Another really long chapter! :D So excited! This one's 3,852 words long.

I didn't post a chapter yesterday because I was working on a drawing. I posted it on Deviantart if you want to go check it out. (link is in my profile) It's based off of the recent QOTD What is your favorite character in the Misty series? There were 3 votes for Cinderstrike, 2 votes for Rainsky, and 1 vote for Ashthorn.

QLKwriter: Yes, they were. It was present in the first book but not so much this one because of how far apart they've been. And I get the whole loving bacon thing. :) Your favorite breakfast is probably my second favorite breakfast!

Willowdream of ForestClan: Yeah, I wonder if they'll ever figure it out? I don't think she tells them in this chapter, spoiler alert. :P

walkswithwheels: I wasn't expecting a double review! :O Thank you! ^^ So with the college thing, I'm actually a pretty good student academically. As in I take AP/Honors courses when I can and get A's or B's in them. But I do enjoy swimming, mainly because I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight, plus it's a good way to spend time with my friends. Our first swim meet of the summer season is actually this Wednesday! I'm excited :) And the issues of Clan hierarchy and NightClan will be resolved in this chapter, so no more questions about that (I hope)! And breakfast is generally my favorite meal of the day, so I feel bad for you that you feel bad when you eat it. :( That's interesting how your crossovers progressed! You just sort of slowly deviated from your original ideas until you'd come up with something almost unique, at least where fanfictions are concerned. I feel like the more original a fanfiction, the more interest it will get. Like with me, I've never written a story (that I've finished) about a Bluestar's Prophecy with new characters and if I see those stories, I generally skip over them. There's The Lost Snow, my first fanfiction, where a kit grows up with a loner as an adopted parent before rejoining her birth Clan. There's Eagle Air, where a Clan of winged cats is basically wiped out by eagles and the minimal survivors have to figure out how to defeat the eagles. Then there's this one. Yep. I'm actually allergic to peanut butter, but my mom loves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And video games are fun! ^^ ...this is an extremely long review reply...

ilovewarriorcats: Good luck on your math test and your violin competition! And I'm sorry about that guy. :( From my experience, middle school guys are most likely to be jerks. And sorry about the non-drama of Nightstar's death. :( I thought it would be cool if Cinderstrike was being held down by Nightstar and then Foxtooth came to save her. And I think you've forgotten, this isn't the last book. This is only the second book in this series. Who says Nightstar's the main villain? ;) I could put in another villain next book. I've always kind of admired vegetarians because I honestly couldn't live without meat. :P Plus I'm allergic to soy so I can't eat tofu and I'm allergic to peanuts and peanut butter and everything vaguely peanut-ey, so with all that it would be hard for me to get protein. Plus I eat very little vegetables because I'm not so fond of them. I suppose I could live off of pasta though... And Nightstar got his nine lives from the Dark Forest like Tigerstar did in the main series.

ShadowHawk540: I'm having steak for dinner tonight! :D Steak is really yummy! It's just expensive. :( And my friend drinks tea for breakfast, but she's never been out of this country, so it doesn't really surprise me that you drink tea but you're not British. :P

Leopardstar2002: Nightstar is gone 4evar! XD I have such bad spelling...

EradrinSkyleaf: Don't die Rainsky! D: It's okay, he's safe now. :) That breakfast sounds yummy! And I do have a Wattpad account, but I never use it. Username's the same as on here, I think. And my summer began last Thursday because I'm exempt from all my exams! If I wasn't, I'd have to go to school until Tuesday.

Rainsky's POV

RiverClan rushed into the camp in one relatively solid wave, their thin, scraggly-furred bodies a shock after my mental pictures of RiverClan cats as plump and sleek. But their claws and teeth were still sharp enough to terrify the remaining NightClan cats.

As I stood there, frozen in shock and exhaustion next to Sootthorn and Dawnshine, I realized suddenly that the NightClan cats had begun running away. But instead of letting them go, the RiverClanners leaped on them, cutting them off and digging in their claws and teeth after they'd already surrendered.

"No!" I lunged forward, my paws unconsciously carrying myself forward. "LeopardClan, RiverClan, stop fighting! The battle is over!"

I knocked into a RiverClan warrior who was holding down a shrieking NightClan apprentice, sending him tumbling into the dust. "The apprentice has surrendered," I said fiercely, shoving my face into the warrior's. "Leave him be."

The warrior glared at me but remained on the ground. I ducked underneath a flailing paw and leaped onto a flat stone by the nursery. "Stop fighting!" I yowled so loudly I thought my throat might start bleeding. Fortunately, it carried over the clamor of snarls and squeals. Cats began falling apart, the LeopardClan and RiverClan cats pinning the defeated NightClan cats to the ground just in case.

"All NightClan cats go to the center of the clearing," I ordered, sweeping my tail imperiously behind me. "Now," I added when no one moved.

Slowly, the NightClan cats wriggled out from underneath their opponents and traipsed to the center of the hollow, tails and heads lowered, covered with blood and dust. There were about ten of them remaining.

I leaped down and wound my way through the cats, a mishmash of LeopardClan, RiverClan, and Peace Cats, to stand before the remainder of NightClan. "You are defeated," I informed them. "If you try to reform NightClan, you will be punished. We are stronger than ever now." I nodded at the crowd now surrounding me. "Don't bother us again."

The NightClan cats nodded, all with downcast eyes. I stepped aside, allowing them access to the entrance. "Go," I said. "Live out the remainder of your lives as rogues or loners, or even kittypets. Whatever you want. Just never come back to the lake."

Again, the cats nodded. Then, one by one, they began heading for the entrance. A few glanced fearfully around at the cats as they passed, as though worried one might strike out at them. But NightClan reached the entrance with no complications and they slipped out.

I took a deep breath. NightClan was gone. Ashthorn's dream had come true.

"What are you still doing here?" Cinderstrike's sharp voice made me turn. Two cats remained in the circle where NightClan had once stood.

They looked young, maybe barely warriors or old apprentices. One was a flaming tabby she-cat and the other an ice-white she-cat who lay panting on the ground, one flank soaked with crimson blood. The orange tabby stepped forward on visibly shaking legs, but lifted her chin to speak to Cinderstrike and me.

"My name is Vixentail and this is my sister Iceheart. Iceheart is too injured to travel yet."

I glanced sideways at Cinderstrike. "I guess you two can stay until she's healed," I meowed. Cinderstrike didn't look too happy, but I thought, You can't expect them to travel when the she-cat's like that. She can't even stand up, let alone walk!

Fine. Cinderstrike blinked and looked away.

"Um…" Vixentail meowed, looking extremely nervous now. What else could she want? "If it's okay, we'd like to stay with you more permanently."

Cinderstrike hissed in exasperation. Vixentail flinched but continued. "It's just we didn't ever want to be loners, so that's why we didn't run away from NightClan. If you're okay with it, we'd be grateful if you gave us a second chance."

Sootthorn had padded up beside us. He glanced at the angry Cinderstrike, then at me, then at Vixentail and Iceheart. "We can let you stay until Iceheart's wound heals," he meowed. "If you prove your loyalty in that time, we will accept you as Clanmates."

Cinderstrike looked incredulously at Sootthorn. But they're NightClan! They can't be trusted!

Sootthorn glared approvingly at Cinderstrike. They deserve second chances. They deserve that chance to change. If they want to be in a Clan that badly, they'll do everything in their power to prove that we should keep them.

But—

Don't worry, their second chance comes at a price.

"But I'm afraid that if you want to remain in the Clans," Sootthorn meowed, fixing Vixentail with a hard stare, "you and your sister will have to split up. You will be in different Clans."

Vixentail's face fell. Then, struggling to regain her composure, she meowed, "But, with all due respect of course, why?"

"Because then it will be easier for us to keep a close watch on you." Sootthorn paused, then added in a gentler voice, "You'll still see each other at Gatherings. And you won't fight against each other because there's no chance of us going to war against each other." Sootthorn glanced sideways at Cinderstrike and me, his gaze warm.

I fought to keep from squirming uncomfortably. There was something I'd been meaning to tell Sootthorn, but I'd never really found the time to. But now that NightClan was gone, it couldn't wait any longer.

"Very well, then," Vixentail meowed, dipping her head. She then dashed back to Iceheart's side, fervently questioning Stormtuft, who was already tending to her.

"Sootthorn, Cinderstrike," I muttered. "Can we talk?"

Sootthorn shot me a curious glance. "Sure."

Beckoning to them with my tail, I led the way up to the leader's den. I turned, sitting down next to the nest and looking up at my littermates. I took a deep breath. "I want to be a medicine cat."

Shocked faces met my pronouncement. "W-What?" Sootthorn stammered.

"I think it would be fun," I said sincerely. "You get to talk with StarClan whenever you want."

Cinderstrike made a face. "Yeah, but you'd also have to stick your nose in infected wounds. Snap out of it, Rainsky!"

I blinked, rather hurt. "I'm serious!" I protested. "I want to become one."

Sootthorn bit his lip. "This isn't about Silverdapple, is it?"

Right in one. I caught my breath, at a loss for words. I didn't want to lie to my littermates, but how else could I convince them to let me be a medicine cat?

Sootthorn read my expression as easily as if I'd yowled the answer out as loudly as I could. His eyes softened and he padded forward, pressing his nose against my cheek. "Rainsky, we were meant to restore the Clans to the lake," he murmured. "That was our mission. We have to become leaders—all three of us—and form the old Clans again. ThunderClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan."

I looked away, but Sootthorn wasn't finished. "Leaders can communicate with StarClan just as easily as medicine cats."

"Yeah, but not as often," I argued. "Medicine cats go at every half moon. Leaders have to make special trips."

"But if you become a medicine cat you'd have to have a forbidden love with Silverdapple in StarClan," Cinderstrike broke in. She came forward and pressed against my other side. "I know you miss her, but you need to focus on what's down here on the ground. We have to rebuild the Clans. What cats would be better than us to lead the Clans once more?"

"But there are only three of us," I protested feebly.

Cinderstrike cut across me at once. "Rushstar is RiverClan's leader. When she dies, she'll be succeeded by Mossyfoot. RiverClan doesn't need a leader, but the other three Clans do. That's us."

I flattened my ears to my head and dropped into a crouch, as though I could shield myself from their words. But in the pit of my heart, I knew they were right. I was doing what Silverstream and Feathertail had warned against and letting my grief and love overcome my judgement.

Sootthorn and Cinderstrike were right. Of course they were right.

"Okay," I gave in. "I'll be a leader."

My littermates purred. "Thank you, Rainsky," Sootthorn said quietly. "I know it's a sacrifice, but I'm glad it's one you're willing to make."

I gave a little half-smile. "Well, I can't let your dreams go crashing down to fulfil my own."

We stood like that for a moment. Then Sootthorn broke the silence. "I guess we should go to the Moonpool tonight and get our nine—"

A yowl echoed up from the hollow below. It was quickly joined by more, all voices keening as their owners howled their grief to the skies. Together, we dashed to the edge of the Highledge, staring over into the camp.

Rushstar lay motionless near the edge of the camp next to the lifeless NightClan deputy. Even in death, it seemed she was still fighting the tom. Her mouth curled into a snarl and her claws were locked in his dark brown tabby fur. Three apprentices surrounded her, all three screaming in grief. Their voices were joined by the rest of RiverClan's as they mourned their leader.

"RiverClan doesn't have a leader now," Cinderstrike whispered. "Mossyfoot will have to get her nine lives with us tonight."

I glanced over at her before leaping down the Rockfall and beginning to move through the cats. We had to get organized before the new leaders left. First off, we needed to move the dead into the center of the clearing so cats could mourn them properly.

The first body I came across was half-buried in a collapsed den. I pulled it out by the tail. Then I panicked.

"Lightwing!" I shrieked. I buried my nose in her fur, sobbing hysterically. No! It couldn't be! She hadn't even been reunited with Cinderstrike yet!

"What is it, Rainsky?" I glanced up to see who it was, tears streaming down my face. It was Lightwing.

I glanced down at the body. Then I looked back up at Lightwing. Then back down. Then it hit me. This wasn't Lightwing. It was–

"Larkwing!" Lightwing gasped. She crumpled beside her older sister, pressing her nose into the soft brown and white fur. "No!"

I pressed myself against my mother, relief surging through me. Immediately I felt guilty. Yes, I was happy Lightwing was alive, but Larkwing's life was just as important. Stop being relieved, I ordered myself. But I couldn't help myself.

"Lightwing?" I murmured, pressing my muzzle against her forehead. "We have to move Larkwing. She needs to go in the center of the clearing. Then we can grieve properly."

Lightwing nodded, sniffling, and tenderly reached around to grasp Larkwing's scruff. I picked her up by the loose fur at the base of her tail and together we dragged her lifeless form to the center of the clearing, where the RiverClan cats had already laid Rushstar. Goldenwing moved among them, comforting and rubbing pungent herbs over the bodies. I nodded once to her before moving off again.

I next hurried toward the nursery, where I found two unmoving figures. One was a kit and the other a queen.

"Amberwing's not dead," a voice beside me meowed. I turned and saw an unfamiliar she-cat sheltering a positive herd of kits behind her. I looked behind her and counted nine tiny kits. Two I recognized—Lionkit and Hopkit—but the rest were unfamiliar.

I glanced again at the queen, who I now recognized to be Amberwing. "She's not?" I asked in an undertone. There was something about the nursery that made me quieter than normal.

The queen shook her head. "Her kit is, though." She bowed her head. "Amberwing passed out from crying too much."

I nosed Amberwing's fur. Sure enough, it was warm. I moved past her and picked up the tiny body of her newborn kit. It was so light, so small. I felt tears pricking at my eyes again but blinked them away. I needed to be a leader to these cats. I couldn't show weakness now. So I just backed out of the den and carried the tiny, orange kit to the center of the clearing, laying him beside Larkwing. Then I headed back out.

The next body I found was obviously a NightClan cat. I hesitated a moment before picking her up by her scruff and dragging her to the center of the clearing, though setting her down far away from the other bodies.

By that time, other cats had begun to help. RiverClan cats were dragging over their fallen Clanmates and LeopardClan cats were bringing over their Clanmates. The peace cats huddled in a corner, looking scared at the mound of bodies that was slowly growing larger.

I glanced around for any faces I recognized. I saw Scorchblaze, her claws still out and tufted with the NightClan fur. Dipping my head in quiet remembrance of her life, I turned to scan the dead still lying around the edges of the clearing.

I saw Mistheart lying near the warriors' den, but she looked like she was still breathing. Streamfrost lay near her, but she also looked alive. But farther along, I saw the darker fur of Crowtail. He was surrounded by his family, all of whom were quietly mourning. Beside them lay Voletail, his tabby fur soaked with blood. Adderpaw lay on top of him, his shoulders shaking with sobs.

I turned away. There was too much death. I needed to get away.

I scrambled up the Rockfall again. Sootthorn had remained up there, but Cinderstrike was nowhere to be found. I glanced around and saw her sitting with Foxtooth and Rustpelt outside the medicine den. Rustpelt's paw still looked like it hurt him; he held it close to his body and didn't put weight on it.

Sootthorn mentally called out to Cinderstrike. Come on up, we have to make the announcement about what will happen.

Below, Cinderstrike flicked her ears to show she'd heard. After a hurried goodbye to the two toms, she turned and bounded up the Rockfall to stand beside her brothers.

Sootthorn stepped forward. "Cats of the Clans!" he called. "Gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" No one moved. I figured they were too busy mourning the fallen to care much about a Clan meeting.

Sootthorn tried again. "Cats of the Clans, listen to what I have to say!" This time, heads turned to look up at him and ears swiveled around. Sootthorn had their attention now. So he launched into a general description of how the cats would be divided once more into the four Clans. "NightClan destroyed the Clans," he concluded. "We must rebuild them."

Cats around the clearing began nodding, and a few even forced smiles. My heart lifted marginally. Maybe this really was the right thing to do.

Cinderstrike stepped forward now. "Mossyfoot will accompany us to the Moonpool tonight to receive our nine lives." She glanced down at the brown and white she-cat, who dipped her head in agreement. "But first, we will announce the Clans we will lead." She glanced sideways. "Sootthorn, would you like to go first?"

Sootthorn smiled. "I will be ThunderClan's leader," he meowed. "I have spent the past moon here, so I figured I would be best suited to continue leading in this territory, as I am the most familiar with it out of us three." He stepped back and allowed Cinderstrike to take the front position.

Cinderstrike glanced back at me. ShadowClan and WindClan left, she thought. Any preference?

The one you don't pick, I responded, giving her a quick grin.

Cinderstrike stuck out her tongue, though made sure the cats below didn't see. She then turned to face them and meowed, "I will be the new leader of ShadowClan. I will make sure to rid that place of all traces of NightClan invasion." She returned to her original position, leaving space for me at the front.

I stepped forward. As I passed my siblings, I thought, You left WindClan specifically for me, didn't you? Because you think I'm most loyal and I hate fighting? Both just smiled ambiguously in reply.

"And I'll become the leader of WindClan," I meowed. My voice sounded strange and a little quivery. I swallowed and continued in a stronger voice. "WindClan has been forgotten these past seasons. I will bring it back to its former glory."

I beckoned to Mossyfoot and she bounded up the Rockfall to stand with us. The new leaders looked out on their Clans. I felt strangely strong and proud, despite the horrors that had occurred not so long ago.

Then Mossyfoot spoke up. "All RiverClan cats stand by the medicine den. We need to split ourselves into four Clans once again."

The cats below began stirring. A bit over a quarter of the cats moved to stand in front of the medicine den, with other non-RiverClan cats padding away to give them space. Then, from the back of the group, came a voice.

"Wait a moment!"

A light gray tom padded forward, cats around him drawing back to allow him to pass. Cinderstrike muttered from beside me, "Ripplefur?"

The cat, apparently Ripplefur, stood defiantly at the base of the Highledge. "We need to sort out medicine cats first," he called.

"That is a good point," Mossyfoot conceded. "All medicine cats step forward."

Stormtuft and Goldenwing emerged from the crowd, both carrying herbs in their mouths and looking rather annoyed to be called off the job.

Mossyfoot shifted uneasily from paw to paw. "Only three medicine cats," she muttered. "What do we do? We need at least four."

"We have four," Sootthorn meowed, nodding at the medicine cats. I glanced down, confused, and saw Alderpaw standing amongst the medicine cats.

"Alderpaw?" I meowed incredulously, my voice somewhat louder than normal. "What…? Are you a medicine cat?"

Alderpaw looked down in embarrassment. "Well, no," he meowed just loudly enough to be heard. "But I'd like to train to become one."

I blinked, stunned. Why hadn't I seen this coming? Had he been talking about this or was it an on-the-spot decision? I glanced around at Aspenpaw, who looked strangely unsurprised. Maybe he had been thinking about it for a while.

"Well, that's settled then," Cinderstrike meowed, grinning. "One medicine cat per Clan."

"Okay then," Mossyfoot said. "Ripplefur, you'll be remaining with RiverClan, correct?"

Ripplefur nodded. "Indeed I will." He rose and broke away from his fellow medicine cats to join his own Clan. Mossyfoot bounded down the Rockfall to sit at the front of her Clan.

Cinderstrike stepped forward. "Any cats interested in joining ShadowClan can meet in front of the warriors' den," she meowed. She also began leaping down the Rockfall as cats from across the camp moved toward the warriors' den. I saw Sparrowtalon lead his niece Morningpaw and his nephew Twigpaw to stand in front of the den. Following close behind were, with glances at Aspenpaw and Alderpaw, Frozenwhisker and Dewcloud. And, after pressing his nose against his brother's, Foxtooth brought up the rear.

Cinderstrike paused by the remaining three medicine cats. "Which of you would be willing to become ShadowClan's medicine cat?" she asked.

"I will," Stormtuft replied, and after brushing his tail quickly across Goldenwing's back, he followed Cinderstrike to stand with the new ShadowClan cats.

"Mistheart will also be joining us," Sparrowtalon informed Cinderstrike as she sat with her new Clan. "She's just too injured at the moment."

"Vixentail will also be joining you," Sootthorn called from beside me. Cinderstrike glanced disparagingly up at him but made no comment, mentally or otherwise. Vixentail touched her nose to her sister's ear and joined her new Clan without complaint.

"Wait a moment," came a voice from amongst the RiverClan cats. I blinked as a long-furred brown tabby stepped out from amongst his Clanmates.

"Tanglefur, what are you doing?" many RiverClan cats hissed, but Tanglefur ignored them.

"I'd like to also join ShadowClan," he meowed. "I've always had trouble swimming because of my fur and I think ShadowClan would suit me best. My fur would slow me down in WindClan and get caught on brambles and things in ThunderClan." He padded calmly over to the ShadowClan group, sparing one last regretful glance back toward his old Clan.

"Now for WindClan," I muttered, stepping forward. Louder, I meowed, "All WindClan cats to the base of the Highledge."

Alderpaw immediately stepped forward. He grinned up at me as Aspenpaw bounded to his side, and I grinned back at both of them as I turned to descend the Rockfall. Close behind them came Lightwing and Hyperion, followed by Tansyfoot and Whistlefur with their kits, Lionkit and Hopkit. Behind them came Forestwind, Blossomstep, and their kits, Rowanpaw, Oakpaw, and Honeypaw. Crouchfoot dipped his head to Sootthorn before joining the group.

I reached the bottom and glanced around at the group. I hadn't expected this many cats to come to WindClan. But they still weren't done coming; Leafheart and Adderpaw padded slowly over, Adderpaw's head still hanging with grief for his father.

Sootthorn stood and surveyed the remaining cats. "The rest of you gather by the apprentices' den," he called. I watched as Dawnshine bounded over, quickly followed by a strongly limping Rustpelt and Goldenwing. Behind them came Molewhisker, Amberwing, and their remaining kits Sunkit, Maplekit, and Birchkit. Snowclaw followed close behind Amberwing, his eyes on his nephews and niece to make sure they didn't trip. Streamfrost slowly plodded along at the rear, right behind Tortoiseheart, Breezelark, and Robinchest. Finally, Sootthorn joined them, too.

"Brightkit, no!"

I started at the sudden voice from the RiverClan section. The queen from before had darted out after a cream kit, picking her up by her scruff to stop her mad dash across the camp. "I'm sorry, but three kits are enough for me," she announced. "This kit was orphaned back at our old camp. Would some she-cat be willing to take her in?"

"I can." My eyes narrowed when they fell on Dewcloud, who had stepped forward from the ShadowClan ranks. "ShadowClan doesn't have any kits as of right now," she pointed out.

"And are you going to be a bad parent to that poor kit like you were to us?" Aspenpaw spat from beside me. She glared at her mother with outright hostility.

"That kit's an orphan," I pointed out. "If Dewcloud ignores her or something, she can be raised by the Clan."

"True," Aspenpaw muttered. "But still."

"It is time for us to get our nine lives," Mossyfoot announced, bounding forward. It startled me for a moment how fast she was moving. But soon enough I regained my senses enough to beckon to Alderpaw and head for the center of the clearing to join Mossyfoot and Ripplefur. Sootthorn, Goldenwing, Cinderstrike, and Stormtuft joined us and, together, we left the clearing.

I was the last to leave. Quickly, I glanced back over my shoulder at the four groups of cats. Everything was finally coming together. It was just like Ashthorn had dreamed.

We were finally making it happen.

I know a lot of you had your hearts set on Rainsky becoming a medicine cat. Sorry I had to disappoint you! :(

AOTD: Cinnamon rolls. Or sticky buns from the recipe that's been passed down from my family, which is basically cinnamon rolls with a brown sugar sauce. :D (I'm a cinnamon-aholic)

QOTD: How do you think Sootthorn, Cinderstrike, and Rainsky will react to becoming leaders in the future?