"He really is determined," Autumnspot murmured from the shade. He had paused from grooming his fur to watch as Mousewhisker left the nursery den and walk over to Sakura under the Highledge. Raven was there with bristled fur and was saying something to him, but Mousewhisker only nodded and sat, at a safe distance, and spoke with Sakura.

"He is," Whitethunder said slowly. He was sitting beside the orange tom, tail tucked neatly behind the other's back.

"Too determined," Lionblaze growled softly to himself. He was lying beside the deputy, idly cleaning his paws.

Raven and Whitethunder heard him and turned to give him curious glances. Autumnspot flicked his tail quickly. Whitethunder grinned and twitched his nose. Lionblaze, unknowing to the silent transaction, kept his burning eyes towards the three under the Highledge.

Mousewhisker's punishment after two days ago was like his old punishment, only it was cut. He would keep doing apprentice duties until Flamekit, Sunkit and Gingerkit became paws. He still had to watch Foxe and Squirrelflight, Icecloud and him had to keep that job.

Leafpool came trotting over with Cherry, two bundles of herbs in her mouth. She placed them between the two. "Be careful, and remember to get here before the Gathering. Preferably two days before then." She told them.

Whitethunder ate his bundle and Cherry ate his, both making faces. "We will," Whitethunder assured.

Sakura came limping over to them; she noticed them getting ready to leave. "Be safe!" She hissed sternly. "Just kill the mange and come back."

Both parents tilted a head at this. "Are you ordering us around?" The deputy drawled.

Sakura raised her head and tail at him. "Are you going to defy me?"

"Careful love, she is a future Rīdākirā," Cherry whispered in amusement.

Whitethunder dipped his head to her with a light chuckle. "Of course not, Sakurarīdā," he answered. Sakura purred in satisfaction. Both cats smothered their daughter with hugs and kisses.

"We will be back," Cherry whispered before the two left. Whitethunder gave Autumnspot a look as he left, making the tom nod. He would watch Sakura.

Bramblestar watched the two Moonclan warriors leave before turning to survey his own warriors. Sorreltail, Millie and Poppyfrost were practicing warrior moves with Dovewing, Ivyfrost and Bumblestripe outside the clan. Everyone else was conversing. Jayfeather was asleep inside the den. Foxe was lying in front of the entrance of the nursery, her tail circling her bulging stomach. She was close to birthing; she would be due, by Leafpool's prediction, in a quarter moons.

The leader padded towards the medicine den and walked inside. Leafpool was curled around the sleeping tom. She heard him enter and flicked an ear in greetings. Bramblestar nodded in return. He gazed down at the grey tom before looking back at her. "How is she?"

"He was feverish last night, but he is fine. He ate his food, which is good." She reported while licking the sick tom across his head lightly.

Bramblestar sighed and sat beside her. "How are you, Leafpool?"

Leafpool gave him a strange look. "What do you mean?"

"You have been, different, since they returned."

Leafpool looked away, then chose to bury her nose into Jayfeather's fur. The tom shifted a bit, but otherwise stayed asleep. "I'm afraid," she muttered finally.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. "Of what?"

"Them," she rose her head and looked at him, "the Dark Forest. They have returned. This only adds on to our problem."

Bramblestar curled his tail around his flank. "It does, but not if we stop the only access they have to the foreigners, to kill Thornclaw."

"What if it doesn't work?" She hissed lowly. "What if Ashfur succeeds in killing us? Then they will have won and the clans will die out!"

"That won't happen," Bramblestar assured firmly. "Starclan is here to guides us and Skyclan too if we should need it. We have beaten the Dark Forest before, we can do it again." He blinked his amber eyes slowly at her. "Plus Jayfeather told me ever since your death you have been afraid of darkness. Is that why you sneak into Jayfeather's den at nights?"

The light ginger she cat blinked her eyes slowly in return. "At the Moonpool," she began, "when we went to visit our ancestors I wasn't with them. It was darkness, like the Dark Forest. I heard them Bramblestar, I heard all of them." She shuddered and closed her eyes. "It felt like I was dead again. I don't want to die, not without completing my goals, my wants and needs to myself, my kits and my clan. I am afraid of darkness until these goals are complete."

Bramblestar's wars flicked, he was not told this. "When was this?"

"Two moons ago."

Bramblestar gritted his teeth and looked away. "We will beat them, and we will end them once and for all."

"We cannot do that," Leafpool mewed softly as the tom stood and walked away. "More cats will die and more will go to the Dark Forest. Like Starclan, it will be forever full."

Bramblestar heard her, and that troubled him. The she cat had a point, the more bad cats that died, the more the Dark Forest would fill up. 'But more good cats die than bad cats,' he reasoned. 'We will always prevail.'

Brackenfur crossed in front of him with prey, taking it to Foxe. Bramblestar followed him with his eyes until they fell upon the queen. 'There is one bad cat,' he thought grimly. 'But I can't think that,' he chided himself. 'She could change and turn good.' His eyes met Foxe and he suppressed a shiver. 'Or maybe not.'