresh blood. Aurorastar starred in horror when she saw Nightsun, Eclipsewing, Icepaw, Petalblossom, and Searose lying dead at her paws.

"These cats are an example of those who oppose me!" Nightglow yowled to a thin, ragged looking Clan below. Aurorastar recognized many faces below, but there were also many strong, healthy looking cats below that Aurorastar didn't know.

The vision clouded, replaced by a new one.

"Aurorastar." Nightglow padded into the SunClan nursery, where Aurorastar saw herself lying with newborn kits at her belly.

"Hello, Nightglow," said the leader in the vision.

Nightglow suddenly leaped forward, snatching Aurorastar's kits. The leader jumped to her paws, but her eyes glowed with exhaustion.

"You are weak, Aurorastar!" Nightglow snarled. "You have never been and never will be a great leader to SunClan. Your time is over!" Nightglow threw the kits at the nursery wall, ignoring the vision Aurorastar's screeching, and then dived at her leader's throat. Aurorastar watched in shock as she saw herself lose all of her lives at Nightglow's paw.

"Do not let the darkening night dominate the shining sun," a mysterious voice told her within her head, and a wave of black rolled over her.

Aurorastar's eyes snapped open. She was back in Starwhisper's den.

"Aurorastar!" The medicine cat was on her paws immediately.

"What happened?" Aurorastar asked, her voice a whisper.

"You were dealing with a great deal of pain when you went unconscious. You have been out almost all day."

The SunClan leader glanced at the den entrance. The sky was already black, and fresh snow was falling from its inky black depths.

"I think your sickness is not working well with your developing kits," Starwhisper said in a matter-of-factly voice. "So I want you to start walking around camp for a little bit every day so you can work some of that greencough out of your chest."

Aurorastar flicked an ear. "Starwhisper, where is Nightglow?"

"Sleeping in the warriors' den, I guess. Why?" Starwhisper looked puzzled.

"I..." Aurorastar wasn't sure she was ready to share the vision she had gotten from StarClan with anyone.

"I think you need something to eat," meowed Starwhisper. "You haven't eaten all day.

But Aurorastar wasn't listening to Starwhisper. I can't let Nightglow become the murderous leader she is destined to be!

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Again I apologize for not updating daily. I have been busy (again), and I am not sure if I can update again tomorrow, but I will do my best. ^.^ Thanks to all who viewed, you guys are the best! ^.^

~Lunar