Golden Dawn: Lost Sunrise

by Lightflame The Warrior

"I wonder if the wind has regrets. Can it pierce my heart, even now, and find the echoes of who I once was?" Long ago, the Three fought and died to protect the Clans. Now, war is coming, and sleeping foes have risen. For any hope of survival to exist, sworn enemies must unite to overcome both the darkness in the Clans and within themselves. The stars will tremble in their wake.

6. Chapter 5 Darkclaw

At long last, we get to see the third main point of view character, Darkclaw. This chapter was generally fun to write. You would not believe how useful The Forgotten Warrior is for reference. It's like, the best book ever. Anyway, let's see if you're prepared to understand Darkclaw after what he did to Tidepaw and Brightpaw. His story is a complex one. I hope you enjoy his first chapter.

Chapter 5

The warmth of the sun spread around the Gathering Island as cats from all the Clans filed into the clearing. Among the ShadowClan cats stood Darkclaw, the Clan Leader's son. From his vantage point beside Toadclaw, Darkclaw studied the myriad group of cats from other Clans. He knew that he was naturally superior to the other warriors, but it never hurt to watch out for cats that he may one day face on the battlefield.

"You're looking well, Darkclaw," someone said. "At least, as well as a ShadowClan tom with a distaste for grooming can look."

Darkclaw eyed Snowcloud, the newcomer who had teasingly spoken these words. As always, his friend had caught him unawares.

"I didn't think WindClan medicine cats would be in any position to judge," he replied to the pretty white she-cat. "All day you sit around and get yourselves covered in herbs."

She smiled at him, green eyes sparkling. Then she noticed his injuries and gasped. "What happened to your ear?" she asked, concerned.

"Tidepaw happened," Darkclaw grunted. He continued scanning the island. If Bonetail had plans for this Gathering, he didn't want to be caught off guard.

Snowcloud nodded, understanding dawning on her. "I met Tidepaw at the last Gathering," she mused. "She's a pretty cute cat. I never imagined that she would be so violent."

Darkclaw shrugged. "Cute? Well, that's certainly not a word I would use to describe her."

Darkclaw hated Tidepaw. He knew it was an illogical type of hatred, one that the Clan Leader's son shouldn't hold onto. And yet, he nurtured it, letting it blossom into fury against the hapless she-cat. She could take it. He knew that Tidepaw had managed to force some fighting skills through her thick skull.

He snorted, then changed the subject. "So, are you thinking of taking an apprentice?" he asked.

Snowcloud grinned mischievously. "Why Darkclaw, my good friend, I'm far too young and pretty to start giving away my trade secrets to some kit," she teased. "Although, if you would care to teach me how to be old and cranky, then I might consider getting one of them, just so I'll have someone to snap at."

"Nice excuse," replied Darkclaw. "But we all know that you don't want an apprentice so that you don't outpace your best friend, right?"

Snowcloud shrugged. "In all seriousness, I don't feel like any of the kits are right for the job," she explained. "This one tom, Gustkit, seems to have an interest in herbs, but his wits don't seem sharp enough for my kind of work." She relaxed visibly, smiling. "Gustkit, Hawkkit, and Leafkit are Galeflight and Dovesong's kits. The three of them really are adorable! You should see them playing sometime."

Darkclaw scooted away from Snowcloud. He bumped into Toadclaw, who hissed in annoyance. "You're so annoying when you act bubbly!" he snapped. "Anyway, I don't have time to gawk at kits. I'm going to get my own apprentice, and show my Clan what a great warrior I am."

Darkclaw looked up at Duskstar, who was focusing on the Clan cats intently. He wished with all his heart that she would glance at him and acknowledge his presence, but she didn't even look his way. I just need to get an apprentice. Then when Redclaw retires, you'll make me deputy. Right?

Duskstar hadn't actually stayed in the nursery to raise Darkclaw and Cherrynose. That would have been stupid. Instead, she'd stopped her milk with parsley and another queen, Lilymist, had raised them.

Darkclaw sighed. He'd desperately wanted his mother to say something to him, but it looked like he would have to wait until later for that. She hadn't even chosen him to come to the emergency Gathering. Redclaw had been the one to pick which warriors would come and discuss Bonetail's threats.

"So how have things been working out back in ShadowClan?" Snowcloud asked.

Darkclaw shrugged. "Same as always, I suppose," he told her. "I don't need supervision now that I'm a warrior, but it forces me to make extra time for training. Most of my Clanmates are fine. There's this one kit called Hopekit that bothers me, but I can ignore her. Really, Bonetail's rebellion is the most exciting thing that's ever happened around here."

"Would you two young mates shut up and wait for the leaders to speak?" snapped Toadclaw. "Your chatter is getting on my nerves."

"Mates?" Darkclaw questioned the senior warrior. "No way! That would break the code in so many ways."

"I'll just move away from this youthful chatter," sighed Toadclaw, padding off to where other ShadowClan cats were conversing.

Darkclaw turned back to Snowcloud, happy to finally have some privacy with the white Medicine Cat. As always, his wishes were immediately disregarded by some stupid cat from another Clan.

"Excuse me!" a she-cat screeched. "My name's Risingleaf. Would you mind if I sat there and looked over at the other cats?"

"Sure, come right ahead," Darkclaw reluctantly growled, encouraged by Snowcloud's prodding tail. Risingleaf excitedly padded up the slope to where Darkclaw and Snowcloud were perched. She plopped down in an incredibly irritating manner.

"Wow, I can see all my ThunderClan Clanmates," the she-cat giggled.

"Show a bit more respect to me," Darkclaw hissed at her. "I'm the Clan Leader's son."

Wind whipped Risingleaf's fur around as she momentarily considered him. "Oh, you're the fighting guy!" she exclaimed. "I've talked to some of your Clanmates, and they say that you won't shut up about battling or the rights you should have as Duskstar's kit." Darkclaw roared and leaped at her, claws unsheathed. She gracefully skipped out the way, smiling. "I guess your fighting skills have been vastly overstated."

Darkclaw fumed, but he pulled himself together. If Risingleaf really started to bother him, he could always invoke the Law of Lionblaze. It was an ancient rite that allowed a warrior to challenge a cat from another Clan. If the other warrior, and both of their Clan Leaders, agreed, the two would meet in one-on-one combat. This was usually used when cats felt that their honour had been disgraced.

"You two, the leaders are starting to speak," Snowcloud whispered.

Darkclaw snapped to attention. The deputies, Mistfur, Redclaw, Sandstone, and Woodfur, had taken their places beneath the tree. Meanwhile, Thornstar, Duskstar, Ravenstar, and Otterstar each occupied a branch on the majestic oak at the centre of the island.

Ravenstar began the Gathering. "By now, we have all been informed of Bonetail, and his ravenous desire for chaos," he declared. "He claims that he will stop his insane quest if we give up our Medicine Cats. I have called this Gathering to discuss those threats. Please, all of you share what is on your minds." He nodded his head, gesturing for any cat that so desired to speak out.

From the clearing, the ShadowClan she-cat Creamfur declared, "We must not give in to Bonetail. The medicine cats are our link to StarClan. They are the heartbeat of the Clans."

"Instead of giving up, we can do as we have always done and fight!" suggested Jaytalon, a ThunderClan tom.

"Bonetail proved his strength to us during the Gathering battle," protested Badgerclaw. "Perhaps we could find a solution that does not involve bloodshed?" Darkclaw glared at the lean WindClan tom as he finished speaking.

The RiverClan she-cat Scaleshine was the next to speak. "Are you suggesting we give up?" she snarled. "RiverClan cannot afford to lose Nightheart. Even if we could, we aren't snake-hearted cowards who would forsake a Clanmate to save ourselves."

"Of course he wasn't suggesting that!" snapped Pinefur. "WindClan are not foxhearts or filthy prey-thieves! We will defeat the ShadowClan menace Bonetail."

"ShadowClan menace?" roared Toadclaw. "Look at yourselves! Cats from all the Clans have joined Bonetail in his mad ambition."

Darkclaw perched on the hill, taking in the words of every cat. There are so many weaklings among the Clans, so many idiots. In the end, Bonetail will be mine to fight. I vow to finish him.

"Perhaps we could enlist the help of Ace, the Rogue Hunter?" offered Mistfur, the RiverClan deputy. "I mean, this cat managed to fight Bonetail's rogues and did some serious damage."

Ravenstar shook his head. "It's not good," he said. "Don't you remember what Bonetail said at the Gathering? He gave up the battle with my warriors so that he could catch us by surprise later that night. We've only heard of Ace, the Rogue Hunter from the mouth one of Bonetail's rogues. We don't know how well Ace fights, or if he was injured during his battle with the rogues. For all we know, Bonetail could have made Ace up so that my warriors would have an explanation for their easy victory."

"Really?" asked Mistfur. "Doesn't that seem a bit too elaborate for a heat of the moment plan?"

Ravenstar shrugged. "Don't you know how I got to be leader?" he asked. "It's the same reason Bonetail was such a celebrated warrior before he betrayed ShadowClan. Battle tactics. I know all there is to know about misdirection."

"Excuse me!" someone called out, stepping to the centre of the clearing. It was Sunstorm, ThunderClan's medicine cat. "Would you mind if I gave a medicine cat's view on this?" he asked.

Ravenstar nodded to the ginger tom. "I called this Gathering so that all could speak," he said. "Bonetail's plans concern the medicine cats more than most, so it's only fair that you say what's on your mind."

Sunstorm let out a relieved sigh as he faced the gathered cats. "Bonetail's insanity threatens us all," he declared with a determined look in his eyes. "He has made his demands known to the Clans. However, that does not mean that all his requests need to be fulfilled. Perhaps if I give myself up, he would pardon the rest of the medicine cats? I've lived a good life, and Dawnfern has grown into a fine cat. I'm willing to fall, if it means that everyone else can prosper."

Thornstar beamed at his medicine cat. "Truly ThunderClan is blessed by such a noble cat," he said. "If only the other Clans had warriors willing to make such a sacrifice."

Beside Darkclaw, Snowcloud guiltily nodded. "Thornstar is a terrible leader," Darkclaw snarled, fur sticking up in fury.

"Why?" asked Snowcloud. "Because of his blood?"

"I couldn't care less about him being a halfClan," Darkclaw snapped. "His medicine cat is a kittypet, but he has the respect of all four Clans. The only cats that deserve punishment for the birth of a halfClan are the code-breaking parents. No, Thornstar is weak at heart. He's too easily swayed by even the smallest amounts of force."

Beside him, parts of Snowcloud's fur were starting to stick up, and Darkclaw could smell light fear-scent on her. "Don't worry," he reassured, draping his tail over her sympathetically. "I'll protect you from anyone who tries to hurt you." Snowcloud nodded, glancing at him with her beautiful green eyes.

"Enough of this!" roared Pinefur. "ThunderClan is the only Clan that has two full medicine cats. WindClan only has one. Don't just stand there acting superior to us all."

From somewhere in the crowd, someone shouted, "HalfClan!" Thornstar flinched at the remark. More voices joined them, and more insults were added, directed at many cats on the island.

"HalfClan!"

"Kittypet!"

"Prey-thieves!"

Darkclaw glowered. Idiots, all of them.

"Enough!" snarled Duskstar. She leapt out of the thick oak, fur bristling with rage. "ShadowClan, to me! We're not wasting any more time here at this pointless Gathering. The other Clans can squabble. We'll just prepare to fight, as we always have."

Darkclaw nodded as he padded down the incline. They would leave this worthless meeting and do something meaningful. The other cats could just fester like foxdung.

As he followed his Clan, Darkclaw took one last glance to survey Risingleaf. If they were going to meet on the battlefield some day, he wanted to be prepared for her.

…

Darkclaw woke before dawn. He was a warrior now, so he needed to use the time before daybreak to hone his fighting style. While his mother often had Redclaw organize training exercises for the warriors, it wasn't quite the type of training Darkclaw liked to focus on.

He padded out of the Warriors' Den, smiling to himself. Nearby, Owlflight was scratching the earth furiously, a determined look across her face.

Darkclaw felt anger flare up, directed towards the she-cat. He knew that he was being selfish, wanting the early morning hours to himself. But still, it was supposed to be his time. He had always used this fleeting time before daybreak to do as he pleased while other cats slumbered.

"What has you up so early, Owlflight?" he asked the mottled brown she-cat.

Her whiskers twitched in amusement. "Redclaw asked me to work on some battle strategies," she explained. "You know, because of Bonetail. Feel like lending a paw?"

Darkclaw considered her for a few moments. She was acting sincerely, for once. "No, I don't want to help with your stupid tactics!" he snapped. "Why do we need a strategy when we can just fight?"

"We need the strategies so that we don't fight like disorganized rogues," Owlflight pointed out. "You were so cute when we were kits, Darkclaw. Now you're angry all the time. It's really off-putting."

Darkclaw growled, lashing his tail across the cold earth. "You're just a nosy she-cat," he snarled. "Why would I care about you? I'm going to train, like a true ShadowClan warrior. See you later."

He stormed off into the shadowed forest, furious. This is my time! Why does some obnoxious she-cat have to ruin it for me?

Darkclaw arrived at his destination, a birch twenty foxlengths higher than all those surrounding it. Smiling, he dropped into his battle stance. He let his perception of time blur and fade as he unleashed a volley of kicks, bites, and claw slices. The Gathering three days ago had been a failure, but that didn't hurt him. He'd been training, day after day, so that he might be able to fight Bonetail himself and prove his worth. Out here, with only himself for company, he could turn his rage into strength.

After finishing his usual routine, Darkclaw decided to try out a ThunderClan moved that he'd witnessed on a few occasions. Dropping into a crouch, he stalked across the ground. Then, claws unsheathed, he exploded forward, screaming a war cry as he landed. It felt incredibly satisfying. Snowcloud's words came back to him, and he gave his pelt a little lick while he planned his next course of action.

"Do you mind?" called a voice from up above. "Some of us are trying to sleep." A lean tortoiseshell and white tom dropped from the tree, landing ungracefully on the ground. His pale yellow eyes glinted as he saw Darkclaw.

Darkclaw growled at the strange tom. "You're a rogue, aren't you?" he hissed. "I'll put you in your place!"

"A rogue?" asked the tortoiseshell, eyes widening with curiosity. "You wouldn't happen to mean one of those filthy cats serving Bonetail, would you? Oh no, I'm afraid I am but a humble traveler. I could never work with that self-righteous tom Bonetail."

Darkclaw dropped into his battle stance. "Rogue or no rogue, you're still going down!" he declared, teeth barred.

The tom sighed wistfully. "Always so quick to break your own warrior code, aren't you?" he asked. "Oh well. But then, I wouldn't advise that. If I'm not mistaken, you're Darkclaw, the Clan Leader's son, right? My name is Arise, and if you're interested in fighting the rogues, I have quite the proposal for you."

Against his better judgement, Darkclaw nodded. "Okay, go on," he said. "Pretend that I'm interested in what you have to say."

For a moment, Arise's face betrayed a smug grin. Then, just as quickly, he snapped back to his icy calm. "There's a swamp nearby where Lionblaze is said to have waged a legendary battle," he purred. "Some say that it was ShadowClan's camp before the storm of the Echo Wars came."

"Okay, okay," Darkclaw interrupted. "We've all heard these stories from the elders. Just get on with what you have to say."

One of Arise's whiskers twitched irritably. "If that is what you wish," he agreed. "I have met with Bonetail before, and though he does follow the trail I leave for him, he still poses a bit of a threat to me. I'll do what I can to get some of his rogues to pay a visit to that swamp at sunhigh, in two sunrises. Who knows? I might even get Bonetail himself to go there. Then, you can go and fight just like you want to."

Darkclaw nodded. Ignoring a flicker of movement from a nearby bush, he considered Arise's proposal. "And if I refuse and kill you now?" he asked. "What avenger will come to smite me? Or, what if I sense a trap and don't go?"

Arise chuckled heartily. "Oh, you'll go, Darkclaw," he stated. "Your resolve to resist me will shatter under the weight of your bloodlust. Everything ends eventually, Darkclaw. Even you and ShadowClan. Besides, if we were to fight, I would be the one left standing."

Darkclaw grunted, shrugging. "Okay, I'll play along for now," he decided. "But Arise, don't think that you, or anyone else, can control me. I'm the Clan Leader's son. I make my own destiny."

"I'll allow Destiny to decide if you really are her master," Arise purred, as he turned to leave. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to keep, and then there are things to do upstream."

"What sort of things upstream could be more important than the Clans?" Darkclaw called after him.

Arise gave another irritating chuckle as he walked off. "Many things," he called back. "This world is a lot larger than you're determined to make it out to be, Darkclaw. Keep your eyes on your Clan in the coming days, my naïve young warrior."

With that, he vanished into the deep expanse of undergrowth. Darkclaw shrugged, turning back towards the camp. He headed home, leaving the idiot tom to his own machinations.

…

Rays of the sun were finding their way through the thick thorn wall and into the ShadowClan camp as Darkclaw strolled in. Did I spend too much time training? No, there's no such thing as too much training.

With Arise's words still fresh in his mind, Darkclaw padded over to the Leader's Den. Sootstain, a fluffy white tom with black patches, stood guard. "I'm sorry, but Duskstar is in the middle of an important meeting," he explained. "No one is to disturb her during this time."

"I'm her son!" protested Darkclaw. "Who could be more important to her than me?" He tried to push his way in, but the larger tom blocked his path completely.

"You're incredibly arrogant some times," the senior warrior snapped. "You just have to learn that sometimes the safety of the Clan comes first."

"Whatever then," sighed Darkclaw. He marched off towards the Medicine Den. Is it arrogant of me to want the she-cat who birthed me to give a simple sign that she loves me? At least Foxwhisker will listen to me.

In the Medicine Den he found Stonepaw hunched over a grumbling Newtfoot. "You're early today, Darkclaw," Stonepaw chirped. "Did you injure yourself again during training? I'll be with you as soon as I redress Newtfoot's wounds. She got scratched up quite a bit during the ThunderClan border skirmish last night."

"No, I did not hurt myself during training," Darkclaw hissed venomously. "I never get hurt in my training, so you can just shut up about that. I'm looking for Foxwhisker. Are you going to keep wasting my time or will you tell me where she is?"

The gray tom flinched, accidentally plunging his claw into one of Newtfoot's wounds. Newtfoot howled in pain, shaking off the medicine apprentice's carefully applied wrappings.

"Agh, no, didn't mean to do that!" Stonepaw hurriedly apologized. "Foxwhisker left me in charge for the first time and I screw up already." He nervously gathered up his herbs in a pile and let out a guilty sigh.

"Start over, apprentice," snapped the now calm Newtfoot. "Just don't try to kill me this time."

Stonepaw nodded. "Foxwhisker is collecting mallow leaves at the edge of the lake," he hissed to Darkclaw. "We used most of ours up on Hopekit's bellyache, so there's restocking to be done. You okay with that?"

Darkclaw glowered and shook his head. If I go to see her, she'll just drag me into helping out. I'd rather catch her when she doesn't have work she could force upon me. "When will she be back?" he asked.

"She said that she'd return at Sunhigh," Stonepaw explained. "There are some other things she needs to take care of today. Speaking of that, would you mind taking this to Blossomspots? I'm worried about her getting a fever when she's so close to delivering her kits." He pulled a sprout of lavender out of the ivy leaves that the ShadowClan medicine cats used to store herbs.

"Foxwhisker specifically ordered you to get me to take this to the Nursery?" Darkclaw asked as Stonepaw rolled the lavender between his paws.

The gray medicine apprentice nodded solemnly. Darkclaw reluctantly accepted the lavender, clutching it carefully in his mouth. As he left the den, sounds of the medicine apprentice and his patient followed behind him. "I'll give you some poppy seeds for the pain, and then we can start again."

Darkclaw padded through the camp, observing his Clanmates. They were sharing tongues, just like every other day. Even Sootstain was relaxing, which signalled that Duskstar's meeting was over. Duskstar probably still has work to take care of and Foxwhisker is a piece of lizard-dung. Maybe the queens will have the information I need.

The dark tabby entered the Nursery, pleased to find that none of the kits were there. They were annoying little furballs. Blossomspots was having a conversation with Webnose, likely about some mouse-brained mothering tips. Not wanting to have his time wasted, Darkclaw stepped between the two, interrupting them.

"Stonepaw forced me to give this to you," he growled, dropping the lavender. "It's so you don't get a fever while carrying those kits."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about me," Blossomspots cooed. "Stonepaw worries too much. I feel just find. But if you insist, I'll take the herbs. There's no use in getting an earful from Foxwhisker." She smiled and scooped the herbs into her nest.

Darkclaw grunted. Blossomspots could do what she wanted. He wasn't a medicine cat, so it didn't affect him. "Where are Hopekit and Blazekit?" he asked Webnose, worried that the two would spring out of hiding to bother him.

"I got Tangletuft to watch them while I gave Blossomspots some advice," she explained. "He can take responsibility for our kits once in a while."

Confident that he wouldn't be bothered, Darkclaw decided to ask his question. "Have either of you ever heard of a tom named Arise?" he asked.

Webnose looked confused. "Sorry, but I don't think my whiskers have caught his name before," she apologized. "Perhaps it has something to do with the Echo Wars? You could ask the elders."

Darkclaw shook his head vigorously. "The elders have told me that story more times that I have hairs on my pelt," he explained. "I'll have to look elsewhere."

"You could always ask Foxwhisker," suggested Blossomspots. "She takes a particular interest in obscure knowledge."

"I'll try it," Darkclaw grunted, padding out of the Nursery. Well, that was as useful as a dead fox. In the end, it all leads back to that mangy old she-cat.

He pushed his way through the large bush hiding the Nursery from any predators who got the idea to attack the camp. As he did, he was ambushed by an annoying, white she-kit with green eyes.

"Oh my frog, Darkclaw!" she exclaimed. "Look, I found a frog!" She skipped about around him, gesturing to a half-eaten frog.

"Great StarClan Hopekit, that's crowfood!" Darkclaw gasped. He plucked the white she-kit into the air, then dropped her at a safe distance from the deadly meal. "You're not supposed to eat that! Stonepaw said that you had a bellyache last night. This is the source, isn't it?"

Hopekit guiltily looked at her paws. Then she perked up again. "Oh my frog, you are such a scaredy-mouse," the she-kit chided. "I found the slain frog in the forest. It wouldn't be right to frogkind if I neglected its sacrifice. Besides, the Winds of Death tell me that I'll be fine."

Inwardly, Darkclaw fumed. Scaredy-mouse? That doesn't describe me! I'm not afraid of anything. She should know better than to eat frogs she finds in the-wait, is that one of the ones I caught? It has that same red colouring. No way, it is! So this is my fault now? Worried, he changed the subject.

"Your ridiculous Winds of Death again?" he asked. "We all know that they're a load of foxdung."

"They are real, I swear it to StarClan!" Hopekit protested. "They tell me that Duskstar will die. Bonetail will die. The RiverClan warrior Icefang will die."

Birdsong reverberated through the camp, but it could do nothing to ease the cold sense of dread that Darkclaw felt. Try as he might to remain sceptical, Hopekit's predictions worried him. Two sunrises before, the ShadowClan warrior Falconscreech had been found dead, his body brutally torn open. The rogues were obviously to blame, but even that wasn't motivating Darkclaw's spineless Clanmates enough. A few sunrises before that, Hopekit had told Darkclaw about Falconscreech's impending death. Darkclaw had scoffed at her then. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"Do the Winds of Death say anything about someone called Arise?" he asked, deciding that it couldn't hurt to ask one question before he left Hopekit to her own devices.

The white she-kit nodded solemnly. "Yes, they do," she said. "That tortoiseshell tom is going to cause your death."

Darkclaw's fur shot up, partly because of his rage and party because of his embarrassment. "You shut up with your mouse-brained Winds of Death!" he snapped. "I'm the Clan leader's son! I won't die."

Hopekit nodded. "Your death won't be permanent," she reassured him. "But the Winds of Death can never be cheated. In less than six moons, the tom known as Darkclaw will be dead."

Out of the bushes, Hopekit's brother Blazekit sprang at her and threw her to the ground. He glanced up at Darkclaw as his sister rolled around across the camp floor. "Oh hey Darkclaw," the brown tom greeted the dark tabby. "Hopekit and I were just about to play Firestar and Scourge. It's the best game! And in just a quarter moon, we'll be apprentices, fighting alongside you."

The white she-kit leaped to her paws. "I get to be Firestar this time!" she declared. Darkclaw nodded at them and padded away to where the other warriors were relaxing.

A few warriors were sharing tongues, while Redclaw, the deputy, was organizing patrols. Darkclaw sighed, approaching his former mentor.

"Is it okay if I go out and find Foxwhisker?" he asked the red tom. "There's something I need to talk to her about."

Redclaw nodded. "If you need to do this, go right ahead," he said. "But, if there's ever anything troubling you, you can always talk to me about it. I'll always feel like your mentor, even though you're no longer the apprentice you once were."

"I'm fine," Darkclaw bluntly replied. You can't help me with my mother. Only I can find a way to solve that problem.

He pushed through the barrier, catching the scent of the wily, old medicine cat. He followed her scent line through the trees, until he reached a clearing in the shady forest.

"I've finally found you!" exclaimed Foxwhisker as she leaped out of a bush. Beside her, a crop of flowers grew. They seemed to glisten, as if StarClan had invested their power within them.

"As if, you old flea-pelt!" Darkclaw snapped back. "I've been running around all morning. I found you, not the other way around."

The wiry she-cat smirked. "Yes, I see that my errand succeeded in aggravating you," she observed, triumph in her eyes. "I see it as clearly as I see how you could come here under the impression that you were the one to find me. But if you found me here with these, then StarClan must have a purpose in sending you here." She gestured to white flowers that she was sitting beside. "I am StarClan's representative among ShadowClan, so if you think about it, I was always meant to find you. Can your mind comprehend that, or did I just waste my breath on you?"

He glowered at her. "I don't give a mousetail about your riddles. Just tell me why you keep sending me to do these mouse-brained chores!"

The wind blew through Darkclaw's dark pelt as the aging medicine cat cocked her head at him. "My dear warrior, the answers to all riddles will come in due time," she promised. "But if you truly have to know, I do it because it annoys you. Your reactions are the only thing in this world that can consistently humour me. Is that everything you needed to know?"

"No, you just distracted me by being a stupid furball!" he spat. "What I really need to know means everything for the Clan, as always. Have you ever heard anything about a tom named Arise?"

Foxwhisker's jaw dropped open with shock. Darkclaw was pleased. This was the first time he'd ever gotten a reaction like that out of her. The medicine cat quickly composed herself, but Darkclaw had already had a pleasant surprise. He didn't need it dragged out for a long time.

"Yes I have heard of him," Foxwhisker explained. "He's like a remnant, a relic from the older days. This tom is an outsider, living beyond the Clans. To all who seek him out, he promises great power. But it is a blasphemous power, ripped from the earth itself and forged in the fires of the Echo Wars. No cat that finds him can ever remain unchanged. You would do well not to search for him."

Darkclaw nodded to her, preparing to turn and go. Then, seeing the expectant look in her eyes, he meekly bowed his head. "Th-thank you," he said, forcing the words out of his mouth.

"You're welcome," she replied, glancing up at the sky as she did. "Oh, look what you've done! There's a Half-moon meeting tonight, but you've kept me for too long. Would you mind helping a poor she-cat carry her herbs back to the camp?"

Darkclaw grunted his agreement. You're anything but "poor". Still, you did tell me about Arise, and I'll get another earful if I cause you any delay. He padded over to the glistening flowers, bending his head down and gently placing his jaws around its stem.

"Not those!" Foxwhisker shouted. Shocked, Darkclaw released the flower and pulled his head away from it. He quizzically met the medicine cat's worried gray eyes.

"Why not these flowers?"

"Those are called Moonleaves," Foxwhisker explained. "They're an extremely rare herb, and they take a long time to grow. They're good for a variety of ailments, but they work especially well when helping queens deliver their kits. I've been tending to this stock for a few moons, and I won't have you invalidate my work."

Darkclaw shrugged as the medicine cat passed a stack of mallow leaves to him. Carefully gripping them in his jaws, he followed her back to the camp.

…

Darkclaw yawned as his sister Cherrynose licked his pelt clean. "There we go," declared Cherrynose. "Your pelt is all done. That she-cat you always talk with would be so proud."

Darkclaw pictured Snowcloud. At the moment, she was probably making her way to the Moonpool, if she wasn't there already. Foxwhisker and Stonepaw had left a few minutes before, just after Stonepaw had declared how much he wanted to see Rainpaw. On the day that Darkclaw reached his seventh moon, Bonetail had taken him to visit the starry pool. All apprentices needed to visit the Moonpool once before they became warriors. It was a tradition all four Clans had adopted back when Duskstar became leader of ShadowClan, out of respect for the ancient days.

"I think by now we've established that my day was the same as always," Darkclaw grunted. "So, what did you get done today, Cherrynose?"

"Oh, nothing much," Cherrynose purred. "I was helping Crowfur and Toadclaw handle their apprentices at the training hollow. I like those two, but they definitely have room for improvement. Marshpaw understands everything, but he has trouble putting his knowledge to use. On the other paw, Skypaw is swift and good with fighting moves, but she's also very lazy. Oh, there they are right now!"

The two apprentices were smiling as the skipped over to the fresh-kill pile. Beaming back, Cherrynose began making conversation with the two. Worried about a potential annoyance, Darkclaw left to sit on his own.

"Hey Darkclaw, would you happen to have seen your father around?" Redclaw asked, worrying edging his meow. Darkclaw shook his head. He hadn't seen Blackfur anywhere. The deputy grunted in annoyance. "Okay, I've got it. He was supposed to lead the Dusk Patrol, but he hasn't been sighted since Sunhigh. I'll just have to keep looking."

As the red tom padded off, Darkclaw noticed his mother sitting alone outside her den. He glanced around, confirming that she really was alone. Finally. How many days has it been since I've spoken with my mother?

Anticipation tingling through his paws, he walked up to Duskstar. The gray she-cat looked up at him, blinking her green eyes. "Darkclaw?" she asked.

"Mother," he mewed in greeting. "I've wanted to talk with you."

They were interrupted by a pain-filled meow. More interruptions. Essentially, this is just like every other day of my life.

"It's coming from the Nursery!" gasped a nearby Crowfur. "Blossomspots is giving birth to my kits!"

Sootstain began frantically running around in circles. "What do we do? What do we do?" he shouted. "The medicine cats are gone, and a queen is kitting."

Darkclaw didn't even look at them as he left Duskstar and headed towards his den. Idiots, all of them. He shrugged, not caring about what they decided.

"Just calm down!" Redclaw shouted over the voices of panicking cats. "We are ShadowClan, fiercest Clan of them all. We will not be defeated by something like this!"

Darkclaw stopped, looking back. Sure, they may be idiots, but Redclaw is right. This is my Clan! He darted over to Redclaw, using his paw to wave the deputy back.

"Alright ShadowClan!" he declared. "I'll take control from here."

"You?" asked Crowfur incredulously. "You're no medicine cat. All you do is fight!"

"Will you rat-brains just shut your mouths?" Darkclaw snapped. "That stupid old she-cat Foxwhisker is constantly sending me on errands. Thanks to her, I know exactly how to deliver kits!" He surveyed the group of cats, looking for anyone who might prove useful. "Skypaw!" he called to the apprentice.

The speckled white she-cat glanced up at him, seemingly grumpy at being asked to work. Then she reluctantly bounded over to him, haughtiness in her step.

"You called?" she asked.

Darkclaw glared at her as he nodded. "You've had your trip to the Moonpool, right?"

She grunted a confirmation.

"Then you should know the way," he said. "My sister tells me you are quite swift. Prove it to me, and go get one of the medicine cats back."

Her eyes suddenly lit up in response to his challenge. "I'll be back before you can count your paws!" she boasted as she shot off out of the camp.

"Now that that's done with, let's get into the Nursery," Darkclaw barked.

He barged through the bush, a small group of cats following him. Inside, Blossomspots was laid out on the ground, yowling in pain as her body spasmed.

Darkclaw glanced at Webnose, whose eyes were wide with fear. "Somebody find me a stick," he ordered.

"For poking out the kits?" asked Sootstain.

"How dense are you?" Darkclaw snapped. "It's for Blossomspots to bite down on while she's kitting."

Blazekit leaped out of the nearby nest, eyes shining. "I was playing with some sticks near the apprentices' den," he explained. "You could use those."

Creamfur nodded at him, and she raced out of the Nursery, returning moments later with a large stick. Marshpaw flicked his tail at Blazekit to signal respect.

As Blossomspots yowled with pain, Crowfur grasped the stick and stepped beside her. "It will be okay," he purred reassuringly. "Just bite down on this stick."

Blossomspots obliged and chomped down. "They're coming!" she grunted through gritted teeth.

Darkclaw's mind was whirling frantically. "Moss!" he yelled. "Somebody tear some moss off the bush here and dip it in the pool right outside the camp. Blossomspots should have some water as she does this."

Marshpaw darted out after tearing off a large chunk of moss. Darkclaw waited, heart pounding, as Blossomspots shook with pain. After what seemed like moons, Marshpaw came back in with the moss, now soaking wet. At Darkclaw's orders he held it over the queen's mouth so she could drink.

Darkclaw watched nervously, his pelt turning damp with sweat, while Blossomspots started pushing. There must be something more that I can do. Then, the memory of his earlier conversation with Foxwhisker rushed to him.

"I'll be right back!" he snapped. "If any of her kits come out, lick their fur the wrong way to get their hearts moving."

The dark tabby rushed out of the Nursery before anyone had a chance to reply. He burst into the camp, moving furiously to pass through it in a heartbeat. Calling upon his memory, he followed the path that had taken him to Foxwhisker earlier that day. He sprinted along the path until he managed to reach the crop of Moonleaves.

Mind addled from stress, he considered how many to take. I don't know how many I'll need. Might as well make this visit count. Panting, he pulled every last Moonleaf free, gathering them up in a bundle as he did. Then, gripping them as carefully as he could, he raced back towards ShadowClan camp.

It took far too long to get there, even though he was calling up reserves of speed that he hadn't known he had. Finally, he pushed his way through the thorn barrier and into the camp. With the last of his strength, he ran to the Nursery, entering to find that none of the kits had come out yet.

"Here," he said, not even having the energy to be annoyed as he dropped the Moonleaves to the ground. "Chew these up and give them to Blossomspots."

Crowfur and Webnose obliged, taking a few Moonleaves and chewing them into a poultice. Then they administered them to Blossomspots, which seemed to sooth the queen's pain. At last, the she-cat began to heave.

Watching was too much. Darkclaw's stomach began to turn at the sight of the she-cat pushing out. Just then, there was a rustling from the Nursery bush. Through it, Skypaw padded in, Foxwhisker close behind her.

"My, my, I never expected Darkclaw to take charge of something like this," the old she-cat mused. "You look exhausted. I'll finish up for you. Get a bit of rest."

Happy to have the stress lifted from him, Darkclaw walked out of the Nursery. However, his fatigue was great. He didn't even make it a foxlength away from the Nursery before he fell to the ground. He lay there, letting himself rest. He tried to consider his problems, especially Arise, as he lay there, but in the end everything was overwhelmed by exhaustion.

He closed his eyes and slept.

…

Not much time passed before Cherrynose woke him.

"The kits are born," she hissed. "Come on, you should see them."

Darkclaw sighed and stood up, crawling after his sister. Entering the Nursery, he saw Blossomspots and Crowfur beaming at three small kits.

"Two toms and a she-cat," Blossomspots informed him. "They're absolutely perfect. Thank you, Darkclaw."

"It's a miracle," Crowfur whispered as one of the kits began to squeal. "These kits, they're everything I'd hoped for and more." Crowfur and Blossomspots rubbed against each other, the scent of joy emanating from them.

"Yes, the miracle of squealing brats," Darkclaw grunted. "Truly, a sight like no other."

"The she-kit is Shadekit, in honour of Darkclaw," Blossomspots decided.

Darkclaw shrugged. It's not the best reward, but I'll take it.

"I love it," Crowfur said to his mate. "Why not name this tom Stickkit?"

Blossomspots nodded. "Yes, Shadekit and Stickkit," she agreed. "What should the other tom be named?"

For no reason in particular, Darkclaw blurted out, "Needlekit."

Blossomspots and Crowfur both smiled at him. "Shadekit, Stickkit, and Needlekit," said Blossomspots. "Sleep well, my little ones."

"I'll be going now," said Darkclaw. "I need to get some more sleep. I have a lot of training to do tomorrow."

The cats in the Nursery glowed, waving their tails in salute as Darkclaw excused himself. He slowly walked to the Warriors' Den, glad that all the commotion of the night was finished. The thorn barrier shook, and the dark tabby shot a glance at it. Oh. Stonepaw's back from the Moonpool.

His fathered walked in, blood dripping from many wounds, and fell to the ground.

"Blackfur!" he screamed in horror, rushing over to the tom. For a few terrifying moments, he thought that his father was dead. Then, Blackfur faintly murmured.

"What?" Darkclaw asked. "Father, say something!"

"I…went to the west Twoleg nest," his father weakly told him. "Something attacked me, but it was too fast…so dark. I couldn't see it. The Clans…sure would be a shame if they came to an end." His eyes closed and he fell still.

"Father?" Darkclaw gasped. "No, you have to live!"

"What's happening?" asked Stonepaw as he bolted into the camp.

"It's Blackfur," Darkclaw explained. "He got attacked by something at the west Twoleg nest. I don't know what it was. Probably a dog or something."

Stonepaw nodded grimly. "I'll take care of this," he said. "You just get some rest."

Shrugging worriedly, Darkclaw headed into the Warriors' Den and found his nest. Be okay, father.

There were two abandoned Twoleg nests on ShadowClan territory. One, in the east, had nearly fallen to pieces. The other, in the west, was in much better shape. ShadowClan patrols had a habit of ignoring both. It looked like Blackfur had paid a visit to the nest, and found something waiting for him.

Darkclaw curled up uneasily. Examining his pelt, he found that his next course of action had been with him all along. I told Stonepaw that Blackfur's assailant was probably a dog. But that's not true. There's only one thing that would have been hiding out at the Twoleg nest.

Rogues.

Lying in his nest, Darkclaw felt determination flood over him. Arise had made him an offer. It looked like he would have to take it.

Bonetail, when we last met, I told you that you'd already lost, but you just hadn't realized it yet. Now, you're going to find out why. You taught me all of your tricks and moves. I know how to defeat you! Prepare yourself, Bonetail.

Because I'm coming for you.

To be continued…

Thanks again for reading! So, what do you think of Darkclaw compared to Tidepaw and Leafkit? Or even on his own?

Here's some insider info available to everyone that bothers to read these things. It's the things that got cut from this chapter:

Cherrynose was originally going to go with Darkclaw to find Foxwhisker, but her role was pointless and we'll see more of her in the next chapter anyway.

There was going to be an explanation of the Echo Wars, but Darkclaw never managed to drop by the Elders' Den for story time. Guess that's next time too.

Concerning Hopekit, at first she was going to have predicted the death of Bonetail's mate (you remember her, right?) with the Winds of Death. When I realized that she would have been a moon old at the time, that idea was immediately scrapped. Also, Darkclaw was going to hit her after she told him that Arise would cause his death, but that's too much of a dick move even for Darkclaw.

The most drastic change: Bonetail originally wasn't even in the fanfic, but introducing him was exactly what I needed to spruce up the early chapters and foreshadow the later chapters. The original chapter 5 was about Darkclaw and Redclaw discussing border patrols. As everyone can tell, 7000 words of border patrol discussion would have sucked horribly.

Anyway, thanks for reading! See you next time, when Darkclaw's adventures continue.