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.

7. Chapter 6 Darkclaw

Oh, I do love that new chapter smell. Even if you logically can't smell the internet. This chapter marks the long awaited return of a popular she-cat keep your eyes peeled for her. And once again, thanks to everyone who has even so much as glanced at my fanfic! Having people actually read my story makes me indescribably happy. Enjoy the update!

Chapter 6

Darkclaw flew forward, knocking aside the ThunderClan she-cat. Yowling, his adversary rolled across the ground. He turned towards her, and she stood up, blood dripping from her thick brown and gold fur. He smiled at her, bloodlust fuelling him as he raced forward to strike her again. She tried to strike back, but her feeble blows only served as mild annoyances.

Battle was his element, the place where he truly knew what he was and what he wanted. He batted the she-cat away, sending her crashing to the earth again. I'll teach you a lesson about disrespecting Clan borders!

Unexpectedly, someone leaped onto him, pushing him to the ground. He flailed uselessly for a few heartbeats, then sighed and relaxed under their grip.

"Darkclaw, stop it already!" snapped Creamfur, the she-cat pinning him down at the moment. "We've already proved to the ThunderClan warriors that ShadowClan's borders are not to be disturbed. You don't need to drag out this battle."

"The fiercest Clan in the forest does not yield!" he retorted, wrenching himself free from her grip.

"The ThunderClan cats are wounded enough," Creamfur pointed out. "We've won the battle already. Now we just have to wait while they acknowledge it."

Darkclaw turned around, examining the ThunderClan warriors without letting his thirst for battle cloud his eyes. They all had wounds to show for the border skirmish.

"Yeah, I've roughed them up pretty well," he decided. "They won't be starting another border skirmish anytime soon."

"That's exactly what I was trying to tell you," Creamfur muttered under her breath. Darkclaw decided to just ignore her.

"Hazelfrost, can you walk?" a handsome ginger tom asked the she-cat who had traded blows with Darkclaw mere seconds before.

"I'm fine Fireheart," she replied. "I have enough strength to fight as many battles as I want."

"Glad to know you're okay," meowed the tom, smiling. He led the ThunderClan patrol away from the border, bowing to Creamfur's patrol as he did.

"We've shown them that ShadowClan is not to be trifled with," Creamfur announced to the ShadowClan cats. "Now, let's take the Dawn Patrol home."

As Creamfur led them back into the shady forest, Darkclaw's paws tingled with anticipation. It had been two sunrises since his meeting with Arise. Today, he would go to the original ShadowClan camp and confront Bonetail. Get ready, rogue. I'm going to show you just how much I've learned!

…

"There you go," said Stonepaw as he applied the last bit of dock leaf to Darkclaw's scratches. "You should be feeling better soon."

"Whatever you say," snapped Darkclaw. "It's nothing I couldn't have dealt with myself. Anyway, how is Blackfur doing?"

"He's drifting in and out of consciousness," Stonepaw explained. "We're hoping that he gets better, but that's in the paws of StarClan now."

Darkclaw grunted. "You better make sure he gets well," he warned. "Anyway, do you know what attacked him?"

"It's kind of confusing," the medicine apprentice replied, fidgeting nervously. "We checked his wounds and found that his attacker was a cat. But whoever this cat is, it definitely wasn't a rogue."

"What?" snapped Darkclaw, confused. "Are you saying that it was a Clan catwho attacked my father?"

Stonepaw shook his head vigorously. "No," he replied. "The cat that attacked your father wasn't one of Bonetail's rogues, and it wasn't a Clan cat. I know that it's said cats from the Dark Forest no longer prowl this world, but if I had to describe the thing that attacked your father, I would use them as an analogy."

"If you're trying to frighten me, you've succeeded," Darkclaw bluntly grunted. "Let's get off this topic. Have you had any special omens from StarClan? Maybe about how the Clan Leader's son will defeat the dark forces threatening the Clans?"

Stonepaw gritted his teeth nervously. Poor thing. He's terrified of the stories about the Dark Forest. Foxwhisker will probably yell at the elders because of this.

"Maybe you should ask Foxwhisker," the medicine apprentice suggested sheepishly. "She's had more experience with StarClan than I've had."

Darkclaw nodded. "Well then, I'll see you later, Stonepaw."

He rushed out of the medicine den, catching the medicine cat by the well-stocked fresh-kill pile. "Foxwhisker!" he growled. "Have you received any prophecies from StarClan recently? Say, a prophecy about the kit of a Clan Leader having a great destiny?"

The old she-cat eyed him suspiciously. "If StarClan did tell me a prophecy like that," she spat, "why would I choose to share it with you?"

"Because it's my prophecy!" Darkclaw snapped. "I deserve to know!"

"A fool's answer," Foxwhisker growled, turning her head back towards her prey. "There's a story that's pretty infamous among ShadowClan. It's the tale of the 'Dark Prophecy'. Have the elders tell it to you sometime. Your thick skull is empty except for foxdung, but maybe that foxdung would be interested in learning something."

Confusion ebbed over the dark tabby and he cocked his head. "The 'Dark Prophecy'?" he asked. "Is that the story of Tigerstar and Firestar?"

"Of course not," the thin medicine cat rasped bitterly. "Heroic tales of fancy would only serve to cause impressionable young rat-brains like you to make stupid decisions in an attempt to emulate the Heroes of Prophecy."

As was usual when he was dealing with Foxwhisker, something within Darkclaw snapped. "You StarClan-forsaken, foxhearted piece of crowfood!" he roared. "Enough of these ratbrained riddles! Just tell my why you've been so angry at me recently."

Low, growl-like laughter rumbled from the gray-and-ginger she-cat. "Finally, you start asking the right questions!" she exclaimed with an exaggerated huff. "Come to my den and I'll show you."

Without waiting for a response, she marched off to the medicine den. Darkclaw uneasily shuffled in behind her.

"Back already, Darkclaw?" asked Stonepaw. "Foxwhisker, you didn't hurt him too much, did you? He's one of the few interesting conversation partners I have!" There was genuine fear in the tom's mew, but his mentor licked his fur affectionately.

"There's no need to worry," she reassured him. "Darkclaw has done nothing to awaken any murderous desires within me. Not yet." She let the last word linger, an obvious threat to the dark tabby. He shivered, wondering if she was serious or not.

The wiry she-cat scuffled with the ivy leaves for a moment, before pulling a small object out of them. She placed it before Darkclaw, glowering. It was round, silver, and about the size of a pebble.

"Do you know what this is?" Foxwhisker barked, making Darkclaw flinch.

"I have no idea!" he replied honestly. Does she think I tried to steal this thing? What use would I have for something so pathetic?

"It's the last Moonleaf seed!" snarled Foxwhisker. "I forgot to plant it with the others, and it's lucky I did. You uprooted my entire stock of Moonleaves. Do you have any idea how rare they are, or how useful they are? You don't know how long it took to cultivate them! I was going to create a large crop of them, for me and all the medicine cats who come after my time! That's a wasted dream now. You ruined it!"

For once, Darkclaw was left with no words. He growled miserably and stared at his paws. What was that tinge he felt inside? Guilt? No, there's nothing wrong with what I did. I helped Blossomspots with her kitting. This piece of lizard-dung should be thanking me!

At that moment, Creamfur padded into the medicine den. "Excuse, but do you have any herbs for a sore throat?" she asked. "Sootstain seems to be wheezing a lot recently."

"Coltsfoot is good for shortness of breath," Foxwhisker offered. "Could I get you some of that?"

Creamfur nodded, smiling. "Yes, please," she agreed. "Sorry to bother you."

"Whatever you do, don't apologize," Foxwhisker rasped. "I'm supposed to be here for cats who need herbs. Rat-brains like him," She flicked her tail at Darkclaw, "those are the ones that bother me."

"Shut up you old fool!" Darkclaw snarled. "In case you're forgetting, it was you who brought me in here."

Foxwhisker ignored him and rifled around in the ivy leaves for a few heartbeats. As she did this, Sootstain burst into the den.

"Hold on!" he cried. "My daughter has been worried about me, and she was going to come down here, but I want you to know that I'm fine. I may be getting gray fur, but that doesn't mean I need everyone to trip over their tails for me."

"Father, please just take something for your throat," Creamfur pleaded. "Don't let pride get in the way of your health."

Sootstain shook his head. "I've already explained to you that I'm perfectly fine," he snapped. "I can look after myself."

Creamfur turned to Foxwhisker. "Can you get him to take some herbs?" she asked. "I don't want anything bad to have to happen to father."

Darkclaw observed her, smirking. While she's out leading patrols and fighting for her Clan, she acts tough. But when she's worried about her kin, she really is helpless.

Foxwhisker crawled out of the ivy leaves. "Sorry Creamfur, but it doesn't look that way," she said. "My brother has always been too stubborn to allow anyone short of the Clan leader the power to sway his opinion."

Creamfur nodded, frustration in her eyes. "I'll be going then," she sighed. "Don't do anything too reckless, father." She left the den, and triumph gleamed in Sootstain's eyes.

"I should be going too," the senior warrior said. "Now that I don't have to worry about her, I can get back to my warrior duties." He seemed to be on the brink of leaving, but something in the den caught his interest. "Wow Foxwhisker, you really have seen everything there is to see on ShadowClan territory," he meowed. "I have to say I'm impressed."

"What do you mean by that?" the gray-and-ginger medicine cat asked. There was a confused look on her face as she glanced around the den.

"Well, you got that seed from the ruins of ShadowClan's previous camp, didn't you?" Sootstain meowed. "I didn't think that many cats knew where to actually find that place among the swamp, but you're evidently quite the adventurer."

"Wow, you've been there?" Stonepaw asked his mentor, eyes shining with awe. "That's amazing! Was anything resembling the Stone of Songs there? It was said to have been lost during the Echo Wars, but I'm sure that it's somewhere on ShadowClan territory."

Foxwhisker shook her head. "No, I've never had the privilege of visiting the original ShadowClan camp," she admitted. "I found the Moonleaf seeds near the tunnel that runs through ShadowClan and RiverClan territory. Still, Sootstain has given us the answer to our problem. If there are Moonleaf seeds in the old camp, then he could retrieve them for us." She gave him a serious stare. "Do you think you're up to the task, brother?"

Sootstain nodded cockily. "Of course I can grab you the seeds you need," he assured her. "It won't be any trouble at all for an experienced warrior like me."

Darkclaw watched uneasily. What if he meets Bonetail at the camp? Arise promised me glory. He's not stealing one of the few chances I have to gain Duskstar's acknowledgement!

"I will go with Sootstain," he declared.

Foxwhisker gave him a look filled with scepticism. "Why you, rat-brain?" she asked. "I've sent you on enough errands to know that you have no skill at carrying small objects around. Stop being so obsessed with sticking your head into things you don't understand."

Darkclaw wanted to scream at her, but he restrained himself. Losing his temper would do him no good at the moment. "Yes, I won't be very helpful when it comes to helping carry the seeds," he admitted. "However, I'm far from useless. Bonetail and his rogues are out there, remember? It wouldn't hurt to have a fighter around in case we get ambushed. Besides, it's my way to make it up to you for what I did to the first Moonleaf crop."

Foxwhisker nodded, a strange emotion flickering in her eyes. Is that respect? Wow, I never expected to see that from old Foxwhisker.

"You make a sound argument," she said. "Beside, it's good to see you finally taking responsibility for something. You really aren't as stupid as you pretend to be. I'll get Redclaw to put together a patrol."

"What's that about me being stupid?" Darkclaw screamed.

"I stand by every word," Foxwhisker replied. "Now, while you wait for the patrol to be formed, I've got a little errand for you."

Darkclaw shot a glare at the ground. "Oh great," he mumbled.

"It's nothing hard this time," said Foxwhisker. "I just want you to go to the Elders' Den and listen to the tale of the Dark Prophecy."

…

Goldleaf was telling the story again. It was a story that almost all Clan cats knew by heart. The story of the Echo Wars.

"The story of the Three, and their struggle against the Dark Forest is a legendary one," Goldleaf grandly rasped, "but it was not long after they completed their destiny when the Clans were again thrown into peril. A new darkness known as 'Ragnarok' descended on the Clans, just as the Great Leaders Rosestar, Hollowstar, Sedgestar, and Toadstar, took power. With Ragnarok came death and chaos, as the Clans fought against both this new darkness and themselves. This time would come to be known as the Echo Wars."

Hopekit and Blazekit were listening to Goldleaf, eyes wide with awe, as he told his tale. The other elders, Addertooth and Ratstorm, watched, seeming to be entertained as well.

"I know you're very eager to talk about the Echo Wars and its legendary battles," Darkclaw started, "but Foxwhisker sent me here to listen to one of your stories. Tell me, have you ever heard of something called the 'Dark Prophecy'?"

Goldleaf's eyes lit up. "It seems we have a request," he purred. "Would either of you kits mind if I indulged in this youngster's curiosity?"

The two kits shook their heads. "The Echo Wars are great, but I've already heard about them from Addertooth and Ratstorm," Blazekit explained. "I'd like to hear this new story."

Goldleaf nodded. "Many season after the fires of the Echo Wars burned out, a tom named Lionflight was born," he explained. "Lionflight was a pure-hearted cat, and a natural leader. As such, it came as no surprise to ShadowClan's medicine cat, Smokecloud, when he received a prophecy about Lionflight. The prophecy stated that Lionflight would become a legendary warrior and unite all four Clans. Medicine cats aren't supposed to share the secrets StarClan shows them, but Lionflight was a magnificent warrior with a noble heart. Smokecloud saw no reason to hide his great destiny. And so it was that he revealed the prophecy to all of ShadowClan."

"He must have become Lionstar," Blazekit whispered to his sister. "Why haven't I heard of him?"

"Because this is the first time we've heard his story," the white she-kit hissed back.

"But if he became a Great Leader like Toadstar or Blackstar, wouldn't his story be more well-known?" the brown tom wondered aloud.

Ignoring them, Goldleaf continued on. "Lionflight received this news humbly, as was his nature," he explained. "But even the noblest of hearts have hidden desires. Lionflight was a crusader for those who his Clanmates thought disgraceful. He welcomed kittypets and halfClan cats where no other warrior would. He wished for the Clans to throw away their hatred and accept peace. He held cats in need above himself, for he had been granted much, while they had needed to fight for what little they had.

"ShadowClan's deputy Sparrowwing was generally thought to be an utter failure. She was a strong warrior with a good heart, but cats have a habit of being crushed under the weight of responsibility. One day in Leaf-fall, ShadowClan and ThunderClan met in battle. Although most blamed Sparrowwing for the battle, its roots were to be found entwined with the deep-set hatred ThunderClan and ShadowClan held for each other. During the battle, Sparrowwing made a reckless gamble to save a Clanmate. She failed, costing ShadowClan the battle, and the lives of several warriors. This left her deeply shaken, and she left the camp after facing the jeers of her Clanmates. She told the Clan that she was going to petition ThunderClan for an alliance, so that neither Clan would have to face such a destructive battle again.

"When Sparrowwing turned up dead the next day, not may ShadowClan cats found it in their hearts to care.

"As was expected, the leader Graystar named Lionflight his next deputy. He was popular at first, but soon the Clan began to doubt his ways. Lionflight had noble ambitions, but he tried to do too much, while he was only the deputy. Eventually, he must have realized that he would need more power in order to accomplish his dreams. Two sunrises before the half-moon Medicine Gathering, Lionflight appeared in Smokecloud's den and asked him how many lives Graystar had left. Assuming that Lionflight aimed to protect his leader, Smokecloud told him that Graystar had only one life left. Lionflight walked away, purring excitedly while wearing a satisfied smile. Only then did Smokecloud realize what he had done. He decided to take matters into his own paws and put an end to the horror that he had created. But he had no apprentice to carry on if he failed. So before he left to confront Lionflight, Smokecloud told everything to his current patient, Ivyleaf, the she-cat Lionflight had taken as a mate. Later that day, the ShadowClan warriors found their medicine cat's body in the lake.

"Ivyleaf had known something was wrong with her mate, but only with the discovery of the medicine cat's death did she truly believe it. Of course, by the time she recovered from her injuries it was too late. The day after Smokecloud's death, Graystar was discovered outside the swamp, impaled on a tree branch. Desperate to protect her Clan, Ivyleaf convinced Lionflight to delay his trip to the Moonpool. She told him that the grief-stricken ShadowClan would need a strong leader in their camp to guide them through the day. The next day would be no good either, as the medicine cats would be making use of the Moonpool. Lionflight trusted his mate. No matter how far he had fallen, he would always love her. He even declared her his deputy, never thinking that she would betray him.

"On the night of the Medicine Gathering, Ivyleaf told Lionflight that a young she-cat named Tawnystripes had been chosen to be ShadowClan's next medicine cat. She offered to escort Tawnystripes to the Moonpool, so as to protect the prospective medicine cat from predators. Lionflight, of course, agreed to her offer. Once at the Moonpool, Ivyleaf explained everything to the medicine cats from the other Clans. Together, they devised a plan to stop Lionflight and his mad ambition.

"When Lionflight travelled to the Moonpool, he was met with a group composed of warriors from all the Clans. His companions, Tawnystripes and Ivyleaf, turned on him as well, desperate to protect the Clans. Lionflight was a powerful warrior, but even he was no match for the finest warriors of all four Clans. The golden warrior tried to flee the Clans, but the WindClan warriors were too swift for him. Ivyleaf caught up to him as well, and she dealt the final blow. Lionflight fell into an unstable tunnel, which collapsed on him. His last words to the Clans were a vow that he would return to seek vengeance, but he never threatened them again.

"In the aftermath of the storm Lionflight had brought, Tawnystripes was named Tawnystar, ShadowClan's leader, while Ivyleaf became the medicine cat. Her teachings still run strong in this Clan today, while the story of Lionflight is left to us as a warning. Heroes must find their own way to rise. In the end, Lionflight did unite the Clans, but only as a threat that they worked together to overcome. Here ends his story, the Tale of the Dark Prophecy."

"Wow!" Blazekit gasped. "Lionflight better hope that I don't meet him in my dreams. I'd shred that traitor!"

"No cat needs to worry about Lionflight returning," rasped Ratstorm. "He has never been seen in StarClan, and the Dark Forest is closed off now. Nothing can get in or out of that evil place."

Addertooth glanced at Darkclaw. "Did you learn anything from this, youngster?" she asked. "After all, you were sent by Foxwhisker to listen to Goldleaf's story."

Darkclaw grumbled. It had been a complete waste of his time. "Only that Foxwhisker is a mouse-brain," he snapped. "And I already knew that. Did she seriously think I could learn some valuable lesson from this? As if!"

Before he left, he couldn't resist asking a question. "Hopekit, I'm going on a mission today," he explained to the she-kit. "It could end up being dangerous. Do the Winds of Death have anything to say about me, or Bonetail's rogues?"

The white she-kit shook her head. "I wish I could help you," she apologized, green eyes guilty, "but the Winds of Death aren't speaking to me at the moment. I think that all their power is focused elsewhere, guiding someone else. This is the third time it's happened."

"That's too bad," Darkclaw grunted.

Hopekit shook her head. "It's really quite comforting," she explained. "Their howls follow me when I'm awake and asleep. It's a relief to be alone in my head once in a while."

The dark tabby nodded. Well, I'd better hurry up or I might miss getting my revenge on Bonetail. Hopekit just gave me the chance to prove that I make my own destiny. I'll show the rogues and Arise just what I'm made of! "You two enjoy the stories of the Echo Wars then," he said. "I've got a patrol to catch."

…

Darkclaw followed Sootstain as he led the patrol towards the swamp. Redclaw had chosen Owlflight and Cherrynose to join them in their journey to the old ShadowClan camp.

"Why do we have to go to the ThunderClan border for this?" asked Owlflight. "Wouldn't it be quicker to cut through the swamp?"

Darkclaw glared at her. Stop complaining, rat-brain. If we did that, we'd have been there and gone long before sunhigh. This way will get us there in time to fight Bonetail!

Sootstain's tail twitched. "Yes, it would be faster if we cut through the swamp," he agreed, "but this is the safest way to the camp ruins. We're taking this way back from the ruins so that we don't lose any of the seeds to the swamp. As such, I thought that we might as well learn the path first."

Hearing an exasperated huff from the border, Darkclaw darted ahead of his patrol. ThunderClan scum! You're disrespecting our Clan boundaries again, aren't you?

Arriving at the border, he found Risingleaf, Fireheart, and Dawnfern, one of ThunderClan's two medicine cats.

Risingleaf noticed him, but instead of fear she showed happiness. "Oh, it's Darkclaw," she greeted. "He'll help us find her."

Dawnfern eyed her sceptically. "Usually I wouldn't even trust a ShadowClan cat to hold onto some crowfood," she muttered, "but if you trust him, Risingleaf, I'll give it a shot." The light brown medicine cat gave Darkclaw a glance. "You there, ShadowClan cat!" she barked. "Tell me, have you seen a she-cat called Hazelfrost anywhere? Maybe trespassing in your StarClan-forsaken swamp? She has blue eyes and thick brown and gold fur."

"ShadowClan cats aren't so lax that we'd let one of you fleapelts sneak onto our land!" Darkclaw snapped. "Of course she's not here. But if it's any help, I did give her a good beating here at the border. You were there, weren't you Fireheart?"

"I'd appreciate the help, Darkwhatever," Dawnfern hissed, "but that was where she was in the morning. We want to figure out where she is right at this moment. Does that make sense to you, or should I start over?"

"Great StarClan, you're just like Foxwhisker!" Darkclaw snapped. "Has she been giving you lessons? Listen, you're not telling me anything. Maybe a fox dragged her off? Or it could have been a dog. Twolegs have the problem of bringing them when the Newleaf weather sets in."

Dawnfern glowered at the earth. "If only it was that simple," she muttered.

"Wait, you're going to kill her?" Darkclaw asked, horrified. He dropped into his battle stance, unsheathing his claws. "Don't think I'll let you!"

"Don't be a mousebrain," Dawnfern growled. "The conduct of ThunderClan cats is none of ShadowClan's business."

"It is if it's murder!" Darkclaw roared.

"He's right, you know," Risingleaf whispered to Dawnfern, but she was pushed away by the medicine cat's tail.

"What is going on here?" asked Sootstain, finally catching up. "I leave you alone for five heartbeats and you get yourself into trouble, Darkclaw."

"We're looking for a missing warrior called Hazelfrost," Dawnfern explained. "Have you seen any ThunderClan she-cats hanging around your territory?"

"At the moment, we're taking a patrol into the swamp," Sootstain replied. "And it just so happens that earlier this morning, one of my Clanmates told me that he had noticed a fresh ThunderClan scent-trail leading into the swamp."

Dawnfern smirked happily. "Would you mind a few additions to you patrol?" she asked.

Darkclaw glared at her, his claws still unsheathed. Oh no. You are not making me or my sister murder one of your Clanmates.

"Sure, why not experiment a little?" Sootstain hastily agreed.

Dawnfern, Risingleaf, and Fireheart started to cross the border, but Sootstain gestured for them to stop. "Only the medicine cat," he ordered. "The other two haven't been granted StarClan's privileges."

Dawnfern reluctantly grunted her agreement. "You two head back and check the WindClan border," she ordered, flicking her tail in dismissal. "I can handle myself from here."

Risingleaf nodded and padded off into the forest, Fireheart trailing behind her.

Shortly after the two had left, Owlflight and Cherrynose caught up. "Oh, you're Dawnfern," Owlflight noted, obviously confused. "Why are you here?"

"Dawnfern is looking for a lost Clanmate," Sootstain explained. "She thinks that she may find this cat on our territory, so I'm letting her join our patrol." He turned to the slim she-cat, smiling. "Anyway, I'm glad we have a medicine cat with us," he told her. "Tell me, have you ever heard of an herb called a 'Moonleaf'?"

…

After what seemed like an eternity of following Sootstain through the swamp, Darkclaw saw the senior warrior come to a stop. Following Sootstain's tail signal he stopped and waited for instruction. As he did, he shot a glance at Dawnfern, making sure that the ThunderClan she-cat had understood the ShadowClan tail signal. She looked a little confused, but she had copied everyone else by stopping.

"We're at the entrance to the camp ruins now," Sootstain explained. "The pine trees surrounding the camp collapsed into it long ago, so it's hidden really well. We'll have to crawl through a thorn tunnel to get inside." He sniffed around the ground for a moment, before motioning the cats forward with his tail.

"Here we are," Sootstain declared when Darkclaw had reached him. "This tunnel is a bit cramped, but it's nothing worse than the duties you've performed before. I'll go down first, and make sure that there's nothing at the end of the tunnel. Next, Owlflight can come down, then Dawnfern, then Cherrynose, and finally Darkclaw. Does everyone understand?"

The patrol nodded in response to his instructions, and the white tom crawled into the tunnel. After a short time, Darkclaw heard him calling back up to the patrol. "All clear!"

Darkclaw waited as the three she-cats each made their way through the tunnel. Finally, it was his turn. Before he went down into the camp ruins, he took a glance into the sky. Sunhigh. That's perfect. Bonetail should be here any time now.

He squeezed the tunnel. It was a little tight, and thistles scratched his pelt, but he managed to make it through. He emerged from the tunnel and into the camp, where the rest of the patrol was waiting.

The fallen pine trees lying across the top of the camp cast deep shadows all around. Light leaked through them, falling over plants that sprung up, unattended throughout the ground. Broken branches were strewn across the ground, while vines grew across the camp walls.

"Come on, let's find those Moonleaves and get out of here," Cherrynose urged the patrol. "This place is creepy."

"On the contrary, I find this place fascinating," Dawnfern mused. "I don't believe that Hazelfrost will be found here, but I do wonder if the legends are true. They say the Stone of Songs was lost here. What would the Clans say if we found it?"

"I doubt you'll find the Stone," Cherrynose told Dawnfern. "There have been many ShadowClan patrols sent here throughout the seasons. If the Stone was still here, wouldn't one of them have found it by now?"

"Maybe that's true," Dawnfern replied, smiling mischievously, "but did any of those patrols bring a medicine cat with them? Wouldn't StarClan be more willing to deliver the Stone to someone that did their work in the world of the living?"

Darkclaw shrugged. According to legend, the Three chosen warriors, Dovewing, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze, had placed their power into the Stone of Songs as part of an effort to end the Echo Wars. The last battle of the Echo Wars had been fought in the original ShadowClan camp. Although the darkness of Ragnarok finally vanished, Dovewing, Jayfeather, and the Stone of Songs were lost in the battle. Because the Echo Wars had ended one quarter-moon after a Gathering, the Clans always used that day to pray and give thanks to StarClan. The sacrifice Dovewing and Jayfeather had made, along with many cats from the Clans, was not something that would be forgotten.

"Hold on!" snapped Sootstain suddenly. "I can smell another cat in here with us."

"Yes, it's about time you noticed," someone growled.

"Bonetail," Darkclaw hissed as the large, white tom stepped out of a den and faced the patrol.

"Enjoying the Ancient Clan history?" Bonetail purred. "Yes, this land is rich with the power of StarClan. Our warrior ancestors chose it for a reason. Their innate power naturally flows through the lake, just as we learn to crave light and fear darkness from the moment we open our eyes. But the medicine cats, granted StarClan's vision when they drink from the untainted waters of the Moonpool, have become a scourge. They pervert StarClan's power, choking out its light. I am an avenger! And look, you have delivered to me one of those accursed cats!"

Laughing, he raced towards Dawnfern. Darkclaw leaped in front of the hulking tom, catching him with a claw strike.

"Ah, Darkpaw," Bonetail hissed. "How do you expect to defeat the cat who taught you all your skills?"

Darkclaw swiped at the enormous tom's muzzle as he tried to hold him back. "I'm a warrior now!" he retorted. "My name is Darkclaw!"

Smirking, Bonetail used his greater weight to knock Darkclaw to the ground. He held the dark tom in place with a single paw, his claws digging into Darkclaw's pelt. "Barely a warrior," Bonetail snarled.

"Dawnfern, run!" Darkclaw screamed. The lithe medicine cat was frozen in shock, but his exclamation snapped her out of it. She turned and scrambled through the thorn tunnel, leaving the camp.

Bonetail cursed, and Darkclaw felt the white tom's weight lift off him. "I'm done playing a kit's game," the tom snarled.

As he spoke, three rogues dropped from the pine trees into the camp. "Sleet, Bear, Iris, take care of these cats!" Bonetail barked. "I'm going after a medicine cat." He darted up the thorn tunnel and out of the camp.

Darkclaw stood with his patrol, facing the three rogues who blocked the camp's exit.

"Can you guys take care of these foxhearts while I handle Bonetail?" Darkclaw asked, pelt hot with anticipation.

"We're ShadowClan," Owlflight replied. "We can handle it."

Darkclaw didn't take the time to snap at her. Instead, he raced at Bear and bit into one of his forelegs. While Bear tried to dislodge him by shaking his leg, Iris moved close to strike him. At the last possible moment, Darkclaw released his grip and threw Bear off balance. Then he spun around and met Iris's attack, knocking her over with his superior weight. Before Sleet could react, Darkclaw ran by the rogues and crawled through the thorn tunnel as fast as he could.

He wasted a few precious moments finding Bonetail's scent trail. Satisfied, he started to follow it.

Mere heartbeats later, a white she-cat rushed forward and struck him on the muzzle. "What do you think of this cat, Reedfur?" she called into the forest.

From the trees, a gray tom emerged. His eyes lazily surveyed Darkclaw. The dark tom hissed in response to the gray tom's scrutiny. "He may be large, but he looks young and inexperienced," the rogue observed. "The two of us can hold him off while Bonetail finishes his work."

"Reedfur?" Darkclaw mewed. "You're that RiverClan tom who went rogue! Really, how stupid is Bonetail? I can easily defeat a fish-breath who lost his water!"

"You will call me Slash!" the gray rogue barked.

As he spoke, Whitefeather rushed forward. Darkclaw let the she-cat advance, waiting until just before she struck to parry her blow with an attack of his own. The nimble she-cat leaped back before his blow could connect, and he was left with only a small tuft of her fur in his claws.

"Sorry about this," Whitefeather mewed as she rushed back towards him.

Darkclaw dodged to the side, feeling uninterested. Wind whistled through the air as he flew into Slash, who snarled and swiped at his face. Blood dripped from Darkclaw's muzzle as he faced the rogue.

Angrily, Darkclaw pounced on the gray tom. Blood rushed to his ears as he tore open Slash's nose and pinned him to the ground. Just then, Whitefeather streaked past him and raked his claws along his side. Hissing, Darkclaw released Slash and readied himself for the white she-cat's next attack. From behind him, Slash pounced, but Darkclaw had anticipated this. He dodged to the left, and the gray rogue flew by him.

Darkclaw's whiskers twitched irritably as Slash squared up beside his mate.

"It's the two of us against a single you," Slash purred. "How do you hope to defeat us?"

"Is that the best you can come up with?" Darkclaw sighed. "Fine. Let's get serious! I'll show you what real battles are all about."

Just then, the three cats were interrupted by a scream from the forest.

"Kiai!"

A gray she-cat with white stripes, roughly the same age as Tidepaw, raced into the clearing. "Sorry I'm late," she mewed to Darkclaw. "Navigating this swamp took a lot more time than I thought it would. But never fear! I'll protect you now." She resumed her screaming and ran towards Slash.

The large tom's fur stood up as he effortlessly knocked her aside. "Stop following us!" he snapped.

Darkclaw had no words to describe what he had just witnessed. At apprentice age, cats… well, they sure are lively.

The gray she-cat leapt to her paws. "Sneaky rogues!" she snarled and ran towards Slash again.

Darkclaw sighed and ran forward, grabbing her by the scruff of her neck. He couldn't stand to see a young she-cat get beaten up by rogues like this.

As the dark tom held onto the squirming she-cat, Slash opened his mouth to say something. Whitefeather slapped her tail across his jaws before he could.

"We're leaving," she announced. "We didn't come here to pick a fight. That may have been Bonetail's intention, but we're only in this place to restock our supply of herbs." Then she gazed affectionately at Darkclaw and the gray she-cat. "You're pretty strong, you know that?" she mewed. "Take care of her for me."

Through a mouthful of fur, Darkclaw grunted a reply. Slash reluctantly padded after his mate into the bushes.

"Let me go!" the gray she-cat shrieked, but to no avail. Only after the rogues had left did Darkclaw release her.

"What did you do that for?" the she-cat snapped, spinning around. "You let them get away when we could have taken them!"

"Oh, I understand you now," Darkclaw snarled back. "You're an idiot who rushes into things without thinking because you're an idiot! And if you didn't notice, I was just trying to get around those two. My real target is their leader, Bonetail."

"Well, let's go get him then!" the she-cat exclaimed, instantly pleased.

"No, you're staying here," Darkclaw ordered. "I don't want you getting hurt. Talk all you want, but you're barely more than a kit."

She beamed at him. This she-cat reminds me of Tidepaw. As if one of her wasn't annoying enough already.

"Don't you know who I am?" the gray she-cat asked, striking a pose. "It seems like you need enlightenment! I am often called Ace, the Rogue Hunter. That's right! I am not merely-"

Darkclaw hit her, disgusted. He turned and ran in Bonetail's direction, not caring if the she-cat followed. Secretly, he had hoped that there was a powerful tom watching ShadowClan from the shadows. He had wanted an ally, someone who would draw Bonetail out for him. In the end, he had placed his hopes in a stupid she-cat with a flair for the dramatic. Sure, there was Arise. But even though the tortoiseshell tom had kept his promise, Darkclaw still didn't trust him.

He reached the end of the solid ground. A swamp stretched before him, one with only a few patches of stable earth. The dark tom leaped onto the closest patch, crossing the swamp as quickly as he could.

After he had crossed a few patches, a small island came into view. There, looming on a larger patch of solid ground, was Bonetail. The muscular white tom had pinned Dawnfern to the ground. Darkclaw could tell that he was speaking with the ThunderClan medicine cat, but only after getting closer could he hear the words being exchanged.

"I'm a medicine cat!" Dawnfern snapped at him. "What do you think?"

"If I was going to let natural prejudices cloud my judgement, I wouldn't bother asking you would I?" Bonetail snarled. "Now then, you still haven't answered my question. Be honest, or I'll kill you right here and now. Have you seen them in the last few moons?"

Dawnfern stared up at him. "No, no I haven't," she admitted, guilt tingeing her mew. "But how do you know that?"

"I simply keep an open mind," Bonetail purred. "And for the information you have given me, I thank you."

"I finally caught up to you, Bonetail!" Darkclaw yowled as he landed on the island. Beside him, Ace fell to the ground. She had made a clumsy, yet successful, attempt at keeping up with him.

"Ah, my apprentice," Bonetail greeted him. "If Dawnfern turns up dead on ShadowClan territory, it would cause a war between ShadowClan and ThunderClan, wouldn't you think? But then again, I've already done what I needed to do. So for now, you can just go on remembering how I spared you."

The massive white tom turned and casually leaped onto one of the patches that served as stepping-stones. Darkclaw took a glance at Dawnfern, then ran after Bonetail.

At the same time, Ace tried to leap after Bonetail as well. She collided with Darkclaw, and he slipped into the swamp as Ace chased after the rogue leader.

He flailed around frantically as he tried to grab hold of the island. Am I going to die? Because that would be really, really stupid. Just then, he felt jaws grab hold of his scruff. Relaxing, he managed to get a grip on the island and pull himself up next to Dawnfern, his rescuer.

"Thanks," he mewed.

The small she-cat nodded shyly.

"What's wrong with you now?" asked Darkclaw. "What were you talking about with Bonetail?"

"Nothing that concerns you," she snapped, a little too hastily.

"Oh, it definitely concerns me," the dark tom replied. "If he said something about his plans, then it could be the key to defeating him."

"No, it was medicine cat issues, and ThunderClan ones at that," she hissed. "It has to do with this prophecy I received, okay? I don't know how Bonetail knew about it, but obviously ShadowClan has nothing to do with a ThunderClan prophecy. I'm going to talk with Sunstorm about it when I get back. As I am a medicine cat, you have no power that will make me tell you anything. Understood?" She glared at him, but there was fear in her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," sighed Darkclaw. She was clearly lying, but Darkclaw had seen the same stubborn look many times from Foxwhisker. He wouldn't get any information by pressing her on the subject. "Now then, let's go see what we can find at the ruins."

…

"Why, if you weren't such an idiot, I could almost say I was proud of you," Foxwhisker purred.

Darkclaw grunted as he followed her back to the camp.

They hadn't just found Moonleaf seeds in the ShadowClan camp ruins. They had actually managed to find a Moonleaf crop, one with even more Moonleaves than Foxwhisker had managed to gather. With Dawnfern's assistance, they had taken the Moonleaves out of the camp and replanted them in a more accessible location. It had taken a long time, and as Darkclaw stalked back towards his home, the sun was setting.

As he pushed through the wall, he heard an excited shout.

"Darkclaw, Cherrynose, come quick!" Stonepaw squeaked. "Blackfur is awake!"

Darkclaw nodded at him, feeling purely content for the first time that day. You're okay, father. That's good. Don't make it look like you're going away any time soon.

Foxwhisker interrupted him with a brush of her tail. "Just because he's awake doesn't mean he's okay," she snapped. "He still needs plenty of rest. Maybe later they can talk to him, but for now, the most he should do is eat some fresh-kill."

"But, I want to talk to my father," Cherrynose purred.

Foxwhisker sighed. "I'm sorry," she mewed. "It's just my way. You'll have to wait for him to regain his strength anyway."

"Fine, you old rat-brain!" Darkclaw snapped. "I'll go catch myself some food."

He stormed off out of the camp. It had been a long day, and he needed some solitude.

He found himself walking back to his training area. That's fine. I might as well do some training. He grunted and settled into his stance. Just as he was about to start, he heard a rustle from a nearby bush.

"Alright, who's there?" he screamed, spinning around.

"Agh, sorry Darkclaw!" came the squeak of Ace, the Rogue Hunter. "I just saw you passing by and wanted to say hello."

The dark tom relaxed at the sight of the gray she-cat. "So, how do you know my name?" he asked, intrigued.

Ace's ears twitched and she smiled, looking embarrassed. "You know that tom called Arise?" she asked. "Well, I was hiding in this very bush when you met him. It's how I knew where Bonetail would be today. So, you're here for your daily training? A little late, don't you think?"

"Oh," he grunted. "What did you think you could accomplish by hiding in a bush?"

She smiled, in an irritating way that yet again reminded him of Tidepaw. "I come here often to watch you train," she explained. "You're great at fighting, so you're a good source for tips. By the way, what kind of a name is 'Darkclaw' anyway?"

"It's a Clan name!" he snapped back. "It shows that I'm a warrior of ShadowClan! I would never give it up! Besides, what kind of name is 'Ace, the Rogue Hunter'? Isn't that overly dramatic?"

"My father's name is Dragon and my mother's name is Wendy," Ace explained. "They're both pretty well known in the Twolegplace I come from. They travel around, and when cats are in danger, they lend a paw! I wanted to live up to that legacy, so I came here to warn the Clans of the coming danger. But when I found out about the threats you were facing, I decided to change my name and join you in your struggle. My parents named my 'Glace', which means ice or something. I find that ridiculous. If they wanted to name me that, why not just call me 'Ice'? So I took off the beginning of 'Glace' and got-"

"Shut up!" snapped Darkclaw. "Great StarClan, do you know how much you talk?"

Ace shrunk back. "Sorry," she squeaked.

Darkclaw shrugged. At least she was telling him things that were slightly more interesting than the stories the elders told. "So, what kind of threats were you talking about?" he asked.

Ace shivered. "Like, there's Reaper," the gray she-cat explained. "She's raising an army to destroy you all. Really, she's a lot like Bonetail."

"Whatever," the dark tom sighed. "Crazed she-cats are nothing Clan cats can't handle. I think Slash proved that to you early."

Ace shook her head. "I already learned that when I tried to take on the rogues a few weeks ago," she explained. "But, you don't understand. Dragon is trying to deal with Reaper, and yet I worry for him. I'm here where it's safe, trying to make a name for myself. But one of Reaper's cats, Lord Decay, is really strong. Stronger even than you! Keep your eyes peeled, okay?"

Darkclaw shrugged. "Well, it's been great chatting about my impending doom," he mewed, "but I really have to get back to my Clan. Maybe we can talk again tomorrow morning, Glace?"

"Wait!" mewed the she-cat as she blocked his way. "I did something terrible to you earlier, and that's why you got angry at me earlier. I don't know what it was, but I wanted to make it up to you."

"Can't that wait for tomorrow?" Darkclaw asked.

"I know where the rogue camp is," Ace said.

Darkclaw grinned, filled with a sudden interest. At long last, I'll take the fight to you, Bonetail.

"How intriguing," he mused. "Yes, that is indeed a very interesting revelation, indeed."

To be continued…

Thanks for reading, as always! Now that the mysterious Ace, the Rogue Hunter has finally revealed herself, what do you think of her?

Also, question of the chapter: All seven medicine cats have finally spoken and had a bit of characterization. (Some more than others, right Nightheart?) Out of Snowcloud, Nightheart, Rainpaw, Foxwhisker, Stonepaw, Sunstorm, and Dawnfern, which one is your favourite?

Oh, and a bit of news about the next update. Chapter 7 will be about Tidepaw's adventures, but that's not what's coming next. Instead, after every sixth chapter, there's an interlude about one of the side characters. It should be coming soon, as I'm already half finished it. It's fairly short, and explains just what is going on with ThunderClan in this chapter. (It's also ridiculously fun to write.)

Anyway, see you soon!