As Sunheart climbed to the top of the gorge she gasped when she saw the large group of rats heading right for them. Leafstar faced them with a calm gaze. "Attack!" she yowled and the SkyClan cats charged into the fight with the ThunderClan patrol right behind them. The rats attacked as one, leaping on the cats and biting down hard. Sunheart shook a rat off of her and threw it away, but then two more rats took its place. More rats leaped onto Sunheart's back and Sunheart did her best to shake them off but their were too many of them. She yowled as one rat sunk its teeth into her neck. Just as Sunheart thought she was done for Leafpool leaped over and knocked some of the rats away. Sunheart clawed at the rat biting into her neck and sent it flying away.

"Thanks," Sunheart rasped.

"They just keep coming," Leafpool panted.

"ThunderClan! Back to back! Now!" Sandstorm yowled above all the yowls. Sunheart and Leafpool leaped over to her and Graystripe and they put their backs together so no rat could sneak up behind them. It was working well. Sunheart began to think them might win the fight when she heard a loud yowl of pain. Sunheart scanned the mass of rats to find Leafstar in the middle of a group of rats fighitng all of her own with blood dripping down her shoulder and from her neck. With a yowl Sunheart leaped to Leafstar's side. The SkyClan leader looked tired and worn down.

She needs to see a medicine cat, Sunheart thought. Sunheart and Leafstar fought their way through the rats until Leafstar collapsed unconscious. Sunheart picked the SkyClan leader up on her back and tried to break through the large group of rats but there were too many of them for her to handle by herself.

"I need help!" Sunheart yowled. Graystripe and Sharpclaw were by her side in an instant knocking the rats away.

"We'll handle the rats. Get Leafstar to Echosong's den!" Sharpclaw ordered. Sunheart nodded and dashed away while the rats were distracted by the two warriors. Sunheart ran around the SkyClan camp looking for the medicine den. She could detect the strong scent of herbs and followed it to one of the caves. Sure enough Vineleaf was in there talking with another cat.

"Leafstar!" the cat exclaimed. Sunheart set Leafstar down gently and padded over to Vineleaf's side.

"Who's that?" Sunheart asked.

"SkyClan's medicine cat Echosong," Vineleaf replied, then saw the wound on Sunheart's neck. "You're hurt. Let's me look at it."

Sunheart let her sister work on her neck wound for a moment until she heard another pain filled yowl, and then silence. She shook her sister off. "I've got to see what's happening!"

Vineleaf blinked in understanding. "Alright, but be careful," she warned. Sunheart nodded and dashed out of the den and toward the top of the gorge. She stopped suddenly when she saw the SkyClan cats along with the ThunderClan patrol cornered. The rats nor the cats had noticed Sunheart. She had to do something but she had no idea what.

"Defeat their leader, and the rats will run," Firestar's voice whispered in her ear. Sunheart glanced around but he was nowhere to be seen. But how do I find the leader in all those rats?

"The rats don't act alone. They recieve commands. Watch," Firestar's voice came again. Sunheart forced herself to calm down and studied the rats. She noticed the slightest bit of movement and in their fur as if it was a wave in the lake. That's it! Follow the waves to it's source and you'll find the leader! Sunheart followed the waves until her gaze fixed on one rat. She could see one of its hate filled eyes and Sunheart knew that rat was the one. Just have to aim for it!

Sunheart bunched her muscles and leaped toward the rat. When the rats realized what was happening it was too late. Sunheart sunk her teeth into the rat's flesh until she heard the crack of bone and the rat fell limp in her jaws. The other rats, horrified at what they had seen and not sure what to do, ran off, leaving their dead leader behind. Sunheart dropped the rat to the ground just as the ThunderClan patrol ran up to her.

"Great job Sunheart," Graystripe praised.

"How'd you figure that out?" Leafpool asked.

"You looked just like..." Sandstorm began.

"Firestar," Sharpclaw finished for her.

"Firestar told me to do it," Sunheart confessed.

Sandstorm smiled at the fact that Firestar was still watching them. "Leafstar!" Sharpclaw suddenly exclaimed and dashed down into the gorged. The ThunderClan patrol followed. When they entered the medicine den, Leafstar was awake but her eyes were still tired. "Leafstar! The rats are gone," Sharpclaw reported.

"Good," Leafstar rasped. "Will they be coming back?"

"No. Sunheart killed the leader the same way Firestar did all those moons ago," Sharpclaw assured her.

Leafstar looked at Sunheart. "If you could defeat the rats like that there's no doubt that StarClan has the right cat. Have confidence in yourself, Sunheart. You can do this," she meowed.

"And you're not in this alone," Vineleaf piped up. "I'm by your side always."

Sunheart smiled. They're right. I have to believe in StarClan and myself. I can do this.