Hi everyone!

Kudos to Icyclaws x Sunspark for remembering who Lightningheart is!

I have some news though. Tomorrow, I'll be leaving for Interlochen's three week summer program where I'll hardly ever have wifi. However, my sister will be uploading one chapter every other day, (which are already prewritten) so hopefully all will go well.

I also may not be able to read your reviews right when you post them, however please still write them! It will be a wonderful treat to read all of your feedback when I get back from Interlochen.

Chapter 13

A scream of frustration burst through the air, winding it way through the darkness and in between the dead blades of grass.

Batwing's chest rose up and down as her mouth closed, her golden eyes dark with exasperation. Her paws were in a wide stance, and her head was dropped towards the ground, her ears skimming the dirt. Her silver claws slid out, sinking into the dust, and she raised her head, vexation at what was simply out of her reach rolling across her face.

"Where is she?" she roared, fury and defeat sparking from her words. "Why am I here, and not with her?"

Simply echoes followed, her screams filling up the dead silence, cutting through the feeling of evil and loss which dwelt in the forest. Batwing took a deep breath of the thick air, hoping to calm herself. "I don't understand," she mewed, her voice shaking. "She visited me before, so many times. Why not now, why do I keep coming here, but not to her?"

Out of the shadows blinked a pair of emerald green eyes. A ebony black pelt soon became outlined in the darkness, and then the form stepped out into the open. Nightclaw's face was tired, pained from his daughter's words, as if her screams were claws scorching down his pelt. "I don't know."

Batwing began to shake with anger, his words bringing out her tears. "How can you not know? Who is bringing me every night to the dark forest?"

"Batwing, please," Nightclaw said softly. "I told you everything I know, perhaps Starclan is preventing you from seeing her in your dreams, or perhaps is sending you here."

"But its not fair," she snarled, her black fur bristling. "I need to see her. They can't do this to me!"

"To you?!" Nightclaw's calm composure was gone, and now his green eyes were blazing with anger. "Listen to yourself!" he cried. "You think that its only you suffering? I'll never be able to see her again for as long as I'm here! Then one day I'll fade from this place forever just like all the rest have, and maybe then you'll regret not missing me like you've missed her."

Batwing stood trembling at his harsh words, his sudden outburst leaving her stunned. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her eyes wide. "I didn't realize..." Silence followed her words, one thick with apologies not spoken, and words too hastily spilled. Batwing glanced back up at Nightclaw, his figure now hunched over. "Why won't you go to Starclan?" she asked softly, her voice cautious. "Its surely better then the dark forest, didn't you say that Swiftheart offered you a place there?"

"Theres no point if she isn't there." His response was blunt, though it spoke the truth.

Batwing sunk down onto her paws, her exhaustion finally catching up with her. "What do I do," she whimpered, her temporary anger now gone to be replaced by defeat. "I can't solve what is happening in Shadowclan, neither can Dawnspirit. The prophecy must have been wrong."

Nightclaw wrapped his tail around her, hoping to provide some comfort. "The prophecy was not wrong, you cannot lose faith. If you do then Crookedstar will never be defeated." He then nudged her head up until she was looking right into his deep green eyes. "You must stay strong, for the sake of the clans."

Batwing blinked hurriedly, hoping to stop her eyes from tearing up. "I will," she mewed, regaining her composure.

Nightclaw smiled, giving a nod of satisfaction. "You are the daughter of two cats who never truly belonged, two cats who found each other in a time of loneliness and emptiness, yet also two cats who overcame so many obstacles which stood before them. I know that before I died, what I did was wrong, however now I will not rest until my debt to Thunderclan is repaid. If helping you is how that debt is completed then so be it."

Batwing couldn't help but beam at his words, sniffling in sharply. "Your debt is already repaid."

"No." Nightclaw's voice was now cold. "Not until Crookedwhisker is stopped. Only then will I be at peace. I helped him with his rise to power, now I must atone for that. Now go, I've kept you for long enough."

Batwing stiffened at his words, a lingering fear beneath them. She opened her mouth to question them, however her eyes flew open to reveal the brambles of the warrior den. With a groan, she jumped to her paws, bounding out of the den and into the camp.

Her muscles felt tense and uncomfortable as she stretched, lengthening her spine in the sun. She noticed Eaglewing under the highrock, pacing back and forth, clearing having just ended a conversation with Duskstar. Her long tortoiseshell fur was matted and droopy, and her ears were twitching nervously. She padded over, wincing as her bones practically creaked.

The deputy raised her head in greeting and smiled. "Batwing," she mewed, giving a little nod. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot, and it was clear she had not been getting much sleep lately.

Batwing hesitated, knowing that her former mentor may not want to tell her anything. "Are you alright?" she asked tentatively. "You look like you've been having a really hard time lately."

Eaglewing's eyes closed slowly and she took a deep, trembling breath. "I'm just worried about Shadowclan," she murmured, gazing up at the sky. "Some of the cats are so defenseless, no one there to help them. What if something happened to them?"

Batwing stared at the deputy in confusion, yet then she began to understand. "You're worried about Dawnspirit," she blurted out. The second the words passed her lips, she regretted them, for now a look of shock of bewilderment passed over the Eaglewing's face.

"Batwing," she said slowly. "Do you know something?" Her words were so vague, yet they still held so much meaning.

There was now a lump in her throat, and Batwing swallowed hard, shaking her head quickly. "I just assumed," she mewed hurriedly, staring down at the dirt and avoiding Eaglewing's eyes. "I mean, she is the medicine cat, and so she'll be the one to truly stick by the warrior code and by Starclan."

Eaglewing looked deeper at Batwing, her expression suspicious. However her prodding was cut short by a short call from Duskstar's den.

"Eaglewing!" he mewed, padding out passed the lichen. "Theres something we need to discuss."

The deputy glanced back at Batwing, her eyes still lingering with suspicion, yet she simply dipped her head and flicked her tail in goodbye before racing into the den.

Batwing let out the breath she had been holding, swallowing hard. She shook her head, knowing that after that, she would have to be more careful with the information Nightclaw had told her. Although she and Eaglewing were still close, and Batwing longed to tell her everything, and then comfort her, she knew that no good would come of it.

Eaglewing would simply be brought back into the past, forever tortured by her memories. Batwing groaned at her dilima, and quickly shook off her worries, hoping to forget them for now. She padded over to the freshkill pile, the sunlight warming her back as she left the shadow of the highrock. Only a few warrior were awake, eating prey contently. She shot a quick smile at Fawnpaw who sat with her brother and sister at the small tree stump. Her apprentice smiled back shyly, and Skypaw and Mosspaw waved with their tails at the black warrior.

Batwing picked out a delicious looking mouse and padded over to where Startail sat, nibbling at a squirrel. "Hi," she mewed, glad to find some peace with her best friend. It had been a long time since they had been together, Batwing had been so busy training Fawnpaw lately.

Startail grinned at the sight of the black she-cat. "Listen," she mewed.

"What?" Batwing stared at her in confusion. "Listen to what?"

"The silence," Startail said, giggling in childish glee. "I don't think I've had this much silence in a while, isn't it amazing? Things have been way too hectic around here!"

Lynxfoot and Rabbitfoot sat down next to Batwing, both glad to join in on the conversation. "Hey guys," the tom mewed, settling down as he began to eat a thrush.

Batwing glanced in amusement at Startail, whose eyes were as wide as moons, her ginger fur prickling. "Hi Lynxfoot," she mewed quickly, her voice almost a squeal.

Batwing nearly laughed, but stopped herself, knowing Startail would never live down the embarrassment. She shot her friend a look, and gave her a little wink.

Leappelt came up next to the cats, Panthertail trailing behind his sister. "Hi!" she mewed, managing to grin while having a mouse stuffed in her mouth. The two cats sat down with the small group, happy to join in. It had been a day since their warrior ceremony, and it was clear that they were enjoying the freedoms of no longer being apprentices. "You liking the quiet too?" the she-cat mewed taking a deep breath of the clean air.

Rabbitfoot nodded excitedly. "I was beginning to think that the crazy would never die down!"

Panthertail giggled, sneaking a bite of of his sister's mouth.

"Hey!" Leappelt cried, hitting him with her paw. "Go get your own mouse!"

Batwing struggled to contain her laughter as Lynxfoot leaned over and took a huge bite out of her prey, winking at her as he quickly swallowed.

Leappelt snatched up her mouse and devoured the last couple of bites before anyone else could, pouting at them, however she couldn't help smiling along with them.

However the fun came to a sudden halt when a loud cry was heard from the entrance of the camp. "There goes the nice silence," muttered Startail, turning to look at where the sound had come from.

Lilypaw, the Riverclan medicine cat apprentice, came stumbling down the ravine into the camp. Her eyes were wide and frantic, and her fur was covered with blood. Dewpelt raced over to the middle of the camp to meet the apprentice.

Batwing stood up and padded over, hoping to hear what was going on. Startail followed her, trailing behind her.

"What happened to you?" Dewpelt cried, gazing at the red blood which covered Lilypaw's brown dappled fur.

"Its not mine," she mewed quickly, still struggling to catch her breath. "Dewpelt, please you have to come with me! Shadowclan attacked us during a training session, we were greatly outnumbered. Lakewhisper and I need more help, we don't even have enough herbs to heal the cats!"

Dewpelt gave a curt nod, her face shocked. "How bad is it? Are any cats near death?"

Lilypaw gave a shaky nod, her eyes filling with tears at these words. "Maplepaw died at the battle, and Oakpaw just-" Her voice was cut off by a shuddering sob, and she said nothing else. "They tried to give killing bites, not simply drive us out, Scratchfur said that they were showing their dominance, that the forest is their's now."

Batwing looked back at Startail in horror, meeting her friend's eyes. Lilypaw's words made her stagger backwards, the fact that Shadowclan had killed two apprentices already.

"Please Dewpelt," Lilypaw mewed desperately. "We need more help."

"Of course I'll come," the Thunderclan medicine mewed, dipping her head. She ran back into her den and grabbed as many cobwebs and herbs she could hold.

Duskstar and Eaglewing had noticed the commotion outside and now watched Lilypaw along with the rest of the clan. The leader approached Dewpelt, his gaze questioning. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he mewed. "You know how unpredictable Shadowclan is right now, they could attack us while you're gone."

Dewpelt nodded firmly. "Riverclan needs my help. I'll leave Mosspaw here just in case, she knows what she's doing."

Duskstar glanced back at the small apprentice, who shrunk under his gaze. "Go," he mewed, nodding his head.

"Thank you," Dewpelt said, smiling at his permission. She ran out of the camp through the gorse tunnel, her fur catching on the leaves, and Lilypaw followed her, her gait uneven and anxious.

Batwing watched her leave, shivering at what had just occurred. She turned around padded back over to her friends, hoping she didn't seem too shaken up. "Can't hear the silence anymore, can you?" she muttered, gazing around the Thunderclan cam which was now full of cats, all fearfully talking to each other.

Startail sighed and shook her head in disdain. "It'll be awhile before it comes back."

Did you guys like Nightclaw in this chapter? It was very different then how I've portrayed him before, and I was a little nervous on how people would view it.

Please review :)