Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! Also thanks to all those who voted in my poll, I have now decided on Brownpaw and Cloverpaw's warrior names!

This chapter something crazy happens, I hope your mouths drop from the end!

Chapter 18

Addertooth slipped across the moor, his belly low to the ground. He had rolled around in a patch of catmint, and so he left a tangy and fresh scent trailing behind him. Acornkit and Earthkit squirmed in his jaws, mewling softly as he quickly covered ground, getting closer and closer to the Windclan camp.

The ebony black sky carpeted above him, and he stared up at the moon, nearly full, every so often. Silverpelt glittered and shone in the night, and he smiled, knowing that Starclan was watching him. Perhaps his mother was up there, praying for the kits safety, and perhaps she too prayed for his safety.

I just want my kits to live, he thought, glancing back down at the two of them he held clamped in his jaws. They were so small, so defenseless, it felt wrong to take them so far away from there home, yet he knew that he had to find them milk or they would starve in Thunderclan. With no remaining queens, there was no one to feed them now that Deerspots had left, and so Windclan was his last resort.

His first thought had been Riverclan, but he knew that after the attack, they were weak and aggressive, and would not take kindly to any intruder, even if his intentions were good.

He spotted the dip in the sandy moors surrounded by thick gorse, marking the camp, and relaxed his tense body in relief. With a deep breath, Addertooth renewed his energy and bounded towards it, staying down low as to not be spotted.

He peered over the edge of the dip, pushing his way through the tangle gorse, slowly scrabbling down the sandy edge and staying on the sides, in the shadows. As he stalked through the camp, he sniffed the air, searching for the smell of milk. The delicious wafting scent trailed from a small den made entirely out of nettled gorse, tucked away in the shadows.

Addertooth scampered over to it, taking a deep breath before padding softly into the den. His amber eyes widened in the murky darkness and he surveyed the inhabitants of the den. There were two queens, a greyish brown tabby she-cat with three kits snuggled up close to her, and a long haired grey tabby she-cat with just one kit. The triplets appeared much younger, and so he knew they would still be drinking milk, the reason for his journey. The cats were asleep, their flanks rising up and down in a peaceful slumber, undisturbed by any fears or worries.

He squeezed his eyes shut in fear, knowing that if the she-cat refused to help him, not only would the kits starve, but he would probably have to explain the whole story to Soarstar. Although Windclan may have been keeping out of the chaos with Shadowclan and was not immediately threatened, they were still very aware of what was going on in the other clans, and would surely would on full alert. He nuzzled the queen, his movements soft and nervous. However she continued to dream, unmoving at his touch. Addertooth narrowed his eyes in annoyance and nudged her harder, this time getting a reaction.

Her mouth opened wide in a large yawn, and her green eyes slowly, and sleepily. She blinked several times, confused to be awoken before morning. She mumbled something inaudible, her mouth opening and closing as if she craved a drink. At the sight of the strange warrior she let out a squeal of terror, however Addertooth stuffed his paw over her mouth, shaking his head frantically.

"Please," he whispered, motioning to Earthkit and Acornkit. "I need your help."

The queen stared at him, shocked, yet nodded mutely as he removed his paw from her mouth. "You're Thunderclan," she murmured, clearly puzzled.

"Their mother left," Addertooth mewed quietly, glancing down sadly at his two kits. He winced as he thought of Deerspots, whom he had loved so dearly, simply vanishing into the darkness. "There are no remaining queens in Thunderclan, they need milk or they'll starve. Please, can you help us? I don't need someone to take them in, I still want to keep them. But until I find a long term solution I just need milk for them."

The she-cat paused, staring first at the strange tom with distrust, then back down at the hungry, mewling kits. "My name is Briarcloud," she said, dipping her head.

"Addertooth," he mewed, smiling in relief at her offer of friendship. "The brown tom is Acornkit and the grey dappled one is Earthkit."

Briarcloud reach down and picked up the two kits in her jaws, placing them next to her. She studied them, nudging them back and forth to get a good look at them. Finally she placed them next to her other kits. "Just one night? Then you'll be gone?"

Addertooth nodded firmly, but faltered. "Maybe a couple more, but hardly any," he said quickly, the unsure expression on her face worrying him. "I know its a lot to ask, but they need your help."

Briarcloud gave a curt nod, her gaze softening as she glanced down at Earthkit and Acornkit. She nuzzled them closer to her belly, gently pushing her other three over to make room for the newcomers. "You can rest while I nurse them," she mewed, smiling down at the kits. "I'll wake you up when they're fed."

Addertooth nodded in relief, letting all of his previous fears and anxiety wash away. His kits were safe.

Dewpelt looked up in surprise as Batwing entered the medicine cat den. "What can I do for you?" she mewed, jumping to her paws.

The black she-cat paused, as if unsure of her question. "I was just wondering if you had figured out what that prophecy meant," she mewed softly, her flicking at the ground.

Dewpelt froze, the memory of her dream with the strange rogue still fresh in her mind. "I think I understand part of it," she began cautiously. "You're friends with Dawnspirit aren't you?

Batwing nodded, her eyes slightly surprised.

Dewpelt paused unsure of whether she should reveal what she thought the prophecy meant. Although Batwing had received it from Nightclaw, she didn't quite understand what use it would do to tell the warrior. There was nothing she could do, so why worry her? However Dewpelt felt she had an obligation to Batwing, as if she had only received the prophecy to pass it on to the young black she-cat. "I think," she began. "That the prophecy was talking about Dawnspirit. I think she is the one who can save the clans."

She waited for Batwing response, perhaps surprise, shock, or confusion, yet none came. "I know."

The flat out short answer was not at all what Dewpelt had been expecting, and she simply stared. "You already figured it out?"

Batwing nodded, her whiskers twitching, and giving her shoulder a quick lick. "I mean its not very hidden, 'the light of dawn'. Unless Crookedstar is going to drop dead at dawn, then it must be her."

Dewpelt cracked a smile at her feeble joke. "So you think the corruption is Crookedstar also? He has been causing chaos in the clans for awhile now, its definitely been getting much worse. But what I don't understand is how one cat, much less a medicine cat, can stop him. I thought that perhaps if he got too loud, the clans could unite to drive him out. But Dawnspirit destroying him alone? I don't see how that could work at all."

Batwing nodded, agreeing with her, however she clearly hated to face that fact. "Perhaps theres' something she knows that could take him down?" she offered, however her voice did not have much hope left.

Dewpelt sighed, remembering the last part of the prophecy. "Yet until blood is spilled and secrets learn, peace shall not come," she whispered, her eyes lighting up. "Theres a secret!" she cried. "Something which has been kept from Dawnspirit. And with that knowledge she'll be able to save the clans from Crookedstar."

Batwing froze, staring at Dewpelt. "A secret?" she mewed, her voice shaky.

The medicine cat nodded firmly. "Thats what it must mean, theres something that she needs to find out. Do you know anything that could help her?"

Batwing mutely shook her head, but now her mind was racing. Eaglewing, she thought feeling sick to her stomach. The secret was Eaglewing.

Eaglewing stood frozen outside of the medicine cat den, hidden of the shadows. Too many emotions were running through her mind, the most primal one being fear. It coursed through her blood, electrifying her body as though she had been struck by lightning.

Her fear was for Dawnspirit, her sweet daughter, who had served her clan faithfully for so long. Dewpelt's words echoed through her mind, punching her ears as she went over them. "Dawnspirit is destined to save the clans?" she whispered, shaking her head frantically. That couldn't be true, how could the medicine cat stop Crookedstar. She shuddered as her mind flashed back to that day, the day that everything had changed.

Her scars had never truly faded, the cuts which were so deeply imbedded into her mind. Perhaps she would truly heal, for her memories were too strong, her fears too much. She knew though that if Crookedstar were to find out who Dawnspirit was, her daughter would never be safe.

Yet now she thought of the prophecy and Dewpelt's revelation. "Secrets learned..." she murmured. She shivered as the answer came to her, but she wished that she had not thought of it. It means me, she thought, her heart hammering. Dawnspirit has to know who her parents are.

Her eyes were now wide with the many thoughts rushing through her, and her breathing was coming quick and fast. But for some reason, she did not move, made no dash towards the gorse tunnel. For the truth was, she had no desire to reveal herself to Dawnspirit. She was afraid of what the she-cat might think, abandoning her only kit, never telling her who her mother and father were.

"She'd never accept me," Eaglewing whispered, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. "She'd probably hate me for the rest of her life."

The deputy shuddered at this. I cannot tell her, she thought sadly. Someone else must, perhaps Starclan. But I cannot do it.

Batwing padded through the trees, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the murky and swampy smell that floated past her. Each time she visited Shadowclan she began to like the territory less and less, and it was beginning to rise to its climax. A frog hopped past her, its throat bulging as it cried a sharp 'ribbit'.

She rolled her eyes, wondering how Dawnspirit could like such a place. Although she knew that the she-cat had grown up here, her gentle and graceful personality seemed so out of place in the dank swamp-like territory.

She glanced up at the sky, watching the gleaming sun slowly rise to the top of its journey. It had been four days since the gathering, and just as she had promised, Batwing was making the journey out of her territory and into Shadowclan's.

She gagged in annoyance as more boggy scent flooded her nose, yet smiled as she reached the clearing. She sniffed the air, searching for Dawnspirit's scent.

"Are you there?" she hissed, unable to smell through all of the other distractions rushing through her mind. "Its me."

A rustling in the underbrush caught her attention and she turned to find Dawnspirit standing before her. "You came!" the she-cat mewed in obvious relief. She had a small bundle of herbs clamped in her jaws, and she dropped them to the ground at the sight of Batwing. "I was worried that you might not, things have been changing so quickly around here. Four days could make all the difference."

Batwing grinned, shaking her head. "Of course I came! I made you a promise, I would never break that!" She paused her mind flashing back to the morning, and her conversation with Dewpelt. She opened her mouth, ready to tell Dawnspirit everything, when the herbs caught her attention. "Why do you have those?"

Dawnspirit looked back down at her parcel, in faint surprise. "I- uh- no reason," she stammered, her azure eyes flicking back and forth. "Just decided to collect some while I was out here."

Batwing stared at her friend, confused by her sudden guilt, and then back down at the herbs. "They're packed up, like you're taking them somewhere." She looked back at Dawnspirit, right into her eyes which couldn't seem to stay in one place. "What aren't you telling me?"

Dawnspirit bit her lip, clearly torn between spilling her secret and the responsibility that had been entrusted upon her. Finally she could take it no more. "I know where Deerspots is!" she blurted out, her voice rushed and eyes wide.

"What?" Batwing gasped. "But she left, how could you?"

"She tried to leave," Dawnspirit explained, her voice rushed. "But a Shadowclan cat got to her first."

Her words were ominous and full of warning, making Batwing shiver with fear. "Dawnspirit, what happened to her?"

Dawnspirit didn't answer, her eyes pained. "I'll take you to her."

Dawnspirit motioned with her tail towards the edge of the Windclan border. The two cats had passed through Fourtrees, and now stood at the edge of the hill which sloped up into the moors.

Batwing scanned the area, her eyes confused. "I don't see anything."

Dawnspirit smiled slightly, and flicked her ears over at a cluster of tall bushes. The two cats raced over to them, Batwing at the head. She pushed her way through the coarse leaves, her nose twitching as they tickled it. A loud gasp escaped her mouth as she saw Deerspots lying on the ground, amid the bushes, well hidden among them.

The she-cat's dappled brown fur was covered with dry, cracked blood, and cobwebs covered her wounds, now turning slightly brown from needing a change.

Batwing rushed over and nuzzled the she-cat, frantic to awaken her. "What happened to you?" she cried, nosing her head which was covered with scratches. Batwing turned in surprise as she felt someone else gently push her back.

"Don't worry, she's alright." The tom's voice was quiet and sweet, and Batwing slowly turned around to face him. He had a dark brown pelt, a chocolaty hue which blended in well with the shadows. His eyes were a beautiful green which twinkled in the faint light. He was from Windclan, the whistling scent of the moors and rabbit clung to his pelt. He smiled slightly, looking her up and down. "You're Batwing aren't you? Dawnspirit told me a bit about you."

"She did?" Batwing glanced over at the medicine, bewildered by what was going on. However she also stared at the tom with faint puzzlement, for he looked so familiar. His green eyes reminded her of someone yet she couldn't place it in her mind, and his deep brown pelt looked just like...

"Oh, I haven't told you my name yet, have I?" The tom smiled, snorting in amusement at his own forgetfulness. "I'm Talonclaw."

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