Sunheart padded back to her nest and curled up silently next to Hawkfur. She fell instantly asleep and was surprised to find Firestar sitting in front of her. She sat up. "Look, Bluestar already warned us about the darkness beginning to rise. What else is there? It can't get much worse, can it?" Sunheart questioned.

"Come," Firestar meowed walking out of the den. Sunheart followed and was surprised to see Bramblestar, Squirellflight and Jayfeather.

"Did you get them too, or are they actually awake?" Sunheart asked.

"He got us up," Jayfeather growled, answering for Firestar.

"Now we just wait for Bluestar to get Vineleaf," Firestar meowed, sitting down beside Bramblestar.

"What's this about?" Squirellflight asked.

"You'll find out," Firestar assured her. Sunheart then caught her sister's scent as Vineleaf and Bluestar came up beside her.

"Everyone's here," Bluestar meowed.

"Now we'll explain," Firestar meowed. "Yes, Sunheart. Bluestar already warned Vineleaf, but the enemy will rise faster than you think. We needed to have this meeting before it's too late."

"When the time comes, the whole Clan will have to be ready to fight," Bluestar added.

"My warriors are always ready to defend their Clanmates whenever danger comes too close," Bramblestar promised.

"We know, Bramblestar. ThunderClan has faced many dangers and are not about to give in now," Bluestar meowed. "But this is not your destiny, or Squirellflight's, or Jayfeather's."

"What exactly are you saying?" Squirellflight asked.

"Bramblestar and Squirellflight, you will not be leading the Clan into this fight," Firestar answered.

"What?!" Squirellflight exclaimed.

But Bramblestar remained calm. "Then who will?" he asked.

"Sunheart, and whoever she trusts most to act as her deputy during the battle," Bluestar replied, turning her gaze to the young warrior.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Hold it right there!" Sunheart exclaimed backing away. "I can't lead ThunderClan into battle! That's Bramblestar's job! Who am I to take his job?"

"This is your destiny, not his. You must do it for your Clan," Firestar meowed.

"But I don't know anything about leading a Clan into battle! I haven't even led a hunting patrol yet!" Sunheart pointed out.

"Sunheart, no leader ever thinks they can lead their Clan into battle. Firestar knows that better than any cat. He had to lead all the Clans into battle against BloodClan," Bluestar soothed.

"But it was my destiny to do it, so I followed it," Firestar added. "Don't run from destiny, Sunheart. It's nothing to be afraid of. The only thing you have to fear is fear itself."

Sunheart thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I'll do it."

Firestar and Bluestar dipped their heads in approval. Jayfeather got to his paws and turned toward the medicine den. "This has nothing to do with me so I'm going back to my nest," he growled.

"We're not finished," Bluestar meowed. "Something will change during this battle in the medicine den." Jayfeather stopped and turned back around and watched the StarClan warrior. "In the medicine den mentor will become apprentice, and apprentice will become mentor. Jayfeather, Vineleaf will be in charge in there."

Jayfeather glanced at Vineleaf who didn't say a word before glancing back at Bluestar. "But she's my apprentice and she's supposed to listen to me!" he argued.

"It's only for one battle, Jayfeather," Firestar pointed out. "For one battle, you can let go of your pride and help a cat fufill her destiny."

"Fine," Jayfeather growled.

"Now are we done?" Squirellflight asked. "Not that I don't like seeing my father, but I was resting peacefully in my nest before now."

Firestar purred with amusement. "We're not quite done yet, Squirellflight," he replied. "We need to get the rest of the Clan and show them their enemy. The enemy meets at night, but that's not the only duty to be performed. Sunheart must choose who her deputy would be."

Sunheart thought for a moment. Who would she trust as her deputy? There were so many cats to choose from and she trusted them all. How could she choose one over all of the others?

Then Hawkfur popped into her head. He was the cat Sunheart had trusted before he was in ThunderClan and he had disobeyed his father for her. No matter if the Clan hadn't trusted him at first she trusted him and that was all that mattered.

"Hawkfur," Sunheart meowed. "Hawkfur would be my deputy."

Firestar and Bluestar smiled and nodded. "Now we must get the rest of the Clan and explain everything," Bluestar meowed.

"I'll go to the warriors' den," Firestar offered.

"I'll go and help you. You'll need it if you're going to get everybody," Sunheart meowed getting up.

"We'll get the apprentices," Bramblestar meowed as he and Squirellflight rose to their paws.

"I'll get Purdy," Bluestar meowed.

"We'll get Briarlight," Vineleaf meowed as she padded off toward the medicine den with Jayfeather right behind her. Sunheart followed Firestar to the warriors' den. He went to one side of the den so Sunheart decided to start at the opposite side. She woke Lionblaze, Cinderheart, Dustpelt, and Leafwing before she reached Hawkfur. She nudeged her mate and he looked up at her.

"Sunheart? How are you up? You never left my side," Hawkfur asked in confusion.

"We're not really awake. You're dreaming," Sunheart explained. "The whole Clan's meeting out in the clearing. We all need to talk now. Before it's too late."

Hawkfur got up and concern crossed his face. "What's going on?"

"Everything will be explained. Just get out there while Firestar and I get everyone else," Sunheart meowed, nudging him out of the den. She then got everybody else and Firestar and her padded back out into the clearing. The Clan was gathering around the Highledge. Bramblestar sat with Bluestar. Firestar padded over to sit with him while Sunheart went over to sit with Hawkfur and her kits. Firepaw was staring at Firestar in aw. Vineleaf sat with Jayfeather a little ways off. Sunheart noticed Cloudtail looking a bit overwhelmed. It was then that Sunheart remembered he hadn't believed in StarClan. But now how could he not?

"Cats of ThunderClan," Bramblestar started the meeting. "Firestar and Bluestar have come to us and requested this meeting. I would tell you why but I feel it would be more appropriate for them to tell you." Bramblestar dipped his head to the two StarClan cats.

"Thank you Bramblestar, but I believe Sunheart and Vineleaf should explain," Bluestar meowed, looking at the sisters. Sunheart shrunk to the ground. Vineleaf padded up to her.

"Come on, Sunheart!" she urged. "You'll be fine. I'll be right by your side the whole time. Jayfeather may be Bramblestar's medicine cat, but I'm your medicine cat."

Sunheart, finding courage in her sister's words padded after her to where the leaders stood. She let Vineleaf start, since she still wasn't feeling so confident. "A while ago, I recieved a prophecy saying a darkness was coming and that the two that are one will stop it. For awhile Bramblestar, Jayfeather and I had no idea who the two were. But then Sunheart stopped the battle with WindClan and said she was one with me. Bramblestar then came to the conclusion that Sunheart and I were the two in the prophecy."

"But I...I didn't believe I could do it," Sunheart admitted. "So Firestar came to me and told me to go visit SkyClan. While we were there the camp was attacked by rats and when I killed their leader I gained confidence."

"The danger comes from living cats as well as the dead," Vineleaf added. "But Bluestar warned me about one particular living cat that will do anything to get his revenge. Even kill his own son. Sunheart, would you like to tell them who you think that cat is?"

"Breezepelt!" Sunheart spat the name out. Hawkfur's eyes lit up with fear and Lionblaze and Jayfeather exchanged knowing glances.

"Yes, and we think a few of the cats are Dark Forest warriors that aren't willing to give up," Vineleaf meowed.

"When is the battle?" Dustpelt asked, his gaze turning to Bramblestar.

"Whenever they attack, but I will not be leading you in this fight," Bramblestar meowed.

"But who will lead us in this battle? We need a leader!" Brightheart protested.

"You will not be leaderless," Bramblestar assured her. "Sunheart will lead you through this battle with the deputy of her choice."

The Clan whispered to each other but didn't protest. "Then, who is her deputy?" Bumblestripe asked.

Bramblestar, Firestar and Bluestar looked at Sunheart. They all nodded, showing that they approved of her choice. Sunheart nodded. The three leaders approving was all that mattered to her.

"My deputy will be Hawkfur," Sunheart meowed clearly and calmly so the Clan could hear her. "I trusted him before he was a ThunderClan warrior and he gave up everything he had for me. I couldn't think of a warrior I trust more."

Sunheart expected the Clan to be divided in approving and disapproving Hawkfur but instead the whole Clan murmured acceptance. Hawkfur seemed just as shocked as Sunheart that one; she had chosen him to be her deputy through the battle, and two; the Clan was ok with it.

"Now you must see your enemy," Firestar meowed, getting to his paws. "Follow me and be quiet. The living cats may not be able to hear us but the Dark Forest warriors just might." Ivypool's pelt bristled at the thought of Dark Forest warriors being there. Firestar and Bluestar led the Clan out of the camp and through the forest the traveled to a clearing where many rogues were gathered. Breezepelt was with them along with some cats that carried Clan scent but Sunheart didn't reconize. Those must be Dark Forest warriors, she guessed.

"We'll go and destroy everything the Clans live for, by wiping them out on Clan at a time!" Breezepelt growled. "Starting with ThunderClan! They think they're so great! We'll show them that their warrior code is meaningless!"

The cats in the clearing yowled their approval. The Clan cats then crept away back to camp. "There's your enemy," Bluestar meowed. "Now you must fight it. Be alert at all times."

"They will attack without warning," Firestar added. "Be careful. ThunderClan has been through many hard times. I don't possibly see how these cats could beat all of you." Firestar and Bluestar then faded as all the cats began to wake from their sleep.