Here I am again. Since more people reviewed for Fuzzykit, Fuzzykit won the game.

CHAPTER 5

Cherrynose yawned and stretched out her paws. Then she listened for her name.

"Brightheart, take Cloudtail, Whitewing, and Sorreltail and patrol the WindClan border. Birchfall, take Icecloud, Poppyfrost, and Lionblaze and hunt at the abandoned twoleg nest. Leafpool, take Dovewing and Cherrynose to patrol the ShadowClan border. I'll come with you." Squirrelflight leaped down from the highledge.

"Can I come, Cherrynose?" Amberpaw asked.

"Next patrol. I promise."

Amberpaw looked disappointed.

"If you'd like, though, you and the other apprentices can go hunting together. You just need permission from the other mentors."

"Really? Thanks!" Amberpaw dashed to the apprentices' den.

As they left the camp, Cherrynose and Dovewing accidentally walked through a thick cobweb that the spider had left long ago.

"Ugh." they pushed the webs to their paws, then left them there.

"Those might be useful," Leafpool murmured. "We'll give them to Jayfeather when we get back"

Leafpool and Squirrelflight took the lead. Cherrynose and Dovewing followed.

As they neared the border, they found a squirrel nibbling an acorn at the roots of a tree.

Leafpool glanced at Squirrelflight, who nodded. Leafpool crouched, pulling closer.

Right when Leafpool was about to pounce, the squirrel finished the acorn. It saw her and took off.

Leafpool chased after it. Cherrynose, Squirrelflight, and Dovewing followed softly.

Leafpool stopped as the squirrel crossed the border.

"Not so fast!"

Cherrynose, Dovewing and Squirrelflight dashed to the border.

The sharp meow had come from Dawnpelt. She was facing Leafpool, bristling angrily.

"Stop right there!"

The three other ShadowClan cats on the patrol were shocked by Dawnpelt's harshness.

"Now, no need to be hostile-" ShadowClan's deputy, Shrewfoot started, but Dawnpelt cut her off.

"You almost crossed the border!"

"I didn't cross it," Leafpool reasoned. "See? Do I look like I'm over the border?"

"You would have crossed it if we weren't here. Don't deny it! You're the mother of Jayfeather, and he killed my brother and you know that very well!"

Cherrynose unsheathed her claws, then thought better of it. No. Blood will not be spilled over prey not caught, a border uncrossed. She sheathed them.

"Enough, Dawnpelt." Shrewfoot growled. "Leafpool had no intention of crossing the border, and she didn't even cross-"

"No! Leafpool obviously intended on crossing the border and stealing our prey! She only stopped because she saw us!" Dawnpelt screeched.

She whirled back around and unsheathed her claws. "Greet StarClan for me, Leafpool. Oh, wait, you shouldn't even go to StarClan! They don't admit cats like you!"

Cherrynose exchanged a glance with Dovewing.

Dawnpelt hissed and sprang across the border.

Cherrynose gasped. Dawnpelt's claws were pointed directly at Leafpool's throat. Squirrelflight had realized this, and before Dovewing could stop her, she sprang out in front of her sister. Dawnpelt didn't notice this. Her claws pierced the side of Squirrelflight's neck.

Cherrynose felt as if her paws were frozen to the ground as Dawnpelt ran her claws along Squirrelflight's belly all the way to her tail.

Realizing her mistake, Dawnpelt gasped and sprang back to her side of the border.

Squirrelflight collapsed, blood pooling quickly from the long wound.

"Quick!" Leafpool gasped. "Dovewing, Cherrynose, peel the cobwebs. Now!"

Cherrynose quickly pulled all the cobwebs off her paws, as did Dovewing. Leafpool collected them and dashed to Squirrelflight's side.

"Squirrelflight!" she rolled Squirrelflight onto her back. "Stay like this. You'll lose less blood."

She pressed the cobwebs into Squirrelflight's wounds, but they were immediately soaked through with blood.

Blood was now pooling at Squirrelflight's sides.

"Squirrelflight! You didn't have to! Please don't leave me!" Leafpool wailed.

Squirrelflight gazed at her. "It's no use, Leafpool." she whispered. "StarClan is calling me."

"Why, Squirrelflight?"

Squirrelflight's mews grew fainter. "Tell Bramblestar I love him. And Jayfeather and Lionblaze."

Squirrelflight broke off as her blood pooled faster.

"Good-bye, Leafpool." she whispered.

Squirrelflight gasped. A strong spasm ran through her body. She rolled onto her left side. The light faded from her eyes as she fell completely still.

Leafpool wailed and buried her nose deep into her sister's fur. She dropped to the ground.

Cherrynose remained frozen, numb with shock.

Leafpool didn't move, despite the fact that she was now soaked in her sister's blood.

Cherrynose dragged her gaze away from the ShadowClan cats who stood frozen in horror. She noticed a pale shape forming.

"Father?" Leafpool whispered.

Firestar dipped his head.

"Are you two seeing something I'm not?" Dovewing asked.

Cherrynose nudged her. "Quiet!"

"It's all my fault!" Leafpool wailed. "I shouldn't have chased the squirrel! We'd be back at the camp by now!"

Firestar shook his head. "Only Dawnpelt is to blame."

He touched Squirrelflight with his nose. Stars jumped from where he touched her.

Squirrelflight's spirit leaped up from her body. She dipped her head to Leafpool, then followed Firestar into the trees.

Leafpool spun around to face Dawnpelt. "You killed my sister!" she screeched.

Dawnpelt stood frozen. "I-I-"

"Is this true?"

Tawnystar emerged from the bushes. Her green eyes blazed with disbelief as she stared down at the lifeless body of her friend.

"I-I d-didn't mean to! Leafpool almost crossed our border, and Squirrelflight just jumped in the way!"

"Leafpool did nothing wrong, then."

"But Jayfeather killed Flametail!"

"That's not true, and you know it!" Tawnystar snapped.

Dawnpelt was already facing the pale outline of another cat.

"B-b-blackstar?"

Blackstar unsheathed his pale claws, bared his sharp teeth.

Dawnpelt crouched, shaking. Before she could move, Blackstar sprang forward and snapped her neck in one quick movement.

The ShadowClan patrol left almost as quickly as Blackstar vanished.

Leafpool stared sadly at Squirrelflight, who now had a very wide pool of blood surrounding her. Without looking up, she mewed, "Dovewing, help me carry her back."

"Wash in the stream first." Dovewing insisted.

Leafpool nodded. "Cherrynose, run back and tell the clan what has happened."

Cherrynose ran at full speed. She didn't stop until she burst through the thorn barrier and collapsed inside the camp.

"Cherrynose?"

Molewhisker was standing over her. The clan gathered anxiously. "What's wrong?"

Cherrynose took a deep breath and gazed at the awaiting clan.

"Squirrelflight's dead."

...

No! Why Squirrelflight? Well, I guess I'm the one who killed her off. At least she died a heroic death. I had to make Dawnpelt die, too, because I didn't want to figure out a punishment from Tawnystar. But where will Dawnpelt go?