Skystar laid on the Flat Boulder where he addressed his Clan. It was a peaceful night and the stars twinkled. Not a thing stirred out in the forest. Things may have looked okay…but they weren't.

Every leaf bare the Clans argued over the lack of space with all five Clans taking up the woods. Skystar agreed but outsiders like River Ripple didn't complain. The silver tom was a rogue but a friend as well to Skystar's Clan. He had saved them countless times in the past and was the reason SkyClan was still here today. Once the Clans had considered driving SkyClan out for more room until River Ripple stepped in.

RiverClan also respected him seeing as he had lived by the river first. He gave them new ways of fishing and taught them many other things. So they allowed him to roam. And Skystar always said he was welcome in their territory as well.

Unlike Thistlestar and Brokenstar. The ShadowClan leader would order any death, but Thistlestar was tolerant of the river cat as long as he stayed out of the way.Probably because he saved many ThunderClan cats from drowning.

SkyClan is doing fine. But we're still struggling. What? With our weird names and traditions. We're the odd ones out and if we don't get help soon, we'll cease to exist.

The names and their spaces came from their old Tribe traditions. They didn't do the whole 'kit' and 'paw' thing like the rest of the Clans. It had been his brother Gray Wing's idea to keep the tradition as they traveled here just to remember Stoneteller and their old home.

The other four Clans had been reluctant at first but after hearing the dream Stoneteller had explained to them they realized…she had had a vision. Skystar assumed they thought it was important because apparently their medicine cats also had prophetic dreams from their ancestors. Cloud Spots and Dappled Pelt were the medicine cats of SkyClan but so far they had never had special dreams.

So how would SkyClan ever truly be safe if their mountain ancestors were far away from them and StarClan, as the other Clans called it, hadn't seemed to accept them yet? They didn't share dreams with him or his medicine cats. The only time he had caught a glimpse of them was when he had gotten his nine lives.

Maybe it was a bad idea. A mistake.

Skystar sighed. It was too late to turn back now. He would just have to trust Stoneteller. He caught a glance of some white ears heading towards him in the dark of the night and then a head peeked up at him and he saw green eyes. Cloud Spots.

"What's got you up so late?" He asked as he settled down by Skystar and stared up at the stars. Was he looking for signs from StarClan? Skystar sighed again.

"Just…life."

"Ah, yes. An interesting thought."

"Have StarClan talked to you? Or Dappled Pelt?" Skystar asked hopefully even if he knew he would get a negative. As expected, Cloud Spots shook his head.

"Maybe StarClan doesn't like us," Cloud Spots meowed childishly. Skystar shook his head. "Or…we just don't belong at all. The other four Clans were fine until we came along and took up more space," the leader growled.

Cloud Spots laid his tail over his friend's back and looked him in the eyes, meowing matter-of-factly, "the Clans have always fought with each other. Even before we joined, y'know?"

Skystar nodded and together the two looked up at the stars again. All we need is a miracle.

Yellowfang looked around, eyes wide and manner skittish as she tried to find a new place to hide. She had considered heading to ThunderClan territory but Thistlestar would see to it that she was killed. So that was a no. RiverClan was too far away and it was risky to trespass even more. WindClan was the farthest. Maybe…SkyClan? But she would have to pass through ThunderClan first. SkyClan's forest was right behind it unless she crossed RiverClan's territory and swam the river.

For moons after she had been exiled for something she didn't do, she had taken to climbing trees and sleeping in them, afraid she'd fall off onto a patrol, hidden in bushes and even once spent a moon in Carrionplace, if only to disguise her scent and not get caught so easily.

Her heart hurt every time she remembered the looks of fear and disgust in her clanmates eyes as Brokenstar persuaded them that she had murdered the kits. Her own younger littermates. Even her parents had believed it and her father had to hold her mother back…from attacking her. Her own daughter.

Only her littermates and Runningnose had stood by her. And she was sure if Cloudpelt had been alive he would have been there for her too. They had after all, had a friendship once, after Yellowfang had saved the tom from death twice. Sadly, she couldn't do it again and he had died from his wounds when they had battled WindClan moons ago.

And now Brokenstar was in control and would wipe out ShadowClan. Just like Thistlestar would wipe out ThunderClan. This is why we can't have ambitious cats become leaders, now can we? She thought mutinously as she crossed the Thunderpath into ThunderClan territory.

She was an adequate stalker but not as good as that SkyClan she-cat, Tall Shadow. She could definitely pass as a ShadowClan cat. They had talked sometimes at some Gatherings. It had been nice to have a friend for once.

She made her way through ThunderClan territory and realized she could hear screeches from Sunningrocks. Instinctively, she raced forward to help the wounded. All over the pile of rocks RiverClan and ThunderClan cats fought.

She stumbled over a body on the ground and saw the young ThunderClan warrior, Mousefur. She was alive but her shoulder was bleeding freely. "Hold on," Yellowfang hissed frantically and raced away to fetch cobwebs. After the kits died she wouldn't allow someone else to die when she could have helped…when she could have…

Memories of the broken bodies in the training hollow flashed through her mind. She shook it away and found the cobwebs and marigold as well.

She went back to Mousefur and dragged her into the undergrowth before starting to treat her wounds. Mousefur opened her eyes and stared at her in confusion. "What're you….?" She fell unconscious again.

"Yellowfang?" The she-cat jumped but it was only River Ripple, looking curious. "What're you doing here?"

"I'll make sure you're chased out of all the Clans!" Brokenstar growled in her ear as she left ShadowClan for the last time.

She might as well be grateful for the last moments of kindness she would get before Brokenstar spread the word. "I…she needed help."

"I can get her back to camp," River Ripple meowed. "Thistlestar doesn't like me but he doesn't mind me as long as I stay out of the way. I'll just deliver him his warrior back and be on my way."

"Okay," Yellowfang meowed, helping him get Mousefur onto his back. She watched him slowly make his way to the ThunderClan camp before she remembered that she had to get out of there.

She took a deep breath and raced into the battlefield. She couldn't risk going around and running into other cats. She swerved cats and dodged claws when suddenly there was a huge rumbling sound and then rocks fell.

Yellowfang skidded to a halt when she realized she had almost run out onto an overhang. Rocks had fallen and she peered over to see them and…blood trickling out from the bottom. Oh, no! She thought. Someone had been crushed. She jumped as Redtail, the ThunderClan deputy, ran past. He hadn't noticed her, too horrified for some reason.

"OAKHEART'S DEAD!" He yowled and then he and his ThunderClan cats retreated. Yellowfang backed away into some ferns as the cats left. Something sounded behind her and she turned to see Tigerclaw padding up to the deputy.

"Why are we running? We're no cowards!" He growled. Redtail looked him in the eye and meowed calmly, "ThunderClan will honor your bravery but we can't take any more risks. Oakheart just got crushed in a rockfall. Who knows who else could have had the same fate."

"No." Yellowfang shivered at Tigerclaw's suddenly ominous growl. "ThunderClan will honor me now when I become deputy and then soon the next leader after Thistlestar!"

"After…Thistlestar?"

Was that fear in the deputy's voice? And what was up with Tigerclaw? Yellowfang almost gasped when Tigerclaw jumped Redtail and sank his teeth into the tortoiseshell tom's throat. After the body stopped convulsing Tigerclaw looked up, blood dripping from his maw and Yellowfang's heart pounded.

Why are you scared of this idiot? C'mon you can take him! You're a way more seasoned warrior than he ever will be!

But Yellowfang hadn't fought in a long time, too busy taking care of cats. She was rusty with her fighting right about now. Suddenly, there was movement in the bushes nearby and the apprentice, Ravenpaw flashed past, green eyes wide wide horror and fear.

Yellowfang stiffened when she noticed Tigerclaw's eyes, trailing his movements. Then he picked Redtail's body and headed back to camp. Yellowfang sighed in relief.

He killed his own Clanmate? And Ravenpaw is so dead. But so will I be if I don't get out of here. There's nothing I can do.

She looked around warily before racing away to SkyClan territory. A place she could hide better without looking over her back every now and then. Skystar may be defensive about territory but not that defensive.

Everything will be alright.

Thistlestar was pacing the clearing of ThunderClan camp. Mousefur had just been helped back to camp and was currently resting in Spottedleaf's den. He stopped pacing and took to sitting on Highrock, staring up at the stars with boredom.

After a while, Spottedleaf appeared and approached him, eyes flashing warily. She hopped up onto the Highrock with him. "How's Mousefur?" He asked.

"Better," she mumbled, not looking at him. "She'll be okay by tomorrow."

Thistlestar nodded and looked up at the stars again when suddenly Spottedleaf gasped and her tail shook. After a bit she looked at him and meowed, "it was a message from StarClan. 'Fire alone will save the Clan.'"

"Fire?" Thistlestar snarled. "What kind of mouse-brained fools do they think they are?" He lashed his tail. He had never cared for StarClan. All he wanted was power. And now he had that.

Spottedleaf was crouching away from him at the edge of the rock and he softened his expression and pulled her against him with his tail. She cringed, trying to shuffle away but Thistlestar kept his grip tight as he glared up at the stars.

"Fine. If fire will save us, so be it."